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Duping of Haj aspirants continues
Patients denied access to bathrooms at Bones and Joints Hospital
Handwara villagers face acute shortage of drinking water
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19-year-old ends life
20 years on, Handwara health centre a non-starter
Two killed, 14 injured in road accidents in Valley
Incomplete road adds to Lolab residents’ woes
PDP demands south Kashmir’s gas link to be
reversed
School building locked for eight years, students forced to attend classes out in the open
Youth festival ‘Sonzal 2012’ concludes at KU
State to get tough on power theft
Army sponsors education tour for Handwara children
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Duping of Haj aspirants continues
Srinagar, November 3 The High Court had, in February this year, in view of a number of duping cases, asked the government to issue certain directions and guidelines to private Haj tour operators for regulating them. “It becomes necessary to issue directions as may be warranted under the facts and circumstances of the case to private players who have been allowed by the state government to occupy the field and organise the (Haj) pilgrimage, so that people are well-informed about the extent to which such tour operators can collect money from Haj aspirants and the extent to which the companies can organise pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia,” the J-K High Court had recommended to the state government in its orders delivered on February 23 this year. The directions were issued by the court while deciding a petition by Fabian Wahid Gilkar, one of the co-owners of Hajeej India, the company which is again in the dock. Fabian is also one of the accused in the fresh FIR registered against Hajeej on November 1. Despite High Court recommendations, it appears the state government has not taken any steps in this regard. Officials in divisional administration in Kashmir, however, state they had “made the names of authentic and authorised Haj operators public several times”. “The Hajj affairs are managed by the Ministry of External Affairs. But the divisional administration has time and again advertised that only five private tour operators are registered for organising Haj services. Despite that, people approach these kinds of companies,” said Haj officer Abdul Salaam. In absence of any proper guidelines and regulations, duping of Haj aspirants by private Haj tour operators in Valley continues. After protests and complaints by the duped Haj aspirants, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, on November 1, registered an FIR against owners of private company Hajeej India under Sections 420 (cheating), 406 and 295-A of the RPC. This is the third such instance in Kashmir valley since the beginning of last year. On October 19, another private operator Al-Bagh Tour and Travels was accused of duping over 126 persons aspiring for the holy pilgrimage and closing its office after swindling over Rs 3 crore. Incidentally, Hajeej India is also accused of duping over 500 people in 2011 after its owner, Fabiyan Wahid Gilkar, swindled a staggering Rs 10 crore. Gilkar was arrested after hectic police efforts. He was later granted interim bail as he agreed to deposit Rs 2 crore in the account of sessions court and promised to take aspirants to Haj this year. But this year, he again duped nearly 380 Haj aspirants and swindled nearly Rs 5.01 crore from them. |
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Patients denied access to bathrooms at Bones and Joints Hospital
Srinagar, November 3 A majority of washrooms are said to locked by the paramedical and assistance staff of the hospital for their personal use. Hundreds of patients and attendants who visit the hospital have a tough time locating the bathroom available for use, as most of them are locked. This holds especially true for six bathrooms located on the ground floor, of which, only two bathrooms have been kept accessible to the public while the rest are used by the hospital staffers. Attendants alleged that the keys are in possession of the hospital staff who deny people including patients the chance to use these bathrooms. “Most patients who come here are accident victims with fractured bones, unable to move a long distance. As such, keeping the bathrooms locked is unjust, but clearly, the staffers, even the doctors, don’t care. They prefer their own convenience to patients’ health,” Jaffer Salem, an angry attendant, told The Tribune. Denial of access to bathrooms could increase the risk of spread of infections on the hospital premises, especially with patients defecating in the open outside the hospital. “Due to a huge rush, these bathrooms are often not available. As such, people go outside and relieve themselves there. This might lead to spread of infectious diseases,” a patient said. According to Dr Abdul Rashid Badoo, Medical Superintendent, Bones and Joints Hospital, the staffers have been allotted only a few washrooms in the hospital and only those rooms are locked. He added that the ground floor washrooms cater to the canteen, technical lab and paramedical staff of the hospital and there is only one patient unit on the floor. He came up with the assurance that the matter would be taken up with the hospital staff and there would be no compromise on patients’ convenience.
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Handwara villagers face acute shortage of drinking water
Residents said the fear of outbreak of water-borne diseases was looming large as they were forced to consume contaminated water from a nullah located at least one km from the villages.
