Umer Rashid

Srinagar, July 4 : Deputy Commissioner Shopian on Thursday suspended Executive Officer Municipal Committee in the southern Kashmir district for “dereliction of duties”.

The office of the deputy commissioner Shopian has received numerous complaints against the functioning of Municipal Committee Shopain from time to time, reads an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner.

“During the joint inspection District judge and Additional District Development Commissioner Shopain on Thursday (July 4) to various toilet facilities located in the town, at district hospital Shopain and bus stand were found locked despite clear direction for opening and cleaning of the all toilet facilities within the limits of Municipal Committee Shopain,” the order reads, a copy of which lies with news agency.

“This is a serious case of dereliction of duties on part of Executive officer Municipal Committee Shopain,” the order said, adding, “Therefore in view of the facts Imtiyaz Ahmad Executive Officer Municipal Committee Shopain is hereby placed under suspension and attached in the office of the Additional District Development Commissioner, Shopain with immediate effect .”

Tehsildar Shopain has been directed to look after the routine work of Municipal Committee Shopain in addition to his own duties except for the financial matters till the incumbent joins his duties, the order added. (GNS)

Pirzada Shakir

Kupwara, July 4 : The revenue authorities have allegedly denied EWS certificate to a student of backward area due to which he lost a civil engineering seat.

The people belonging to weaker sections of the society are entitled to get 10% reservation in government jobs and admission to educational institutions across India.

Shakir Shafi Dar, a student of Kupwara, who recently got selected for B.Tech course after qualifying one of the country’s top exams, under EWS category, said he was denied the certificate by the concerned tehsildar (revenue officer).

The father of the student said all the required documents were provided to tehsildar to get EWS certificate which was denied on different pretexts.

“We visited tehsildar office Kupwara several times to get the certificate but he refused to issue, citing different reasons,” Mohammad Shafi Dar told GNS. “First, he (tehsildar) told us that the people belonging to Resident of Backward Areas (RBA) category are not entitled to get the certificate. Later, he told us that he would go for spot verification to check the assets before issuing the certificate but didn’t visit.”

“I provided income certificate issued by the same tehsildar after proper verification of income and assets where my total annual income is around Rs 44000 from all sources,” the father said.

Dar, however, claimed that “DDC Kupwara had already clarified to the tehsildar that there is no reason for not issuing the certificate to RBAs as EWS pertains to the central government while as RBA certificates are not entertained in NEET exams”.

“Tehsildar Kupwara ruined the career of my son by not providing the certificate. Tuesday, (2 July 2019) was the last day of submitting documents for counselling and we failed to provide EWS certificate because of official apathy due to which he lost civil engineering seat,” the father said.

Lawyer Owais Geelani told that the concerned officials are obliged to issue EWS certificates to Resident of Backward Areas as per law.

Advocate Syed Mujtaba said that anybody who doesn’t fall under the scheduled caste, schedule tribes and other backward classes in the central list applicable to the state of Jammu and Kashmir and qualify for EWS category, is eligible to receive the benefits of reservation for EWS.

Tehsildar Kupwara, Javid Ahmad rejected allegations and claimed that he left no stone unturned to support the applicant-student under rules and also discussed the matter with DDC, ACR and ADC Kupwara in presence of the applicant.

“I’m not the only competent authority to issue the aforesaid certificate,” tehsildar said but didn’t respond to the question asking the reason for not issuing the certificate to the applicant.

The father of the student has appealed government and DDC Kupwara to take serious note of the issue and deliver justice. “Nobody should suffer unduly,” he said.

However, sources informed that in Kupwara, several files of EWS certificates are waiting approval of concerned officials and are gathering dust in office shelves. (GNS) 

Nadeem Nabi Teli

Sopore, July 04 : A 50 year old man was killed after a part of a wall collapsed on him following dismantle of an old house in north Kashmir’s Sopore village on Thursday evening.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said a 50 year old man on Thursday evening died after a wall collapsed on him during the dismantle of an old house building in Warpora area of Sopore.

The deceased identified as Mohd Shabaan War son of Late Abdul Aziz War of Usmaniya Mohalla Warpora.

Kashmir Despatch News

Sopore, July 04 : Now a bus on excursion carrying students met with an accident at Watlab area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said an excursion bus on way to Sopore from Bandipora met with an accident when the driver of the Vehicle lost Control on his speed at Sangri Top Watlab this afternoon.

Reports said in the mishap all students are safe, while driver of the Vehicle was critically injured and was taken to nearby hospital for treatment where from he was referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment.

A police officer also confirmed the incident to Kashmir Despatch and said all the students traveling in the bus are safe, officer said a driver was injured and he has been referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. Officer said that a team headed by SHO Sopore reached to the spot to verify the incident.

Pertinently, on Wednesday evening 18 girl students were injured as excursion bus fell down into Nallah at Ganderbal district.