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PIL seeks removal of hawkers for hassle-free traffic in city
Dept of Posts, MC join hands to keep Srinagar clean, green
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Lack of limbs no handicap for these Kupwara youths
NYC members discuss future protest strategy
Gujjars seek road connectivity from Teetwal to Majmoon
School timings changed in Valley from tomorrow
Girl dies, 11 injured in road mishaps
Labourer dies in stone quarry
Teenaged boy found dead in Ganderbal
Illicit timber seized, 1 held
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PIL seeks removal of hawkers for hassle-free traffic in city
Srinagar, April 29 The PIL, which was admitted today, has prayed expediting the road widening of the Srinagar-Baramulla highway near HMT crossing and clearing the traffic mess at Pantha Chowk, which has become a daily feature now, putting the commuters to inconvenience. Acting on the PIL, the high court issued notices to the government and others asking them to file objections within two weeks. In fact, the week-long traffic enforcement drive launched by the traffic police in Srinagar city concluded on April 28, however, the question whether it will result in sustainable enforcement of rules in the city remains. The PIL filed by Mujeeb Andrabi through his counsel Firdous A Parray was listed before a Division Bench comprising Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey. “The respondents have failed to promote the living conditions of the people of Srinagar city and there is mismanagement of the traffic and civic responsibilities,” the petitioner stated in the PIL before the high court. “This petition is filed to clear the hawker menace, which has made the life of the residents of Srinagar city miserable, traffic movement gets slowed down on the roads, which are already facing heavy vehicular movement,” the PIL states. “The traffic mess has been further aggravated by traffic mismanagement at Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, and HMT Narbal crossing on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway, which needs to be regulated,” the PIL adds. “It is prayed that the authorities be directed to make Srinagar a hawker-free city by removing all the hawkers and provide them alternative space,” the petitioners have prayed in the PIL, adding that the authorities be directed to expedite the road widening from north side of the city at the HMT Narbal crossing and provide alternative routes to clear the traffic mess at Pantha Chowk,” the petitioner prayed in the PIL. “The authorities be also directed to remove all illegal structures, erected in violation of the Srinagar Master Plan and as the Commissioner of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has failed to check the menace of illegal constructions, the supervisory powers be assigned to the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir,” it added. After examining the PIL and hearing the submission of the petitioner lawyer Firdous Parray, the high court today issued notices to the government through the chief secretary, traffic police authorities and other official respondents, directing them to file their objections to the PIL within two weeks. |
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Dept of Posts, MC join hands to keep Srinagar clean, green
Srinagar, April 29 “We will be holding a wide range of programmes to encourage involvement of people during our “Srinagar Post Office Fest-2013” on the theme “Clean Srinagar, Green Srinagar” from May 20 to 22. The aim of the festival, which will be held in collaboration with the SMC, is to develop Srinagar by connecting with the people and to bring them together,” Chief Postmaster General, J&K circle, John Samuel said while addressing a press conference here today. Besides organising several cultural and musical progammes, Samuel said the department would organise stamp design, quiz and letter-writing competitions on the theme “Clean Srinagar, Green Srinagar”. A three-day long philatelic exhibition will also be held during the festival. Prior to the festival, Samuel said “Post Office Fun Run” would be organised on May 19 that would see the participation of a large number of school and college students from across the educational institutions of the city. A prize distribution function would be held on the last day of the festival, he added. Samuel said, “20 post offices are being upgraded and modernised with new facilities under the “Project Arrow” programme of the department.” He said with this initiative, more facilities and IT based services would be available to the customers in the state. The DoP also released a unique “financial year calendar” on the occasion. “We have tried to catch the beauty of the state through several photographs on the calendar pages for financial year 2013-14,” Samuel said. |
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Lack of limbs no handicap for these Kupwara youths
