Artists perform during the function at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar on Saturday. Tribune photo: amin war

In Anantnag, state Public Enterprises Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed hoisted the National Flag while in the adjoining Kulgam district, the state’s Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo unfurled Tricolour.

Several administrative officials honoured

Various state administrative officials were honoured on the occasion of Republic Day on January 26.

Those who were honoured included Jehangir Mir, Deputy Commissioner of Kulgam, Ghulam Hassan Sheikh, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue), Rafiq Ahmad Dar, Chief Planning Officer, Abdul Aziz Bhat, Executive Engineer (Roads & Buildings), Syed Fayaz Ahmad Indrabi, Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs and Public distribution (CAPD), Javaid Iqbal, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Telecommunication), Bashir Ahmad Kuchay, Assistant Executive Engineer (Irrigation), Noonmai Bashir Ahmad Naik, Headmaster GHS, Gh Mohd Bhat, Headmaster of Girls High School, Chimer, Ghulam Murtaza Mughal, Sub Inspector and Ali Mohd Dar, Office Patwari.

The officials were awarded by the Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, who was the chief guest on the function, held in Kulgam district.

The award recipients were felicitated with a medal and a citation each.

Meanwhile, in Anantnag district, Tanveer Majid, District Information Officer, Anantnag, was awarded for his meritorious service by the Minister for Public Enterprises, Hajj and Auqaf, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed. 

Srinagar, January 27
The Army organised a winter festival ‘Chillai Kalaan Mela’ at Akad Pak near Pahalgam in south Kashmir. General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Victor Force interacted with a cross-section of society during the festival.

The day-long festival was organised by the Army’s 3 Rashtriya Rifles.

GOC Maj Gen RR Nimbhorkar addressed the people and praised them for their whole-hearted support to the security forces.

Gen Nimbhorkar said the tourist resort of Pahalgam could be a major source of income for the local population in the coming years. He said the best publicity for Kashmir was the experience of tourists who had started visiting the Valley since the past two years. He also asked the people to be alert to the persistent divisive efforts of the anti-progress forces to derail the peace attained in the area.

Gen Nimbhorkar also interacted with students who had come to register their names at the job stalls, which included recruitment in the Army and Project Himmayat.

Speaking about his experience of dealing with the children of the Army Goodwill Public School, Pahalgam, he said the calibre of the children from the Valley was ‘at par or even better than the best in the country’.

"However, they will only get their rightful place once they shed their inhibition of going out of the state to study and work," he added.

The mela was organised with the theme ‘protect and respect women’. The event was also attended by the DIG, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, and other civilian dignitaries.

Srinagar, January 27
On Republic Day, the Army hosted a series of functions across the Kashmir valley, including forward posts in north Kashmir.

The armed forces stationed at forward posts in frontier district of Kupwara celebrated the 64th Republic Day with enthusiasm and traditional fervour.

Apart from the Army officials and jawans, many locals also took part in the celebrations in Kupwara, which were organised at Chowkibal, Panzgam, Kalaruch, Tangdhar and Patahiri of Kupwara district, an Army spokesman said here.

“On the occasion, the flag-hoisting ceremony and cultural programmes were organised by troops of Vajr Division, which were witnessed not only by prominent personalities from the society and the civil administration but also by villagers and children”, the spokesman said.

He added that as part of the celebrations, live streaming of Republic Day Parade from New Delhi was also done for the audience to give them a feel of the environment at Rajpath.

“A cultural programme by students of Hajipir Army Goodwill School, Trahagam, was also organised on the occasion, which added flavour of patriotism to the entire proceedings. The programme included patriotic songs and skits by young schoolchildren to showcase their understanding of patriotism”, the spokesman added.

At Patahiri village, he said, around 200 school children participated in the traditional parade.

“It consisted of four marching contingents of the local Territorial Army Battalion followed by a contingent of schoolchildren. A tableau depicting customs and traditions of Kashmir formed part of the celebrations, which was appreciated by everyone present,” he said.

In Tangdhar, the spokesman said, many civil and military dignitaries attended the Republic Day function, besides parents of the students and locals. In Machil sector, he said the flag-hoisting ceremony by jawans was followed by the National Anthem.

“In Gurez valley of north Kashmir, the Republic Day function witnessed presence of a large number of Army and civil dignitaries”, the Army spokesman said.

