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CJM to decide on adoption cases
Over 300 test positive for Hepatitis C
‘Chillai Khurd’ brings some respite from cold
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Friday following Eid-e-Milad to be observed today
Teachers sans salary since Nov last year
Dy CM meets teachers’ bodies, promises redressal of demands
Students suffer due to KU’s faux pas
Cylinders at doorsteps from Feb 15
Link old, new blocks of LD Hospital to avoid rush, authorities told
National Conference lambasts at Peoples Democratic Party
One killed, six injured in road accidents
Restoration works of snow-bound areas reviewed
Boy commits suicide
1,247 persons examined at medical camp
CRPF holds medical camp
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CJM to decide on adoption cases
Srinagar, January 31 On January 26, a newly born baby girl was abandoned at GB Pant Children’s Hospital by her relatives after she was admitted to the hospital for treatment. Subsequently, on January 29, a day-old baby boy, who was abandoned on the stairs of a Sufi shrine in the city, was admitted to the GB Pant Hospital by the police as he was severely hypothermic. At present, both the children are undergoing treatment at the hospital even as Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar has sought a status report about the babies from the hospital administration. “We have been receiving a lot of requests from families who want to adopt these abandoned children. Within hours of the discovery that a baby girl has been abandoned at the hospital, we got an adoption request from a family in Srinagar,” Deputy Medical Superintendent of GB pant Children’s Hospital, Mohammad Saleem Khan told The Tribune. He said the babies would be handed over to only those families who have the requisite adoption orders from a court. “We have already submitted the status report on abandoned babies to the CJM, Srinagar. Now we are waiting for the court orders. Any family which comes with the adoption orders from the CJM court will be handed over the abandoned babies”, Khan said, adding the hospital had received at least eight requests from different families who want to adopt these babies. Dr Andleeb, a resident medical officer at the hospital, said the babies were presently undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). “The baby girl was found abandoned in the hospital on January 26 whereas the baby boy was handed over to us on January 29. At present, both are being treated at the hospital”, she said, adding the boy was premature and admitted to the hospital in hypothermic condition. “Though his condition has improved a bit, we are still monitoring his condition,” Dr Andleeb said, adding the babies were being looked after by the hospital staff. Meanwhile, in a bid to curb abandonment of newborn babies, the authorities at the GB Pant Hospital and Lal Ded Maternity Hospital in Srinagar are mulling over to install CCTV cameras for increasing surveillance. During the past 12 months, more than 18 newly born babies, most of them girls, were abandoned at the Children’s Hospital and at LD Hospital. The abandonment of newborns shows a grim situation that is emerging in the Kashmir valley, a society which is close-knitted and where families share a strong bonding. Sociologists say factors responsible for this trend include costly weddings, increasing immorality, movies and IT revolution. Abandoned babies
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Over 300 test positive for Hepatitis C
Anantnag, January 31 More than 300 persons have been reportedly tested positive for the deadly virus. Experts said the cause of the epidemic was not yet known. “A person can carry the virus for 25 years before it starts causing any trouble. So, it’s quite possible that villagers in this particular case might have been carrying it for quite sometime now without actually knowing it,” said Dr Showkat Zargar, Director, SKIMS, and a leading gastroenterologist. He said the team from the SKIMS had collected around 400 samples today and held a general check-up of local residents. Dr Zargar said there could be multiple reasons for the virus and to pin point a particular reason would be just speculation. “It’s a blood-borne sexually transmitted virus and at the same time it can be acquired by using unsterilised medical equipment. However, given the number of people infected, it must have been transmitted sometime earlier,” said Dr Zargar. He added the villagers had disclosed that they keep travelling to other parts of the country to earn livelihood and there was possibility that they might have acquired it from there. Regarding the treatment, Dr Zargar said it was available but at very high cost. “The treatment can cost up to Rs 1.5 lakh per head and the villagers can’t afford it.” He said the SKIMS would come up with a comprehensive plan and present it before the government so that the villagers could be treated. “There is an immediate need to educate the villagers about this and other infections. I am sure they are carrying more infections apart from this. We will keep visiting the village in the coming days and try to educate the people,” said Dr
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‘Chillai Khurd’ brings some respite from cold
