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Shutdown call evokes mixed response
Man held for killing brother gives police the slip, nabbed
HC gives govt a week for status report on Leper Hospital
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Valley gets light showers
One killed, 3 hurt in road accidents
Chemist, medical assistant held for raping two women
Despite missing deadline, Shopian hospital project far from completion
Sikh body welcomes Sonia’s statement
DC, DDC told to promote hospitality sector in Valley
MeT office to remain open for public on World Meteorological Day
Maulvies return from integration tour
Srinagar students leave for motivational tour
Hurriyat leader barred from meeting jailed colleague
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Shutdown call evokes mixed response
Srinagar, March 20 Most shops in Srinagar city and on its outskirts were open since early morning. However, the main markets of the city in and around the Lal Chowk were closed, providing some semblance of a shutdown. Other businesses, including government and private offices, and many schools were open in the city. Transport services also operated normally on most of the routes in the city. However, businesses and transport services through Srinagar’s old city remained affected by the shutdown. In several parts of Srinagar’s old city, shop shutters had pro-Taliban, pro-militant and anti-police graffiti painted over them. Ganderbal and Budgam district of central Kashmir also observed partial shutdown with transport services remaining unaffected. In the south Kashmir districts, the shutdown had a mixed impact as many shops remained shut but transport services operated normally. Most schools and colleges in south Kashmir, comprising Shopian, Anantnag, Pulwama and Kulgam districts, were also closed. The situation in all south Kashmir districts, however, remained peaceful and no report of any protest was received from anywhere in the region. In north Kashmir, the shutdown call led to the closure of markets across the frontier Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora districts. There were no reports of protest from any part of north Kashmir. The separatist council, Mutahidda Majlis-e-Mushawarat, which is spearheading the protests to demand the return of the bodies of Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru and militant commander Muhammad Maqbool Butt, both of whom were hanged and are buried in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, had called for the shutdown. The region has remained closed for 22 days since the February 9 hanging of Afzal Guru followed by a spiral of protests, shutdowns and curfews. (With inputs from Amin Masoodi in Kupwara and Suhail A Shah in
Anantnag) |
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Man held for killing brother gives police the slip, nabbed
Anantnag, March 20 Reports said the accused, 42-year-old Muhammad Shafi Bhat, son of Gul Muhammad Bhat and a resident of Akad area in Mattan, was arrested on Saturday in connection with the case FIR number 14/2013 under Section 302. “He managed to give the police the slip around 5:30 am today,” said Mattan SHO Farooq Ahmad. “We managed to nab him by afternoon from Srigufwara area of Anantnag,” he added. The police official could not re-count the reasons that led to the successful lock-up break. The accused was arrested after he allegedly stabbed his younger brother, 30-year-old Muhammad Shafi Bhat, multiple times on his head resulting in his death. “He took his younger brother to a cattleshed at their house to assist him in some chore and while the deceased knelt down, Bhat stabbed his head with an axe,” reports said. The accused after stabbing his brother locked the cattleshed and acted normally. “The deceased’s daughter, however, got suspicious and raised the alarm after she saw the door of the cattleshed locked,” a police official of the area said. Neighbours of the deceased after breaking the door of the cattleshed found Shafi lying in a pool of blood. “He was rushed to a hospital and then to the SKIMS in Srinagar, where he succumbed to his injuries,” said the police official.
