Darbar move: Offices of J&K govt to open in Srinagar tomorrow

Amidst a call for general strike to protest against the spurious drug scam, the Jammu and Kashmir government is all set to start functioning from here tomorrow after shifting from winter capital Jammu.
Raj Bhavan, Civil Secretariat and other offices were closed in Jammu on April 26 and scheduled to reopen here tomorrow as per the darbar move, a century-old practice under which government functions six month each in the two capitals.
It will function in the summer capital till late October and then move to Jammu, the winter capital of the state, in the first week of November.
Authorities had made all necessary arrangements including security to ensure smooth functioning of the offices in the Kashmir Valley, which witnessed a spurt in militant activities including a suicide attack on a CRPF camp earlier this year.

While most of the Kashmir-based government employees associated with the Civil Secretariat and other departments arrived in the Valley on April 27, Jammu-based employees have started arriving here since yesterday, officials said.
On the reopening of offices, work will begin from 9.30 AM to 5 PM at the Civil Secretariat, they said, adding that for other departments located outside the Secretariat, work will begin from 10 AM to 4 PM.

The call for general strike was given by Medical Employees' Joint Action Forum, an umbrella organisation of health staff including doctors at public hospitals, over the government's failure to act against those involved in spurious drug scam in the state.

Various other organisations, including those of traders and transporters, had also extended support to the strike call. "We have decided to go for a strike as this is a very grave issue...Whosoever is involved in this murky affair should be brought to justice," Kashmir Economic Alliance said.
Besides the strike call, independent MLA from Langate Sheikh Abdul Rashid has threatened to lay siege to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's office to protest the scam.