Protesters reject rotational ADC posts in parts of Rajouri

Jammu: In an attempt to end the ongoing protests in parts of Rajouri district, the Jammu and Kashmir government has announced new posts of additional deputy commissioners (ADCs) to work on rotational basis in the strike-hit areas.
However, the formula was rejected outright by the residents of Nowshera, Sunderbani, Kotranka and Kalakote who threatened to intensify their 23-day long agitation to press for permanent ADC posts. The government declared that rotational ADCs would be placed for Sunderbani and Nowshera while Kotranka ADC would look after the Kalakote on weekly rotational basis.
Additional secretary, labour and employment department, Sachin Dev Singh was posted as ADC Nowshera-Sunderabani, while ADC Kotranka, Shafiq Ahmad, was given additional charge of ADC Kalakote, an official spokesman said Saturday.
The officers would be headquartered for one week at each place, the spokesman said. Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Sunderbani, Kartar Singh, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Nowshera, Abdul Sattar, would continue at their respective places of postings, he said.
The state government has also accorded sanction to a four-member committee, headed by financial commissioner, to examine any such similar demand relating to posting of ADCs in the state.
The residents of Sunderbani, Nowshera and Kalakote went on an indefinite strike on February 16 and have staged almost daily protests in support of their demand for separate district status or creation of ADC posts.
The protests were triggered by the government decision to announce ADC post for Kotranka and continued despite an appeal by a three-member ministerial team, assuring that their genuine demands would be met. The residents of Kotranka also joined the protest Saturday and observed a shutdown against governments rotational formula.