Srinagar, September 10
The work in the government offices across the Valley was affected today after the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various government employees’ bodies, called for a two-day long lockout strike.

The strike was observed a day after the government employees’ march to the civil secretariat was foiled by the police.

JCC leader Farooq Trali claimed that the strike was a “complete success”.

The strike was observed at all the government offices of the Valley. It was also observed in Jammu and Ladakh regions of the state, he said. The committee also convened a meeting here, which according to Trali was attended by several employee leaders.

He said the employees put forward their suggestions that the amalgam would incorporate while announcing the next round of protests. Trali said the JCC would announce its next course of action tomorrow on the second day of the lockout strike.

He added that the next round of protests would be more “severe” than the previous ones.

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 again resorted to 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 the issues through talks, but the same was 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 engaged in various government departments.

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

Kupwara, September 10
The functioning of the Department of Social Welfare, meant to safeguard the interests of poor and downtrodden, has been severely affected in some border areas of Kupwara district due to lack of services of at least eight Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) for the past many months.

Beneficiaries, including old-age persons, said they were suffering due to the absence of CDPOs and many of their cases were pending for disposal since months.

“In pursuit of disposal of a compensation case, I have been visiting the office concerned in Wavoora Lolab for the past two months, but to no avail. Had there been a CDPO posted in the office, my case would have been disposed off on time,” said Abdul Jabar, a resident of Sogam, Lolab.

Posts of CDPO Rajwar, Langate, Sogam, Villgam, Kralpora, Trehgam, Tanghdar and Wavoora are lying pending for the past several months. Sources said the programme officer, Kupwara, had been given the additional charge of CDPO’s of most of these blocks in the district.

Locals said hundreds of Anganwadi cases, including grant of centres, were unresolved due to non-availability of officers concerned.

Anganwadi workers and helpers of these blocks said their salaries had not been released for the past eight months. “Our salaries have not been released for the past eight months due to which children are facing starvation. Due to additional work load on the shoulders of the programme officer, the official matters take enough time for disposal,” said an Anganwadi worker.

Residents of Sogam, Villgam, Kralpora said the supply of supplements to the centres in their blocks were often delayed by weeks. “The supply of supplements is often delayed due to lack of services of the CDPO entrusted to look after an Anganwadi centre. We appeal to the Director, Social Welfare, to kindly post the officer at the centre and mitigate the problems of the beneficiaries,” said Mohd Shafi, a resident of Kralpora.

DC Kupwara Itrat Hussian Rafique said the matter had already been taken up with the authorities concerned and CDPOs would be posted at vacant places in two weeks. “I have already taken up the matter with the Director, Social Welfare, and all vacant positions would be filled within two weeks,” the DC said. 

In pursuit of disposal of a compensation case, I have been visiting the office concerned in Wavoora Lolab for the past two months, but to no avail. Had there been a CDPO posted in the office, my case would have been disposed off on time
— Abdul Jabar, a resident of Sogam, Lolab

Srinagar, September 10
The state High Court has directed the government to decide about the prosecution of the officials involved in the spurious drugs scam within four weeks.

The directions were issued by a division bench of the High Court headed by Chief Justice M M Kumar today. The court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking probe into the spurious drugs scam.

“With regard to the grant of prosecution of the accused, the Advocate General has drawn our attention to the status report filed by the General administration Department (GAD) in terms of order dated 12-8-2013,” the bench observed. “In Para 3 and 4 (of the GAD Status report), it has been pointed out that the file submitted for sanction has been returned to the Home Department on August 22, 2013 for clarifying certain issues,” it added.

The bench further observed in the orders that the Advocate General has also appraised the court that in order to expedite the process of sanction for prosecution, Feroz Ahmad, Additional Secretary GAD, has been appointed as a nodal authority to personally take the file from one department to another to ensure expeditious disposal of the case.

“It is expected that the case will be decided within four weeks,” the High Court said in its orders while directing the government to decide the matter related to the prosecution of the accused officials within four weeks time.

The court has also directed the government to file its status report about the action taken with regard to 27 samples of drugs that were recently found spurious/sub-standard by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after analysis.

Earlier in its status report to the court in August, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had informed the court that reports of all the 156 drug samples lifted by its staff from various places in Jammu and Kashmir have been received, out of which 27 drug samples were found spurious/sub-standard.

In the wake of 27 drug samples being declared sub-standard by the CDSCO, the state government on August 4 said the licenses of five erring firms, which supplied these drugs, have either been withdrawn or suspended indefinitely.