Kupwara, April 29 Sajad Ahmad Lone (20) of Tangwari Gulgam and Irshad Ahmad Ganie (17) of Sevar Lolab belong to two remote villages of Kupwara district. Sajad is studying in BA-II at a degree college, Kupwara, and Irshad in Class X at a high school at his native village. Unmindful of the absence of vital organs in their bodies, the duo is toiling hard to pursue education and move ahead in life. Indeed, they are the role models of people suffering from different disabilities and facing hardships in life. The duo wants to send a message to such people: Move on in life and stand on your feet. “I want to complete graduation in first division. I like reading novels, playing cricket and listening to music. A brutal accident some years ago snatched my arms and my favourite game of cricket from me but I am taking equal pleasure watching the game of cricket,” said Sajad. “I want to join forest department as a forest guard,” he added. For him cleanliness is next to Godliness. “Without any help he takes bath almost every second day and remains neat and clean. He dresses up smartly and urges us to iron his clothes almost daily. He wants to move ahead in life without becoming a burden on anybody,” said Bashir Ahmad, Sajad’s brother-in-law. Sajad operates mobile phone and do many other activities like drink water and write with the help of his right foot. He lost both his arms in 1998 due to a strong electric shock. He was only seven-year-old when the horrible accident snatched both of his arms leaving him disabled for the rest of his life. “He was playing cricket with his friends near a school when all of a sudden live high tension (HT) power supply line fell down. He accidentally touched the line while running towards the ball and suffered serious burn injuries on his arms,” recollects his father Amir-u-din Lone. Studying in Class X, Irshad is doing almost all activities expected from a normal boy of his age. He operates mobile phone, writes with his right foot and picks and holds things with the help of his right foot. “Strong will is a must to move ahead in life. While doing any activity, I never keep absence of limbs in my mind. I want to become a good teacher and am working hard to complete my studies,” said Irshad Ahmad. |
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Over 2,000 students run for their city
Srinagar, April 29 As many as 2013 students from 13 schools of Shahr-e- Khas (old city) had registered themselves for the run, which was flagged off by state Tourism Minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir, MLA Budgam, Aga Ruhullah and Deputy Commissioner , Srinagar , Farooq Ahmad Shah, and SP, Traffic Police, Haseeb Rehman. The marathon began at Foreshore, Duck Park, at 7 in the morning and concluded on the Kashmir University campus. The first marathon walk of 2013 was joined by prominent citizens, doctors, educationists, artists, social activists, media professionals, senior citizens and various other dignitaries of the Valley. “Today is a great morning for me and it is so special to share this morning with so many kids from Shahr-e-Khas. Proudly Kashmiri is the apt title for this campaign and every Kashmiri should
be proud of his identity,” said Mir. Deputy Commissioner Farooq Shah, while interacting with the students, said, “This is a beginning and we should follow such activities throughout the Valley. These activities make us physically and mentally healthy.” Talat Parvez , Director, Tourism, Kashmir, said more such marathons would be held on a more regular basis. The run was followed by cultural and art performances by students, amateur artists and professionals. Various performances presented by students included ‘naat’, laughter presentations, solo Kashmiri songs and many
more. Amit Wanchoo, CEO, Space Communications, in his welcome address, said, “Proudly Kashmiri will run through out the year and will consist of different art, social, educational, sports and cultural events besides holding series of marathons throughout the Valley. It is a movement for positivity, progress, prosperity and widening opportunities for our youngsters.” Many schools that could not be part of the marathon due to immense number of registrations have got registered themselves for the next marathon. |
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NC rigged 2008 Assembly elections in Srinagar, alleges Mehbooba
Anantnag, April 29 Reiterating the earlier statement of her father and PDP patron, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, that the NC rigged the 2008 Assembly elections in Srinagar, Mehbooba said poor voter turnout in Srinagar in the 2008 Assembly elections gave the NC a chance to rig polls. “This is not what we say. Ask the general public of Srinagar and they will tell you how the NC managed to get voters from the city outskirts,” said Mehbooba, while talking to media persons on the sidelines of a gathering of members of village committees and workers of the Devsar constituency of the Qazigund area of the district. She said the NC had a penchant for using their faithful henchmen, groomed for years, for the rigging of polls. “They (NC), with the help of these henchmen, rigged the polls in Srinagar,” said Mehbooba. She said in a democracy, everybody had the right to say whatever they felt. However, the election boycott calls given by the parties like Jammat-e-Islaami and the Hurriyat Conference only helped the NC implement its evil designs. “In Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s tenure as the Chief Minister, everybody, including the Jamaat and the Hurriyat, were given a political space,” said Mehbooba. “Unlike