REGIONAL

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced an increase in the intake capacity of MBBS courses in Jammu & Kashmir from 500 to 1100. It also informed that Rs 881 crore has been spent on upgrading of health institutions in JK. According to the MHA’s Annual Report for the year 2022-23, accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the intake capacity of MBBS courses in the region has significantly increased from 500 to 1100 and a total of Rs 881 crore has been invested in upgrading and rebuilding 140 health institutions. The report highlights the swift progress in the construction of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jammu and Awantipora, underlining the government’s dedication to providing advanced healthcare services. Additionally, the estab...

Three personnel from Suraksha Sema Bal (SSB) were injured in a gas leakage incident in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Tuesday officials said. Reliable sources told news agency Kashmir Scroll that SSB personnel sustained burn injuries due to a gas leakage while practicing in the Dignibal area of Ganderbal. The injured personnel were immediately taken to SKIMS Soura for treatment. The official reported that their condition is stable. An official confirmed the incident KS and identified the injured personnel as Dilawar Singh (50), Jasbeer Singh (40), and Jasbir Kumar (42). He said stated that a case has been registered, and an investigation into the matter has commenced.(KS)

The authorities have demolished a building of Darul Uloom built on government land in Chewa Kalan village of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, where two militants were killed last year. An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the action was taken on the recommendations of National Investigation Agency (NIA). He said that in March 2022 two militants were killed in the same building, following which the case was taken over by the NIA. “During investigation the NIA had arrested administrators of the Darul Uloom who are still under custody, while the 3-room building that got damaged in the encounter wasn't put to use since last year,” he said. The official said that remnants of the building were damaged last night by Revenue authorities with the assistance...

Two residential houses of three brothers in north Kashmir's Handwara village were gutted in a fire mishap on Monday, officials said. An official told Srinagar-based news gathering agency Kashmir Scroll (KS) that a massive fire broke out in Patwari Qalamabad Mawer area in the residential house in which three families were living, including Farooq, Shabir, and Altaf sons of Haider Khan. In the mishap, the house was completely gutted, and a team of the fire service department, police, and locals put the fire under control and saved other nearby houses. Meanwhile, police took cognizance of this fire mishap. (KS)

In Jammu Kashmir, up to August 2023, a total of 4,165 accidents were reported, resulting in 499 fatal incidents and 3,666 non-fatal ones, tragically causing the loss of 580 lives and injuring 5,565 individuals. In the previous year, 2022, the region saw 6,092 road accidents, leading to 805 fatalities and 8,372 injuries. The latest data from The Excelsior reveals that Jammu District had the highest number of fatalities up to August 2023, with 134 deaths and 900 injuries, followed by Kathua District with 58 deaths and 476 injuries. Other districts, such as Anantnag, Udhampur, Rajouri, Samba, Reasi, and Poonch Town, also witnessed significant casualties and injuries. Doda District saw 23 fatalities and 220 injuries, Kishtwar District reported 24 casualties and 96 injuries, and Ramban Di...

Election Commission of India (ECI) Monday said it will inform about holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir at the right time keeping in view the security and other elections that are also due. Replying to a query about J&K polls during the presser about elections in five states of India, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said: “We will inform about holding Assembly polls in J&K at the right time keeping in view the security and other elections that also due in the (UT).” ECI announced dates of polls for five states—Chattisgrah, Mizoram, Madhaya Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan. Elections will start on November 7 and counting will be done on December 5. Pertinently, J & K has been under president’s ru...

Residents of Nai Sadak locality of Habba Kadal in Srinagar on Monday held protest demonstration over water scarcity in their area. Witnesses told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that residents including women and children blocked road, thereby disrupting traffic movement. They said that there is no water supply in their area for the past one week, making them suffer immensely. “We have been facing severe water shortage even as we informed the authorities several times, but to no avail,” they said. The resident appealed to the authorities to redress their grievance at an earliest—(KNO)

Questions are being raised on the engagement of senior stipendiary residents in Sher-E-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) at Soura Srinagar, with candidates claiming that neither merit nor entrance exam was used as a yardstick for the selection of candidates. As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), on 21/09/2023, under order number SIMS/ACAD/538, SKIMS put out a selection list for the engagement of 53 stipendiary senior resident doctors, and when the aspirants saw the list of selected candidates many raised this query that only blue-eyed candidates had been selected, especially in the department of surgery. Among those selected in the surgery department, was the son of GMC principal Dr. Masood Tanvir Bhat and many other blue-eyed candidates. According to both th...

Two days after banning Jammu & Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party led by jailed separatist leader Shabir Shah, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday delegated powers to the Union Territory administration to order seizure of its funds, properties and assets under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-1967. The MHA today issued a notification empowering State Governments and J&K UT administration to order seizure of funds, properties and assets of the separatist group. The notification accessed by news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) states that, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 42 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Central government directs that all powers exercisable by it under section 7 and section 8 of the Unlawful Activities (Prev...