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HC gives govt a week for status report on Leper Hospital
Srinagar, March 20 Earlier on March 12, the high court, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) for reforms in the health sector, had directed the authorities to file a status report about the condition of the leper hospital in the Kashmir valley by disclosing the number of patients being treated there within a week. In the status report, the authorities are supposed to provide information on the number of patients suffering from leprosy and facilities being provided to them besides manpower sanctioned by the government for running the hospital. These fresh directions were issued by a division Bench of the high court comprising Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Janak Raj Kotwal this week while hearing a PIL which is seeking reforms in the health sector. After granting the government last and final opportunity to file the status report on the Leper Hospital within a week, the Bench also directed the listing of the PIL for further consideration next week. On an earlier occasion, the high court had also directed the authorities to fill the Class IV vacancies in associated hospitals of the Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, and complete the selection process within four weeks. The court had also directed the Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, to file supplementary affidavit regarding the action taken against drug testing laboratories and those found guilty of selling and storing spurious drugs in the state. What the PIL says
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Valley gets light showers
Srinagar, March 20 Meteorological Department Director Sonum Lotus said the Western disturbances were likely to affect weather conditions in the state from the evening of March 23 and till March 25. The day temperatures across the Valley dipped slightly as several parts received light rainfall in the late afternoon. Srinagar city recorded maximum temperature of 17.9 degrees Celsius as compared to yesterday’s 20.9 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department said. Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, recorded maximum temperature of 18.1 degrees Celsius while border town Kupwara saw a high of 17.1 degrees Celsius. Tourist resort Pahalgam in
south Kashmir recorded maximum temperature of 17 degrees Celsius. Ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir remained the coldest place of the Valley by recording maximum and minimum temperatures of 10.2 and minus 0.7 degrees, respectively. The minimum temperatures at Srinagar, Qazigund, Pahalgam and Kupwara were 9.5, 5.6, 3 and 6.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. The weatherman has forecast light rains during the next 24 hours. “Light rain/thundershowers
could occur at a few places in Kashmir division and hills of Jammu region. However, the weather is expected to remain mainly dry over the plains of Jammu and Ladakh,” a MeT official said. Meanwhile, night temperatures improved in the Ladakh region. Leh and Kargil recorded minimum temperatures of 0 and 0.4 degree Celsius, respectively. Ladakh has been witnessing sub-zero night temperatures since the winter months. The maximum temperatures at Leh and Kargil stood at 15 and 13 degree Celsius, respectively. |
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One killed, 3 hurt in road accidents
Srinagar, March 20 In another incident, two men were injured when a motorcycle skidded off the road near Sekidafar Chowk, the spokesman said. The duo has been identified as motorcyclist Abdul Waheed Sofi, a resident of Khanyar, and pedestrian Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, a resident of Sakidafar. They have been shifted to SMHS hospital. A passenger bus hit a cab near Titanic Mode in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district near Qazigund town resulting in injuries to cab driver Arshid Hussain Najar, a resident of Tral town. — TNS |
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Chemist, medical assistant held for raping two women
Kupwara, March 20 Medical assistant Mohd Yusuf Shah and chemist Mushtaq Ahmad Mir were arrested from the Public Health Centre (PHC), Punzgam, on Sunday. Following a specific input, a police party rushed to the health centre and arrested the duo. Medical examination of the victims has confirmed rape, sources said. Earlier, panic gripped Punzgam village when locals held the victims and the accused hostage in the health centre and held protests. They were demanding stern punishment for the accused. Angry protesters also damaged window panes of the health centre. “The duo should be sternly punished for committing the heinous crime. The medical assistant must be dismissed from service and the licence of the chemist should be cancelled,” said Ab Satar, a local resident. Around 2.30 pm, local residents laid siege around the health centre and spotted the accused duo along with girls in a room of the centre. No other employee was present at the centre on Sunday. Local residents held the accused hostage till the police reached the spot. Kupwara Chief Medical Officer Dr Muneer Ahmad Khawaja along with a team of doctors also reached the spot. “They have been booked on the charges of rape,” said a middle-rung police officer. Dr Khawaja said a departmental inquiry has also been initiated into the incident. The BMO of Kralpora hospital, Dr Farid Ahmad Khan, has been made head of a three-member team to probe the incident and asked to submit report within a week. “I have placed the accused medical assistant under suspension. I will ensure that stern action is taken against the accused. Director Health Services Kashmir has been informed about the incident,” the CMO said. Following a demand by local residents, the entire staff of the health centre has been transferred and new staff posted there.
