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Bijbehara residents rue murky water supply
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Kashmir emerges dream destination for weddings
Land owners resent delay in compensation by LAWDA
Full-dress rehearsal held at Bakshi Stadium
Srinagar hosts exhibition of rare manuscripts
Kashmir varsity inks pact with
SKUAST-K
Govt targets schoolchildren to rejuvenate craft activity
Mir stresses on economic self-reliance
Kashmiris have little to celebrate: Engineer Rashid
SPS Museum complex to be completed by next year: Minister
Body fished out from Jhelum
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Bijbehara residents rue murky water supply
Anantnag, August 13 They alleged that meagre drinking water supply had been a norm over the past many years but since the past six months or so the water supply had been so filthy that it was leading to severe health problems among the inhabitants. “One can see a layer of filth beneath the stored water. It is pointless to boil the water or for that matter treat it any other way,” said Peerzada Tawseef Ahmad, a local resident. Doctors say uninterrupted use of untreated water is leading to health issues in the town and immediate measures need to be taken to tackle the situation. “People are complaining of stomach disorders and other worrisome health conditions. The only reason behind this is the water they drink,” said Shahnawaz, a local doctor. He added that the continuous use of murky water was resulting in serious diseases like jaundice. “I am forced to use packaged drinking water at my home but what about the people who cannot afford it, he said. The residents further alleged that despite pleading with the authorities time and again to rectify the water supply scheme to the town, nothing had been done so far. “The water being supplied is not treated in a filtration plant. It’s a direct supply from some squalid source,” said Muhammad Asif, a local resident. PHE executive engineer Shahnawaz Ahmad, however, said he was not aware of the situation, as nobody had brought the issue to his notice. “We have three water sources for the town and only one of them supplies slightly contaminated water and that too when it rains,” he said. When asked about the new filtration plant for the town, he said they were short of funds for the project. “We have recently acquired land for the project and hopefully work will commence soon,” said Shahnawaz Ahmad. The new filtration plant was sanctioned almost two and a half years ago but the only thing the department has managed to do so far is the land acquisition, the residents said. |
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Kashmir emerges dream destination for weddings
Jammu, August 13 As the message of peace is spreading fast in the Valley, people outside the Valley are waiting anxiously to explore the options there. Many event management companies are now contacting people so that their weddings could be organised in Kashmir. “All we need to do is to provide them with better facilities. We are trying our best to revive our traditional customs. We have hosted four weddings this year for the families who were not from Kashmir,” said Basharat Rashid, sales manager, Taj Vivanta, Srinagar. In the last 22 years, the Valley has witnessed extreme violence. Now, the situation is changing and the Valley is witnessing record number of visitors. Ashmima Koul from Delhi said, “My daughter got married in Kashmir. It was always a dream destination for her to get married. She visited the Valley with her fiancée and saw the view of Kashmir from Taj Vivanta. Then she decided that her wedding would take place only in Kashmir. Later, things unfolded very well. Right from a taxi driver to a beautician, everyone cooperated with us.” She said, “In the month of June one cannot imagine a dream wedding in Delhi. Finally, it took place in Kashmir and it was really a dream wedding”.
