Srinagar, June 10
The attempt of the protesting government employees to gherao the Civil Secretariat here today was foiled by the police.

A large number of protesters under the aegis of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various associations of government employees, gathered outside the Exhibition Ground. After staging a protest there, the JCC members tried to take out a march towards the Civil Secretariat.

However, the police sprayed coloured water from a water cannon to disperse the protesters, who offered stiff resistance. Later, the police resorted to cane charge and several protesters were taken into preventive custody as their gherao bid was foiled.

Talking to the Kashmir Tribune, JCC leader Farooq Trali said a few protesters sustained minor injuries in the police action, while two others had to be admitted to a hospital for treatment after they fell unconscious during the protest.

He said employee leaders from all over the state took part in the protest which was led by JCC leader and Employees Joint Action Committee-Q chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani.

Flaying the police action and the government's failure to honour the agreement made with them, Trali said they would intensify protests if the government continued to ignore their demands.

Pertinently, after a series of protests and strikes by the employees last year, the government had reached an agreement with the JCC wherein the employees were assured that a decision on their demands would be announced by September 30. However, the JCC then resumed protests, saying the government had failed to fulfil the promises made to them.

This year, too, the government had urged the employee leaders to resolve their issues through talks but the same had been rejected by the JCC.

The employees’ demands include release of arrears recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments.

The other JCC demands are inclusion of five years of contractual service of the Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book and regularisation of the education volunteers after seven years of service.

Meanwhile, CPI (M) state secretary M Y Tarigami condemned the police action on protesting employees. “One wonders that in Kashmir, every problem is being tackled by the use of force. Be it protests against the power crisis, scarcity of drinking water, LPG shortage, price rise or the employees demands; the government seems to have the force as the only solution to all the problems,” he said.

Kupwara, June 10
While an acute shortage of teaching staff, especially in science subjects, is badly affecting the education of students in higher secondary schools across Kashmir, the Department of Education has failed to release the promotion list of teachers and masters in science disciplines even after issuing notices to the masters and teachers whose names were mentioned in the seniority list for more than past four months.

Teachers whose names were mentioned in the seniority list said they were forced to make repeated rounds of the Civil Secretariat in pursuance of release of the promotion list, but only to be told, “Meeting would be convened and promotion list would be released soon.”

On January 2, this year, the School Education Department issued promotions to the level of lecturers to 24 in-service masters in botany and the next day, directed 37 masters and teachers whose names were mentioned in the seniority list to submit PG certificates in the administrative department within a period of 15 days.

“We submitted the mark sheets and degree certificates in stipulated time and also completed all requisite formalities, but the department continues to delay the release of the promotion list. We are forced to make repeated visits to the offices of the Commissioner Secretary, Education, and the Education Minister, but only to hear time and again that meeting would be convened soon,” said master Mohd Akbar Sheikh, a botany teacher.

Similar procedure was followed by the department in other disciplines like zoology, physics and chemistry, but a majority of in-service masters and teachers are awaiting promotions.

Following a Cabinet decision on May 16, 2012, the Department of Higher Education on May 30, 2012, cleared the validity of degrees obtained through distance education mode. The order reads: “Degrees obtained through distance education mode, which have been approved by the Distance Education Council and awarded from their headquarters by the University Grants Commission (UGC) recognised universities, established by an Act, of State Legislature shall be recognised for the purpose of employment.” With regard to degrees obtained through distance in science subjects, the order reads, “Degrees wherein the Distance Education Council approved science subjects where practicals are the part of the curriculum and are conducted from within the respective campuses of the UGC recognised universities, established by an Act of the Parliament or the state legislature shall also be recognised.”

In light of the Cabinet decision, the Public Service Commission and Service Selection Board accepted application forms for jobs in various government departments as per advertisements.

The teachers argued that on March 30, the department issued promotion list in 20 subjects, including biotechnology, and the teachers and masters falling in the seniority list were promoted and adjusted. “What is the point in delaying promotion list despite the clearance of validity of degrees by the state Cabinet. We are being made to run from pillar to post while the in-service masters and teachers promoted on March 30, this year have been adjusted,” said Mohd Aslam Masoodi, a botany teacher.

Srinagar, June 10
As a part of its new policy to encourage “vertical housing” in the city to prevent misuse of agriculture land, the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) today launched its ambitious project of constructing around 600 flats at Bemina.

