Srinagar, March 23
Clashes broke out in several parts of the old city here today as protesters pelted policemen and paramilitary personnel with stones, partially disrupting the morning rush hour traffic in the area.

The clashes erupted at several places including Rainawari, Nowhatta and Gojwara, according to local residents and eyewitnesses.

A local resident said the protesters were demonstrating against ransacking of their houses by paramilitary personnel last evening when a protest had ended in the area.

The resident said paramilitary personnel ransacked several houses and broke the windowpanes by hitting them with stones.

Another resident said the protests had erupted after the arrest of a teenage boy in the area.

The sudden protest during the late morning hours triggered panic and disrupted traffic flow in the area as passenger and private cabs opted for interior routes and lanes to move out of the old city.

Shops and other businesses in several localities of the old city also remained shut for most part of the day. No senior police officer was available for comment.

Srinagar, March 23
University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC) of University of Kashmir has been felicitated with the “Partnership Award” at the Seventh National Grassroots Innovations and Outstanding Traditional Knowledge Awards for ‘furthering the cause of Grassroots Innovations Movement’ by providing incubation support to the innovators over the years in the Kashmir region.

The award function was organised by National Innovation Foundation- India (NIF), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India at Rashtrapati Bhawan Delhi, where the awards were given away by President Pranab Mukherjee.

During the function, 68 innovators/traditional knowledge-holders and five communities were awarded and appreciated.

Director USIC, KU GM Bhat, after receiving the award, said receiving the award means that efforts of the department to support innovative ideas have been recognised and appreciated.

“I feel honoured to receive the award on the behalf of the university, which is playing a leading role in incubating innovative ideas in the region,” said Bhat.

USIC supports grassroots innovators by scouting them at different levels and is also sponsoring many innovators.

During the function, Mushtaq Ahmad Dar of USIC was also awarded with the National Serial Innovator Award for innovating manual walnut peeler. A consolation prize was given to Refaz Ahmad Wani and Ishfaq Ahmad for the idea of creating a hoe-cum-spade. Atleast 20,000 entries were received by organisers in Innovative Technologies category and 15,000 entries in Traditional Knowledge Practice category were also received from across India.

Other institutes felicitated with the Partnership Award include Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University and National Centre for Cell Science, Pune.

USIC has done many innovative works in the past like the automatic fodder feeding system for cattle, paddy plantation machine, low cost hand-controlled drive vehicle for physically challenged, walnut de-huller, poll climber, blanket washing machine, modified iron cutter, modified kerosene stove and electrical painting brush. — TNS

Kupwara, March 23
Traders of bypass market in Kupwara on Saturday protested against alleged high-handedness of an executive officer of the municipal committee and his men.

The traders blocked Kupwara-Chowkibal road near the bypass for about two hours from 2.30 pm. Trouble erupted when officials of the committee led by executive engineer Ghulam Mohidin raided a few shops at the bypass and allegedly slapped two shopkeepers for putting up makeshift stalls in front of their shops.

The traders alleged that the officer slapped the traders.

“He alighted from the vehicle and went to a shop straightaway. Without saying anything, he slapped a shopkeeper. Is this the way to punish even an offender, without a warning?” said a shopkeeper.

Following this, the traders downed the shutters of their shops and held protests against the committee. They raised slogans against the committee and soon blocked the road.

Transport remained halted for about two hours. A police team rushed to the spot and picked up three shopkeepers.

They threatened to intensify protests if the detained shopkeepers, Nasir Ahmad, Wahid Ahmad Dar and Bilal Ahmad Pir were not released forthwith.

They demanded action under the law against the erring officer and his transfer. “The officer tried to enforce his officialdom on poor traders. Although no shopkeeper was guilty of any offence, he tried to implicate them. He should be transferred from here and punished under law,” it was stated.

Traders Federation Kupwara president Haji Ghulam Mohd Mir and senior shopkeepers later visited police post Kupwara and the shopkeepers were released from custody.

Following their release, the market opened and traffic was restored to normal around 5 pm.

Srinagar, March 23
A day after the Supreme Court directed the authorities that General Secretary of Geelani-led Hurriyat and Muslim League chairman Masarat Alam Bhat should be informed a week in advance in case government intends to detain him, a local court here has sent him to judicial remand till March 25 in connection with a 2008 case.

Masarat is also facing a case before the court in north Kashmir on March 26, where police has already produced a challan (chargesheet) against him in a 2010 case.

Bhat, who since his arrest in 2010 has been booked five times under PSA by the authorities, had challenged his continuous detention before the Supreme Court in January this year.

