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Protests hit economy more than militancy
Relief likely for Leh traders
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Cement smuggling on the rise
Outdated info on govt websites
No winter break in Valley schools
Mughal Road improves Valley’s accessibility
English news bulletins soon from Srinagar Doordarshan
Migratory birds throng Valley wetland reserves
New uniform for govt school students
Expedite Srinagar’s development, orders Dy CM
Jammu diary
State faces power deficit this winter
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Protests hit economy more than militancy
Though the tourism industry has always been considered important for the development of three regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, the sector suffered a major jolt because of massive political disturbances in the state, particularly in Kashmir. While tourist footfall in this region decreased gradually after the 1990s for obvious reasons, the fiscal health of the people dependent on the industry also suffered badly. Though the state recovered from this decline in the tourist industry in the past few years, the politics of agitation has dealt a serious setback to the reconstruction efforts of the government. Riots and curfews in the recent times have virtually robbed the Valley of its vibrant economy this season. There has been a huge loss of lives and livelihood. Even as Kashmir witnessed violent protests and curfew, there was no impact on Amarnath Yatra this year, but certainly the unhealthy trend had its impact on shikara owners, taxi drivers, small traders selling handicrafts, besides the hotel industry. As per an estimate, strikes and protests have so far cost Rs 6,500 crore to the state and every day of shutdown or curfew could deny the administration Rs 161 crore in revenue. Experts feel that the resurgent tourism industry may wind up as a silent victim of separatist activities in the state as tourist arrivals have been falling sharply in the past few weeks. The Valley was abuzz with tourists and hotel rooms were sold out till August. Although agriculture and animal husbandry drive the state’s economy, a beating taken by the tourism industry is sure to act as a drag on allied sectors such as handicrafts, handloom and transport, they say. Economists feel that despite 20 years of prolonged militancy, the state had prospered. According to a National Sample Survey Organisation report, an average household in the state owned assets worth Rs 10.67 lakh, which is highest in the country. Also, the state has the lowest poverty rate of 3.4 per cent against the national average of 26 per cent. The report further states that the state has the lowest indebtedness, that is, 4 per cent as well. However, the economists put the reasons for prosperity to good showing in sectors like horticulture, agriculture and handicrafts. Around 85 per cent of the population is directly involved in these sectors. Horticulture production has witnessed a boom and the state is currently producing 14 lakh MT of fresh and dry fruit. Before 1989, the state was producing 5.63 MT. The state earns Rs 1,900 crore revenue every year from this sector alone. Grants and assistance from the Union government have also helped. Official figures say since the beginning of militancy in 1990, the state has received Rs 35,571.3 crore in grants from central resources. But strikes during this time of the year have caused immediate losses to commodities like fruits, vegetables, besides hides, handicrafts, woollens that form the bulk of exports from Kashmir. On an average, 3,000 trucks import and export goods in and out of the state that includes 1,100 local trucks. The strike had an immediate impact on the handicraft sector, On an average, the carpet industry has lost Rs 1,400 crore, which also includes silk carpets that suffered Rs-900 crore loss that are exported annually from Kashmir. On import list, nearly 30,000 sheep are imported daily into Kashmir. |
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Relief likely for Leh traders
Leh, November 23 The case of financial assistance to victims has been presented to officials, including those of the Special Task Force on the development of Ladakh, who have been visited Leh ever since the disaster. As per an assessment of the district level committee, headed by Tsering Mutup, Leh tehsilder, there are 256 small shopkeepers whose shops have been washed away by the flash flood. During the assessment, the committee has found that none of them had insured their properties against losses from natural calamity. Out of 256, 109 are traders of small shops near New Bus Stand of Leh, 145 of Zanak Maney and one each of Nimmo and Basgo villages. Tsering Mutup said, “The district-level committee has assessed the type of their businesses and the extent of their losses. Due to small nature of business and having no experience of such natural disaster in Ladakh, all of them did not have insurance policy”. Tsering Angchuk, deputy commissioner, Leh, said, “A list of affected people and the nature of damage to their properties has recently been forwarded to the state-level committee, headed by commissioner secretary of labour and employment constituted especially to look into the case re-establishment of businesses of affected people”. Angchuk added that the committee would look into how the business of affected people could be restarted under various schemes by providing soft loans”. |
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Cement smuggling on the rise