Srinagar, January 31 The 20-day-long ‘chillai khurd’ period that in local parlance literally means ‘small cold’ begins from January 30. During the period, temperatures shoot up marginally as compared to ‘Chillai Kalaan’ and snowfall, if any, witnessed is not that severe. Even in case of heavy snowfall during ‘Chillai Khurd’, snow melts down quickly as compared to ‘Chillai Kalaan’. The less severe winter period is followed by ‘Chillai Bachha’ that in local parlance means ‘small cold’. The end of 10-day-long ‘Chillai Baccha’ marks the beginning of spring season in the Valley. With the beginning of ‘Chillai Khurd’, the temperatures as per the Meteorological Department have gone up by a few notches as compared to weather conditions witnessed during ‘Chillai Kalaan’. While Srinagar had regularly witnessed sub-zero night temperatures in ‘Chillai Kalaan’, a MeT official said the summer capital recorded minimum temperature of 1.8 degrees Celsius. The border town of Kupwara too recorded above zero night temperature at 0.7 degrees Celsius. However, night temperatures at other parts of the Valley continued to remain below the freezing point. Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, recorded minimum temperature of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius while tourist resort Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded night temperature of minus 3.6 degrees Celsius. Ski resort Gulmarg saw a low of minus 2 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperatures recorded at Srinagar, Qazigund, Kupwara and Pahalgam were 10.8, 10.7, 9.9 and 8.8 degrees Celsius, respectively. The weatherman has forecast light snow/rainfall at isolated places of the Valley. Meanwhile, Ladakh region continued to remain in a grip of cold wave. Leh recorded maximum temperature of 0.4 degrees Celsius while witnessing a low of minus 12.2 degrees Celsius. Kargil recorded maximum and minimum temperatures of minus 3 and minus 13.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. Valley’s coldest period
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Friday following Eid-e-Milad to be observed today
Srinagar, January 31 While the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad was observed last Friday, devotees in the Valley also observe Friday following Eid-e-Milad with fervour. The Milad celebrations start on 1st Rabiul-Awwal of the Islamic calendar (January 14) in Kashmir and will end tomorrow. While religious gathering will be held at shrines across the Valley, the main gathering will be held at Hazratbal shrine here that houses the holy relic (hair strand) of Prophet Muhammad. The holy relic will be displayed after each prayer at the shrine tomorrow while religious heads will throw light on the teachings of Prophet Muhammad during Friday sermon. To cater to the heavy rush of devotees at the shrine, the traffic police today issued a route plan for roads leading to the shrine located on the banks of the Dal Lake. Devotees from Lal Chowk have been asked to follow Khanyar-Lal Bazaar route while locals from north Kashmir would follow Tengpora-Bemina
bypass-Idgah Similarly, devotees from south Kashmir have been advised to take Panthachowk-Sonwar, Gupkar-Foreshore-Nishat-Dargah Hazratbal route. Devotees coming from Bandipore, Kangan and Ganderbal areas would adopt Pandach-Zakoora route, the official added. The authorities too have put in place adequate arrangements to cater to the huge rush of devotees at Hazratbal tomorrow as the shrine and area outside have been wearing a festive look since 1st Rabiul-Awwal. Milad celebrations in the Valley had begun in the 18th century after the holy relic arrived here. Bagh-i-Sadiqabad, where the holy relic was placed, came to be known as Hazratbal. |
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Teachers sans salary since Nov last year
Srinagar, January 31 These teachers (mostly in senior grade), who have been transferred to the recently upgraded middle/high schools in the Valley, are awaiting their salaries since November, 2012. “In Srinagar district alone, 11 primary schools were upgraded under the RMSA to upper primary/high school levels. This resulted in the creation of more than 12 posts. The same is true for other districts as well. We were serving as senior teachers (master grade) in the schools and then the Directorate of School Education transferred us to these schools. But we have not been paid our wages for four months now,” said Habibullah Bhat, a master
grade teacher, who is serving in Srinagar district under the RMSA. He added a delegation of teachers, who were placed in these RMSA-upgraded schools in Srinagar as well as north and south Kashmir districts, met their respective chief education officers (CEOs) and zonal education officers (ZEOs) who conveyed that they had not received funds for disbursing the salaries of teachers. Previously, the Department of Education used to pay our wages. Though there was some dilly-dallying in the payment of salaries but not for months together. Now, they have totally stopped paying us. This is sheer injustice as a majority of us rely on monthly wages for feeding our families. The problems have become worse in the winters when there are so many expenses to meet,” Mehmooda Jan, a teacher serving in high school Gurez in north Kashmir told The Tribune. Akhter Ahmad, in charge, RMSA, Srinagar, said the funds for payment of salaries to teachers had already been released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development and were lying with the Directorate of School Education. “It is true that the teachers faced problems for sometime. But the matter has been sorted out and the salaries will be released soon by the respective zonal education offices,” Akhter Ahmad said. |
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Dy CM meets teachers’ bodies, promises redressal of demands
Srinagar, January 31 Tara Chand, who is also the Minister for School Education, held a meeting with the Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum (JKTF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Lecturers Forum (JKLF) here, where he was apprised of the issues being faced by the teachers. JKTF press secretary Pir Nisar Ahmad said they apprised the minister of the problems being faced by the Rehbar-e-Taleems (ReTs) and education volunteers. "We pointed out that the salaries of teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan (RMSA) schemes had not been released for the past six months. We have demanded that the officials of the School Education Department should be placed in the J&K Board of School Education as they are well aware of the syllabus and other matters related to the interests of the students," he said. The JKTF has already threatened to go for a mass strike and hold statewide protests if their issues continued to remain unresolved. — TNS
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Students suffer due to KU’s faux pas