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Despite missing deadline, Shopian hospital project far from completion
Anantnag, March 20 Reports said the new hospital, to be built at a cost of Rs 23.50 crore, was sanctioned soon after Shopian was declared a district in 2007. However, the work on the hospital commenced a couple of years later in early 2010. “The hospital was scheduled to be completed in May 2012, but more than six months after missing the deadline, it remains far from completion,” sources said. Residents of the district say the already existing Sub-District Hospital is not well-equipped to cater to the healthcare needs of the whole population of the district and the new hospital was meant to ease off the pressure on the Sub-District Hospital. “To date, Shopian district remains dependant on the District Hospital in Pulwama and hospitals in Srinagar for its healthcare needs. The new hospital is a ray of hope but the pace at which the construction is going on, it will be years before it’s fully functional,” said Abdul Shakoor, a local resident. The District Hospital in Pulwama too remains over-burdened because most of the people from the Shopian district visit it for their healthcare needs. “All the people can’t afford to take their patients to Srinagar and, therefore, prefer the District Hospital Pulwama putting undue pressure on it,” said Ghulam Mohiuddin, another resident. The district administration, however, said a big project like this could not be completed in such a short period of time due to financial restraints. “The project is worth more than Rs 23 crore and it is impossible to get funds to such extent within a short period of time,” said the Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC), Shopian, Muhammad Javed Khan. He said Minister of State for Health Shyam Lal Sharma had visited the hospital some time ago and advised that the work should be conducted in a phased manner. “The first phase of the hospital, worth more than Rs 6 crore, will be completed by the end of 2013,” said the DDC.
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Sikh body welcomes Sonia’s statement
Srinagar, March 20 APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina alleged that some of the politicians of the state were misleading the Centre about the problems being faced by the people of the state, particularly Kashmir. Raina said meaningful consultations should be carried out with the people who have genuine problems. “Some of the politicians in the mainstream camp are giving a false impression about the problems confronting the masses in Kashmir. It is important that New Delhi enters into a meaningful dialogue with the separatists so
that some solution is found to the Kashmir issue. It is no fun to talk to the people who are already affiliated to the Union of India,” said Raina. He lamented that minorities had been ‘ignored’ by the successive governments, both at the Centre and the state. He asked the Congress president to consider issues of the minorities and take steps so that their grievances were redressed without any further delay. “It is quite surprising that despite reminders the governments have failed to come to the rescue of the minorities. There is no end to miseries and sufferings of the minority communities… No solution has been propounded for the problems being faced by them”, Raina said. He demanded a comprehensive employment package for the unemployed youth of the state and said the same would settle the nerves of the frustrated jobless youth. He said the package should be in tune with the present day demands so that the youth could live a dignified life. Raina said despite putting in good work, the report submitted by a team of interlocutors had been dumped by the Central government. He demanded that serious thought should be put in by New Delhi vis-à-vis the proposals put forward by the interlocutors for fulfilling the broader aspirations of the people of the state. |
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DC, DDC told to promote hospitality sector in Valley
Srinagar, March 20 At a meeting held here, KHARA president Showkat Chowdhary urged the DC and the DDC Srinagar to work for the promotion of the hospitality sector in the Valley. “We expect that the DC Kashmir would address the issues of the tourism players in Kashmir and promote the tourism sector in a big way. Kashmir is important with tourism point of view. Shailendra Kumar as the DC should take up tourism as a priority. He should also work for the development of new tourist places,” Chowdhary said. Stating that Farooq Shah during his tenure as the Director Tourism has revived the tourism sector in the Valley, he said: “He (Shah) has served the tourism industry well and his vast experience would be helpful to the general public and also to the tourism industry in Srinagar. We hope he would make Srinagar as one of the famous tourist destinations in India.” Kumar and Shah were appointed as the DC Kashmir and the DDC Srinagar at the recent cabinet meeting held at Jammu.