Rajesh Kumar, a cement manufacturer, said: “A large number of trucks loaded with cement bags from Punjab are entering the state via its gateway in Lakhanpur and officials concerned are least bothered to keep a check on this illegal activity”. He further said they had requested the authorities and the police a number of times, but they seemed to be in no mood to pay heed towards their problems. He added: “The smuggling of cement from Punjab has almost increased from 30 per cent to 35 per cent in the past one year”. Narrating the modus operandi of smugglers, another cement manufacturer said: “Mostly, trucks loaded with cement bags enter the state at night when only junior officers are deployed at nakas”. He said: “Persons involved in this illegal trade have fixed per bag commission with officials of departments concerned, who allow them to openly sell their goods in the state”. He added that they had set up their manufacturing units in the state after paying heavy taxes and completing a number of formalities, but the government was not bothered about their problems. It is pertinent to mention here that a bag of cement, which is available in the Jammu region at Rs 350, is selling at Rs 260-Rs 270 in Punjab due to difference in taxes. In a recent incident, the marketing manager, Ambuja Cements, Jammu Circle, had filed a complaint to the police alleging that a large number of trucks loaded with cement bags had been entering the state from Punjab causing huge losses to them. However, Gareeb Dass, SSP, Kathua, said they had deployed a number of teams to keep a tab on smugglers. “Yes, it’s a fact that smugglers from Punjab enter the state via Lakahnpur, but it is also a fact that the police, along with other departments , has been conducting raids and in the past, a number of smugglers have been arrested,” he added. |
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Outdated info on govt websites
Srinagar, November 23 Eight new districts were created in the state during the chief ministership of Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2006. The districts that have not been mentioned in the website are: Shopian, Kulgam, Bandipora and Ganderbal in the Kashmir division; and Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi and Samba in the Jammu division. According to the website, www.jammukashmir.nic.in, the Omar Abdullah-led council of ministers has not been expanded after it was sworn in on January 5, 2009. The council of ministers was, however, expanded to include 13 more faces in July last year. The present strength of the council is 22. Then again, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather continues to hold the charge of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, a portfolio given to Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar after the expansion of the ministry in July 2009. The website of the GAD, a department directly under the charge of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is full of old information about officials heading the Kashmir division and several district administrations in the state. It says Naseema Lankar is still the divisional commissioner of the Kashmir division. However, the officer was transferred as the commissioner secretary in the School Education Department in August. Two deputy commissioners have served in Kargil district in the Ladakh region of the state since Riyaz Ahmad Sheikh relinquished the post in 2009. However, the GAD website still has Sheikh listed as the head of the district administration. The incumbent is N. Raju who had taken over from Satish Nehru recently. MK Dwivedi was elevated to the rank of secretary during a cabinet meeting in October and posted in the Department of Information Technology, while deputy commissioner, Leh, Sanjeev
Verma, was posted in his place as the deputy commissioner, Jammu. While Dwivedi continues to be listed as the deputy commissioner of Jammu, Verma is shown as the deputy commissioner of Kathua - a post he held before being transferred to Leh for overseeing the elections of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council - on the website. MS Sheikh is the acting deputy commissioner, Kathua, but finds no mention on the website. The website maintained by the Kashmir Divisional Commissioner's Office has the newly created districts mentioned on it, but there is no information about the geography, demography or administration on the links to these districts. — PTI |
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No winter break in Valley schools
Jammu, November 23 “We have decided to keep high and higher secondary schools open for one to two months out of the winter holidays period to
compensate the loss of education to students in the Valley during the agitation,” State Education Minister Peerzada Mohmmad
Sayeed said. “Students of classes IX, X, XI, and XII will be taught the syllabus which they could not complete due to the three-month-long agitation in the Valley,” he said. Sayeed, who is the brain behind the plan, said heating facilities would be provided to students and teachers in order to keep the classes going on during these months. “Nearly Rs 6 crore will be spent on providing heating facilities to these schools. A project seeking funds in this regard has been sent to the Chief Minister,” he said. The state’s Education Ministry, which took the bold step during the agitation to reopen the schools with full support of students and parents in particular, was instrumental in breaking the cycle of violent agitation in the Valley, Peerzada said. “The reopening of schools was a setback to elements opposed to peace and progress in the Valley. Parents, students and commoners in the Valley felt suffocated by the agitation,” the Minister said. “I thank parents and students for their courage to help us in saving this academic session,” he added.