Minister for Urban Development and Local Bodies Nawang Rigzin Jora laid the foundation stone of Gulposh Apartments at Bemina today. In the first phase, around three apartment blocks comprising 60 flats would be constructed by the SDA near Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Bemina.

“The project cost of the apartments is estimated to be Rs 20 crore and these flats are to be completed in three years,” an official spokesman for the SDA said.

All the three blocks, with earthquake resistant superstructure, would be provided with elevator facilities having round-the-clock power backup and parking facility. With a floor area of around 930 feet, each flat would have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, drawing room, store-cum-servant room and four balconies. The flats would be handed over to the prospective buyers after completion.

In the second phase, the SDA would be constructing around 550 more flats - Shehjar Apartments - at Mini Housing Colony (opposite Hajj House), Bemina. These apartment blocks would have adequate open space and a community hall.

Jora complimented the SDA for marking a new beginning in the housing sector in Kashmir, going for construction of flats in Srinagar on such a large scale. He said the move would go a long way in promoting the concept of flat system in the summer capital where the demand for urban housing was mounting day by day.

The Minister assured full support to the SDA in starting other innovative projects in both housing and commercial sectors in the city to ensure planned development of such infrastructure on one hand and decongestion of the city’s core area on the other. He said besides the projects already set in motion, the SDA would be asked to focus on macro projects that have been hanging fire for quite some time now.

These include development of integrated satellite township at Rakh-e-Gund Akshah, development of housing/commercial centre at Railhead Nowgam and construction of conference centre/commercial complex as part of Sangarmaal Phase-II. The Minister also assured speedy redress of all the genuine demands of SDA employees, including disposal of pending SRO-43 cases, convening of DPC and allotment of plots.

Vice-Chairman, SDA, Mohammad Shafi Rather said the SDA had embarked on the concept of flat system in the city in view of not only the mounting land costs, but also to prevent wanton misuse of agriculture land which was squeezing fast day by day in and around Srinagar.

“To further overcome the housing problem in Srinagar, the SDA has already speeded up the process for acquisition of around 4,500 kanals of land at Rakh-e-Gund Akshah for development of an integrated satellite township,” he said.

Legislator Irfan Ahmad Shah, Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Jeet Lal Gupta and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Srinagar, June 10
A high-level delegation of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development today reached Leh on a five-day visit to Leh and Srinagar.

The delegation comprising members of Parliament is being accompanied by senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and University Grants Commission (UGC). The visit is being organised by the Central University of Kashmir. University Registrar Abdul Gani is the coordinating officer for the visit.

The delegation would interact with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and zilla panchayats and other stake holders on the scope for expansion of higher and school education in these areas. The visiting members would arrive in Srinagar on Wednesday and interact with students, staff and faculty of the Central University of Kashmir, state universities of Jammu and Kashmir, National Information Technology and polytechnics.

They would also hold discussions with representatives of the state government school managements, higher educational institutions and universities for examining the implementation of the Right to Education Act, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Mid-Day Meal schemes, status of faculty positions, status of infrastructure and funding pattern of higher educational institutions/universities and incentive schemes of UGC for SC/ST/OBC/minority and women students.

Anantnag, June 10
Stray dogs at the Dara Shikoh garden in Bijbehara town of the district are fast becoming a menace for local joggers and picnic goers from different parts of the Valley.

A marvel from the Mughal era, the Dara Shikoh garden is being maintained by the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and has been a preferred destination for local residents and tourists. However, the presence of more than a dozen stray dogs has been playing a spoil sport for the people. Local residents say they don’t visit the garden any more for the fear of getting mauled by the menacing canines. “I used to jog in the park very early in the morning. However, from more than a year, I don’t go there,” said Muhammad Maqbool, a local resident. “I was lucky to have escaped the dog terror a couple of times after they tried to maul me,” he said.

“Some days ago, I took my son to the park and given the number of dogs there, I had to constantly keep a vigil on him,” said Rayees Ahmad, another local.

Besides the local residents, picnic goers from different parts of the Valley preferred to spend a couple of hours in the evening in this garden, which is located on the way to many of south Kashmir’s tourist destinations.

“I was in Pahalgam for a day with my family and thought to spend some time at the scenic garden, but there were more dogs than the Chinar tress the garden is famous for,” said Ijaz Ahmad, a doctor from Srinagar.

Staff at the park said the rising number of dogs was due to a broken fence, but locals said the callous approach of the authorities was ruining the garden.

Srinagar, June 10
The annual mahayajna of Bhagwan Gopinathji was performed at the Kharyar area of the old city.

