Kathua, September 1
The cricket stadium of Kathua has been lying in dilapidated condition for the past three years. It was dug up on the behest of the then sports minister as the government wanted it to be developed as per the international standards. However, the present plight of the stadium is no different from that of a piece of wasteland.

Sources said the funds were allocated as part of the sports infrastructure development plan for the state which were conceived by the then state coalition government. Bulldozers were rolled out to level the ground whereas the pitch was dug up to develop it on a par with the international standards. But it appeared to be a cosmetic exercise only as the work that started in 2006 was stopped all of a sudden due to unknown reasons.

Locals maintained that the work again started after the new government came into power and the level of the stadium was raised by 4-5 feet. But they were not happy with the ongoing slow progress of the renovation work.

“Things have only worsened after the makeover work started here. Earlier, we used to come here for our regular practice and even played several inter-district tournaments, but now things have moved from bad to worse,” said local cricketers, adding, “Now we cannot even think of coming here”.

They blamed indifferent attitude of the successive government for it. “The government does not want to support sports activities,” they said, adding, “The pitch has been dug up. During the rains, the stadium turns marshy while on the clear days, vehicles of driving schools make rounds of the rough ground”.

Rohit, a local cricket freak, expressed hope in the new sports minister who claims to change the face of the sports sector within six months.

Officials in the DC office revealed that the work was earlier executed by the Economic Reconstruction Agency, but at present the Public Works Department has been conducting the work under the supervision of the J&K Sports Council. 

Jammu, September 1
Even as the State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (SAPCS) claimed that bringing hidden epidemic to the surface was a success, 28 full-blown cases of AIDS in a span of last 100 days in Jammu have sent health authorities into a tizzy.

More perturbing are the facts that the cases included two children aged six and one and a half years, besides 10 women.

“Undoubtedly, the number of cases reported in the last 100 days has created an alarming situation,” Dr DP Sharma, project coordinator of the first public-private community care centre (CCC) set up by the SAPCS, said.

Though it had been our endeavour to bring hidden epidemic to the fore, the high number of cases is no way a good indication, he said, adding those who were tested positive for the HIV included two children aged six and two and their mother.

Dr Sharma said father of the children, a trucker by profession, had died and but the entire family also contracted the lethal infection.

“We are shocked to see that AIDS patients are now pouring into the centre from places like Khara Madana, Kishtwar, Bani, Rajouri and Poonch,” said Dr Sharma, who feels that several HIV positive patients continue to live anonymous lives because of the social stigma attached to it.

Some days ago, a pregnant woman, who had also reported at the CCC, was tested positive, along with her baby, he added.

The project coordinator said truckers and migrant labourers were mostly afflicted by the virus, who pass it on to their wives.

Official records say the state today has 1,600 HIV patients and 95 so far have died of AIDS and about 450 cases of AIDS were on the ART drugs.

Dr Sharma said the CCC had tied up with the anti-retiro viral therapy (ART) centre at Government Medical College here, from where we get the ART drugs for the patients. The SAPCS had set up the first public-private CCC in Jammu for HIV patients, who want to keep their identity secret.

The SAPCS said it had been contributing its bit in the right earnest to create awareness among people.

“In our conservative society we have roped in religious leaders, 1,800 sarpanches and panches, 1,200 anganwari workers and educational institutions to educate people about the virus and ways to keep it at bay,” said an SAPCS official.

Srinagar, September 1
Located near the Harmukh hills along the periphery of Wullar Lake, Bandipore town has been facing a shortage of drinking water. Residents of this township, which is a district headquarters, lament that the area is being ignored in many respects.

Despite the presence of water bodies like Arin stream and Madhumati stream, both tributaries to the Wullar Lake, in the area, the residents have been facing drinking water shortage.

“The entire network of drinking water supplies is in bad shape. Polluted water is being supplied to the residents, who are fearing the spread of an epidemic,” says Nizamuddin Bhat, PDP MLA, who represents the constituency.

