Srinagar, November 15
The public transport woes of the commuters are seeing no respite as the public transport is going off the roads as the evening sets in.

Public transport like Sumo vehicles, buses and auto-rickshaws are usually not available for the commuters, especially during the late evening hours, posing problems for government employees and students.

The problems are even worse for commuters along the uptown Srinagar routes that include Parraypora, Hyderpora, Peer Bagh, Budgam, Chanapora, Natipora and Chadoora, where the public transport is the mainstay for commuters.

With no alternatives available, people are forced to either go for car-pooling or rent metered taxis in the city.

"With the onset of winter, the problems gets worse. It is dark even at 5 pm and there are no traces of transport anywhere in the city including at the city centres Jehangir Chowk, Lal Chowk and Budshah Chowk. And for male and female commuters, security concern climbs up during this time,” Amira Shafi, a student at Government College for Women, MA Road, Srinagar, said.

Apart from some government offices which function till late, many private tuition centres also have their teaching schedules running into 6 pm. However, for many students and employees, no transport availability has posed a big challenge.

"Since the office timings and tuition schedules cannot be revised, the state government should step in and direct the state-monitored State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) to make its buses available for the commuters in the evening. If public transport like mini buses aren't available, the state-owned transport should come to residents' rescue," Imdad Khan, a telecommunication engineer, said.

Kupwara, November 15
Injustice by the education department has allegedly forced a man to occupy a school building along with his family in remote Sheikhpora village of Handwara tehsil.

Mohd Sultan Sheikh, 48, said following re-assurances by officials of education department that his wife would be engaged as cook in Upper Primary School, Shiekhpora Langate, he willingly donated about 10 marlas of land for construction of a school building but the department retracted from its promise and engaged another woman as cook in the school, prompting him to occupy the school building.

“For more than six months, the school was run in four rooms constructed on my land, but the officials backtracked on their promise and engaged another woman as cook in the school. I was forced to occupy the school and am living there for the past one month,” said Sultan Sheikh.

“I won’t allow the department to run the school in this building unless my wife is engaged as cook. This is sheer injustice with me. I am a poor person having only one kanal of land left with me. The department has forced my children to face starvation-like conditions,” he added.

Following occupation of school building by Sheikh along with his family, the department vacated the school and again housed it in a rented building.

“Headmaster Mehraj-u-din Malla and ZEO Mawar Manzoor Ahmad re-assured that my wife would be engaged as cook and I offered a piece of land for construction of the school building. I have no source of income and was hopeful that her engagement would generate some income for the family, but the department not only dashed my hopes to the ground but also forced my children to face starvation-like conditions,” explained Sheikh.

Kupwara DC Itrat Hussian Rafique said he would ascertain the facts. “I have come to know about the matter now. I will speak to the CEO and see what can be done to address the issue,” said the DC.

Srinagar, November 15
Despite Jammu and Kashmir's richness in its floral diversity, the state is yet to fully explore its resources in the field of medicinal and aromatic plants. Experts believe there is a lot of potential for growth but they don't get the required support from the government.

Sheikh Gulzar, a botanist from Pampore in south Kashmir, says, "Till now, I have found more than 600 medicinal plants and thousands are unexplored." "Texus Bacata and Texsus Walichina that have been found useful when it comes to curing cancer used to grow in Kashmir's Shopian and Tral, but now, they are rare. I even have some plants in my own kitchen garden and I am trying to develop them further," he says.

"People in Kashmir are not aware about the value of medicinal plants and they have failed to protect them. There is a window of opportunity with vast employment potential," he says.

According to Gulzar, he wants to develop certain plants on the high altitudes of Himalayan region, but he has not been provided land by the government. He has submitted his proposals to Forest Department as well as Tourism department, but he has not received any positive response from them. "I am trying to shift my plants to some other country because I know; no one will take care of them after me," he says.

"Trade in medicinal plants can of course be a backbone of Kashmir's economy and medicinal plants of Himalayas are famous worldwide," said Dr Irshad Nawchoo, who heads Department of Botany in Kashmir University. He reveals that there are about 700 plants of aromatic and medicinal importance in the state. "For ages, forests have remained an important part of living for Kashmiris. We can easily find many plants of medicinal importance in our kitchen gardens," he said. Officials associated with medicinal and aromatic plants claim 46 per cent of the plants found in the state are endemic to the region.