“The water reservoir has been left incomplete while we continue to face acute shortage of drinking water. Women walk miles to fetch contaminated water from a nullah. Due to consumption of contaminated water, fear of water-borne disease is looming large,” said Mohd Aslam, a local. Locals said pipes laid down by the Public Health Engineering division had not been covered and were rusting. They said muddy rain water had accumulated in the reservoir for over past two years. “It is sheer wastage of the government exchequer’s funds. Work on the water reservoir was suspended last year. The reservoir, which is uncovered, remains filled with muddy rain-water,” said Rafiq Ahmad of Mughulpora. At least 1,200 households of four villages including Gund Gushi would be provided the facility of drinking water due to the incomplete water reservoir. Locals said they approached senior Public Health Engineering officials in Handwara for resuming work on the reservoir, but their pleas have gone unheard time and again. “We requested the officials to resume construction work on the reservoir but got only hollow assurances,” said a senior citizen. Locals said many people had contracted gastroenteritis in the past due to consumption of contaminated from the open nullah, but they were helpless owing to absence of water supply. Executive Engineer PHE division Handwara, Mohd Afzal said work on the reservoir will be started soon. “The contractor working on the reservoir has gone on Haj. Work on the reservoir will start soon and water supply will be provided to the villagers,” the official said. |
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19-year-old ends life
Srinagar, November 3 She was shifted to sub-district hospital at Tangmarg by locals. She was referred to a hospital in Srinagar where doctors declared her brought dead. “The said girl has apparently consumed some poisonous substance,” the spokesman said, adding that a case has been registered to investigate the exact cause and circumstances of the girl’s death. In south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, another teenager, a 17-year-old girl, tried to end her life by consuming poison at her home in Sursuna village, the spokesman said. The girl was shifted to sub-district hospital Yaripora, from where she was referred to a Srinagar hospital. Suicides and suicide attempts have already reached an alarming rate, with doctors saying they receive up to seven such cases every day. |
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20 years on, Handwara health centre a non-starter
Handwara, November 3 The PHC is yet to be housed in the building, whose foundation was laid in 1990 and the construction work got completed in 1994. Sources in the health department said that the building was constructed at a cost of Rs 75 lakh and an additional Rs 8 lakh was drawn from the state exchequer by the contractors in connivance with some government officials for some minor repair work on three occasions since its completion. In the absence of a PHC, at least 30,000 people of villages, including Mughulpora, Gushi, Karihama and Gund Gushi are forced to visit Kupwara PHC even for the first-aid. "The PHC building is complete since 1994 but has not been made functional till date. We are forced to visit Primary Health Center at Kupwara even for the first-aid. The contractors in connivance with the some government officials enchased extra funds for placing windows and doors on few occasions but the end result is a building of no use," complained Mohd Ashraf, a senior citizen of Gund Gushi. The local residents said, "Had the building which was ready for use in 1994 made functional, the damage to windows and doors could have been avoided but the authorities continue to ignore the building and sufferings of people till date." According tolocal residents, the construction of building was completed in September 1994 but in 1996 the contractors again carried out some repair work only to draw more funds. "For some minor work inside the building, the contractors drew a bill of around Rs 3 lakh and took around two years to complete the work. The building however was not put to use in 1996," said Gulzar Ahmad, a teacher. "The windows panes and the doors of the building were again damaged in 1998 and the contractors again started work on it. The building was absolutely ready for the operations in 1999 but ironically it was not made to function. In 2002, the rooftop of the building and soakage pits were repaired against an amount of Rs 4 lakh but the building continues to remain non-functional till now," complained Javid Ahmad, a trader. CMO Kupwara Dr Abdul Majid Wani said, "I have taken up the matter with a MLA and I am hopeful that the PHC will be housed in the building in near future."