The Jammu and Kashmir government had informed the apex court on Friday that Masarat’s detention under Public Safety Act has been revoked on March 18.

“He was produced before the 4th Additional session Judge Srinagar today by the police in connection with an FIR registered against him at police station Rainawari in 2008,” a Hurriyat spokesman told The Tribune, adding that he was brought to Srinagar from Kathua jail overnight.

“The judge concerned has sent him to judicial remand in Central Jail 
Srinagar till March 25, when he is to be produced again before the court,” 
he added.

The police, he said, has also produced a challan against Masarat Alam in a court in Pattan in north Kashmir in connection with an FIR registered against him under sections 148, 149, 332, 336, 307 and 427 of RPC at police station Pattan.

“The said court has fixed the hearing in the case on March 26 and Masarat is likely to be produced there too,” he added.

Kupwara, March 23
About 150 students of Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School, Handwara, held a protest against the school management for failing them in Class eleventh. They raised slogans against the management and boycotted classes.

The students said the institution was the only one in the district which had failed them in violation of set rules and regulations.

“Even after poor performance of students in class eleventh in many other schools, no student has been failed in the current academic session. The school management has violated the rules and regulations by failing us in two subjects and put our career at stake,” said a student, Shahnawaz Ahmad.

The students were failed in physics and chemistry subjects. The students appealed to the Director of School Education, Kashmir, to take note of the matter. “Through medium of your newspaper, we make a fervent appeal to the Director, School Education, Kashmir, to take a serious note of the harsh decision taken by the school management and enable us join the next class,” said Rafiq Ahmad, another student.

The parents also voiced their concerns over the failure of their wards. They submitted a memorandum to the Chairman of the Board of School Education and Director, School Education, Kashmir, to re-consider the decision and allow the students to get admission in the next class.

“We faxed a memorandum to both the heads making a fervent plea to allow students to join the next class. Failure in class eleventh will spoil one year of our wards. We hope the heads would consider our plea,” said Hassan, whose two sons are enrolled in the school.

The school principal, Mohd Yusuf said, “The students were failed on account of shortage of attendance, which was unavoidable. We cannot do anything unless the state board allows them to join the next class”.

The school management conducted examination of the students in November and results were declared on Friday. 

Srinagar, March 23
Acclaimed director, writer and producer Faruq Masudi has taken over the charge of the Media Education Research Centre, University of Kashmir (KU).

He has over thirty years of experience of producing and directing more than twenty thousand television serials in the Indian sub-continent and Middle East.

He has travelled extensively and is expected to bring in international exposure to the media studies at KU.

He has returned to his roots in Kashmir after about four decades.

“I am thankful to Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad for reposing his trust in me. I will try my best to come to his expectations,” Masudi said after taking over the charge.

After qualifying his master’s degree in English Literature from KU, Faruq Masudi joined three years programme of film direction at Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

He graduated in 1975 and spent a few years as Chief Assistant Director to some of the most famous Bollywood film directors like Lekh Tandon and Basu Chatterjee. He then moved on to join international advertising agencies like Lintas, Clarion McCann and Redifussion to head their film divisions. In 1984, he was invited by Manhattan Advertising Ltd to head their operations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

In 1988, he was commissioned by the UAE Government, Sharjah, to set up the first ever Urdu TV Channel in the entire Middle East. Masudi successfully established the channel and served there for six years.

His next calling came as Commercial Manager of Sharjah TV, which he served for the following two years. He was also responsible for academic mentorship of mass media students from The American University, Sharjah Campus, for their internships at the channel.

Masoodi is a fiction writer and writes in his mother tongue, Kashmiri. His play ‘College Pather’ and short story ‘Atop the Mountain Caucasus’ have been prescribed in BA and MA syllabi of Kashmiri language by the University of Kashmir.

His radio play ‘Dear, Oh Dear’ has been translated into 26 Indian languages. Masoodi’s two theatrical plays “Die We Must” and “The Runaway Ghost” have already completed twenty years of successful intermittent run on the Kashmiri stage. His short stories have been translated by Sahitya Academy and National Book Trust of India. Masoodi’s debut Hindi feature film Rehguzar had its world premiere in 2007.

Srinagar, March 23
Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Medical College, Bemina, will introduce the course Masters in Ophthalmology, for the academic year 2013-2014, 
as has been directed by
the Medical Council of India (MCI).

“Initially there will be annual intake of two students per year. However, the intake capacity is likely to be enhanced after fulfilment of required criteria,” SKIIMS Medical College spokesperson Kulsoom Bhat said.

