Srinagar, September 21
Despite the shutdown in the valley in response to the strike call given by the Hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairperson, the Service Selection Board (SSB) today conducted the examinations for the graduate-level posts and forest guards across the state.

Although repeated pleas were made by the aspirants for the postponement of the exam, the SSB went ahead with the fixed schedule for the posts of account assistants and forest guards.

The examinations were held in two rounds with various government and private higher secondary schools designated as exam centres.

The district administration had made a slight change in the venues.

The staff for the examinations, who were employees of various public departments, was directed to remain present at the examination centres since early morning.

Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Farooq Ahmad Shah said the examinations went without any hindrance.

“There were two rounds of the examination. The turnout of the candidates was as expected and it was a smooth affair overall,” Shah said.

Meanwhile, stone-pelting incidents were reported from some areas of south and north Kashmir that caused inconvenience to candidates, especially in making it on time to their respective examination centres.

Since the public transport was off the road, commuting for the candidates became all the more difficult.

“We had a difficult time reaching the examination centres. The call for the strike was given a week ago and the district administration should have acted accordingly and deferred the examinations,” Ambreen, a candidate from Baramulla, said.

In the downtown areas of Srinagar, the candidates faced similar problems and were highly critical of the SSB for not postponing the examinations.

“The Nowhatta area was tense since morning and it was really risky to reach the examination centre, considering these areas are very volatile. The state government cannot risk the lives of its youth under the garb of employment opportunity,” Shuaib Ahmad, an aspirant from Nawa Kadal, Srinagar, said.

Pertinently, the SSB has been conducting recruitment examinations regularly since the state government announced filling up of 80,000 vacancies in various public departments under the fast-track employment package announced by the government.

Srinagar, September 21
Curfew-like restrictions continued to remain imposed in north Kashmir’s Palhalan village on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway for the fourth consecutive day.

The restrictions were imposed Wednesday morning after two militants of Hizbul Mujaideen, Aqib Rashid Sofi and Bilal Ahmad Bhat, were killed in a gun fight on the premises of a school on Tuesday. Residents, however, allege that the two were killed after being taken into custody.

Sources said dozens of policemen and paramilitary troopers Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had sealed all the roads leading to the volatile village, nearly 30 km from here. There was no report of any clash between the protesters and the police from the village, a separatist bastion.

The vehicular traffic on the Baramulla Srinagar highway plied normally.

Police sources said the restrictions in the area were likely to be lifted on Sunday.

“We will review the situation Saturday night and the restrictions will be lifted on Sunday,” said a police officer.

Srinagar, September 21
Taking on record an affidavit by the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC), in which he has identified seven more illegal structures, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed him to file a status report about the removal of illegal constructions along the Sindh in central Ganderbal district. These directions were issued by a Division Bench of the high court this week, which were made available today.

“Seven more structures have been identified, which have been found erected in violation of Section 83 of the Water Resources (Regulation and Management) Act, 2010, along the banks of the Sindh. The Chief Engineer submitted this in his compliance report, adding that show-cause notices have already been served upon the violators on September 9, wherein they have been given 15 days to file replies.”

Earlier, in the compliance report in August, it had been said that the authorities concerned had demolished 10 structures illegally built along the banks of the Sindh in Ganderbal district.

When the Chief Engineer informed Bench that ‘on account the inability of the department to cope up with the work’, the department was in the offing to outsource a survey for the determination of flood basin of the Sindh nullah. The high court asked the Advocate General why couldn’t the revenue authorities “pulled up” for not cooperating with the I&FC department.

The I&FC department, as pointed out in the compliance report, had requested the revenue authorities to provide the material for determining the area of the river and its flood basin. After hearing the arguments, the Bench, in its orders, directed the Chief Engineer to file a status report about the removal of the illegal constructions along the Sindh.

Kupwara, September 21
After a brief lull, wild animals have intensified attacks on people and livestock in many villages of Kupwara, creating panic among the villagers.

Last evening, a leopard pounced on a class V student, Umar Manzoor Dar, a resident of Pazipora Villgam, near his house. The relatives said the animal took the boy away. There has been no trace of the victim since then.

“We searched for him in the nearby forests but to no avail. He may have been killed but we are unable to locate the body of the victim,” said a relative.

Kupwara Deputy Commissioner Itrat Hussain Rafique told The Tribune that the civil administration has sought help from the Army in recovering the body of the victim.

“We are trying hard to recover the body of the victim and sniffer dogs have been put in service for the purpose. The Wildlife authorities, police and civil administration have not been able to locate the body even after extensive search. I have issued the orders to kill the man-eater,” said the Kupwara DC.

