Srinagar, April 24
At least 961 erring drivers have been challaned and an amount of Rs 1,78,700 realised by the traffic police against erring drivers in its drive to regulate traffic movement in the capital city and elsewhere in the Valley during the first three days so far.

The drive was launched on Monday after a week-long awareness programme to educate the drivers, both passenger and private vehicles, about traffic rules in the city and elsewhere in Kashmir valley.

An interaction was organised with the students of the University of Kashmir at its Hazratbal campus yesterday. This was stated by the DIG police (traffic) Jagjit Kumar here today.

He said the drive would continue “till we are 100 per cent sure” about the adherence to rules by the drivers. He said the action is being taken against the erring drivers for not using uniforms, seat belts, using mobile phones while driving, reservation of seats for ladies in passenger buses and other things.

“We will continue this drive and we are sending officers to different locations to oversee the drive,” he said.

As part of these regulations, one-way traffic is being regulated in different areas and diversions are going to be effected at many places to ensure smooth and uninterrupted movement of traffic, DIG police Jagjit Kumar, who has taken over here recently, told The Tribune. He said in the first instance, one-way traffic from tomorrow would be regulated on the Residency Road strictly from Radio Kashmir, Srinagar (TRC Crossing) to Lal Chowk, and that would be further extended to other areas. This would help in bringing down congestion on the roads, particularly during peak hours when the government offices and educational institutions open in the mornings and close in the evenings.

The traffic police also organised a “Durbar of jawans” on Monday to fully initiate the regulation process. The jawans were also given tips to handle the situation in different cases like those pertaining to educated class of drivers of private vehicles, addressing them politely and informing about violation of rules by them.

Srinagar, April 24
Acting on the orders of a trial court issued in a contempt petition in Nishat contractor’s killing case, the Srinagar SSP has said the district police is not the authorised agency to provide security to people facing threat perception.Security-related matters, he said in his compliance report, are dealt with by a separate security wing of the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Ali Muhammad Mir, a resident of Nishat, was allegedly kidnapped and subsequently killed by the counter-insurgency group led by Ghulam Muhammad Lone alias Papa Kishtawari, who is currently in judicial custody and is facing trial in the case pertaining to the contractor’s murder. The court of first additional district and session Judge Srinagar had, on April 11, directed the Srinagar SSP Ashiq Hussain Bukhari to file his compliance report by next date of hearing in a contempt petition.

In the contempt petition filed by slain contractor’s son Zahoor Ahmad Mir, it had been alleged that Srinagar SSP Ashiq Bukhari “wilfully” did not obey the previous court directions which required the police to provide security to the petitioner’s family.

“The applicant (Zahoor) has been provided security cover from district police Srinagar and a selection grade constable is presently deployed with the petitioner,” SSP Bukhari submitted in his compliance report to the trial court today.

“District police is not the authorised agency of the police department to provide two PSOs to the people facing threat perception. Security-related matters are dealt with by a separate wing of the police department, that is in place to provide security to persons with threat perception,” he submitted.

Stating that he cannot even imagine disobeying court orders, the SSP further submitted to the court that the applicant (Zahoor) is not following the protocol of a protected person.

“Despite not being a categorised person, one PSO has remained attached with the petitioner (Zahoor). However, the applicant is moving to such places and indulging in such activities which are inconsistent with the requirements of being a protected person,” the SSP has alleged in the compliance report, adding that “providing security does not mean only deployment of an armed PSO but would include compliance with advise/suggestions to desist from going to such places” which “expose the personal PSO to undue risk”.

Refuting the allegations levelled by the SSP in his compliance report, Zahoor’s counsel Babar Jan Qadri submitted that “his client has no interest in keeping the security cover if the arms of the Papa Kishtawari gang along with his comrades are recovered and absconders arrested”. The case is posted for further consideration before the trial court on April 25, Babar said.

Srinagar, April 24
All the main roads here are dotted with cops in blue seen in action against erring drivers of different kinds of vehicles to streamline vehicular traffic ahead of the Durbar Move, tourist season and Amarnath yatra this summer.

After a week-long awareness programme about traffic rules in which drivers of private and passenger vehicles were involved, the drive against erring drivers started on Monday.

