Srinagar, July 12
Protests erupted in the old city area this afternoon after a march against the detention of moderate separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was stopped by the police and paramilitary forces.

The march was taken out from the outer compound of Jamia Masjid, where Mirwaiz delivers the weekly Friday sermon.

Mirwaiz has been under detention at his Nigeen residence for the past several weeks.

As the march, led by leaders of the moderate Hurriyat faction, reached near Khwaja Bazar, the police attempted to stop the marchers leading to protests, including stone-throwing, against the police and paramilitary personnel, eyewitnesses said.

Protesters threw stones as the police burst tear gas shells and fired from pellet guns toward the stone-throwing crowd.

Eyewitnesses said a few people among the protesters were hit with pellets, but it could not be immediately verified. The protests continued till evening.

Kupwara, July 12
Residents of Khumriyal and its adjoining areas in the Lolab valley of Kupwara district today protested against shortage of cooking gas during the holy month of Ramdan.

The protesters, including women and children, blocked Lolab-Kalaroose road for about an hour and did not allow any traffic movement. They said for the past one week, the gas dealer had deprived them of home delivery and they were suffering immensely due to shortage of gas.

Residents said cooking gas was the only remedy available to them due to erratic power supply and shortage of firewood. “We are suffering immensely due to shortage of cooking gas especially at the time of sehri and iftar.

The dealer did not provide us the cooking gas on due date. If the gas is not made available by tomorrow, we will be forced to intensify protests,” said Mohammad Ayoob, a local resident.

The protesters belonged to Darpora, Lalpora, Khumriyal, Kalaroose and Warnow villages. “We are facing problems even during the holy month of Ramadan. The gas dealer has deprived us of due share of gas. We requested him to distribute gas but to no avail,” said Abdul Hamid, a resident of Kalaroose.

A police official pacified the protesters on an assurance that their problem would be addressed soon. “If the cooking gas is not delivered tomorrow, we will be forced to resort to protests again,” said a protester.

Srinagar, July 12
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today passed directions for reducing the time of the rehabilitation and resettlement project for Dal dwellers from five years to three years. He asked the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) to fast track the activities of paying compensation to the affected families and providing them plots at the identified sites.

The directions were passed after the Chief Minister chaired a meeting to review the pace of progress on rehabilitation project for Dal dwellers.

Omar said at least 500 structures should be targeted to be paid compensation each year during the next three years along with providing plots to the affected families so that the project was completed by 2016.

The Chief Minister also asked the LAWDA to speed up the land filling and development of plots at Rakh-e-Arth where plots were being developed for rehabilitation of Dal dwellers.

LAWDA vice-chairman Irfan Yasin said the project involved development cost of over Rs 416 crore while the acquisition of land and structures from inside Dal and drudging of the lake involves Rs 356 crore.

Yasin said a total of 2,532 structures were being procured in the Dal Lake, of which, 868 had been acquired so far. He said in addition to this, 631 structures were also proposed to be acquired from Saida Kadal and Ashai Bagh side of the lake.

Srinagar, July 12
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar has directed officers of the Rural Development Department to speed up the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

“The department should speed up implementation of MGNREGA keeping in view the guidelines issued so that more people get benefits of the scheme,” Sagar said while addressing a high-level meeting convened to review the status of implementation of MGNREGA here today.

Commissioner Secretary, Rural Development, Farooq Ahmad Peer, Director, Rural Development, Kashmir, Mir Altaf Ahmad, Director, Panchayati Raj, Baseer Ahmad Khan, Director, Social Audit, A G Sofi, Member Secretary, MGNREGA, Pawan Rathore and senior officers of the department attended the meeting.

“Sagar directed the officers to ensure that the works being undertaking under the programme are strictly in accordance with the developmental needs of the particular areas. The local representatives of those particular areas should also be consulted while identifying the developmental programme,” an official spokesman said.

The minister also called for ensuring that the payments to the persons identified under the programme should be made within the stipulated time period of 15 days as envisaged under the Act.