Srinagar, November 15
A labourer died after falling off a tree in central Kashmir's Budgam district, the police stated today.

Ghulam Qadir Bhat (40), a resident of Dassan village, fell off a poplar tree at the village in Budgam, a police spokesman said. Bhat, a labourer by profession, was admitted in Sub-District Hospital Beerwah, where the doctors declared him dead.

The body has been handed over to his relatives for last rites, said the spokesman.

Pulwama, November 15
Once known for their grandeur, the Mughal inns at Shadimarg, a village about 10 km from Pulwama town, have been forgotten and have shrunk to the sagging walls which also do not determine their boundaries.

The inns, spreading across an area of 40 kanals, have shrunk to 2-3 kanals today. The land is today under the control of locals who have build houses on the land.

Some locals alleged that it was because of the negligence and inaction of the government that the historical monuments had reached such a level of deterioration.

Some locals also alleged a nexus between officials and influential persons, who had grabbed most of the land and succeeded in selling it too.

“We are not residents of this village. We came from a nearby village and bought the house seven years ago. The seller assured us that he would hand over the revenue papers of the land but till this day, he has not fulfilled the agreement,” said one of the inn dwellers.

“We are living in agony because every other day we hear that we have to vacate from here,” he added.

The inns are in a deteriorated condition as some of the rooms are being used as cowsheds by the locals.

Moreover, the inns have become a dumping ground as most of the garbage and sewage finds its way into these unprotected and unpreserved inns.

“People as well as government is responsible for the bad condition of the inns. People want more land and government does not pay attention to the illegal occupation of land,” said Daljit, a local.

Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Shah Faesal said the inns had different jurisdiction for revenue and development, adding that it was the duty of the Tourism Department to bring the Shadimarg inns on tourism map.

“Shadimarg falls under the Shopian district when it comes to development but is a part of revenue of Pulwama district,” Faesal said.

He further said, “Our attempts would go in vain if the Tourism Department does not develop the infrastructure needed to bring the inns on the tourism map.”

The Mughal inns were constructed in the 17th century by emperor Jehangir.

Srinagar, November 15
People from different walks of life, especially those associated with the Valley’s tourism sector, have taken an oath to restore the pristine glory of the famed Dal Lake.

Entrepreneur Mir Shariq Mushtaq said an oath ceremony was held here under the banner of United Dal and Environmental Association (UDEA) that was conducted by prominent poet Zareef Ahmad Zareef.

He said the UDEA comprised of around 25 organisations and the oath had been taken with an aim to restoring the lost glory of the Dal Lake. “People from all walks of life connected with Dal Lake and the environment participated and assured their support to the association,” he added.

On the occasion, the UDEA chairman Mohammad Yousuf Chapri said “If the true representatives of people dwelling in Dal Lake, the concerned government agencies, semi-government agencies, and intellectuals come forward with sincere support, there is every possibility of saving the Dal and rights of the people along with their property, heritage, trade and tourism.”

“Dal Lake is the heart of Kashmir and because of this lake it is famous on earth. The lake has suffered along with the people. They have lost their cultivating business, tourism and socio-economy. The success will only come if people are united”, he added.

Mir said the group will act as a true representative of the people residing around Dal Lake and they would take several initiatives for the economic prosperity of the dwellers.

The organisations that participated in the oath taking ceremony included Jeel Dal Protection, Shikara Owners Association, Dal Dwellers Welfare Union, Valley Citizens Council, Shikara Union Ghat 1, Mission Dal Lake, I Care for Dal Initiative, Kashmir Motorboat Union, Houseboat Owners Association, Jheel Dal Traders Association, Dal Hotels Association, Zamindar Union, Aquatic Tourist Association, Aquatic Tourist Photographers Association and Golden Lake Photographers among others. 

Kupwara, November 15
Poor service of BSNL continues to irk mobile subscribers in Kupwara district. The subscribers said even under the very nose of BSNL towers in Kupwara town, they were unable to make or receive calls.

