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Partial shutdown over fake medicines in Valley
Forum demands action against suppliers of spurious medicines
Police, administration, civil society to counsel stone-throwers
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MLA threatens to gherao CM’s house
Two killed, two injured in road accidents in Kashmir
Rain brings down day
temperature
Residents walk with an umbrella as showers lashed Srinagar on Saturday. Tribune photo: Amin War
Traffic department talks tough
Kashmir gets a post office for tourists at Gulmarg
Post Master General John Samuel (third from left) releases special cover at the tourist post office in Gulmarg on Saturday. A Tribune photograph
Germany a new job destination for Kashmiri youth: Experts
HC disposes of Nayeem Khan’s application seeking jail term in Srinagar
‘Need for reconstructing concept of democracy’
Mattu is new PC spokesperson
Two bodies found in Srinagar
‘Adopt proactive attitude on HR abuses in J&K’
Teenage girl consumes poison in Anantnag
Assn condemns manhandling of govt official
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Partial shutdown over fake medicines in Valley
Srinagar, April 20 Many schools, colleges and universities in the region also remained closed in view of the shutdown. High Court Bar Association had also suspended its work at the courts as “mark of protest” against government’s "inaction". Shops and other businesses remained open in the peripheral areas of the city. A protest demonstration was conducted during the day by a group of pharmacists in the city here demanding an independent probe into the approval of fake medicines for sale in the hospitals and disbanding of Central Purchase Committee which had approved the medicines. The scam pertaining to sale of spurious drugs surfaced when an analytical report of an antibiotic drug found that it contained no medicine. As per the details provided by an association of doctors, around 2 lakh fake Maximizin-625 tablets were distributed in the Valley hospitals during 2011-2012, which could have led to deaths in these hospitals. The state government has already filed a case against the drug company which manufactured the spurious antibiotic drug Maximizane-625 milligrams, which has been found to be containing zero milligram Amoxicillin instead of containing 500 milligram Amoxicillin. |
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Forum demands action against suppliers of spurious medicines
Srinagar, April 20 Among others, the meeting was attended by office-bearers including Kanal Sheikh Nematulla, advocate Shoaib Malik, advocate Faisal Javid, Mir Iqbal and Mir Javid. “Findings relating to drugs by the lone laboratory concerned in the Valley have revealed presence of starch, sand, fungus etc, which are highly harmful to health. Such drugs may have caused numerous deaths in hospitals of the Valley. We urge the government to act against such unscrupulous elements, who have been playing with the health and lives of people,” said the forum’s spokesman. The chairman of the forum filed a PIL in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir on December 27, 2012, against supply of spurious drugs. On March 31, the forum organised a seminar in the office of Deputy Commissioner Srinagar to make people aware of hazards of spurious drugs. The speakers urged the government to take action against those involved in trade of spurious drugs and causing loss to precious lives. The meeting also took a dig at the Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) for raising its voice much later than anticipated. “DAK woke up to the serious issue only after much harm had been done and people are on the streets. DAK’s resentment in time could have saved thousands of deaths over the years,” he said. The forum’s chairman urged doctors not to prescribe substandard and spurious drugs to patients in government-run hospitals and private clinics. “They must maintain the belief of patients that doctors are next to the Almighty. It is high time the government acted against offenders in order to deter potential offenders,” said the chairman. He also raised voice against supply of contaminated water by public health engineering department. “Potable drinking water is a must for healthy life. Consumption of contaminated water leads to water-borne diseases like hepatitis, typhoid, and diarrhoeal illnesses. The authorities must ensure supply of potable water to people,” he said. |
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Police, administration, civil society to counsel stone-throwers
Baramulla, April 20 As a part of the strategy, the police has handed over a list of youths to members of the civil society. Youths hailing from different areas of the town are involved in stone-throwing incidents from time to time. As the next course of action, members of the civil society will hold meetings with Mohalla presidents and make efforts to motivate the youth to give up such acts and join the mainstream. The consensus on the matter reached out after the two-hour long meeting between members of the civil society and senior officers of the police and civil administration. The meeting was held at the Dak-Bungalow, Baramulla, on Thursday was attended by the DIG, DC, SP and other officers. The district administration hailed the decision and hoped that the move would play an important role in reforming the youth, who have chosen the wrong path. “The police has already handed over the list of wanted youth to the respectables and I am hopeful that they would motivate the youths to shun the path of violence. During the meeting, we urged the members to make them mend their ways or the police will be forced to bring them to the mainstream,” said Ghulam Ahmad Khawaja, Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla. According to the DC, it was a third such meeting between members of the civil society and senior officers of the police and civil administration during the past few months. “People and traders in the town want normalcy to gain ground. The objective of such an effort is to bring such miscreants into the mainstream without harming them and putting them into a legal tangle,” added the DC. Local residents have hailed the move. “This is a great move and would provide chances to many youths to get rid of detentions and legal recourse for their release. The youth, wanted in such cases, should waste no time in giving up unlawful acts and join the mainstream,” said a local resident. People and traders in the town strongly resisted a group of stone throwers on Friday and thrashed them before setting them free. A scene was created near the bus stand in Baramulla on Friday, when some traders got hold of some stone throwers and thrashed them. After throwing stones reportedly towards the Baramulla police station at the Jadeed link road, the miscreants re-surfaced near bus stand and started throwing stones again.
