Jammu, May 19
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has evolved a novel method of reaching out to the people in its bid to check the menace of corruption in the state that had recently earned the dubious distinction of being the “second most corrupt state” of India.

The CBI’s anti-corruption wing has tapped the cellphone subscribers of the BSNL in the state by flashing the messages to every individual and seeking their help to share the information.

The SMS reads that if any employee of the Central government, public sector unit, Defence, Border Roads Organisation or Military Engineering Service demands bribe for any official work, aggrieved people should immediately contact SP, CBI, at his Jammu office. The people, through the SMS, have further been provided SP’s official and cellphone numbers.

BB Sharma, a CBI official, said the identity of all those individuals who would provide clues, would be kept confidential. Sharma, however, clarified that the drive was in no way to harass the officials. “The genuineness of the complaint and the complainant will be first established before lodging any case against the erring officials,” he said.

Ramesh Gupta, a contractor, while appreciating the CBI move, said the corruption in the state was most rampant in the state government offices.

“There are very few Central government offices in the state that deal directly with the public, while as money is openly being paid in the state offices, even for a petty job,” alleged Gupta.

He wished similar awareness drive by the state government’s anti-corruption agencies so that the commoners could at least know whom to approach when officials demand money for even making a simple entry in ration cards, mutation papers, issuance of state subject certificates or driving licences.

Meanwhile, taking a cue from the CBI initiative, the BSNL has also launched an awareness drive through the SMS. A message was flashed to most of the subscribers asking them to protect children and teenagers from the ills of Internet. A BSNL spokesman said minors, having an access to the Internet, were either opening pornographic sites or uploading their personal information without knowing the ramifications. “The parents have to take extra pains to keep their wards at bay from cyberspace,” he suggested.

Srinagar, May 19
A few months ago, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged the Central government to declare the Kashmir valley a medicinal plant growing zone, but no serious effort has been made by the government so far to encourage the growth of medicinal herbs at the grass-root level.

At a time, when demand for ayurvedic medicine is growing at the global level, Kashmir fails to make any contribution despite abundant medicinal herbs being available here.

Though some private players have made a beginning, the government is yet to come out with a well-designed plan of action.

Bali Singh, floriculture development officer (FDO), Department of Agriculture, says the department has moved a proposal. “Once approved, nurseries will be made in every district, including Leh and Ladakh, and saplings will be distributed among farmers on subsidy rates.”

He asked the farmers to preserve medicinal herbs on higher altitudes. “In Kashmir, climatic conditions suit its cultivation. Some private players have started plantation on a large scale and degraded soil has been utilised for 
the cultivation.”

“Medicinal herbs in Kashmir are in thousands,” says Fida Ali Alamgeer, floriculture extension development officer, Department of 
Agriculture.

“Four hundred species have been identified so far. Ethno-botanists and researchers have done nothing in this regard,” says Fida.

Herbs like aconitum (mostly cultivated in Gurez), artimisia, atropa, datura, delphinium, diascoria, rhaum, polygonium, adiainum and others grow across the state.

In the past, medicines were extracted from plants. “One hundred twenty pure compounds across the globe are extracted from plant species and two-third of them originate from the temperate region. Kashmir falls in the western Himalayas and mostly herbs are found in Ladakh, Bandipora, Uri and Khilanmarg-Gulmarg,” says Fida.

Declining competition from private players that compelled the department to take up the task of cultivation of medicinal herbs, Fida says, “Most of the population is rural based and their dependence on medicinal herbs is enormous. Medicines extracted from herbs are cheap, easily available and free from side effects.”

Citing reasons for medicinal plants facing extinction, Fida says no pharmaceutical company encourages the growth of herbs on scientific lines. “They encourage forest dwellers to collect herbs from forests on the payment of a few bucks. With the result, no parent material is left behind and same leads to its extinction.”

Fida says degraded soils can be utilised for the cultivation of medicinal plants. Wasteland, according to him, poses a threat to ecosystem and as such they could be used for the cultivation.

