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Hot weather takes its toll on schoolchildren
School that lost all teachers in road accident
‘Overage’ vehicles ply despite ban
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Poor connectivity keeps tourists away from Badam Wari
Nomad Gujjars living in miserable conditions: Survey
Noted poet distressed over tension in Indo-Pak ties
An example of faulty design
Sodhra milk chilling plant yet to start functioning
The building of milk chilling plant at Sodhra in Sunderbani. Photo by the writer
Psychiatric hospital
Firefighting: Congested roads pose challenge
Students deface walls with slogans, paintings
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Hot weather takes its toll on schoolchildren
Jammu, May 8 Dr Satish Sharma, deputy medical superintendent of SMGS Hospital, says, “There is 20 per cent increase in the number of patients reporting to the hospital’s paediatrics department owing to water-borne diseases and skin ailments”. Children, who are vulnerable to diseases because of poor hygiene and low immune system, are being taken ill, he adds. During summer schoolchildren and office goers come under direct contact with sunrays and to beat the heat they consume a lot of water little bothering about hygiene. As a result, they become more vulnerable to water-borne diseases and skin ailments, Dr Sharma adds. He says, “Exposure to sun during summers causes excessive sweating and subsequently skin diseases like pyoderma, scabies and rashes. If a person suffers sunstroke, he or she may have the chances of running hyperpyrexia as well. On water-borne diseases, he says, to beat the heat schoolchildren consume a lot of water, soft drinks and ice creams without caring about hygiene and hence they are more prone to diseases like diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, paratyphoid and hepatitis. Children should not come under direct contact with sun for longer durations, especially when heat wave conditions are prevailing, he cautions. “If one has to move out, he should follow simple yet effective safeguards like using an umbrella, wearing a cap or covering the face with a piece of cloth”. Besides this, children should take plenty of hygienic fluids and fruits like water, glucose, lemonades, watermelon, muskmelon, oranges and other fruits having citric base, but should stay away from unwholesome eatables, the doctor adds. To stay away from water-borne diseases, parents should use boiled, filtered and hygienic potable water. It may be stated here that 80 per cent diseases borne out of unhygienic water consumption. Though chlorine tablets, which are easily available, can be used to purify water, but boiled water is the best to avoid diseases, adds Dr Sharma.
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School that lost all teachers in road accident
Kishtwar, May 8 Since Monday, this school, located 10 km from Kishtwar town, is closed as a mark of respect to those who have lost their lives in the tragedy. Out of the total 16 teaches killed in the accident, 11 were from this school. The victims included four lecturers who were appointed recently following repeated requests of local residents. Meanwhile, school principal Jagdish Raj Bhagat is struggling for his life at Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu. Though the authorities are thinking to depute some teachers from other schools to make the Palmar school functional, they are finding it difficult to console the students. “A majority of the students of this institute are in a state of shock,” said Rajinder Singh of Kishtwar, who visited this institute on the day of accident. Terming the deaths of 16 teachers as a big loss to the education department, director, school education, Zahida Khan said the department would make some arrangement for the functioning of the school. “Due to the implementation of the code of conduct, it is not possible to transfer teaching staff from other areas,” she said, adding, “The chief education officer, Kishtwar, has been requested to make internal arrangement for the Palmar school”. Ironically, all government-run educational institutions in Kishtwar district have been facing the problem of the shortage of teachers in general and lecturers in particular. On Monday morning, it was a routine day in the school as peon had opened the school and students were all prepared to attend their classes. But the destiny has something else in store for this school which has earned a good reputation in the district. At about 10 am, the students got information about the accident of the minibus in which their teachers were travelling. Some of them rushed to the site, but were shocked to see the bodies of their teachers. The entire teaching staff had left their homes for the school as the principal had called a meeting and had asked the entire staff to remain present. Since only one minibus is available for this whole belt having a population of 38,000, all teachers were travelling in one vehicle to reach the school in time. |
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‘Overage’ vehicles ply despite ban
