Srinagar, March 11
After many delays and uncertainties, around 1,400 government schools and 2,453 private schools in the Valley re-opened today after nearly 100 days of winter vacation.

‘School chalay hum’ seemed to be the slogan of the Valley today which has witnessed a tumult post Afzal Guru’s hanging on February 9. No untoward incident was reported during the class work sessions today.

There is still a difference of opinion between government schools and private school managements over the issue of remaining open on strike/civil curfew days, especially as the call of a civil curfew has been made by the amalgam of separatist groups on Wednesday.

Though government schools have been directed to conduct classes on the civil curfew/strike days, private schools say they will remain closed on such days owing to inconvenience caused to students.

“There are instructions by the higher authorities to remain present on strike days and therefore the schools will remain open. Whether class work is done or not will depend on the attendance of students,” said Bashir Ahmad Darzi, principal, SP Boys School, Srinagar.

The president of the Private Schools Association, Kashmir, Chuni Lal Vishen, said the private schools can’t remain open on the civil curfew or strike days as students and teachers face problems while commuting.

“In government schools, students come from the nearby areas and they can even walk down to schools.

But the same is not possible in the case of private schools, which enroll students from far-off areas. Though we do provide school transport facilities to students, many opt for coming to school on their own using public transport or with their parents. Such students will have tremendous problems while coming to schools on strike days,” Vishen said.

He added that the private school managements could not be solely responsible for security of children and it was impossible to ensure security of every school going child.

“That would be practically impossible. Private schools have a bigger enrolment than government schools. Besides, teachers are also facing problems when they report for work as their identity cards aren't being treated as curfew passes,” Vishen said.

Meanwhile, for students, Monday ended an unexceptionally long winter break, with many students taking their unit tests straightaway on the Day 1. “Since there was a 10-day delay in the re-opening of schools, the school managements informed us through a public notice that we would have to appear in the unit tests on the opening day of schools,” said Ruwaid Shah, a Class V student at St. Paul’s Academy, Sonwar, Srinagar said.

Srinagar, March 11
After remaining suspended for over a week, train services resumed today as life has started limping back to normal in the Kashmir valley.

A Railway official said normal train services resumed between Baramulla in north Kashmir and Qazigund in south Kashmir after remaining suspended since March 3.

Even as the train service in the Valley is yet to be connected with the rest of the country, it plies between Qazigund and Baramulla via Nowgam, Srinagar and Budgam in central Kashmir covering a distance of 119 kilometres.

The train services were suspended due to widespread protests amid shutdowns and curfew at several places in the aftermath of death of Mudasir Malla, who was found hanging under mysterious circumstances at the hostel of English and Foreign Languages University in Hyderabad. Malla was a native of Parigam village in Baramulla and his death had triggered protests across the Valley, especially in north Kashmir.

The train had also been attacked by stone throwers near Kakpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on March 3 and the railway officials had earlier stated that the services would resume following improvement in the overall situation.

The train services were suspended last month also in the aftermath of execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on February 9. The train services had been suspended due to security reasons on February 9. Partial train service from Qazigund to Budgam in central Kashmir was resumed on February 18 and the train service between Baramulla and Qazigund was fully restored on February 25.

The Baramulla-Qazigund rail link was inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in October 2009.

Kupwara, March 11
Shortage of medical staff at primary health centres (PHCs) in Kupwara district of north Kashmir has severely affected healthcare facilities in the district. At present, there are 31 PHCs functional in the district and there is a shortage of 56 assistant surgeons, 228 paramedical staff and 106 class IV employees, including sweepers and basic health workers.

Kupwara Chief Medical OIfficer (CMO) Dr Muneer Ahmad Khawaja said despite shortage of medical staff, the existing employees, including doctors, were working round the clock to ensure better healthcare facilities to patients.

“Instead of 150 sanctioned posts of assistant surgeons, only 94 are working in the district. Similarly, against 803 sanctioned posts of paramedical staff, only 575 are working at present. Despite the shortage of staff, we are sparing no efforts to ensure better healthcare facilities to the ailing in this frontier district,” he said.

Local residents, however, said they were forced to visit the sub-district hospital at Kupwara for treatment due to lack of specialist doctors at the PHCs. They said the health centres in villages were also lacking important machines such as X-ray and ultrasonography.

“In the absence of a specialist doctor at the health centre, we are often forced to visit Kupwara hospital for treatment. The PHC in our village also lacks X-ray and USG machines and for such tests we have to visit Kupwara hospital, which is around 22 km from here,” said Shaban Ahmad, a resident of Maidanpora village in Lolab.

