Srinagar, August 25
A 23-year-old youth from the city’s Chatabal area was found dead in the morning and his body was recovered from a river. Farooq Azam Khan, a resident of Patlipora area of Chatabal, was found dead and his body was recovered from the Jhelum river near Shalteng locality on the city’s western edge, a police spokesman said.

Khan was missing from the past three days and a missing person report had been lodged by his brother at the Kothi Bagh police station. The youth was working as a salesman at a computer shop in the central Regal Chowk market of the city.

The police spokesman said a postmortem was conducted in a hospital and “no visible marks of torture or violence” were found on Khan’s body.

The spokesman said a case had been registered under Section 174 of the RPC and investigations were on to ascertain the cause and circumstances of the youth's death.

The youth’s body was handed over to his family in the afternoon and he was later buried at a local graveyard in Chatabal, which remained tense throughout the day since the news of the death spread in the area.

Chatabal remained shut since morning as hundreds of people visited Khan’s family to express condolences, eye witnesses said.

There were also brief protests in the area, where police and paramilitary personnel had been deployed to maintain law and order.

An eyewitness said Khan’s body had been completely swollen and there were cuts on his hand, near one eye and head. He said the body was already showing signs of decomposition and skin was getting “peeled off”.

Srinagar, August 25
Soura locality in the city observed a shutdown today, the third death anniversary of a 17-year-old boy who died at a hospital due to injuries suffered during alleged torture in police custody.

Umar Qayoom, a resident of Malik Sahab Soura, died on August 25, 2010, at SKIMS hospital here. The teenaged boy had earlier been arrested on August 20 and was released on bail on August 21, the day he was admitted to the hospital.

The family had alleged that Umar was severely beaten and tortured in the police custody which later caused his death, the allegation denied by police.

A remembrance event was organised by the teenager's father Abdul Qayoom outside their home at Soura today which was attended by several senior separatist leaders, including JKLF’s Yasin Malik, Islamic Students League’s Shakeel Bakshi and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat's Mehraj Kalwal.

Shops and other small businesses in the area were closed in the locality, a local resident said.

More than 110 bystanders and protesters were killed in the police and paramilitary firing in the summer of 2010 during months of widespread protests.

Kupwara, August 25
People in Handwara tehsil of bordering Kupwara district are facing immense problems due to eight incomplete bridges in different areas. Work on most of the bridges has been suspended by the authorities concerned for unknown reasons for the past some years.

Work on a bridge on Mawar nullah was started by the Beacon authorities in 2003. The bridge is supposed to connect Handwara with Baramulla. It has been a decade that the work on the vital bridge is going on at a snail’s pace intermittently after it was suspended many times in the past. Locals said the pillars erected in the nullah to raise the bridge blocked the flow of water leading to floods and subsequently damaged the paddy and maize crops in the area.

They demanded that the work on the bridge should be speeded up and it should be made motorable at the earliest. “It has been more than a decade that the vital bridge remains incomplete. Apart from traffic jams, the incomplete bridge also causes floods, which in turn damages standing paddy and maize crops almost every year. We are facing grave difficulties due to the incomplete bridge and urge the authorities to complete its construction in a stipulated time,” said Mohd Sayeed Wani, a resident of Mawar.

The Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department in 2000 started construction work on a bridge at Phoru nullah. The bridge will connect Vodhpora with Ramhal and other areas. So far, the department has completed about 60 per cent of the work on the bridge. “At least a dozen children have already drowned in the fast flowing water of the nullah, when boats carrying them capsized on two occasions in the past. In the absence of a bridge, we are forced to cross the nullah in boats and shikaras, which has proved dangerous in the past,” said Abdul Hamid Zargar, a resident of Vodhpora.

Similarly, the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) in 2001 started construction work on a bridge which is supposed to connect Kulangam with Gund Chogal. It has been more than a decade that the work is going on at a very slow pace. In 2002, the foundation of another vital bridge which is supposed to connect Handwara with Kahipora was laid but so far, only 50 per cent work has been completed. The bridge would be built at a cost of Rs 1 crore, said a source.

A few other bridges supposed to connect Sunmullah with Ramhal, Kulangam with Braripora, Nagri with Jagarpora and Villgam with Handwara have not been completed. Locals said if made motorable, the bridges would not only cut short the distance but also ease traffic rush in many areas. They demanded that the construction of the bridges should be completed at the earliest.

