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Jobs for stone throwers?
Bhagat Singh continues to inspire
Jasrota Park in a shambles
The Jasrota Park near Rajbagh in Jammu. Photo by the writer
Speaking Out |
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NATURE’S SPLENDOUR: Tourists enjoy the beauty of flowers which are in full bloom at Tulip garden
in Srinagar. Photo: Amin War
Syllabus row: No soultion in sight
This little singer dreams to make it big
Only a kutcha road leads to flower garden
Jammu diary
NGO sets up diagnostic centre for needy
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Proposed policy stirs debate
Tejinder Singh Sodhi Tribune News Service
Srinagar, March 23 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also confirmed that such a policy is in the offing, but the statement comes weeks after Omar expressed his government‘s resolve to deal with the stone pelters strictly. The Kashmir valley has been a witness to violent form of stone pelting in the past two years. To control stone pelting, the government had decided to slap the Public Safety Act against those involved in the act. A large number of youths, a majority of them unemployed teenagers, have been languishing in various jails across the valley for indulging in stone throwing. The Chief Minister has also promised that the arrested stone pelters would be released and handed over to their parents if elders of their locality assure the police that they would not indulge in such an act in the future. The police earlier this year, claimed to have arrested the kingpin of the stone pelting racket and who said he was working on behalf of some separatists and a local political party. “A large number of youths arrested in cases of stone pelting are either uneducated or unemployed. They were being paid by those who don’t want normalcy in the valley,” said a senior police officer. The new proposal of the state government to rehabilitate stone throwers would include absorption of such youths in government jobs or they would be given money and land to set up self-employment units in their localities. “If it is true then it is a welcome step, as it would help check unemployment in the valley. It would also give our youth who feels alienated a chance to join the mainstream,” said Abdul Gaffar, a Local resident. However, on the other hand, the proposed policy to rehabilitate stone pelters has led to resentment among the unemployed educated youth of the valley. “After getting so many degrees, we have been running from pillar to post for a job as the government says it does not have enough jobs for us, but now the government are going to provide jobs to those who create law and order problem, this is sheer injustice with the educated youth of the valley,” said Tariq Ahmed, a postgraduate from Kashmir university. Muneer Ahmed, another educated unemployed youth, said, “This will not end the problem but will add to it, as more unemployed educated youth would start pelting stones to get a job.”
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Bhagat Singh continues to inspire
Jammu, March 23 While the youth like to show their respect towards the legendary figure by wearing T-shirts with him on them, bus and autorikshaw drivers and truckers take pride in sticking his cutouts underlined with patriotic messages on their vehicles. To commemorate his martyrdom day, huge billboards remembering this freedom fighter were put up across the city by the Shahed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Foundation. “Public places like Bhagat Singh Park near Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar, or the chowk named after him near Jewel Chowk are commemoration to the martyr. Though people still recognise and respect the martyr, it’s almost impossible to follow in his footsteps. Country needs dedicated nationalist and humanist like him,” said Jevan Lal, a social worker. “He is peerless. He believed in action rather than delivering just speeches. It was his indomitable spirit for freedom that inspires me,” said Rakesh Sigh, a driver. For students, Bhagat Singh was more than a revolutionary fighter. “He was an intellectual scholar with a profound ideology and clear vision. He demonstrated what he preached. He never feared death,” averred Rahul, president of Progressive Students Association. “He preferred death over life as he knew that it would change the course of freedom struggle and that is exactly what followed after his execution,” he said, adding, “The level of commitment that Bhagat Singh had have for the country is rare to match with.” “PSA, has been distributing Bhagat Singh’s posters amongst students,” he said and rued, “Today the legendary figure is remembered on his martyrdom day only. His message is not being spread.” Comrade Mandev Singh, general secretary of Bhagat Singh Yadgaar Committee, RS Pura, said: “We have been into social work for the past two decades. During our meetings we distribute literature having ideological concepts of Bhagat Singh.” Shaheed Bhagat Singh Vichar Manch, Meera Sahib is another such organisation doing social work.