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MLA threatens to gherao CM’s house
Srinagar, April 20 Expressing serious concern over the inaction of the government as no one had been held responsible in the scandal so far, the independent MLA sought to institute a judicial commission to find out the facts related to supply of spurious drugs for patients in various hospitals in Kashmir valley. Rasheed demanded an FIR against those responsible for supplying such medicines, after finding out the adverse impact of the drugs on the lives
of patients. He said he had raised the issue of spurious drugs in the Assembly, as a result of which, problems were brought to light. Rasheed also questioned the role of the ruling NC’s coalition partner, the Congress, in the issue relating to spurious drugs. The MLA also blamed the Centre for adopting
a “policy on supplying spurious drugs” to the Kashmir hospitals that was endangering lives of the patients. |
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Two killed, two injured in road accidents in Kashmir
Srinagar, April 20 In another accident, a motorcycle hit and injured a four-year-old boy, identified as Mohammad Asif Peer, in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The injured boy has been admitted in the Sub-District Hospital, Kupwara, for treatment, the police said. Meanwhile, one person died and another was injured near a south Kashmir town in two separate road accidents yesterday. A bus hit a scooter at Gojwara Chowk in the old city here, resulting in injuries to Fayaz Ahmad Kinoo, a resident of Parimpora. The injured was shifted to SKIMS hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the spokesman said. The body of the deceased was handed over to his relatives for the last rites. Another person, identified as Asif Ahmad Wagay, a resident of Qazigund, was injured when a passenger cab hit him near Shankerpora Dooru in Anantnag district. The injured has been shifted to a hospital for treatment.
— TNS |
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Rain brings down day
temperature
Srinagar, April 20 Rainfall was recorded in several parts of the Kashmir region including in Srinagar city and in towns of northern and southern districts, according to an official of the state Meteorological department. The precipitation led to a fall in mercury in Srinagar city as the day temperature here rose to a maximum of 15.3 degree Celsius, making for a decline of around seven degree from Friday’s 21.9 degree Celsius. Srinagar city, where the sky was overcast throughout the day, received four millimetre rainfall, the official said. The cold weather forced residents, most of whom were already indoors due to a shutdown, to switch back to winter-wear. The state weather department said more precipitation including snowfall is likely to occur in Kashmir region in the next 24 hours, and it would last till Sunday evening. In its forecast bulletin, the Meteorological department said moderate rain and snow will occur at most places over hills in Kashmir division and at a few places in Jammu and Ladakh region. The weather department also issued a warning in which it said heavy snowfall is likely to occur from Zojila pass to Drass town in the next 36 hours, ending on Monday morning. Zojila pass, which was recently opened for traffic after remaining closed due to snow for several winter months, is located over 100 kilometres from Srinagar city along the mountainous road to Ladakh region.
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Traffic department talks tough
Srinagar, April 20 Kumar said the traffic policemen had been told to be strict against the violators and not to listen to any excuses. “There is a tendency that the drivers come up with many excuses, but I have asked my men to deal with any traffic violation stringently from Sunday so that a strong message is conveyed to the people that they have to follow the traffic rules and regulations,” the DIG added. The Traffic Department has also decided to penalise the drivers found violating the traffic rules. The enforcement would not be limited to city only. “The drive against the violators will not be limited in Srinagar only, but we will enforce the traffic rules strictly in other parts of the Valley,” Kumar said. The number of deaths may have come down in the state, but the roads continue to remain the major killer. In the last four years, more than a thousand people have been killed in more than 25 thousand road accidents in the state. The major reason for the high causalities is over speeding, overloading, driving without
licences, absence of road signs and poor coordination between various government agencies. Over the last three years, the number of vehicles in the state has increased phenomenally at a rate of over ten per cent.
