The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Meraj-ul-Alam: Devotees throng Hazratbal
Heavy rush of devotees at shrine as people queue up to catch a glimpse of holy relic of Prophet Muhammad
Aamir Khan/TNS

A man fries a parantha near the shrine in Srinagar on Friday. Tribune Photos: Amin War

Srinagar, June 7
Meraj-ul-Alam was marked with traditional fervour across the Valley today.

The main religious function was performed at the revered Hazratbal shrine that houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad.

Meraj-ul-Alam is traditionally marked a day after Shab-e-Meraj (Night of Ascent) as Muslims believe that Prophet ascended to the highest levels of heavens on this night of the Islamic calendar (27th Rajab). While devotees at several mosques and shrines remained engrossed in Shab Khwani (night-long prayers) to commemorate Shab-e-Meraj, thousands of people thronged the Hazratbal shrine on the banks of Dal Lake during the course of the day.

Devotees from across the Valley visit Hazratbal on Meraj-ul-Alam to catch a glimpse of the holy relic (hair strand of Prophet Muhammad).

Emotional scenes of people praying, with tears in their eyes, were witnessed at Hazratbal when the holy relic was displayed, especially after the Friday prayers. The holy relic is displayed after each prayer at Hazratbal on Meraj-ul-Alam and also the next day, especially for women. Huge rush of devotees is also expected at the shrine following Meraj-ul-Alam next week that is part of distinct Meraj in the Valley.

The area around Hazratbal shrine wore a festive look as many roadside vendors had put up their stalls there.

Meraj-ul-Alam was marked with fervour at other mosques and shrines as well. The Traffic Police had already issued a route plan for the to-and-fro movement of devotees from different areas of the Valley to Hazratbal.

The route plan will remain in place tomorrow and also on next Friday following Meraj-ul-Alam (June 14) for the convenience of devotees.

The authorities had put in place adequate arrangements to deal with the heavy rush of devotees at Hazratbal.

Several government departments had set up information stalls for the convenience of the devotees. Another major gathering was held at Aali Masjid, Eidgah in downtown Srinagar where religious heads threw light on the significance of Meraj during Friday sermons.

Social service camps for devotees

Srinagar: The National Service Scheme (NSS) wing of Kashmir University (KU) organised various social service camps for the devotees who thronged the Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar on the occasion of Meraj-ul-Alam on Friday. Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, KU, visited the camps where hundreds of NSS volunteers were rendering their services to the devotees. The NSS volunteers and KU departments had coordinated to provide various facilities to pilgrims on this day, including free parking, first aid, refreshments and monitoring traffic from within the KU campus. The NSS wing provided water and juice to pilgrims at the Sir Syed Gate. The VC was accompanied by KU Registrar Zafar A Rishi, NSS coordinator Farooq A Khan and Deputy Chief proctor Ajaz Ahmad. The VC congratulated the NSS volunteers for their effective coordination in providing various facilities to the devotees. — TNS

Mirwaiz greets people
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 7
Felicitating the Kashmiri Muslims on the occasion of Meraj-ul-Alam, Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is also a religious leader, has exhorted religious awakening and social reforms.

Mirwaiz in his special sermon delivered at historic Jama Mosque in Srinagar, where hundreds of people joined night-long prayers on the eve of Mehraj-a special journey which was undertaken by Prophet Muhammad from Holy Kaba in Mecca to Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem in Palestine.

“While throwing light on the philosophy of Mehraj, he said 1,434 years ago, on this particular night, Prophet Muhammad took up a special journey from Mecca to Palestine and then to the skies, which is called Mihraj,” a statement from Ajnuman-e-Auqaf, Jama said.

On this occasion, Mirwaiz also expressed his concern over waywardness among Muslim society and exhorted the community for religious awakening and social reforms.

At Valley's own IPL, Parvez Rasool to be star attraction
T-20 fever set to hit Kashmir as JKCPL kicks off on June 15
Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, June 7
Parvez Rasool, Kashmir’s very own cricket hero, will be the star attraction at the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Corporate Cricket Premier League (JKCPL).