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Jasrota Park in a shambles
Jammu, March 23 A typical example is Jasrota Park along the banks of the Ujh, near Rajbagh, 65 km from here on the Jammu-Pathankot Highway, which had been lying in a pathetic state for about 10 years. Lying in the foothills of Jasrota hillock, the park has ill-maintained lawns and algae on stagnant water that pollutes the surroundings with foul smell. Of 20 fountain heads installed in the park some years ago, none is working. Sarpanch of a nearby village Varinder Singh said fountain heads had been installed before 2000, but were never provided water or power connection. The Sarpanch rued that even a rest house in the vicinity of the park was a shambles and no efforts were taken to beautify the area. Most tourists visit the area since the hillock houses a wildlife sanctuary and two ancient temples of Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali. A famous Ujh barrage surrounding the park also draws tourists. An official of the Department of Parks and Gardens, however, said Jasrota Park did not fall under its ambit. |
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Need for foolproof examination system
Students appearing in the class XII examinations are peeved about the incident of paper leaking and subsequent cancellation of English B paper. TNS talked to a few Jammu-based students. This is what they had to say:
— Ankush Choudhary
— Narinder Kumar
— Durgesh Saini
— Amit Kumar
— Gulshan Meenia
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Tulips ready to charm visitors
Srinagar, March 23 The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Zabarwan foothills was inaugurated by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on March 29, 2008. The land area of the garden in the vicinity of Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden has also been expanded from over 100 kanals to provide enough space for the tulips and other varieties of flowers to make it a round-the-year flower garden beginning with the tulips. “This will be an all-weather garden now that will not be closing after the tulips are over,” said GS Naqash, director, Department of Floriculture, J&K government, adding that other flowers would follow. It is upgraded in many ways this year. In place of the previous four terraces, this year it has got six terraces. There are 15 lakh tulips this year as compared to 12 lakh last year and the area has been expanded from the previous five hectares to seven hectares, he adds. “We have changed the pattern and design of the garden,” Naqash commented. “We are two weeks earlier than Holland and normally it is the first week of April in Kashmir for the beginning of tulip flowers,” says Javed Ahmad Shah, district floriculture officer, Srinagar. “But this year January was dry in Kashmir and also a major part of February. There has been higher temperature, 11 to 12 degrees Celsius above normal in March, which resulted in early flowering of tulips,” he added. The garden now becomes the first attraction of tourists to Kashmir by the end of March every year, while Mughal gardens overlooking the Dal Lake used to be thrown open to public on the occasion of Baisakhi, marking the beginning of tourist season in Kashmir. “Many queries are coming from outside the valley well in advance,” the officers revealed, adding that several travel agencies were making queries for the inclusion of a visit to the garden. The garden with over 15 lakh tulips, 3.70 lakhs of them imported during the last winter, has got over 70 varieties of different colours of tulips to bloom one after the other during the next one month. “There have been some more additions this year to make the garden more attractive for a longer period after the tulip season,” said Javed. He adds that other additions to make the garden a place of attraction for more months include ranunculus, hyacinthus, zintedeschia and muscari. With these additions, there would be one or the other flower continuing to bloom to have a mass effect and make it an attraction for the tourists. This, according to the experts, may be the only flower garden which has all flowers in mass that presents the picturesque view of the best of the gardens in the world, he opines. |
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Syllabus row: No soultion in sight
Jammu, March 23 The college authorities claim that they have completed around 60 per cent of the syllabus and would be able to complete the remaining syllabus on schedule, but the students claim that only around 45 per cent syllabus has been completed so far. Students showing attendance registers of SPMR Commerce College say only 42 lectures have been delivered in this academic year from November 07, 2009, to March 09, 2010, in graphics. In computer science and laboratory works too, the authorities have delivered 42 lectures for the same time period, whereas in B.Com only 25 lectures have been delivered from November 17, 2009, to January 20, 2010, and in BBA 56 lectures have been delivered from November 11, 2009, to March 09, 2010. The situation in Government Gandhi Memorial Science College and Maulana Azad Memorial College is no different. Hemla Aggarwal, principal, SPMR Commerce College, said: “We have completed maximum syllabus of part-III