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Land owners resent delay in compensation by LAWDA
Srinagar, August 13 “There is no other option and we are determined to restore and recover the original status of our land after 10 days if the dormant attitude of LAWDA continues”, a delegation of the affected families from Behrar, Nageen lake said. The land measuring seven kanals had been acquired by the LAWDA more than two years ago to construct a road and drainage system for the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). However, the land owners are yet to get the compensation against the land acquired from them by the authorities. Irfan Yaseen, vice-chairman of the
LAWDA, said the compensation rate per kanal had been “settled in consultation with the owners”. “It is under process and they would get payments within 20 days”, he told The Tribune. In their plea the aggrieved land owners said though 90 per cent of work by the LAWDA had been completed over the past two years, there had not been paid their due compensation. While the rates per kanal had been agreed at Rs 12 lakh in April 2010, recently they were shocked to know from the district authorities that the cost of the land had been fixed at Rs 9 lakh per kanal. The representatives of the aggrieved families lamented the approach of the authorities concerned which had been resulting in delay of compensation to them. They also expressed concern over the way the authorities had kept them in dark and offered to provide compensation at the rate of Rs 9 lakh against the agreed Rs 12 lakh per kanal more than two years ago. One of the land owners in their vicinity had been paid compensation at the rate of Rs 12 lakh per kanal earlier in 2003, they claimed. “The market rate of the land is not less than Rs 50 lakh per kanal”, the aggrieved families argued adding that they would go ahead with the process of restoration and recovery of their land. |
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Full-dress rehearsal held at Bakshi Stadium
Srinagar, August 13 Asgar Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, took the salute and hoisted the National Flag at the stadium. Contingents of the police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force, Forest Protection Force, National Cadet Corps and children of different schools participated in the march past. Officers of the civil administration and the police were also present on the occasion. Dress rehearsals were also held across the districts of Kashmir where respective deputy commissioners took the salute. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up across the Valley ahead of the Independence Day. The police and paramilitary forces have increased the vigil to thwart any untoward incident. Teams of the police and the CRPF have been conducting random search of passengers and private vehicles at several places across Kashmir. Surprise nakas have also been set up to keep an eye on the situation.
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Srinagar hosts exhibition of rare manuscripts
Srinagar, August 13 The Chief Minister could not hold back his admiration for the rich manuscript collection of the JKAACL. “It has been a pleasure to see the wealth of treasures that is with the Academy of Art, Culture & Languages,” he wrote in the visitors’ book after taking a round of the exhibition. “It is our duty and responsibility to protect this wealth of Quranic manuscripts for future generations,” he added. On the occasion, Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather said the state Finance Ministry would provide the necessary funds for the digitisation of the academy’s manuscript collection. Minister of State for Home, Tourism and Culture Nasir Aslam Wani, chief information officer GR Sufi, JKAACL secretary Khalid Bashir Ahmad and scores of visitors, who attended the first day of the exhibition, were mesmerised while reading the manuscripts of the holy Quran dating back to the 10th Century AD. Some manuscripts displayed in the exhibition like an early 13th Century AD holy Quran calligraphed by Fateh Ullah Kashmiri reveal the presence of Muslims in Kashmir in the 13 Century, though it is believed that Muslims arrived in Kashmir in the 14th Century. A beautiful calligraphy specimen collection of Quranic verses done by students at the academy in shades of black, white and grey caught the attention of young calligraphers at the exhibition. The other attractants at the exhibition include a 10th Century AD Quran calligraphed on a 25’x2.5” scroll paper with 99 names or attributes of Allah, Persian commentaries of the Quran written by acclaimed scholars during the Afghan Rule in the 12th Century AD and also the only sample of the holy Quran written in saffron ink gifted by the 16th Century famous saint of Kashmir, Sheikh Hamzah, to one of his disciples. |
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Markets abuzz with Eid shoppers
Srinagar, August 13 With Eid-ul-Fitr less than a week away, major markets of Srinagar, including Lal Chowk, Jehangir Chowk, Hari Singh High Street, Jamia Masjid and Batamaloo markets are flooded The shops at most of the places remained open till late night because of the Eid rush. Sales in Srinagar’s commercial hub Lal Chowk have considerably picked up with long queues being witnessed outside garments, toys, sweets and confectionery
shops. Amira Kadal and Budshah Kadal bridge pavements are lined with make-shift stalls selling affordable cosmetics, toys and decorative items. “I earn good profits at this time of the year when Eid is round the corner. My wood engraved decoration pieces which I get from Jaipur are quite popular here, especially among womenfolk,” said
Chandan, a stall owner. The rush of buyers is expected to increase further in the coming days and hence some people are worried about irking traffic jams. “We have experienced worst traffic jams on Eid eves for the past so many years. Traffic management goes haywire on festive occasions. Even if people want to come out and shop, traffic restrictions play a spoilsport,” said Irtikqa Khan, a shopper. Muhammad
Ashraf, who owns a designer salwar suit shop in posh residency road area of
Srinagar, is excited about the rush, as he believes a major part of Eid customers shop for discounts and bargains. “A fixed price shop has its own constraints. People cash on the discounts and sales during the festival time. However, my select group of customers would come on Eid like they come before,” he said. |
