Jammu, November 12
It definitely appears to be an elephantine task to control a huge flow of traffic on narrow city roads that witness movement of thousands of vehicles besides stray quadrupeds every day. The situation further turns chaotic when an additional number of about 20,000 four-wheelers ply on the same roads during the winter months when the state government functions from here.

With the shifting of the Civil Secretariat and other Darbar move offices to the winter capital this week, the traffic scenario has begun to show signs of deterioration. Apart from implying strict restrictions on certain roads to the inconvenience of commuters and diverting traffic on some routes, a large number of valley- based government and private vehicles have already begun to dot Jammu roads. Such additional vehicles would continue to ply till April next year when the offices would customarily move back to Srinagar.

The additional vehicles, which are conspicuous with their Kashmir registration numbers, are generally used by the Civil Secretariat employees and their relatives, besides bureaucrats, ministers and MLAs. With the mercury further dipping in Kashmir and people opting to move towards the plains, traffic police sources said the department expected more such Valley-based vehicles in coming days here.

The most affected areas witnessing severe traffic jams every year during the season are the Panjirthi, BC Road, Janipur, Residency Road, Subhash Nagar, Wazarat Road and Talab Tillo areas as these localities house the maximum number of government residential quarters to accommodate the Civil Secretariat employees.

“From November onwards, the traffic system in Jammu city goes haywire. This condition becomes more deplorable in February and March when roads are haphazardly dug up to exhaust funds by the end of the financial year, remarked Parshotam Lal, a shopkeeper at Janipur Chowk.

Parshotam said in the absence of an adequate number of traffic cops, traffic jams continue for hours together, mostly trapping schoolgoers and their vehicles.`` Most of the times cops are busy making way for VIP movement without caring a fig for commoners’’, he said.

Ajay Kumar, a resident of Dogra Hall, said during winter months, the vehicles ply on Jammu roads like stray cattle ``The Civil Secretariat Road is put out of the bounds for civilians as vehicles of bureaucrats and politicians are only allowed to ply on it for the so-called security reasons’’, he said.

Ajay said the residents living adjoining the Civil Secretariat are subjected to the worst kind of inconvenience. ``The situation turns grimmer when the Assembly is in session and the entire public transport is diverted to other already-overcrowded routes’’, he said.

Nazir Ahmad, a Darbar move employee, said such a chaotic traffic situation is bound to occur as Jammu roads have to face additional burden of vehicles during the next six months. ``A similar kind of situation is witnessed in Srinagar when the government operates from there during the summer months’’, he asserted.

A senior traffic police officer said during the past one decade, thousands of vehicles have come on Jammu roads in stark contrast to road length, which remained the same. To add to it, roads have been encroached upon and vehicle owners have developed a tendency to park their vehicles in the open, he said.

The official said in the absence of a policy governing the purchase of vehicles, people continue to buy four- wheelers without having actually a space to park them. “The situation is more chaotic in old city where roads are too narrow and people have no space to keep their vehicles’’, he added.

Jammu, November 12
At a time when farmers of Jammu region are agitating due to non-availability of fertilisers, some depot holders have been hoarding and selling the same at higher prices. To solve this problem, the police has started conducting raids at fertiliser shops to keep a check on hoardings and black marketing.

In one such incident, the police raided some shops in the Akhnoor area and arrested six persons involved in hoarding of fertilisers, thus profiting after creating artificial scarcity.

The police claimed that it had seized 1,064 bags of DAP, potash and urea, which was being sold at exorbitant rates.

Those arrested were Davinder Singh, son of Om Prakash, and a resident of Nariana village; Satbir Singh, son of Karan Singh, and a resident of Khour; Rakesh Sharma, son of Amrit Lal, and a resident of Khour; Ram Lal, son of Inder Dutt, and a resident of Jandial Thathi village; Mohinder Kumar, son of Suraj Prakash, and Satish Kumar, son of Gian Chand, both residents of Jourian.

