Srinagar, September 10
Locked inside their houses for almost three months, witness to large-scale death and destruction, violent protests, stone pelting, curfew and barbered wires all around, all this is taking a heavy toll on the mental health of people of Kashmir.

Irfan Ahmed (name changed), a higher secondary student, is unable to sleep and not able to concentrate on his studies. Having missed his school and private tuition for three months now, he is worried about the upcoming exams.

He aspires to become a doctor but due to the continuous shutdown he sees his dreams shattering as the examiners won't give him any relaxation and even the professional board that conducts the common entrance test for MBBS won't consider his inability to complete his syllabus due to the strike. He is living in a complete shock, which has badly affected his mental equilibrium.

"He has stopped eating, he talks less and whenever he sees his books he starts crying. He now spends sleepless nights, though we try to persuade him that there is always a next chance, but he keeps on crying," says Farooq Ahmed, father of Irfan.

"Last week we consulted a doctor who said that Irfan was suffering from acute depression and if not treated properly he could commit suicide," Ahmed said.

Irfan is not the only one, but the doctors in the Kashmir Valley say that for the past three months, the number of people suffering from psychiatric disorders mostly depression has increased alarmingly and if things don't settle down soon it could assume dangerous proportions.

"As a majority of the people have completely lost their livelihood due to the strikes and curfew, many have lost their loved ones while others see the violence from close quarters, all this is slowly taking them to psychiatric disorders and the most common these days is depression," said Bilal Ahmed, a psychiatrist.

According to Bilal, people in Kashmir have developed a fear psychosis due to the frequent bloodshed and incidents of stone pelting and they are afraid to go out even when there is everything normal outside.

"With the passage of time, people start liking confinement, a stress-related disorder. Such people need immediate attention lest it should become dangerous for them," Bilal said.

He said people, including students and businessman, who had taken large loans from banks and were now unable to return these are affected the most with these mental disorders and if the situation does not turn normal soon it could lead to an increase in incidents of suicide in the valley.

Jammu, September 10
Residents of Gangyal, the locality located on the outskirts of Jammu, have a reason to exert pressure on the government to remove encroachments from the banks of nullah passing through this belt. Due to encroachments on both banks of the nullah, rainwater entered into the houses a number of times during this year’s monsoon.

As the nullah has been alomst blocked by encroachers, overflowing water usually entered into houses, which led to huge loss of property in Gangyal this year.

“Influential persons have encroached the nullah from Dilli up to Gangyal and no attempt has been made so far by the authorities to remove such encroachments,” said Baldev Singh Billoeria, president of the Gangyal Welfare Association, the organisation that has launched a campaign against encroachments.

Billoeria told The Tribune that earlier the breadth of the nullah was not less than 100 ft, so water never overflows from it at the time of heavy rainfalls. “Today, the same nullah is not more than 15-ft wide as its banks have been encroached by some influential persons so whenever there is a rain, water enters into the houses,” he said.

Last week, water of this seasonal nullah wreaked havoc in Shanker Colony, Sector 1, 2 and 4 of Gangyal as water entered into the houses. “It is nexus between politicians and land grabbers that encroachments have been going unabated and this action has been posing threats to the lives of hundreds of residents,” he said.

Gangyal is not an isolated example. Influential persons have encroached a majority of the seasonal nullahs on the outskirts of Jammu city and developed big complexes on that land.

Not only seasonal nullahs, but also encroachers have encroached on banks of the Tawi and irrigation canals.

Due to political patronage, encroachment of seasonal nullahs, canals and even banks of the rivers has become so easy in the Jammu region. “Whenever we tried to remove encroachments from the banks of canals or rivers, politicians usually come to the rescue of encroachers,” said a senior officer of the Irrigation Department.

He, while quoting official figure, disclosed that thousands of kanals of land located on the banks of the Tawi as well as on the banks of Ranbir and Ravi-Tawi irrigation canals has been encroached by the people.