“The awareness programme focused mainly on wearing of uniform by bus drivers, reservation of seats for ladies, use of seat belts, avoiding use of mobile on the wheel and wrong parking,” said Jagjit Kumar, Deputy Inspector General, traffic police, Kashmir. He said the focus was on decongesting the commercial hub of Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas so as to ensure free movement of traffic. “This is necessary in view of the tourist season, ensuing Durbar and the annual Amarnath yatra” beginning in June, Jagjit Kumar said. There are diversions proposed at some places to ensure free traffic flow, he added.

Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Farooq Ahmad Shah and Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) have extended their support to traffic regulations in the capital city. The capital, having a population of over 12 lakh, has got the highest number of vehicles in Kashmir valley. The traffic police drive comes at a time when the summer capital is equipped with traffic lights installed last summer and the network is expanding on a regular basis.

“Even as traffic signals are in place, there are violations at different places, to deal with which, more manpower is needed,” said DIG traffic Jagjit Kumar. The civil administration has already launched a drive against encroachers at different places across the city, with thrust on central Lal Chowk. However, encroachments on roads, violations mainly by passenger bus drivers and absence of identified bus stops have been coming in the way

of traffic regulation. While the bus bays were constructed at different places in the city last year, these are hardly being used for the purpose.

“There is a need to streamline the process and create awareness in the society to enable strict adherence to traffic rules,” said the DIG traffic. Additional manpower is being pressed into service ahead of Durbar move to help regulate traffic movement. Against the requirement of 736 traffic cops, there are only 500 posted across the Valley, which has a total of over 3,94,000 registered vehicles. The tourist vehicles, security forces and the trucks carrying essential commodities to the Valley and to Ladakh during summer months, add to the heavy number of vehicles plying on the roads.

Srinagar, April 24
As Kashmir University (KU) students were actively involved in the recent awareness programme of the Traffic Police, they have prepared a document carrying a whole lot of suggestions to ease traffic snarls in the city.

While the Traffic Police launched its large-scale drive against traffic violations on Monday, it had carried a nearly month-long awareness drive involving around 300 KU students of the Law Department.

Sajad Sarwar, a KU student of the Law Department, while describing the experience of ‘working like cops’ with the Traffic Police, said they, after spending time on the roads during counselling programmes, had decided to give their feedback in the form of suggestions to ease traffic flow in the summer capital.

The document, which has been put before the Traffic Department, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), suggested that the Traffic Police should work as a department separate from the police force that would ensure effective implementation of traffic rules.

The students have also suggested setting up of traffic control rooms at all the districts of the Valley and use of Global Positioning System (GPS) to keep track of vehicular movement besides installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that would also ensure following of traffic signals.

While private buses are often seen halting at will at any spot to carry passengers that affects the traffic flow, the students have suggested refresher courses for ‘uncontrollable’ drivers and conductors.

SP Traffic, Srinagar, Haseeb-ur-Rehman said the students had been involved so that people become a ‘part of the solution’ while dealing with the traffic snarls. While he said the suggestions of the students would be looked into, he said he was hopeful that the SMC would keep its promise of setting up 20 bus bays that would streamline the movement of buses. “Once the buses have designated places to stop in the city, traffic will be streamlined to a great extent,” the SP Traffic added.

SMC Commissioner Dr GN Qasba said 20 bus bays would be set up at different city points by the end of this year. Pertinently, the students had also held an interactive session with the SP Traffic, SMC Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Shah on the KU premises yesterday. They had posed a volley of questions to the authorities over traffic management including those pertaining to ‘dysfunctional’ traffic signals and encroachment by shopkeepers at several parts of the city.

Srinagar, April 24
As many as 268 unauthorised constructions were brought to the notice of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) during the past financial year in the summer capital of the state. SMC media relations officer Masarat Yousuf said 268 unauthorised constructions had been registered in the city during the past year. She said the information was provided during a meeting held between SMC Commissioner Dr GN Qasba with the officers of the enforcement and health wing of the corporation yesterday to review its work progress.