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MeT office to remain open for public on World Meteorological Day
Srinagar, March 20 “Meteorological centre at Rambagh, Srinagar, will celebrate World Meteorological Day on March 23 just like other meteorological offices all over the world. The office and observatory will be kept open from 10 am to 5 pm for the general public and students. Interested persons may also visit to get themselves familiarised with the advanced meteorological instruments and other activities of the department,” an official of the MeT office said. He said the theme for the day this year is “Watching the weather to protect life and property.” “Such a theme is particularly appropriate at a time when communities around the world are struggling to attain the UN Millennium Development Goals, especially in terms of health, food, water security and poverty alleviation and to increase their effectiveness in preventing and mitigating natural disasters of which 90 per cent are related to weather, climate and water hazards,” the MeT official added. Weather forecasts are keenly followed in the Kashmir valley during the winters due to frequent snowfalls and then during spring time due to rains. Snow and rains often lead to the closure or one-way plying of traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway -Kashmir’s only surface link with the rest of the country.
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Maulvies return from integration tour
Srinagar, March 20 The preachers returned home after touring Delhi, Ajmer, Agra, Mathura and Ambala. Lt Gen Om Prakash, GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, received them. A large number of civil dignitaries and locals, including family members of the preachers, were present on the occasion. Each member of the tour was presented with a memento as souvenir,” the spokesman said. During the 10-day tour, the preachers were taken to Jama Masjid, Lotus Temple, Red Fort, India Gate, Dargah Sharif of Khwaja Mohiddin Chist, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fathepur Sikri, Sikandra, Mathura Oil Refinery, Vrindavan and also to Ambience Mall. “During the visit, the maulvies also had a once in a life time ride on the Delhi Metro. The highlight of the tour was their interaction with Wajahat Habibullah, chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities,” the spokesman said. The GOC 15 Corps said the Army was playing a major role in the development of the Kashmir valley and has extended its full support towards “integrating” the people of this remote region to the national mainstream through various programmes. Lt Gen Prakash said that the preachers play an important role in shaping society. It should be their endeavour to guide them in right direction and now having seen the progress being made in other parts of India, they should spread the same amongst the locals. The participating maulvies and their family members expressed their gratitude towards the Army for this life time opportunity, the spokesman said.
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Srinagar students leave for motivational tour
Srinagar, March 20 The tour being organised by Chinar sub area was flagged off by Col Arun Awasthy, Commanding Officer 7 Rashtriya Rifles on Monday, a defence spokesman said. “This would give a wider exposure to the students and educate them about the religious cultural and national heritage of the country. The students will also get an opportunity to meet a number of dignitaries both from the civil as well as from the Army. These tours will also boost the morale and self confidence of the students and helps them to compete in the competitive world,” the spokesperson said. On the occasion, the parents appreciated the role of the Army, the spokesperson said.
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Hurriyat leader barred from meeting jailed colleague
Srinagar, March 20 The police had arrested Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a senior member of the Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Hurriyat leader Ghulam Nabi Zaki from his residence in Sopore during a nocturnal raid on March 7. Earlier, Zaki was lodged at the Sopopre police station from where he was subsequently shifted to District Jail, Baramulla. “The jail authorities did not allow Musadiq Aadil, a senior Hurriyat executive member, to meet senior Hurriyat leader Ghulam Nabi Zaki in District Jail Baramulla,” Zaki’s son Ashiq Hussain said. He said Zaki has been lodged at the Baramulla jail, where he was in police custody since more than two weeks. Meanwhile, spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) has condemned the continuous house arrest of JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik at his Maisuma residence. Soon after his arrival from Pakistan, the police had detained him at Srinagar Airport on March 9 and put him under house arrest.
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A day-long shutdown call by separatist council Muttahidda Majlis-e-Mushawarat today evoked partial response as most businesses in the city remained open.