and only around 15 per cent of the syllabus is left. We will complete the remaining syllabus soon,” she added. The authorities of Government Gandhi Memorial Science College claim to have completed 60 per cent of the syllabus in part-III, which is contested by their students who claim to have completed only 40 per cent of the syllabus. Putting forward the reasons for delay in completing the syllabus on time, one of the principal of the city colleges said: “Due to late declaration of part-II results by the university, the academic session was started late. Then, boycott of classes by the students during the central university agitation added to the problem”. According to Para 4.1 of the UGC Regulation-2003: “Every university enrolling students for the 1st degree programme shall ensure that the number of actual teaching days on which classes such as lectures, tutorials, seminars and practicals are held or conducted is not less than 180 in an academic year, excluding holidays, vacations, time set apart for completing admissions and time required for the conduct of examinations”. For the past 40 days, college students have been boycotting their classes and holding demonstrations under the banner of the Jammu Joint Students Federation (JJSF) demanding concession in their syllabus. On March 8, they started fast unto death and some of them were even hospitalised. Pratap Singh Jamwal, state vice-president, JJSF, said the students adopted all peaceful measures for the fulfilment of their demand, but the university authorities have not taken the issue seriously. He said the students filed a case against the authorities in the High Court on Wednesday.
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This little singer dreams to make it big
Jammu, March 23 By wining appreciations from singers Abhijeet and Alka Yagnik in the international-level competition, Anmol has proved that he is priceless not only for his parents, neighbours, relatives and friends, but also for Jammu as well. Blessed with God's gift, Anmol is a versatile singer and dancer. Anmol, a student of class V, is excellent in his academics besides being the master of his talent. Getting inspiration from his father, Surpal, who is also a professional singer, Anmol started singing when he was three-year-old. He had not taken any coaching for Sufi singing, but he imbibed the talent from his father who is also a Sufi singer. This realty show was the first platform for Anmol to showcase his talent and now he is waiting for similar other opportunity so as to excel in his talent. Talking to The Tribune, Anmol said: "Singing is my passion and I want to be a playback singer. For maintaining balance between singing and studies, I do singing practice for three hours in a day and equally concentrate on my studies". Cricket is the favourite game of Anmol. "I play cricket everyday and Sachin Tendulkar is my favourite player," he said. His father Surpal said: "I am proud of my son. For the first time he got a chance to sing on such a big stage and he did that with full confidence. Only a professional singer could sing like that for the first time as he did". Surpal said he would send him to Mumbai for further coaching in music in the singing institute of Mukesh Kumar who was Anmol's mentor in Little Champs. "Besides Anmol, my two daughters, Vidhi Jaswal (8) and Simran Jaswal (3), also have similar talent and I will send them both in the profession of singing," said Surpal. He added that he would soon release a videocassette of 'jagran' in which Vidhi and Anmol have jointly sung religious songs. |
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Only a kutcha road leads to flower garden
Jammu, March 23 The garden, spread over 563 kanals, was conceived by Azad himself with a view to attracting visitors to the state. Though thousands of flowers have bloomed up in the garden and it presents a panoramic view, yet it remains empty throughout the day. The entire project built at a cost of Rs 8.50 crore is proving as a wastage of money. As many as 20 varieties of flowers of different shapes and colours have been cultivated in the garden. Azad, while inaugurating the garden, had said: “The Asia’s largest Tulip Garden at Srinagar and the flower garden here would attract tourists to the state”. But now hardly anyone visits the place because of poor road connectivity. After visiting the garden, The Tribune team observed that the garden was wearing a deserted look. Just two or three gardeners were present who were watering it. The garden is situated on the RS Pura road, 10 km from Jammu, and proving to be an extra burden on the state exchequer. “We are regularly maintaining the garden and every season flowers have been blooming up, still nobody comes here. We are unable to understand if the government does not want to make a road connecting this park then what is the use of maintaining the garden,” said a gardener. Foundation stone found broken It seems no one is giving any attention to the garden, as The Tribune team found that plaque of the foundation stone naming the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, inaugurated on March 31, 2008, was found broken and buried inside the land. The police said no case had been registered against any person for vandalising the public property.