The SMC Media Relations officer said all unauthorised constructions were subsequently removed. Qasba reviewed the working of the SMC food wing after which he instructed the health officer to conduct regular checks in the market to ensure safe food for the public. During the meeting, it was informed that Rs 37,00,900 revenue was realised by the wing during the last financial year till March end. It was stated that 5,261 food establishments had been inspected by the SMC besides issuing 1,643 food licences and 2,959 registrations of food establishments. A total of eight prosecutions were launched against offenders under Food Safety and Authority Act 2006. — TNS

Srinagar, April 24
As part of a series of activities being organised by the University of Kashmir on the eve of Earth Day, KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad today kickstarted the Campus Cleaning Day.

Various senior teaching faculty members at KU including Dean Academic affairs, Registrar, and deans of various faculties, heads of departments and students participated in the campus cleaning drive.

The Vice-Chancellor led the team, which also included volunteers from National Service Scheme (NSS), KU and visited various departments and other premises within the campus for trash collection whereas the heads of the departments led the cleaning drive in their respective departments.

On the occasion, Prof Talat Ahmad said Earth Day is a perfect time to reflect on what we are doing to help protect the environment.

He said environmental protection is one of our top priorities and that the academicians too should join hands with government and various segments of the civil society to ensure sustainable development of the earth’s resources.

While impressing upon the students to make sure the campus stays smoke and polythene-free, Prof Talat said, “The main aim of this clean-up drive is to preserve the environment around us. We should ensure that our campus remains smoke free and polythene-free.”

Prof Zaffar A Reshi, the university registrar, emphasised on the need to make the campus the clean so that an example can be set for others to emulate.

“It is the duty of every human to preserve natural habitat. We should make our campus and our homes as well as our surroundings beautiful and clean. We have organised clean-up drives before and more such initiatives are in the pipeline,” said Prof Reshi.

Prof Shakil A Romshoo, Head, Department of Earth Science, who has been coordinating Earth Day celebrations in the university, said, “Organising such activities as those related to Earth Day helps us to convey a deeper appreciation for all that Mother Nature has given us.”

Rajouri, April 24
A middle-aged man was killed in a tragic road accident at Sundarbani in Rajouri today. the accident took place when an Army vehicle crushed him to death. He was trying to cross the road when incident happened.

The victim has been identifies as Krishan Lal,a resident of Bajwal, in Sundarbani.

Immediately, the police reached the spot. Later, the body was sent for a post-mortem to a local hospital.

The Additional Superintendent of Police, Nowshera, said the police had arrested the accused and had started legal process. The body of the deceased was handed over to his family for the last rites.

Srinagar, April 24
The J&K High Court has directed the Superintendent of the Jaipur jail in Rajasthan to allow a three-member team of the Kashmir Bar Association to visit and interview Kashmiri inmates and detainees lodged in the jail.

The directions were issued by a single bench of the High Court here today after the bar approached the court with an application, pleading that a team of their members be allowed to visit the jail to meet and interview certain numbers of Kashmiri detainees lodged in the jail.

“The court has asked the SP concerned to allow a three-member committee of the Bar to meet the Kashmiri detainees, whose names we had submitted with an application before the court,” said Kashmir High Court Bar president advocate Zaffar Qureshi. On April 9, there were reports that some Kashmiri detainees lodged in the Jaipur jail were "severely beaten up by the prison authorities”.

In the media reports, attributed to Dukhtaran-e-Milat chief Asiya Andrabi on April 9, it had been said that the fate of three Kashmiris detainees lodged in the Jaipur jail was unknown after they were "severely beaten up by the prison authorities”.

Asiya had said that she had learnt from reliable sources that Kashmiri detainees or undertrials Lateef Ahmad Waza, Abdul Gani and Nisar Ahmad Mirza had an argument over some issue, following which a team of 20 policemen, led by the jail Superintendent, thrashed them.

Anantnag, April 24
The business fraternity and the locals of Kulgam town rue that the roads of the town are too narrow, causing inconvenience to the public.

The locals say after Kulgam became a district, the traffic has increased in the town. However,the narrow roads remain a cause of concern for all.

“Traffic jams have become so frequent that it never takes one less than half an hour to cross the market of the town ,” said Zahid, a local.

