Jammu, March 15
The government in its Economy Survey Report had presented an encouraging picture of the education sector in the state, but details presented by the department concerned in the Legislative Assembly contradict the same.

As many as 294 schools in different parts of the state have registered zero percent result in classes X and XII during the past three years. And the number of such schools has been increasing. Interestingly, most of such schools are run by the government. Some of such institutions are located in the heart of Jammu city and are overstaffed as influential teachers have got themselves posted there.

Besides, 4,830 government schools have been functioning from rented accommodation. At present, there are 16,363 primary schools, 8,766 middle schools and 809 higher secondary schools in different parts of the state. Besides, two Sainik Schools, 36 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 14 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are also functioning.

As far as infrastructure in these schools is concerned, 4,654 primary school buildings have been constructed out of the target of 9,731 while 3,025 school buildings are at various levels of construction. Similarly, 631 middle school buildings have been completed and 408 are at various stages of development. As far infrastructure deficiencies in the secondary education sector are concerned, 68 government high schools are functioning from rented buildings. Similarly, seven government higher secondary schools are functioning from rented buildings. Surprisingly, 125 high schools and 101 higher secondary schools lack drinking water as well as toilet facilities.

According to the official figures, 474 primary schools are in a dilapidated condition and 514 middle schools lack drinking water and toilet facilities.

There is also a huge urban-rural difference in the literacy rate. According to official data, this difference was about 22 per cent during 2001 and it continued to remain so over the last several decades. It, however, came down to 15 per cent in 2008. While more than three fourth of the urban population is literate, the literacy rate in the rural areas is much below the two-third mark. 

Srinagar, March 15
An amount of `59 crore will be spent on the execution of Nagarnagar project during the next financial year as part of the protection of historical places of Srinagar city.

This was stated by Minister for Rural Development and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar here recently while addressing a function after launching a plantation drive at Hariparbat Hills organised by the Urban Forestry Division and the National Society for Protection of Water Reservoirs Wetland in collaboration with the Srinagar Forest Department.

According to an official spokesperson, the Minister said this step would help maintain environment balance in the city. He stressed upon the forest officers to plant more and more saplings on the hills of Khohimaran and the adjacent Malakah area. He added that a rope way would be constructed on the hills of Hariparbat on which `6 crore would be incurred.

On the occasion, he was informed that during the current plantation drive, about 1.9 lakh saplings would be planted at different places in the peripheries of Srinagar city by the Urban Forestry Division Department till the end of March.

Chief conservator, Forest, Manzoor Ahmed Khan, district development commissioner, Srinagar, MA Kakroo, regional director, Pollution Control Board, Farooq Geelani, DFO, Srinagar (Urban), and a large number of schoolchildren also highlighted the merits of plantation for the protection of environment.

Jammu, March 15
Keeping a check on overloading of cargo vehicles seems to have become a major challenge for the traffic police, as the number of challans issued for the offence doubled in 2010 as compared to 2009.

Records procured from the Transport Department reveals that the number of challans issued for overloading on the outskirts of Jammu, was 3,666 in 2009, which increased to 7,578 in 2010.

Even Shabir Ahmad Khan, Minister of State for Transport, accepted the fact in the Legislative Council that overloading was the main reason behind the rising number of road mishaps.

Replying to a question raised by Trilochan Singh Wazir, the minister assured the House that the government was putting maximum efforts to keep a check on the number of road mishaps, especially those occurring due to overloading of vehicles. Shabir said, “Besides routine checking, cancellation of licences and registration certificates and the registration of criminal cases against drivers, the department has given nod to the construction of four weigh bridges in the state”.

HK Lohia, IGP, Traffic, too has been saying that the department was trying hard to control road mishaps occurring due to overloading.

He recently directed the police to register criminal cases against drivers found violating the load limit. In 2010, a total of 34,060 challans were issued for overloading and a penalty of `6,61,960 was collected.

Srinagar, March 15
The “pied piper” dream of driving the one lakh canines out of Srinagar has suffered a hit after the dog charmer roped in by the administration demanded a whopping `20 crore for his services.

“The negotiations with Khurshid Ahmad Mir who had claimed that he can drive away stray dogs from the city have failed as he has demanded outrageous charges for his services,” said Aamir Ali, public relations officer of divisional commissioner, Kashmir.

He said Mir was demanding `30 lakh each for the 68 wards of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation where the population of stray dogs has crossed one lakh and had been causing problems to residents.

More than 5,000 dog bite cases have been reported in the city since January last year with some of the cases turning fatal.

Ali said the administration was willing to allow Mir, a resident of downtown Srinagar, to use his skills to drive away dogs without interfering in his work, but the exorbitant charges had forced the authorities to call off the deal.

Last month, the authorities had decided to use the services of Mir for getting rid of the stray dog menace as long as he did not harm or kill the canines.

The administration has now decided to push forward the sterilisation process of male dogs to check the growing number of canines. However, the SMC has so far failed in initiating the dog catching programme.