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VHP leader in love with media
Dr Ramakant Dubey, president of the state VHP, is “known” for giving press statements on all issues national or international. He does not miss any opportunity to address the media. Sometimes he has landed himself into an embarrassing position due to his habit of calling press conferences. When PDP MLC Murtaza Khan introduced the controversial Jammu and Kashmir Permanent Residents (Women) Disqualification Bill, Dr Dubey seized this opportunity to call a press conference. Interestingly, Dubey was not aware of the name of the MLC who had introduced the Bill. Instead of getting information from other persons he kept a space blank where he had to write the name of Murtaza Khan. When mediapersons asked why the space had been kept blank, an embarrassed Dubey asked the scribes to fill in the blank themselves. Expensive fruits
The high prices of fruits and vegetables during religious festivals add to the problems of the common man, particularly those belonging to the economically weaker sections of society. The prices of essential commodities have gone up during these days of Navratras, burdening further the man on the street. Taking advantage of the festival the fruit and vegetable sellers, particularly the ‘rehriwalas’, are selling eatables above the fixed market prices in some areas, making a hole in the pocket of the common man. Board for what
One is greeted by a board on a visit to the Bagh-e-Bahu Park, saying “Do Not Pluck Flowers”. But there are no flowers to be plucked near this board. The authorities seem to have placed the board just to remind the public to desist from doing such things (See picture). A number of people, especially a group of women pointing towards the board, were heard making a mockery of the authorities concerned. A woman in her mid-fifties, who had come with her family, was heard saying laughingly after watching the board: “See the flowers, how beautiful these are! (Contributed by Dinesh Manhotra, Sunaina Kaul and Archit Watts) |
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NGO sets up diagnostic centre for needy
Srinagar, March 23 Al-Hilal Diagnostic Centre at Karan Nagar Bund was inaugurated by specialist physician and social worker, chairman, Iklas Welfare Society, Tral, and chief coordinator, Cancer Society. A 40-minute documentary “Dus Sala Safar” and a booklet highlighting the work of the foundation was released by the chief guest, Justice (retd) Bashir Ahmad Kirmani, and Hilal Ahmad Parray, director, Social Welfare, respectively. “Both these things have covered miserable conditions of orphans, widows and other destitute and the detailed work done by the foundation for these destitute,” said Syed Abdul Hamid, patron, JKYF. As per the 10-year report of the foundation, the organisation has received an amount of Rs 10.94 crore that has been spent on various welfare programmes. “Over the past so many years, the foundation has rendered appreciable services while providing relief to hundreds. I salute them for their social work and the help they render to needy people,” said Abdul Hamid, a resident of Khanyar. Prizes were also distributed among students who have brought laurels to the foundation by winning various competitions.
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Jammu, March 23
The board has cancelled only English B paper whereas Physics A paper was also out well before the examination. Due to inefficient examination system, hardworking students will have to satisfy with lesser marks while those coming from influential families will get more marks. 
Even if the examination has been rescheduled, meritorious students will have put an extra effort for preparing for the same examination. Just because of a few who availed the paper through unscrupulous means, genuine students have to suffer. 
The cancellation of the paper is justified, but it will only extend the timeline of examination. As the examinations would end in the first week of April, there are other competitive exams like IIT on April 11, NDA on April 18 and AIEE on April 25. The prevailing examination system is certainly affecting the performance of hard working students. 
The culprits must be nabbed and stringent action should be taken against them. Only then such corrupt practices can be checked to ensure fair examination. Otherwise, the mark-sheets cannot justify merit of a student. 
A foolproof mechanism should be put in place by the J&K Board of School Education. The recent incidents of paper leak have exposed loopholes in the system. There is also a strong need for taking action against rumour mongers as they cause distractions during the examinations. 