Leh, Sept 16: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 on the Richter scale occurred 189 km north of Leh’s Alchi, said National Center for Seismology on Friday.
The earthquake occurred at 4:19 am with a depth of 10 km below the ground. “An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 occurred 189 km north of Leh’s Alchi. The depth of the earthquake was 10 km below the ground,” NSE said in a tweet.
Earlier last week, an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 on the Richter scale occurred 62 km East-North-East of Katra in Jammu and Kashmir.
National Center for Seismology (NCS) is the nodal agency of the Government of India for monitoring earthquake activity in the country. (Agencies)

JAMMU, Sept 15: Two alleged drug peddlers, including a woman, were detained under the Public Safety Act on Thursday during raids in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, police said.
The PSA is an administrative law that allows detention without charge or trial for up to two years in some cases.
Police teams conducted raids at two places in Reasi and detained two notorious drug peddlers under the PSA. They were identified as Anit Kumar alias Rinku and Maya Mir, both from Katra, the police said.
Kumar was involved in four drug peddling cases registered at Katra police station and Mir was involved in three. The two had been warned several times against indulging in illicit activities but they continued selling drugs to youths in Katra and Reasi, they said.
On the directions of Reasi Senior Superintendent of Police Amit Gupta, PSA dossiers of Kumar and Mir were prepared and sent for approval, they added.
The SSP said police are using a multipronged strategy to deal with the problem of drug abuse.
On the one hand, awareness programmes are being organised across Reasi and on the other, drug peddlers are being booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said.
Police are committed to eradicating the menace of drug abuse from society, Gupta said, warning of strict action against those involved in drug peddling. (Agencies)

SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 15: The Jammu and Kashmir administration is creating a system that serves everyone with equal opportunities besides endeavours to mobilise all the resources to improve the standard of living of people which have been deprived of progress for decades.
Several interventions were made in the education sector of the Union territory in the last there years, and efforts were being made to provide quality education to children. Educational system of the UT has been overhauled and aligned as per the recommendations of the National Education Policy, 2020.
Through ‘Aao School Chalein Campaign’ lakhs of students from disadvantaged sections have been brought back to the class rooms. With a view to provide quality education to the youth in remote areas of the UT, 25,000 additional seats at graduate level have been provided by setting up 50 degree colleges. This is the biggest addition in the Higher Education sector in the last 70 years. Uniform academic calendar has been introduced in all higher educational institutions.
The present LG led Administration is giving prime focus on the education of Tribal children which can be gauged from the fact that the department of tribal affairs, for the first time, initiated an exercise to assess the state of education viz a viz tribal education and literacy levels prevalent among the tribal population. Based on such surveys, a comprehensive education plan was formulated to address specific educational needs of tribals besides efforts are being made by the Education department to upgrade the educational institutions across J&K.
The priority of present Government is to secure the future of tribal children. Smart schools in tribal and remote areas are being equipped with modern facilities which can develop scientific temper in children and make them future-ready, besides arresting the dropout rate.
The prospects for the tribal community in Jammu and Kashmir are bright as a number of schemes have been launched for its benefit. Never before have tribal community prospects been as bright as they are today. The Forest Rights Act, PM Van Dhan Yojana, healthcare, transport facility, hostels, tourist villages, skill development — every initiative has been aimed at ensuring progress of J&K in an equitable, fair and just manner.
Every sector in Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a trajectory of growth and progress.
Regarding the tourism sector, Millions of tourists who visited Jammu and Kashmir this year, testify the overall development and change that has taken place in the Union Territory as the current year touched the highest-ever visitor figure.
The long-pending demand of night-flight operations of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir has been fulfilled. 75 offbeat tourist destinations are being developed in Jammu and Kashmir as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
Jammu and Kashmir has been a favoured shooting destination for Bollywood. A comprehensive Film Policy was launched last year to attract film-makers after decades and within a year of the notification of the policy, filmmakers began to seek shooting permissions for films and web-series in huge numbers form the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), nodal department for implementation of Film Policy. Government is planning to launch a film studio with state-of-the-art facilities to provide new opportunities to the young talent of Jammu and Kashmir besides boosting the business ecosystem of the Union Territory.
The Centre deserves credit for overseeing this very welcome industrial and economic resurgence that is dramatically changing J&K since the latter half of 2019. In the last two years, investments from India and abroad have facilitated a sharp improvement in development and socio-economic parameters. Major initiatives have allowed for strides to be taken in key sectors that drive the development engine. J&K is well on its way to becoming one of India’s leading UTs.
Development benefits were not allowed to reach the last man in the queue. By removing divisive and discriminatory policies all sections of community have been made effective partners in process of development.
For women empowerment, Government is making proactive intervention to create facilities to encourage women’s participation in governance, business, and other sectors. A gender-inclusive ecosystem in the union territory is being created so that women have a better access to education and economic growth.
The J&K government is creating an ideal, gender-inclusive ecosystem where they have better access to education and economic growth, putting them at the heart of our development initiatives and making those on the margins aware of their rights.
Government is stressing on proper implementation of policies and the need to focus on skill training and re-skilling of women so that they have an equal share in future economic opportunities, an official said.
Meanwhile, due to seriousness of Government, an overwhelming response was received for investment under recently announced new Industrial Policy which will create lakhs of employment opportunities for the youth.
As per the policy, all Industrial units coming into commercial production from April 1 as well as the existing units undertaking substantial expansion shall be entitled for incentives under this policy while the existing units eligible for incentives under the erstwhile Industrial Policy 2016 shall be allowed to avail the same under the old policy till March 31, 2026. The government would act as facilitator rather than regulator. All UT related services, consents and permissions required to set up and operate an industry in J&K are being provided through Single Window Portal.

