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Muharram restrictions: Students bear the brunt
Restrictions on Muharram procession tomorrow
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Excavation on Karewa lands continues unabated
Fire damages eight shops, two houses in Bandipore
Rights group questions use of pentavalent vaccine
Minister for tobacco-free schools
PDP flays govt for poor development in Srinagar
Students urged to use slogans based on humanitarian grounds
Panic grips people as bears enter village
World Diabetes Day
3 extortionists, two drug dealers arrested
Youth shot at in Bandipora
Bandipore hospital gets ambulances
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Muharram restrictions: Students bear the brunt
Srinagar, November 13 Students who had to appear in their annual examinations complained that they were stopped by the CRPF personnel on their way and some of them could not reach their examination centres on time. “We had to reach college at 11am for our final external exams but there was no transport on the roads. I walked 2 km but had to return home as there was no public transport,” said Aliya Rehman, a student of BA II. The students also complained that the CRPF personnel on duty did not let them go easily and they wasted their time even after they produced their identity cards. “I showed my university card to the security forces but they did not allow me to pass. It took me 20 minutes to convince them,” said a Adil Ahmed, another student. Many students had to return home even after covering several kilometers on foot. Some internal and external exams were cancelled by the college authorities as the students from distant areas could not reach. Students of Class XII who had to appear for a political science examination today said some of them reached late to their centres and were not given extra time. “I reached half an hour late and I did not have time to attempt questions. I was not even given extra time,” said Aqib Farooq, a Class XII student. Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Farooq Ahmad Shah, however, said, “We had already informed the people about the restrictions through newspapers and had also directed the authorities to allow the students and staff to go to their exam centers,” he said. “We had also talked to the J&K Board of School Education authorities but they couldn’t postpone the exams as it was not only in Srinagar but throughout the Valley,” he said. The students and office-goers had to face the same problems due to curfew-like situation in Srinagar city. Every year the local administration puts restrictions on Muharram as the procession is supposed to pass from Lal
Chowk. |
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Restrictions on Muharram procession tomorrow
Srinagar, November 13 Condemning the police violence on the Muharram processionists, several separatist groups and religious organisation here have rued the ban on religious processions. Fearing law and order problem, the authorities had imposed strict restrictions in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of seven police stations in Srinagar city today. The movement of civilians and vehicles in these areas was today severely restricted where the CRPF was deployed in strength. Srinagar District Magistrate Farooq Shah said there would be restrictions in Srinagar on Friday also, which is the Youm-e-Ashoora, marking the culmination of the Muharram mourning processions. He also said the ambit of restrictions would further be increased towards certain localities in the old city area and Maisuma locality on Friday. “However, people would be allowed to take out the Zuljannah processions. Like last year, there is no addition or alteration in the orders on taking out the Zuljinah procession,” Shah told The Tribune. Religious processions banned since 1989
Before the eruption of militancy in Kashmir, a large ‘alam and tazia’ processions used to originate from the Guru Bazaar locality of Srinagar, which culminated Imambargah on the 8th of Muharram. Subsequently, the main Zuljanah procession was taken out on 10th of Muharram (Aashura) from the Abiguzar area near Lal Chowk. However, since 1989, these Murarram processions have been banned in Kashmir. To prevent the assembly of mourners on these days, the authorities had today imposed restrictions under seven police station areas. At multiple points, security forces had barricaded roads with concertina razor wires. They did not allow any civilian movement in these areas. Although most of the mediapersons, including photographers and videographers were allowed to move about in the restricted areas of the city and to reach the spots of coverage, many others were stopped from reaching the area of their duties. At some places, the policemen even did not honour the identity cards of some of the mediapersons. A senior police officer said there had been “no proper briefing” to the policemen on allowing the movements. Police action condemned
Meanwhile, the police and paramilitary forces used force to prevent mourners from taking out Muharram processions at many places in Srinagar today. They used batons and fired tear smoke shells to disperse a group of mourners who tried to take out a procession in the restricted Shahid Gunj area of the city. During these processions, the police arrested scores of youths. In the Jehangir chowk area near the Exhibition crossing, the police bundled several youths in the security force vehicle and drove them away to the nearest police station. The youths had attempted to take out a Musharram procession and raised slogans. At many places in the restricted areas, scuffles were witnessed between the police and the precisionists trying to take out processions. Condemning the police action in a statement today, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq lead Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema and Shia-Sunni Coordination Committee said the ban on religious processions is unwarranted. In a separate statement, the Kashmir Bar Association has condemned the attack and beating of its members advocate Bilal Ahmad Bhat by police personnel at Tourist Reception Centre, where the security forces had barricaded the road. “The advocate was attacked and beaten up by the police constables without him being at fault and without any provocation when he was on his way