A senior police officer said they had launched a series of raids to keep a tab on such hoarders. He added that they had already raided Khour, Jourian and Gharota in Akhnoor subdivision and the remaining areas would also be raided soon.

In another incident in Reasi district, licences of two fertiliser depots were cancelled on November 11 for allegedly selling fertilisers at higher rates.

Sources said Sanjay Kumar, son of Girdhari Lal, and a resident of Kheralad village, and Deep Raj, son of Rishi Raj, and a resident of Pouni village, were found selling fertilisers at a price of Rs 580 per bag, much higher than the actual price.

The sources added that the accused had sold nearly 300 bags at increased prices and were involved in such activities for a long period.

The civil administration has also warned the depot holders against such activities, as all those found guilty would face legal action.

Jammu, November 12
Local fancy dress sellers are doing good business by renting out their products/dresses to the customers for a fixed period. However, the unwanted expenditure on fancy dresses of children has become a headache for the parents.

The festivals, celebrations of events and other extracurricular activities conducted by schools, particularly by private ones, are helping these fancy dress sellers make good money on such occasions.

Sohan Lal Arora, a fancy dress seller, said the business of lending fancy dresses is slowly picking up in the city. “Earlier our business was not that good as the concept of celebration of festivals and events in schools and colleges was not much prevalent but now most schools are gradually catching up this trend”, said Arora. “We are doing good business for the past four years as the celebration of events and cultural activities has become a necessary drill in most private schools now.”

Arora said the rent for a dress without accessories starts from Rs 75 and Rs 150. However, the rent of a dress along with accessories depends on the actual cost of a dress and accessories.

“While lending a dress on rent, we charge Rs 200 to Rs 500 as a security ”, said Arora. He said besides Jammu, customers from Udhampur, Samba and Kathua also come to his shop.

Ratan Sharma, another fancy dress seller, said: “We are doing fine as the demand for our products is going up in the market.”

However, most of the parents rue that the fancy dress competitions were proving expensive as they have to spend huge amounts on hiring dresses for children.

Neetu Gupta, a parent, said: “My children are studying in a private school here. Besides spending money on uniforms and books, we have to spend huge money for hiring fancy dresses once or thrice every month for children.”

Anil Goswami, another parent, said: “The unwanted expenditure on fancy dresses of children is a heavy burden on our monthly home budget. As the celebration of each and every event has become a fashion in private schools. parents have to bear the brunt.”

Srinagar, November 12
The Sopori Academy of Music And Performing Arts (SaMaPa) has announced the winners of this year’s SaMaPa Vitasta Award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000 each.

The award would be presented on the occasion of SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan 2010 to be held at Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi on Saturday when the two-day festival begins.

The SaMaPa Vitasta Award would be conferred upon Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Dr N. Rajam while the prestigious SaMaPa Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Award 2010, which carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, would be conferred upon veteran Pahari and Gojri singer Abdul Rashid Qureshi.

While Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is being honoured for his lifetime contribution in the field of Indian classical instrumental music, “sarod” and Dr Rajam is being honoured for her lifetime contribution in the field of Indian classical instrumental music - “violin”. Mukesh Garg will receive SaMaPa Acharya Abhinavgupt Samman for his lifetime contribution to Indian music as a musicologist and critic.

The announcement was made by acclaimed santoor maestro and composer Abhay Rustum Sopori in New Delhi, declaring that the names were selected by Pandit Bhajan Sopori, chairman, SaMaPa, and the award selection committee headed by Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy.

Meanwhile, the two-day festival would feature Ragini Rainu (Sufi), Abhay Rustum Sopori (santoor), Dr Raja Radha Reddy (kuchipudi dance), Malini Awasthi, Zareena Begum, Kimti Lal, Shounik Abhisheki, Vidushi Ashwini Bhide (vocal), Dr N Rajam (violin), Purbayan Chatterjee (sitar) and Rakesh Chaurasia (flute). The festival will also feature a painting exhibition by J&K artists.