The Jammu and Kashmir Corporate Cricket Premier League, going to be played on the pattern of the Indian Premier League (IPL), will commence on June 15.

“We have selected 312 players for the league and the bidding will take place on June 10,” said Farooq Amin, CEO of the JKCPL. “The league is going to expose players to the best cricketing experience,” he said. Amin said some of the star players had already been assigned to teams. “Parvez Rasool will play for the Kanwal Tigers, while another star player from Kashmir, Abid Nabi, is going to play for the Ahad Nawabs team,” he said.

The league will have 12 teams, owned by some of the biggest corporate houses from different parts of the state. “We will have three teams from the Jammu region, while nine teams are owned by corporate houses from the Kashmir region,” said Abdul Qayoom Baghav, the general secretary of the league.

Kashmir’s first professional cricketing venture, the Jammu and Kashmir Corporate Cricket Premier League, will also provide job opportunity to some of the players. “The corporate houses involved in the tournament have committed that they will employ some of the cricketers playing for their teams,” Amin said.

Meanwhile, the players form different districts of Jammu and Kashmir are all geared up to participate in the league.“I think it is a welcome step in the cricket history of Kashmir,” said Parvez Rasool. “There is no dearth of talent in Kashmir and I believe we can produce very good cricketers, given the right kind of exposure,” he said.

The league, however, is yet to receive an approval from the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).“We have written to them, hopefully we will get an approval letter soon,” Baghav said.

Mirwaiz south Kashmir arrested
Our Correspondent

Anantnag, June 7
Mirwaiz south Kashmir, Qazi Ahmad Yasir, was today arrested in Anantnag, as he was scheduled to lead protests against alleged false implication of some youth in connection with the recent grenade attacks in the town.

According to reports, Yasir was on his way back to Anantnag town after addressing people in the Beeru area of the district. “He was arrested as soon as he reached Anantnag town and was taken to the police station,” sources said.

He was to address the Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid, Islamabad, and lead protests after Friday Prayers against the arrest of the youth, who according to Yasir have been falsely implicated.

A senior police official from the area said Yasir had been kept in preventive custody, keeping in view the threat he posed to the law and order situation in the town.

Pertinently, on 3rd June, more than 8 persons were arrested in Anantnag after some persons lobbed a hand grenade inside the premises of a police post in the Sherbagh area of the Anantnag town on 2 June.

While the police maintained that they had busted a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen module by arresting four of the outfit’s members; the general public had alleged that the youth were falsely implicated. “The poor boys work as sales men at a bakery in the town. They have been made scapegoats,” said a local.

Summer vacation in HC from June 10
The court to reopen on June 24
Ishfaq Tantry/ TNS

Srinagar, June 7
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court will remain closed for summer vacation from June 10 to June 23. It will reopen on June 24.

However, Justice BL Bhat and Justice Tashi Rabstan, nominated as vacation judges by Chief Justice MM Kumar, will hear urgent and pressing matters at the HC.

As per the notification issued by the Registrar General of the HC, the court will remain closed for summer vacation from June 10 to June 21. However, the HC will re-open only on June 24 (Monday) as June 22 (Saturday) and June 23 (Sunday) are official holidays.

As per the Chief Justice’s orders, Justice Bansi Lal Bhat has been nominated as the vacation judge at the Jammu Wing of the HC and shall hold court at Jammu during the summer vacation from June 17 to June 21. Likewise, Justice Tashi Rabstan shall hold the court as vacation judge at Srinagar from June 17 to June 21. Besides, the HC has also announced summer vacation in all the sub-ordinate courts of the Jammu province from June 10 to June 24. However, there will be no summer vacation for the courts at Bhaderwah, Kishtawar, Doda, Batote and Banihal headquarters, the HC notification said.

Two kids drown in Handwara
Amin Masoodi

Handwara, June 7
Two children were drowned in a stream at Wadar Bala, 25 km from Handwara, today.

The incident took place around 4 pm today, when five children slipped into the stream while running after a ball. Twelve children were playing cricket near the stream. Following hue and cry from the children, some locals rushed to the spot.