Srinagar, September 10
Government Degree College (GDC), Baramulla, today hosted a documentary film festival for the first time on its premises.

The festival was organised by the Department of Media Studies of the college.

As many as eight films, including fiction and non-fiction, were screened during the festival.

Withdrawal, a film by Musa Saleem, was adjudged the best film in the fiction category. The film was held in two sessions.

Praraan (waiting), a tele-film by Uzma Falak, was adjudged the second best film, while the third prize was bagged by My Journey directed by Aakash Jha of BIT Jaipur.

In the non-fiction category, the Traceurs, an MERC production, was adjudged first while Lost, a film by Ather Mohiduin, won the second prize and Colors of Dal, a film by Saba Malik of IUST, was awarded the third prize.

The jury comprised of Arshad Mushtaq, theatr director, Faruk Masudi, head, Media Education Research Centre, University of Kashmir and Amin Bhat, director and writer.

Srinagar, September 10
Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad today convened a high-level meeting of police officers at the police headquarters (PHQ) here to finalise the arrangements for 23rd Police-Public Mela which is scheduled to be held on September 15.

Discussions were held threadbare for the smooth conduct of the mega event in a befitting manner, a police spokesman said. The mela will be held at the Bakshi Stadium in the city here.

The DGP, while addressing the meeting, said the police-public mela had provided an opportunity to the police and the public to assemble and interact freely during the past five years.

“People across the state have been anxious for the grand event. The occasion has brought the force much closer to the public and people from all shades of life are participating in the melas,” the DGP said.

The meeting was attended by Additional Director General of Police (ADGPs) PL Gupta, SP Vaid, DR Doley, VK Singh, SM Sahai and Dilbagh Singh, IGPs B Srinivas, AK Choudhary, HK Lohia, Deepak Kumar, Rouf-ul- Hassan, Abdul Ghani, KK Saini, Muneer Ahmad Khan and SS Khandare.

DIGPs AS Bali, Syed Ahfadul Mujtaba, Abdul Hamid and KL Baghat, AIGPs (PHQ) GH Bhat, AA Kakroo, Uttam Chand and RS Sambyal, SSP Syed AH Bukhari, SSP Bashir Ahmad, Altaf Ahmad Khan, Aijaz Ahmad and Bashir Ahmad Shah were also present at the meeting.

The DGP, to make the event attractive, stressed to introduce more items at the mela representing different regions of the state. He also asked the officers concerned to ensure sale of tickets on the mela day at the venue by establishing special sale counters.

The meeting was informed that almost all arrangements have been completed for the day-long mela. “Sale of raffle draw tickets is in progress at various places across the state and people are showing keen interest in booking tickets. People’s participation at large scale is expected and security arrangements in and around the venue have also been chalked out,” the spokesman said.

The DGP was informed that police arrangements were being focused on priority and parking slots had been identified outside the venue for the convenience of the public.

The DGP said the revenue generated through the festivals would be utilised for the welfare of police martyr’s families and their wards. “Free education is being provided to these wards with hostel facilities in police-public schools in both the capital cities of the state, besides scholarships and coaching at different levels to nurture their talent in the field of education. Financial assistance for the marriage of their daughters is also a part of the welfare measures,” the police chief said.

The meeting decided that the stall holders from various police establishment centres would reach Srinagar three days ahead of the event to establish their stalls at the identified places.

The DGP asked for ensuring proper display of their items for sale on reasonable rates. “The event provides an opportunity to the public to get different items from different regions of the state under one roof. Painting competition for children and cultural items would be a part of the mela,” Prasad said. 

Srinagar, September 10
CPM state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today asked the state government to apologise over the last week’s killing of four youth in central Kashmir’s Shopian district which he termed a ‘heinous crime’.

We demand the state government must now act, and act firmly to identify the culprits and book them under law. The swift action on part of the government is also important as the same will put across a message that such type of incidents are not acceptable at any cost,” Tarigami said, addressing a press conference here in the city.

“We demand an open apology from the government on the issue as well,” he said.

Tarigami, who is a legislator from a south Kashmir constituency, said the police declaration that three out of four persons killed at Gagran in Shopian were civilians ‘vindicates public stand’.

“These killings are heinous and condemnable. As such, the anger in the area is justifiable and in no way should be deemed unnecessary,” he said.

Shopian has been under curfew for the past several days since the four youth were killed in the district on Saturday last week. Police yesterday said the three men killed in the CRPF firing were civilians while it suspected the fourth unidentified person was a militant.