Publicly, ministers repeatedly assured the people that encroachments would be removed from the banks of the Tawi, but on ground nothing has been done so far. In December last year, Minister of Tourism Nawang Rigzin Zora, while addressing a function at Peer Kho Temple, had announced to get the encroachments removed from the Tawi, but no action has been taken so far.

The Minister had assured that the encroachment of state land on both banks of the Tawi would be taken up with the Revenue Minister so that the same would be evicted from the encroachers for its beautification.

“After Karnailachak episode, no officer even dared to take steps to remove encroachment from the banks of the river,” said the irrigation officer. Some influential persons had encroached on government land on the banks of the Tawi at Karnailachak. The team of officers, which had gone to remove the encroachment, was publicly humiliated by the ministers for petty political gains.

Even as the Ladakh region was affected by the massive flash floods, the spirits of adventure-loving foreign tourists was not down as they remained in touch with their local tour operators and braving all odds reached the area for adventure sport.

"Yes, there was a concern but when we came to know that the situation has improved we decided to come here. It's really a beautiful place," said Gabriel Ionascu (21,) a French national who has been to Leh for the first time.

Braving the threat of landslides, a group of German tourists reached Leh on their bicycles from the Manali-Leh route and now they plan to do mountain biking for some days before going back on their cycles.

Those associated with tourism in Leh say that they are relieved by the response shown by the westerners.

"We thought that we would lose our livelihood, but more foreigners are now visiting our place," said Jonam Dorja, a tour operator in Leh.

"This is for the ninth time that I am here for trekking and I stick to my plan no matter what. After all trekking means taking risks," said Henry Paulus (75), a senior scientist with the Boston Biomedical Research Institute in the USA.

"I have been to many trekking destinations across the globe, but I love Leh because I love the people of Leh and the mountains here are very unusual. We get to meet people during our trekking and explore new culture," Paulus said.

Many of the foreign tourists this correspondent interacted with said that they were not afraid of the recurrence of flash floods.

"Trekking in Leh is different from other parts of the world as you come to see different cultures existing together. You see Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists living in a harmony, besides the unique mountains of the Leh," Brue Klepinger (71,) president of Ibex Expeditions (US), said.

Despite a massive tragedy wreaking havoc in Leh, it remains a Mecca for foreign tourists who come in droves for trekking, mountaineering, mountain biking and other adventure sports.

Srinagar, September 10
A spice park is being set up by the Spice Board of India at the saffron township of Pampore near here to provide better marketing facilities to the saffron growers besides checking the sale of substandard and spurious saffron in the market.

An amount of Rs 373 crore is being spent under the scheme during the first four years of the scheme, Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir announced while addressing a saffron growers awareness camp at Pampore recently.

The camp, organised by the Agriculture Department, was aimed at sensitising the saffron growers about the benefits of the National Saffron Mission launched by the government recently in the state.

The Minister said 3,785 hectares of saffron land would be brought under the scheme in the first phase. Impressing upon the saffron growers to produce qualitative saffron in order to revive this industry, the Minister said 30,000 kanals of saffron land would be provided irrigation facility this year. He said the government would provide Rs 26,000 for per kanal to the farmers for the replacement of seedlings to ensure further increase in the saffron production. He said under the scheme, water pumps would be installed in the area to provide proper irrigation facilities to the saffron fields.

He said the agriculture sector had vast employment generation potential provided agriculture activity was made profitable. He said 50 per cent subsidy would be provided for installing sprinkler sets in saffron fields, which cost Rs 50,000 per set.

The city of temples will witness 16-ft tall idol of Lord Ganesha (see photo) in this year’s Ganesha Chaturthi festival, which will begin tomorrow and conclude on September 22.“This is the tallest idol of Lord Ganesha in the state which will be displayed for prayer at the Parade Ground,” said Sanjay Shastri, chairman, Bharatiya Vedic Sansthan.

