The government has directed the officials to attend the main functions of Independence Day celebration 2016 in Parade ground Jammu and Baskhi Stadium Srinagar respectively.The additional secretary to the government, Bashir Ahmad Lone in a circular under number 34-GAD of 2016 dated 09-08-2016 has directed the officers and officials stationed in Srinagar and Jammu to attend main I-Day function scheduled to be held in Baskhi Stadium Srinagar and parade ground Jammu.“All the administrative secretaries, head of the departments, managing directors/ chief executives of the public sector undertakings are requested to ensure that all the officers/officials working under their administrative control, who are stationed in Jammu/Srinagar attend the function in their respective places,” circular in possession of KNS reveals.“The managing director of J&K SRTC Limited and managing director J&K Tourism Development Corporation Limited shall ensure that the buses/canter vehicle of their corporation deployed for transportation of the employees of moving department at Srinagar report at their allotted government colony/hostel/security zone etc at 07:30am on 15 August 2016 and facilitate to-and-fro movement of the employees for attending the Independence Day function at Bakhshi stadium Srinagar,” circular reveals.Notably, the government departments in the Valley remained closed since July 09.
The employees were directed several times to join their duties. However, the officials failed to report to their offices due to the shutdown called by the separatist leadership.Earlier, the leadership had appealed employees to not attend the I-Day functions in view of the civilian killings. “The employees are part and parcel of the society and should follow the protest programmes strictly,” leadership had said. Pertinently, the curfew, restrictions and shutdown continued on 35th consecutive day today while the authorities snapped cellular service again in the Valley.More than 50 people were killed while thousands were injured during the current protests that started a day after the killing of Hizb commander, Burhan Wani in a ‘gunfight’ in Bumdoora village of Kokernag area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on July 08. (KNS)