The broadband service of the cellular company is no different. The subscribers said either internet speed was slow or the service does not work most of the times. They said despite repeated requests to the officials concerned in the town, the service has not been improved.

"The service is so poor that we are not able to make or receive calls even under the same roof. We will be forced to surrender the SIM cards if t he company does not improve its services," said Anees Ahmad, a mobile user.

Nazir Ahmad, a subscriber, said, "The mobile subscriber at the other end is often unreachable when one attempts to make a call. Under the very nose of a mobile tower, the cellphone flashes "no network coverage" on its screen."

Many other subscribers said digital display of a mobile tower disappears from the mobile screen for hours and "network busy" is often the message when they attempt calls. "The mobile towers often disappear for hours together, leaving subscribers high and dry," said Reyaz Ahmad.

Some other subscribers said cross-connection had become a routine. "The mobile towers are down when electricity supply is snapped. The employees do not run the generators for continuation of mobile signal. Cross-connection has become a routine matter with BSNL in the district," said Shabir Rizvi.

Srinagar, November 15
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated 10 district presidents to strengthen party base in the Kashmir valley.

In a statement, the BJP said the presidents nominated were Manzoor Ahmed Zargar for Srinagar, Ali Mohammad Sheikh for Ganderbal, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat for Budgam, Mohammad Yousuf Beig for Kupwara, DD Singh for Baramulla, Manzoor Ahmed Baba for Bandipora, Riaz Ahmed Manhas for Shopian, Gulzar Ahmed Nagroo for Pulwama, Manzoor Ahmed Kulgami for Kulgam and Nazir Ahmed Dar for Anantnag.

The names of the district presidents were announced by BJP state vice-president Ramesh Arora in Jammu.

Arora said “Like other parts of the country, a massive change has been witnessed in Kashmir and more and more people are now voluntarily coming into the BJP fold.”

He further said the party had its ‘well-knit organisational set up’ in the Valley, that was functioning continuously to reach the masses. He said the district presidents had been nominated in consultation with BJP state president Jugal Kishore Sharma to further strengthen the roots of the party. 

Srinagar, November 15
A woman in her early fifties, who was missing for the last four days, has been found dead in north Kashmir's Sopore town. The woman, identified as Mugli Begum, a resident of Sopore town's Krankshivan Colony, was reported missing since November 11, Monday, said a police spokesman.

Her body was recovered four days later from Saidpora area of the town, said the spokesman.

The police has initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code to ascertain the cause of her death while the body has been handed over to her family for last rites.

Srinagar, November 15
In the ongoing VIII State-Level Baseball Championship, two teams from Srinagar have entered the final in boys’ category. Both the semifinals in the boys’ category witnessed nail-biting finishes.

In the first semifinal, Ganderbal boys were defeated by College of Physical Education in a tie breaker 4th innings 3-1, 0-2, 0-0 and 0-1. Mehraj-ud-din Sofi, Dawar Bashir and Tariq Mir completed home for Ganderbal. Rayees and Rouf from COPE scored two homes each and took their side to the final.

In the second semifinal played on Thursday, Srinagar boys gave Anantnag a tough challenge by scoring six homes collectively by Aqib, Rasik and Shahnawaz, which proved to be a big task for Anantnag, finishing the first inning on two homes one each by Muzamil and Akash, still trailed by four homes.

The Anantnag boys made good pitching and catching to restrict Srinagar with the addition of just four homes, but the attempt to get the lead seemed impossible for Anantnag as Srinagar pitcher sweeped the Anantnag inning for 0 homes, thus Srinagar upset Anantnag boys by 10 homes to 2.

In the final to be played tomorrow, Srinagar seems to have a better edge over COPE boys.

Earlier, in the girls’ category, Srinagar team defeated the team of Government College of Physical Education in a breathtaking clash.

The COPE girls did play tremendous and equalised with a golden chance of victory, but a small negligence by a 3rd base runner cost them the match and thus Srinagar qualified for final to have a title win battle against Anantnag.

The championships is being organised by the J&K Baseball Association under the aegis of the Amateur Baseball Federation of India and sponsored by the J&K State Sports Council. The matches are being played in Islamia College of Science and Commerce ground, Srinagar.