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Two killed, 14 injured in road accidents in Valley
Srinagar, November 3 Two others, identified as Zeeshan Zargar and Umer Sheikh, were also injured in the accident and have been shifted to a hospital where they are being
treated, a police spokesman said. In another accident in Baramulla, two passenger cabs collided with each other at Hyderbeigh on the national highway, resulting in injuries to nine
passengers. All the injured have been shifted to a hospital for treatment and a case has been registered at Pattan police station, the spokesman said. In south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, a passenger cab met with an accident near Tamiloo, resulting in injuries to three people including the cab driver. Two of the three injured in the Kulgam accident, identified as Yawar Hamid and Ramiz Ahmad Bhat, have been shifted to a hospital in Srinagar, where they are being treated, the spokesman said. Nearly 3,000 people have lost their lives and another 25,000 have been injured in as many as 17,276 accidents in 32 months since January 2010. Hundreds are getting severely injured every month as the government has failed to implement any mechanism to prevent accidents on the
state’s roads. |
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Incomplete road adds to Lolab residents’ woes
Kupwara, November 3 The road assumes immense importance as it will connect Lolab with Kupwara and rest of the Valley without involving the road passing through the center of Army's largest cantonment (28 infantry division) at Zangli in Kupwara district. MLA Lolab Abdul Haq Khan, who had held a protest march in Kupwara last year demanding completion of the road in time, said Governor assured him that the matter will be taken up with the government. "I am hopeful that the construction of important road will be resumed in near future. Chief Minister had made a commitment to release funds in last board meeting but the funds were not released. Now Governor has assured me that he will urge the authorities to resume construction on road," said the MLA. Army's cantomenment at Zangli near Kupwara is the gateway to enter Lolab and the residents of the Valley had held demonstrations many times in past to press the authorities complete the alternate road to Lolab for hassle-free travel. The residents said the traffic movement to Lolab comes to a halt around 6 PM as drivers have to cross the army's entry point at Zangli before the evening. The bye-pass road will also lessen the heavy traffic flow on the (at present) busy Kupwara-Lolab road, which passes through the largest army cantonment. Commuters and drivers of Lolab said they were facing problems due to the incomplete road. "Travel during night hours becomes cumbersome as vehicles are required to pass through army cantonment at zangli, which is the only gateway to Lolab. We have to register our vehicles at the entry and exit points of army. During past years of insurgency, the army used to check the frisking of passengers and vehicles. The alternate Lolab-Kupwara bypass road is a must to ensure a hassle-free travel and will save enough time," said Bashir Ahmad, a driver. A Charkote resident in Lolab said, "As Lolab has earned a dubious distinction of being the largest militancy infested area in Kupwara, the army allows only emergency cases like patients during night hours after ascertaining the facts, which consumes enough time."
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PDP demands south Kashmir’s gas link to be
reversed
srinagar, November 3 In a statement issued here today, party
members of legislative assembly Mohammad Rafi Mir and Peerzada Mansoor Hussein said the state
government for some mysterious reasons has linked south Kashmir with Jammu rail head for receiving gas cylinders for the four districts, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian
and Pulwama, instead of Pampore where from rest of the Valley receives its supplies. "The party urges the
government to reverse this sinister decision," said the statement. |
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School building locked for eight years, students forced to attend classes out in the open
Anantnag, November 3 The irony is that the Chief Education Officer (CEO), Anantnag, feigns ignorance about the goings-on. Sources said there is a dispute going on between the contractor of the building and the authorities of the Education department. The building was completed in 2004; however, the contractor had some payment issues with the department, following which, he locked down the building and is refusing to hand it over to the department. The teachers posted at the school say that despite bringing the issue time and again to the notice of the higher officials, nothing has been done in this regard. “Not only are the studies of the girls getting affected, but also, sitting in the open throughout the session is taking a serious toll on their health,” said a teacher. The students say they are forced to sit in the open regardless of the weather. There are all kinds of insects around and sitting on the bare ground is proving to be a hazard. Moreover, being a girls’ school, lack of toilet facilities makes things extremely difficult for the students, forcing many of them to skip school on a regular basis. The Chief Education Officer (CEO), Anantnag, Abdul Ahad, said, “I don’t remember which school you are talking about. You can talk to the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) concerned.” The ZEO said the contractor has used sub-standard material in the construction of the building. “We have asked the contractor to either repair the building or let any other contractor do that. But he does not seem to be ready,” said the ZEO, Srigufwara zone, Muhammad Abdullah Rather.