The minister also directed for uploading the management information system (MIS) information on a regular basis so that an effective monitoring could be ensured about the status of works done, beneficiaries identified and the payment made to the human resources.

Srinagar, July 12
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued a show-cause notice to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) for his slackness in allowing construction of two structures at Drung, a newly development tourist spot near Tangmarg in north Kashmir.

These orders were passed by a Division Bench of the high court after the CEO in his report had admitted that two structures (hotels) had come up in the Drung area despite the fact that the owners of these structures had no building permission from the authorities concerned.

The court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mohammad Rafiq Zargar wherein he had sought intervention of the high court in safeguarding eco-sensitive areas of Gulmarg and Tangmarg from illegal constructions. The matter was listed before a Division Bench recently.

As per the previous direction, any new construction in eco-sensitive areas of Gulmarg and Tangmarg has been banned by the high court.

As directed on previous occasion, the CEO in his status report had also admitted that the GDA was approached for grant of building permission which was denied accordingly.

However, after taking the status report by the CEO on record, the high court in its orders observed that the officer concerned had expressed his helpless in stopping these constructions. It expressed its surprise that how these constructions had come up without building permission.

“Show cause to the CEO, GDA, why action against him is not initiated for allowing two structures to come up at Drung area,” the high court said in its orders.

Observing that the officer concerned had shown complete slackness, the Bench also observed that salary of such officers who are not able to discharge their duties must be stopped.

The Bench also said: "The high court is the custodian of the land at Gulmarg and Tangmarg and no other court will pass orders related to the matter being dealt in the PIL."

Srinagar, July 12
Kashmir region is likely to observe a shutdown on Martyrs’ Day tomorrow, which is also observed as a state holiday.

The shutdown on Martyrs’ Day has been called by the hardline Hurriyat faction headed by Syed Ali Geelani. For the last many years, July 13 has been observed as a shutdown in the Kashmir region.

July 13 is recognised as the Martyrs’ Day by the state government and is an official holiday in the state.

The day is marked as an anniversary of 22 men who were killed in 1931 by troops while protesting against the autocratic monarchical rule.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah paid tributes to the martyrs of July 13 and described them as “heroes of the struggle against suppression and autocracy”.

In a statement, Omar said, “The sacrifice of the martyrs to free society from autocracy and lay edifice for democracy and human dignity is one of the richest chapters in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.”

“The best way to pay homage to the martyrs is to help create equitable and palatable environment for everyone to grow and nurture in a democratic atmosphere. Let all of us join hands to develop a society based on justice and principles of secular democratic temperament,” the Chief Minister said.

Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leaders Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti also paid tributes to those killed on July 13, 1931.

Srinagar, July 12
Srinagar has become the first district in the country to ban the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within 100 yards of all hospitals.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Farooq Ahmad Shah ordered the imposition of the ban aimed to better the patient care. The DC also ordered the cancellation of registration of such shops that sell tobacco products to children below 18 years of age.

“In case of violation by any shopkeeper, heads of the educational institutions have been asked to furnish details of such shopkeepers to chief education officer, tehsildar and SHO concerned for immediate action,” the statement read.

The orders were issued on the representation made by AM Mir, executive director, J&K Voluntary Health Association (JKVHA), VHAI New Delhi, and members of the civil society. 

Srinagar, July 12
Three persons were killed in different road accidents across the Kashmir valley, a police spokesman here today said.

A motorcycle rammed into an electric pylon resulting in injuries to motorcyclist Ghulam Mohiudin Ganie in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the spokesman said.

The injured was shifted to the SKIMS hospital here where he succumbed to his injuries, the spokesman said.

In central Kashmir’s Budgam district, a truck hit a pedestrian identified as Ghulam Hassan Lone, a resident of Lathishah in Sopore, at Railway bridge, Humhama.

The man died on the spot, the spokesman said.

In another accident in Budgam district, an auto load carrier hit and injured Ghulam Mustafa Rather, a resident of AgroKalan near Magam, the spokesman said.

