Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: J&K Govt Employees Joint Action Forum (EJAF) has strongly opposed the J&K Administration’s recent order No. 324 with regard to 22 years of service or attaining 48 years of age, for the retirement of employees.
An emergency meeting of the Forum members was held here today wherein member discussed impact of this recent Govt order regarding 22 years of service or 48 years of age. The meeting on the issue was attended by representatives of more than 20 unions/federations of the employees.
The speakers explained that there is an environment of fear and uncertainty amongst all the employees as relevant clause 226 of CSR has already been a tool in the hands of political establishment and bureaucracy which targeted the employees. But employees had one appealing forum i.e. court against any such victimisation. It is astonishing and dictatorial on the part of Govt to issue such an order that too, at this juncture when the Govt had promised better deal for the employees of Union Territory.
All the members unanimously decided to lodge protest against this amendment in the service related clause of CSR without being consulted by the employees’ representatives. They appealed all the employees to get ready for the fight against this controversial amendment/ order.
Prominent among those who attended meet included, Sushil Soodan, Ganesh Khajuria, Suresh Sharma, Subhash Chander, Surat Singh, Kuldeep Bandral, Bharat Bhushan, Nazir Ahmed Bhat, Moulvi Nazir Ahmed, Darshan Sharma and Ravinder Singh.