Kupwara, January 31 The university had declared final year BA, BSc and BCom results on January 27 in a “record time” of just 20 days. The university authorities had forgotten to collect the answer sheets of candidates from Sogam police station in Lolab, said sources in college concerned. The regular candidates of Degree College Sogam in Lolab of Kupwara district were shocked to see their result in ‘Education B’ examination as “Not Available” (NA). “The university authorities have put our career at stake by not evaluating our Education B paper. We appeal to them to declare our results at the earliest,” said a candidate awaiting result. A senior police officer said a team from the university collected the answer sheets yesterday. “A team of officials from the university arrived here with an authority letter and collected the answer scripts,” he said. Education Paper B was held on December 12 last year and 10 candidates had appeared in the examination. “The flawed result has put me under tremendous stress. I have fared well and was hopeful of gaining good percentage, especially in Education, which is my favorite subject,” said another candidate. As part of rules and regulations governing the conduct of examinations, the university authorities collect the answer scripts from the police station concerned a day after the examination is held. The Controller of Examinations, Kashmir University, Abdul Salam Bhat, confirmed that the answer sheets had been collected and evaluation completed. “We have already uploaded their results on the university’s website. The marks cards will be made available to the candidates before Monday,” he said. The final year annual examinations were held during November 2012-January 2013 and the university had claimed to declare the results in a record time of 20 days. |
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Cylinders at doorsteps from Feb 15
Anantnag, January 31 Reports said directions in this regard were issued to the dealers at a meeting of the district administration with the LPG dealers. The dealers have agreed to deliver the cylinders at the consumers’ doorsteps without any surcharge. The home delivery system will be started in Anantnag town and Dooru area in its periphery to begin with and will be extended to other areas later in a time-bound manner. “Anantnag town and Dooru have been demarcated into 20 different zones. Each zone will have a sub-dealer and a vehicle assigned to it by the main distributor,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Anantnag, Ghulam Muhammad Dar. He said the people would just have to call the sub-dealer and an LPG cylinder would be delivered at his doorstep within 24 hours or for that matter at a later date suggested by the consumer himself, according to his convenience. “The distributors have agreed not to charge the consumers for the home delivery. Moreover, the sub-dealers have to deliver cylinders at a time convenient to the consumers,” said the ADC. Asserting that the system has been initiated for the convenience of locals, the ADC said the system would be extended to the remaining parts of the district also. Calling the initiative taken by the administration a welcome step, locals say they will be spared of the nightmare of standing in long queues.
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Link old, new blocks of LD Hospital to avoid rush, authorities told
Srinagar, January 31 The minister visited the pediatric centre, GB Pant Hospital at Sonawar, Srinagar, and reviewed its functioning. He visited the measures taken by the hospital administration since last year and impressed upon the doctors to maintain quality standards of treatment and sanitation so that the grim situation of last year’s infant deaths does not get repeated. While chairing a meeting to review the functioning of the hospital during his first visit today, the minister asked the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) authorities to prepare a rehabilitation plan for those shopkeepers and vendors, who shall be dislocated with the hospital expansion. The minister appreciated the role played by the doctors in meeting the demands of patients in the hospital and reminded them of the nobility of serving people through their profession. The minister asked the hospital authorities to maintain higher levels of sanitation and cleanliness. He directed the Urban Environmental Engineering Department authorities to augment the sewerage treatment plant at the hospital and connect it with the main sewerage trunk. He also directed computerisation of all the Hospital Departments, linking of all HoDs with drug store and chemical analysis of supplies procured by the hospital. Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Baseer Ahmad Khan, SSP, Srinagar, Syed Ashiq Bukhari, Government Medical College , Srinagar, principal, Dr Rafiq Pampori and Commissioner, SMC, GN Qasba, accompanied the minister during the visit.
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National Conference lambasts at Peoples Democratic Party
Srinagar, January 31 "Restoration of autonomy continues to be the bedrock of party’s policy and agenda and the only solution that can become a win-to-win situation for all," the NC leaders said in a party convention held at Pulwama and Shopian in south Kashmir today. The convention was addressed by provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, Sajad Kichloo MOS Home, National Conference spokesman Tanvir Sadiq and MLC Ali Mohd Dar. The NC leaders also lashed at opposition Peoples Democratic Party. "The people will write the obituary of the PDP in the 2014 elections as their lies have been exposed and they will be wiped out by the electorate," the NC leaders said. Nasir said, “They have always played with the sentiments of the people and are still using youth as fodder for their narrow political gains. The recent rant is an indication of their frustration and a desperate attempt to sell false dreams to show their existence.” Minister of State Home Sajad Ahmed Kichloo said the Right to Information Act and accountability commission were the real weapons provided by Omar Abdullah-led government to common people to fight against menace of corruption. He said people must also remain vigilant about the policies of the opposition parties, who always try to weaken the NC.