He says outlets from the camps of security forces in the upper reaches of the two streams have been directed towards the flowing water. There have been instances of epidemics in the past, mainly because of contaminated water, he adds.

He has sought the attention of the government towards the dilapidated water supply network of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department in the area and the clearing of pollutants from various water resources.

Meanwhile, replying to a query, Minister of State In Charge of the PHE Nasir Aslam Wani told the Assembly that a water supply scheme in Ajas village was set up 25 years ago and needed improvement. He said to cover the Bandipore population, two more water supply schemes were being considered.

Referring to Malangam village, the minister said two supply schemes would be considered subject to techno-economic feasibility.

He said Bonakoot village was getting raw water supply from its water supply scheme, which has Madhumati nullah as one of its sources, after giving bleaching treatment at a service reservoir. About Arin village on the right bank of Arin nullah, the minister said a service reservoir was in the final stages of completion and was expected to be completed within two months to provide regular potable water to the villagers.

For Aloosa village (situated close to the Wullar lake), he said it was being fed from Aloosa Ghat (lake side) with springs as its sources. The mechanical equipment of the scheme was derated with the result the existing service reservoir was not getting adequately filled up, he added.

Jammu, September 1
Imported toys and confectionery items, which do not meet the international standards and are hazardous for the safety and health of tiny tots, are clandestinely being dumped and sold in the selective markets in the interiors of the city.

Packed in fancy and attractive cardboard wrappers, the toys operate on remote controls and dry batteries carrying lead and cadmium and are considered toxic elements. Similarly, the confectionery items, including chocolates and toffees, do not mention the name of the importer and the manufacturer, besides details about the date of packing, age group and the MRP, which are mandatory under various consumer acts and safety guidelines.

Manoj Prabhakar, assistant controller, State Legal Metrology Department, said a special team had been set up to keep an eye on the erring shopkeepers, who bring either toys or confectionery items into the state.

Prabhakar said the department on August 14 seized imported toys worth Rs 20 lakh from two wholesale dealers of the city. The raids were conducted in Malhotrian Street, Dalpatian Mohalla and the Kanak Mandi areas where the toys were dumped in bulk.

He said a fine of Rs 40,000 was imposed on Messrs Sharma Toys and RK Toys. “We are on the job to apprehend the Delhi-based importers who sell such goods to the wholesale dealers here,” he said.

The assistant controller said the seized toys were mostly Chinese made and did not carry the relevant information as required under the Central Package Commodity Rules, 1977.

“Further, such goods carry all information in Chinese language, which is not understood by Indian consumers,” he said.

Prabhakar said it was for the first time that such a raid was conducted in the state. It was found that the packed toys, functioning on dry pencil and button cells, had the tendency to get choked and could prove fatal for the kids.

“We were planning such type of a raid in November last year. However, success eluded us that time,” he said.

Strangely, the imported toys are being brought to Jammu and Kashmir without a verification certificate. Prabhakar, however, said it was the job of the Customs Department to see how the goods enter into the country.

He said the seized items were under billed as compared to the actual sale price. A number of toys, made in India, which were found to be in violation of the rules, were also seized.

He also cautioned people to desist from purchasing the toys which did not mention the age group of the child, consumer helpline, along with other safety guidelines required under the relevant acts.

He also warned “strict action under law” against such traders who were selling products without complying with all requirements.

Jammu, September 1
Various projects of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) have been marred by a delay in the land acquisition process.

Col MK Jain, project director, informs that for the acquisition of 1,000 hectares from Lakhanpur to Srinagar, a stretch of 400 km, Rs 9,500 crore was given in 2005, but only 10 per cent of the land has been given ROW (right of way) till now.

Similarly, he says for a stretch of 2.5 km in Kathua, Rs 31.72 crore were deposited by the NHAI three-and-a-half years ago, but still the land acquisition commissioner of the area has failed to acquire the land.