Srinagar, January 27
Despite chilly weather conditions, Eid-e-Milad processions were taken out at several parts of the Valley.

Several local darghahs (religious institutions) organised processions in view of Eid-e-Milad celebrations that are being held across Kashmir in view of Prophet Muhammad’s birth anniversary. The Eid-e-Milad functions had begun on 1st Rabiul-Awwal of the Islamic calendar (January 14).

The processions were taken out at Barbar Shah, Hawal, Safa Kadal and Harwan areas of the summer capital, in which a large number of people took part. Another huge procession was taken out in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

The procession in Budgam was led by Karwan-i-Islami, a conglomerate of various religious organisations, patron Maulana Ghulam Rasool Hami.

A Karwan-i-Islami spokesman said people from all over the Budgam district took part in the procession. He said Hami also addressed the people at the Budgam bus stop where he threw light on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Hami also thanked the local administration for support in ensuring smooth conduct of the Eid-e-Milad procession. While religious functions related to Prophet Muhammad's birth anniversary had begun on 1st Rabiul-Awwal, Eid-e-Milad was observed with fervour on Friday last.

The functions related to Eid-e-Milad will continue till coming Friday when the main gathering will be held at the revered Hazratbal shrine, which houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad.

Srinagar, January 27
The day temperature in the city here plunged a few degrees below the average normal as residents wrestled with an extremely cold day.

Maximum temperature on Sunday rose to a paltry 4.3 degrees Celsius, which was nearly two notches down from the normal temperature for this time of the season.

The Kashmir region is enduring an unabated shivering cold with mercury during the night continuously falling many degrees below the freezing point even as the harshest phase of winter nears an end, which is now four days away.

The overnight temperature in Srinagar, region’s main city, fell by nearly five degrees below the freezing point. The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at -4.8 degrees Celsius, an official of the state weather department said.

The mercury, in most of the nights this month, has fallen several degrees below the freezing point as region passes through the harshest part of winter, locally called Chillai Kalaan.

The Chillai Kalaan, which begins annually on December 21, is a 40-day-long phase of extreme cold when mercury plunges drastically, freezing surface portions of the Dal Lake and shutting down water supply as pipes freeze in extreme weather.

Chillai Kalaan will end this week on January 31, capping the winter’s harshest phase.

Despite coming close to an end, the grip of Chillai Kalaan continues to remain harsh as the mercury overnight continues to fall drastically across the region.

In Leh town of remote and snow-bound Ladakh region, the minimum temperature fell to minus 18.2 degrees Celsius while in the nearby Kargil district night temperature fell to minus 14.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Mercury in snow-bound Ladakh region plummets to extreme levels during the winter season.

In Qazigund, the southern gateway town to Kashmir valley, the minimum temperature overnight settled at a low of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius while in the frontier Kupwara town in north Kashmir, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 5.3 degrees Celsius.

The skiing resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, which is enveloped in several feet of snow, recorded an overnight low of minus 8 degrees Celsius, the official said.

At Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir, the mercury overnight fell to minus 11.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Srinagar, January 27
Stray dogs have found a safe haven on the campus of University of Kashmir (KU), giving a nightmarish experience to the teaching and non-teaching faculty members and students.

The dogs manage to enter the KU campus, spread over 263 acres, through various entry and exit points.

Although the university’s security staff and Watch and Wards Section was deployed at all major gates, sources said the population of stray dogs seemed to be growing faster than ever.

Dogs usually jump over the walls, barricades and sometimes even pass through the gates where the security guards are not present.

Sources added that the management had deployed guards at each of the gates but the measure seemed insufficient for tackling the menace.

“You cannot blame the security entirely for the dogs creeping in every time. Since the campus is huge and there are many entries to it, monitoring the entry of the dogs is difficult. However, the security wing can place some people at all major points, especially near the hostels, where the movement of students persists during the evenings as well,” an administrative official wishing anonymity said.

The dog menace has particularly led to a scare among the girl hostel residents who have urged the authorities to deploy security staff inside the campus too.

“We usually need to go outside the hostel or even the campus in an emergency. But the usual presence of numerous dogs has confined us to our hostel rooms,” Sameena, a hostel resident said.

During religious occasions when devotees throng the nearby Hazratbal shrine, the littering of the area attracts a large number of canines too.

