Srinagar, July 15
Amid a complete shutdown across the Valley, protests and sit-ins were held at various places here even as prohibitory orders remained in force. Restrictions were also lifted from downtown areas this morning, which, however, did not change the deserted look of the city.

Soon after the restrictions were lifted, people in localities around Jamia Masjid staged peaceful sit-ins as part of the APHC-Mirwaiz “civil disobedience” programmes in protest against the recent killings and human rights violations. The bandh was also observed in response to the call by the hardline faction of the APHC led by Syed Ali Geelani against the human rights violations, demanding the release of those detained during the last one month.

The roads across the city wore a deserted look as bandh supporters enforced the restrictions on the movement of vehicles. Many private vehicles were seen returning to their destinations as the bandh supporters intermittently stopped them. Only the police and official vehicles were allowed to ply on city roads.

Shops, educational institutions, banks and government offices remained closed while a thin attendance was reported in some government offices.

Near normalcy was observed in some parts of the city yesterday, whereas life remained completely paralysed today after some media channels showed the images of the restoration of normal life yesterday. Restrictions may be reimposed tomorrow to avoid any further trouble.

“It happened for the first time since June 27 that no restrictions were in force today,” a resident of Nawakadal locality said. He told The Tribune that the bandh supporters thrashed a cyclist and damaged his bicycle today. Disruptions were enforced on the Eidgah road leading to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura. One person carried an ailing relative on his shoulders after their vehicle was smashed.

However, the vehicles leading to the SKIMS Hospital were later seen plying. Protests were also reported at Kupwara, Pampore, Beijbehara and Awantipora on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

Srinagar, July 15
To control the menace of stone throwing and disperse protesters, the security forces, which have so far been battling such mobs in the Valley with tear-gas shells, will now be equipped with newly-developed “chilly grenades”.

The “chilly grenades”, which have been designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), use the “bhut jolokia” recognised as the hottest chilly in the world. The “chilly grenades”, which have passed the initial tests, are designed to be effective against the violent mob.

Sources said the security forces, especially the CRPF, which is mostly at the line of fire during violent protests and incidents of stone throwing, had been exploring the non-lethal ways of quelling the protests and these grenades would provide an effective way to tackle stone throwing mobs.

The CRPF is also contemplating the use of pepper guns to quell the protesters, but the sources say the recently developed “chilly grenades” would be more effective in handling the situation.

“Both pepper guns and “chilly grenades” are non-lethal, but “chilly grenades” would be more effective. The smell emitted out by a chilly grenade is so pungent that it would force the protesters to disperse and the effect would last for several hours,” said a senior CRPF officer.

The CRPF, which has been in the forefront in the Valley to control the stone throwing mob, has been at the receiving end in the past two years. Around 2,000 CRPF personnel have been injured due to stone throwing only; and in the past two months alone 280 of its personnel have been injured.

“In the incidents of stone throwing, the CRPF exercises the utmost restraint and in very serious cases it has to fire in self defence. But the “chilly grenades”, which is non-toxic and non-lethal, would do wonders in mob control,” the officer said.

The “bhut jolokia” chilly that grows in the north-eastern state of Assam has been recognised as the world’s hottest chilly by the Guinness Book of World Records, the hotness measured in Scoville heat unit of the chilly was 1,001,304 twice as hot to its nearest rival the Mexico red Savina.

The non-lethal grenades devised by the DRDO could numb the protesters and also immobilise them without seriously wounding or killing them.

The trial of the “chilly grenades” for use in the Army to force the hiding militants to come out of a hideout are also going on and these grenades are also expected to find their way into the ammunition menu of the Army soon. The DRDO is also planning to incorporate the “bhut jolokia” powder into normal tear-gas shells to make it more effective in mob management.

Jammu, July 15
The 16 Corps Engineering Signal Regiment held a wreath-laying ceremony at Rehari here this afternoon to pay homage to Major Amit Kumar Thenge of 37 Rashtrya Rifles, who laid down his life while battling terrorists in the Mendhar sector on July 13.

Wrapped in a Tricolour, the coffin carrying the mortal remains of the brave officer arrived from Rajouri to Jammu by road this morning. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 16 Corps, Lt-Gen Rameshwar Roy, Chief of Staff, 16 Corps, Major Gen RH Vardhan, IG, Jammu zone, Ashok Gupta and a number of senior officers of the Army, police and the CRPF laid wreaths during the ceremony.

The mortal remains of the young officer were flown to his home town Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh this afternoon where a funeral with full military honours would be conducted.

Jammu, July 15
“Major Amit was the best when it came to mobile communication in the Army. An engineer in the trade and that, too, par excellence he could have easily made it big in the corporate world but he chose the Army and had even opted for 10 PARA, a special force.”

This is how Rajeev Tuli, Commanding Officer of 16 CESR (Corps Engineering Signals Regiment) under whom Major Amit worked for one-and-a-half year, summed up the 28-year old officer’s burning desire to serve the Army and his country.

It’s a personal loss to me, a big loss to his unit, Army and this country, said Tuli.