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Wani is chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir
Srinagar, August 13 Wani, hailing from Budgam district, has also served as the general secretary of the organisation and is know as a “dedicated” worker in the party. The elections for choosing its new chief were held today at the central office in Batamaloo, Srinagar. “The ballots were cast today by 90 representative members of the Jamaat hailing from different regions of the state. One member was unable to cast his vote due to some illness,” said advocate Zahid Ali, a spokesperson for the Jamaat-e-Islami said. He said Wani got a clear majority over Sheikh Mohammad Hassan, the incumbent Jamaat chief. About the Jamaat-e-Islami Being a cadre-based religio-political organisation, the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, has dominated the political horizons in the state ever since its formation. In fact, the genesis of armed militancy in Kashmir is attributed to the alleged rigging of Assembly elections in 1987, in which Muslim-Muttahida Mahaaz or Muslim United Front took part. The Jamaat-e-Islami, Kashmir, was one of the main constituents of this political alliance of Kashmir-based religio-political groups. Although sharing the same ideology, Jamaat-e-Islami is distinct from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in the sense that its stance is that J&K is not an integral part of India. Established after Moulana Maududi founded the Jamaat-e-Islami in 1941 and later shifted to Pakistan, the Jamaat-e-Islami, Kashmir, claims Maududi as the fountain head of its ideological thoughts. Moulana Ghulam Ahmad Ahrar, Moulana Saad-ud-Din Tarabali, Moulana Mufti Mohammad Amin Shopiani, Moulana Hakim Gulam Nabi, Qari Saif-ud-Din, Moulana Suliaman Sahib and Syed Ali Geelani are described as the Jamaat’s founding members, who formed the inner nucleus around which grew the “Islamic Movement” in the Valley of Kashmir. In 2004, Geelani, however, parted ways from the organisation after he formed his own political party Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Kashmir (THK). Hundreds of Jamaat middle-rung cadre and party activists followed Geelani to his THK. Following boycott of elections since 1987, of late, the Jamaat-e-Islami has been on a “revival path” trying to shore up its basic membership across the length and breadth of Kashmir. Recently, the religio-political party organised several big Ijtimah (conventions) at Shopian, Pampore and Baramulla, in which thousands of cadre, both old and new, participated. The focus of these conventions, party insiders say, was more on education and Islahi Muashira (social reforms). |
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Kashmir varsity inks pact with
SKUAST-K
Srinagar, August 13 The MoU was signed by Dr Talat Ahmad and Dr Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellors of the Kashmir Universities and the SKUAST-K, respectively, in the presence of Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chancellor of these universities. The Governor called on all the universities in Jammu and Kashmir to forge mutually beneficial collaborations in all arenas —teaching, research, libraries, extension projects, sports and other activities — with an aim to achieve speedy economic development of the state. He said the youth of the state were highly talented and a conducive environment would enable them to achieve the highest standards of excellence. “For the advancement of knowledge, learning and research, appointment of visiting or adjunct professors could be considered by various universities in the state. Research projects taken up by the universities, individually or jointly, should be on the subjects and areas which are relevant for the development of the state,” he added. Congratulating the Vice-Chancellors of both the universities on this initiative, NN Vohra urged them to ensure the successful implementation of the MoU. Earlier, Dr Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-K, in his powerpoint presentation, gave the details of the salient features of the MoU. Dr Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, Kashmir University, said the signing of the MoU by both the universities was a welcome step. “We are happy that it is because of the Governor’s advice that this MoU has been signed, which will help in sharing of resources and experiences,” he said. The Vice-Chancellors presented a copy of the MoU to the Governor on this occasion. |
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Govt targets schoolchildren to rejuvenate craft activity
Srinagar, August 13 The aim, officials say, is to impart skills and knowledge related to various Kashmir-based crafts, so that the young generation is able to take up arts and crafts once they are out of schools. The government has decided to depute art teachers in various schools in the summer capital to familiarise the students about the Valley handicrafts. In the first phase, 10 government schools have been identified in Srinagar by the Handicrafts Department where the students would be provided three months’ training about crafts of Kashmir. “The three-month capsule training will be given to those students who will show interest in handicrafts,” Director, Handicrafts, Muzaffar Hussain told The Tribune. “The children will get familiarise with the arts and crafts of Kashmir which will subsequently help in promoting the Kashmiri handicrafts.” Hussain said the programme would start shortly and the other major objective of the entire programme was to introduce vocational training temperament in schools. Another official from the department said these programmes would be of immense value to the children. “The art teachers will help in chiseling out the power of imagination among the children. It will also be fun for children and this is how they can develop love for the arts and crafts of the Valley,” he added. The Kashmir valley is rich in crafts and is well-known for it across the globe. The prominent handicraft items from the Valley are carpets, papier mache, shawl baskets, wall hangings, among others. "The initiative of the Handicrafts Department to attract the young generation is the need of the hour to rejuvenate craft activity in the Valley," said Fayyaz Ahmed, a handicraft dealer.