Rajouri, May 8 The high court in its order, dated 27.10.2005, had banned all commercial vehicles which are more than 15 years old to ply on the roads. However, investigation reveals that the owners of these vehicles have either sold them to transporters in these border districts or are themselves operating the vehicles here. The “overage” vehicles have been operating in Buddal, Darhal, Thanamandi and Shahdara Sharief in this district while in Poonch district such vehicles are plying in the Mendhar, Surankote, Bufliaz and Mandi areas. The investigation further reveals that the owners of such vehicles, which are more susceptible to road accidents due to heavy wear and tear, have a nexus with police personnel. The owners manage to ply such vehicles by bribing traffic policemen and local police personnel on monthly basis. In the past, these “overage” vehicles had been involved in fatal accidents, killing hundreds of passengers in these frontier districts. "It’s been about four years since the high court had banned the commercial vehicles older than 15 years. But such vehicles are still plying on the roads across the district killing people and causing air pollution,” said Ajaz Ahmed Dar, a businessman of Rajouri. "The government should implement the directions of the high court so that precious human lives are saved and air pollution is checked,” he added. DIG (Traffic), Jammu, Sunil Sharma expressed his ignorance over the matter. “No one ever brought the matter to my notice. But if there is truth in these findings, we will definitely implement the ban,” the DIG said. |
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Poor connectivity keeps tourists away from Badam Wari
Srinagar, May 8 However, the poor condition of roads and the lack of transport facilities have been keeping tourists away from the garden. Only after a couple of months of its inauguration, the almond alcove faced the wrath of public ire during an agitation over Amarnath land row. The specially designed main gate at the entrance of the garden from the link road was damaged in the agitation, which is now being reconstructed with the assistance of Jammu and Kashmir Bank that looks after the park. The maintenance is funded from entry tickets to the garden. It is not easily accessible due to the lack of adequate link roads. It is at a distance of less than one kilometer from the Lal Chowk-Hazratbal road and the Lal Chowk-Soura road. Old timers in Srinagar, most of whom did not have an easy access to the famous Mughal Gardens on the farther end of the city, had been frequent visitors to this garden. This centuries old garden, spread over about 300 kanals in the foothills of Hariparbhat, had remained in a state of neglect for years followed by further degradation during the past 18 years of turmoil in the state. Jammu and Kashmir Bank through its Heritage Preservation Trust renovated the garden last year. The garden is now frequented by locals, mainly students from various educational institutions and couples who want to spend time in seclusion at a place not far away from the maddening crowd of the city. The area is dotted by 2,500 almond trees that blossom much to the attraction of all during springtime in March-April. A main path from the entrance to the far end location of an open-air theatre is yet another attraction. Smaller paths with colourful floor tiles lead one to different locations where various facilities have been provided for visitors. An architectural design in the shape of an almond made of finished stone fascinates the visitors near a well, which is known as Waris Khan’s “chah”. Located in the foothills of Hariparbhat hills, one can have a panoramic view of the Dal-Nigeen Lake. A fascinating view of the Mughal Gardens on the other side of the Dal Lake in the foothills of Zabarwan is also a source of solace while sitting in the garden. On its back is the Hariparbhat Fort, constructed by Afghan Governor Atta Mohammad Khan (1808-10), on the Hariparbhat or Koh-e-Maran hills. A temple of goddess Sharika and a shrine of Mulsim saint Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom also adorn the hill. |
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Nomad Gujjars living in miserable conditions: Survey
Jammu, May 8 A survey conducted by the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, a national organisation working on Indian tribes with special focus on Gujjars, has presented a grim and pathetic picture of children of nomadic Gujjars in the state. The survey said out of 100 nomad Gujjar and Bakerwal families that were surveyed in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara districts of the state, 74 per cent of Gujjar children aged between 7 and 15 were engaged in physical labour. According to the survey, the Gujjar children are forced into child or bonded labour and early marriage due to extreme poverty. “Factors such as poverty, child labour, early marriage and nomadic way of life are spoiling the future of the children of the Gujjars residing in the most backward, hilly and border areas of the state,” says the report submitted by Dr Javaid Rahi, national secretary of the foundation. Speaking to The Tribune, Dr Javaid said, “The children are being exploited by the members of their own community. Because of low income, they have been