the present times, they were not kept imprisoned,” stated the PDP chief. She said people knew everything and they were wise enough to decide what to do in the coming Assembly elections. Earlier in her speech, Mehbooba said the PDP, in a very short span in the government, brought a sense of security among people and also provided corruption-free, performing and accountable government to the people. “The PDP, in coalition with the Congress, revoked the draconian law like POTA, brought in accountability in the forces, started a new era of development across the state without raising any feeling of discrimination among the people of any area,” she said. Mehbooba added that the NC, with absolute majority between 1996-2002, had failed even to get mobile service started in the state, not to talk of its greater autonomy slogan. |
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APDP demands setting up of UN monitoring group
Srinagar, April 29 The group has also demanded action on enforced disappearances and unmarked graves by the authorities. “Indian authorities refuse to be held accountable for the crimes of enforced or involuntary disappearances and numerous other violations. While claiming
a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, India refuses to hold itself
to any standards of international law”, the APDP said in a statement here after its members held a protest demonstration here. “No action has been
taken on the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) recommendations for DNA and forensic examinations on unmarked and mass graves,” said the APDP statement. “Though Indian has signed the UN Convention against Disappearances in 2007, but till date they have not ratified it and is the only country which has always denied entry to the UN mechanisms to investigate into the phenomenon of disappearances particularly in Jammu and Kashmir”, the statement added, while demanding that the UN “must set up a monitoring group” in Jammu and Kashmir to “record and bear witness” to the “international crimes” being committed. |
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NYC members discuss future protest strategy
Srinagar, April 29 The meeting concluded that the NYC youth agitation against the state government will not be mellowed down in the future and that the state government should fulfill its promise of adjustment of the 8,000 NYC volunteers in various public departments. “Even at present, our volunteers are serving the state government in various departments, but the remuneration has been stopped. This is injustice and the youth will not accept this. Our resolve is that the state government should formulate a policy for our reservation in the public sector jobs, so that we are not rendered jobless,” Muddasir Hassan, president, state NYC said. Many youngsters were engaged in 2010 under the central NYC scheme by the state government for a period of two years under the condition of not studying/ working anywhere else. The youths were disengaged in 2012, although many of them still continue to work in public departments and have launched a state-wide agitation against the government for rendering them jobless. |
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PDP leaders visit remote areas, listen to public grievances
Rajouri, April 29 The party launched its mass contact programme from Shahdra Sharief, where workers of the PDP lambasted the present government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for ignoring far-flung areas of Rajouri. Addressing the gathering, district president Abdul Qayoom Dar said people of far-flung areas were still suffering on account of lack of basic amenities like health, water, power and education. Not only this, Dar said unemployment was increasing with each day and the present government was a silent spectator. He said the present government had failed in
safeguarding interests of the people. Dar, along with senior party leaders advocate Chowdhary Qamar Hussain, Zahoor Bhatti, Tahir Lone and Tazeem Dar, visited several far-flung
area of Shahdra Sharief and held series of meetings with villagers and also listened to their
grievances. Local residents of the Kundaan area apprised the leaders of their problems. They were given an assurance that all their issues would be raised before the authorities concerned. Mass contact programme Calling the state government a mute spectator, District president Abdul Qayoom Dar said people of far-flung areas were still suffering on account of lack of basic amenities like health, water, power and education
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Spurious drugs
Srinagar, April 29 The shutdown has been called by Medical Employees Joint Action Forum (MEJAF), which includes around a dozen associations of doctors, paramedics and pharmacists. “We appeal to all the residents of the state to observe a complete shutdown on May 6 against the drug scam and show the government that our consciousness is still alive,” MEJAF representative said while addressing a press conference here. Several state government offices, including the civil secretariat, will start functioning in the city here on May 6, after remaining headquartered in Jammu during winter. The forum said all offices, colleges and shops would remain closed on Monday.
