|
|
|
|
|
Power crisis deepens
Fresh spell of snow, rain in Kashmir Valley
Natipora murder case: Trial court reserves verdict
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Baramulla district hospital misses another deadline
Porcupines create panic in Lolab area
Wildlife dept lays trap to catch leopard
Two killed in road accidents
Letter-writing competition on Jan 6
JKLF holds candlelight vigil, torch march
Radio Kashmir hosts Kashmiri novelist Ghulam Nabi Gowhar
Civil society criticises media houses on HR abuses
|
|
Power crisis deepens
Srinagar, December 11 The power cuts are worst in rural Kashmir, where consumers are already facing shortage of other sources of energy such as LPG. Frustration is growing among local populace as the power authorities in Kashmir have resorted to long and unscheduled cuts in un-metered areas as well as the metered areas. In Srinagar too, consumers are irked by the cuts resorted by the power department. “Whenever I reach home from my office in the evening, there is no electricity and it is hard to live without power and gas in the freezing winters”, said Junaid Inayati, a resident of the Bemina area of Srinagar. Likewise, the power situation is same in the other areas and towns of Kashmir, including Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora, Kupwara, Anantnag, Pulwama and Budgam, where consumers are being forced to bear long and unscheduled power cuts. “We pay more energy bills than the un-metered areas. The authorities had promised uninterrupted power supply when they installed electricity meters in our area, but with the onset of winter, the power supply in our area has deteriorated”, said Sajjad Ahmad, a resident of Kanth Bagh of Baramulla. Sajjad said the unscheduled power cuts in the metered areas of the town range between 12 and 14 hours a day, which has put consumers to great unease, who are already facing a lot of problems on account of non-resumption of home delivery of LPG cylinders by the dealers. Reports from different areas of the Kashmir valley revealed that electricity in their localities, particularly in rural hamlets, was playing hide and seek. Consumers say that the PDD authorities have resorted to hourly power cuts in these areas without discriminating between metered or non-metered areas. On the other hand, the Power Development Department (PDD) is blaming consumers for the erratic power supply situation in the Valley. They maintain that their the department is already supplying more electricity than the agreed load, adding that consumers need to save energy and stop resorting to power thefts. The PDD is currently supplying between 1,000 and 1,100 MW of power to consumers, which is 11 per cent more than the previous year. The agreed load agreement is for 800 MW. |
||
|
Fresh spell of snow, rain in Kashmir Valley
Srinagar, December 11 Several parts of the region, including resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, witnessed snowfall while Srinagar city received intermittent rainfall since early morning throughout the day. The Gulmarg resort of north Kashmir recorded one inch of snowfall. Snowfall was also reported at Pahalgam resort of south Kashmir and Banihal township where Jawahar tunnel - a crucial link that connects the Kashmir valley with other parts of the state - is located. At Gulmarg, the day temperature rose to maximum zero degree Celsius as the mercury fell overnight to a freezing minus 7.5 degrees Celsius, an official of the state Meteorological Department said. Pahalgam recorded a maximum temperature of 3 degrees Celsius with night temperature there falling to minus 2.2 degrees Celsius. In Srinagar city, where the residents woke up to a rainy morning, the maximum temperature during the day rose to a meagre 4.6 degrees Celsius, which was four degrees below average normal for this time of the year. The maximum day temperature throughout the valley today was several degrees below normal, the official said. In Leh town of remote Ladakh region, the day temperature could not even manage to cross the zero-degree mark and went to a high of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature there fell to minus 12.4 degrees Celsius. In the nearby Kargil district, the maximum day temperature was recorded at 1 degree Celsius, the official said. The Kashmir region is gearing up for a harsh winter which is set to begin nine days later when 'chillai kalaan' - a 40-day-long harshest phase of the season - begins. The precipitation across the region has been effected by the arrival of western disturbance system, which is likely to cause more moderate to heavy snowfall over the hills and light to moderate snowfall at other places in the Valley for next several days. An official of the region’s Disaster Management Cell said due to approaching western disturbances, there is a “possibility of moderate to heavy snowfall over hilly areas and light to moderate snowfall at many places” in the Kashmir Division from December 12 to 18. The precipitation is likely to intensify on December 13 and 14, Disaster Management Cell coordinator Aamir Ali said. Ali said Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Asgar Hassan Samoon has directed all the Deputy Commissioners, Head of Departments and Senior Superintendents of Police to activate their men and machinery to be in a state of preparedness to ensure minimum disruption of essential services. The administration has geared up its machinery. As many as 101 snow-clearance machines of Mechanical Engineering Department will be pressed into service to clear snow from major roads of the Valley. The snow-clearance machines have already been placed at various headquarters in north, south and central Kashmir, Ali said. |