to the court,” Bar said in the statement, while demanding an immediate action against the police and CRPF personnel responsible. |
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Excavation on Karewa lands continues unabated
Pulwama, November 13 The excavation of the land is being done in the broad daylight without any interference from the Revenue Department of the district. The villages where illegal activity is being carried out include Malangpora, Lajoora, Puchal, Koil and Banderpora. Locals from these villages said the land mafia had excavated a large part of their land the extracts of which was being supplied to one for the premiere projects. They alleged that despite repeated pleas by the locals, the excavation was going on unabated. “There is no use of reporting the matter to the officials now as it seems that there is a nexus between the mafia and officials,” said Arshad Ahmad, a local from Lajoora. He further said the soil was being provided to the highway authorities of India which is providing millions of rupees to the mafia. Lashing out at the revenue officials, locals said the authorities were a witness to the excavation activity but were not acting. Accepting that a major part of the Karewa land had been leveled for the last few years, the Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Pulwama, said stern action would be taken against the culprit. “I raided many areas but the tipper drivers and earthmovers fled the spot. We could not impound their vehicles as they had locked them, so we just removed their tyres,” Faesal said. The Karewa land has been shrinking ever since the railway project was approved in the state. The excavation activity started in the Galander area of Pampore and spread to the other areas thereafter. Official take
The Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Pulwama, accepted that a major part of the Karewa land had been levelled and said action would be taken against the guilty Alleging nexus
There is no use of reporting the matter to the officials now as it seems that there is a nexus between the mafia and
officials — Arshad Ahmad, A Lajoora resident |
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Fire damages eight shops, two houses in Bandipore
Srinagar, November 13 The fire is believed to have occurred due to
short circuit. The exact cause, however, is yet to be ascertained. Fire tenders immediately reached the spot to douse the fire. Residents alleged that lack of adequate number of fire tenders in Bandipore led to more damages to the property and other commodities. Reports said fire tenders were also brought in from Hajin, about 20 km away. The residents have demanded an adequate number of the fire
tenders so that such incidents could be handled efficiently. Meanwhile, a government high school building was damaged in a fire incident at Watred in Budgam district of central Kashmir yesterday. The police said the rooftop of the building was completed damaged in the incident. In another fire incident, a residential house was partially damaged at Bhagwanpora in Srinagar. However, there was no loss of life or injury in the incident, the police added. |
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Rights group questions use of pentavalent vaccine
Srinagar, November 13 In a statement , the group has said it will soon resale a detailed fact finding report on the adverse effects of the pentavalent vaccine in Kashmir, where eight infant deaths were reported between September and October following immunisation with this vaccine. “In Srinagar, eight infant deaths were reported between September and October in the press following immunisation with this vaccine. Soon after these reports appeared, a team from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi, headed by Dr NK Arora of INCLEN (International Clinical Epidemiology Network), visited Srinagar to look into the deaths,” PUDR said in the statement. “While the final report of the team is awaited, their preliminary report has already stated that the children died of septicaemia and pneumonia and are unrelated to the vaccine. This conclusion fails to explain why or how the babies were administered the vaccine in the first place if they were seriously ill at the time of immunisation,” it said. “It was in this context that PUDR put together a team comprising public health experts, including clinicians, to look into these incidents,” PUDR secretaries D Manjit and Asish Gupta said in the statement. The team which was in Srinagar between November 8 to 10, visited some of the affected families and conducted a verbal autopsy of the infant deaths to look for antecedent illnesses as well as enquire about other adverse events (as per the Adverse Events Following Immunisation guidelines), the statement said. It also visited GB Pant Childrens' Hospital in Srinagar. “Public health professionals have repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the safety and efficacy of this vaccine. Sadly, they have been brushed aside by the health authorities,” PUDR said. |
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Minister for tobacco-free schools
Srinagar, November 13 The event was organised by the J&K Voluntary Health Association (VHA) in collaboration with the VHAI and the district administration. He laid emphasis on developing a tobacco-free culture in society with a focus on budding schoolchildren in the public interest. Kashmir Director School Education Mir Tariq Ali, Baramulla Additional DC Manzoor Ahmed Qadri, J&K VHA Executive Director AM Mir and Joint Director Youth Services and Sports Neelofar Amin were present at the seminar. The director (education) in his address gave assurance for the strict enforcement of the ban on smoking in all schools of the Kashmir division. Manzoor Ahmed Qadri appreciated the Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health Association
