If giving voting rights is prerogative of EC, how come orders coming from Govt; Admin choking breathing space for people; If selling liquor, beer banned in Gujrat, why open sale in Kashmir: Tarigami; Where are 50,000 jobs promised by Govt, asks Dr Farooq
Srinagar, Oct 15: Expressing anguishing on what it termed as the “fast deteriorating situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Saturday alleged that the “Centre was choking even the breathing space of people of J&K, leaving them suffer on every front.”
Addressing a press conference here, PAGD spokesman M Y Tarigami said that the alliance leaders discussed the present political scenario in J&Kexpressed its serious concern on the “fast deteriorating situation in Kashmir as well Jammu.” “After taking away the constitutional right of Article 370, other ways of survival are being gradually choked. Civil liberties, freedom of press, freedom of speech is under assault while police stations and jails are being filled with innocent people,” said Tarigami, who was flanked by PAGD chief Dr Farooq Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, ANC vice president Muzaffar Shah and others.
Tarigami said that it was high time that people and the political parties of J&K must wake up and raise a collective and united voice against the “present onslaught of New Delhi on people here.” He said that outside every police station, parents are waiting to see their children out. “Outside jails have now no capacity given the number of people of Kashmir lodged there,” Tarigami alleged.
He termed the frequent visits of Union Ministers as a “move to push people of Kashmir to wall further.” “These ministers are coming to ensure suppression is tightened further and whosoever raises is put behind the bars,” he said. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendera Modi for stating that power and democracy was taken to grassroot level in J&K; Tarigami said in the Naya Kashmir document, decentralization has been prioritized and democracy was already at the grassroot level.
He said that if J&K is being converted into Gujrat model; why sale of liquor, beer and drugs is being allowed freely. About giving voting rights to any one by authorizing the Tehsildars, Tarigami said that giving voting rights is the prerogative of Election Commission, “how come the government was issuing orders.?” “On the next day of order, the media is being told that the order stands withdrawn. Isn’t this a mockery of democracy? Meanwhile, replying to a query, PAGD chief Dr Farooq Abdullah asked the government where are the 50,000 jobs promised by it. “Situation is grim as the number of unemployed youth is swelling. I visited Marwah, Dachan in Jammu region and found that a Sub-District hospital has no doctor at all,” he said. (KNO)
Despite the augmentation of power infrastructure and the installation of much-hyped smart meters, the electricity woes continue to torment the valley residents ahead of the winter as since past one week, consumers are facing pesky power cuts across the Valley.
The situation is equivalent in towns, cities and villages as the consumers have accused the concerned Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) of supplying inadequate electricity to them.
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“Despite the installation of smart meters, which were aimed to ensure better power supply, we are getting nearly 4-5 hours of electricity supply on a regular basis, which has added to the misery of consumers here,” said Jahangir Ahmad, a local from the Natipora area.
“Crores of rupees have been spent on the power infrastructure augmentations in the last couple of years, which were giving a hope of round-the-clock electricity to the people, but all in vein as seemingly the winter power schedule has been started in the valley during the Autumn season, thus pushing the people to the wall,” the residents said.
Such unscheduled power cuts are being witnessed everywhere nowadays as the complaints are being received from several other areas also.
The consumers said that the electricity is being snatched for hours together and is being supplied for only a few hours in a day.
“The electricity supply was snatched multiple times today, which began from 6am to 8:30 am in the morning, 1 am to 2:30 pm in the afternoon and then 6pm to 8:30 pm in the evening,” one of the residents from Pampore said.
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The frequent electricity cuts have irked the people, who demand authorities to take immediate steps to ensure adequate power supply to them.
Pertinently, Kashmir’s power generation has got badly affected as according to the KPDCL Chief Engineer, Javed Yousuf Dar, the reduction in water level in river Jhelum, Chenab has lessened the power generation at the power houses of Kashmir.
“We are presently looking for an option to get the additional electricity to ensure adequate power supply to the people. We are on it and hopefully, the issue will be resolved in next few days,” Chief Engineer, KPDCL had said. KNO
An official told that a 65-year-old man was critically injured after a tractor in which he was traveling skidded off the road in the Hapatnard area of Aishmuqam.
He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Meanwhile, police took cognizance of this road mishap and identified the deceased as Manzoor Ahmad Lone. KS
In a joint operation by Kupwara Police and Army an infiltration bid was successfully foiled in Kumkadi area of Machil Sector in Kupwara district. In this swift and coordinated operation, two (02) terrorists were neutralized, police said.
A police spokesman in a statement to Asian News Hub (ANH) said that based on an intelligence input generated by Kupwara Police, a joint alert party of police & Army launched a search operation in Kumkadi area along the Line of Control in Machil Sector. The joint team observed movement of terrorists, employing meticulous tactics, the terrorists were intercepted who fired indiscriminately upon the joint team. The fire was retaliated, leading to the elimination of two (02) heavily armed unidentified terrorists.
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He said, identification and affiliation of the killed terrorists is being ascertained. Arms & ammunition including 02 AK Series Rifles, 4 AK Magazines, 90 rounds, 01 Pistol (Pak origin), 01 Pouch, cash Rs 2100 (Pak currency) & other incriminating materials have been recovered from the site of encounter.
The neutralized terrorists were found to be heavily armed, equipped with sophisticated weaponry which indicates their malicious intent to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the valley. However, due to the timely and effective response by Police & Army, their plans were foiled and a significant threat to peace and stability in the area was neutralized, he said.
In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation is in progress. Extensive search of the area is being carried out and further details if any will be shared accordingly, the spokesman added.