The current faculty members in the department of Ophthalmology have done research in various areas like cataract, glaucoma, ocular surface disorder and oculi plasty, which have been 
published in various medical journals.

Director SKIMS Dr Showkat Zargar congratulated the Dean of the Department and 
Academic Section over the achievement.

He said SKIMS would try to provide all the facilities to the students in terms of experienced faculty and advanced facilities and infrastructure.

“This is an acknowledgement of the strength and potential of SKIMS Medical College by MCI to carry out advanced academic courses,” Dr Zargar said. 

Srinagar, March 23
Chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq lashed out at ruling National Conference and opposition People’s Democratic Party for “playing politics over Afzal Guru resolution in Assembly” and has asked them to take lessons 
from the DMK, which withdrew support to the government at centre over Sri Lanka resolution.

“Mirwaiz said while DMK respected the sentiments of their people on the issue of human rights abuses against Tamils in Sri Lanka and withdrew support to the United Progressive Alliance Government, National Conference and People’s Democratic Party, as always, chose to surrender the sentiments of Kashmiris without an iota of shame”, the spokesman quoted Mirwaiz as having said while referring to the fate of Resolution on Afzal in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

The resolution demanding the remains of Afzal was rejected by the Jammu and Kashmir assembly speaker this week.

“If National Conference was serious about its reservations and “opposition” to Afzal Guru’s execution, what stopped it from withdrawing support to the United Progressive Alliance in New Delhi? What stopped Omar Abdullah from recalling Farooq Abdullah from the Cabinet? DMK’s withdrawal of support to the United Progressive Alliance should hang the heads of National Conference and People’s Democratic Party leaders and patrons in shame and they should know that Kashmiris have yet again 
witnessed their treachery and betrayal”, Mirwaiz said while taking on the issue.

“Mirwaz also said India had no moral right to support the United Nations resolution against Sri Lanka for human rights violations against the Tamil population while it was perpetuating similar crimes against Kashmiris everyday”, the spokesman said.

“He said it sadly exposed India's double standards and hypocrisy”, he added.

Srinagar, March 23
Royal Spring Golf Course (RSGC), Srinagar, has been awarded with the ‘Best Tourism Friendly Golf Course Award’.

The award was given by the Union Ministry of Tourism on March 18, for outstanding achievement and contribution to the promotion of tourism in the country.

While expressing his gratitude for the award Secretary, Royal Spring Golf Course, Ghalib Mohi-u-Din, said the golf course had attained a prominent place among the best golf courses of the world.

“RSGC is not only famous in Asia but is also renowned in the entire world,” said Ghalib. “Besides domestic golfers, every year we are witnessing a good number of international golfers here.”

With the Zabarwan Hills in the background and the Dal Lake around the corner, RSGC attracts a lot of golfers. The golf course has been made on the international standards and was thrown open in 2001.

Anantnag, March 23
Putting a question mark on the state government’s decision to identify new tourist destinations across the Valley, the roads leading to villages in the immediate vicinity of Pahalgam, the famous tourist destination in South Kashmir, are in a shambles.

Reports said these villages, with great potential to attract tourists, have been kept devoid of proper roads and other infrastructure.

Reyaz Ahmad, a hotelier in Pahalgam said, “Here we have places with their pristine beauty intact and instead of developing these, the government is looking for other places”.

According to the locals, Aru village is one village with huge tourism potential, it has, however, been neglected on all fronts.

“Despite a road that is in absolute dilapidated condition, Aru village attracts a very good number of tourists every year,” said Gowher Khan, a shopkeeper in the village.

He said Roads and Building (R and B) Department, which is entitled to maintain the road leading to the village, has not bothered to maintain it for years together. As a result, the road is dotted with potholes.

Some villages, reports say, do not even have a road.

The people living in these villages have to tread miles on foot before reaching the nearest road.

“Our area is yet to be connected through a road link and we have to walk several miles from Ganeshpora to reach our village and vice versa,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of the Badwan village.

He said due to the absence of the road, patients and elderly people had to face many hardships and the problem got complicated further during winter season.

The negligence on the part of the authorities is however not limited to the villages only. The Circuit road in Pahalgam town, despite being the only road link to several hotels and hutments, is dotted with potholes.

“We have been requesting the authorities to mend these roads but to no avail,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a hotelier in the Circuit road area.

The government has been insisting the people of these villages to host tourists in their homes, as paying guests, but the people maintain that with no infrastructure, the suggestions of the government sound naïve.

“How will a tourist reach my house even if I decide to host some of them,” asks Raheem Sheikh, a resident of Frislan village.