“The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), entrusted with the responsibility of checking the stray dog population, has somehow not been able to control their movement in this area, which is hugely populated because of the KU campus, National Institute of Technology and Hazratbal shrine in a stretch of few kilometres," Munazah Manzoor, an associate professor at KU, said. 

Srinagar, January 27
The University of Kashmir (KU) declared the results for BA, BSc, BCom (3rd year) undergraduate level today, in a record 20 days’ time. The examinations had begun on November 12 across various government colleges of the Kashmir valley.

Of the 29,293 college students of the Valley who appeared in the examinations, 20,460 students passed the examinations, putting the pass percentage at 70.5%.

Controller of Examinations, KU, Prof Abdul Salam Bhat said this was for the first time in its history that the university had been able to deliver the results at the undergraduate level in 20 days.

He added that there had been an increase of 6,000 students in the number of those who enrolled for these examinations as compared to the last year (23,000 appeared) which signalled an increase in the enrolment of students in the colleges.

A student of science stream had the highest score at 88%, followed by commerce 78% and arts 67%, respectively.

He added the results for Bachelors in Computer Applications (BCA), Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) and Bachelors in Mass Communications (BMC) 3rd year would be declared five days later.

Srinagar, January 27
The Valley hoteliers today urged the Minister for Urban Development Nawang Rigzin Jora to work for upgrading the tourist infrastructure in urban areas to ensure another successful season of tourism this year.

“Kashmir is back on the tourism track. We need to put in our best efforts to make the stay of tourists comfortable. We have to be good hosts so that a strong message of good hospitality spreads across the world. The Urban Development Ministry also has a greater role to play with its development works. We will cooperate with the ministry,” Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Association (KHARA) president Showkat Chowdhary said, after a meeting of hoteliers held here.

The hoteliers appreciated Jora for his earlier role as a tourism minister and hoped his induction in the ministry would also give him a chance to promote tourism in the state.

Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) president Faiz Ahmad Bakshi urged the ministry to build the required infrastructure while taking the environmental issues into consideration.

“We need to create an eco-friendly infrastructure so that the development doesn’t come up at the cost of our environment. The department should also erect lavatory points at every place,” Bakshi said.

The hoteliers also appreciated the efforts of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation against the use of polythene in the summer capital.

“Srinagar Municipal Corporation has taken good steps to beautify the city by planting trees. We have to make our city clean and beautiful and also protect our environment for sustainable tourism. For this cause the hoteliers will support every such move by the authorities,” Chowdhary said.

Srinagar, January 27
The term of the one-man panel probing the Pulwama firing incident has been extended by one month after the magistrate appointed to inquire into the incident failed to submit his report within the stipulated time.

The incident took place on December 28, 2012, in Pulwama after the security forces had opened fire on the belligerent protesters after two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces.

At least 11 civilians were injured after the security forces had allegedly opened fire on the protesters.

The incident had triggered protests in the district and was condemned from all quarters. Subsequently, the government had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident to be conducted by Pulwama Additional Deputy Commissioner Mir Tariq Ali, who had been directed to submit his report by January 11.

Ali failed to submit his report within stipulated time.

“I was supposed to complete and submit the probe report within 15 days. But it was not possible to complete the probe within this short period as for the first four to five days the law and order situation in the district was not good”, said inquiry magistrate Mir Tariq Ali, when asked about the reasons for delay in completion of inquiry.

“Accordingly, I had requested for more time”, he said, adding that the term for completing the probe has now been been extended by one month.

After the incident on December 28, the authorities had imposed curfew in Pulwama district, which continued for several days.

Following the appointment of the inquiry magistrate, the security agencies alleged to be involved in the incident had been sent notices by the magistrate to record their statements. Besides, the panel had also appealed to the people, victims and eyewitnesses to record their statements so that a fair inquiry report was prepared.

“Now more and more witnesses have started coming forward”, said Mir when asked about the response from the public.

What triggered the firing? At least 11 civilians were injured in the alleged firing by security forces on December 28, 2012, after an encounter between the militants and security forces ended in Pulwama’s Asthan Mohalla The injured civilians had alleged that security forces resorted to unprovoked firing on villagers near the encounter site and later a few km away near Pulwama The security forces also fired at a vehicle carrying injured civilians to Srinagar hospitals The police had accused the civilians of hurling stones at an Army ambulance, which led to retaliatory fire The incident had attracted sharp reactions from mainstream and separatist political parties in Srinagar

Kupwara, January 27
A complete shutdown was observed here today to remember the 27 persons, who were killed in an indiscriminate firing on January 27, 1993, allegedly by the Army here.