*Highlights importance of mediation

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 26: Mediation and Conciliation Committee of High Court of Jammu & Kashmir, under the patronage of Chief Justice of J&K High Court, Gita Mittal and under the guidance of Chairman Mediation and Conciliation Committee, Justice Tashi Rabstan and members of the committee including Justice Sindhu Sharma, Justice Rajnesh Oswal and Justice Javed Iqbal Wani today launched online 40 hour mediation training for the Judicial Officers of Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh so as to make the judicial system more effective and useful besides bringing down the arrears of pendency pending for disposal before the courts.
Mediation is also an inexpensive and quick mode of resolving disputes between the parties without wasting the precious time of Courts and the contesting parties.
The first phase of mediation programme will be conducted from 26th October 2020 to 28th of October 2020, second phase from 9th November to 11th November and the third phase would be held from 17th of November to 21st of November 2020.
The online Mediation programme is being conducted by eminent resource persons from Delhi including Senior Advocate, J.P. Sengh, Senior Advocate Veena Ralli, Advocate Sumit Chander and Advocate Mitali Gupta.
Chief Justice Gita Mittal highlighted the importance of Mediation as an alternate dispute resolution and portrayed the role of judges in providing non-conventional alternate system of speedy justice to the parties. She said that there is need for training Judicial Officers, as judicial work cannot be performed by mere intelligence or knowledge but it requires wisdom, intellect and comprehension in performing the sacred duty assigned to them. Training is required to shape the personality of a judge so as to make him/her more efficient and accomplished.
Masarat Roohi, Co-ordinator J&K Mediation and Conciliation Committee said that under the kind patronage and guidance of Patron-in-Chief Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of High Court of J&K and members of the Committee, such online mediation programmes for judicial officers shall be conducted frequently so that the concept of mediation reaches to every household in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 26: High Court has dismissed the plea of teachers seeking Government be restrained to have ‘Integrated Multidisciplinary Professional Advancement Course for Teachers (IMPACT) training course for them by recording that the competent authorities are well within their rights to take all steps for ensuring enhancement of the professional skills of its employees.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey dismissed a bunch of petitions filed by teachers seeking quashing of communications issued by the Education Department whereby the petitioners-teachers have been directed to undergo the ‘Integrated Multidisciplinary Professional Advancement Course for Teachers’ (for short ‘IMPACT’) training course.
Justice Magrey while dismissing all these petitions said, the training course in question does not, in any manner whatsoever, infringe upon any of the terms and conditions governing the service carrier of the petitioners, but is, in fact,  a capacity building course aimed at building the capacity of teachers for  achieving better learning outcomes stipulated for every class in all major subject areas.
The reference, court said, made by the petitioners to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Amendment Act, 2017, viewed in the context of the case, is not relevant to the facts and circumstances of the case and can be, thus, of no help to the petitioners.
“All these petitions are found to be devoid of any merit and, as such, same are, accordingly, dismissed along-with all connected CMs. Interim directions, if any, subsisting as on date in any of these petitions, shall also stand vacated”, Court concluded.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today filed a charge sheet against a policeman for accepting a bribe of Rs 59,000 for the release of an arrested person in Rajouri district.
“The charge sheet was filed against Head Constable Khursheed Ahmad, presently posted at District Police Lines, Poonch, before the court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Rajouri,” a police spokesman said.
He said that the instant case was registered on August 11, 2016 on the outcome of a verification conducted into allegations that Ahmed, as investigating officer of Dharmsal Police Station, had demanded and accepted bribe from a person named Abdul Khaliq who was arrested in a trespassing and theft case in 2013.
“During verification, it was found that the complainant was residing along with his family in a rented accommodation at Kote Kabu, where he had covered some portion of forest area for keeping his goats and sheep.
“The Head Constable on October 4, 2013 come to the Dera (temporary shed) of Khaliq and took him and his brother Aurangzeb to Dharmsal Police Station and kept them in preventive custody,” the spokesperson said.
He said the accused policeman asked Khaliq to arrange Rs 40,000 for his release and also contacted his brother-in-law to arrange the money.
“The accused demanded and accepted bribe of Rs 27,000 and Rs 32,000 on October 8 and 15, 2013, respectively, making it a total of Rs 59,000 on two occasions for the release of Khaliq,” the spokesperson said.
He said during investigation, the statement of Khaliq and other material witnesses recorded under section 161 CrPC established guilt for demand and acceptance of illegal gratification by the accused policeman.
“After completing the investigation of the case, sanction for launching prosecution of the accused was obtained from the competent authority and the charge sheet was filed in the case,” the spokesperson said. He said the next date of hearing in the case has been fixed for December 18.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: Additional Sessions Judge Doda Mehmood Choudhary has rejected the bail application of Shakeir Hussain Butt, son of Abdul Qayoom Butt of Thathri, who was facing trial in alleged smuggling of heroin.
“When the whole society is voicing concern about the colossal impact of drug addiction and drug trafficking on the society and especially the young generation, which is the hope of nation, the court cannot sit as a mute spectators and allow this menace to grow, rather court has to come forward and play its pivot-able role in curbing the menace by such orders, giving sufficient deterrent message to the society”, the Judge said.
“Any leniency at the stage of this case by granting bail will not only demoralize the police but will also embolden these criminals and their ilk in their nefarious design”, the court said, adding “in the instant case, keeping in view the gravity of the offence the accused person doesn’t deserve bail at this stage”.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: Three persons were injured today in separate road accidents in city and its outskirts.
“A pedestrian namely Ayesha (25) daughter of Mukhtyiar, resident of Bhaderwah (at present Bathindi Morh, Jammu) was hit and injured by an unknown vehicle at Bathindi Morh near PG House,” a police official said.
He said another mishap occurred at Canal Road, where a speeding car hit a bike and injured its rider namely Mukesh Kumar (24) son of Gara Ram, resident of Nai Basti (Muthi, Jammu).
“At Parade Chowk, a pedestrian namely Seema Mehra (30) wife of Vinod Kumar, resident of Lakkar Mandi (Janipur, Jammu) was hit and injured by a mini-bus,” he added.
The official said all the three injured persons were shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu for medical treatment while the concerned police had taken cognizance of the matter in all three cases.

Excelsior Correspondent

MENDHAR, Oct 26: The people from border area of Mendhar are extremely affected due to the neglect of the Public Health Engineering/ Jal Shakti Department in the Mendhar Sub Division of Poonch district.
Residents of the area said that Water Lift Scheme Kottan Lanjot was constructed by the PHE Department. They claimed that a population of over 2000 souls of 5 to 6 Panchayats will be provided water, which will remove their sufferings, but the reality on the ground is something else.
People are facing huge problems due to lack of water supply in the rural areas along the Line of Control. The water lift scheme that was established in this area has been lying non-functional for the last two years, due to negligence of the department.
The villagers accused the PHE Department officials of misusing the funds of the Govt Scheme of this border area. They alleged that public of the area has been deprived of basic facility. They demanded investigation into the matter and action against the concerned people involved.
Sajid Hussain Panch of Railan village said he has taken up the issue repeatedly with the PHE Department at Mendhar and Poonch but no proper response has been received from the concerned officials. The villagers have urged upon the Lt Governor of the Union Territory of J&K to hold high level probe and take action against the culprits.
When contacted AEE PHE Mendhar, said he has discussed the matter with JE and according to him, scheme is functional but a pipe has been damaged due to road construction by R&B. The locals alleged that it was not the truth, the matter needed high level probe.

