The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Student’s ‘Torture’ fuels protest
Class XII student’s face smeared with coal for carrying mobile phone in school
Amin Masoodi

Students gather in the school’s compound after boycotting their classes. Photo by writer

Baramulla, September 10
A teacher of the Government Secondary School, Boniyar, in Baramulla district allegedly tied the hands of a student, blackened his face and paraded him in front of hundreds of students as a punishment for bringing a mobile phone to school. The “humiliating” punishment to Suhail Ahmad, a class XII student, later triggered a protest from schoolchildren.

The students alleged that Suhail was paraded before them with his face blackened by coal. “The teacher warned us if we did not desist from using mobile phones, we will meet the same fate,” said a student.

“His hands were later tied and was beaten ruthlessly by the teacher on the school premises before hundreds of students,” said another student.

Following the incident, students boycotted classes and held a protest, in unison with some parents, demanding stern action against the teacher. “He is a blot on the name of a teacher. He should be dealt under law so that other teachers refrain from punishing students this way,” said a protester. Sources said sensing trouble, the accused, Habibullah, who is a physical education teacher, managed to flee from the school.

Students alleged that instead of reprimanding the teacher, school Principal Mohammad Shahban shielded him. However, the principal said the story was fabricated. “We found nude clippings in the student’s mobile phone, which he was displaying near the girls’ bathroom. The physical education teacher slapped him and informed his parents,” he said, adding that the issue was resolved amicably but around 3 pm some locals of Nowshera provoked students in order to malign the image of the school management.

When contacted, Director School Education Mohammad Shafi Rather said, “I am unaware of the incident. I will ascertain what really happened.”

CIC seeks details of all corruption cases
Allows the State Vigilance Organisation to withhold names of corrupt officials
Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
In a significant ruling, the State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) has directed the State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) to provide details of all the corruption cases awaiting sanction for prosecution.

However, owing to security reasons, the Commission has exempted the SVO from furnishing personal details and names of the individuals named as accused in the corruption cases which are awaiting prosecution.

“The First Appellant Authority (FAA)/Public Information Officer (PIO) State Vigilance Organisation is directed to provide the information to the appellant as per this Commission’s devised format within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order”, CIC GR Sufi said in his orders passed on September 7 and made public on September 9.

In the devised format, the Commission has directed the SVO authorities to provide all the case FIR numbers of corruption cases awaiting sanction for prosecution, the department of the accused, date of sending the case for accord of sanction by the SVO, alleged loss of the government revenue as determined by the SVO in its final report in the cases.

However, the commission while devising the format has allowed the SVO to withhold the name of the accused government employee/official, asking the organisation to instead use some code name for the said accused. But it has asked the SVO to disclose the designation.

It said that “disclosure” of the names “may cause some personal harm to the affected persons.”

The commission was hearing an appeal filed by advocate Mohammad Ashraf Wani in July, wherein he had sought directions to the SVO authorities for disclosing information regarding the total number of corruption cases with the SVO pending or awaiting sanction for prosecution from the government.

Ashraf had approached the Commission with an appeal after he was denied information sought in his application filed under the RTI Act first to the SVO PIO on February 29 and subsequently by the FAA of the SVO on April 17.

The SVO authorities had declined providing information on the ground that “disclosure of information at this stage would impede the process of investigation”. They had invoked Section 89g of the J&K RTI Act.

Resources stay unutilised in Hirri Bala school
Rooms lie vacant even as students complain of overcrowded classrooms
Amin Masoodi

Kupwara, September 10
Students of the Government Middle School (GMS), Hirri Bala, about 6 km from Kupwara town, are facing infrastructural problem. At least 131 students have to accommodate themselves in three small rooms, which makes the classrooms noisy and overcrowded.

Under the NABARD scheme, two additional classrooms were built in the school four years ago but they are yet to be put to use for want of windows.

