Srinagar Sep 29 PTI The General Officer Commanding of the Armys 15 Corps led all ranks on Wednesday in paying tributes to a soldier who died in a landslide in Jammu and Kashmirs Baramulla districtThe GoC Chinar Corps and all ranks laid wreath on the mortal remains of the braveheart Naik Dharmendra Kumar Singh of the EME posted with the Sikh Regiment at the Chinar Corps War Memorial a defence spokesperson said hereHe said Singh was detailed for duty when a part of an operational track broke due to a small landslide and an Army truck fell off the edge down into a deep valley leading to the soldiers death on the spot at Gugaldhar on MondaySingh 36 who had joined the Army in 2008 hailed from Bihars Rohtas district He is survived by his wifeHis mortal remains will be taken for the last rites to his native place where he would be laid to rest with full military honours the defence spokesperson said PTI MIJ RC

Srinagar Sep 29 PTI Jammu and Kashmir recorded 100 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday raising the tally to 329320 even as no new fatality linked to the infection was reported from the Union Territory in the last 24 hours officials said Seventy-six of the new cases were from the Jammu division and the remaining from the Kashmir division the officials said They said Srinagar district recorded a maximum of 49 fresh COVID-19 cases followed by Baramulla district which registered nine infections Jammu and Kashmir has 1388 active cases of the novel coronavirus while the number of recoveries has reached 323510 the officials said The death toll from the pandemic stands at 4422 in the UT The mucormycosis black fungus infection tally remained unchanged at 46 in the Union Territory as no fresh case was reported PTI MIJ CK

Srinagar Sep 28 PTI Jammu and Kashmir recorded 95 fresh Covid cases taking the infection tally to 329220 on Tuesday while the death toll remained at 4422 as no new fatality was reported in the past 24 hours officials said Twenty-eight fresh cases were reported from the Jammu division and 67 from the Kashmir division of the Union Territory they said There are 1420 active cases in Jammu and Kashmir while 323378 people have recovered from the infection so far the officials said Meanwhile there are 46 confirmed cases of mucormycosis black fungus in the Union Territory and no fresh case has been reported since Monday evening PTI MIJ SNE SNE

Srinagar Sep 28 PTI National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday warned the government against sacking employees on the grounds that they had links to militants saying the move will create more problems The government should stop it The militancy will not reduce it will only increase and create more problems for them government Abdullah told reporters here He was responding to questions about the sacking of government employees on various grounds including links to militancy and separatism Six government employees including two policemen were dismissed from service on September 22 for their alleged links to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir Asked about the sacking of employees on the grounds that they were appointed without following the laid down procedure the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the previous governments gave jobs to the people so that they could earn a living It is not as if we had taken money or there was corruption in recruitment We gave jobs to people so that they earn a living Now if they are sacking them what will their children do How will they meet everyday needs Abdullah said In response to a question the Lok Sabha member from Srinagar said he has not received any information about the next meeting of the delimitation commission for Jammu and Kashmir As a Member of Parliament I have to sit in the delimitation commission but so far I have not received any information he added Asked about restoration of statehood and special constitutional status to Jammu and Kashmir Abdullah said We want to do it in a Gandhian way The case is before the Supreme Court There has been no hearing What can we do We cant throw stones We want to do it the Gandhian way he said PTI MIJ CK

Srinagar Sep 27 PTI Jammu and Kashmir on Monday recorded 117 fresh cases of coronavirus taking the infected number of persons to 329125 while no fresh death due to the virus was reported from the Union Territory in the past 24 hours officials said Out of the 117 fresh cases 55 were from Jammu division and 62 from Kashmir division in the UT the officials said They said Rajouri district recorded the highest number of 40 cases followed by 33 cases in Srinagar district There are 1513 active cases in the UT while the number of recovered patients was 323190 the officials said The death toll in the UT due to the pandemic remained at 4422 as no fresh death was reported in the past 24 hours Meanwhile officials said there were 46 confirmed cases of mucormycosis black fungus in Jammu and Kashmir as no fresh case was reported since Sunday evening PTI MIJ HDA

Srinagar Sep 26 PTI Jammu and Kashmir recorded 127 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday that took the infection tally to 329008 while one more fatality pushed the death toll to 4422 officials saidOf the new cases 23 were from Jammu division and 104 from the Kashmir division they saidSrinagar district recorded the highest 56 cases followed by 13 in Baramulla districtThere are 1514 active cases in the Union Territory while the number of those who have recovered from the infection has reached 323072 officials saidThe death toll stands at 4422 after one more fatality was reported in the past 24 hours they saidOfficials said there were 46 confirmed cases of Mucormycosis black fungus in the Union Territory as no fresh case has been reported since Saturday evening PTI SSB TDS TDS