Executive Engineer, R&B, Handwara division, Javid Iqbal Tara said funding for construction of the bridges was released in instalments.

“Due to release of funds in phased manner, the construction work takes more time than anticipated by the department. We are hopeful that by the end of this year, at least four bridges would be made motorable for the convenience of the people,” said Tara.

Srinagar, August 25
A long dry spell and unusually hot temperatures have affected the production of vegetables in the Valley this year. This has led to shortage of major vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, lettuce and peas.

“From the past couple of years, we are witnessing a decline in vegetable production, particularly green leafy vegetables. The reason may be long and extremely warm and dry spells. Too high temperatures wither away vegetable crops,” said Muhammad Mukhtar, a vegetable grower.

The Meteorological Department said this year the maximum temperature hovered around 35.4 degrees Celsius during July which was the second highest temperature in the decade.

Agriculture experts believe that heat and temperature cause cracks in seeds which lead to their stunted growth and thus little production.

“The excessive heat leads to decreased photosynthesis (food making process in plants), slow rate of transpiration and therefore poor growth. The production naturally declines. It is high time, the farmers should start using techniques to improve water supply and use quality fertilisers to improve crop production,” said Nisar Ahmad, an expert based in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kashmir.

With poor supply of vegetables in the market, vendors were quoting their own prices. “It is not just onions anymore. 1 kg of lettuce costs Rs 40-50 now from Rs 20 last month. Tomatoes are also expensive and so are other vegetables. Vendors express their helplessness and say that there is a limited supply in the market,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local resident.

Srinagar, August 25
A group of artisans staged a protest here today on the banks of the Dal Lake demanding extension of the duration of the exhibition being organised by the authorities to display their goods.

Artisans protest against the Handicrafts Department and the exhibition organiser, Apex Marketing Federation, for providing inadequate facilities in Srinagar on Sunday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Mir Yunis, who was a part of the protest, said they had been demanding extension of the duration the exhibition on the Boulevard Road. Stating that the exhibition is scheduled to conclude on August 28, the protesters also demanded better facilities.

Mir said they did not have proper lighting arrangements at the exhibition area and they were facing problems displaying their products to tourists visiting the stalls after the evening hours. Stating that the exhibition had been organised to showcase the work of artisans of the Valley, he claimed that the exhibition had not been properly advertised.

“We demand that the exhibition be given wide publicity so that the tourists besides the general public get to know about our products,” he added.

Srinagar, August 25
The three-day Senior National Rugby Championship concluded at Bakshi Stadium here today with the Delhi team defeating the West Bengal team in the finals.

The championship was held here here for the first time. The event was organised by the J&K Rugby Association in collaboration with the J&K State Sports Council under the aegis of the Indian Rugby Football Union.

As many as 20 teams from across the country, including the state team, participated in the event. More than 300 players and supporting staff participated in the event.

Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, who was the chief guest on the concluding ceremony, gave away trophies and prizes to winners.

Speaking on the occasion, Gurezi said the Kashmir Valley was the best destination for organising sports events of national level in view of its weather conditions, especially during the summer months, when most parts of the country are reeling under the heat wave.

J&K Rugby Association president Sarmad Hafiz and Indian Rugby Football Union secretary general Chaitanya Singh talked about the importance of the game.

Srinagar, August 25
A middle-aged woman and a man committed suicide in two different districts of south Kashmir, a police spokesman said here today.

The 37-year-old woman, a resident of Saidwari village of Kulgam district, consumed some poisonous substance at her home and was taken to a hospital in Qazigund town.

She died in the hospital, the spokesman said.

The second suicide was committed by a man in Anantnag district.

The spokesman said Ghulam Ahmad Mir, a resident of Batakote village near Pahalgam resort, consumed some poisonous substance at his home. Mir was shifted to the District Hospital, Anantnag, for treatment from where he was referred to SKIMS hospital in the city but he died on the way near Pampore town, the spokesman said.

Srinagar, August 25
A group of students was injured when a bridge collapsed in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a police spokesman said here today.

The bridge, which had been damaged by recent floods in the area, at Vesses village collapsed resulting in injuries to 11 students of a nearby government school, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the students suffered minor injuries and were provided first aid locally.