The injured was shifted to the SKIMS hospital here where he succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, A 28-year-old man drowned in a canal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

Reyaz Ahmad Dar, a resident of Trigam village of Ganderbal, drowned when he slipped and fell into the canal at Rayil Gund in the district, a police spokesman said.

His body was fished out and handed over to his family for the last rites, the spokesman said.

Srinagar, July 12
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is going to conduct examinations in the Kashmir valley for the first time for students pursuing intermediate and final programme of the chartered accountancy (CA) of India.

Mohi-Ud-Din Sangmi, head, Department of Business and Financial Studies (DBFS), University of Kashmir, said, “I along with the University of Kashmir Vice-Chancellor, Prof Talat Ahmed, have put in efforts to convince the institute to set-up an examination centre here for the students of the Valley. We are delighted to inform the students that the ICAI has decided to establish a centre at KU this year.”

He said setting up of an exams centre in the Valley would benefit many students who want to pursue their careers in chartered accountancy from the ÌCAI.

“In the absence of an exams centre here, students would have to go outside the state for appearing in the ICAI exams and were facing lots of hardships there. I have personally met many students who couldn’t pursue the course just because they can’t afford to move out of the state for appearing in the exams. We have worked hard to get the exams centre in the Valley,” Sangmi said.

He informed that the company secretary-ship (CS) and cost accountancy (CMA) examinations were already being conducted in the university.

Sangmi said students appearing in the November-December 2013 exams could opt for Srinagar centre.

The ICAI is a statutory body established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 (Act No. XXXVIII of 1949) for the regulation of the profession of Chartered Accountants in India.

Kupwara, July 12
Residents in Kupwara town and its adjoining areas are facing power shortage at Sehri and Iftar timings during the holy month of Ramadan. They said they were forced to take Sehri and Iftar under candle lights.

"We are fed up of grim power scenario here in Kupwara. We do not see power for hours together although we are made to pay electricity bills on time. The department has failed to ensure smooth power supply during Ramdhan," said Mohammed Ashraf, a resident of Bumhama, near Kupwara.

Consumers of metered areas in Kupwara and Handwara towns said the power was playing hide and seek with them. "Even the metered areas are not spared of frequent power outages. The Power Development Department should do away with the metering system or improve the power supply. It is shameful that the power supply is snapped at Sehri timings," said Jamal-u-din, a resident of Sogam.

People of many non-metered areas, including Lalpora, Sogam, Kalaroose, and Darpora, Trehgam, Chowkibal, Gushi and Bohipora said the power had been playing hide and seek.

"The power supply is not provided in accordance with the curtailment schedule. At times, we do not see power for days together. The department has failed to improve the power supply even during the holy month of Ramadan," said Shabir Ahmad from Trehgam. Consumers in Handwara town also complained of erratic power supply. They said the power outages had become the order of the day.

Another resident from Bohipora near Kupwara said, "For the past two days, power is playing hide and seek, especially at Iftaar and Sehri timings. We never know when will the electric lamp glow or when it goes black."

Residents threatened to take to streets if the power supply was not improved. "We will be forced to protest if the power supply was not restored to normal at the earliest. At times, the voltage is so low that we are forced to lit candles to illuminate our homes," said Ali Mohd, a trader in Kupwara town. 

Srinagar, July 12
The Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) has decided to make its enforcement wing more effective by augmenting it with manpower and machinery to ensure strict adherence of the Master Plan regulations in the Srinagar Metropolitan Local area.

Reviewing the functioning of the enforcement wing at a meeting here today, SDA vice-chairman Mohammad Shafi Rather called for making the wing more effective in enforcing the Master Plan regulations and preventing building violations and encroachments in the Srinagar local area.

“The meeting was informed that the SDA has recently purchased latest machinery worth Rs 30 lakh to strengthen the enforcement wing and more high-end equipment like slab and iron-cutters was on the way so that the wing doesn’t face any handicap while demolishing illegal structures and constructions,” an official spokesman said.

The Deputy Director Enforcement, Abdul Aziz Khawaja, informed the meeting that while his wing had already initiated the anti-encroachment drive in the SDA local area and the bus terminals, much more needs to be done to clear the encroachment mess, especially at the general bus stand, Batamaloo.