The incident prompted protests against the Irrigation Department. Residents alleged that the department was responsible for the deaths, which occurred due to non-availability of a protection bund on the stream.

The deceased have been identified as Muzammail Ahmad Mir, a student of Class VII, and Tahir Ahmad Mir, a student of Class VIII, both residents of Wadar Bala village. A joint team of the Army and the police has launched a search operation to retrieve the deceased’s bodies, but to no avail, reports said.

The search operation was called off around 8 pm this evening due to bad light. Three other children, including Ashiq Hussian Beig, Mohd Subhan, Parvez Ahmad, all below 15 years of age, who slipped into the stream, were rescued by the joint rescue team.

Panic gripped the area following the incident. The residents alleged that despite two such incidents in the past, the department has not raised a protection bund on the stream. “The department ignored repeated pleas for raising a protection bund on the stream. The lives of minor children could have been saved had there been a proper protection bund in place. The department officials deserve punishment for negligence,” said a local resident.

Eight injured in road mishap
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 7
Eight persons were injured in different road accidents across the Valley today.

A pedestrian Abdul Rehman Thokar, a resident of Waghama, was hit and injured by a cab on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway at Bijbehara in south Kashmir.

The injured was shifted to Sub-District Hospital, Bijbehara, for treatment.

In the city, a cab collided with a car at the Bemina crossing resulting in injuries to the car driver. The injured has been shifted to a hospital.

A school picnic bus hit a cab on the outskirts of the city at Sanat Nagar in which three passengers traveling in the can were injured. All injured have been admitted to a hospital.

In central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, a woman was injured when she was hit by an Army vehicle near Kangan. She has been admitted to SKIMS hospital in the city here.

Two minor girls were injured when they were hit by a cab in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district near Handwara town. Hadiq Arshid (5) and Yasmeena Shafi (7) have been shifted to District Hospital, Handwara.

9-kg forest herb seized
Our Correspondent

Kupwara, June 7
Forest officials of the Kehmil forest division seized 9-kg of forest herb called ‘Patrees’ from two persons in Kupwara yesterday.

The arrested persons have been identified as Bashir Ahmad Mir and Showkat Khawaja, both residents of Dardpora Kralpora.

A team of forest officials led by Range Officer Hyder Ali raided a Sumo near Hayan Trehgam and seized the wild herb. The accused were on their way to some destination to deliver the consignment, said a forest official. The banned herb is of lakhs of rupees, he added. The vehicle used for transportation of herb was also seized. A case has been registered at the Trehgam police station.

4 structures damaged in fire
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 7
Four structures, including two houses and two shops, have been damaged in a fire in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

The fire broke out in the residential house of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat of Tumbry Mohalla in Kurhama village and soon spread to adjacent structures.

The fire damaged another house belonging to Lassa Bhat and two shops of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat. The fire was brought under control by fire fighters and policemen, the spokesman said adding there was no loss of life or injury in the incident.

Paddy fields face shortage of irrigation water in Kupwara
Water level receding in major streams due to growth of weeds
Amin Masoodi

Kupwara, June 7
Paddy fields in Kupwara and Handwara towns are facing shortage of irrigation water. Expressing concerns, farmers said growth of paddy crop could be affected due to the shortage of water in major streams.

The plantation of paddy is going on in north Kashmir and is expected to last till mid-June.

Water level in major streams, including Lal Kul, Chakwari, Daagam, Pohru, nallah Mawar and nallah Rajwar, has receded over the past one week, said farmers.

“The shortage of irrigation water will badly affect the growth of paddy crop in the coming few weeks. The department is doing nothing to increase the flow of water in streams of the district,” said Mohd Muzzafar, a farmer from Mawar, Handwara.

Some farmers alleged that for the past few years, the Irrigation Department had not cleared weeds from the streams, leading to the decline in level of water. Thousands of kanals of paddy fields in the district depend on these streams for irrigation water.

“The hot summer season is on and the water level in streams is receding with each passing day. Cleaning of these water bodies is necessary to increase the flow of water and ensure adequate supply of irrigation water to the fields,” said Mohd Jamal, a farmer from Chowkibal, 25 km from Kupwara.

