MLA Shopian Adv. Mohd Yousuf Bhat has expressed anguish over the pesky power supply in Shopian. The power scenario in Shopian has worsened since last snowfall and has taken the toll on the entire population of the district.
In a statement issued to KNS, Adv Mohd Yousuf Bhat said “it is surprising to see that few inches of snow has snapped the power supply to this district and since then is playing hide and seek with the people. The entire district is facing erratic power supply and administration is invisible on ground”.

“The frequency of power cuts in entire district has increased and has rendered the whole population of the district in darkness, with no indication of improvement in the near future. The power cuts are more frequent and extended during the evening hours. The situation in the rural areas is far worse and most of the villages don’t get electricity for days together,” MLA said.

He said that the power supply is under tremendous stress and common consumers including the students and traders are bearing the brunt of unscheduled power cuts and Irked by the frequent power cuts, the people from all walks of life have started taking to streets to protest against the power shortage.
“People of Shopian are paying electricity dues properly and in time, and yet are reeling under darkness. Administration had promised it would supply uninterrupted electricity in few days but the same has proved to be a hoax,” Bhat added.

He warned that if Power Development Department fails to supply uninterrupted electricity to the people, then the business community will be forced to come on roads. While extending his full support to the bandh call called by Traders federation Shopian, MLA impressed upon the governor administration to intervene and get the power supply restored to this hill district as unscheduled power cuts are adding to the miseries of the local population in this chilly winter.

The Annual examination of Class 10th and 11th concluded today across Kashmir Division.
The students expressed satisfaction over the various arrangements like heating, lighting etc. put in place by the Department of School Education during the examination.

For the smooth conduct of examination and heating and lighting facilities to be provided to the students during the examination, Director School Education Kashmir, Dr. G.N. Itoo had passed strict directions and activated the whole Department particularly concerned examination staff.

To check the ground level implementation of the directions DSEK today visited many examination centres and interacted with the students directly and asked them about the facilities provided by the concerned examination centres.

During the interaction students expressed satisfaction over all the arrangements put in place by the Department during the examination after the strong directions from DSEK. DSEK visited Pulwama and Shopian Districts of South Kashmir along with the concerned District Development Commissioners today.

DSEK visited examination centers at Govt Girls Higher Secondary School Pulwama and Govt Higher Secondary Institute Rajpora in Pulwama along with DDC Pulwama G.M. Dar.

Dr. Itoo also visited many examination centres in Shopian along with DDC Shopian Dr. Owais Ahmad.

On the occasion, DDCs of both the Districts reiterated that District administration had already made sufficient arrangements for the smooth conduct of Board examinations in the District and today have achieved desired results in conducting these exams in the transparent and fair manner.

Meanwhile DSEK said that due to unprecedented weather conditions students of the valley face lot of problems in some areas, but Department of School Education tried its best to provide all relevant facilities to the students in exam centres to ensure fair examination.
He thanked District administration for coordination and expressed satisfaction over the smooth conduct of the examination and proper heating, seating and lighting arrangements made in all exam centres.

Deputy Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation Sheikh Imran today personally visited office of Chief Sanitation Officer to hail his efforts for lifting a dead dog after spotting it in the middle of the road at IG road Peerbagh.

Ghulam Rasool Dar who is heading sanitation wing of the Corporation was inspecting sanitation of different areas despite being Sunday came across a dead dog lying in a pool of blood

After lifting dog aside he immediately called out for sanitation squad to lift it from the area and completely sanitize the spot.
Deputy Mayor while appreciating the efforts of Chief Sanitation Officer said that this is the right approach that the officer did not wait for his lower rung staff to come and lift it up.

His conscience did not allow him to leave the dead animal unattended and afterwards immediately calling out sanitation staff to clean the spilled blood projecting dedication of SMC official despite being the Sunday.

This passes a message of spirit in work mechanism and needs appreciation and encouragement added deputy mayor.

The Chief sanitation Officer was also hailed by his colleagues of SMC and general public on social networking site.

Secretary, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR), Farooq Ahmed Shah today held a follow up meeting regarding disbursement of enhanced SDRF relief to the orchardists affected by Nov 3/4 snowfall.

The decision to enhance the relief under SDRF was earlier taken at the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting chaired by Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam on November 9.

The meeting was informed that recent snowfall in the valley on 3rd and 4th November 2018 has been declared as a special natural calamity due to which large scale of damages and losses have happened to agriculture and horticulture crops.

It was given out that SEC has proposed the enhancement of the scale of relief from Rs 18000 per hectare to Rs 36000 per hectare for ‘perennial crops’ of which Rs 18000 would be from normal SDRF and Rs 18000 from the special state specific calamity head of SDRF.

The meeting was also informed that SEC has approved immediate release of Rs 10 crore to the Deputy Commissioners for disbursement of relief to the affected farmers.

Shah directed officers that relief related matters should be taken up on priority. He also said that we should work in a transparent manner so that affected people may get benefit from it.

Special Secretary, DMRRR, Director Finance, Director Planning, Additional Secretary besides officials of said department attended the meeting.

As per the communication of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, there is a danger of avalanches from November 13, 2018 (1700 hrs) to 14th November 2018 (1700 hrs) in avalanche prone areas of Bandipora, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kulgam, Budgam, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Leh and Kargil districts of Kashmir Division.

The Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts have been asked to advise people not to venture out in avalanche prone areas during the period.

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In connection with the Panchayat Elections-2018, beginning from 17 November, the Government has declared public holiday in the poll-bound areas.

“Public holiday shall be observed within the limits of the respective CD-Blocks of concerned Districts on account of Panchayat Elections -2018, on the date of polls under the Negotiable Instrument Act-1881,” said an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD).

It said the holiday on account of polls to the Panchayat Elections-2018, shall be observed only in the areas where the polling is to be held.

According to the order special casual leave shall be granted to the employees who have to go to other areas for exercising their right to franchise, for which they will demonstrate proof of voting on return.

A delegation of PHE Daily Wagers led by its President Sh. Tanveer Hussain met Governor Satya Pal Malik at the Raj Bhavan here today.

The delegation requested Governor to expedite the process for regularization of Casual, Seasonal, Consolidated and other Workers of the PHE Department as per SRO 520; regular payment of monthly wages which are pending for last many months and amendment in SRO 520 as some conditions stipulated for regularization cannot be practically completed.

Governor assured the delegation due examination of its demands.