Kharyar Ravi Sathu, in charge, Bhagwan Gopinathji Ashram, said the mahayajna started at 7.00 pm yesterday and ended at 1.00 pm today. He said prasad was distributed after the mahayajna and around 2,500 devotees visited the ashram throughout the day. He said ‘Puran Ahuti’ was also performed at the ashram.

He said the ashram had been performing mahayajna on this day regularly after 1998 after the same could not be performed earlier post the eruption of militancy in the state. Veer Ji Koul, a devotee, said several Kashmiri Pandits from other parts of the country also visited the ashram for prayers. He said several tourists also performed prayers.

Anil Raina, spokesperson of the ashram, said several NRI Kashmir Pandits also had come to perform annual mahayajna that is performed at other parts of the country on this day. He said the mahayajna was simultaneously performed at Bhagavan Gopinathji Ashrams in Jammu, Amritsar, New Delhi, Vikaspuri, Pune, Mumbai and “Satsang Mandals” across the globe.

Srinagar, June 10
Prof Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, Kashmir University, flagged off the 1st batch of 50 candidates selected by Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) from the state.

During this year, the TCS has selected more than 200 candidates from the state.

The company intends to train the selected candidates in batches of 50 at the TCS, Kolkata, for three months and on the basis of their performance the candidates would accordingly be placed in the company.

The TCS is a leader in the global marketplace and among the top 10 technology firms in the world. It is India’s first and Asia’s largest consulting and service organisations.

The TCS is engaged in providing information technology (IT) services, business solutions and outsourcing.

The company’s services portfolio consists of application development and maintenance, business intelligence, enterprise solutions, engineering and industrial services, IT infrastructure services, business process outsourcing, consulting and asset leveraged solutions.

While flagging the 1st batch of selected candidates from different parts of the state, the VC congratulated the candidates for being selected by one of the premier IT company of the country.

He further added that the selected candidates had a huge responsibility of being the brand ambassadors of the state.

He said the KU would work hard to provide proper employment and training opportunities to our capable and competent youth.

Prof Shabir A Bhat, Director Centre for Career Planning and Counselling, KU, said it was a great moment for all of us because our youth were being recruited by leading companies of the country. He also added that the centre had ambitious plans of promoting the talent pool of the state.

He advised the youth to work with sincerity and dedication and be focused towards their goals.

Baramulla, June 10
An educational and motivational tour for youths of Rampur Boniyar in Baramula district was flagged off by Colonel AK Srivastava, Officiating Commander, Dagger Artillery Brigade. The tour is aimed at fostering brotherhood, unity and creating awareness of our nation’s multi-faceted identity.

“Youths will be visiting various places, including Jammu, New Delhi, Guwahati and Shillong. The tour will provide an opportunity to these youths to witness the harmonious co-existence among the people from different religions in various parts of India,” a spokesman said.

“It will also help them to see for themselves the ongoing developmental activities in other states and the manner in which peace has helped different regions of India to develop and prosper,” he added.

The youths along with their parents expressed satisfaction over the tour. They hoped that this tour will go a long way in creating awareness among the youth of this region by giving them a glimpse of the prosperity and cultural heritage of nation.

Srinagar, June 10
Disillusioned with “denial of justice”, the parents of teenaged Tufail Matoo who was killed in 2010 allegedly by the police, are seeking written assurance from the state government.

The third death anniversary of Tufail will be observed tomorrow at his residence in Saida Kadal locality of Srinagar.

Tufail’s killing in 2010 had triggered unrest and a cycle of violence in the Valley in which more than 120 civilians were killed in the subsequent police and security force action. However, even after three years, no accused persons have been arrested in the case. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was entrusted by the high court to probe the matter, had already filed its final closure report before a lower court here, which had closed the case as untraced.

“I am not happy with the SIT closure report, we have already rejected it. The SIT throughout has been misleading the court and hiding the facts with an attempt to cover up the truth,” Tufail’s father Mohammad Ashraf Matoo told The Tribune.

“Giving justice in the case would have sent a right signal, but this government is shielding the killers of my son, which pinches me”, Ashraf said, adding that he was now seeking a written assurance from the Omar Abdullah led government, while holding it “responsible” for the civilian killings in 2010 unrest.

“On the third anniversary of my son, I contemplate to seek a written assurance from the government. Either they should give us justice or tell us to keep mum. This will at least save us from further indignation, as so far we have been getting only dates after dates and hearing after hearing,” he said