— PTI |
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Mughal Road improves Valley’s accessibility
Srinagar, November 23 “With the opening of the Mughal Road, the trade and movement of people have increased. Now, Kashmir is not far off from Poonch and Rajouri. From Rajouri, it takes only three hours to reach Kashmir,” said Ghulam Ahmed Khawaja, deputy commissioner, Rajouri. “Apple, which is the major produce of Kashmir, is now being sold in Swarnkot, Rajouri, Sunderbani, and Poonch,” he added. The Mughal Road construction project was conceived in 1969 and further execution of the project took place in 1977. But after the completion of a 30-km stretch, the construction stopped. In 1998, the then Prime Minister IK Gujral again announced the construction of the road, but in 2006, all activity was halted when an NGO filed a petition against the construction, saying it would prove detrimental to habitats of wild animals of the region. Conditional permission to go ahead with the construction was given only in 2007 by the Supreme Court. The construction was stopped again in 2008 during the Amarnath land row, in which the Central and state governments had decided to transfer 99 acres of forestland to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) to set up shelters for pilgrims, inviting protests from many Kashmiri separatist leaders.
— ANI |
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English news bulletins soon from Srinagar Doordarshan
Srinagar, November 23 Airing their views about DD Kashir and its content, journalism students appreciated the Doordarshan authorities for reviving the age-old culture of Kashmir and providing healthy entertainment with useful information. A student said: “In this era of media boom when there are so many channels around, it is only DD Kashir that keeps us intact with our traditional roots. It provides a platform to the youth to express views on many social issues and participate in live interactive programmes unlike other channels which would provide entertainment only. Moreover, DD Kashir is a family channel and it is something that we can watch along with our family members.” Responding to the queries about challenges faced by the public broadcaster in contemporary times Doordarshan Kendra Director Rafeeq Masoodi said: “When there are more than 300 channels being aired on cable television providing entertainment and news of all sorts it is really a challenge for us to inspire people to tune to DD Kashir. But thankfully we have been able to create our space amongst the viewers who still prefer informative and healthy content.” “We have been able to bridge the gap between non-resident Kashmiris and their motherland as the channel is being watched in more than 150 countries which is the USP of the channel,” Dr Masoodi said. Dr Masoodi invited the young media students to come up with five-minute student documentaries which could be telecast on DD Kashir. Bashir Malik, news head of DDK Srinagar, said that the channel was going to launch news bulletins in English the auditions for newscasters and anchors would be held soon. |
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Migratory birds throng Valley wetland reserves
Srinagar, November 23 The state wildlife authorities claim to have received more avian visitors this year than they expected at the three famous wetland reserves established at Haygam, Hokersar and Shalibag in the picturesque Valley. The early arrival of birds from traditional habitats like Central Asia, China and Eastern Europe signals that the temperatures in those areas also have taken a dip, forcing the birds to move earlier than expected. Officials at the Hokersar reserve asserted that comfortable climatic conditions, better protection and the easy availability of food in the region were the prime reasons behind the massive migration of birds. "These birds migrate to Kashmir to escape the extremely low temperatures in the Central Asian countries this time of the year. The conditions are extremely harsh and cold. In some places, the temperatures dip to minus 40 and minus 35 also. This is a natural phenomenon, if humans are exposed to such temperatures, they will also migrate to warmers havens," said Ghulam Mohammad Lone, Wildlife Warden, Hokersar Wetland Reserve. The winged visitors from Siberia, China, Central Asia and Northern Europe add colours and vibrancy with their chirping at the regional wetlands and fresh water lakes. These birds begin their flight to Kashmir in early September and stay till spring heralds in the next year. Local people maintain that the birds have been keeping their winter sojourn to Kashmir since times immemorial. "These are beautiful and colourful birds. I feel very happy when I see them here. The visitors who come to see these birds also find them very beautiful. These birds come from across the world," said Farooq Ahmad, an employee at the Hokersar Wetland Reserve. The Hokersar wetland, which used to be spread over a sprawling 13.5 square kilometres land, has gradually reduced through the years due to encroachments. Besides, Hokersar, Hygam and Shalibag, the other prominent destination for these migratory birds is Mirgund. Thousands of exotic birds such as mallards, greyleg geese, gadwalls, teals, shovellers, pochards and coots make their temporary nests here.
