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Valley reels under power crisis
Sangarmaal shopping fest a damp squib
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Govt urged to make draft of Education Policy public
Ram Navami celebrated with fervour across Valley
271 youth join Army
Body of minor boy remains untraced
Vehicles have increased, but not parking space
Strike continues to hit Revenue Dept
Drivers being made to pay through the nose
Malik detained, protest march to city centre foiled
PDP attracting people on its performance, agenda: Mehbooba
Sinthan Road to open for traffic in May first week
25-year-old woman electrocuted
Langar organised on Ram Navami
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Valley reels under power crisis
Srinagar, April 19 The state government is not in a position to purchase power from the Centre due to financial constraints. The present power scenario has been irking the traders, especially those associated with tourism and students. The crisis has hit hard the people at a time when the tourist season has started and the academic session in educational institutions has begun after three-month-long winter vacations. “There has been a shortage earlier this month but now it has improved to a large extent”, said Muzaffar Mattoo, chief engineer, PDD, Kashmir. He said the power generation would improve in the days to come as more production is expected from the hydel projects in the state. “The generation of power from Baglihar project has gone up from 250 MW to 400 MW”, he said. Though the situation has improved in parts of the capital city, most of the areas across the Kashmir valley have been reeling under heavy power cuts ranging from 10 to 20 hours per day. The crisis has led to protests against erratic power supplies in different parts of the Valley during the past few weeks. “Though there is a slight improvement in the power situation in various parts of the city, the problem continues”, said Siraj Ahmad of the Kashmir Economic Alliance. He said the power shortage leads to a lot of inconvenience to tourists visiting the Valley. “This is a basic facility and it needs to be provided without break,” he added. Other trade organisations, including the Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF), have also expressed concern over the dismal power scenario which has hit the tourism industry at a time when the tourist season has started. The power crisis has hit the state, particularly the Kashmir valley, at a time when the seat of the government shifts to the summer capital by the end of this month. The Civil Secretariat and other state government offices would be moving from Jammu, winter capital of the state, to Srinagar later this month. The Civil Secretariat, housing the offices of the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and the top bureaucracy, and other move offices, the Raj Bhawan, Chief Justice of the state High Court and the Police Headquarters would start functioning from the summer capital from May 6, after closing down in Jammu a week earlier. Tourism industry AFFECTED
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Sangarmaal shopping fest a damp squib
Srinagar, April 19 The Heritage Sangarmaal Shopping Complex, which witnessed the presence of who’s who of the city on the inaugural day, wears a deserted look now. The Department of Tourism’s Peerzo Island Restaurant, which had opened its outlet on the lawns of this mall, has also shut down after finding no takers since the festival began. The Srinagar Development Authority officials, who are coordinators of the festival, said the public got shooed away in the absence of stalls, which are expected at any shopping festival. “Last year, the festival was a huge success because we managed to rope in big brands in apparel, education and food sectors at the Sangarmaal lawns. This time we decided to engage the outsiders also and they are yet to put up their stalls. The enthusiasm among the people has also mellowed down,” an official wishing anonymity told Kashmir Tribune. A Café Coffee Day outlet in the mall is also wrapping up as no one has visited their outlet during the festival. An all-men garments store, which is located on the ground floor of the mall, is the only stall which is selling some stuff right now. “We are doing good business probably because we are the only stall here. It is actually a flop show. A musical band and local artistes also performed in the evenings on the initial days but they have also vanished now. Why will people turn up when there is nothing happening?” a stall owner said. The officials, however, brushed off the rumours that the festival will die down anytime soon although it is supposed to continue till mid-May. “We are negotiating with various business fraternities and their participation is ensured. Next week, we have several events lined up which will attract the people’s attention,” an official said. |
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Govt urged to make draft of Education Policy public