The rules
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Kashmir gets a post office for tourists at Gulmarg
Srinagar, April 20 The post office shall also sell special covers released by the Department of Posts from time to time. Besides special covers, the tourists will find picture postcards. As a special feature, the post office will provide ‘my stamp’ facilities. ‘My stamp’ is a personalised stamp and can be preserved as souvenirs or used as postage. Gulmarg is the second post office in the Valley to provide my stamp services after the Srinagar General Post Office (GPO). Chief Post Master General John Samuels, who inaugurated the post office said, “Gulmarg is an important tourist destination travelled by tourists from India and foreign countries.” “Keeping in view the tourism potential of Gulmarg, the Department of Posts has come up with a modernised post office at Gulmarg with all the facilities for its customers, especially tourists,” he added. Alex Koshai, manager, Khyber Hotel, Gulmarg, said it was their pleasure as Gulmarg residents now had the modern post office to provide them all the latest services. He congratulated the J&K Postal Circle for the modernisation project. Tariq Hussain Ganie, CEO, Gulmarg Development Authority, in his address, congratulated the Chief Post Master General for modernising the Gulmarg Post Office. As a part of the post office festival, one special cover and five picture post cards were also released on Gulmarg. The release of special cover and post cards is an attempt to create awareness about the beauty of Gulmarg by means of philately. These special covers are collected by philatelists worldwide. The Post Office will function from 9 am to 5 pm and provide all facilities like registered post, speed post, savings bank, insurance facilities. Post shop is a new attraction containing stationery items, packaging material, gift items etc. The post shop has been provided with a view that the post office is a tourist post office and tourists will find it helpful to have easy packaging at their disposal. A letter-writing competition on the theme ‘How to make my office self sufficient’ was also held as a part of the festival. The participants included Gramin Dak Sewaks of the department. |
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Germany a new job destination for Kashmiri youth: Experts
Srinagar, April 20 This came to light in the German conference ‘Make It to Germany’, which was held at the Kashmir University today. The conference was organised by the Centre for Career Planning and Counselling (CCPC), KU, in collaboration with the German Development Corporation (GDC), Germany. Sangeeta Chauhan, adviser, German Development Corporation, Germany, said Germany needed skilled employees in addition to its own nationals. “Companies in many sectors in Germany are experiencing a shortage of skilled staff, especially in the health sector, and in sectors requiring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) qualification,” she informed. “Students need to horn their technical skills to avail these opportunities and secure their livelihood,” said Chauhan. She said the ‘Make-it-to-Germany’ initiative was to attract technical professionals to work in Germany. Our aim was also to talk to various applicants, counsel them and help them to apply for various jobs in Germany through our portal, she added. She welcomed the youth of the state to avail this opportunity and informed them to log on to their web portal www.make-it-in-germany.com for further information. A top-level team from the GDC are on a visit to the University of Kashmir to offer information regarding opportunities of training, employment and research in Germany. KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmed said the aim of this initiative was to attract young and qualified professionals from the areas of Science & Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, management and other fields to pursue higher studies or to work in Germany. Talat said, “German is one of the second widely spoken languages of the world. It comprises 18 percent of the world’s literature.” He added that the university would explore all the possibilities of entering into meaningful and productive collaboration with academic institutions and industry in Germany to create a better and brighter future for the new generation. |
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HC disposes of Nayeem Khan’s application seeking jail term in Srinagar
Srinagar, April 20 These instructions were passed by a single bench of the J-K High Court while disposing of an application filed by Khan through his counsel M Ashraf Wani. Khan, in his application, had sought change of his lodgment to the Central Jail, Srinagar, instead of Kotebalwal Jail, where he is currently detained under the PSA. Khan was produced before a local court here on April 17 and was facing trial in connection with a case (FIR 72/2011) registered against him in Karan Nagar police station. Later, he was admitted to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar, on the directions of the said court following submissions by Khan’s counsel that his client was not keeping well and needed immediate medical check-up. Khan had moved an application seeking change in lodgment, which is also hearing a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention under the PSA. Earlier on April 18, the High Court had sought a status report from the government on the matter, which was later submitted to the HC by the authorities concerned. Khan, who is also a senior executive member of the Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was booked under the Public Safety Act on April 5 and had been lodged at high-security Kotebalwal Jail in the Jammu region. Subsequently, Khan had challenged his detention under the PSA by filing a habeas corpus petition before the High Court, which was still pending disposal.
