Doda, October 08; District Election Officer Doda (DEO), Vishesh Paul Mahajan, alongwith representatives of various political parties, held quarterly inspection of EVM/VVPAT Warehouse, in the DC office complex at Doda today.
They examined all the warehouse and EVM/ VVPAT machines and found all the things in place as per the protocol and expressed their satisfaction.

DEO directed for installation of additional CCTV cameras on the backside of the warehouse. The representatives also discussed with DEO, various issues regarding summary revision, and other related activities.

During the inspection representatives of BJP, JKNC, PDP, INC and Apni Party remained present.

Lt Governor expresses gratitude to Prime Minister and Union MoRTH Minister
These projects are the road of J&K’s destiny that will accelerate the development, meet aspirations of people and facilitate ease of living: LG
Project approved under Bharatmala Pariyojana in the UT of J&K on Hybrid Annuity Mode on completion would boost connectivity to Jammu Airport

JAMMU, Oct 8: Srinagar, October 08: Union Government has approved the project for the Development of Jakh (Vijaypur)-Kunjwani section of NH-44 to 6-lane Expressway standards as part of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway including development of Kunjwani to 4th Tawi Bridge section of NH-144A to four-lane NH standards at the revised cost estimate of Rs.1917.32 cr. under Bharatmala Pariyojana in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir on Hybrid Annuity Mode.
Once completed, the stretch would boost connectivity to Jammu Airport.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on behalf of the people of Jammu Kashmir, expressed his deepest gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari.
“These projects are the road of J&K’s destiny that will accelerate the development, meet aspirations of people and facilitate ease of living”, added the Lt Governor.

JAMMU, Oct 8: A suspicious aircraft-shaped balloon which had ‘I love Pakistan’ message on it was seized by Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday morning. It was recovered from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district along the International Border.
According to sources, the balloon, yellow in colour, had ‘I love Pakistan’ written in English and Urdu languages.
Notably, the balloon has been handed over to police officials for further investigation. According to sources, the balloon was seized near the Cham Bagh area in the Kathua district of the Pakistan International Borders.
Meanwhile, upon subsequent searches that were carried out by Jammu and Kashmir police in the nearby area, nothing suspicious was found.
An investigation has been initiated by the police to look into whether it was wrongdoing by some locals who are trying to create panic in the area or it has come from across the borders. It is to be noted that, there have been several such similar incidents in the past. Police have taken cognisance and they are investigating. (Agencies)

SRINAGAR, Oct 8: The 6.5 km Z-Morh tunnel between Gagangir and Sonamarg on the Srinagar-Leh highway will be thrown open for traffic by November 15, an official spokesperson said. He said Divisional Commissioner for Kashmir P K Pole gave directions in this connection to the officials concerned during a high-level meeting at Sonamarg, which was held to review preparedness for keeping the popular tourist destination open during the winters.
Discussions were held in order to ensure that necessary facilities such as water, electricity and snow clearance were in place for the convenience of tourists. During his visit, Pole also inspected the work on the Z-Morh tunnel which when operational will provide connectivity round the year, the spokesperson said.
He directed the executive director, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (projects) to ensure all necessary works pertaining to the tunnel are completed by the second week of November so that it can be opened for traffic by November 15, the spokesman added. Pole also asked the director of tourism in Kashmir and CEO of Sonamarg Development Authority to widely publicise the region as a winter tourist destination.
Further, they were directed to finalise hotel rates by holding discussions with owners and notify the same by November 15. (Agencies)

JAMMU, Oct 8: On the occasion of 90th Air Force Day, Air Force Station Jammu inaugurated the Station Conference Hall dedicated to ‘Son of the Soil’ braveheart, Flt Lt Advitiya Bal.
A Defence Ministry statement said: “Braveheart Flt Lt Advitiya Bal, Born on 16 July 1996 at MH Jammu, as a true “Son of the Soil” gave the ultimate sacrifice in the ‘Line of Duty’ on 28 July 2022 while flying a Battle Inoculation Training mission on a Mig-21 Type 69 trainer aircraft.”
“The officer with his sheer hardwork and perseverance joined Sainik School Nagrota and National Defence Academy. He was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of IAF on 16 Jun 2018.”
“The Bravery and supreme sacrifice made by Flt Lt Bal will always be remembered and inspire generations of this soil for years to come.”
“To mark this auspicious day of Indian Air Force as a red letter day, the ‘Bal Conference Hall’ of Air Force Station Jammu was inaugurated by Smt Praveen Kumari (mother) and Sub Maj Swaran Bal (father), parents of braveheart Flt Lt Advitiya Bal in the presence of Air Commodore G.S. Bhullar, VM (AOC Jammu) and Mrs Ruhi Bhullar (President AFWWA {L}) with senior Officers of Station along with Principal of Sainik School Nagrota Capt(IN) Desai.”
“Symbolically, The first video call in newly inaugurated conference room was made between the parents at Jammu with the CO and Officers of Fighter Squadron at Utarlai (Flt Lt Bal’s squadron), where the young officer made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.” (Agencies)

Srinagar, Oct 8: A paramilitary CRPF personnel from Gurez area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district has died of bullet wounds in Jharkhand, officials said here on Saturday.

Initial reports suggest that the personnel, Mehrah Ahmad of Wapora Gurez shoot himself to death with his service rifle in a camp of 218 battalion of CRPF, news agency GNS reported. However, the officials said that local police there have started inquest proceedings into the death.

New Delhi, October 8: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday called the development in Jammu and Kashmir as the biggest achievement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and further claimed that each sector of the Union Territory has got a common allocation.
“It is the biggest achievement of PM Modi that in 70 years, each division of J-K has a common allocation for the proposed development projects,” Union Minister Jitendra Singh said while reacting to Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah’s response to the challenge of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Shah, during his public address in J-K’s Baramullah on Wednesday, took a dig at the Gupkar alliance and openly challenged the JKNC to present a ‘report card’ regarding the development projects in the Union Territory, during its tenure of governance.
Abdullah responded to Union Home Minister with a long list of the achievements of JKNC from Independence to 2014, while the party’s vice president Omar Abdullah revealed the details of the projects.
Dr Jitendra Singh further said that even before the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and declaration of J-K into two separate entities, PM Modi used to ensure that all the people’s concerns are addressed sensitively in Srinagar and Leh in Jammu, as earlier there was a complaint that either part of J-K was getting more attention.
“Ever since the government has achieved full control over the UT, people here are now free of that mentality,” Singh said.
He further added that development in the Union Territory has balanced after PM Modi resumed several development schemes and projects that had been lying pending for 50 years.
Laying down the schemes, the Union Minister said, “The restart of the project of Shahpur Kandi in Kathua near the International border by the intervention of PM Modi, which was halted for nearly 40 years, has been proven beneficial for both Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Its first phase will begin to function in a month or two.”
Alleging the JKNC of “selective development”, Jitendra Singh said that developing the regions by considering your vote bank and not prioritising the others is against the values of democracy.
“The development here is balanced since Modiji came to power as no one was asked about their caste or religion for providing the beneficial schemes before their implementation. Raising high above the politics of religion and vote bank, PM Modi has given a new shape to the work culture because of which J-K has not only become a part of mainstream India but will also contribute to the PM-led campaigns,” he said.
“No matter what the political parties in J-K say, the common man of the UT wants to get rid of stone pelting, terrorism, and fire fighting and the development to move forward under the Prime Minister’s leadership,” he added. (Agencies)