Pulwama, Jun 24: Residents of the twin villages of Sirnoo and Babgund in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have raised serious concerns about the quality of drinking water supplied through a borewell-fed overhead water tank, alleging that the water is unfit for human consumption and poses a potential threat to public health.

Residents said the water supplied to households has an unusual colour and taste, making it unsuitable for drinking as well as other domestic purposes. They said the deteriorating quality of the water has become a matter of growing concern, particularly among families with children, elderly persons and those suffering from various ailments.

“The water supplied through the overhead tank appears contaminated. Its colour and taste are abnormal, and people are worried about the health implications of consuming it,” said Mudasir Ahmad, a resident.

Ahmad alleged that water from a pit was being supplied to the overhead tank, raising questions about the quality and safety of the drinking water being distributed to households.

Another resident said access to safe drinking water was a basic necessity and urged the authorities to ensure that the supply met prescribed quality standards.

Residents expressed apprehension that prolonged consumption of contaminated or untreated water could lead to water-borne diseases and other health complications.

“The threat of water-borne diseases looms large over the area,” the residents said, adding that the issue warranted immediate intervention to safeguard public health.

They have called for a comprehensive assessment of the water source and the overhead storage tank to ascertain whether the water is fit for human consumption. The residents also demanded regular water quality monitoring, installation of an effective filtration system, periodic cleaning of the overhead tank and timely maintenance of the borewell infrastructure to prevent contamination.

The residents said immediate corrective measures were needed to restore public confidence in the drinking water supply system and ensure uninterrupted access to clean and potable water.

“We are only asking for safe drinking water for our families. The authorities should act before the situation worsens,” they said.

Officials of the Jal Shakti Department said they would look into the issue.

Shopian, Jun 24: Ongoing 100-Day Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan on Wednesday witnessed multiple activities across Shopian district through a series of awareness, outreach, educational, and sports-based activities aimed at fostering a drug-free society.

As part of the campaign, as per an official statement, various departments, educational institutions, and community stakeholders organized programmes to raise awareness about the harmful effects of substance abuse and promote healthy lifestyle choices among the public, particularly the youth.

Government Degree College Shopian actively participated in the campaign by organizing awareness activities, including pledge-taking ceremonies and sensitization programmes on drug abuse prevention. The institution also promoted constructive youth engagement through sports and other co-curricular activities, reinforcing the message of responsible living and social responsibility among students.

The Department of Youth Services & Sports Shopian continued its efforts under the campaign by organizing sports events and competitions across the district. These activities witnessed enthusiastic participation from young athletes and highlighted the role of sports in promoting discipline, teamwork, physical fitness, and positive engagement while encouraging youth to stay away from substance abuse.

As part of the ongoing efforts under the Abhiyan, a special drive for the identification and destruction of wild Bhung (wild cannabis) was also carried out across various areas of Sub-Division Zainapora.

The initiative aims to curb the illegal growth of narcotic plants and strengthen preventive measures against substance abuse.

Srinagar, June 24: The Information Technology Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, in collaboration with the Directorate of IT & SS, University of Kashmir, today organized a State-Level Consultative Workshop on “Strengthening Cybersecurity Frameworks for State Data” at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar. The workshop brought together senior government officials, cybersecurity experts, academic leaders, and representatives from key institutions to deliberate on emerging cyber threats, data protection obligations, and strategies for securing government data assets.

The workshop was inaugurated with an inaugural ceremony and felicitation of dignitaries. The event commenced with an introduction by Dr. Abdul Hafiz Shah, Special Secretary to Government, Information Technology Department, who highlighted the importance of a resilient cybersecurity ecosystem and the need for coordinated efforts among government departments and institutions to safeguard critical digital infrastructure.

Addressing the gathering, SaurabhBhagat, Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Information Technology Department, emphasized the Government’s commitment towards strengthening cyber resilience, adopting robust security frameworks, and ensuring secure digital governance in the Union Territory. He stressed the significance of proactive cybersecurity measures in an increasingly data-driven governance environment.

The workshop also featured a presidential address by Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, who underscored the critical role of academic institutions in fostering cybersecurity awareness, research, innovation, and capacity building.

A technical session was delivered by Dr. Marshal R., Scientist D, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), who provided valuable insights into the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape, national cyber security initiatives, incident response mechanisms, and best practices for securing government systems and networks.

The workshop included presentations by key stakeholders, including Jaskaran Singh Modi, State Informatics Officer (SIO), NIC J&K, who shared perspectives on strengthening digital governance infrastructure and cybersecurity preparedness; Dr.Maroof Naieem Qadri, Director, IT&SS, University of Kashmir, who highlighted the role of academia in cybersecurity capacity building and collaborative research; and Muneer Hassan Kongwani, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), J&K Bank, who presented industry perspectives and best practices in cybersecurity governance and risk management.

A dedicated session was conducted by a representative of the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) covering national cybersecurity initiatives, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, associated obligations, and departmental accountability mechanisms for safeguarding citizen data.

The post-lunch session comprised thematic breakout group discussions involving participants from various government departments, educational institutions, and technical organizations. The discussions focused on identifying challenges, sharing best practices, and formulating actionable recommendations to strengthen cybersecurity governance, incident response preparedness, data protection compliance, and capacity-building initiatives across departments.

The workshop concluded with group presentations and report-back sessions, during which participants presented key recommendations and action points. The event concluded with closing remarks and a vote of thanks by Dr.MaroofNaieemQadri, Director, IT&SS, University of Kashmir.

The workshop marks another significant step in Jammu & Kashmir’s ongoing efforts to build a secure, resilient, and future-ready digital governance ecosystem, aligned with national priorities for cybersecurity, data protection, and trusted digital services.

Srinagar, June 24: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday said it has filed a chargesheet against a former Block Development Officer (BDO), an Executive Engineer and five others for alleged embezzlement of government funds meant for developmental works in Kupwara’s Lolab and Lalpora areas.

ACB spokesperson in a statement said the chargesheet was presented before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Baramulla in FIR No. 02/2020 registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla.

He said the case stems from allegations of corruption, criminal conspiracy, forgery and misappropriation of funds in works executed through the Rural Development Department.

“Investigation revealed irregularities in projects including the construction of a Sarband at Margi Diver (Kariwan) Phase-I and a Fisheries Pond at Diver-B.”

The spokesperson said probe uncovered false measurements, billing for non-existent work, execution of works on forest land without permission, and payments released for deficient and substandard works.

“Investigators found that officials, in alleged connivance with a beneficiary contractor, manipulated records, inflated measurements and facilitated fraudulent release of government funds, causing losses to the state exchequer,” he said.

“The accused include former BDO Sogam/Lalpora Mohd Sultan Bhat, then Executive Engineer REW Kupwara Er. Surinder Kumar Sharma, Assistant Executive Engineer Mohd Shafi Bukhari, Junior Engineers Taimur Ahmad Khan and Nisar Ahmad Khan, Village Level Worker/Secretary Panchayat Mohd Saleem Dar, and contractor Waseem Mehmood Khan.”

He added, all accused were produced before the court and granted bail on personal bonds. The court has fixed August 25, 2026 as the next date of hearing,