Under the norms, a PHC should have at least three assistant surgeons, one pharmacist, four nursing orderly, one junior nurse, two female multi-purpose health workers (FMPHWs), a sweeper, health educator, health inspector, basic health worker, driver and an ambulance. Most of the PHCs in the district lack services of an assistant surgeon and other necessary medical staff.

Local residents demanded that besides posting at least two specialist doctors, the health centres should be provided with facilities like X-ray and USG. “What is the point in having a health centre in the village when it is devoid of specialist doctors and other necessary facilities like X-ray. We appeal to the health minister to provide facilities at the health centre and also post at least one specialist doctor,” said Jabbar Malik of Shahlal village in Handwara tehsil.

What norms say A primary health centre should have at least three assistant surgeons, one pharmacist, four nursing orderly, one junior nurse, two female multi-purpose health workers, a sweeper, health educator, health inspector, basic health worker, driver and an ambulance. Most of the PHCs in the district lack services of an assistant surgeon and other necessary medical staff

Srinagar, March 11
The much-hyped home delivery of cooking gas and a ban on point delivery in Srinagar city has failed to take off mainly because of ongoing situation with frequent strikes and restrictions across the Kashmir valley.

The authorities, following a rigorous exercise of regularising domestic LPG connections last autumn, had announced a ban on the point delivery of cooking gas and directed the distributors to stick to home delivery. The government last month directed the dealers to ensure home delivery and imposed a ban on the point delivery from March 1. However, it was extended to March 5.

In the second step, similar directions were given for the supply of LPG in other major towns of the Valley and would be implemented from July.

“After March 5, there is a complete ban on point delivery and consumers will get LPG cylinders by home delivery”, said a statement of the Directorate of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System.

“I have been waiting for the LPG refill for the past more than 10 days but could not get it,” said Naseema, a school teacher from Sanat Nagar area of Srinagar.

“There is a long wait for the (cooking) gas as there were frequent strikes and restrictions,” said Abdul Rashid, a resident of Qamarwari.

The LPG distributors of HPCL, IOC and BPCL are of the view that 100 per cent home delivery is not possible in Kashmir and only 30 per cent consumers have been getting home delivery. Restrictions and shutdowns have been coming in the way of home delivery, said one of the gas dealers. He added that due to these restrictions a backlog gets piled up. He said a majority of the consumers comprising working couples find it difficult to get LPG refills as during the day time their houses remain closed. “The location of consumers is in a haphazard manner… and it is not possible for big load carriers to move through the narrow lanes in the city”, said Jagmohan Singh Raina, general secretary of the J&K LPG Distributors Association. He said backlogs also get piled up due to various reasons, particularly because of higher consumption rate of LPG in Kashmir due to chilly conditions.

Srinagar, March 11
To defuse tension and maintain peace, the Union Government has granted an ex gratia relief of over Rs 5 crore to the kin of 102 persons who were killed during the 2010 civil unrest.

This has been revealed by the Centre in its status report filed to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Mohammad Yasin Malik. The PIL had sought registration of FIRs and investigation into civilian killings in 2010 by the security forces.

The case was listed before a double Bench of High Court today.

“The Government of India, with an objective to maintain peace and order and to defuse tension in J&K through the confidence building measures had taken certain decision, including the ex-gratia relief,” the Union Government said this in its status report filed before the J&K High Court through the Director General of the CRPF today.

The four-page status report was furnished before the division bench of the JK High Court comprising Justice Mansoor A Mir and Justice Ali Mohd Magrey today by the Assistant Solicitor General representing the Union of India.

“In view of the decisions taken by the cabinet committee on security dated 29.09.2010, as well as the decision dated 28-09-2010, the ex-gratia relief has been granted to 102 persons killed in the civil disturbances in Kashmir from 11.06.2010 to 02.10.2010 and accordingly an amount of Rs 5.10 crore was reimbursed to the J&K government,” the status report stated.

The Union Government has further revealed that the amount was released to the J&K government in the form of security related expenditure (SRE). However, the status report has not elaborated whether the amount has been distributed to the nearest of the kin (NOKs) of the civilian victims killed during the 2010 unrest by the security forces or not. Earlier on February 6, the High Court had given government respondents, including the state government and the Union Government ‘the last and final opportunity’ to file within four weeks their respective status reports as regards to the previous court directions issued in the PIL.

However, after taking on record the status report by the Union Government, the Division Bench today gave the state government three more weeks to file its status report.