“We have only five small rooms which are used as classrooms, kitchen and office. The classrooms get choked and noisy due to the lack of adequate space,” said the headmaster, Abdul Hamid.

“The educational institution, which was established in 1956, is the oldest in the Trehgam educational zone. It was upgraded to a Central Model School in 1967 and to a Middle School in 1987. The school was without a toilet until recently. The Trehgam ZEO allotted funds for a temporary toilet, which was built a few weeks ago,” the headmaster said.

Students here belong to the catchment areas, including Hirri, Hanjipora, Hundi and Hayan, which fall within the radius of 20 km from the school. “The seating arrangement is very tight. Especially in the summer season, it is very uncomfortable to sit in the classrooms as it makes us all sweat profusely,” said a student.

Parents of the students have demanded easing the choc-o-block sitting system by using the additional rooms at the earliest. “The construction agency took over four years to build the new classrooms. It’s high time the windows and doors should be put in place so that the rooms can be used,” said one of the parents.

On the other hand, the education authorities seem to be unclear about facts. The District Education Planning Officer (DEPO), Mir Mohammad Gulzar, said, “I will look into the matter. We have to first ascertain whether the additional accommodation has been raised under the NABARAD or any other scheme.”

In 2005, a building raised by the school got damaged due to an earthquake. The authorities now plan to rebuild the damaged building at a proposed cost of Rs 37 lakh and make it functional for the Block Resource Centre.

traffic violations
Inclement weather plays spoilsport in challan drive
M Aamir Khan
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
While the traffic police had counselled around 3,000 motorists on the city roads last week, the challan drive started by the department was today marred by inclement weather conditions and could not take off the way it was planned.

“Though we started the drive today and challaned many violators, rain played spoilsport,” said SP (Traffic) Srinagar Haseeb-ur-Rehman.

The challan drive follows the four-day-long novel counselling drive of the traffic police that was held last week and ended on Saturday.

“We counselled around 3,000 traffic rules violators as we wanted to give them ample time before our new challan drive. This drive will be strict and we will go all out against the violators,” the SP Traffic said as weather conditions are expected to improve from tomorrow.

The Kashmir valley has been lashed by heavy rains over the past five days while the authorities have already sounded a flood alert.

During the counselling drive, senior police officials, including Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Traffic Shafqat Ali Watali had delivered lectures to the violators involved in visible offences like driving without crash helmets, rash driving, triple riders, using mobile while driving and other traffic offences.

While many locals had welcomed the drive and even came forward to lecture the violators, others called the exercise “futile”.

“The drive was no doubt a unique initiative but it was futile as people here will never adhere to the rules through mere counselling. In my opinion, strict and heavy challaning is the only way out. The traffic police must ensure that all the violators are made to pay a heavy fine,” said Ghulam Nabi, a retired government employee.

“I hope the new challan drive does not remain confined to paper only,” he added.

Kashmir’s sweltering summer comes to end
Latest spell of rain in the past three days brings down mercury by 10°C in the Valley
Azhar Qadri
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
Kashmir’s exceptionally hot summer has finally ended as three days of rainfall in the region brought down the soaring mercury by around 10 degrees Celsius. The rainfall began on Friday when Western disturbances reached the Kashmir region leading to extensive precipitation resulting in decrease in temperature.

An official of the state Meteorological department said the latest spell of rain was caused by the “combination” of freshly arrived Western disturbances and the retreating monsoon. He said these rains would end the heat spell in the Valley.

The lavish rainfall over the past nearly 72 hours has ended the prolonged summer which was exceptionally hot and extended till September.

Since mid-July this year, except for a few days, maximum and minimum temperature had remained four to six degrees above normal in the Valley, which is otherwise known for its cool weather.

A weak monsoon which caused little rain in Kashmir was blamed for the rise in the temperature.

Mercury across the Kashmir valley has plunged drastically with Srinagar city recording a maximum of 19.9 degrees Celsius, which is nearly 10 degrees below normal for the season.