Since 1 pm today, a team of army assisted by wild life officials have led sniffer dogs in nearby forests to trace the body of deceased but to no avail, an official said.

In another incident, Ab Ahad Dar (57), a resident of Bakiakar Handwara, was critically injured when a leopard attacked him in a fruit orchard near his house last evening.

The victim was rushed to a health center in Wadipora and later shifted to the Soura hospital in Srinagar.

“He is battling for life in hospital. The department has miserably failed to save people from animal attacks. We fear to venture out due to the increasing scare of animal attacks,” said Ab Jabar, a local resident.

Danish Sharif, 7, suffered serious injuries when a leopard attacked him near his home in Bakiakar today.

After the initial treatment at the local health centre, the victim was shifted to a Srinagar hospital for specialised treatment.

They demanded that cages be set up in the villages to trap wild animals. “The animals come down to villages even during the day and the department can easily trap them,” said Mohammad Amin, a farmer from Shatgund.

Srinagar, September 21
Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf today said the state government would identify unexplored sites of archaeological importance in the Valley and put them on tourist map.

He said the Naranag area of Ganderbal district in central Kashmir was one such site which needs to be developed and put on the tourist map.

The minister said this while addressing a largely-attended public meeting at Ganderbal here today.

He said the state government was committed to promote new tourist sites in the state to give further impetus to tourism activities. He said the state had a lot of potential for expanding tourism activities and all out efforts would be made to tap the same in the uncovered areas.

He said Naranag was the site of ancient importance and measures would be initiated to bring this site on the tourist map. He said the Archeological Survey of India would be persuaded to take up this site for development and preservation for the tourists. He also directed the officers concerned to take immediate steps to preserve the site and spring. He directed for undertaking necessary restoration work like proper fencing, developing pathways, installation of lights, dustbins and railing to protect the monuments from cattle and unscrupulous elements.

The minister also directed the officers to launch awareness drive among the locals about the sanitation, development and social welfare programmes. He sought people’s participation in the overall development of the area.

Srinagar, September 21
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad laid foundation stone of a double-storey 50-bed integrated hospital at Harwan here today.

The hospital will be constructed at a cost of Rs 751.76 lakh and the time of completion has been fixed at September 2015.

"The hospital will have rooms for consultation chambers, dispensing units, pathology and clinical labs, complete diagnostic area having X-rays and USG units and complete operation theatre with allied facilities," the spokesperson said.

Azad said the Centre was providing a large sum of money to the state government through various centrally sponsored schemes, particularly in the health sector.

He reiterated the Union Government’s resolve to make all new health schemes operational with the support of the state government.

The Union Minister announced setting up of a herbal garden adjacent to the hospital and emphasised the need for boosting medical tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Azad said under the National Rural Health Mission during last seven years, 121 district hospitals, sub-district hospitals, community health centres and PHC’s were set up in the state, where 5,000 doctors, nurses and para-medicos were posted. He said out of 425 ambulances sanctioned, the state had purchased 129 ambulances for various hospitals. He said two maternity hospitals at a cost of Rs 65 crore each were set up both in Srinagar and Jammu.

Srinagar, September 21
The Peoples Democratic Party has demanded that a criminal case be registered against the Beacon authorities for their alleged negligence that resulted in a fatal accident in Kupwara recently.

Five persons were killed and four injured on September 19 when a taxi they were travelling in skidded off the Machil-Kupwara road.

“Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Lolab MLA Abdul Haq Khan met the Kupwara SSP and urged him to register a criminal case against the Beacon authorities for negligence,” a PDP spokesperson said.

The MLA, who visited his constituency, also lambasted the state government for not paying heed to the pathetic condition of roads in the Lolab constituency, particularly in the Machil area.

“The road where the accident took place is very narrow and in dilapidated condition. The Beacon authorities, despite frequent pleas for repair and widening, are turning a deaf ear on our requests,” a PDP statement quoting Khan said.

The Lolab MLA also criticised the government for its failure to provide adequate compensation to the victims.

“The compensation cannot repair the loss but can give some kind of relief,” he said. The MLA demanded immediate construction of a tunnel on the Kupwara-Machil road.

Srinagar, September 21
The All-Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has appealed to residents of Shopian district in south Kashmir to come out and depose before the inquiry commission to probe the killings that took place in the district on September 7 and 11.

In a statement, APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said justice could only be done when the people record their statements before the Deputy Commissioner, Shopian, who has been appointed as the inquiry officer in the incident.

Raina said stern action should be taken against the security forces personnel involved in the recent killing.