He says pharmaceutical firms earn an estimated Rs 20 crore from medicinal plants across the state, but the state earns no benefit.

For the successful promotion of herbal medicines in the valley, experts suggest the identification of plant species having medicinal properties, conservation of medicinal herbs in its natural habitat and the establishment of formal linkage between cultivators and pharmaceutical companies at the national and international level.

Devak (Rajouri), May 19
Sunita Kumari wanted to study in college but she couldn’t. After passing Class XII last year, Sunita was elated over her achievement of passing the examination, but her happiness was short-lived.

She wanted to pursue higher studies, but her parents refused. In the absence of any college nearby, Sunita’s father Om Prakash, who is a labourer, decided not to send her daughter to some distant place where she could pursue higher studies.

“I always wished to study after Class XII, but since the nearest college is in Nowshera or Akhnoor, which is more than 70 km away from here, my parents didn’t allow me to pursue higher studies. Instead of higher studies, my parents will force me to marry,” says Sunita.

Sunita is not the only girl who was forced to bid adieu to her studies after Class XII, there are hundreds of girls in the Devak area who are forced to leave studies in the absence of any college in the vicinity.

“The residents here can neither afford nor they are bold enough to send their daughters to the nearest college located at Nowshera and Akhnoor, both over 70 km away,” says Sham Lal, a local resident who works in the revenue department. “The government opened more than 40 colleges all across the state, but the establishment of these colleges was done without proper planning. Some of the colleges were set up by the government within a distance of 20-30 km whereas many colleges were established in areas with more than 70 km distance between them,” he adds.

The Devak area, which comprises Hathal, Sieya, Noti, Barnada, Nullah, Makole, Bandrai, Kantha, Una, Thangriot, Basantpur and Deoli villages, has a population of about 20,000, but there is no college in the area.

There is a higher secondary school in Devak, but once the students, mostly belonging to poor families, pass Class XII, it is a dead end for them so far as getting further education is concerned.

“We wish to educate our daughters so that they are socially and financially empowered, but since we are poor we cannot afford that. More than 40 girls pass Class XII each year from the school here, but only some well off people of our area can think of sending their daughters to college,” says Kaku Ram, a physically challenged, whose daughter Anita Kumari is studying in Class XII and may have to leave studies.

Jammu, May 19
The head of the department of gastroenterology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, Dr Bharat Bhushan Gupta is a famous name in Pakistan as numerous patients from across the border come to him for treatment.

Even after the Mumbai terrorist attacks when the relations between the two countries had come under a strain, patients from Pakistan continued to visit the doctor.

Most of the Pakistani patients, who come to the doctor, had lost hope as in the majority of the cases doctors in Pakistan had expressed their helplessness in treating them.

“I was diagnosed with a chronic form of Hepatitis C. For eight years, I went to almost all major hospitals in Pakistan, but the doctors there had given up the hope of my survival. Then I heard about Dr Gupta in Jammu, so I applied for a medical visa to get treatment from him,” said Noor Ahmed Mir, a resident of Sialkot in Pakistan.

He said, “After undergoing treatment from him, I am alright now and my disease has subsided”.

Dr Gupta said, “So far, I have treated 15 Pakistani patients, who had come to me in a very critical condition and their chances of survival were dim”.

He said, “I received my first Pakistani patient a year ago who had come via Poonch-Rawlakot bus and since then every month one or two patients from Pakistan come to me”.

He said patients with diseases like ulcers and chronic forms of Hepatitis B and C visited him. “There was a patient who had accumulated fat on his liver. He was admitted to the hospital and we cured him. Another patient with a chronic form of ulcer was also treated,” Dr Gupta said.

The Pakistani patients are all praise for the doctor as they say that after God he has become the last hope of their survival.

“It is nice to know that people from across the border trust me for treatment. I am happy, but I am doing my duty that I have been doing for the past 31 years,” the doctor added.