Two staffers of the SMC have been sent for specialised training for catching dogs and they are expected to train other staff before launching the sterilisation programme.

The government has also announced a special incentive of `50 per male dog caught by the SMC staff for sterilisation but even the monetary inducement has not generated any enthusiasm so far.

The animal welfare centre at Tangpora in the city, which has the capacity of sterilising 50 dogs per day, was made operational late last month. — PTI

Jammu, March 15
Smelling foul play, the family of SRTC bus conductor Omkar Singh whose body was recovered from the General Bus Stand on Sunday morning under mysterious circumstances has alleged that the deceased’s colleagues might have killed him.

Forty-five-year-old Omkar was the guardian of seven sisters and father of four children.

“On March 11, when he did not come home in the evening, we called on his mobile phone many times but he did not respond. Meanwhile, his number was busy at least twice,” the eldest sister of the deceased, Rani Devi, stated, adding: “I along with some other member of the family rushed to the bus stand and searched for him in every corner till 2 am, but in vain”.

“At around 4 am, we got a call from an SRTC employee. We were asked to immediately reach the bus stand,” she narrated and continued: “His body was lying outside a bathroom near the cloak room”.

“The way in which body was found there suggests that he was killed somewhere else and was later dragged up to that place. His gold ring was missing. We suspect that his co-workres might have killed him,” she alleged and said: “There were blood stains on his beard, possibly due to vomiting”.

The inconsolable wife of the deceased, Sudha Jamwal, said, “My husband was very happy as the corporation had upgraded him to a counter agent. He told me that day that it was his last day as a conductor”.

The investigating officer said the police was treating the death as suspicious. “The police has recovered a mobile phone, sold-out tickets and proportional cash amount from Omkar,” he added.

It is to mention here that when this correspondent spoke to the traffic manager of the SRTC on Sunday he had stated that Omkar had left the office after depositing tickets and cash in the evening. “He was required to be on duty the next morning as per the duty roaster,” he had said.

Srinagar, March 15
Many years ago, guests at marriage functions in Kashmir, particularly baraatis, were served cigarettes after the sumptuous "wazwan". The spacious halls mainly on the top floors of high rise heritage buildings would thus serve as host to the guests billowing smoke rings and cherishing the occasion with discussions on political and social affairs.

The practice has gradually died down with the growing awareness among the people about the hazards of smoking both to smokers and non-smokers or passive smokers. This change is regarded as a welcome indicator.

The Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health and Development Association (JKVHADA), working since 1997 against the hazards of smoking in the state, looks at it as a positive signal for effecting a drive to lessen the density of smokers.

"Our aim is to have a smoke-free Kashmir," says AM Mir, executive director of the association, which is also coordinating with the government in its initiatives. This voluntary organisation, headed by Dr GQ Allaqaband, a former principal of Government Medical College, Srinagar, and comprising retired doctors and senior officers, has also appreciated the recent move of the state government of increasing VAT on tobacco products.

The government in its budget on March 7 effected an increase in VAT from 13.5 to 25 per cent on tobacco products. "By doing so, the government has shown tremendous political commitment. The move will not only help generate additional revenue but also act as a deterrent against tobacco use. Spending on treating tobacco-related diseases will also come down," Mir stated.

A survey conducted in parts of south-central Kashmir revealed that 37.7 per cent of people, comprising 27.4 per cent men and 10.3 per cent women are smokers. The survey in 43 villages of Tral, Pulwama, Pampore, Chadoora and Khan Sahib of Budgam and Pulwama districts comprised 2,733 households with a population of 17,865 persons. The number of smokers in these areas was 6,005 - 4,352 men and 1,653 women - which is 33.6 per cent of total population.

"After the deduction of 11 per cent child population in the age group of 0-6 years from the sample population, the absolute percentage of smokers has been estimated at 37.7 per cent, comprising 27.4 per cent men and 10.3 per cent women, the survey revealed.

"It is astonishing that such a large population of Kashmir is in the habit of smoking," Mir laments and adds that due to these facts the organisation decided to support the Central Government's initiative and the related Act of 2003. The state government also banned smoking in public places in October 2008.

Mir says there is a need to create more and more awareness regarding the dangers of smoking. "We are trying to keep the people of our state healthy." Smoking is the main cause of various diseases mainly cancer. "The poor mainly indulge in smoking and if a person spends one rupee on smoking, he has to spend Rs 16 on curing diseases due to smoking," he informs.

Unfortunately, Mir says, in Kashmir, the number of smokers is high as compared to other parts of the country. "Passive smoking is also on the higher side," he adds. Thus, war against smoking is not so easy, he says, adding that the focus in the first stage is on the twin districts of Srinagar and Budgam in central Kashmir. The association also seeks the support of local MPs and and MLAs for creating awareness about the hazards of smoking among the people in their particular areas.

Jammu, March 15
To deal with the increasing noise pollution level across the state, the government has decided to constitute a three-member noise pollution control committee, which will start functioning within 10 days.