— ANI |
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New uniform for govt school students
Jammu, November 23 “We have taken a decision to give a new look to uniforms of government institutions on a par with public schools so that children of government schools do not feel inferiority complex,” Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Minister for School Education, said. There are 17 lakh children studying in government schools in the state and their dress comprises blue shirt and black pants. The new uniform will include a tie, besides a shirt, pant, shoes and socks with different pattern on the lines of private and public schools, Sayeed said, adding the new uniform would be introduced in the next educational session beginning March. It will cost the government Rs 400 per student, which will be provided free to those belonging to BPL, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. The Education Ministry has set up a 15-member expert committee headed by commissioner secretary education to suggest the type of uniforms for students of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh depending on climatic conditions. The project would cost the Education Department Rs 25 crore, he said, adding this would boost the morale of students of the government schools.
— PTI |
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Expedite Srinagar’s development, orders Dy CM
Srinagar, November 23 Tara Chand urged Municipal Corporation (SMC) officers to fulfil all commitments made about the development of Srinagar city by increasing skilled and non-skilled manpower for all works as a limited working season has been left in the valley. Addressing the meeting of officers during his recent visit here, the Deputy Chief Minister said the government had ensured equal development of all three regions of the state, particularly the far-flung and backward areas. Tara Chand said the coalition government was working for the welfare and prosperity of people. The Deputy Chief Minister said that a committee of MLAs would be constituted to assess the works completed by the executing agencies to maintain standard of work, quality and transparency. Regarding Dal Lake development, Tara Chand said he was personally monitoring implementation of the project, adding that good progress had been achieved last year in this connection. However, the relocation of Dal dwellers at Rakh-e-Arth would take some time. The Deputy Chief Minister hoped that additional help for civic works would be allotted but asked the officers concerned to utilise fully the allocated funds first. Describing Srinagar city as the heart of the state, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Ali Mohammad Sagar underscored the need for taking immediate steps for its development on all fronts. |
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Jammu diary
The regular work of loading, lifting and unloading of garbage from its collection point to the dumping yard by safai karamcharis/sweepers of the Jammu Municipal Corporation is ineffective work.
While loading garbage into a vehicle from one garbage collection point to another, the municipal vehicle becomes a source to make the city unclean.
As the vehicle filled with garbage moves uncovered on the city roads (See photo), the refuse is scattered on the roads the vehicle passes through. Instead of performing its job of keeping the city 'neat and clean', the Municipal Corporation itself becomes responsible for making it dirty. It's time to rein in reckless drivers
"I don't have a licence but I drive very well." The other day a teenaged wearing a "torn" jean (earlier sign of poverty, now fashion) was heard telling a traffic police Inspector about his driving skills near a busy crossing in Jammu. However, the cop carried on with his official duty. In the temple city one could easily spot such scions of the affluent driving and riding their powerful SUVs and motorbikes with reckless abandon. In a bid to impress girls outside schools and colleges that too, during peak hours, such spoilt brats quite often break not only their own limbs and bones but also of those who drive their vehicles "religiously" by the rule book. It is high time for the families of such spoilt brats to think for a while before handing over the keys of SUVs and trendy bikes to their "loved" but "amateurish" kids because they not only put their lives at risk but also become a reason of ooh, aah, ouch for law-abiding citizens. Scuffles at ATMs
Every time I visit an ATM, childhood memories start haunting me when I along with a bunch of children from my locality would queue up in front of the counters set up by the tehsil supply officer for getting our quota of kerosene. We would have to wait for long in order to get kerosene. The scarce number of ATM booths in the city gives a similar harrowing feel, especially during the festival season. The scenario is more depressing in peripheral areas where scuffles usually break out between customers. At kerosene booths, the struggle would seem somewhat logical but at ATM booths it seems meaningless when one has to literally fight for getting his/her own
money. (Contributed by Sunaina Kaul, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria and Ashutosh Sharma) |
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State faces power deficit this winter
Jammu, November 23 A total of Rs 1,272.05 crore expenditure has been made up to September out of the total budgetary allocation of Rs 2050.05 crore, the meeting was informed. The meeting highlighted various steps being taken to reduce burden on the state budget like banking of 396 MW during the summer after returning of 341 MW borrowed during the winter of 2009-10 and borrowing of 100 MW of power from Haryana during November-December and surrendering costly power from Anta, Aurya and Dadri in UP. The details of arrears against various government departments were also discussed in the meeting. Rather urged the PDD functionaries to strive hard to achieve maximum revenue realisation by creating awareness among the consumers. He said power purchase budget of the state had swollen to Rs 2,050 crore during 2010-11 and there was need to concentrate on optimum revenue realisation.
— PTI |
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Jammu, November 23
Lakhanpur (Kathua), November 23