The idol has been made by artisans in Maharashtra and transported to Jammu for the 12-day-long festival. The idol is made at the cost of Rs 1.5 lakh. “Besides, a chariot costing Rs 2 lakh has also been made for taking out the idol in religious procession in the city,” said Shastri.

At the end of the festival, the idol will be immersed in the Chinab at Akhnoor.

Doda, September 10
As many as 21 children orphaned by militancy have literally been rendered nobody’s children here at a welfare home Basera. With the decline in the militancy, it seems that the children who lost their parents to the militancy related violence have been forgotten by the government.

Basera was set up in 2003 by the Army. Children who lost single or both parents were taken good care of till it was being looked after by the Army. But things started deteriorating after the charge of the welfare home was handed over to a local NGO, Bhoomitra. There on, the NGO further handed it over to the Department of Social Welfare.

After a couple of months, the guardianship of the inmates at the home was given to another local NGO, Kehkashan, which is presently in charge of the home.

Situated in the wilderness in the periphery of Doda town, Basera portrays a sorry picture of the homes providing shelter to the children who have lost their parents to the violence perpetuated by the militants in the state.

In the face of financial constraints, the NGO has not been able to fulfil even basic needs of the inmates besides appointing employees at the home.

Many years have gone by, the inmates of the home told this correspondent, that they had not got daily use items like bed sheets, soaps, shoes, tooth pastes, etc, from the home. They have been paying for their admission fee besides other educational expenses from their own.

“Here at Basera, we can live as long as we are in school. After completing the schooling, we can not stay here,” said the inmates and expressed their insecurity that “With education up to class XII from a government school, we can not even think of a job”.

While there is no employee in the home, students cook food themselves. They also rinse utensils, clean floors and toilets besides ferrying ration and goods from the market. Thick bushes and wild vegetation has grown around the home.

“Even the jail inmates would not eat the kind of food we feed on,” said the inmates and added that, “The boundary wall has got dismantled and stray cattle frequently intrude into the compound of the home. There is no one to supervise us and if someone falls ill, there is no one to take him to a hospital”.

However, the NGO alone is not to blame solely for all this. With little resources at its discretion, it cannot bear all expenses required to run the affairs of the home smoothly.

In the name of financial aid to the home, the Department of Social Welfare gets very little money from the J&K State Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Militancy.

Several inmates did not have any information about the welfare schemes aimed at militancy hit children, while a few were getting monthly scholarship of Rs 750 per month. Though there are provisions, not even a single child orphaned or affected by militancy has got assistance from the Social Welfare Department for the pursuance of higher education or some professional course.

“This year, the rehabilitation council has released Rs 35,000 for the home. The amount would be forwarded to the NGO soon,” said social welfare officer Rakesh Bhagat.

Jammu, September 10
The Dogri film, Maa Ni Mildi, entered into fourth consecutive week this Friday here at Apsara theatre. The film has been running successfully in the theatre since August 13 and has been drawing audience from all walks of like, especially Dogri-speaking people. Amit Choudhary, producer of the film, said: “All four shows of the film have been going houseful”.

“Not only elders are showing a keen interest in my film, but also youths are coming to the theatre to watch the first coloured Dogri film,” he added. — TNS

Jammu, September 10
The J&K State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jammu, comprising Justice (Retd) GD Sharma and BL Saraf, member, in an important decision dismissed the complaint filed by an astrologist, Vijay Kumar, holding that since IMI Mobile Pvt Ltd had hired his services against consideration and as such he was a service provider and not a consumer.

Vijay Kumar, astrologist, running Vijay Jyotish Karalaya in Jammu, entered into an agreement with the company on July 5, 2004, for providing services as astrologist from 8 am to 8 pm daily, excluding national holidays. The complainant was paid Rs 99,435 after the deduction of tax.

The complainant handled the network of Airtel mobile services as astrologist and after May 2007, his services were extended to the subscribers of Aircel telecom operator also for a valid consideration on mutual consent of both parties.