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Mir stresses on economic self-reliance
Srinagar, August 13 Mir was addressing a convention of party workers at Beerwah in Budgam district today. “I urge you to make all out efforts for realising the cherished dream of economic self-reliance, as it is pivotal for living a dignified life,” a statement quoting Mir said. “Time has come to work together for achieving this target,” he told the workers. “Everyone has to contribute for the cause of the nation. Our target should be economic independence and that must take precedence over political independence,” he said. He asked the party workers to make the masses aware about their responsibilities.
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Kashmiris have little to celebrate: Engineer Rashid
Srinagar, August 13 He has urged the leadership of both the countries to take bold steps for resolving the Kashmir issue. In a statement issued here, Rashid said: “When things are seen in historic prospective, Kashmiris on both the sides of the LoC have a little to celebrate on the eve of August 14 and 15. “Kashmiris today want to remind the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan not to rub salt to their injuries by making traditional speeches from the Red Fort and Minar-e-Pakistan. Rather, they should show wisdom and magnanimity by taking bold initiatives to resolve the long-pending dispute,” he said. Rashid said by unfurling the Tricolour in Srinagar “does not show that New Delhi has succeeded” in wining the hearts and minds of the people of J&K.
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SPS Museum complex to be completed by next year: Minister
Srinagar, August 13 He said the interior designing work of the museum assigned to a Mumbai-based design firm, Matrica, was going on. The work would be expedited so that it meets the next year’s deadline. The construction of the museum complex has already missed several deadlines since 2007. The ambitious project, which was tipped to be completed at a total estimated expenditure of Rs 30 crore in 2007, has already exceeded its budget with an amount of Rs 50 crore having been spent on the construction of the museum complex. Prior to this museum, Kashmir’s manuscripts and artifacts were placed in the Old SPS Museum, originally the palace of Maharaja Ranbir Singh, which was transformed into a museum by his son, Maharaja Pratap Singh, in the 19th Century. From that time onwards, centuries old scripts and other works of art related to Kashmir and its history were brought here. However, due to the lack of sufficient space in the Old SPS Museum building, the display of a huge collection of Kashmir’s artifacts could not be held. “We are keeping our fingers crossed. We hope that Wani lives up to his words and the museum complex nears completion next year. It will be a great contribution to the preservation of rich cultural heritage of Kashmir,” an official of the museum said.
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Srinagar, August 13 The body was handed over to his family for the last rites. The police has registered a case in this regard. Man killed in road accident
One person was killed while another got injured in separate road accidents across the Valley today, the police said. A tipper hit Farooq Ahmad Kashmiri at Awantipora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district resulting in his on-the-spot death. The police has registered a case in this regard. In another incident at Pathpora in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, two motorcycles had a collision resulting in injuries to Ghulam Muhammad Qadri. The injured was shifted to a hospital. A case has been registered. — TNS |
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After having missed several deadlines in the past, the construction of Shri Pratap Singh Museum
(SPS) complex is expected to complete by next year. This was stated by Minister of State for Home, Tourism and Culture Nasir Aslam Wani on the sidelines of the exhibition of rare manuscripts and calligraphy organised by the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums in collaboration with the Department of Libraries at the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages headquarters in Lal Mandi Srinagar today.