||
|
Natipora murder case: Trial court reserves verdict
Srinagar, December 11 The Natipora murder case involves killing of 65-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Shah of Budshah Nagar, Natipora, allegedly by Almas Ara Khan, her husband and two sons in July this year during a fight over dumping of garbage. The case was committed for trial to the Sessions Court on September 8 by the Chief judicial Magistrate of Srinagar after the police had produced the chargesheet against the four accused of the Khan family. The police had charged the four accused for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 (common intent), 120-B (hatching a conspiracy), 325 (causing grievous hurt), 323 (simple injury) and 503 (threat) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). “The case was listed today before the Additional District and Sessions Judge Srinagar, during which the court concluded arguments on framing of charges against the accused. The verdict will be out on December 21”, said advocate Rafique Ahmad Bakshi, who represented the prosecution side in the case. While arguing, Rafique vehemently pleaded for charging the accused under Section 302, that is murder along with other charges framed by the prosecution in the chargesheet. On the other hand, the main thrust of the defendants, represented by counsel Zaffar A Qureshi and Mufti Mehraj, was dropping the charge of 302 against the accused. They instead pleaded that the accused should be charged for “culpable homicide not amounting to murder” under Section 304 - part 1&2 of the RPC. However, these arguments were rebutted by the prosecution side. Case file
The killing
|
||
|
Baramulla district hospital misses another deadline
Srinagar, December 11 The hospital building has been under construction since 1995 and the government had in August this year set a deadline of four months for shifting the hospital building to the new complex. “But there are no chances that the hospital will be operational soon,” said a government official. “We were working hard to shift the hospital but the work on various blocks did not finish,” he added. The officer said the hospital will now be shifted to the new building not before April 2013. The construction on the 300-bedded hospital in north Kashmir’s Baramulla started in 1995 and since then several deadlines have passed and hospital is still incomplete. Few years ago, in order to make people believe that the new hospital has started functioning, it shifted the out patient departments (OPDs) of ENT and dental departments to the under-construction building. “But, surgeries of these two departments are also done at the old hospital complex, which is 3 km away from the new hospital,” said a doctor. The health secretary of Medical Education Department, MK Dwivedi, said he was hopeful that the hospital would be shifted this month. “I have called a review meeting on December 15 wherein this issue will be discussed. The Director Health, Kashmir, and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) will also give a brief about the hospital construction and I am sure we will meet the deadline of shifting the hospital to the new complex,” Dwivedi said. The hospital building has been under construction since 1995 and the government had in August this year set a deadline of four months for shifting the hospital building to the new complex. x |
||
|
Porcupines create panic in Lolab area
Kupwara, December 11 A porcupine was found killed a few days ago in a field in Maidanpora village. Locals said the animal had suffered two bullet injuries and was found dead on the night of December 5. Unaware about the traits of the animal, who usually does not harm humans unless it is disturbed, people, especially children, are scared of it’ spresence in human habitations. “It appears dreadful and makes bizarre sounds. They roam around in groups and appear frightening. We have heard that they (animals) fire quills at a fast pace,” said Ishfaq Ahmad, a Class VIII student. Locals said the presence of rare rodents (porcupines) in the villages has created panic among them. “They make bizarre sounds and dogs chase them. They retaliate in self-defense by shooting their quills,” said Habibullah Khan of The villagers appealed to the wildlife authorities to put up cages in the villages and trap them. “We also don’t want them to be killed. The Wildlife Department can easily cage them without doing any harm to them. Children are scared of these animals and the department must do something to deal with the growing scare,” said Shabir Ahmad. The porcupine is identified by its most notable feature - quills. The length of quills on different parts of the body varies from 1 inch to 12 inches. Wildlife Warden of north Kashmir Mohammad Maqbool Baba said “Porcupine is not dangerous for humans. There is no need to panic. It shoots its quills in self-defense when it is disturbed. People should not disturb them unnecessarily.”