The complainant filed a complaint, claiming Rs 90,700 along with interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum. IMI Mobile submitted that since the agreement executed on July 5, 2004, automatically expired on July 4, 2007, and in the absence of contract having been renewed, it is deemed to be terminated.

The commission, while dismissing the complaint, observed, “We have considered the definition of consumer as contained in Section 2 of the J&K Consumer Protection Act, 1987.

It is a case where the kettle is calling the pot black because the company had to receive the professional services of the complainant under a contract of service, which falls outside the purview of the definition of consumer. In this view, the complaint is found misconceived and is dismissed as not maintainable”.

Jammu, September 10
The All-J&K Movement for Peace and Justice has appealed to the protesters as well as the authorities for keeping restrain in the face of Eid celebrations in the Kashmir Valley.

The organisation also expressed concern over the miseries of the common man in the wake of continuous protests and strikes. “The civil society is a mute spectator to the entire event taking place in the Valley whereas the administration and all the mainstream political parties have lost their credibility,” said Gurpreet Singh, spokesperson for the organisation.

He also urged the leaders to work together for an amicable solution and put an end to the prevailing conundrum.

Jammu, September 10
Even after the identification of land, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) is yet to be established in the newly carved out district of Samba.

Funded by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), this kendra was okayed in January last for three new districts of Samba, Ramban and Kishtwar, besides for Udhampur, since the existing one at Tanda had come under the jurisdiction of Reasi district.

RP Sharma, additional deputy commissioner, Samba, said about 400 kanals had already been acquired at Manano village on the Mansar road to set up the kendra for the district.

On January 29, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had directed the concerned deputy commissioners to identify the land within two weeks so that the work on the proposed kendras could be taken up at the earliest. However, the Chief Minister’s direction had so far not been honoured, as the KVK, Samba, is yet to be a reality.

“We have already identified and acquired the land and asked the authorities concerned at the Sher-e-Kashmir University for Agriculture, Science and Technology (SKUAST) to take the possession and establish the kendra at Samba as per their requirements,” Sharma said.

However, Dr Risam, project director, education, SKUAST, said the land had not been formally handed over to the university authorities. “We are pursuing the file which is lying with the financial commissioner,” he said.

Dr Risam said the university authorities were keenly following developments so that the kendra was set up in the newly created district at the earliest. “However, in the absence of certain formalities, besides approval from the state Cabinet, the SKUAST cannot go ahead with this dream project,” the project director said.

Meanwhile, sources said the fate of other proposed KVKs, to be set up in the state, was also hanging in balance owing to similar reasons.

Six KVKs are already functioning in the division at RS Pura in Jammu, Thandwal in Rajouri, Bhaderwah in Doda, Tanda in Reasi, besides in Poonch and Kathua districts with a prime job to conduct “on farm testing”.

The ICAR funds the establishment of KVKs in terms of infrastructure, manpower and contingencies, while the state government provides land for the establishment of these kendras. 

The people of Kashmir won't be able to send Eid greetings to one another via the short message service as the government had blocked SMS in the entire state owning to the ongoing unrest.

People living in other states who wanted to wish their friends back in Kashmir on the festival of Eid also won't be able to send greetings on SMS.

Leh, September 10
VM Kaul, director (personnel), Power Grid Corporation of India, handed over a 250 KVA diesel generator set to the Sonam Norbu Memorial Hospital authorities here recently.Nawang Rigzin Jora, J&K Minister for Tourism and Culture, Leh deputy commissioner, and senior officers from the administration were present on the occasion.

Continuing with its tradition of voluntarily taking up social causes under corporate social responsibilities, Power Grid fulfilled the need for a 250 KVA DG set in district hospital, Leh, which has been catering to many injured and critical patients affected by the recent devastating flash floods.

Besides, Power Grid has also offered to extend its assistance in specific rehabilitation and restoration of public buildings.