employed mostly as domestic help. We found that 93 per cent children work as domestic labourer in the well-off families of their own community.” He further said, “83 per cent of Gujjar children had never seen the doors of school and only 17 per cent children were getting education in religious institutes.” “As religious schools provide them free shelter and meals, Gujjars prefer to send their children to such schools,” said Dr Javaid. “At least 17 per cent of children were working as bonded labourers, as they inherited this from their forefathers who were also working as bonded labourers, known as Ajhrais amongst the Bakerwal Gujjars,” he said. He added, “We found that children belonging to the nomadic Gujjar tribe were put to physical labour at a very early age and in 37 per cent cases, no wages were given to them.” He said the National Literacy Mission, launched by the Government of India in 1988 with the objective of an all-round development of the poor of the poorest children of India, had failed to provide literacy to the children of this community. “Education amongst the women of the community is zero,” he said. “The centrally sponsored “Balika Simridhi Yojna” does not apply to the tribal Gujjar female child and has added towards more backwardness among them,” he added. |
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Noted poet distressed over tension in Indo-Pak ties
Jammu, May 8 Although born four years after the Independence of both these nations, the horror of displacement has, however, left a deep scar on the psyche of this internationally renowned poet, who lives with a notion that those who experience pangs of pain can only compose ghazals. This has a manifestation in his latest book “Dua Zameen”, which was released here recently. In the book, Ashk prays for the unity of both nations and better understanding among the people without falling into the booby traps of the minds of the politicians. “The people of India and Pakistan share the same cultural lineage, but have every time become the victims of the misunderstanding created by the politicians on the both sides of the borders”, he said. In one of the stanzas incorporated in his book, Ashk prays for the dismantling of the imaginary borders in his typical style: “Zameen Ko Aye Khuda Wo Zalzala De, Nishaan Tak Sarhadon Ke Jo Mita De, Mohabbat Mein Badal Jaye Siyasat, Khuda Lahore Ko Dilli Se Mila De.” (Oh God, let the earthquake hit the earth so that there will be no borders; politics will vanish due to the warmth of love and Lahore meets New Delhi.) Son of a doyen of Urdu literature, Kanwal Hoshiarpuri, Ashk regrets that people of Punjab have over the years forgotten reading and writing Urdu, which was earlier a prominent language of the region. “Except for speaking this language in some areas and a few publications that mostly use Hindi words, Urdu is on the verge of extinction in Punjab,” opines Ashk, while again blaming the politicians for even dividing the languages on the basis of religion. Ashk, however, has all praise for the people of Jammu and Kashmir where Urdu is still an official language and efforts are being made to promote this Indian language. “I could not find any takers in Punjab. That prompted me to release the book in Jammu. Further, there was no aid from any quarters in the publication of this 150-page book,” he said. Ashk has already five books to his credit, including “Dar-be-Dar”, “Chandni Ke Khatoot” and “Ghazal Tere Sheher Mein”. His popular song “Asshqan di balle balle”, sung by Daler Mahandi and Jaspinder Narula, was a part of Bollywood movie “Dhoom Dhadhaka”. Bestowed with the title of “Shehanshah-e-Ghazal”, Ashk, who is a civil engineer by profession and presently working as PRO at Ranjit Sagar Dam, Shahpur Kandi, Pathankot, candidly admits that he has no formal education in Urdu. “It was after the death of my father in 1971 that I began to learn what he had penned down during his chequered career as an Urdu literatuerator,” he added. |
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An example of faulty design
Srinagar, May 8 The protection wall of the station caved in after the rains lashed the valley during the first half of April. As the protection wall lies adjacent to the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway with the Jhelum running parallel to it, there were chances of floods,if the rains had continued for some more time. The inappropriate design and the absence of protection wall has raised doubts over the plan being adopted by the public health engineering (PHE) in taking up the construction work of pumping stations like Tangnar. “Due to the absence of a protection wall on the embankments of the river running along the national highway, the wall has caved in,” said PHE sources, adding, “ the design of the station is faulty as it lies close to the river. Ideally, it should have been at some distance away.” The plinth on which chain-link fencing has been erected caved in since the desired height was not adhered to. “Water of the river would have flooded Kandizaal, Pulwama, while Srinagar city would have been marooned up to Shivpora had the rains continued for some more days. The situation would have turned alarming. Even