Today’s maximum temperature in the city was nearly 12 degrees down from the maximum temperature recorded five days ago when the mercury had touched 32.7 degrees Celsius.

Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir recorded a maximum of 16.5 degrees Celsius while Kupwara frontier district in north Kashmir recorded 19.5 degrees Celsius.

Since Friday, Srinagar has received more than 80 mm of rainfall which has happened only on four occasions during this month in the past 30 years.

“Srinagar received rainfall of 80 mm as against its normal rainfall of 27 mm. This has happened only on four occasions in the past 30 years i.e. in 1988, 1992, 2006 and 2012. The wettest being in 1992, when 116.3 mm rainfall was recorded in the city in September,” Sonam Lotus, director, Meteorological Department, said.

Qazigund, Kashmir’s gateway, received 89.6 mm rainfall since Friday, Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir received 79.6 mm whereas north Kashmir’s Kupwara district received 73.5 mm rain, the weather department said.

As per forecast issued by the department, rains are expected to end on Tuesday except for light rainfall which may occur at a few places in the state and at isolated places in the Ladakh region.

Smoking in public to attract police action
Offenders’ names to be registered in crime reports
Bismah Malik
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
People caught smoking in public would now have to face the wrath of policemen. Not only would the police officials challan the person caught violating the Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (Indian Tobacco Control Act COTPA 2003), even their names would be registered in the monthly crime reports of the police, which would be later handed over to the administrative department.

This came to light during the anti-tobacco sensitisation programme, which was held yesterday at the District Police Lines, Srinagar. It was conducted by the J&K Voluntary Health Association (JK VHA) in association with the J&K Police in which 35 SHOs from Srinagar district were given guidelines for ensuring the effective implementation of this Act.

DIG Central Kashmir while inaugurating the programme said the officers would understand the existing enforcement measures of Tobacco Control Laws in public places and system of monitoring the violations in their monthly crime reports on a format to be devised in consultation with legal experts and resource persons arranged by the JKVHA. He ensured that the police department would address all the challenges and hardships which are deemed hurdles in the smooth implementation of provisions of Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003.

He impressed upon the SHOs to ensure smoke-free public places falling under their jurisdictions and render all possible assistance to special squads constituted by the Divisional and District administration for effective enforcement of tobacco control laws so that the present and future generations can be protected from the devastating health and environmental consequences due to tobacco consumption.

He appreciated the move of providing challan books to the SHOs devised as per guidelines of the COTPA 2003 by the Drug and Food Control Organisation and making awareness for remittance of fine under appropriate major/minor head as per government instructions.

Executive Director of J&K VHA AM Mir informed the participants that the Home Ministry, Government of India, has desired that violations of the Tobacco Control Act should be reflected by the police department in their monthly crime reports.

The Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar, Dildar Ahmad, Chief Education Officer Srinagar, Assistant Controller, Food and Drug Control Organisation, Srinagar, Abdul Hamid, Food Safety Officer, Srinagar, Yameen, also attended the programme.

No division in Congress: Bhalla
JKPCC chief Soz says Cong will get education and R&B portfolios back
Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, September 10
Asserting that the National Conference (NC) is not to be blamed for taking back two Congress portfolios, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief Prof Saifuddin Soz today said the portfolios belong to the Congress and would be returned to it.

“The circumstances forced Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take that decision and he is not to be blamed for the same. There were no ill-intentions on the NC’s part,” Soz said while speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function at Town Hall, Anantnag.

He said the portfolios belonged to the Congress and would be handed over back to them soon.

Two Congress leaders Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed and GM Saroori were stripped off their portfolios after cases of corruption against them were reported in the local media.

When asked about a recent statement by the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, wherein he said that the separatists would not be approached with a begging bowl by the Centre, Soz said the views expressed by him were his own.

“The Congress believes in including everybody and talk to them for long-lasting peace and development in the state,” he said.

Calling the non-airing of a National Channel ETV-Urdu unfortunate, Soz assured the people that they would be able to watch the channel again soon.