“No traffic except ambulances should ply on the road. In all hospitals, routine work will not take place, however, emergency services will not be affected,” MEJAF spokesman said. Dr
Nisar-ul-Hassan, president of the Doctors Association Kashmir, has been nominated as the chairman of the
MEJAF. Supply of spurious drug to government hospitals has snowballed into a major issue since an analytical report of an antibiotic drug found it contained no medicine. Around 2 lakh fake Maximizin-625 tablets, which have been found containing zero milligram of Amoxicillin instead of containing 500 milligrams of
Amoxicillin, were distributed in the Valley hospitals during 2011-2012, as per the details provided by an association of the doctors. “Eleven drugs till now have been proved to be substandard and spurious,” MEJAF spokesman said. “(Now) the government is trying to deviate the attention of people, as it done in the past.” The forum demanded an independent probe be conducted by Amnesty International or a Supreme Court judge into the supply of fake drugs scam. |
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Gujjars seek road connectivity from Teetwal to Majmoon
Srinagar, April 29 He said the area was close to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and under-development of the area gave wrong impression of the government to the people on the other side”. “The road is strategically important, as it will also help the defence forces in safeguarding their interests and situations like Ladakh incursions could be avoided by making these areas accessible through various means,” said Poswal. Alleging that the tribal population of the area had been left at the mercy of their own and the state government had totally ignored their development, he urged the Centre to take special initiatives for ensuring development of the tribal areas. He also demanded that power supply in the villages falling near forward posts be restored immediately, while claiming that the areas were without electricity after the 2005 earthquake. |
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School timings changed in Valley from tomorrow
Srinagar, April 29 “According to Director, School Education, Kashmir, the school timings both in government as well as recognised private schools within the municipal limits of Srinagar city has been rescheduled and shall be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m with effect from May 1,” an official said in a statement issued here today. He said timings for schools outside the Srinagar municipal limits would remain from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
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Girl dies, 11 injured in road mishaps
Srinagar, April 29 She was shifted to Dangiwachi hospital where she succumbed to her injuries, the spokesman said. The body of the deceased was handed over to her family. In the adjoining Baramulla town, a passenger cab turned turtle at Singhbagh, resulting in injuries to 10 persons who were travelling in the cab, the spokesman said. All the injured were shifted to a hospital for treatment. In another accident, a cab hit a car in Sheeri of Baramulla district resulting in injuries to car driver Waqar Ahmad Khan, a resident of Pehlipora area of Boniyar. |
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Labourer dies in stone quarry
Srinagar, April 29 The two labourers, identified as Basher Ahmad Chowhan, a resident of Maskhud village of Kulgam, and Rafiq Ahmad Hamrah, a resident of Nagrad village near Qazigund town, came under a slide while extracting stones at a quarry in Maskhud village near Devsar in Kulgam.
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Teenaged boy found dead in Ganderbal
Srinagar, April 29 The body of 19-year-old Nazir Ahmad Lone, a resident of Hayan Paulpora village in the district, was recovered from a nearby stream, near Kangan town of Ganderbal district, a police spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the boy was deaf and dumb and had been reported missing since Wednesday last week. The body of the deceased was handed over to his family members and a case was been registered in this regard, said the police spokesperson.
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Illicit timber seized, 1 held
Srinagar, April 29 Acting on specific information, the police yesterday intercepted a vehicle carrying the illicit timber logs. The vehicle, along with nine logs of illicit timber, was seized and driver of the vehicle Siraj Ahmad Wani, a resident of Kothair, was arrested. |
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