Replying to a query, Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology Mian Altaf informed the Legislative Council that a three-member committee would be constituted under the chairmanship of the chairman, Pollution Control Board, comprising its members as magistrate and police officer of their respective areas to give suggestions on how to check the noise pollution in the twin capital cities - Jammu and Srinagar.

Altaf said: "The state government is concerned about decreasing the level of noise pollution and various other steps are also being taken up".

However, not satisfied with the reply, a legislator BR Kundal asked, "Though the government has constituted the Noise Pollution Regulation and Control Rules 10 years ago, they are not being implemented. Is the government serious on this issue too?"

On this, the Minister replied: "Yes, the results will come very soon as violators will be penalised as per law".

Some other members also raised supplementary questions in this regard asking that whether the government has framed any rules or time limit for DJs playing loud music till midnight, giving sleepless nights to nearby residents.

The Minister said: "Earlier, someone had filed a PIL, which caused delay in constituting the committee to keep a check on violations, but now the ruling has come in the government's favour and this issue will also be dealt with by the Noise Pollution Control Committee".

He further said to keep the noise pollution under permissible limits, the Transport Department had already directed all commercial vehicle owners and drivers to replace pressure/double-tone/multi-tone and shrill horns from their vehicles by the horns emitting permissible decibel levels of sound.

He added that: "Checking squads have also been constituted by the Motor Vehicle Department to check noise pollution".

Srinagar, March 15
A Kashmiri engineer claims to have designed a low-cost jacket for motorcyclists which will keep them warm using the energy generated from the running bike.

Earlier this month, Anjum Khursheed, who works as an engineer at the National Thermal Power Corporation and is a graduate from the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, applied for the patent of the jacket design and now has plans to start a manufacturing unit for producing these jackets. “It has a market everywhere be it Delhi or Ladakh or any other place where weather conditions are cold,” he said.

Khursheed said he realised the difficulty of riding two-wheeler in winters while travelling by a motorcycle during a chilly winter when even the day temperature stayed close to the freezing point.

He went back home and began working on ideas. Two weeks later, he came up with an innovative design of an electric jacket which will cater to the working class, who prefer motorcycles and cabin-less vehicles for economic reasons. “This is about an electrical-heating jacket, more specifically, for comforting riders of motorbikes and other cabin-less vehicles in cold climates,” Khursheed said.

After carrying out multiple tests at a local workshop on the jacket, Khursheed is sure it is 100 per cent safe for riders even in extreme conditions.

“The heating arrangement consists of wires connected to extendible 12-volt conductor bus receiving power from battery through fuse and switches,” he said. — PTI

Srinagar, March 15
Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir has said that education was imperative for women folk as it is the only medium which can help this community to shoulder their responsibility in every walk of life. Mir asked women to follow the footsteps of women from the Valley who have excelled in their chosen fields.

He referred to Dr. Ghazala Noor who in spite of being a trained medico has successfully chosen entrepreneurship in the area of agriculture, floriculture and medicinal plants thereby providing employment to a large number of youth. She has been recently honoured with the state-level award by the Chief Minister in the field of progressive farming. Similarly, the Minister referred to Shahzadi Simon, a former director, Doordarshan, and Drakshan Andrabi, an emerging politician of the state.

Mir said the government was implementing a large number of welfare and development schemes for the women in the state aimed at their empowerment and welfare. He exhorted young girls to avail the benefits of these schemes.

Highlighting the importance of education in women empowerment, he said total literacy would be an important tool in this direction and asked the women who were working in teaching profession in large numbers to impart quality education to their students.

Mir said: "While 'home' is the basic unit of our society, women folk play an important role in making the atmosphere in the home healthy and amiable. Men and women have to shoulder responsibilities to improve the quality of life in society".

Jammu, March 15
"Desi whiskey" is the alcohol of choice for residents of Jammu & Kashmir, who seem to have developed a taste for the domestically brewed liquor over Indian-made foreign liquor and beer, according to official data.

The state witnessed the record sale of 397.35 lakh bottles of liquor in the first 11 months of the current financial year as per official figures released by the State Excise Department.

Out of this, 171.08 lakh bottles of desi whiskey were sold to consumers as against the 127.16 lakh bottles of beer and 99.01 lakh bottles of IMFL, the data revealed.

"More middle and lower class people drink desi whiskey due to its lower costs than IMFL, so the consumption is more in this category," an official of the State Excise Department (SED) told PTI.

During the April, 2010-February, 2011, period, J&K residents guzzled down 15.62 lakh more bottles of liquor than the whole of the 2009-10 fiscal when they drank 381.73 lakh bottles. The increase amounted to 90.69 lakh bottles compared to 306.66 lakh bottles of liquor in the 2008-09 financial year.

A revenue of Rs 19.39 crore was earned by the government from the sale of liquor in 2009-10 compared to Rs 13.59 crore in 2008-09, he said. — PTI