Jammu, Sept 22: The Jammu and Kashmir government Thursday imposed complete ban on import of bovines from neighboring states and inter-district movement of bovines within the UT for any purpose, till 25th of October, 2022 due to the Lumpy Skin Disease outbreak.

The decision has been taken as a measure of abundant precaution and in view of declaration of whole UT of J&K as “Controlled Area” for Lumpy Skin Disease vide S.0 424, dated 05.09.2022 and in exercise of powers conferred under Section 10 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases Act, 2009, news agency GNS quoted an order saying. 

The order further said that the decision will be reviewed on the basis of evolving situation.

Ramban/Jammu, September 22

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway will remain closed for traffic for four hours daily till September 27 to undertake repairs in various landslide-prone areas, officials said.

Traffic would be halted from 3 am to 7 am during the repair work, according to the direction issued by Chief Secretary AK Mehta.

To carry out urgent repairs on shooting stones prone NH-44 stretch by NHAI, including Cafeteria Morh-Mehad, the chief secretary called for a four-hour halt of traffic for a period of five days from Friday, they said.

Mehta asked officers to ensure smooth movement of fruit-laden trucks on the highway.

He also asked officers to complete the double laning of stretches between Banihal and Ramban and its subsequent black topping within a period of 10 days.

The chief secretary underlined the need for creating minimum obstacles for the movement of traffic during the five days and asked officials to halt traffic only during the night when traffic is lean and minimum.

He asked officials to look for different scientific methods like use of GPS technology and others for better management of traffic and procure road safety gear.

Srinagar, Sep 22: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on Thursday flagged off the Kashmir Cyclothon, which will cover eight mostly unexplored destinations in the Valley over three days.
About 60 cyclists from across India and Nepal are taking part in the cyclothon, which was flagged off from Royal Springs Golf Club here.
Mehta told reporters, “The purpose of the cyclothon is for people to explore Kashmir in a better way. They will also carry the message of ‘nasha-mukt abhiyan’ (drugs-free campaign),” Mehta told reporters.
He said 60 cyclists — some over 60 years of age — from across the country and even Nepal, were taking part in the event.
It is a very good activity, very refreshing. The cyclists have come from all over the country and even Nepal. It is good to see people over 60 (years) participating,” he said.
Mehta added that the participants would cover the 300-km distance over three days.
Tourism Secretary Sarmad Hafeez said Kashmir was one of the finest destinations for cycling and mountain biking.
We have beautiful destinations, with untapped potential. We have identified many new places so that tourists reach there and people benefit,” he said.
Hafeez said the cyclists would travel through Verinag, Kokernag, Daksum, Vasaknag, Dubjan, Aharbal, Shikargah, and Srinagar for the event.
The cyclists described the event as an opportunity to explore Kashmir.
This event gives us a chance to explore the areas which we usually do not hear about. I am very thankful to the tourism department for organising this cyclothon and inviting us,” said Ritu from Jammu.
Suchanda, who has travelled from Delhi for the event, said cycling was the best way to explore the Valley.
This is a wonderful opportunity for us to explore unexplored destinations. I am sure this will be a great experience,” she said. (AGENCIES)

Jammu, Sep 22: The Indira Gandhi National Open University Regional Center in Jammu is playing an important role in imparting education to remote villages from Jammu.

Those who do not have the finances to pursue formal education or who do not get regular admission in degree colleges are taking admission in IGNOU to make their dream of higher education come true.

IGNOU Regional Director in-charge Jammu Dr. Sandeep said, “Due to strict implementation of quality education, curriculum and schedule, we have been able to win the credibility and trust of the students. In the year 2021-22, 77 per cent of students enrolled in IGNOU Jammu under various programmes are from the rural areas, which clearly shows that IGNOU is gaining popularity in the remote and inaccessible areas of the region.

According to Dr. Sandeep, IGNOU has exceeded the expectations of the weaker sections of the society in the last few years in providing quality education across the country. Students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are also exempted from admission fees for many programmes.

The university has made the study material of various programmes available digitally and students who want to take digital material instead of hard copy are also given a 15 per cent discount on the programme fee.

Srinagar, Sep 22: Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta on Thursday said that by the end of September all landowners will get digital land passbooks in the Union Territory.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Kumar said that the land passbooks will be issued in three different languages including Hindi, English and Kashmiri.

He said that this will be for the first time that land passbooks will be issued in local language, which people can understand. “This has never happened before.”

He also said that the aim of organising sports events in Jammu and Kashmir’s is also to keep youth away from drugs, which has become a challenge for society.