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‘Need for reconstructing concept of democracy’
Srinagar, April 20 Dibeyesh Anand, Associate Professor in International Relations and Director of Research, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster, London, was the chief guest on the occasion. While talking about the existence of state, he said, “The state exists for people and humanity is the most important thing that a state should take care off. It is the duty of the state to uphold the basic and natural rights of its citizens and provide complete security to them.” Earlier, Department of Political Science head Prof Noor Ahmad Baba said Democracy involves empowering people at different levels, including minorities. “It is important to face the new challenges posed to the present politics and security.” He said there was a need to redefine democracy, its issues and reconstruct the concept of real democracy and development. Prof Sidiq Wahid was the chairperson on the occasion while Aijaz Ashraf Wani, assistant professor, Department of Political Science, was the seminar coordinator. The lecture was followed by an interactive session where the students posed different questions related to the topic. |
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Mattu is new PC spokesperson
Srinagar, April 20 This was decided by the party during a meeting which was chaired by Sajad Lone and attended by PC general secretary Rashid Mehmood and
outgoing Srinagar district president, Mattu, besides other party functionaries from the Srinagar district. “Mattu, the present Srinagar district president, has been appointed as the spokesperson of the party and Qadri, the PC leader from Zadibal Constituency has been appointed as the new district president of the party for Srinagar,” a party spokesman said. While congratulating Mattu and Qadri on their new appointments, PC Chairman, Lone said he had faith in the young brigade of the party. “I believe that they will usher Srinagar into a corrective era of justice, prosperity and development,” Lone said in a statement. |
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Two bodies found in Srinagar
Srinagar, April 20 The body of Mohammad Lateef Khan, 30, a resident of Lachmanpora locality of the city’s Batamaloo neighbourhood, was recovered from river Jhelum near In another incident, police recovered the body of a 60-year-old man near KMD bus yard at MA
Road here. Ghulam Rasool Bhat, 60, a resident of Pamposh Colony of Natipora locality, was found dead near the yard, the police spokesman said. Bhat’s body was sent for autopsy and the police is said to have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. |
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‘Adopt proactive attitude on HR abuses in J&K’
Srinagar, April 20 The message was conveyed to human rights activists and civil society members from across India, who assembled in Srinagar, to discuss institutional violence perpetrated in Jammu and Kashmir during a day-long seminar on “institutional violence” to commemorate the 9th death anniversary of Aasia Jeelani. Aasia, a Kashmir-based human rights activist, was killed during a mine blast in north Kashmir on April 20, 2004, while travelling as part of an election monitoring group.
— TNS
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Teenage girl consumes poison in Anantnag
Anantnag, April 20 According to reports, the 19-year-old girl consumed some poisonous substance at home. “She was rushed to the local hospital after her family came to know about it,” said reports. She was later shifted to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar for specialised treatment. Police officers said they are yet to ascertain the reasons that led the girl to take the extreme step. “A case has been registered and investigation has been initiated,” said a police officer. |
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Assn condemns manhandling of govt official
Srinagar, April 20 Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo had slapped the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kishtawar Development Authority (KDA), Riaz Ahmed Choudhary, in Kishtawar district on Thursday. The incident took place just before a function for the inauguration of Kishtawar campus of the Jammu University by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on April 18.
— TNS |
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Intermittent light rains lashed Kashmir region since early morning on Saturday, bringing down the day temperature nearly seven notches as the weather department forecast more rain and snow in the coming hours.
Rainfall was recorded in several parts of the Kashmir region including in Srinagar city and in towns of northern and southern districts, according to an official of the state Meteorological department.
The Department of Posts today threw open the tourist post office of Kashmir in the picturesque Gulmarg valley.
The tourist post office has been upgraded with all the facilities which caters to the needs of tourists such as post shop facilities containing packaging material, dry fruits and saffron.
