The issue regarding when to close schools for winter vacations this year should not be made a point of prestige.

The authorities must be keeping the schools open in the interest of students, but the increasing cold due to changing weather conditions must also be taken into consideration.

More particularly when the schools do not have any heating arrangements in the classrooms.

The authorities say that they want to keep the schools open for more time, as long as the weather conditions permit. If they want to do so they will have to make necessary arrangements in the schools for that.

First and foremost thing is providing heating arrangements. Such arrangements need to be done on priority and not in a phased manner as is being said. If the authorities would do it in a phased manner, then those children without this facility would continue to suffer.

Even parents and others have been making such a demand, and it is a genuine demand. Some parents do not also favour what they call unnecessary continuation of schools in increasing cold. But senior officials in the school education department say that keeping schools open this time for more time has become imperative.

According to them the classwork in schools is for remedial teachings as the students had developed learning gaps over the last two years. The gaps had developed because of the prolonged closure of schools due to COVID-19, they said.

Since the academic session in was shifted this year, the closure of schools for winter vacations became a tricky question. The annual examination of the students will be held in March-April next year instead of October-November this year because of the change in session.

Various stakeholders had opposed the change in session for various reasons.

But the government went ahead with its plan and changed the session. It said that this was done to streamline the academic calendar in schools with the rest of the country and go for a union academic calendar.

Change in the session gave enough time to school education department to go for remedial classes and they want to continue with it for some more time. It is to be seen how long weather conditions will permit them to do so.

Early winter conditions have already set in Kashmir with snowfall in upper reaches and rains in plain areas a number of times this season. This has led to decrease in day and night temperatures and early arrival of cold.

Under these conditions taking a decision on winter vacations should not be made a point of prestige. A decision should be taken and school children not made to suffer.

KARGIL, Nov : A massive fire broke out at a prominent mosque in Ladakh’s Kargil district , damaging most of the structure.
In visuals, the fire appears to have engulfed the entire compound and the building at the Jamia Masjid in Kargil’s Drass.
People tweeted that the police, residents and firefighters are trying to put out the fire.

By King RJ

Kishtwar- Driver among 8 killed when a vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into deep gorge near Marwah area of Kishtwar district on Wednesday evening.

SSP Kishtwar Shafqat Hussain Batt informed that at about 6 PM, an information was recieved that accident of a vehicle(Tata Sumo) occurred at Alasyar road towards Tatapani Marwah. Police party rushed on spot as per initial reports 8 casualties reported in which 4 are Male and 4 are Females.

While confirming the incident, DC Kishtwar Devansh Yadav said that 8 persons died on the spot after a Tata Sumo fell into gorge in Marwah area.

He said that bodies have been recovered from the site and shifted to nearby CHC. The search operation is still going on.

The deceased have been identified as Mohd Amin s/o Ghulam Mustafa Sheikh R/o Chanjer Marwah, Driver Umer Gani s/o Abdul Gani Shah R/o Nowapachi Marwah, Mohd. Irfan s/0. Mohd Ramzan Hajam R/qaderna Marwah, Afaq Ahmed s/0 Bashir Ahmed Hajam Ro. Thachna Dachhan, Asia Banoo D/o. Mohd Younis R/o Yourdoo Marwah, Safoora Banoo D’O Ghulam Rasool R/o Anjer Marwah, Muzamila Banoo D/o zahoor Ahmed Malik R/O Yourdoo Marwah and Mohsina D/o Gulam Rasool R/o Anjer Marwah.

Meanwhile MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh expressed heartfelt Condolences on the loss of precious lives in tragic accident in Marwah area of Kishtwar.

Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted, “Just now spoke to DC Kishtwar Dr Devansh Yadav after receiving the news of an unfortunate Tata Sumo road accident in Marwah area. 8 persons have died on the spot, rescue operations in progress to recover other persons. All possible assistance being provided, further help as needed would also be made available. My sincere condolences to bereaved families”.

“Anguished to learn about the loss of lives in a road accident in Kishtwar. My deepest condolences to bereaved families. Directed district administration to provide all necessary assistance.,” LG Manoj Sinha on official Twitter handle.

Ghulam Nabi Azad also said on Twitter that, "I am shocked and saddened to hear about the road accident at Alasyar road, Marwah, Kishtwar district, J&K, in which 8 people (including 4 women) lost their lives.May the departed souls rest in peace . My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families." 

Former Minister Sunil Sharma also write about the incident on his Twitter handle, “Deeply saddened to know about the news of an unfortunate Tata Sumo road accident in Marwah area of Kishtwar District. Eight persons have died on the spot, rescue operations in progress to recover other persons. My sincere condolences to the bereaved family members.”

Srinagar, Nov 16: The State Election Commission(SEC) has ordered a re-poll in two District Development Council (DDC) constituencies of north Kashmir’s Bandipora and Kupwara districts after polling was declared void in these constituencies in 2020 elections.

Quoting a top official, news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reported that the re-poll has been ordered in Hajin-A and Drugmulla constituencies of Bandipora and Kupwara districts respectively.

He said that the re-poll will be held on December 5 from 7 am to 2 pm and arrangements for the same are being made.