Srinagar, April 19 Educationists said making a draft of the Education Policy public will help in improving it and any changes, if necessary on the basis of public opinion, could be made. At present, there are no guidelines for regulating the fee structure of private schools and it has irked the parents and educationists alike. The fee structure of various private schools in the Valley varies from Rs 500 per month to Rs 2,500 per month. The same is the case with transportation fee, which varies from Rs 400 per month to Rs 900 per month. “Practically there is no monitoring system as far as the functioning of private schools is concerned in the Valley. The School Education Department is only concerned with de-recognising schools on the basis of its infrastructure but ignores the fact that these schools have turned into money-minting apparatus,” said Saleema Firdous, a parent. Over the years, various efforts of the School Education Department in tightening the noose around private schools of the Valley have failed. It even led to protests by parents and the civil society against the high-handedness of private schools. Even the Right to Education Act, which came into force in the state in 2010, could not regulate the functioning of private schools. Although formulation of the State Advisory Board for drafting the Education Policy has been welcomed by parents, common masses have urged the authorities to make the draft of the Education Policy public so that their feedback could also be incorporated. “The framing of Education Policy is a good initiative but it shouldn’t be left to the high-rung officials of the Education Department alone. I suggest the Department of School Education should make the draft of the policy public on its website and open to feedback,” said Dr Mubeen Khan, an educationist. |
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Ram Navami celebrated with fervour across Valley
Srinagar, April 19 The main function was held at Kathleswar Mandir at Tankipora and later a procession was taken out that passed through various areas like Habba Kadal, Barbar Shah, Jehangir Chowk, Hari Singh High Street and Residency Road among others. Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir (HWSK) spokesman Chunni Lal said the procession was organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON), Srinagar.
Members of the Muslim community too were seen greeting Pandits as the procession passed off peacefully and with pomp. Besides offering prayers, Lal said Kashmiri Pandits keep fast for nine days from 1st Navratra till Ram Navami. “We fast for nine days and pray at our homes during these days. We don’t cook non-vegetarian food or use onions during these days,” Lal told The Tribune. He said prayers were also held at other temples of the city. Devotees were seen visiting the temples in the morning. The festival was also observed at other parts of the Valley. At south Kashmir’s Ruganath Ram temple, Anantnag, a hawan and ‘puranahuti’ was organised by the Swami Mahan Ganash Dasjis Committee (SMGDC). A langar was also organised by the SMGDC for the devotees. Anantnag Prabandak Committee (APC) chairman Jigen Goja said the festival was observed with traditional fervour in south Kashmir along with other parts of the Valley. Goja said Pandits would take out a grand procession from Anantnag to Srinagar on Janamashtami later this year.
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271 youth join Army
Srinagar, April 19 The passing-out parade, depicting the graduation of a recruit after his training as a young soldier, was held at the JAK LI Regimental Centre, Srinagar. The ceremony was presided over by Lt Gen Om Prakash, GOC, Chinar Corps, and was attended by over 1,500 persons, including parents and relatives of the young soldiers. “The young daunting soldiers of the Regiment, hailing from all regions and religions of the state, took oath in unison to serve the nation. Their ceremonial ardour and salute to the Tricolour, with the National Anthem playing, inspired patriotic vigour in one and all present,” a defence spokesman said. Recruit Inder Kumar Sharma was adjudged the overall best and was presented with the ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’ Sheikh Abdullah Sword of Honour.
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Body of minor boy remains untraced
Handwara, April 19 Authorities had pressed into service six motor boats and the men equipped with diving tools made extensive searches in the stream all through the day. “We are trying hard to fish out the body of the deceased. It appears that fast-flowing waters of the stream have driven the body much downwards,” said a police official. Bereaved family members and large number of locals had gathered on the banks of the river in the hope of seeing his body. On Wednesday, the boy had gone to the stream along with his three-year-old sister. While returning home, he slipped into the stream around 12 noon. The police on Thursday sought the help of Navy divers and motor boats in the rescue operation but to no avail. The water level in the river has gone up due to incessant rains during the past few days. A senior police official said the rescue operation was called off around 6 pm due to diminishing light and would resume tomorrow. “We have called off the rescue operation and will resume it tomorrow,” he said.