The shopkeepers say that they cannot do their business properly because of traffic jams, “Locals are reluctant to shop in the town because there is no parking space and if one parks a car on the roadside the whole traffic gets blocked within minutes,” said Nisar Ahmad, a shopkeeper.

Moreover, the shopkeepers say that they cannot get their goods unloaded during the day time.

The patients of the district too suffer because of the problem, “The fruit Mandi of the town is in close proximity to the hospital and these days the fruit mandi is the busiest. The narrow road hinders the free flow of the traffic in the vicinity of the hospital ,” said a medical shop owner.

The locals added that the administration is doing nothing to put the things under control, “We do not demand overnight widening of the roads. However, there are certain steps the administration can take,” adds a local.

He says that a bus stand, worth crores of rupees was constructed outside the market but the transporters have refused to move there. “They keep their vehicles on the road worsening the situation further,” said another local.

The district administration maintains that they are taking steps for the betterment of the scenario.

“We have sealed the two old bus stands in the town and converted them into private parkings. This will ease the parking crunch as well as the transporters will have no choice but to use the new bus stand,” said a senior official in the district administration.

Srinagar, April 24
The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industries-Kashmir (CCIK), a group of Valley based industrialists and entrepreneurs, today urged the government to float fresh tenders for tapping the potential of state’s sapphire gemstone.

“We request the government to ask its undertaking J&K Mineral Ltd to withdraw its global tender and float a fresh tender through which local business community and talent gets invited for exploration of sapphire mines,” CCIK Joint Secretary General Tariq Rashid Ghani said after a meeting of the chamber held here.

As the government had recently floated a global tender to tap the potential of high-grade sapphire in Kishtwar belt of the state, Ghani said “CCIK notes with shock and surprise that the J&K Minerals Ltd has once again issued an advertisement, globally, whereby it has asked interested parties to send ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI) for exploration of gem quality blue sapphire mines at Paddar, Kishtwar.”

Claiming that the global tender had been designed and structured ‘in such a fashion so that the local entrepreneurs do not fit the bill’, he said, “Why has this been done, and for whom, is some food for thought…as usual, the local business community and entrepreneurs are very tactfully being ignored and sidelined thereby demonstrating disdain and disrespect towards the local talent and their ability to do the things.”

“The CCIK fails to understand that why the successive regimes do not trust the local entrepreneurs when it comes to lease or auction of our natural resources? Sons of the soil and state subjects are being kept at bay whereas it seems that non-natives are the trusted, preferred and the favoured ones.” Ghani added.

Anantnag, April 24
Thousands of devotees thronged the revered site of the shrine of Hazrat Zain-ud-din Wali (RA), an esteemed saint, in Aishmuqam area of the south Kashmir district here today.

The devotees assembled on the premises of the shrine to revive the age-old tradition of burning mashaals (torches) and taking out a procession, every year.

The tradition, besides marking the advent of the spring season in the Kashmir valley, is also a way to pay tributes to the 15th century saint.

People cutting across religious lines, with mashaals lighted in their hands, pay their tributes to saint Hazrat Zain-ud-din Wali (RA).

A principal disciple of Sheikh Noor-u-din Noorani, Hazrat Zain-u-Din Wali (RA) is widely respected and admired by the people from across the spectrum.

Congregational prayers are also held at the Urs attended by thousands of devotees, in the mosques adjacent to the shrine.

The custom of burning mashaals at the shrine after sunset, this day every year, marks the victory of good over evil.

Legend has it that during the rule of Ashushah Badshah a few centuries back, jinn’s (ghosts) had terrified the villagers of Aishmuqam. One day the villagers approached the jinn and requested him to eat them one by one.

“One day, when it was the turn of a young Gujjar boy to be eaten, he confronted the Jinn and asked him to fight.” narrates a care taker at the shrine.

The fight continued for a week and one night the villagers came to know that Bumisad has killed the jinn. They couldn’t believe and went out with mashals in hands to find out the truth. On finding the body of jinn people began to rejoice.

From that day, every year mashal procession is taken out.

Sheikh Zain-u-din Wali (RA) migrated to Aishmuqam during that period and kept the tradition of the mashaal burning alive in the area.

The saint is known for his philanthropy and good deeds, centuries after his death the mashaal burning has come down as a tradition to honour the saint.