the national highway running along would have got blocked,” the sources said. The sources said huge money was going down the drain on the construction of the station. They said unless necessary precautions were not taken, the station would be a failure. They suggested that the banks of the river should have a strong embankment prior to the construction of such a station. However, GM Dar, chief engineer, PHE, while accepting the faults, said nothing adverse to the expectations of the department had happened. “Such things are bound to happen and we took steps to put it under control. It could have damaged the national highway, but we took timely action,” says the chief engineer. Referring to the site of the project, he said, “It is the most suitable place.In fact, the best site and the only choice,” and added “vested interests have blown the issue out of proportions. Basically, the problem is that the land belongs to the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control and some people want to encroach upon it.” |
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Sodhra milk chilling plant yet to start functioning
Sunderbani (Rajouri), May 8 In fact, the plant was reported to start operations in 2000 after the machinery was installed in it but nine years on, the state government has failed to make it operational despite having all infrastructure and machinery. The project was to be a joint venture with the Jammu and Kashmir government’s Animal Husbandry Department and the Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL). The plant, which was conceived in early 1990’s having a capacity of 10,000 litres, was to change the destiny of milk-producing farmers of Sunderbani and Nowshera, as they were to get good price for their produce from the local cooperative society having collaboration with the JKMPCL, which was supposed to procure the milk from these farmers, store it in the plant and transfer it to Jammu for selling it in markets there. “Farmers in Sunderbani and Nowshera produce huge quantity of milk, but the irony is that we don’t get market for our produce. Since milk is perishable commodity, we cannot store it for long”, said Dewan Chand, a local farmer. “After the plant was ready for operations in 2000, we were expecting that the agency concerned would procure our milk at good prices, but nothing of that sort happened,” the farmer said. Sources in the Animal Husbandry Department said water scarcity in the area and inability of the cooperative societies to run the plant had delayed the project. DS Khosla, joint director farms, Animal Husbandry Department, Jammu, said the department was to install the machinery for the project, which they had already done. “We have installed requisite machinery for the project under the integrated dairy development project. It is the JKMPCL which has to start the operations”, he said. “We are awaiting orders for the transfer of the plant to the JKMPCL. Very shortly, the plant would be handed over to the JKMPCL,” he added. As regards, the scarcity of water being one of the reasons for the delay of the project, Khosla said the Water Supply Department had agreed to supply water for the plant from a well near Sunderbani. A senior officer of the JKMPCL, on condition of anonymity, said they were facing many problems in making the project operational. “Firstly, we require about 10,000 litres of water for running the project and there is shortage of water in the area. Secondly, the local cooperative society, which has to procure milk from the farmers, too, is defunct”, he said. |
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Psychiatric hospital
Srinagar, May 8 Zoona (name changed), another inmate, just roams around. She has been here for the last two decades. Shazia Akther (name changed), yet another inmate, said, “I, too, can write” while entering her name on writing pad. There are 21 female inmates in the hospital from different districts, including Srinagar, Baramulla, Pulwama and Budgam. “They fight over trivial issues. At times, they turn violent and injections are used to pacify them. Whenever they see their relatives, they lose their temper,” says Khatee, a maid in the hospital. She admits that families of inmates show a “lukewarm response” and don’t visit them frequently. “There are five to six patients who can be sent back, but their families are not willing to accept them,” says the maid. Shafeeqa from Qamarwari is orphan. Being well aware of the fact, she says, “I have no one at home”. The situation in the male wards is no different. Hilal Ahmad (name changed), an inmate while introducing himself, says, “I have studied in Hanfia College, not in a women’s college, not in the university. My identity card is with the hospital management.” When asked how he came to the hospital, he says, “I am here because I was a drug addict. Now, I have given up and I take medicines regularly.” As he was speaking, Asif (name changed), another inmate, chips in, “There is alcodine and nicotine in drugs and Kashmiri chai (tea). This is harmful for health.” Asif says “Kal main azad ho jaoonga” (tomorrow I will be a free bird), adding, “My parents brought me here.” Asked why, he replies, “Kya pata (I do not