Police today in a statement said that in Chidder area of Kulgam, a mysterious blast occurred inside the shop of scrap dealer.

As the workers inside the shop were dismantling the newly arrived scrap, a blast happened inside the shop.

Consequently three persons sustained injuries in this incident, in which one person identified as Nazir Ahmad Bhat succumbed while as two other injured persons identified as Mohammad Abdullah and Yawar Ahmad sustained critical injuries.

The injured persons have been evacuated hospital where they are undergoing medical treatment for their injuries.

Police has registered a case. Officers are investigating the cause of blast.

Police today in a statement said that a body of one active militant was recovered from the orchards in Bijbehara area of District Anantnag while another injured militant was arrested by a joint team of Police and security forces from the area.

The killed militant has been identified as Adil Dass from Waghama Bijbehara. Body of the killed militant has been handed over to the family members after completion of the medico-legal formalities.

Moreover the injured militant has been identified as Arif Hussain Bhat of Fathepora Larkipora Anantnag. He has been taken into custody and admitted to hospital where he is being administered medical treatment.

Police has registered a case in this regard. Further investigation in the matter is going on.

Srinagar, June 27 : A person was killed while as two others were injured in a mysterious blast when some explosive material went off at Chuder Ban area of Khudwani in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Official sources told that the persons were trying to set on fire some trash in which the explosive material was lying went off at Chuder ban village of Khudwani at around 10:45 am.

In the blast, one person died on the spot while as two others suffered serious injuries, they said.

The deceased has been identified as Nazir Ahmad Bhat son of Abdul Khaliq Bhat.

Both the injured were shifted to PHC Qaimoh where from one critically wounded namely Abbas was referred to district hospital Anantnag for specialized treatment, they said.

SSP Kulgam Gurinder Pal Singh also confirmed the incident.

The officer said that police has taken cognizance of the incident and further investigations have been up to ascertain the nature of blast. (GNS)

SHOPIAN, JUNE 26: Two officials of Forest Department including an In-Charge Forester were suspended today by Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Dr Owais Ahmed, for their callous attitude towards their duties.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner’s office received multiple complaints about the smuggling of forest wood and cutting of green trees in Keller belt of district Shopian.

Acting on these complaints, a preliminary enquiry committee headed by Divisional Forest Officer Shopian was constituted by Deputy Commissioner Shopian. After a brief enquiry into the matter it was found that few officials have been negligent in performing their duties.

Taking cognition of the issue, Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday suspended two employees of forest department. Deputy Commissioner Shopian said that till the completion of enquiry these two employees have been put under suspension and more investigation regarding the case is going on.

He said that his administration shall not tolerate any kind of negligence and callous attitude towards duties. He further added that those found guilty will face stern action.

Principle Secretary, Animal Sheep Husbandry, fisheries and Transport departments today inaugurated various facilities at Institute of Animal Health and Biological Products of Animal husbandry department. Zakura.
The facilities included State of art experimental Animal lab for vaccine and drug testing, Bioinformatics cell, Screening of para staff for Brucellosis ( a zoonotic disease) undertaken in collaboration of Department of SPM GMC Srinagar, Android App for disease reporting and Online facility for animal disease diagnostic test report receipt for animals pet and farm animal owners.

Annual report of the institute for the year 2018-19 was also released on the occasion in the presence of Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir Purnima Mittal, Joint Director Research and various other functionaries of the department.

Speaking on the occasion Samoon stressed upon the comprehensive approach to deal with the animal diseases. He said that department is launching maiden livestock breeding policy J&K in the near future and various other initiatives pertaining to farmer welfare, Eco-Tourism, and biopreservation.

Srinagar, Jun 26 District Magistrate Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Wednesday issued an order directing all schools operating in the district to ensure strict adherence to bus safety rules and guidelines.

The order comes in the wake of growing complaints and reports of overloading among other practices of negligence in school buses putting lives of children on board in risk.

It directs school principals to ensure compliance with all relevant rules and Supreme Court guidelines aimed at ensuring safety of student while on their way to and from schools. It states that school principals will be responsible for adherence to the said guidelines and violations thereof.

The order directs for strict carriage as per capacity in school busses strictly warning against carriage that is in excess of their seating capacity. It also directs for having seat-belts on seats of vehicles used as school busses and ensuring these remain fastened while the vehicle is moving.

It directs that all school buses used for ferrying students must have proper passenger vehicle permits issued by the competent authority. It also directs that those hired for driving schools buses must have minimum five years worth of experience in driving passenger vehicle adding that hired drivers must not have any past record of traffic offences.

The order also directs that all school buses must have an attendant on them to look after the children onboard. It directs that all schools buses must also have first-aid boxes and portable drinking water available on them just in case the children on board need these facilities.

It also instructs that all vehicles used as school buses must have the name and telephone number of the school and “On School Duty” written on them both at the sides and the front and back thereof.