SDPO Manjakote Shamsheer Singh rescuing a minor child from bus accident site at Deri Ralyote in Manjakote tehsil area of Rajouri district.

Officials said that a bus on way from Surankote sub division of Poonch to Rajouri district headquarters went out of the driver’s control and fell into a deep gorge at Deri Ralyote.

“We have launched a major rescue operation at the site and teams of police, army, health department and local population are on job,” said an official.

He said that several persons are feared dead and injured.

This comes just a day after 11 persons were killed and 27 others injured in a road accident in Mandi tehsil of adjacent Poonch district.

At least 16 top Revenue department officials including Tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars and Patwaris have fall under Anti Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) net so far in 2022 while most of them have been trapped while accepting bribe at different parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the data, the sleuths of Jammu & Kashmir’s premier anti-graft body have registered 16 cases this year so far against Tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars and Patwaris in corruption cases.

Of total 16 cases, 14 officials have been trapped while accepting bribe, the data reveals.
On January 24, 2022, Abdul Aziz Dar, Patwari, Halqa Mugalpora, Tehsil and District Kupwara, was trapped while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 15,000 from the complainant and a case under number 02/2022 stands registered at ACB Baramulla.
On January 31, 2022, Mohammad Abbas, Patwari Halqa Kewa, Qazigund, was trapped while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 3,500 from the complainant and a case 02/2022 stands registered at ACB Anantnag.

A case under number 08/2022 is registered at ACB Srinagar against Asif Farooq Wani, Patwari, Halqa Brein Nishat, Srinagar and Chowkidar Nazir Ahmad Dar after he was trapped on March 10, 2022, while accepting bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant.

Similarly, in a trap case, Habibullah Mir, Naib Tehsildar, Chuker, Tehsil Kunzer, District Baramulla was found demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 5,000 on February 15, 2022 while a case under FIR number 07/2022 stands registered at ACB Baramulla.

On March 04, 2022, Abdul Majid Bhat, Patwari, Halqa Goom, Ahmadpora, Tehsil Pattan, District Baramulla was trapped while accepting bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant and case under number 09/2022 is registered at ACB Baramulla.