know), adding, “I do what my parents ask me to do and would go home soon and continue my studies. I miss my parents and friends”. Next to Asif stands another inmate who said, “I want to go home but my parents are not willing. My younger brother brought me here.” Ninety male inmates from various districts of the valley are in four wards of the hospital. “Serious patients are put in separate wards and when they turn aggressive they are kept in different cells. Most of the inmates are from the rural areas,” says an official of the hospital, adding, “They mostly fight over cigarettes. Sometimes they get out of control and injections are used to bring them relief.” Citing an example, he says, “A few days ago, we took a patient to his home in a hospital vehicle. But next day, his family brought him back”, adding “Basically, their families fail to provide them medicines (at home) that are given to them free of cost here.” |
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Firefighting: Congested roads pose challenge
Jammu, May 8 Usually, the firefighters avoid using congested roads but when left with no option, they have to first stop and clear the road before proceeding towards the desired location which sometimes delays the firefighting operations. Such problems usually occur in old Jammu city where the narrow roads remain congested and are usually blocked with vehicles as there is no proper parking place in these areas. Recently, when fire devastated a jewellery shop in the old city, firefighters employees had to do an extra work of clearing the passage from parked vehicles to reach the location which led to delay in extinguishing the fire. Director, fire and emergency services, RS Sodhi said they usually avoid such roads in order to reach the spot immediately, but sometimes there was no option. Pointing towards the encroachment of pavements by shopkeepers and the parking of vehicles on roadsides, he said, “It is an offence to encroach upon footpaths or park vehicles on roadsides. It poses a challenge to the firefighting staff in performing their duties”. He added, “The traffic department should keep this thing in mind and ensure that no vehicle is allowed to park on roadsides and in the narrow lanes. They should also ensure that footpaths should remain clear of encroachments”. While appreciating the sense of responsibility people demonstrate at the time of any exigency, he said, “During fire incidents, people give them easy passage and even VIPs also cooperate during an emergency”. |
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Students deface walls with slogans, paintings
Jammu, May 8 The condition of walls in the departments of history, political science, commerce and strategic and regional studies is in bad shape as even the interior walls have not been spared. Though the university authorities have made provisions of notice boards for carrying out such activities, the students hardly use this facility and prefer walls for pasting posters regarding various events and raising issues concerning students. There is, however, no proper space within the departments for the students to convey their message. Student leaders justify the defacing of walls on the plea that the notice boards are not located at proper places where students usually gather. Hence, for conveying the message to the students, walls come in handy. Moreover, there are not sufficient notice boards that can provide space to all associations to convey their messages properly and prominently, the leaders allege. “If a poster is pasted on the notice board, it gets washed away with a light shower of rain and thus renders the activity useless. This is also one of the reasons for not using the notice boards,” said a student leader. “The defacement of walls by the students has given a shabby look to the campus. The matter was taken up with the previous vice-chancellor for taking corrective measures, but no action was taken. The authorities are callous towards this problem,” said a professor. “Every year, we have to whitewash the walls which requires a lot of money,” he added. |
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Letter
Whatever is going on with the minority Sikh community in the Swat valley of Pakistan is condemnable. I wonder why the so-called civilised world has kept a guarded silence over the issue when the community that has been living in the area for centuries is asked to pay a tax to live in their own houses. They have been living in their houses for centuries and now the Taliban, who has taken control of the area, have been demanding tax in the form of “jazia”. It’s high time that the world community should wake up and help safeguard the interests of innocent Sikhs who chose Pakistan as their motherland and they should be allowed to lead a safe and secure life. The Sikhs should also be given equal citizenship rights in their own motherland.
Paramjeet Singh,
Jammu
Readers are invited to write to us. Send your mail, in not more than 200 words, at jk@tribunemail.com or write in at: Letters, J&K Plus, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030. |
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Jammu, May 8
Sunderbani (Rajouri), May 8
Jammu, May 8