“Once the enforcement wing is equipped with the requisite machinery and manpower, massive encroachment drive would be launched by the SDA to clear all public and passenger facilities of encroachers and restore the same for the use of general public,” Khawaja said. He said the enforcement wing was earlier unable to take tangible action as it was handicapped for want of machinery.

The meeting was informed that the enforcement wing was in the process of compiling the comprehensive survey report of the constructions carried out without building permission in the existing SDA Local area, including Sangam, Hokarsar, Dhahrmuna, Soibug, Churpora, Hakar Mula, Duridus, Sabdan, Ompora Housing Colony, Ompora, Narkara, Rangreth, Kralpora, Bagh-e-Mehtab, Nowgam, Mochu, Hundal Bagh, Gobar Bagh, Wangipora, Gundi Chuckpora, Malik Gund, Wagoora, Chattergam, Duniwara, Wathora, Pohru, Srinagar Railway Station, Rakhi Shalina, Lasjan, Soiteng, Sumerbug, Shalyn, Kandizal, Pampore Railway Station, Pampore, Gallander, Kunbal, Wyan, Khrew and Balaham.

“Once the survey report is completed, the owners of the constructions that have come up without any proper building permission from the SDA will be served demolition notices,” the spokesman said.

Srinagar, July 12
Chairman and Managing Director Pawan Hans Ltd Anil Srivastava called on Governor NN Vohra at the Raj Bhawan here last evening.

During their meeting, the Governor and Srivastava reviewed the operation of the Pawan Hans Helicopter services on the Katra-Sanjichat sector for round the year Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims and on the Pahalgam-Panjtarni sector for the seasonal Amarnath yatra.

Navin K Choudhary, principal secretary to the Governor, was present during the discussions.

Srinagar, July 12
Kashmir University’s website, which has not been working properly for the last two days due to server crash, has raised apprehensions among students about loss of important data, including their examination registration numbers, fee details and score cards.

Officials of the IT department at KU maintained that all information had been retrieved as there was a back-up server and the data was saved after every two hours of the website update.

Although the website was functional today, students said except for home page, links were not working properly.

Sources said the website was being handled by just computer science graduates of the IT department and not by engineers.

“Usually, maintenance of websites and handling of important projects are done by network engineers. But, the university has not hired any networking engineer for the purpose,” said an administrative official.

Sources said the university had to call in experts from Delhi to help with the website and retrieve data.

Earlier, the IT department was headed by a professor from the Management Department and allegations of non-professionals handling key positions in IT department have surfaced again. University spokesperson Showkat Shafi, meanwhile, admitted that the website was brought back into order with the help from experts flown in from Delhi.

Srinagar, July 12
Few private schools in the city which came under scanner for failing to comply the state land revenue guidelines under the Lands Grants Act 1960, have also failed to provide the allotted admission quota to the poor students.

Muzaffar Ahmad Khan, chairperson of the Private Schools Parents Association said the district administration had recently notified that the schools which were operating on nazool land (leased land) registered as non-profitable charity or trust were supposed to allot few admission seats to students from marginalised sections of society.

However, the same is not the case as none of these schools registered under non-profitable purposes have furnished allotted quotas.

Khan said the association had taken a strong notice of the schools, flouted the rules and the same had been conveyed to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Shailendra Kumar.

“Divisional Commissioner told us that soon there will be an interaction between us and the school administrations to specifically sort out the issues pertaining to admissions. We have been saying all along that the admission guidelines which are set up by school administrations suit their own propaganda and are of no use to a common man,” Khan asserted.

Two Christian missionary schools located in Raj Bagh and Lal Chowk areas of Srinagar district on nazool land have been served notices by the district administration for constructing illegal structures and failing to pay rent for the allotted land respectively.

One of the schools even closed down for a day as a mark of protest against the allege high handedness of state government. But the district administration officials maintain that till now both the schools have failed to file satisfactory replies as to why the action should not be taken againt them.