Overstressed by heavy traffic, the four-lane carriageway on the Lakhanpur track, which has to be developed into 12-lane carriageway from J&K to Punjab, is also being delayed due to land acquisition problem.

To decongest traffic in Ujh village, the construction of one more bridge, besides the one already existing, is also in the pipeline. With one bridge on the right and one on the left, the traffic will ease out. But again, the land facilitating the approach has not been provided to the NHAI, he adds.

Colonel Jain informs a project for single compulsory acquisition where Rs 4 crore has already been paid for 21 hectares in Basantar in Samba is pending. In case of another project in Harsat village, near Gagwal, an encroachment by a house owner is creating problems, he adds.

Divisional commissioner Pawan Kotwal said, “In the matter of Basantar, the deputy commissioner has given a high assessment which has to be corrected while in the case of Harsat village, the landowner is quoting a high price. We will set both the cases right”.

In another case in Samba, where one railway under bridge is narrow and approach for another bridge is not given, Dr Kotwal assured that the matter was being processed.

After the Chief Minister constituted a high-level committee under the chief secretary to supervise the acquisition, possession and handing over the land to the NHAI, Colonel Jain is hopeful that these problems will be solved soon. He, however, says, “This is a national mission, and the government should expedite the matter by taking quick decisions. One promise after another will not solve the matter.”

Srinagar, September 1
“Films can’t bring about a revolution, but many of them impact our thinking. No film can do complete justice. It can’t summarise everything within two hours,” says Nandita Das, noted film actor and director.

Known for her critically acclaimed performances in over 30 feature films in 10 different languages, Nandita has worked with directors like Deepa Mehta, Shyam Benegal, Mani Ratnam, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mrinal Sen and others.

Nandita was an active member of the Jan Natya Manch, a street theatre group formed by Safdar Hashmi, where, she says “seeds of being an actor and an activist were sown.”

After completing BA in geography, Nandita pursued studies for MA in social work from Delhi University. “I was confused as to what to do. My parents asked me to continue further studies. I didn’t know what to do. For a year, I travelled and came to know about MA in social work and opted for it. The course exposes you to different realities,” said Nandita while delivering a lecture and interacting with people during a session organised here by the Anhad Institute of Media Studies [AIMS].

Later, she worked with various non-government organisations, advocating human rights issues. Her father is a painter and mother, a writer. “Working with Safdar’s group and doing plays on communalism exposed me to the realities of life. It was a turning point for me.”

She has been a speaker at various universities and social forums both in India and abroad. She has been a member of the main jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 and at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2007. She has been conferred with the prestigious Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.

“I have come to Kashmir after 25 years and my meeting with people, especially younger ones, has been an inspiration. Despite the circumstances that they’ve to struggle with, the desire to move ahead is strong,” says Nandita. She opines that local filmmakers should come forward in depicting the real picture of Kashmir.

Nandita said the role of cinema in social change was “subtle and intangible and that is why it has more impact. No wonder it threatens those who do not want to hear the truth. But this powerful medium of change is often not used adequately for the growth of a society.”

She is with the art of storytelling and wants to be part of the process.She, however, regrets that the scope of such films has reduced with the passage of time.

About her films, the actress says:“Fire was my first film.After that, one led to another, but the kind of films I wanted to do aren’t popular. There are not many people to fund them. Now, I have started doing regional films.”

She said that as she enjoyed working in films, she wanted to enter the field of direction. “Some people ask me how I am able to maintain a balance. For me, these are all different threads leading to one point. Cinema definitely has a significant role,” she says.

Jammu, September 1
The deputy commissioner, Udhampur, Ajay Khajuria has underlined the need for the mobilisation of resources to generate more funds for the District Red Cross Society (DRCS) so that the needy could be provided help in an effective manner.

Chairing a meeting of officers and members of the society, the deputy commissioner called upon the officers to put in sincere efforts to raise funds from government, private educational institutions and other establishments.