Seerat Jan, a ninth class student, was shifted to the District Hospital, Anantnag, for treatment where her condition was reported to be stable, the spokesman said.

The group of students was crossing the bridge when it collapsed.

Kupwara, August 25
As many as 18 villages in Handwara and Kupwara tehsils of north Kashmir are facing severe shortage of drinking water. Two mega water supply plants built at a cost of Rs 2 crore and Rs 3 crores in Chowkibal and Mawar villages, respectively, are defunct, sources said.

The villages facing water shortage are Pohru, Hanjishot, Pohru Chakla, Kaslo, Kahipora, Mawar, Chogal, Braripora, Handwara, Younus, Lat shat, Galoora, Kultoora, Bungam, Kralgund Kulangam and 
Tootigund.

Locals said they were forced to consume contaminated water from the Pohru and Mawar nallahs, which had led to the outbreak of gastroenteritis and jaundice.

On August 16, at least 80 people, including children, of the Sidhraan hamlet near Chowkibal were treated for gastroenteritis.

“The Public Health Engineering (PHE) department claims to have spent Rs 2 crore on the water supply scheme but we are dying for a drop of water. In the absence of potable water, we are forced to consume contaminated water from a nearby nullah. Last week, more than 80 people fell prey to gastroenteritis due to consumption of contaminated water,” said Ghulam Nabi from Chowkibal.

In 2009, the PHE department started work on a mega water supply scheme in Tumina Chowkibal. Although the plant was partly commissioned in 2011, villagers said they had been deprived of drinking water. In 2010, the department started work on a mega scheme in Mawar village of Handwara Tehsil. The plant, worth Rs 3 crore, is still incomplete, an official said.

Residents of affected villages said they had held protests on several occasions to press the authorities for ensurign water supply but to no avail. “The department snapped the tanker service this year for a few weeks forcing us to consume contaminated water. Many of us are suffering from gastroenteritis but the department is least bothered about ensuring water supply to these villages,” said Abdul Majid from Hanjishot.

Executive Engineer, PHE division, Handwara, Mohd Afzal said the water plant built on the Mawar nullah was incomplete.

“I am hopeful that by May next year, we will be able to commission the plant and provide the much-needed facility to the affected villages. We will press water tankers into service in the villages so that the local populace does not consume water from open nullahs,” he said. 

Srinagar, August 25
The Army will hold a three-day recruitment rally for the posts of general duty soldier, clerk and dresser from tomorrow at Hamre Pattan in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

The recruitment rally is being organised by 163 Infantry Battalion of the Territorial Army (Home & Hearth) Sikh Light Infantry for residents belonging to Tral, Kapran, Warwan, Chadoora, Narayan Nar, Madhumati, Rajwara, Tangdhar, Keran, Machhal, Uri, Naugam, Gurez, Rampur, Keiyan, Gulmarg, Pattan, Palhalan, Sopore, Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora.

The spokesman said candidates applying for the post of general duty soldier should be class X passout, those applying for clerk should also be a matriculate with 50% marks in aggregate. He said for tradesman, canditates should be class VIII passout.

"The age of a candidate should be between 18-42 years on the date of recruitment. For ex-servicemen, the maximum age of re-enrolment in TA is from 42 years to 48 years. The height should be 160 cm, weight 50 kg and chest should be minimum 77 cm with 5 cm expansion," he said.

Srinagar, August 25
The two-day Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on "Emergencies and Critical Care in Counter Insurgency /Counter Terrorism Environment" which was organised at 92 Base Hospital, Srinagar concluded on Sunday.

The programme began with a workshop on emergency medical skills for young medical officers. Eminent speakers from the military and civil, including faculty from the SKIMS attended the deliberations.

"The Countinuing Medical Education was organised under Continuing Medical Education programme of National Academy of Medical Science (India)," a defence spokesman said.

The Countinuing Medical Education was formally inaugurated by Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, Srinagar based Chinar Corps Commander, where he praised the role of the doctors in the society and exhorted them to acquire even better skills and knowledge through programmes.

On the occasion, Lt Gen Singh also released a Handbook on Emergencies, a CD and souvenir commemorating the occasion.