In March this year, the young officer was posted to 37 Rashtriya Rifles. Despite being an engineer, he yearned to work with the special forces and that’s why he had opted for 10 PARA and was about to go on probation, said the Commanding Officer .

Born on April 19, 1982, Major Amit was commissioned in the Corps of Signals on June 9, 2007.

“I had observed him from close quarters; not only he was a brave heart but also a soft-spoken, well-respected officer. It is difficult to find such young men today, who despite being professionally qualified had an unflinching desire to serve the Army,” said Tuli.

In fact, eldest of the two brothers, he was the first from his family to join the Army, he said, adding that in his diary he had kept his country and the Army above everything.

He had written in it that nothing else than the Indian Army and his country comes to his mind. He had such devotion toward the Army and his motherland, he added.

Besides a younger brother, who has done Master’s in business administration, Major Amit’s father retired from the government’s service while his mother was a teacher in Chhindwara.

Udhampur, July 15
Under the Operation Sadbhavna of the Army, an Equine Training Course for Veterinary Interns has been completed successfully for the consecutive second term. A total of 56 bachelors of veterinary sciences and animal husbandry interns of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, were trained through this course in the finer aspects of equine medicine surgery and management under the aegis of the headquarters 71 Subarea by the 3 Advance Field Veterinary Hospital.

On the occasion, the Commander 71 Subarea, Brig Sanjay Kulkarni, appreciated the sanguine efforts of the 3 Advance Field Veterinary Hospital in augmenting the therapeutic and diagnostic skills of budding veterinarians of the state. He was convinced that the course would serve to strengthen the bond between the Army and the youth of the state. He also presented certificates and equine training manuals to all the trainees.

Brigadier RVS, Headquarters Northern Command, Brig Deepak Badial, speaking on the occasion, said the Remount Veterinary Corps had strived to utilise its presence in many remote pockets of the state in providing veterinary aid to farmers and livestock holders, including Gujjars and Bakerwals. On the occasion, he unveiled a précis on “Equine Management and Treatment” and congratulated all interns on the successful completion of the course.

The Dean Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, (SKUAST), Jammu, Dr AR Nazki, in his address, lauded the efforts of the Army in undertaking such projects which provided specialised knowledge transfer. He emphasised that such projects had a very positive impact on animal welfare in the state. He requested the Army to start more such specialised technical courses in near future.

The Commandant of 3 Advance Field Veterinary Hospital, Col CM Desai, emphasised on the valuable understanding of equine management and treatment, which would enable young veterinarians to cope up with future challenges.

Col Desai was briefed about the methodology involved in conducting the training and also thanked the Dean Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry of the university.

Jammu, July 15
Caught in a web of uncertainty after their forced migration from the Valley with a remote scope for return, the symptoms of psychiatric morbidity have alarmingly been increasing among Kashmiri Pandit migrants putting up here since 1990.

In a recent study to determine the prevalence of various psychiatric disorders confronting the community, it has been found that depression, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and generalised anxiety disorders (GAD) were statistically more prevalent in Kashmiri Pandits than locals.

The study has been undertaken by eight leading psychiatrists of the state and its detailed findings have also found a special mention in the latest issue of the Indian Journal of Psychiatry.

Dr Jagdish Thappa, Head of Psychiatry Department at the Government Medical College and Hospital, who was leading the eight-member study group, told The Tribune that as compared to 26 per cent of locals, the 34 per cent of the Kashmiri Pandit migrant population was not keeping a good mental health. “Major Depressive Episode (MDE) was the most common diagnosis,” Dr Thappa said while referring to the study conducted in 11 migrant camps set up here and five in New Delhi. He was supported in these findings by Dr Rakesh Banal, Dr HU Shah, Dr Arshid Hussain, Dr Abhishek Chowhan, Dr Harneet Kaur, Dr Mala Bhart and Dr Sushant Thappa.

The presence of psychiatric disorders was seen mostly (42 per cent) among the migrants falling in the age group of 45 to 54 years. Similarly, psychiatric disorders among migrant women was 37 per cent, which was 5 per cent greater as compared to migrant men. Contrarily, such disorders in local women was 22 per cent, which was less as compared to local men in whom it was 30 per cent.

The findings further revealed that psychological disorders were highest in unemployed and undergraduates and least in self-employed.

Referring to the findings, Dr Jagdish said symptoms of MDE were found in 22 per cent followed by GAD in 14 per cent and PTSD in 7 per cent of camp dwellers.

The study revealed that the trauma of forced exodus and the exposure to an alien and hostile environment, compounded by the problems of acclimatisation, lack of basic amenities, poor housing, overcrowding, extremes of climate and jobless had led to these and many other psychological and behavioural disturbances in Kashmiri Pandit migrants.

Dr Jagdish clarified that only the psychiatric problems of the migrants were studied while the effect of migration on their cultural and social life had not been explored. “Therefore, putative variables contributing to high psychiatric morbidity in migrants could not be established,” he said.

The eight-member team of doctors have suggested for improving the socio-economic status of the migrants and providing effective psychiatric services in migrant camps and in the Jammu region as well.