|
||
|
Wildlife dept lays trap to catch leopard
Handwara, December 11 The cage was set up by the department on Sunday, following an increase in demand by the local residents to trap the wild animal, who according to them, had devoured dozens of livestock and was posing danger to human lives. A wildlife official said the leopard had not yet turned towards the cage and remains un-trapped for the past three days. “We usually put a dead goat or dog in the cage. The moment the animal enters the cage with the intention of eating, he gets trapped,” the official said. “Normally we don’t put cages but animals in these villages have become man-eaters and people are feeling insecure,” he said. The local residents said the animal had unsuccessfully attacked at least three persons during the past few days but all of them escaped unhurt. “We are living amid a constant fear of attacks by the wild animals. They are on prowl and have made our life difficult,” said Rashid Ahmad, a local resident. Many other villages are reeling under the scare of wild animals in Kupwara district. The residents of Moori in remote area of Kalaroose and Dardpora in Lolab said the animals were on prowl in the residential areas, especially in the evening hours. A delegation of people from Haphrada area of Handwara town said they feared to step out of their houses in the evening hours due to increasing movement of the wild animals. “The wild animals are on prowl in our area since past few days. They have devoured cattles and are posing threat to humans,” said Shabir Ahmad Khan, another resident. Local residents of other villages in
Lolab, including Charkote, Dardpora, Maidanpora and Warnow said the increasing movement of wild animals was posing threat to their lives. They appealed the wildlife authorities to put cages in these areas and trap the animals on the prowl. |
||
|
Two killed in road accidents
Srinagar, December 11 A pedestrian was hit and injured by a motorcyclist at Bon-Devsar village in south Kashmir’s Kugam district. The pedestrian, identified as Ghulam Qadir Parray (65), a resident of Bon-Devsar, succumbed to injuries when he was shifted to a nearby hospital, the police said. In south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, a truck driver was killed when he got mowed down under his own truck while inspecting the vehicle at Kakapora. The driver, identified as Jan Mohammad Dar (28), a resident of Samboora village, was shifted to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the police said. The police has registered cases in this regard. |
||
|
Letter-writing competition on Jan 6
Srinagar, December 11 “Chief Post Master General, J&K Circle, will hold the ‘42nd Universal Postal Letter-Writing Competition for Young People 2013” on January 6 at Srinagar, Baramulla, Udhampur and Jammu,” the spokesman said. He said the letter-writing competition carries a reward of Rs 2000, Rs 1500, Rs 1000 for first, second and third prizes, respectively with Rs 250 as the consolation prizes, along with certificates to the best entry from each postal circle. The best entry at the national-level would qualify as the official Indian entry for the international competition, he said.
|
||
|
JKLF holds candlelight vigil, torch march
Srinagar, December 11 Members of the JKLF, led by the group’s chairman Yasin Malik, staged the protest at the Maisuma locality, which houses the group’s main office and also Malik’s residence. Moderate Hurriyat Conference leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan and JKLF faction chairman Javaid Mir participated in the candlelight vigil and the torch march. Protestors, who were shouting slogans in favour of Kashmir’s independence, marched through the interiors of the Maisuma locality. Sheikh Nazir and Showkat Ahmad Khan, both former militants, were sentenced life terms by a court in Jammu last week, following which the group called for a series of protests and shutdown, which was observed throughout the region yesterday. Nazir is JKLF’s executive member. Around 100 JKLF members, led by Malik and accompanied by Shah and Mir, sat on a hunger strike at Maisuma to protest against the court verdicts and express solidarity with Nazir and Khan, who are now jailed serving life sentences. Speakers, who sat on the hunger strike, included writers, columnists, poets, separatist leaders and activists, who spoke against how the judiciary was being used against the Kashmiris. “We thought the Indian judiciary will give us justice, but even it failed to live up to our expectations,” one of the speakers said as others criticised the Indian civil society for failing to react to the developments in the state.
|
||
|
Radio Kashmir hosts Kashmiri novelist Ghulam Nabi Gowhar
Srinagar, December 11 The event was attended by a galaxy of poets, writers and intellectuals from the Valley. Speaking on the occasion Ghulam Nabi Gowhar recounted some interesting facets of his literary journey. A spokesman of the Radio Kashmir said two research papers, one written by Ghulam Nabi Aatash, focusing on Gowhar’s prose contribution was presented by Satish Vimal and the other by Abdul Ahad Hajni, dwelling on Gowhar’s poetry was presented. Besides, noted litterateurs Prof Rehman Rahi, Prof Mohammad Zaman Azurda and journalist Ahmad Ali Fayyaz spoke on GN Gowhar’s contribution as a poet and novelist, he said. The event was anchored by broadcaster Ashfaq Lone.
|
||
|
Civil society criticises media houses on HR abuses
Srinagar, December 11 Two Kashmir-based human rights groups had released a report last week titled ‘Alleged perpetrators: Stories of Impunity in Jammu and Kashmir’. “Following the release of the alleged perpetrators report, the reactions of media had raised certain issues that needed to be questioned,” a statement signed by a 18-member team of the civil society said. They said some segments of the Jammu and Kashmir media were extremely disappointing, claiming that some of them made a complete blackout of the report. The report released by the International Peoples’ Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in the Indian-administered Kashmir (IPTK) and the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) on Thursday had examined 214 cases of human rights violations and named 500 alleged perpetrators. “The media cannot allow to be subservient to the diktats of the state. This trend is troubling when one considers that media houses do exhibit substantial power that could withstand the orders of a state. By following the perceived preferences and orders of the state, the media itself stands culpable,” the statement said. The civil society members also blamed the Delhi-based media outlets for endorsing the crimes by its unprofessional role.
|
||
|
| HOME PAGE |
| Punjab |
Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | |
Srinagar, December 11