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Youth festival ‘Sonzal 2012’ concludes at KU
Srinagar, November 3 The participants from Business School and FMFA bagged the maximum number of awards in various categories, particularly in debate, quiz, elocution, collage, poster making, cartooning and music during the five-day youth festival which was organised by the Department of Student Welfare (DSW), KU. More than 700 students from over 40 degree colleges and 45 university teaching departments participated in the five-day festival during which a close competition was witnessed amongst the participants who were competing in around 19 different categories which included various events quiz, debate, elocution, poster making, painting, cartoon making, rangoli, clay modeling, on-spot photography, one act play, mimicry, classical, folk and instrumental music arenas and other Professor Talat, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, said: "Our students do not lack talent. They are a repository of innovative and creative ideas and it is our job in the university to nurture their talent and provide them a proper platform where they can showcase their skills and this enormous talent." Professor Talat said, "In order to expand the canvas of this mega annual activity the university next He said that this will help in making the event global and popularise its fame amongst the other students of the country. Registrar University of Kashmir Prof Zaffar Ahmad Reshi said, "This year's Sonzal received a huge response from the students of various degree colleges of the Valley and it is for the first time that the festival registered such a huge number of the In his address, Dean College Development Council (DCDC) Professor Mushtaq Ahmad Kaw said, "The festival represents the sharing of human values and great thoughts and ideas which together symbolises the rich pluralistic culture and great civilisation of the Valley." Director EMMRC KU Dr Shahid Rasool said it was the dedication and the seriousness of the students which encouraged the organisers to conduct the event with complete success. He said that he would request the organizers to include vediography as one of the categories in next year's Sonzal competition. Dean Students Welfare Prof Neelofar Khan, who was also the Chairperson of this year`s edition of Sonzal, while welcoming the participants and the audience who had assembled at the convocation complex to witness the award ceremony said the festival has become an obsession amongst the youth ever since its first edition was launched in 2007 as the festival is an assimilation of the hidden talent of young boys and girls and provides a platform to the students to foster greater sense of togetherness and camaraderie. On the occasion a documentary of the 'Sonzal-2012' festival produced by EMMRC was also screened. Besides a photo documentary about the festival and its cherished moments made by the students was also screened on the occasion. A cultural event was also organised at the concluding ceremony of the festival. Among those present on the occasion were deans, heads of departments, Faculty members, principals of various colleges, participants of 'Sonzal-2012' and a large number of students of the university and various degree colleges.
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State to get tough on power theft
Srinagar, November 3 “At present, there are over two dozen Special Enforcement Teams (SETs) of the department which have been conducting raids in the city to detect power thefts. But keeping in view the workload of the engineers and massive power theft reported by these teams across the state, the government has ordered constitution of similar independent inspection teams from various other wings of the department,” said Chief Engineer PDD, Muzaffar Mattoo. These new teams have been constituted from various wings of the PDD which include Systems and Operation Wing, Commercial and Survey Wing, Procurement and Material Wing and Planning and Design Wing. “These new teams will report to Chief Engineers of Electrical Maintenance and Rural Electrification (EMRE),” another senior officer said. With constitution of the new SETs, the PDD would have nearly 50 teams to check power theft across the state. “Our SET has been focusing only on Srinagar city when it comes to checking power theft, but now, we can focus on rural towns and other parts of the Valley in a better way. We will shortly start special drives in various parts of the Valley,” he added. The top brass of the PDD is said to have been given clear-cut directions by the Chief Minister that no one should be spared as far as power theft is concerned. And with this assurance, the enforcement team of the PDD, which directly reports to Commissioner Secretary Power, had raided Friends Enclave near Srinagar International Airport on October 31 and found 20 top former and serving bureaucrats, police officers and politicians to be involved in stealing of power. The department has already penalised the defaulters in the high-profile colony and has taken up the issue pertaining to power theft with the government |
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Army sponsors education tour for Handwara children
Handwara, November 3 The tour itinerary includes sightseeing at Srinagar, Patni Top and various tourist places at Jammu. At Jammu they will also be visiting a Mechanised Infantry Battalion. The students will visit Nagpur city to witness the training of Jawans of Brigade of ‘The Guards’ at Kamptee Cantt. They will also live the life of a Prahari for a day at Prahar Military School, Nagpur. “After having gone through the training of Jawan, the students will be visit various prestigious institutions like National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Army Institute of Physical Training, Army Sports Institute and Bombay Engineering Group Centre, College of Military Engineering, Headquarter Southern Command,” said an official. They will also interact with cadets of J&K at NDA. They will also be witness rich Rajasthani culture at Chokhi Dhani. The tour will conclude after visiting historical Singarh Fort of Shivaji dynasty.
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Even as the police has registered a case of fraud and cheating against a private Haj services operator, Hajeej India, for swindling nearly Rs 5 crore from aspiring Hajis in
Kashmir.
In what could be described as sheer misuse of the state exchequer’s funds, a building constructed for the Primary Health Centre
(PHC) at a cost of Rs 75 lakh at Gund Gushi, 12 km from Handwara, was repaired at least three times over a period of
two decades to grab extra funds, local residents alleged.
More than two lakh residents of Lolab in Kupwara district of north Kashmir are facing immense problems due to incomplete Kupwara-Lolab bye-pass road. The construction of the road started in 2009 but got suspended in 2010 following floods. Since then the construction work has not resumed.
Anantnag, November 3
Handwara, November 3