He asked the chief education officer, Udhampur, to collect Red Cross donations fee from government and private schools and ensure that the amount collected was deposited with the society in time.

He also called upon other departments issuing and renewing licences of different business and industrial establishments to route their donations to the DRCS.

The deputy commissioner urged the Chief Medical Officer to organise health awareness camps in the rural areas in collaboration with the Red Cross Society and educate the people regarding its functioning.

He also suggested the holding of a Red Cross mela at Udhampur so that the maximum people were motivated to come under the ambit of the society.

Jammu, September 1
The state’s economy is expected to get a boost with the decision of the state government to keep Jawahar Tunnel, the only surface link between Jammu and the Kashmir valley, open for 24 hours daily.

The state government recently took the decision for smooth flow of vehicular traffic.Earlier, it was kept open for only 12 hours owing to the security situation in the state.

The tunnel is one of the most sensitive areas in the state and is being guarded by various security agencies, including the state police, the traffic police, the CRPF and the Army.

Speaking to The Tribune, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industries Sanjay Puri said: “The step to keep Jawahar Tunnel open for 24 hours will definitely boost the trade in the state.This shows that the state is fast returning to normalcy.”

The step is expected to give a boost to the economy of the state.”Earlier, when there was no turmoil in the state, the tunnel used to remain open for 24 hours, but after the eruption of militancy, traffic was restricted to daytime,” Puri said.

The step would prove beneficial for not only traders , but also passengers travelling between Jammu and Kashmir.

“Earlier, the passengers had a fixed time to cross the tunnel and if they failed to do so, they had to stay overnight on the highway.But now, round- the- clock movement of traffic on the highway would be beneficial for passengers,” Puri said.

The traders, especially the fruit growers,are also happy with the move as they say that they will be able to send fresh fruits to other markets of the state.

Meanwhile, the trading community in Jammu says that now they would be able to send their goods during night to the Kashmir valley also.“Earlier, the loaded trucks had to cross the tunnel during the daytime, but now they can move at night,” said T.S. Reen, Chairman of the Federation of Industries, Jammu, and added “earlier, it used to take two days for the trucks to reach the Kashmir valley, but now it would take only one day.”

He said that now the valley would not face any shortage of essential commodities throughout the year.

Jammu, September 1
The state government’s “big talk” on providing a good road infrastructure falls flat at the two entry points to the state.

The entry to Jammu and Kashmir through Lakhanpur on the Pathankot-Jammu highway is affected by massive traffic jams caused by trucks and a 100-m stretch of dilapidated road between the Ravi bridge and Lakhanpur toll barrier.

Inquiries reveal that this stretch is under the jurisdiction of the central government because of which the state governments of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have ignored its maintenance.

Sources reveal that the central government is facing a difficulty in finding a contractor for such a small stretch. With no state willing to spend a few bucks, commuters continue to suffer. The toll tax of Rs 70 charged at the Lakhanpur post pinches the travellers more due to the potholed roads.

On the other hand, the Dinanagar-Jammu road via Narot Jaimal Singh village, connecting Gurdaspur with Jammu, and tipped as an alternative route to end traffic congestion at Lakhanpur is in such a bad shape that no motorist can pass without causing damage to his vehicle.

Crater-like potholes have come up on the road, which it seems has not been repaired since ages. Vehicles hardly move in third gear with an average speed of around 20 km per hour. This road is used by persons coming to the state from Punjab. It avoids Pathankot, Lakhanpur and Kathua towns, thus offering a chance to save time. One takes more time while passing through these towns due to jams and the bad condition of roads.

The road between Dinanagar and Taragarh and to some extent up to Narot Jaimal Singh village is still motorable, but as one inches closer to the Jammu and Kashmir border, the driver gets busy in negotiating one pothole after another.

Official sources say the state government has a plan to widen this road, but it is getting delayed due to red tape.