Jammu, Dec 08: A senior Army officer on Monday asked the troops to stay alert and maintain a firm and consistent approach in counter-terrorist operations in militancy-infested Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.

General Officer Commanding of Army’s White Knight Corps Lt Gen P K Mishra passed the directions during his visit to Gandoh in the hilly district to assess the ground situation and review operational readiness and security dynamics, the Army said.

The corps commander was accompanied by General Officer Commanding of Counter-Insurgency Force (Delta) Maj Gen A P S Bal.

“The GOC (Lt Gen Mishra) encouraged the troops to stay alert, adopt forward-looking measures and maintain a firm and consistent approach in counter-terrorist operations,” Jammu-based White Knight Corps, also known as 16 Corps, said in a post on X.

He also highlighted the need for high standards of professionalism in every mission, urging the force to remain vigilant, confident and fully prepared to tackle any emerging challenges with clarity and determination, it said.

Jammu, Dec 08: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday laid the foundation stone for construction of new houses for families affected due to recent natural calamities and unprovoked Pakistani shelling during Operation Sindoor, in Jammu District.

350 houses in Jammu district will be constructed at a cost of Rs 35 crore. The construction cost of these new three-bedroom pre-fabricated Smart Houses will be borne by the High-range Rural Development Society (HRDS India), an NGO.

In his address, the Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to HRDS-India for the noble initiative in supporting affected families in Jammu Kashmir.  He highlighted that the houses for the affected families are being built without spending a single penny from the government treasury.

Construction of these three-bedroom pre-fabricated Smart Houses is slated for completion within six months from the start of the foundation work. The houses are designed to be efficient, modern, resilient, and technologically advanced and will include specific facilities like cowsheds.

In addition to building the homes, HRDS India is providing a substantial welfare package to the beneficiary families. HRDS India will provide Free life insurance coverage for all family members for the next 15 years, free annual health checkups for all family members and coverage for maintenance of the houses for the next 5 years.

The Lieutenant Governor reiterated his commitment to bring a monumental change in the lives of the poor.

“In the past 5 years, lakhs of poor have been benefitted and infrastructure in backward and poor regions were upgraded. The rapid development of Jammu is unprecedented and we have achieved a strong growth trajectory despite numerous challenges.

It is our constant effort to develop Jammu, the sacred city of temples, into an inclusive urban centre. Concrete steps taken for all-round development have led to the realization of the dream of poverty alleviation, social justice, and equal opportunities for all,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He stated that a new era of accelerated economic development, and social transformation has ushered in the region.

“We have achieved a massive scale of project completion in a short span. These projects have significantly strengthened Jammu’s urban infrastructure and citizen-centric services, enhancing mobility through modern amenities and streamlined civic facilities, and improved urban aesthetics,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor lauded the exceptional coordination and dedication displayed by district administration and various agencies in the immediate relocation of affected population to safe places and ensuring their continued care in the wake of natural calamity.

He praised the swift and effective response from the Divisional and district administration, police, army, CAPFs, Disaster Response forces, emergency responders, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, civil society members, and volunteers during the rescue and relief operations.

A total of 4,309 beneficiaries in Jammu district received assistance, and compensation amounting to Rs. 8.22 crore was distributed to those affected.

Ex-gratia and Government job was provided to the next of kin of a civilian who tragically lost his life during the unprovoked firing by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, he further said.

The Lieutenant Governor also interacted with the beneficiaries and reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of India and UT administration for the complete rehabilitation of affected families.

The beneficiaries in Jammu also include 23 families affected by landslides in Rah Salyote village. District administration has been providing food and temporary accommodation to these families for the past three months.

Swami Atma Nambi, President, HRDS India; Bharat Bhushan, Chairman, District Development Council, Jammu; Members of Legislative Assembly; Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Nalin Prabhat, DGP; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Bhim Sen Tuti, IGP Jammu; Shiv Kumar Sharma, DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range; Dr Rakesh Minhas, Deputy Commissioner Jammu, members of HRDS India, senior officials of police and civil administration, prominent citizens and people from all walks of life attended the foundation stone laying ceremony.

Rajouri, Dec 08: An unidentified male body was recovered on Monday from the banks of the Ans River in Tehsil Koteranka of Rajouri district, officials said.

A police official said that no foul play has been detected during the preliminary inquiry. “Initial investigation suggests the person may have accidentally slipped from the roadside into a gorge,” the official said.

He added that the body remains unidentified, though a mobile phone was recovered from the deceased. The device is switched off, and efforts are underway to trace the identity of the individual.

Police have registered a case, and inquest proceedings have been initiated to ascertain the cause of death. (KNC)