The order directs the concerned authorities to seize all such vehicles as found violating any of the relevant guidelines in this regard or instructions as stated in this order. It states that seizure memos will have “seized for adopting practices in violation of Supreme Court guidelines” noted thereon as reason for seizure in order to ensure strictest punishments.

The DM has urged the public in general and the parents of school children in particular to report instances of violations of the order to his office assuring of immediate and the strictest action under law against principals whose school buses are found violating any of the bus safety rules or the said instructions.

School principals have been instructed to immediately convene parent-tracher meetings on the subject being also asked to make minutes of these meetings to be made available for inspection as and when asked.

The order also instructs all schools in the district to constitute road safety clubs and convey details thereof to the SSP Traffic and RTO Kashmir who will organise relevant training for members thereof. School managements have also been asked to focus on road safety education and take proactive steps in this regard.

The order states that a review will be held after every two weeks to verify adherence to and implementation of instructions of the order. It states that all schools will also be assessed for road safety activities.

It states that instructions contained in this order became imperative in view of non-serious approach of school managements in this regard resulting in the problem growing into alarming proportions with overloading among other forms of negligence seriously endangering lives of children on board school buses.

Srinagar, Jun 26 : Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Wednesday said having a democratically elected government is the constitutional right of people.

Party general secretary Haji Ali Muhammad Sagar while addressing a series of worker’s convention at Baramulla, Sangrama said that the governor administration has miserably failed to run the state. “In no way can a governor or few bureaucrats replace the 87 elected members of the state legislative assembly. The present state of affairs in the state typifies chronic oligarchy. The inordinate delay in conducting elections to the state assembly has unfortunately taken its toll on the functioning of administration,” he said.

Sagar said that the governor’s administration is more into politicking than carrying out administrative affairs of the state efficiently. “On one hand we hear the honorable state Governor Say that not a single sparrow was hurt during the conduct of Parliament elections in the state. In the same vein he also eulogized his administration over the smooth conduct of ULB and Panchayat elections. If the situation was conducive to conduct ULB, Panchayat and Parliament elections; why isn’t the situation deemed fit for the conduct of assembly elections. The state administration had itself expressed satisfaction over the conduct of successive ULB, Panchayat and Parliament elections. It was the governor himself who had frankly admitted to the improvement in the ground situation in Kashmir valley, and then what is stopping them from conducting Assembly elections in the state. The underhanded motive of not ensuring the state a representative government is fraught with politics,” he said.

Party general secretary while censuring the Governor’s administration for failing to rise up to the expectations of the people of the state said, “The people of the state are feeling disconsolate in absence of a representative civilian government. The people of the state are snowed under plethora of problems. On one hand our students are being put to undue duress by placing their exam centers out of the state. Our youth continue to face intimidation and arrests. The commuters on the national highway continue to face everyday harassment. The unemployment in our state is at all time high, recently the news had it that our state tops the national unemployment ratio. There has been no headway towards the augmentation of infrastructure in health, education, and services sector. Everything has come to a grinding halt. The situation demands having a representative civilian government that could head on take the challenge of putting the state back on the track of development.”

Party’s senior leader Abdul Rahim Rathar while addressing the convention said, “Today we see one man parties being propped up in every alley and street of Kashmir. The trend is only confined to our valley only. The forces as are inimical to the special status of the state want to divide the voice of people. We see people having notorious past come in new facades and form parties every now and then. Many erstwhile devious elements have also been propped against National Conference. However people have rejected all of them in the parliament elections. People are familiar with the actual disposition of these forces as are coming up with one man parties every now and then. However with the active participation of people the party will trounce all the political shenanigans aimed at dividing our voice. People have made it a point to give NC a full majority in the state assembly.”

Provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani while addressing the workers said that the securing internal autonomy was the chief agenda of the party. “It was NC that gave the state its special identity within the Union of India. It is high time for the present government to accept the ground situation and restore back to the state what was abrogated since 1953. I hope that the visit of the Incumbent Home minister Amit Shah be productive. We have only been hearing hollow catch words and false promises from the visiting central cabinet minister. Last time former Home minister had promised to replace lethal Pellet gun from the security apparatus of Kashmir, but the promise didn’t see any implementation. However I am hopeful that the present government will use its mandate to bring respite to the people from insecurity and morass.”

He also asked the central government and the election commission of India to immediately announce overdue assembly elections. “It’s our right to have a civilian government in the state. Denying the same does not augment well for a healthy democratic set up,” he said adding, “the party will move to Supreme Court of India against the inordinate election delay.”

Among others Syed Bashrat Bukhari, Javaid Ahmad Dar, Showkat Mir, Dr. Sajad Uri, Ghulam Hassan Rahi, Advocate Shahid Ali, Jagjeet Singh Azad, Janak Sing Sodi also addressed the workers and impressed upon them to make the party stronger on grass roots.