As per the previous directions, the J&K government was supposed to file its status report on the appointment of new members to the inquiry commission constituted to probe the 2010 incident. The court had, on October 8, 2012, directed the state government to finalise its orders on appointment of members of the inquiry commission, as the earlier members of the commission have already demitted their office.

TIME LINE Following the killing of many civilians in the 2010 summer unrest, the government had, on June 26, 2010, appointed a one-man commission of inquiry, headed by Justice (retd) Bashir-ud-Din, to probe the killing. Justice (retd) YP Nargotra was appointed another member of the commission of inquiry on July 29, 2010, and the commission was asked to probe the killing of 17 persons in Kashmir on account of action taken by the police and security forces. On January 14, 2011, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the commission, directing it not to submit its final inquiry report to the government without its permission. On February 6, 2013, the High Court granted the official respondents the ‘last and final opportunity’ to file within four weeks their respective status reports.

Kupwara, March 11
Normalcy returned to north Kashmir today after six days of simmering tension. Markets in major towns, including Handwara, Kupwara, Sopore, Bandipora and Baramulla, witnessed good rush of shoppers and huge traffic movement was noticed on the roads.

Hospitals also witnessed a huge rush of patients and the government and private offices functioned normally. ATMs and banks also witnessed a rush of clients. After nearly three-month-long winter vacation, morning prayers in schools rented the air as schools re-opened today. The authorities lifted restrictions and the police and the CRPF personnel were withdrawn from major towns, streets and roads.

Shops opened in Baramulla and good attendance was witnessed in offices, sources said. Markets witnessed a huge rush of shoppers as people thronged shops and vegetable vendors for buying essential commodities. “We were facing severe shortage of essentials due to restrictions for the past six days. A normal day today allowed people to purchase essentials and medicines,” said Riyaz Ahmad of Sheeri village in Baramulla.

Restrictions were also eased in Lalpora village of the Lolab valley this morning and later lifted in the afternoon as shopkeepers opened shops and children attended schools. The village witnessed violent clashes for the past four days, following which the CRPF and the police enforced restrictions to prevent protests and clashes. Locals demanded the release of four youths from the police custody.

“Now the police should understand that normalcy has returned to the village and it should release the youth undergoing detention to help promote peace. People will be forced to hold protests if the arrested youth are not released,” said Mohd Yasin, a village elderly.

Residents of Handwara town also demanded the release of three youths under detention. “The police has released some youths last evening but three of them are still in detention. The police should release them and help maintain peace,” said Mohd Sultan of Handwara.

Anantnag, March 11
The Anantnag district hospital is facing severe shortage of space, staff as well as advanced equipment to deal with the number of patients it receives on a daily basis.

Hospital sources reveal that it has become a norm in the hospital to make the patients share beds.

“Several years have passed but the new block is still under construction. Despite government directives to speed up the work, the building is not expected to come up anytime soon,” said the sources.

Despite catering to the health care needs of nearly 70 per cent of the south Kashmir’s population, the hospital continues to remain devoid of specialists.

“The reason that we have a very limited number of specialists makes us unable to handle complicated cases and serious patients continue to be referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment. It puts extra burden on those hospitals as well,” said a doctor in the hospital.

He said it was ironic that the hospital did not have a CT scan machine and the patients, mostly poor, thronging the hospital had to bear the brunt.

“The patients have to get the tests done from private diagnostic centres, which cost them a lot. We have been demanding the authorities to install a CT scan machine here but to no avail,” the doctor said.

The Chief Medical Officer, Anantnag, Dr Gulzar Ahmad, said the administration had been looking into the matter and were moving in a positive direction.

“I am being told that the first 120-bed phase of the new block will be completed by April. That will be a huge relief for the patients as well as the hospital administration,” the CMO said.

While he denied the dearth of specialist doctors, he that a CT scan machine for the hospital had been already sanctioned and would be sent to the hospital soon.

Srinagar, March 11
The state government has come up with a new scheme that would help the locals to grow vegetables in kitchen garden.

The state agriculture department has started to provide seeds, seedlings and also farming equipment free of cost to the people registered with the department under the scheme.

“The objective of the unique scheme is to encourage people to grow vegetables at home so that we become self-reliant in the vegetable production,” J&K Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir said.

“We have already launched the scheme and have started providing seeds, seedlings, fertilisers and farming equipment to the people. The initiative will promote kitchen gardening.”

Nearly 30,000 hectares in Kashmir is already under vegetable cultivation and the agriculture experts claim that good quantity of vegetables is exported from the valley to many northern states of the country, including Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The vegetables that are dispatched to other parts of the country and are most sought-after include cabbage, green collard, potatoes, cauliflower, onions and lotus stem.