Srinagar Sep 26 PTI The Zojila tunnel is important for national security as well as for development and tourism in the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as it will provide round-the-year connectivity Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has said During his visit to the tunnel which is envisaged to provide all-weather connectivity to Ladakh officers said that work on it is in full swing and the NHIDCL is geared up to continue construction even in winter months The Union minister for information and broadcasting reached Sonamarg in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district on Saturday evening on a two-day visit under the Centres public outreach programme On the first day Thakur conducted an inspection of the Zojila and the Z-Morh tunnel projects The minister stressed on putting in every effort to complete the projects well before the schedule deadline Expressing satisfaction on the progress made in the projects he said that the Zojila tunnel is of significant importance with regard to national security development and tourism for both Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as it will provide round-the-year connectivity to Kargil and Leh He also highlighted important tunnel rail and road projects that were completed on priority by the government keeping in mind border security alongside development Various infrastructure development projects are going on in full swing throughout Jammu and Kashmir for the last few years to boost the socio-economic development Thakur said The project site of the Zojila tunnel is located on National Highway-01 starting from Sonamarg in Jammu and Kashmir and ending at Minamarg in Ladakh at an elevation ranging from 2700m to 3300m making it the longest tunnel 132 km at this elevation in the Asia region The present site location falls in seismic zone IV and all precautionary measures have been taken to safeguard structures officials said While inspecting the progress of work at the Z-Morh tunnel officials of NHIDCL informed the minister that the project is being executed on DBFOT mode at an approximate cost of Rs 2378 crore Regarding the physical progress the minister was informed that the breakthrough of the escape tunnel was achieved on September 16 The work on the main tunnel which is 6412 m long and for regular bi-directional traffic is going on in full swing and its breakthrough is expected before the forthcoming winter season the officials said The minister was also informed abou various safety features if the tunnel Expressing satisfaction over the progress the minister said the Z-Morh tunnel will facilitate locals and tourists to access Sonamarg during the winter season as well and will facilitate socio-economic boost to the J-K in general and locals in particular PTI SSB ANB ANB

Srinagar Sep 26 PTI Acclaimed Ladakhi short film Sekool was screened at the inaugural edition of the Himalayan Film Festival in Ladakh union territory on SundayThe short which was part of the official selection line-up at various international and national film festivals including theClermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Short Shorts Film Festival Asia 2020 was presented at PictureTimes inflatable theatre in LadakhWritten and directed by Stenzin Tankong the film received a great response upon its screening from the audience in the jam-packed cinema hallA film about the people of Changthang a Nomadic tribe of southeastern Ladakh Sekool is set in a remote region of the HimalayasTankong who is also the editor of the short described Sekool as the story of a child from one of the nomadic tribes who is excited about going to school until he learns that it would mean leaving behind everything he has ever known or lovedI hope I have done justice in capturing the essence of these people and what they stand for This film is my effort on portraying the simplicity of the wants of every human being despite their diverse social cultural economic and geographical backgrounds the director said at the films screeningThe short was shot entirely in Ladakh but the post-production work was completed in Mumbai because of the lack of technical equipment available in the union territory he further saidSekool had an all-Ladakhi crew and cast Tankong said adding the actors were untrained and did an amazing job despite facing the camera for the first timeThe film has travelled all over the world but today the film is being screened here at the Himalayan Film Festival which gives me great pride and joy to have it here amongst my own audience for whom I played this film its a great pleasure for me he addedSekool was also shortlisted by the jury out of 33 Ladakhi film entries for the special competition section for short films and documentaries at the ongoing festival to recognise talented filmmakers in the Himalayan region of the country The results are awaited Other Ladakhi films such as 20 Years directed by T Wangdus Lonpo and D Wangchuk Mogol and Walking with the Wind directed by Praveen Morchhale are also set to be screened at the movie galaSidharth Malhotras latest release Shershaah a biopic on Kargil war hero Captain Vikram Batra was screened at the opening ceremony of the festival on September 24 while The Shepherdess of Glacier will bring the curtains down on September 28The five-day festival is part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations PTI SSB RDS RDS

Srinagar Sep 26 PTI A militant involved in the killing of BJP leader Waseem Bari and two of his family members was among two ultras killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday police saidSecurity forces launched a cordon and search operation in Watrina area of Bandipora in north Kashmir following inputs about the presence of militants there a police official saidHe said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the forces who retaliated In the ensuing encounter two unidentified terrorists were killed the official saidAmong the slain militants is the killer of BJP district president Bari his father and brother who were shot dead in July last yearKiller of BJP leader late Waseem Bari his father and brother killed in the encounter Further details shall follow Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweetThe official said incriminating material including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of the encounterThe search operation is on in the area he added PTI SSB DV DV

Srinagar Sep 26 PTI Two unidentified militants were Sunday killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir police saidSecurity forces launched a cordon and search operation in Watrina area of Bandipora in north Kashmir following inputs about the presence of militants there a police official saidHe said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the forces who retaliatedIn the ensuing encounter two unidentified terrorists were killed the official saidHe said incriminating material including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of the encounterThe search operation is on in the area he added PTI SSB DV DV