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One killed, six injured in road accidents
Srinagar, January 31 The police said Ghulam Ahmad Teli, son of Mohammad Sultan, a resident of Pethkote, Beerwah, was critically injured while he was disembarking from the bus at Pethkote, Beerwah. He was shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar, where he succumbed to his injuries. The police has registered a case in this regard. In another accident, four persons were injured when a bus (JKF/0189) on its way from Bandipora to Srinagar collided with a tipper (JK01P/0555) at Tikiya Chewa in the jurisdiction of the Bandipora police station. All the injured were passengers of the bus and were shifted to hospital for treatment. The police has registered a case in this regard. The police said a Mazda vehicle (JK01G /9077) hit a motorcycle (JK01M/9798) near Hotel Akbar, Batamaloo in Srinagar, resulting in injuries to motorcyclist Aqib Rasool Sofi, son of Ghulam Rasool Sofi, a resident of Chan Mohalla, Chattabal. The injured was shifted to hospital for treatment. The police has registered a case in this regard. Meanwhile, an unknown Santro Car, hit a motorcycle (JK01H/3969) at Zazana Ganderbal, resulting in injuries to motorcyclist Ghulam Mohi-Din-Dar, son of Ghulam Nabi Dar, a resident of Rainawari, Srinagar. The injured was shifted to the SKIMS, Bemina. The police has registered a case in this regard.
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Restoration works of snow-bound areas reviewed
Srinagar, January 31 Reviewing the restoration of damages caused due to recent snowfall, the minister was told that all eleven 33 KVA lines from three grid-stations viz, Lassipora, Awantipora and Pampore and 20 receiving stations have been energised restoring the power supply in major parts of the district. “The meeting was told that the department needs about Rs 45 lakh for repair of 76 transformers and 49 feeders damaged due to snowfall,” an official spokesman said. District Development Commissioner Shafat Noor said the PHE department worked on war-footing and restored the water supply across the district, while the department requires an amount of Rs 14 Lakh for restoration of damaged water supply schemes. The minister was further informed that snow on 77 roads has been cleared mechanically and 89 manually, comprising a total length of 865 km. “The DDC informed the meeting that so far against an approved allocation of Rs 7,650.22 lakh of the current year district plan, an amount of Rs 4,757.18 lakh was made available out of which Rs 2,947.91 lakh has been spent,” the spokesman said.
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Boy commits suicide
Srinagar, January 31 The family members informed the police, who reached the spot and lowered his body. After the post-mortem examination, the body was handed over to his family for last rites. The Srinagar police has initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.
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1,247 persons examined at medical camp
Srinagar, January 31 An Army spokesman said a team of 10 doctors attended to all health related complaints of the local people during the camp. The team of doctors included two Army doctors and eight civil doctors. “A total of 1,247 patients, including 604 males, 455 females and 188 children were examined during the camp,” the spokesman said. Brigadier Niraj Seth, Commander, Sector 3, Rashtriya Rifles and Commanding Officer, 13 Rashtriya Rifles (KUMAON) were present at the camp. “They exhorted the local residents to obtain maximum benefit from such camps organised by the Army on regular intervals,” he added. The local residents expressed their gratitude towards the Army for reaching out to local people.
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CRPF holds medical camp
Handwara, January 31 Various CRPF and civil doctors, specialising in various branches of medical science, rendered their advice to residents of Braripora and its adjoining villages. The camp was inaugurated by SS Sandhu, IGP (Operations), CRPF, Kashmir. Sandhu talked about the role of such camps in helping the local populace and strengthening the relations between people and security forces. “The CRPF will always play a proactive role in the development of backward areas,” he said. CRPF officials also distributed books to needy students to help them prepare for competitive examinations for entry in the CRPF and the BSF. Locals welcomed the Army’s initiative and expressed hope that more such camps are organised in future.
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With ‘Chillai Kalaan’ - Kashmir’s harshest 40-day winter period bidding adieu, locals can now hope for more respite from the intense cold wave conditions after the setting in of ‘Chillai Khurd’.
Friday following Eid-e-Milad will be observed with religious fervour tomorrow. The traffic police has issued a route map to cater to expected rush of devotees at the revered Hazratbal shrine.
While the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad was observed last Friday, devotees in the Valley also observe Friday following Eid-e-Milad with
fervour.