Srinagar, November 12
As per practice, the seat of the government has already shifted and started functioning from Jammu, winter capital of the state, since November 8 and would be working there till the end of April before moving back here.

Simultaneously, the winter secretariat, Srinagar, also started its functioning from November 8. Minister for Education Peerzada Mohammad Syed was available for the first week in the winter secretariat for general public. Every week a minister is assigned the task of attending the winter secretariat here to attend to general problems of people apart from the working of his own departments. The people can call on ministers and apprise them of their problems.

During his first stint, the Education Minister assured the visitors that their problems would be addressed soon.

The Minister said the government had already issued orders before the offices moved to Jammu that one minister would remain available in the winter secretariat for addressing the problems of the people of Kashmir, particularly during winter months.

The shifting after summer months changes the scenario outside the Civil Secretariat, which houses the offices of the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and other senior officers of the Civil Administration. Close to the secretariat is the new Assembly complex, which as per practice also conducted the summer session of the Legislative Assembly and Council recently before moving to Jammu.

The common entry to the seat of the government and Legislature Complex has been agog with movement of people, both officials and legislators and the public in general over the past few months.

However, there has been lesser movement of general public around with continued general strikes and curfew restrictions between June and October this year.

It is only these months when large number of people throng the Civil Secretariat following their cases and files in the highest office of the Civil Administration.

There were no long queues visible outside the Civil Secretariat waiting for their turn to enter this summer. Only officers and other employees had been making it to their offices in the secretariat.

While the common man could not follow his cases in the Civil Secretariat due to the turmoil, there was also a delay in developmental activities across the Valley this summer.

There have always been complaints of general public in Kashmir against the government for want of essential commodities, power supply and restoration of traffic on roads in the event of heavy snowfall during winter months.

In order to overcome the problems being faced by people in general during harsh winter months, the government over the recent couple of decades has started to make winter secretariat functional in Srinagar.

Likewise, the summer secretariat remains functional during hot summer months in Jammu. The arrangement had earlier been worked out to reach out to the people in hard times, like chilly winters in Kashmir and hot summers in Jammu.

Jammu, November 12
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has underscored the importance of cordial public-police relationship to create a conducive and peaceful environment for overall development and welfare of the state, officials said.

“Professionalism in policing is imperative to maintain law and order and develop friendly bonds with general public,” Omar said during a three-hour-long video conferencing with the Superintendents of Police of Kashmir Division here a few days back.

The Chief Minister in a message to the SPs urged them to serve society in the best professional manner.

“You are rendering multifaceted duties on various fronts, including maintenance of law and order, protection of life and property, combating militancy, dealing with untoward situations and booking culprits responsible for different crimes and this has increased pressure on you,” he said.

Omar assured them “every help and support” for modernising and strengthening the state police to make it one of the most competent and able forces in the country.

He said the issues of filling of vacant posts, rationalising the duties of police personnel and increasing its number were under active consideration.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the law and order situation in the districts in particular and Kashmir Division in general.

In view of the upcoming panchayat poll in the state, Omar directed the state police to “be ready in all respects for successful holding of the elections.” “You have a stupendous task to perform in this regard,” he said and appreciated their role in rendering their duties with devotion on various fronts. — PTI

Jammu, November 12
The Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) will soon open three study centers in remote areas of Bilawar, Reasi and Ramban in response to repeated requests from students belonging to these areas .

These centres will be opened to facilitate the students of remote areas who otherwise have to cover long distances to reach the University of Jammu for attending personal contact programme (PCP) classes, besides the final examination.

Meenakshi Kilam, Director, DDE, said: “We have proposed to the university authorities for opening three study centers in these remote areas. We are hopeful of opening these study centers in one or two months.”

As many as seven study centers of the Directorate of Distance Education, University of Jammu, are already functional in various regions of Jammu division.

About 16,000 students are pursuing education in various courses through the distance mode. The DDE is providing various postgraduate and undergraduate courses, besides diploma and certificate courses.