*Many Panchayat members join JKAP

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 26: The Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) has urged upon the Lt Governor’s Administration to address the sufferings of Kashmir artisans.
In a function of the party held here today, the party district president and former Legislator Noor Mohd Sheikh urged the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to address the issues of the people associated with the handicrafts in district Srinagar. He claimed that in fact all the artisans in Kashmir are badly sufferings and they need immediate support from the Government.
Various prominent Panchayat representatives from various areas of Dangerpora-Sonawari district Bandipora also joined the Apni Party at party office, Lal Chowk, Srinagar today.
The new entrants to Apni Party–Manzoor Ahmad Kawa, Sarpanch Dangarpora, Block Ganastan, Bilal Ahmad Rather, Ali Mohammad Sofi and Nazir Ahmad Sofi Panchs from Dangarpora Sonawari-Bandipora district were welcomed by Noor Mohammad Sheikh, party District president Srinagar, Irfan Naqib Incharge Zadibal Constituency, Ajaz Ahmad Rather Zonal president Amirakadal Constituency and Social Activist Sajid Bhat from Indira Nagar.
On this occasion, the former legislator and Apni Party district president Noor Mohd Sheikh appealed to Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha to address the sufferings of artisans associated with the Handicrafts sector in district Srinagar.
“While the civil society organizations and the Government have stepped in to provide some relief to the urban poor and migrants, Handicrafts artisans have been largely ignored. Especially the workers aligned to artisans who, like migrant workers in construction, live hand-to-mouth. Because they do not fall in the essential services category, they have had to stop production,” Sheikh observed.
He said that the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) spring fair 2020 (the biggest platform for artisans to get overseas orders) has been cancelled. “EPCH estimates an Rs 8,000-10,000 crore loss to the sector and closure of 60-80 percent units this year. While bigger artisans use other retailers and exports to reach their markets, cancellation of regular, scheduled exhibitions by the Government, Crafts Council of India, Dastkar, Dastkari Haat and private players have taken away the primary sales channel of numerous small artisan units,” he added.
He said that with near-zero sales now for over a month (since March), artisans currently have no savings to restart production, and also face other production challenges like unavailability of raw materials or access to water.

We will maintain strict vigil: Controller

Irfan Tramboo

Srinagar, Oct 26: With an OMR based written test of J&K Service Selection Board (JKSSB) set to be held on November 10, not all the examination centres will be under proper surveillance in the absence of CCTV cameras and other necessary gadgetry needed for the conduct of such exams.
Amid this, the candidates—who are set to sit in the examination—are apprehensive that unfair means would be used in the absence of proper monitoring of the examination centres across J&K.
Several candidates approached Excelsior and expressed their fears and asked why the JKSSB can’t hold the examination on the lines of the National Testing Agency (NTA) where there is a proper arrangement of surveillance during the exam to curb the menace of unfair means.
Apart from CCTV cameras, there is also going to be an absence of jammers at the examination centres in J&K that impede the functioning of the electronic gadgets as is being employed by the NTA.
“We have appeared in the NET examination conducted by the NTA; there is no question of copying there. Jammers are installed and even if someone has a mobile phone, there is no possibility of using that. We want to ask why the JKSSB can’t provide the same facility across the examination centres,” the candidates said.
The candidates said that they have seen the examination the centres of JKSSB during earlier exams where there were no CCTV cameras—the fact which was accepted by the JKSSB stating that not all examination centres are equipped with CCTV surveillance.
There are at least 750 examination centres that have been set up across J&K for the examination for the posts of Accounts Assistant (Panchayat) scheduled for the day. The total number of candidates that are set to appear in the examination is more than 1,90,000.
The Board, however, said that they will make sure that the exam is conducted in a transparent way across all the centres and will make sure that the proceeding of the examination is observed keenly.
“We will make sure that mobile phones and other electronic devices are not allowed inside. There will be a proper arrangement regarding security. We will also carry out videography of all the centres,” Musheer Ahmad Mirza JKSSB’s Controller Examinations told Excelsior.
He added that the CCTVs might not able available at all the centres, but the board will have the magistrates and observers keeping an eye on the conduct of exam on November 10.
”We will be examining as we have been doing with transparency, however, what remains as the issues are the number of centres which is higher time,” he said.