“Those who are victims of drugs need our help, they need society’s help. Government is doing its best to keep youth away from drugs and one such effort is that we are organising sports events to keep them engaged in good and healthy activities,” he added

JAMMU, Sept 22: Eight people were injured when a cab they were travelling in skidded off the road and overturned in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
The vehicle bearing registration number JK11-8884 was on way to Rajouri from Bufliaz when it met with the accident near Magi Mohre.
Passersby immediately took the injured to nearby hospital where condition of all of them is stated to be stable.
SDPO Thanamandi Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, who along with police party visited the injured in the hospital, confirmed that eight people suffered wounds in the accident. He said a case has been registered with the concerned police station and further investigations taken up. (Agencies)

SRINAGAR, Sept 22: Security Forces have almost drawn the last nail in the coffin of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir leaving the terror bosses sitting across the Line of Control (LoC) exasperated.
Recently, J-K Police arrested three hybrid terrorists, Waseem, Yawar and Muzammil for their involvement in the killing of Mohammad Amrez, a labourer hailing from Bihar. He was shot dead by the terrorists in August this year at Sadunara in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
The arrested trio after questioning revealed that they had kept a watch on outside labourers and wanted to strike fear among them by such killings. They were in touch with a Pakistan handler code-named Babar and Amreez’s killing was carried out at his direction.
After August 5, 2019–when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J-K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories–terrorist bosses sitting in Pakistan have made desperate attempts to terrorize the people, especially the non-locals and the members of the minority communities.
Terrorists operating in Kashmir during the past three years have made desperate attempts to vitiate peace by targeting innocents. The arrested terrorists have revealed that their bosses sitting across the Line of Control have given them clear-cut instructions to kill people for conflict to remain alive.
The attacks on the members of minority communities and non-locals were carried out under a well-devised conspiracy to push them out of Kashmir so that 1990 like the situation is recreated but the minorities and non-locals have held their ground. They haven’t left Kashmir, nor have they got intimidated by the pressure exerted by the terrorists.
Swift action by security forces instils confidence
The swift action by the security forces against the terrorists has prevented the situation from taking an ugly turn. Terrorists who were involved in the killings of innocents have either been eliminated or arrested. The security forces acting tough against the killers instilled confidence among the people to stay firm in their fight against terrorism and the terrorists.
Terrorism in the Union Territory is on its last legs and the final assault has been launched to neutralize the terrorism forever.
Personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police along with the central armed forces have rendered invaluable sacrifices to defeat the elements sponsored by Pakistan. The security forces have achieved a lot on different fronts and jawans are working hard to ensure that normalcy in Kashmir becomes a permanent feature.
The work and sacrifices of the security forces have been acknowledged by the entire country, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and others.
Hurriyat becomes history
It’s not only the terrorism that has been controlled, separatists, who used to act as advocates of Pakistan in Kashmir, have been cut to size. The Hurriyat Conference, funded by the terror bosses sitting across the LoC, has wound up its offices as there is no one left in Kashmir to carry forward the agenda of separatism and sedition.
To fill in the void a new chapter of the Hurriyat has been opened in Pakistan to provoke people of J-K. However, its shutdown call on August 5 this year was totally ignored by the people of J-K. Instead, there were huge celebrations.
Terrorists based in Pakistan were using social media to instigate youth to foment trouble in the Himalayan region, but after the scrapping of Article 370, people in Jammu and Kashmir are not falling into their trap as they have understood that neither Pakistan nor the terrorists are their friends.
They have rejected the path of violence and their overwhelming participation in national events like Har Ghar Tiranga campaign and Independence Day celebrations is ample proof of the fact that no one in Kashmir is interested in what Pakistan is trying to preach.
All out efforts
The security forces are putting in all-out efforts to consolidate peace in J-K and no chance is being provided to anti-national elements to regroup and put Kashmir on the path of destruction again.
During the past three years, security agencies have dismantled the terror ecosystem which sustained the terror for 30 years. Terrorist supporters and sympathizers are being identified and nailed. The network of the overground workers that helped the terrorists to carry on with their nefarious acts has been trampled.
Politicians, who posed as nationalists and supported the separatists and Pakistan, have been cut to size and made to understand that the days to sail in two boats have ended. The government employees with separatist leanings have been told in clear terms that it’s the government whom they serve and they cannot indulge in any such activity which is against the national interest.
Spirit of nationalism
After 2019, the spirit of nationalism has been inculcated among the people. The alienation that prevailed during the rule of politicians has been addressed. The abrogation of Article 370 has made every Kashmiri realize that he is an Indian and the country cares for him.
The inculcation of nationalism has helped people of J-K to differentiate between friends and foes. The Himalayan region witnessing massive development in 3-years has made it clear that New Delhi always wanted J-K to prosper and come at par with other states across the country but the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and Article 370 acted as biggest stumbling blocks.
Pak suffers severe blows
Pakistan has lost the proxy war that it fought in the Himalayan region. Till 2019, it kept J-K on the precipice through its stooges. But in the last three years it has suffered consecutive blows as the present dispensation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is no mood to compromise with the terrorists, their sponsors and their advocates.
The security forces have been given a free hand to wipe out terrorism from J-K and a mechanism has been devised to ensure that terror doesn’t raise its ugly head again.
The Ministry of Home Affairs led by Amit Shah is directly monitoring anti-terror operations in the Union Territory and is providing all the support to the security forces to end the era of bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir.
Terrorist handlers based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have given clear-cut instructions to the terrorists to keep on spilling the blood but their nefarious designs are being foiled on a daily basis by the security agencies.
Jammu and Kashmir have changed after its complete merger with the Union of India as the terrorists have lost local support and their agenda is finding no takers. A new dawn has already broken in the Himalayan region and the end of terrorism is not that far away. (Agencies)