The farmers said the streams had been ignored by the Irrigation Department. A delegation of farmers from Trehgam said the plantation of paddy crops may be delayed due to the shortage of water.

“Shortage of irrigation water could lead to delay in plantation of paddy and affect its growth in coming weeks. We make a sincere appeal to the department to take measures to increase the flow of water,” said Mohd Afzal, a farmer from Ticker.

Residents of Gulgam near Kupwara demanded cleaning of Chakwari stream for increased flow of its waters.

“There will be severe shortage of irrigation water in future if the stream is not cleaned for weeds. Paddy is the main source of our sustenance and the Irrigation Department has miserably failed to take care of the streams that irrigate the fields,” said Nazir Ahmad.

Residents of Drugmulla also demanded cleaning of a stream flowing through Drugmulla and Kandi areas.

Executive Engineer, Irrigation Division, Handwara, Ashraf Sheikh said, “In Rajwar area alone, eight irrigation tanks have been kept reserved for supplying irrigation water to the fields in times of need. Farmers need not worry, we are affectively monitoring the water level and irrigation water would be ensured when the need arises.”

Eco alliance calls on CAPD minister
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 7
Mohammad Ramzan Chowdhary, Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) and Transport, has assured a delegation of the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) that due attention would be given to put the ailing transport sector back on tracks.

A spokesman for the KEA, Siraj Ahmad, said Chowdhary directed the officials to come up with a concrete revival plan in a time-bound manner and work out the modalities in this regard.

“He said the transport sector was a large part of the economy and the government has to come forward to revive this ailing sector, which could be a major source of employment to the state,” Ahmad said.

The assurances were given to a delegation of the KEA which called on Chowdhary and other senior officers of the Transport Department and submitted a revival plan. The plan lays emphasis on mooting the concept of having a general bus stand at a suitable location to facilitate both the commuters and the transporters and decongest the city of Srinagar.

PHE casual workers’ hunger strike enters third day
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 7
While the hunger strike of the casual workers of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department entered the third day today, the protesters rued that nobody from the government had come to listen to their pleas.

“We have been observing hunger strike since three days, but so far no one has come to listen to our grievances. Our repeated protests in the past also have not found favour with the authorities,” said Sajad Ahmad Parrey, president, PHE Joint Employees Association (PHEJEA).

He said several protesters were facing health problems due to the strike, called against the government’s failure to address their concerns.

The association’s demands include regularisation of services and release of pending salaries.

The protesters are also demanding salaries of the casual employees to be released on a monthly basis.

The PHEJEA members took out a procession from the PHE office on the Exchange Road this afternoon, where they had been observing the hunger strike to the Press Enclave. The protesters facing health problems were also the part of the procession.

After staging a demonstration at the Press Enclave, the PHEJEA members attempted to march towards Lal Chowk. However, the police personnel on duty foiled their bid. Parrey said four protesters were taken by the police to the SMHS hospital for treatment.

Even as the four-day hunger strike is scheduled to end tomorrow, Parrey said they may extend their stir. He said the next course of action would be announced tomorrow.

While the PHEJEA has been holding frequent protests to highlight their demands in the past, their bid to ghearo the Civil Secretariat had been foiled on May 27 last month.

Ball hockey camp begins
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 7
Mustafa Kamal, MLA, Hazratbal, inaugurated a week-long National Ball Hockey Coaching Camp organised by the J&K Ball Hockey Association at Circuit House, Srinagar.

Secretary general,of the All-India Ball Hockey Federation, Waseem Raja, Treasurer, Sheikh Mehraj and Advisor of the All-India Ball Hockey Federation, GN Wani, were also present on the occasion.

This is the first national camp of the Ball Hockey in which more than 300 players from all over the country are participating. Two international coaches from Canada and Check Republic will train the players for the international cup which is going to be held in Canada in November.

Kamal laid the emphasis on the players to come forward and show their talent at the state, national and international level.

Tributes paid to slain militants
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 7
Hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani today paid tributes to militants who were killed in the recent gunfights in south Kashmir.

Five militants have been killed in three incidents with the security forces in recent days in south Kashmir.