Jammu, May 19
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has recorded the highest number of cases during the last year since its inception in 1997. It remains a question whether there is an increase in the incidents of human rights cases or people have become more aware of their rights.

“The ever increasing number of complaints registered with the commission testifies the fact about the growing awareness and the determination of the people of the state to defend their rights and their faith in the commission,” claims a report of the commission for 2007-08.

Despite being faced with limited resources and manpower, the commission registered 716 complaints from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008. “There is a record increase in the number of complaints as compared to the previous years,” the report maintains.

“During the year under review, 596 complaints were disposed of by the commission, out of which 169 cases were recommended to the government for ex gratia relief and compassionate appointment,” the report says.

Presently, the commission is dealing with 144 cases where ex gratia relief and compassionate appointment have been recommended to the government.

The record number of complaints indicates growing confidence of the people in the commission, says veteran journalist Balraj Puri, who is also convener of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties. He says it is also commendable that the people are showing greater awareness of their rights.

He urges the government to consider the long-pending demands of the commission to improve its efficiency and autonomy. “The commission should have permanent staff of its own and its reports should not be sent to the district officers for further verification,” he adds.

His other suggestions include regular release of action taken report by the government on the recommendations of the commission, allotment of a permanent office in Jammu, and provision for an inquiry officer of its own.

However, acting chairperson Habibullah Bhat stresses upon more sense of dedication on the part of government towards the protection of human rights. “The state instrumentalities in these days of unrest and suffocation should dedicate their services for ameliorating the plight of the people,” the chairperson says.

Samba, May 19
Residents of many villages in the newly formed Samba district rue that the health facilities available to them is not worth standard and they are not having proper medical facilities in the dispensaries set up by the government in their villages.

“The doctors in the local dispensaries in the villages seldom come on duty and there is no check on their attendance register. Many a times we approached the higher authorities to appoint a permanent doctor in the villages, but all our pleas have fallen on deaf ears,” said Sham Singh, a local resident of Samba.

The residents rue that even the main hospital in the district has been restricted to only a referral hospital where every patient is shifted to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Jammu for treatment. They allege that the District Hospital, Samba, has become only a first aid centre with no facilities and all patients with ailments are shifted to Jammu for treatment.

Accident victims, though in serious conditions, are only given first aid treatment in the hospital and are shifted to the GMC, Jammu.

“Despite many promises by the successive state governments, the health sector in our village remains a neglected lot. People have to suffer a lot as the hospitals in the district are virtually non-functional,” said Sunder Lal, a local resident.

The residents of the district allege that the doctors appointed in the government hospitals are more interested in doing private practices so they seldom come to attend their duties in the hospital.

“If the patient is serious doctors refer him to Jammu and if they find an opportunity to make money from him, they advice him to come to visit their private clinic,” said Akil Sharma, a local resident.

However, the people have expressed hope with the surprise checks being made by the new Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma in all hospitals in the state as they say that now the doctors might be bound to do their duties if not by their own will but due to the fear of the minister.

“The minister should be more strict and should take action against the culprits who don’t perform their duty and leave the people to suffer. But, now the doctors in our area came to know that the minister has been conducting surprise checks so they are bit scared and come to attend their duties, but it should happen regularly,” said Sham Singh.

He requested the minister to not only restrict his visits to the main hospitals in the district but also conduct surprise visits to the hospitals and dispensaries in the remote villages of the district.

Srinagar, May 19
A three-day convention on Knowledge Resources, with special reference to Jammu and Kashmir, was organised by Allama Iqbal library of the University of Kashmir (KU), Srinagar, recently. It was inaugurated by Governor NN Vohra, who is also chancellor of the Universities of Jammu and Kashmir, at the Convention Complex at Hazratbal campus.

The convention received 72 research papers in all, out of which only 35 papers could be presented in eight parallel sessions. The convention recognised the need of laying down policies and practices being followed in university libraries in India. “For that purpose, each university library should prepare a manual in a comprehensive manner for the use by library staff and the university authorities,” the convention observed.