for generating awareness about ill effects of smoking and working for the of use of tobacco products. Earlier, Abdul Majid, associate professor at Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and Srinagar Food Safety Officer Shabir Ahmad Lone highlighted health issues related to tobacco consumption. |
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PDP flays govt for poor development in Srinagar
Srinagar, November 13 Addressing a meeting of party workers in the Habba Kadal constituency in Chinkral Mohalla, Amin said the road widening process undertaken by the present government from Kral Khud to Fateh Kadal was moving on a snail’s pace. Except for demolition of a few houses in last many years, the government had not moved ahead with the project. “The delay in the construction and conservation of the Habba Kadal Bridge is not only causing huge sufferings to the locals, but it is indicative of the fact that the present government is only interested in taking credit of different works, but neither it has the capacity not it is interested to take these projects to their logical conclusions,” the PDP youth leader said. Amin criticised the government for increasing electricity tariff. “The government has been overburdening the consumers by the continuous price rise, including hike in electricity tariff. It will have a negative impact on the economy,” he said. |
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Forest Minister calls on Governor
Jammu, November 13 The Governor and the Forest Minister discussed important issues relating to the preservation of the environment and enlargement of the total area under forests, including the re-densification of forest areas, which have been denuded and degraded during the years of disturbance in the state. Several other matters, including the repair and maintenance of the Srinagar-Sonamarg road and forest clearances for the Zojila Tunnel project, also came up for discussion. |
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Students urged to use slogans based on humanitarian grounds
Pulwama, November 13 Our slogans and actions must be based on humanitarian grounds and principles of humanity. Slogans such as “Bharat teri mout ayyi” are against humanitarian values and also against Islam.” He said the people of Kashmir had been struggling for freedom by peaceful means and if they fail to achieve this goal, then they would resort to tougher means to achieve it. Criticising world powers on the Kashmir issue, he said world powers and the United Nations used to protect their self interests. We must not expect any help from them as they play politics seeking their own interests. He appealed to the people to boycott the parliamentary elections. Geelani asked the youth to learn Urdu by heart. |
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Panic grips people as bears enter village
Anantnag, November 13 Sources said the bears escaped to the forest area. Officials of the Wild Life Department said they would catch the animals and release them a local wildlife sanctuary. The man-animal conflict has been on a rise in many parts of the Kashmir valley. Many persons have been injured and killed by wild animals in the South Kashmir area. |
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SKIMS holds awareness camp
Srinagar, November 13 “Experts from SKIMS educated the people about diabetes prevention and treatment. Over 150 persons with diabetes were given free consultation, besides free blood tests and medicines,” Laway said. The Department of Endocrinology, SKIMS, has been organising a series of diabetes awareness camps. “The department will organise such camps in the third week of November in Sumbal and Hajin areas in North Kashmir,” the HOD said. — TNS
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3 extortionists, two drug dealers arrested
Srinagar, November 13 “A case under Section 392, 506 of the RPC has been registered at the Sheeri police station and investigation has started. During the interrogation, the police rounded up a number of suspected persons of the area and after strenuous efforts, the Sheeri police arrested three persons involved in the extortion,” the spokesperson said. The three accused have been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Bhat, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat and Javid Ahmad Lone, residents of Sheeri. “The three were put to questioning, who confessed to the crime,” he said. The Sheeri police recovered an air pistol used in the crime and also recovered two mobile phones and cash from their possession. The Baramulla police apprehended two more drug peddlers in its drive against drugs menace in the town. Meanwhile, the Baramulla police arrested two drug peddlers during a raid at the Baramulla bus stand. The two arrested have been identified as Abdul Majeed Mir, resident of Bagh-e-Islam, and Nayeem Wani of Drangbal Baramulla, along with charas and spasmoproxvan capsules. |
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Youth shot at in Bandipora
Srinagar, November 13 “One person Mudasir Baba has been injured by some gunmen. It is not clear yet who they were. We are investigating (the case),” DIG, North Kashmir, JP Singh said. Sources said there were allegations that the youth was injured by the special police officer of a local MLA. The MLA was in Jammu when the incident took place. |
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Bandipore hospital gets ambulances
Srinagar, November 13 The ambulances are to be used by the Bandipora District Hospital and Sub District Hospital, CHC, Dawar, Gurej. “The ambulances were handed over to hospital authorities by KD Sah, general manager, Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project, NHPC Limited,” an official said.
— TNS |
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