Jammu, November 12
“Urdu academy is a long-pending demand of Urdu-loving people and Prof Shohab Inayat Malik, HoD, Urdu, has submitted a proposal in this regard and it gives me an immense pleasure that the academy is being set up soon in the state,” said Abdul Gani Malik, Minister for Higher Education, while speaking at a one-day long writers’ conference at University of Jammu.

According to a statement issued here, Abdul further said the proposal had been discussed at various occasions with the Chief Minister who had agreed to set up an Urdu academy in the state and in this regard a Cabinet decision would be taken soon.

The conference was organised by the Department of Urdu, University of Jammu, in collaboration with the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language in the Prof Gian Chand Jain Seminar Hall in connection with the World Urdu Day here recently.

About 100 Urdu writers from various parts of the state participated in it, which was inaugurated by Abdul.

The Minister lauded the role of the Urdu Department for organising such a big conference. He threw light on the importance of Urdu language and described it the symbol of composite culture.

Abdul said Urdu writers had always spread the message of love and brotherhood through their writings. Though they were not being felicitated by the state government, their writing attracts politicians who often quote Urdu verses during their speeches. On the occasion, Abdul also released poetic collection of Prof Shehaz Shargi.

Ved Bahsin, who was the guest of honour, criticised the apathetic attitude of the government towards its official language and its writers.

Prof RD Sharma, who presided over the function, described Urdu a language which had united India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and had played a vital role in the freedom struggle of the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Shohab described the period of Dogra rulers a golden period in which Urdu flourished tremendously.

“Maharaja Ranbir Singh was a lover of Urdu language who established Bidya Bilas Sabha for the promotion of the language. He used to preside literary meeting himself. He also awarded Urdu writers and engaged towering Urdu writers of the country in his “darbar” and provided them job opportunities in his government,” said the HoD.

In the paper-reading session, Prof Shaz Sharqi, Sajjad Poonchi, Balraj Bakshi and Naz Nizami presented their papers on the subject “Problems of Urdu writers in Jammu and Kashmir”.

Jammu, November 12
Rekindling hopes of the weaker sections of owning a house, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand has directed the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and the Housing Board to develop colonies for the underprivileged strata.

He also called for accountability and transparency in the utilisation of funds and timely completion of projects taken up under various centrally and state sponsored schemes for improving urban infrastructure in the state.

The Deputy CM aired his thoughts at a meeting to review ongoing projects under various schemes of the Housing and Urban Development Department here recently.

The meeting was informed that under the IHSDP scheme, out of 2127 units, work had been taken up for 1,891 dwelling units in 11 towns. The Deputy CM asked for proper identification of beneficiaries so that maximum people could get the benefit.

He also stressed upon the effective implementation of various schemes and directed for timely utilisation of funds.

While reviewing activities of the JDA and Housing Board, he called for setting up new residential colonies in Jammu. He said keeping in view the growing urbanisation, the JDA as well as the Housing Board needed to establish new colonies to provide better housing facilities. He called upon the authorities that special provision should be kept for the weaker and economically backward sections in new projects.

While reviewing the status of the proposed multilevel parking in the city, the Deputy CM was informed that after calling for the letter of expression, proposals received were being scrutinised and the feasibility report would be submitted to the government soon.

With a relatively tension-free atmosphere, preparations have already begun for Eid-ul-Azha on coming Wednesday. The authorities have also geared up to impose checks on the black marketeers and to ensure adequate supply of essential commodities to the consumers. The main focus is on the sale and purchase of sacrificial animals like sheep and goats required on the occasion almost by each and every well-off household.

These sheep and goats meant for sacrifice (Qurbani) on Eid have always been available on the main roads and market places in Srinagar and other towns of the Kashmir Valley. But, this time the civil administrations decided that nobody would be allowed to conduct the sale of sheep and goats for 'qurbani' on the roadsides. It has identified 10 places across Srinagar city for the sale of such sheep and goats.