The convention made several recommendations to improve the condition of university libraries in the country. It was appreciative of the development services being provided by the Allama Iqbal library, wherein state of the art ICT is being actually used for its modernisation and services to the users.

It was observed that the state has rich collection of different categories of knowledge resources such as manuscripts, paintings and other artifacts that are scattered under private and public domain and deserve to be preserved and made accessible to the users both nationally and internationally. In this action, the convention recommended that the state government should take immediate steps to develop an action plan under the auspices of a state manuscript mission, which may be appointed at the earliest.

It observed that the status and the functioning of public libraries in Jammu and Kashmir had still not been developed in a proper manner. The convention also noted that although a committee submitted its report in this regard in 1975, its implementations had not yet been effected. It sought to recommend to the Jammu and Kashmir government to appoint a five-member committee to prepare a state of the art report that may recommend an action plan for developing a public library system in the state.

It stressed the need to upgrade the Allama Iqbal library to the status of being state knowledge resources centre to bring together resources and services about and on Jammu and Kashmir.

In his concluding remarks, Riyaz Punjabi, vice-chancellor of the University of Kashmir, asserted that there was a dire need for sharing of knowledge in the present day world and hoped that the convention would not only educate people in this area but also sensitise the society as a whole to bring changes.

“We got to move forward and be one with the world where the dissemination of knowledge and information helps mankind for better,” Riyaz said. Dr NV Satyanarayan, chairman, Informatics India Ltd, who was the chief guest, said information was increasing the quality of research and hoped that more people use the knowledge resources in future.

Jammu, May 19
Vacant plots have become a nuisance for residents of Roop Nagar Enclave. There are around 10 plots in the enclave whose owners have not carried out any construction work, and these plots are being used for the dumping of garbage.

In the absence of garbage bins, some residents dump their domestic wastes in the vacant plots, which, in turn, have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, flies etc, besides spreading foul smell in the area.

In addition to this, Congress grass, which has grown in abundance in these plots, is a health hazard for the residents.

The residents rue that they have demanded the provision of at least one garbage bin in the area and the cleaning of vacant plots, but the MC authorities have paid no heed to it. “Domestic waste is being dumped in the vacant plots, which has made our life miserable. I am suffering from asthma. The reason is the grass that grows in these plot,” says Roopa Wati, a resident of the area.

BJ Zutshi, president of the Roop Nagar Enclave Welfare Committee, demands that the authorities should either penalise the plot owners for not undertaking construction work or charge fee from them for the maintenance of their plots.

It is reported that two cases of dengue have been detected in the area in the past few moths.

Meanwhile, one of the drains which is more than 8 ft deep and 1.5 ft wide is choked with polythene bags and is lying uncovered. The residents have been asking the MC authorities to cover the drain, which is necessary to avert any untoward incident, but to no avail.

The condition of roads in this colony is also pitiable. Though the patchwork has been carried out at certain places, it has been done in a haphazard way. The black top of the lanes is of poor quality, which may not survive the coming rainy season.

Moreover, electric poles and wires are also laid in a haphazard manner, which can become a cause of causality any time.

“The electric wires require repairs. We had demanded 14 new electric poles from the government, but till date no action has been taken”, says PK Peshin, general secretary of the welfare committee. The residents have also demanded the installation of a new transformer as the current transformer is not sufficient to bear the load of the colony. The water supply in the area is also erratic and the residents have demanded uninterrupted water supply in the area.

Meanwhile, area councilor Sheela Handoo says she has repeatedly appealed to the municipal road transport officer Attar Singh for putting up at least one garbage bin in the area and the cleaning of vacant plots, but nothing has been done.

She says she has also highlighted the pathetic condition of electric poles to the authorities of the Power Development Department and they, too, are not paying any heed to it. Handoo says she has recently withdrawn around Rs 25 lakh from the municipal funds for repairing the roads and drains of the colony.