“I will talk to the government as well as the channel heads in Hyderabad in this regard. It’s really unfortunate that the channel is not being aired as they always broadcast the people’s issues. I will talk to the government in this regard and make sure that the channel is resumed,” he said.

Raman Bhalla, Minister of Revenue & Rehabilitation, who was also present on the occasion, said there were no fissures within the Congress.

Hurriyat hardliners scared of talks, says NC
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
The ruling National Conference has criticised the hardline Hurriyat for shying away from dialogue saying they are scared of the “negotiating table”.

“This hardliner and his ilk is so scared to come on the negotiating table that they some way or the other are trying to shy away from it without understanding that it adds to the problems faced by the people of the state,” NC’s additional general secretary Mustafa Kamal said.

Kamal, while referring to hardine Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said the 84-year-old separatist had been rendered “irrelevant”.

“Since all the funds from their bosses across the border have stopped and (he) has been left to fend for himself, he has been issuing inappropriate statements,” Kamal said. “Since he has been rendered irrelevant, he has become a lose canon.”

The NC and the hardline Hurriyat have entered into a war of words since Saturday when Union Minister Farooq Abdullah, who is also the president of the ruling party, said the Central government would not come begging before the separatists asking them to talk.

The Hurriyat had responded by ridiculing Abdullah of being a “fourth class employee” of New Delhi and saying he was trying to “prove his loyalty” by making such statement.

Verbal bout

JCC-Govt agreement
Employees worried over slow pace of implementation of promises
M Aamir Khan
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
Even as the agreement between the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) and the government is nearing deadline, the employees today expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation of the promises made to them.

After a series of street protests earlier this year, the JCC, an amalgam of several employees’ bodies, had entered into an agreement with the government wherein the employees were assured that a decision on their demands would be announced by September 30.

However, the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC-Q), one of the main components of the JCC, convened a meeting here today to take stock of the steps taken by the government over the implementation of their demands.

During the meeting, EJAC-Q leader Abdul Qayoom Wani expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation of the promises. However, he said the employees would wait till September 30 before announcing a fresh protest programme.

Another EJAC-Q leader Nisar Ahmad warned that the next phase of employees’ agitation would be ‘harsh’ if the government failed to address their grievances by the month-end.

The employees’ demands include release of arrears recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments.

The employees have been upset with a reported statement of Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather over the JCC-Government agreement. However, Rather had later issued a clarification, saying the doors of the government were always open for dialogue with the employees.

The JCC is scheduled to hold a meeting later this week to discuss the steps taken by the government regarding their agreement.

Mughal Road trekking expedition flagged off
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
A trekking exhibition with 50 participants, including 20 women, took off on the historic Mughal Road in Srinagar today. The maiden ‘Mughal Road Trekking Expedition 2012’, organized by Ganderbal Government College of Physical Education to promote trekking, was flagged off by Minister for Youth Services and Sports RS Chib.

The trekking expedition, which started from Shopain via ‘Peer ki gali’ will traverse through the Nandan Sar and Chandan Sar and conclude at the Shahdra Sharief in the Jammu region.

Chib said the concept will boost tourism by attracting visitors keen on trekking to the state.

He said the government had taken several initiatives to promote the sports’ sector and to encourage players to take part in the national and international level.

Director Youth Services and Sports JP Singh, Principal of Ganderbal Government College of Physical Education Dr Hartej Singh were also present on the occasion.

Jammu and Kashmir emerging as promising destination for golf, says Omar Abdullah
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that Jammu and Kashmir is emerging as one of the most promising destinations for golfers, adding that the completion of a golf course at Leh next year would provide classic 18-hole golf courses at Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Leh and Jammu to the lovers of this game.

“They can enjoy playing golf in different geographical conditions and destinations within the state”, he said asking the agencies concerned to organise tournaments that would provide opportunity to golfers to play at all these destinations.