Shops and commercial establishments remained closed and vehicles were largely off the roads. Some youths pelted stones on moving vehicles near old chowk Kupwara, forcing a complete shutdown in the town. Kin of those killed in the firing said justice continues to elude them even after two decades of the incident.

“By sparing the guilty Army men responsible for the cold-blooded murder of unarmed civilians two decades ago, the successive governments have added salt on the wounds of bereaved families,” said Mohd Sultan, kin of a victim.

The victims, who fell to the bullets included shopkeepers and employees of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Kupwara. Recalling the incident, Nisar Hussain, a trader at Jamia Masjid road Kupwara, said, “On a cold morning of January 27, 1993, panic gripped Kupwara market following deafening sound of some gun shots around 10 am. An Army convoy passed through the bypass road of Kupwara and soon intermittent firing from almost all the sides of Kupwara town made people run helter-skelter for safety.”

“An hour later, bodies were seen lying scattered on the Regipora bypass and Jamia Masjid road,” he added.

Another trader recalled, “An officer of the Army’s 15 Punjab Sikh unit had warned the traders of dire consequences if they observed a shutdown on January 26. It was a cold-blooded murder of traders and employees but the Army men were never punished for the heinous crime.”

Describing the incident as “gory” that shook Kupwara on January 27, traders said troops posted on hilltop overlooking Kupwara town (from Mala post, Papa 2 and Wayan and Regipora) opened indiscriminate fire towards the market.

Apart from the kin of victims, the traders demanded stern action against the Army men involved in the killing of innocent civilians. “The erring troops should be awarded death sentence for snatching the lives of civilians,” said a trader. Some others attributed the motive behind the killing of civilians as an outcome of rift between the police and the Army, which they claim started on January 25.

“The Army was refrained by a police head constable from beating the old man, who was almost crushed by the Army truck near Iqbal market Kupwara. The Army threatened the police of dire consequences and general strike by the people on January 26 angered the Army. The Army resorted to gruesome killing of civilians to avenge the police act,” said a trader.

Srinagar, January 27
Hundreds of supervisors of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in Jammu and Kashmir have complained of stagnation in the department, since the day they were appointed, almost two decades ago.

Few supervisors of the ICDS wing of the Social Welfare Department retired in the past two years without a single promotion, which has made others feel that they were being given a step-motherly treatment by the government.

“When we were appointed through the Service Selection Recruitment Board (SSRB) in 1988, we had expected that we would grow in the department. But even 25 years later we continue to work as supervisors. This shows that the government is adopting step-motherly approach towards us,” said an ICDS supervisor, who is due to retire next year.

Few ‘blue eyed’, who are reportedly close to the establishment, were recently promoted by the department, even without taking into consideration the seniority list that was framed by the department itself.

“One of those promoted had joined the department only a decade before and it was done because he was close to the government,” alleged another supervisor. “We took up these issues with the Director of Social Welfare, Kashmir, who assured us that our genuine complaints will be looked into.”

The supervisors said the state government was violating the norms that had been set by the central government in the recruitment of Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs).

“As per the union government directions, 75 per cent of the posts are to be filled by promotion of supervisors of ICDS (project) and the remaining are to be filled by direct recruitment. But no regard has been shown for the rules,” said another supervisor.

Ghazanfar Hussain, Secretary of Social Welfare Department, said stagnation of ICDS was an ‘old issue’.

“But I have asked the officials to compile the promotion list within a month, so that deserved can be promoted,” he said.

About the alleged favouritism, he said “One of the supervisors was deputed to a far-flung place as no one else was ready to go there, but that is all a temporary arrangement,” Hussain said.

Srinagar, January 27
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Asgar Hassan Samoon yesterday hosted ‘At Home’ function to mark the 64th Republic Day celebrations.

The function was attended by Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan, Khawaja Farooq Renzushah, vice-chairman, Srinagar Development Authority, GN Qasba, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Senior Superintendent of Police Aashiq Bukhari and joint secretary Board of School Education Mehboob Hussain.

Several other provincial heads and prominent citizens also participated in the function.

A musical concert was also presented on the occasion by the artists of state Information Department. — TNS