Srinagar, January 28
A report released by the Kashmir High Court Bar Association has alleged that the “political prisoners” lodged at various prisons in Jammu region are not being treated in accordance with the jail manual. The report has also claimed that the inmates were facing health problems due to lack of medical facilities. However, the police denied the charges.

“It has been observed that problems are being faced by the inmates as they are not treated in accordance with the jail manual,” the Bar report released today said.

The report was made public following the visits of a Bar team to jails in Jammu.

The team comprised vice-president of the association Aijaz Bedar, general secretary Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, treasurer Bilal Ahmad Wani, advocate GN Shaheen and Hamid Shafi. The Bar team made the observations following their visits to district jails in Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Amphala and Udhampur besides Sub-jail, Hiranagar and Central Jail, Kotebalwal, Jammu.

The report claimed that the inmates were facing health problems. “General health care is a problem inside the jails for want of sufficient reasonable and appropriate doctors, paramedical staff and general medicines. The jail inmates largely suffer from mental depression and skin diseases which need immediate medical attention and treatment. Barring Central jail Kotebalwal and District jail Amphala, in the rest of the jails in Jammu, there is no permanent posting of doctors inside, nor is the minimum requirement of basic dispensary fulfilled,” it stated.

Reacting to the charges, ADGP prisons Navin Agarwal said, “Whenever anything comes to our notice, suitable action is taken and advisories are duly followed. We also take care of the inmates’ health as we have doctors and paramedical staff on call who do regular check-ups. While we are dependent on the health department as far as shortage of doctors is concerned, serious cases are referred outside and inmates have been taken to Delhi and Chandigarh for treatment. They (inmates) are our own people; ?the health of the people inside (inmates) is taken care of.”

The Bar report also claimed that the inmates were “suffering for want of appropriate legal aid” and that “most of the convictions are because of non-availability of legal advice and services of experienced lawyers”.

Recommending separate mess for Muslims and non-Muslims, the Bar association said, “According to the prisoners, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is prepared together and served to the inmates.”

The ADGP prisons said the food was cooked as per the respective religious customs of the inmates. “No one is forced to eat the other variety,” he added.

Kupwara, January 28
Residents of Magam in Handwara tehsil of Kupwara district held a strong protest demonstration against the management of the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) for failing to provide health-care facilities to the ailing.

The protesters including women raised slogans against the hospital management and blocked the Handwara-Magam Road from 10 am to 1 pm.

They said during the past one week, two patients were referred to Srinagar hospitals from district hospital Handwara either due to delayed treatment or non-availability of specialist doctors at the health centre.

They said the health centre catering to the medical needs of a vast population hailing from villages including Neelipora and Vodhpora had been deprived of specialist doctors and patients were made to suffer for want of treatment.

“In 2011, two doctors posted at the health centre were treating patients. For the past over one year, only one doctor is dealing with the rush of patients. Over the past one week, two patients were referred to Srinagar hospitals for treatment as their condition worsened due to lack of quality treatment,” said Ghulam Rasool Bhat, a protester.

Relatives of Fatha Begum of Batpora and Ghulam Ahmad Dar of Neelipora said they were referred to Srinagar hospitals as there was no specialist doctor available at the hospital. The protests erupted today following referral of a pregnant woman Mubeena Begum to the Maternity Hospital in Srinagar.

“The junior doctors are incompetent when it comes to treating patients and most of the delivery cases are referred to Srinagar hospital. There should be at least two specialist doctors at the centre to look after the patients. The poor husband of Mubeena had to pay Rs 1,000 fare to ferry her pregnant wife to Srinagar hospital,” said Ghulam Ahmad Sofi.

Locals also demanded that the health centre be made functional during night hours. “In emergency situations during night hours, we are forced to cover at least 14 km to Handwara hospital for treatment. The centre should work round the clock for the benefit of the ailing,” said a local.

The protesters called off the protests following assurances by BMO Handwara, Dr Nazir Ahmad and SHO Magam police station Azim Ahmad Khan that their demands would be addressed at the earliest. “I have ordered transfer of a doctor to the centre and he will join by tomorrow. Following complaints of misbehaviour with women patients, we had closed the night service at the centre but we will again consider making it functional round the clock,” said the BMO Handwara.

Anantnag, January 28
With no rotational policy in place, some MBBS doctors here at the District Hospital in Anantnag, have been working as specialists, some of them for well over a decade now.

Sources in the hospital say these doctors have been occupying places in particular departments for a long time and patients remain under the impression that they are getting treated by a specialist doctor.

“There should be a rotational policy for doctors who don’t have a specialisation so that they don’t get a free hand in looting the poor gullible patients at their whims,” said a doctor posted at the hospital, wishing not to be named.