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Vehicles have increased, but not parking space
Anantnag, April 19 The residents and the business fraternity allege that despite their sincere efforts, the authorities have been at their “callous best” in upgrading the parking facilities in the town. “The only thing the authorities have been doing all these years is to put curbs on roadside parking but that is not the solution,” said Muhammad Amin, member of the Traders Federation, here in Anantnag. Others said the authorities had never been concerned about the business getting affected. “We lose potential customers just because the policemen do not let them park their cars by the roadside. Where are they supposed to park it then?” asked Sajad Shafi, a shopkeeper. People said an underground parking was to be constructed beneath the new Municipal Shopping Mall, “We were expecting some of our parking woes will ease off. But the irony is that the mall itself does not seem to get completed in the years to come, leave alone the parking,” said Muhammad Akbar, a shopkeeper in the Lal-Chowk area of the town. The district administration, however maintains that it is just a matter of time before they get the problem solved. “We are trying to decongest the town by moving some of the bus stands out of the town. That way we can garner good space to be used for the parking purpose,” said a senior official in the District Administration, Anantnag. He hoped that the plan was implemented soon without any hiccups, while acknowledging the woes of the businessmen of the town. “The administration understands the hardships that the locals and the business establishments have to face because of this menace and I am hopeful that we will be able to get this system rectified soon,” said the official. |
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Strike continues to hit Revenue Dept
Srinagar, April 19 The strike began on April 7 and there seems to be no immediate end to the woes of the people as talks between the government and the striking employees have failed to break the impasse. “As both the government and the striking employees are not ready to budge, the common people continue to suffer,” said Abdul Hamid, a resident of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Hamid had applied for a backward certificate for his daughter but due to the strike he has not been able to process it. “The patwari has to do a survey and I am being told that they are on an indefinite strike, so I am not able to do anything,” he said. The provincial president of the J&K Patwari Association, M Yaseen, said the government had left them with no option but to go on an indefinite strike. “A meeting was held on March 5, 2012, under the chairmanship of the Revenue Minister and it was decided that all our genuine demands will be fulfilled but till date
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Drivers being made to pay through the nose
Kupwara, April 19 “We are forced to pay Rs 50 at five check posts between Handwara and Baramulla. According to the norms, there should be only two such posts between the two towns but the authorities have placed five check posts here,” said Mohd Shafi, driver of a passenger vehicle. The drivers said they were forced to pay around Rs 6,000 per each driver as toll tax to the municipal committee. “Each driver makes two to three trips to Baramulla each day. In stead of two check posts, six posts have been set up by the municipal committee to collect toll tax, which is injustice towards the drivers,” said another driver, Rafiq Ahmad. The drivers appealed to the Transport Minister to personally intervene into the matter and address their problems. “Extra payment in terms of toll tax is severely affecting our livelihood. We appeal to the concerned minister to personally intervene and remove at least four check posts between the two towns to relieve us from the additional expenditure,” he added. The drivers in Kupwara also demanded that the extra check posts between Kupwara and Baramulla be removed at the earliest. “We are made to pay extra in terms of toll tax to the municipality. In spite of our repeated pleas, the authorities have not bothered to address our problems,” Director of Local Bodies, Kashmir, Shakeel Ahmad said according to the norms, the drivers had to submit entry fee in their respective towns and if they were forced to pay entry fee in the other town, they should report to his office. “I am unaware of the problem being faced by the drivers. According to the norms, the drivers are required to submit their entry fee at check posts in their respective towns. In case they are charged more they should make a written complaint and suitable action under the law will be taken,” said Ahmad. |
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Malik detained, protest march to city centre foiled
Srinagar, April 19 Malik was detained along with a dozen party members and separatist activists, when he was leading a protest demonstration towards Lal Chowk, a JKLF spokesman said. Those detained include JKLF’s vice-chairman Bashir Ahmad Bhat, JKLF (H) leader Javed Mir, Muslim Conference chairman Shabir Ahmad Dar and JKLF members Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Mohammad Yasin Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, Sheikh Abdul Rashid and Mohammad Sidiq Shah. The protest march began from the Maisuma area of the city, which also houses the main office of the JKLF. A large number of police and CRPF personnel were deployed near the Maisuma crossing, which connects the locality with Lal Chowk, to stop the march. The police had also sealed other roads leading in and out of the Maisuma, eyewitnesses said. The march was in response to the call for Friday afternoon demonstrations, given by a separatist council Mutahidda Majlis-e-Mushawarat (MMM), which is spearheading the demand for return of bodies of 2001 Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and 1960s militant commander Mohammad Maqbool Butt. While Guru was hanged in February this year, Butt was hanged in February 1984. Both of them were buried in New Delhi’s Tihar jail where they were hanged. Mutahidda Majlis-e-Mushawarat was formed after the hanging of Guru and includes both the factions of separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference, hardliner women separatist outfit Dukhataran-e-Millat and the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front.