He dedicated the initiatives under the Continuing Medical Education Programme to all the brave soldiers, security personnel and personalities from civil fraternity who had laid down their lives contributing towards National Security and building sustained peace in the Valley.

Dr Satish Dharap, Professor of Surgery, LTMMC, Sion, Mumbai also addressed on the occasion.

A large number of young Medical officers and specialists from the military as well as civil participated in the two-day programme. The programme highlighted the importance of the first responder in successful management of trauma victims.

Srinagar, August 25
The three-day techno-cultural festival of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar, concluded here with cultural events such as the war of bands, dance and solo musical performances by students of the host college.

NIT director Rajat Gupta gave away prizes and mementos to winners and participants of competitions. The festival saw social awareness programmes such as 'Save the Black Bear' and 'Educate the Girl Child' by the social work wing of the NIT. The wing also organised a wildlife awareness congress, which was attended by students from various universities and was headed by wildlife expert MA Tak.

“The focus of the conference was to raise awareness on Kashmir’s fauna, particularly rare species of wild animals which are becoming extinct. Our campaigns ‘Save the Black Beer’ will be a sustained one and we will try to sensitise the general masses too,” Ankit, the event coordinator, said.

On the second day of the festival yesterday, engineering students made proposals on decongesting traffic in Srinagar. There were other competitions such as 'storm warrior', 'robotics win maze', 'robotics off-road racing', 'sniper wars', 'automatic boat race' and 'treasure hunt'.

“The best part of the festival for me was the event in which students presented traffic management proposals. This shows that students not only care about academics but have a good civic sense too and want to help the administration,” Nitin Kumar, a Mechanical Engineering student at the NIT, Srinagar, said.

Srinagar, August 25
Civil Defence J&K in collaboration with the department of Excise and Taxation, Irrigation, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the J&K Voluntary Health Association organised an awareness camp in Pandrathan, Srinagar, to create awareness about the ill-effects of drug abuse.

Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Farooq Ahmad Shah was the chief guest on the occasion.

The guests of honour were SMC Commisioner GN Qasba and Valley’s renowned physician Dr GQ Allaqaband.

The speakers dwelt on the ill-effects of drugs and poppy on human lives. They exhorted upon the youth to keep away from drugs, narcotics, tobacco and other tobacco products which are fatal and cause many life threatening diseases.

They said the drug abuse had ruined many lives.The District administration had already banned use of intoxicants and tobacco products in the city.

Some NGOs also support District Administration in curbing the menace and efforts were on to eradicate it from roots.

The Students of various educational institutions of Pandrathan, Athwajan and Pantha Chowk were present on the occasion.

Later, School children and civil defence volunteers jointly removed bhang and poppy plants from the banks of the Jehlum.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner and SMC Commissioner, Srinagar also interacted with various delegations and got first-hand appraisal about the problems being faced by them in this regard.

They assured that their genuine problems would be addressed on priority.

Srinagar SMC Commissioner announced that Rs 3 lakh would be expended for the repair and renovation of lanes and drains of the Pandrathan area.

Srinagar, August 25
While demanding immediate disbanding of the Village Defence Committee, separatist leader and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik has said the government should “regularise the groups if it is not prepared to disarm or disband them".

He said this way, it would be possible to keep a tab on VDCs, which have been accused of playing a role in the recent communal violence in Kishtawar.

Malik made these statements while addressing public gatherings in Wachi constituency of Shopian district in south Kashmir, a JKLF spokesman said in a statement.

“Today, we are told that this force (VDC) cannot be disbanded. But we want to convey to the rulers that the crimes committed by VDCs are serious and the rulers and their forces cannot absolve themselves from the accusations,” the spokesman quoted Malik as having said in his address.

“Yasin Malik said the role of VDCs in the region is very dangerous, which, like renegade Ikhwan have unleashed a reign of terror in the state, particularly in the Jammu region,” the spokesman said.

“He said if the government didn't want to disband this terrorist force, it should give them (VDC members) regular uniforms and own them as their regular force so that their crimes are also recorded and documented,” Yasin Malik was further quoted.

The JKLF spokesman said Malik asked the world bodies to stop “lecturing India and Pakistan” over Kashmir, while urging them to play an “active role” in the “resolution” of their issues. — TNS