Sources say these doctors have a tacit understanding with pharmaceutical companies and are often found prescribing the same drug over and over again.

“When I refer a patient to a particular department, I expect him to be treated by a specialist doctor; however, he gets treated by a plain MBBS doctor,” said the doctor.

Some of these doctors have been posted in the hospital for more than a decade now, which is in blatant violation of transfer policies of the department.

“The transfer policies say an assistant surgeon cannot remain posted at a particular hospital for more than three years. But these doctors with political patronage have not been transferred for more than 15 years in some cases,” sources said. The Medical Superintendent (MS) at the Anantnag District Hospital, Dr Fazil Kochak, said the rotational policy is not being applied at the hospital with the belief that doctors posted at a certain department for a longer period of time would be able to serve better with experience.

“As far as the transfers are concerned, they are the responsibility of the higher authorities and I cannot comment on that; however, given the prevailing situation in Kashmir, it’s wiser to have local doctors serving at a particular hospital so that they are always reachable,” said Dr Kochak.

Srinagar, January 28
Six burglars were arrested in north Kashmir’s Sopore town and a large amount of stolen merchandise including chocolates and cigarettes were seized from them, police said today.

With these arrests, 11 cases of burglaries in Sopore area have been solved, a police spokesman said.

The breakthrough was achieved after a series of burglaries in Sopore town in recent months following which a Special Investigation Team was formed to bust the gang.

“During the investigation of the (burglary) cases, police succeeded in apprehending six burglars and large quantities of stolen merchandise have been seized at different places,” the spokesman said.

Those arrested have been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Wani, Shabir Ahmad Siraj, Arfat Ahmad Sofi, Adil Akbar Bhat, Salman Khan and Javaid Ahmad, all residents of Sopore area. Two of those arrested were “recipients” of the stolen property, the spokesman said.

The seized property includes dozens of cooking oil cans, tea bags, cigarette packets of different brands and chocolates, the spokesman said. Six stolen mobile phones have also been seized.

Srinagar, January 28
An eight-year-old boy was among five persons injured in road accidents across Kashmir valley, police said today.

A passenger cab hit an eight-year-old boy near a school in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

The boy, identified as Adnan Habib, a resident of Khan Mohalla, was admitted in hospital for treatment, a police spokesman said.

In south Kashmir’s Bijbehara town, a 37-year-old man identified as Manzoor Ahmad Dar was hit by a truck near Uranhal crossing.

The injured has been admitted in hospital for treatment.

In north Kashmir, a car had an accident near Wavoora in Lolab, resulting in injuries to two persons, both of whom were admitted in hospital, the spokesman said.

Police has registered cases.

Srinagar, January 28
A 45-year-old man was killed in a fight between two families in a village in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The fight was triggered by kidnapping of a "minor" girl. The main accused has been arrested, police said.

The girl was allegedly kidnapped by Shabir Ahmad Parray, a resident of Kralpora village of Pattan, on January 25, a police officer said.

A case of kidnapping under sections 109 and 363 was registered at Chandoosa police station against Parray on allegation of kidnapping of the girl, a resident of Dandmoh-Chandoosa village.

The families of the “minor” girl and the kidnapper clashed with each other a day after the alleged kidnapping, the officer said.

“During the clashes, the uncle of the kidnapped girl, identified as Ghulam Mohammad Khanday, was killed,” the officer said. Khanday was 45. A police spokesman said a fresh case has been registered under section 302 of IPC.

The main accused in the murder case was arrested today, the spokesman said.

Srinagar, January 28
While addressing students at University of Kashmir (KU) in an award function organised by Aryans Group of Colleges, Chandigarh, today, Kiran Bedi, the first woman Indian Police Services (IPS) of India suggested the youth to take up new challenges for pursuing higher education.

Bedi said role models had become necessary to be followed by the Kashmiri youth, who were deprived of higher education, so that they could find a way out. As for widening the scope of finances for the needy students who aimed to receive higher education, Bedi said their funding should come from Jammu and Kashmir Bank, private colleges and students themselves.

“The candidates should pay one part of the fee while another part of the fee should be paid by JK bank in the shape of education loan and rest should be paid by colleges as scholarship,” she said.

Bedi further added that the students of the Valley were talented but needed the right channeling.

“Education is the best way to empower the youth” she said, adding that “education will achieve the prosperity and peace in Kashmir”.

The event was presided over by Dr Anshu Kataria, Chairman, Aryans Group of Colleges while Prof Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, KU and Shafat Bandey, President, Corporate Credit, JK Bank, were the Guests of Honour.