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PDP attracting people on its performance, agenda: Mehbooba
Srinagar, April 19 Addressing workers who joined the party today, she said even though the NC had tried all methods, fair and fowl, to prevent any opposition, it had failed to curb the forces of history. Those who joined PDP included vice-president of state Congress Abdul Majid Padder. Padder hails from Noorabad constituency in Kulgam district and is one of the senior most politicians of the area. On this occasion, a noted physician from Manzgam Noorabad, Dr Mohd Ayoub, who gave up his medical career in Saudi Arabia, also joined the party. Welcoming Padder, Ayoub and other political workers into the party-fold, Mehbooba said PDP was attracting people from other parties only on the strength of its agenda, its performance in government and in opposition and the vision and sincerity of its leadership. She said NC had first felt threatened by the emergence of Congress as a viable alternative under the leadership of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, way back in mid-80s. “Instead of putting his party house in order, Dr Farooq Abdullah adopted the line of least resistance and struck on disastrous deal with the Congress to scuttle local opposition. By doing so, Farooq squeezed the space for opposition, which is an essential requirement for a genuine democracy. This suicidal and unprincipled tie-up led to disenchantment with both the parties, Congress as well as the NC,” she said. On this occasion, senior party leader and former finance Minister Tariq Hameed Karra, MLA Sofi Abdul Gaffar, Chief Spokesman Naeem Akhtar, district president Nazir Ahmed Laway, Manzoor Ahmed Zargar and others were also present.
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Sinthan Road to open for traffic in May first week
Srinagar, April 19 During a meeting of Minister of State for Road and Building Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo with Chief Engineer, BEACON, Brig RK Sharma here today, directions were passed to reopen the road after snow clearance. “Kichloo asked Sharma to complete the snow clearance work of the road so that it is reopened for vehicular traffic by the first week of May. He also discussed the issue of installation of crash barriers along Batote-Kishtwar road and immediate surfacing and pre-mixing of the Kandni-Kishtwar road with BEACON Chief Engineer,” an official said after the meeting, which was held to discuss issues pertaining to the repair work of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. "The Chief Engineer assured him that the repair work on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and all other important road links in the state will be taken up immediately," the official added.
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25-year-old woman electrocuted
Srinagar, April 19 Tabassum Rashid, a post-graduate student of Budgam’s Wadwun village, died at her home due to electrocution when she was repairing a heater, a police spokesman said. She was rushed to Primary Health Centre, Soibugh, where the doctors declared her brought dead, the spokesman said.
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Langar organised on Ram Navami
Srinagar, April 19 The langar was organised at a hotel on the Boulevard, Dal Lake, and was attended by a large number of people. Pooja was also held on the occasion. Commanding officer of the 144 Battalion MR Alam, who was present on the occasion, wished people on the occasion. The function was also attended by commanding officer of the 144 Battalion, CRPF, SCS Rawat and officers of the 144 Battalion.
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