"It is highly unfortunate and disappointing that the security forces personnel have caused damage to the houses in the Shopian district. As such it is important to hold a probe, but same is not possible without the cooperation of people. People should record their statements so that there is some relief and such incidents are avoided in the future," Raina said.

Raina said people should be vigilant about the elements who want to play with their emotions on this incident and exploit them as well. He asked the state government to play its part to perfection so that action was taken against the guilty. He said all people should join their hands so that there was peace in Shopian and the area does not face any further economic slump.

Srinagar, September 21
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik will lead a delegation carrying relief material to curfew-bound Shopian district of south Kashmir on Sunday, the party today said in a statement.

The separatist group said Malik would carry relief material, including life-saving drugs, food grains and other goods to Shopian.

Shopian district has remained under curfew for 15 consecutive days since September 7, when four people, including one suspected militant, were shot in the area.

The separatist party leader said curfew and restrictions had led to a “catastrophe” for the people in Shopian.

“People are facing scarcity and shortage of life-saving drugs and other important needs of life. To fulfil our moral, human and religious duty of supporting the suppressed humans of Shopian, the JKLF delegation, led by chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, will reach Shopian tomorrow,” the JKLF said in the statement.

Kupwara, September 21
As many as 25 residents of Ramhal region of Kupwara district returned from a National Integration Tour after two weeks.

The tour was organised in continuation with the ongoing Operation Sadhbhavana by 6 Rashtriya Rifles battalion of the Army.

The tour covered the famous Golden Triangle in tourism parlance, including Delhi-Agra-Jaipur. The Ajmer Dargah was an added bonus to the visitors, said a spokesman. The tour was flagged off by the Commanding Officer, 6 RR from Villgam, Kupwara on September 9.

The 11-day tour started with the visit to the national capital, where they got an opportunity to visit landmark monuments like the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Qutab Minar and also a ride in the metro rail. They had an opportunity to meet Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi, and visit to Maruti Suzuki plant, Manesar.

After that they visited the famous Agra city and were mesmerised by the magnificence of the Taj Mahal.

The tour then proceeded to Jaipur. The first day in the Pink City was marked by the interaction with South Western Command General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lieutenant General Gyan Bhushan.

The tour also provided them with an opportunity to experience the cultural diversity and unity of the country.

Commanding Officer, 6 Rashtriya Rifles, who received the visitors promised that the Army would undertake such projects for the benefit of all sections of society.

Srinagar, September 21
The Department of Students Welfare, Kashmir University will organise an inter-college debate competition on crime against women and children on September 24 at the Ibn-e-Khaldoon Auditorium on the varsity campus.

Coordinator Shahid Ali Khan said entries for participation were open to all the state colleges till September 21. The applications need to be approved by the heads of the participating institutions.

The eligibility criteria and rules for the competition are available on the official KU website and the participants have been asked to mail the event coordinator.

Shahid said the debate competition was an annual feature and the Vice-Chancellor, KU, Talat Ahmad, would preside over the inaugural function.

Srinagar, September 21
A medical-cum-veterinary camp was organised by the Army under Operation Sadbhavana at Ningli village in Baramulla.

Patients being examined at a medical camp at Ningli village in Baramulla on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

An Army official said a joint team of doctors from the Army and civil administration, including lady doctors, veterinary doctor, nursing assistant and paramedics participated in providing medical assistance to over 564 persons, including men, women and children.

“Besides 346 livestock were also treated at the camp which was held on Thursday,” he said.

A mobile youth employment guidance node was also established alongside the medical camp by the Army, wherein interaction and guidance was provided to the local youth about various career opportunities available. “Handouts on various career prospects were distributed and a lecture on 'Drug abuse’ was also conducted,” the officer said.

“The Army has been regularly organising medical camps in the remote areas of Baramulla district. The general populace in the remote areas is greatly benefitted by these camps as there is a lack of medical facilities in these areas,” he said.

Srinagar, September 21
J&K Police ‘B’ team and J&K Police 'A' team won their respective matches in the ongoing State Power Development Corporation Annual League Football Tournament here today. In the first match J&K Police ‘B’ team defeated Young Lalchowk Football by 4:0 goals. Masroor scored two goals in 49th and 65th minute for J&K Police ‘B’ team. Shabir and Vishal scored one goal each in 44th and 58th minute respectively.

In Super Division match J&K Police 'A' team defeated Iqbal Sports. Zahid netted the ball in 24th minute and gave one goal lead to his team. Sandeep extended lead in 62th minute and J&K Police 'A' team won by 2:0.

The tournament being played at Polo Ground is organised by J&K Football Association, Srinagar.