Bedi also awarded scholarships to the meritorious students selected by Aryans Group for various professional courses in the scholarship mela that included Owais Ahmad, Abid, Dar Israural Haq, Nazim Khursheed, Shafqat Rashid, Muzzafar, Aamir, Aadil, Jagdish Raj, Mandeep Singh, Manish, Kapil Gorka, Zainab-u-Nisa Abid Hussain Bhat, Samrah Zahoor Samoon and Shahnawaz.

Some eminent personalities in the fields of education, media and banking were also awarded by Bedi which included GN Var, (Chairman of Coaching Centers Association), Rashid Makhdoomi (Manager of Greater Kashmir Publications), Mandeep Singh (Big FM 92.7 Radio) and Sajad Bazaz (JK Bank).

Srinagar, January 28
The All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), a conglomerate of various panchayat bodies, has termed reports of providing insurance cover to the panches and sarpanches as ‘eyewash’.

AJKPC spokesman GH Punzoo said the initiatives taken by the government for providing insurance to panchayat members was an eyewash and the government should instead take steps towards strengthening the panchayati raj institutions in the state.

He said this after a meeting of executive members of the AJKPC held here yesterday. Punzoo was reacting to reports that the state government would provide insurance to the panchayat members through insurance companies.

“The government so far has not taken a single initiative to empower the panchayats, which has not only isolated them from the masses but has made the lives of these representatives more vulnerable. The security of panchayat members lies with the empowerment and not with the release of insurance money in favour of family members of those who get killed,” he added.

Stating that the AJKPC strongly opposed the initiatives of the government which were nothing but a cover up to the basic purpose of empowering panchayats, Punzoo said “The best insurance cover to them would be empowerment rather than paying a premium of few hundred rupees towards the insurance companies.”

Srinagar, January 28
Moderate separatist faction, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Monday rubbished the mediation-in-talks offer of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

“Chief Minister’s offer to mediate for talks between New Delhi and those seeking freedom is like the ‘work of goldsmith by the hands of blacksmith’,” Hurriyat Conference said in a statement using a Kashmiri phrase to reject the offer.

The separatist group said he had failed at the administrative level.

“Omar Abdullah, who has severely failed at the administrative level and has no power to bring a single change to the imposition of black laws, is talking about dialogue on Kashmir issue only to please the Delhi ‘durbar’,” the group said.

It said it was ‘not afraid’ of holding a dialogue but insisted that the process should be ‘meaningful’ and focus on the real issue.

Srinagar, January 28
Jammu and Kashmir’s rich art and culture would soon have a new and exotic address, the multi-facility Tehzeeb Mahal, the foundation stone of which was laid by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah near Tourist Reception Centre on Tuesday. The Tehzeeb Mahal is a Rs 64.89 crore project of the J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages.

With this, the uncertainty dogging the construction of Tehzeeb Mahal for decades has finally come to rest.

A modern cultural centre to showcase the rich art, cultural and literary heritage of the state was being planned since the 1970s and in 1982 the foundation stone of the mahal was laid in the Emporium Gardens. However, the project did not move any further until recently when the Chief Minister approved its construction adjacent to the Tourist Reception Centre.

An amount of Rs 23.47 crore would be spent on the relocation of the State Road Transport Corporation at Nowgam and the cost difference of the land would be paid to the corporation as former owner of the site.

Secretary of J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, Khalid Bashir Ahmad said the ground floor of the 3-storey building would have an auditorium with a seating capacity of 600 people, a folk replica centre, an art gallery, administration space and intimate theatre studio with seating capacity of 200 people. The first floor, he said, would house the auditorium balcony, exhibition hall-1, handicrafts display room, library and conference hall while the second floor would have exhibition hall-2 and a heritage museum. An open air theatre and sculpture garden would be the other facilities available at the Tehzeeb Mahal. He added that the basement of the building measuring 46,123 sq ft would be used for parking and housing services.

The building, Khalid said, would have special architectural finishes in tune with the local heritage architecture including maharaji bricks, deji dewari look, devri stone cladding, khatamband ceiling, pinjra and jaffri work, paper machie and sozni work on walls and log bridge and heritage fort wall.

The academy had a rich collection of manuscripts, paintings, miniatures, sculptures, artifacts, reference books, photographs which due to limited space could not be displayed for public viewing except occasionally by holding limited exhibitions. The Tehzeeb Mahal would resolve this problem and make round-the-year display of the state’s magnificent heritage possible besides becoming the permanent and colourful address of the state’s culture.

The project, slated to be completed in 39 months, is being executed by J&K Projects Construction Corporation Ltd.