He also said that counting will be held on December 8 and the poll process shall conclude on December 12, while the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct have been implemented with immediate effect in these constituencies.

The polling in both these constituencies was held along with others during the DDC elections in 2020.

The counting of votes was withheld after it was detected that some contesting candidates had entered the wrong information in Form-6. Later, polling in both constituencies was declared as void. 

Additional DG BSF PV Rama Sastry, on Wednesday, took stock of the security situation at the international border (IB) with Pakistan in the Sunderbani Sector.

The BSF ADG (Western Command, Chandigarh), who is on a three-day visit to the Jammu Frontier, visited areas of IB at Sunderbani and Indreshwar Nagar Sector accompanied by DK Boora, IG Jammu, and other senior officers of this frontier and reviewed the security situation on Jammu IB.

BSF Sector Sunderbani and Indreshwar Nagar DIG and Battalion commanders briefed ADG BSF on the ground about complexities of management, overall deployment of BSF, and domination plan of IB area under the prevailing current security scenario.

The ADG BSF also visited the vital areas of Sunderbani and Indreshwar Nagar Sectors and examined the operational preparedness of Field formations.

During the visit, the ADG interacted with troops in Prahari Sammelan and applauded their professional acumen in safeguarding the International Border in such stringent conditions and also added that these are their relentless efforts by which BSF remains successful to foil all evil designs of anti-national elements. The troops also interacted with ADG with full enthusiasm and zeal.

The organisation, an NGO working for underprivileged and physically challenged people, while announcing the award said that it has been constituted to honour and recognise the selfless work of Indians who without caring for their lives, manage to help those in need.

In a statement, Jaipur Foot USA said that such people are always a call away when it comes to humanitarian efforts transcending borders.

“The first ever recipient of the award is Danish Manzoor Bhat. Originally from Kashmir valley in North India, Danish has always been someone whom people from across continents could reach out to in times of crisis. And he’s never let a soul down, ” it said.

A journalist by profession, Danish leads Newsweek Magazine in Asia as its Editorial Director and Sr. Vice President for Global Editorial Strategy & Innovation.

He became a household name on Indian Social Media and beyond during the COVID 2nd wave, the NGO said.

It said that people from across the country saw him deploy social media to connect patients with beds, ICUs, hospitals, Remdesvir, Ambulances and more.

He was lauded for his 24×7 availability on phone and on social media by public, top government functionaries, media and ministers —but most importantly by patients and their kin.

In the hardest initial 30 days of the covid-19 pandemic’s second wave, he helped 326 patients and ‘tele-triaged’ 460 patients suffering from the viral infection, the organisation said.

In Karnataka, Bengaluru; Danish, among many others, was the known name when it came to optimising processes and finding solutions to complex issues during the pandemic.

“Danish collected and distributed more than 1000 oximeters in Bengaluru among those who couldn’t afford. The key point of this initiative was that it was that these were delivered at doorsteps of Covid positive patients. He also created a unique model of sharing these Oximeters after use,” the statement said.

Those who recovered from Covid were tasked with keeping these Oximeters in rotation and passing them on to other people who needed these. Thereby reaching more than thousands of people with just 1000+ Oximeters.

The organisation said that Danish even helped hospitals in getting Oxygen supply in time.

Besides this Danish also helps “Rescuing Indians”, a not-for-profit helping Indians stuck overseas. Almost on a daily basis he was seen helping someone ot the other, in some part of the world, selflessly.

The award was presented in the Indian High Comission, New York by Consul General Randhir Jaiswal and Prem Bhandari, Chairman, JaipurFoot USA. Deputy Consul General, Varun Jeph was also present at the private ceremony.

Srinagar, Nov 16: Sajad Gani Lone today took oath of office as President Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Conference in presence of the General Council, which forms the Electoral College, for the election of the President of the party.

The oath was administered by Chairman Election Authority of the party Syed Basharat Bukhari. The oath ceremony was attended by top leadership of the party along with thousands of delegates comprising the general council, read a statement, issued by the party.

While speaking after taking oath, Lone described the current times as distinctively painful and politically unique in terms of the challenges that it poses to the different sections of leadership in J&K today.

He said that leadership has different definitions at different times and in present times leadership would entail saving people, leadership would mean preserving our youth and leadership demands speaking the truth to the people.

Lone said that one of the easiest things in politics is to resort to lies and innuendo. “And the most difficult thing is to speak the truth in the face of adversity. We in the Peoples Conference will strive to ensure that we speak the truth and lead with honesty and courage,” he said, as per the statement.

“It’s time that the leadership variables are reset. Let leaders lead with the courage to speak the truth and let the people of J&K follow those who speak the truth. Safeguarding the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the youth, is the biggest leadership challenge in current times and that the Peoples Conference will do everything in its power to protect a common Kashmiri from being victimised.” he added.

Lone further asserted that People’s Conference is the party that has the legacy of sacrifice and will continue to strive to accord people a dignified way of living.

“We will make every effort to promote political inclusiveness and tirelessly strive to restore and retrieve the glorious political legacy that the people of J&K deserve. A unique legacy which we all cherished and zealously guarded for so long. We will do what it takes to ensure that legacy is restored”, he added.