A case under number 15/2022 is registered at ACB Srinagar against Jameel Hussain Khan, Patwari Halqa Baghati-E-Shoor, Eidgah, Srinagar and Shafat-Ur-Rehman, retired Patwari after they were trapped on March 11, 2022 while accepting bribe of Rs 9,000 from the complainant.

Arish Parvaiz, Patwari, Halqa, Digiana, Jammu and his associate Jatinder Kumar alias Jatin as trapped on May 05, 2022 while accepting bribe of Rs 15,000 from the complainant and a case 05/2022 stands registered at ACB Central.

On May 20, a case under 9/2022 was registered at ACB Jammu with regard to fabrication and manipulation of the revenue record by Revenue officials by abusing their official position for pecuniary gains as well as confer undue benefits upon the beneficiaries and corresponding loss to the state exchequer. The case has been registered against Bharat Bhushan the then posted as Naib Tehsildar Niabat Sohal Tehsil Akhnoor, Balwant Raj the then posted as Girdawar Naibat Sohal Tehsil Akhnoor, Roshan Lal S/o Sewa Ram R/o Dhok Jagir, Vikram Kumar S/o Phattu Ram R/o Budgal Khurd, Ahsok Kumar S/o Ambu Barwala R/o Dhok Jagir, Amrik Singh S/o Ghulab Singh R/o Dhok Jagir, Bittu S/o Yoginder Lai R/o Dhok Jagir, Madan Lal, Som Raj, Raghu Kumar Ss/O Prem Chand R/o Dhok Jagir, Ashwani Kumar S/o Ramesh Kumar R/o Dhok Jagir Tehsil Akhnoor and others.

On May 21, a case under 19/2022 was registered at ACB Srinagar against Bashir Ahmad Dar s/o Gh Mohd Dar R/o Saidpora, Berwa, District Budgam, then posted as Patwari, Halqa, Wahabpora, Budgam, who was trapped while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 1,65,000 from the complainant.

Similarly on May 29, Ashok Sharma, Naib Tehsildar, Ravinder Bhagat, Patwari and Raman Gupta (Tout) was trapped while accepting bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from the complainant and a case under number 06/2022 stands registered at ACB Central.

On similar date, ACB registered case for misuse of official position under case number 25/2022 at ACB Srinagar against Abdul Hamid Zargar, the Naib Tehsildar Beerwah, Syed Shabir, then NT, Gh. MohiUdDin, then Patwari and beneficiaries.
A case under 26/2022 was registered at ACB Srinagar against Gulzar Ahmad Makloo, Patwari, Halqa Zakoora, Srinagar on July 04 for accepting Rs 15000 as bribe from the complainant.

ACB Udhampur filed a case under number 02/2022 on July 12 against Raj Kumar, Prism man in office of Naib Tehsildar, Udhampur for demanding and accepting Rs 1300 as bribe from the complainant.

On July 18, Mohammad Younis Bangroo, Tehsildar Shalteng, Srinagar and Gh. Rasool Hajam, Naib Tehsildar, Batamaloo was trapped while accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from the complainant and a case under number 29/2022 is registered at ACB Srinagar.

On August 02, Majid Choudhary, Tehsildar, Panthachowk, Srinagar and office Clerk Peer Waseem Ahmad of Tehsil Office Panthachowk was trapped while accepting bribe of Rs 1.20 lakh from the complainant and a case under 32/2022 stands registered at ACB Srinagar.
Raja Ejaz Sufi, Patwari Halqa Khanyar, Srinagar S/O Bashir Ahmad Sufi R/O Firdousabad, Batmaloo, Srinagar was found accepting bribe of Rs 7,000 from the complainant on September 01 and a case under number 35/2022 is registered at ACB Srinagar.

JAMMU, Sept 15: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed anguish over the loss of life after a bus fell into a deep gorge near Bhimber Gali in Rajouri on Thursday.
“Anguished by the loss of lives due to a tragic accident in Rajouri. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. The district administration is providing all possible assistance,” the office of LG tweeted.