The Agriculture Department claims that the vegetable production in the valley is nearly 9 lakh metric tonnes and efforts are on to increase the production.

The Director, Agriculture, Kashmir, Farooq Ahmed Lone, said over 2,000 people had already got themselves registered with the department for growing vegetables in kitchen gardens.

“Our aim is to bring 60 hectares under the vegetable cultivation through the scheme and we hope to achieve the target soon,” Lone said.

He said even those who have one marla of land and were interested in growing vegetables would be entitled for the incentives under the scheme.

Srinagar, March 11
Politico-religious organisation Jama’at-e-Islami J&K condemned the house arrest of separatist leaders here yesterday.

“Jama’at-e-Islami strongly denounces the repressive government policy adopted against Kashmiris which leads to violation of their fundamental rights and they are being deterred from raising their voice against any injustice...the on-going mass-level arrest of leaders and workers is one part of this policy,” Jama’at spokesman said in a statement.

“The house arrest of veteran Hurriyat Chairman Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is quite contradictory to the basic human rights of life and liberty and freedom of speech and expression.

Similarly physical assault on JKLF chairman Yaseen Malik at New Delhi airport (yesterday) by some communal elements is nothing but sheer goondaism,” the statement added.

It also condemned the CRPF personnel and use of pepper gas against protesters by the paramilitary forces.

Srinagar, March 11
The JKLF headed by Yasin Malik has condemned the “unabated and arbitrary” detention of youth and separatist leaders by the police in the wake of protests following the hanging of Afzal Guru last month.

“JKLF condemns the unabated and arbitrary detention of youth and leaders across the Kashmir valley”, said a JKLF spokesman.

In a bid to prevent further protests and to avoid recurring of 2010-like situation, the state police has been detaining protesters from across the Valley. Besides, all the top separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, have been put under house arrest by the authorities.

“The arrest and detention of hundreds of youth from across Kashmir is nothing but a sheer frustration of the authorities,” the spokesman said. He also criticised the alleged misbehaviour of the police with the sister of JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat in Kupwara.

As per official data, more than 300 youth were arrested by the police from different parts of the Valley during the past one month. Since March 1, as per estimates, over 500 protests and stone-throwing incidents have been reported from the 10 districts of the Valley.

Srinagar, March 11
One killed and four were injured in three road accidents in the Srinagar city today.

The passenger bus hit a motorcycle near Tourist Reception Centre in the city, killing a man on the spot. The deceased has been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Dar. A police spokesperson said Dar was a resident of the Brien locality of the city.

Mohammad Hayat, a resident of Bundh Rajbagh, was injured in the accident and has been taken to a hospital.

The police spokesperson said a case had been registered at the Kothi Bagh police station.

In another accident at the Batamaloo bus stand here, a 60-year-old woman was injured when she was hit by an autorickshaw. The woman, identified as Misra Begum of Doligund in Baramulla district, was taken to a hospital.

Two more persons were injured when a truck hit a vehicle near Bemina on the outskirts of the city. Altaf Hussain, a resident of Shalimar, and Fayaz Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Saidakadal, were taken to a hospital.

Srinagar, March 11
Separatist Council has issued a fresh programme of protests. The council has called for a shutdown on Wednesday and specific protests for the rest of the week. The call was given to demand the bodies of 2001 Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru and militant commander Muhammad Maqbool Butt.

The protest calendar, which was mailed to media offices yesterday, was issued by Mutahidda Majlis-e-Mushawarat (Joint Consultative Council) of several separatist groups, including both the factions of main separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference.

Guru’s hanging on February 9 in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail has sent the region into a spiral of protests, shutdowns and curfews. Butt, a militant commander in 1960s and the founder of militant group JKLF, was hanged in February 1984 in Tihar Jail. Both have been buried inside the jail premises.

Mutahidda Majlis-e-Mushawarat has also appealed to the Muslims world over for support.

On Thursday, the separatist council had asked for protests to be held outside the Indian embassies across the world and on Friday it asked for special prayers to be held at mosques.

College and university students have been asked to demonstrate within their campuses on Saturday.

Srinagar, March 11
The police has fished out a body of a man from a river near the Line of Control in Kupwara district.

“A body was recovered from the Kishan Ganga river at Liukakar Teetwal, Kupwara, in the jurisdiction of the Keran police station,” said a police spokesperson. Teetwal is a village located on the LoC.

The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Ali Mir of Bandi Tehsil of Atmaqam district of the PoK. “The matter has been taken up with authorities for the disposal of the body,” the spokesperson added. — TNS