Tarigami demanded a judicial inquiry should be ordered to bring facts to the fore, saying curfew and arrests were no solution to the problem.

“We also demand curfew and curbs in Shopian district and elsewhere, be lifted as people there are immensely suffering due to acute shortage of food and other essential supplies,” he said.

The CPM leader also demanded the state government to immediately provide ex-gratia relief in the favour of next of kin of the deceased youth. “We are extremely pained and grieved over the loss of precious lives in the incident and extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” he said.

Srinagar, September 10
Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma today inaugurated a modern water filtration plant at Salam Deodar, Kreeri in Baramulla district.

The plant, which has been developed at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore, will benefit over 45,000 souls, an official spokesman said in a statement here.

The plant employs latest technology based on scientific treatment of raw water by way of sedimentation, coagulation, flocculation, filtration and chemical dosing round the clock.

The Minister also threw open the Babul Canal at village Sheikhpora in the district, the statement said.

The canal has been modernised at an estimated cost of Rs 79.50 lakh and will have the discharge capacity of 90 cusecs of water.

The development has improved the irrigation potential in the area, the statement said. — TNS

Srinagar, September 10
Chief Minister’s political secretary Tanvir Sadiq today said the state government, under the leadership of Omar Abdullah, is committed to the holistic development of sports and proper nurturing of sportspersons.

Sadiq said due attention was being paid to infrastructure development in various sports. “The way young players are performing, the day is not far when we will produce ace players like Sachin Tendulkar and Wasim Akram,” Sadiq said.

Sadiq was addressing players of the 5th inter-state T20 National Cricket Federation Cup at Lar in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

“Focused attention for balanced growth and development of various games is one of the priorities of the state government so that youth of the state can showcase their talent,” he said.

He said the recent participation of corporate houses and the downtown league in which 300 local players took part showed how the T20 format of cricket had become popular.

Sadiq also interacted with the visiting teams of NCR Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab, Madya Pradesh, Haryana, JK Corporation, Gujrat and the host team from Ganderbal.

He said the Union Ministry of Youth Welfare and Sports had sanctioned two mega projects for Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 11.5 crore. These included a project at a cost of Rs 4.50 crore for laying of synthetic turf for football at TRC Ground Srinagar and the construction of Indoor Stadium at MA Stadium, Jammu, at a cost of Rs 7 crore, he said.

Sadiq said the state government was also in the process of constructing new Indoor Sport Complex in Kashmir at a cost of Rs 15 crore, laying of artificial turf for football at Baramulla at a cost of Rs 4.50 crore and two sports training centres at Jammu and Srinagar at a cost of Rs 10 crore.

Focused attention for balanced growth and development of various games is one of the priorities of the state government so that the youth of the state can showcase their talent
— Tanvir sadiq, chief minister ‘s political secretary 

Srinagar, September 10
The Minister of State for Technical Education, Power and Information Vikar Rasool today flagged off a group of students for skill training to various parts of the country.

The tour has been organised under the Skill Development for Youth programme, an official statement said here.

Under the programme 16,000 youth would be imparted training in different skills, so that they can be absorbed in various public and private sectors, the statement said.

It added that 4,000 youth would be provided the necessary technical training in Jammu and Kashmir, while 12,000 others are being sent to various other states of the country for training.

During the interaction with the youth, the Minister said the government was training them so that they can start their own ventures which would go a long way in ensuring the creation of self-employment in the state, the statement said. — TNS

Srinagar, September 10
Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad on Tuesday inaugurated an office complex of the State Forest Research Institute (SFRI) at Sonwar here.

The complex has been completed at a cost of Rs 80 lakh, an official said.

Altaf on the occasion also released a book, Biodiversity Studies in Gurez, and presided over the governing body meeting of the institute.

The meeting was informed that 14 lakh plant seedlings have been raised in the nurseries maintained and managed by the SFRI during last year, the official said.

Also 3.50 quintals of seed supplied were made to the forest department in the last year by the institute, he added.

Underlining the need for maintaining inter-departmental coordination, the Minister asked the authorities of the institute to start research work in collaboration with the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and other universities of the state.

Altaf asked the Director, SFRI to formulate a plan for setting up a high-tech nursery in the state.

He said technological interferences in the field of forests has brought a revolution and directed the officers to use modern techniques being applied in other states for overall expansion and protection of the forests.

The Minister also inspected the nursery set up within the complex and asked the concerned officials to introduce innovative techniques in maintaining and managing the nurseries.