Giving away prizes to the participants of Sher-i-Kashmir Golf Tournament here today, the Chief Minister said sports tourism had great potential in the state which needs to be harnessed to its optimum.

The Chief Minister appreciated the organisers of the tournament and welcomed the participants, advising them to play golf at Pahalgam and enjoy the enchanting scenery and natural beauty of the surroundings. He said the Royal Spring Golf Course founded and piloted by Dr Farooq Abdullah has earned name and fame for its best course and beauty.

Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora and Lt Governor of Delhi Tejender Khanna, who also participated in the tournament, were also present on the occasion.

The tournament was organised by the Tourism Department and over 70 participants from across the country and the state participated in the tournament. Director Tourism Kashmir Talat Parvez said the Tourism Department was organising various events to showcase the state’s vast potential for sports and adventure tourism.

Back from tour, students meet Governor
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
A group of 20 students from Bandipore district, who went on an expedition to various places in Rajasthan, met Governor NN Vohra in Srinagar today to share their experiences today.

The students said visiting places of educational, historical and cultural importance was a very good experience. The 12-day educational tour was organised by the Army’s 14 RR under the Sadbhavana programme. During the tour, the students were taken to Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Bikaner and Jaisalmer.

The Governor asked the students about places which had appealed to them the most. He asked them to work hard to achieve excellence in academics and other extra co-curricular activities to build a promising future for themselves and to contribute meaningfully towards the development and prosperity of their state and country.

The Governor asked the organisers to take students to an Air Base, if possible, during future visits. He asked Col Vinod Singh Negi, Commanding Officer, 14 RR, who accompanied the students on their trip, to present the children a photo album with pictures of the tour. He presented gifts to the students and wished them a bright future.

During the visit, the students got a chance to meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. They visited forts and palaces such as Amer Fort, Nargarh Fort, Merangarh Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Umed Palace and Hawa Mahal besides paying obeisance at the Ajmer Sharief Dargah and interacting with students of Ajmer Military School.

New books for KG students

Srinagar, September 10
Kindergarten education in Kashmir would receive a fillip with the launch of a new range of books by Ashlar Education Consultants, a Hyderabad-based research and publishing company.

Prior to the launch of these books, the company would conduct a workshop for teachers tomorrow at Media House Auditorium, EMMRC, University of Kashmir.

Director Ashlar Education Consultants Mausam Arora said, “However good the books are, they are useless without the teachers who have the right skill set to extract maximum benefits out of them. This makes it imperative for us to conduct a teacher workshop before the launch of our books.” Dedicated to the kindergarten education, the company has its research team in Hyderabad in association with Blackstone Books. — TNS

One killed, five injured in road accidents
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
One person was killed and five others were injured in two separate road accidents in the Kashmir valley today, the police said. The latest figure takes the number of injured in road accidents in the past four days to a staggering 53.

A car fell into a deep gorge on the mountainous Srinagar-Ladakh highway near Zojila pass, injuring three persons, the police spokesman said.

He said all the injured were shifted to Sub District Hospital Kangan where one of the injured identified as Mohammad Ismail of Drass town died.

In north Kashmir’s Handwara town, a truck collided with a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), injuring three passengers. All the injured have been shifted to a hospital where they are being treated, the spokesman said.

The number of fatal and non-fatal casualties is constantly rising in Kashmir as 2-3 road accidents are being reported on a daily basis from across the region. At least 16 persons were injured in four road accidents in Kashmir yesterday whereas seven were injured in three road accidents on Saturday and 27 were injured in road mishaps on Friday, of which two had later died at a hospital.

Teenager found dead in a shop
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10
A teenager was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a scrap shop at Babademb area in Srinagar today. The deceased has been identified as 19-year-old Irshad Ahmad Koker, a resident of south Kashmir’s Sonabrari village.

The police said the investigation was on to determine the cause of death.

The body has been kept in a mortuary in Soura’s SKIMS for medico legal formalities, police sources said.