Srinagar, July 15
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has asked administrative secretaries to double their efforts to make up for the lost time and redress public grievances following the recent law and order problem. He directed them to devote one hour between 2 pm and 3 pm for hearing and addressing public grievances.

Addressing the administrative secretaries at a meeting here today, Omar asked them to initiate a preparedness drive for holding the panchayat elections this year as per schedule.

He stressed the significance of beginning the fieldwork by gearing up all departments concerned to ensure that the elections were held by the year-end. Omar told them to gear up their departments, right down to the field level, and asked them to visit districts and far-flung areas regularly.

The Chief Minister also asked Chief Secretary SS Kapur to hold monthly meetings with the deputy commissioners at the divisional level to review progress on the delivery mechanism and sort out issues pertaining to the departments.

“We cannot deliver according to the expectations of the people unless we recognise our responsibilities and learn from the experience,” Omar told the secretaries. Omar held that the administration and the government authorities had to compliment each other in improving the public service delivery and ensuring good governance.

Jammu, July 15
Justice JP Singh of the J&K High Court today rejected the contention of Krishan Lal, who challenged the withdrawal of his promotion saying it was violative of the principle of natural justice, and held that even if the petitioner had been allowed an opportunity of hearing before the issuance of the impugned order, the result would have been the same. For the petitioner would have nothing to urge to support his otherwise erroneous promotion that had been ordered on the basis of a factual error.

The sanction was accorded to the placement of 45 trained undergraduate teachers (dropout cases) as senior teachers in the pay scale of Rs 5,500--Rs 9,000 with effect from May 25, 2005. It is the date from which their junior counterparts trained undergraduate teachers had been placed as senior teachers subject to the clearance by the Departmental Promotion Committee. The petitioner was one of those undergraduate teachers. It was, however, later found that 19 junior-most senior teachers had been erroneously promoted under the SC category. The promotions were, thus, cancelled Vide Order No. dated 01.12.2006 as the petitioner’s name figured at Sr. No. 18 of the said order.

The state counsel submitted that as the facts stated in the cancellation order as to the disentitlement of the petitioner to promotion, in view of his junior position in the seniority list, was not disputed in the petition so to put the records straight and correct the inadvertent error, no notice was required.

No prejudice having occasioned to the petitioner, the order impugned in the writ petition would not warrant interference.

The court observed: “It is no doubt true that the principles of natural justice demand providing an opportunity to the person who is intended to be deprived of the benefit conferred on him. This rule, however, is not of universal application and may be invoked only in cases where the adverse order causes prejudice. Prejudice means a possibility of avoidance of the proposed order on hearing.

Therefore, in a case where even on providing hearing, the result would be the same as it was before hearing, law may not require providing of an opportunity of hearing to the person affected by the order.”

Jammu, July 15
Justice JP Singh of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, in an important ruling today, rejected the contentions of Sajda Begum seeking the quashing of the District Health Society’s order of November 17, 2009, and the advertisement notice dated March 22, 2010, issued for the fresh selection against the posts of auxiliary nursing midwife.

The court held that the petitioner’s selection, being in violation of the guidelines, did not entitle her to appointment against the post of auxiliary nursing midwife on the basis of the invalid selection and against the norms fixed under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) Scheme.

The District Health Society, Jammu, had invited applications for various posts on February 06, 2009 under the NRHM 2005-2012, including the posts of auxiliary nursing midwife. The petitioner had applied for the auxiliary nursing midwife for which she got selected.

The selections made by the District Health Society, including that of the petitioner, were, however, later withdrawn on the ground that the selection committee constituted for the purpose had ignored the “basic criteria” of allowing “weightage to experience and local residence” in making the selections.

HC while allowing the writ petition observed, “Advertisement Notice of February, 2009 issued by the District Health Society, Jammu, specifically talks of giving preference to local persons having experience. Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, placed on records by the respondents, too, provide that “all posts under the NRHM are on contract and based on the prescribed criteria. The appointment should be done by the Rogi Kalyan Samiti/District Health Society. Residence at place of posting is mandatory. All such appointments are for a particular institution and non-transferable. The District Health Society’s order withdrawing the select list for making selection had not been followed by the selection committee cannot, thus, be faulted.”

Srinagar, July 15
The government’s decision not to fail any student up to Class X level has been widely criticised by educationists here.

Nasir Mirza, who teaches mass communication and journalism at Kashmir University, feels that the situation at present isn’t ripe in the Valley to go for such steps. According to him, “Education is yet to see normalcy here. Such policies adopted by the government would be counterproductive. We ape the West and make fun of ourselves. We adopt policies that are actually framed for different settings and set-up,” he emphasised.

He adds, “We fail to develop a human capital. We are becoming poorer by not giving students proper training.” He believed that adopting lenient policies make the students carefree. “What is the fun of teaching a child when you can’t fail him/her?” says Mushtaq Ahmad Wani (Canny), principal, Canny Mission School, and Srinagar district president for private school education. He added that “This is all politics. Who is benefited by all this, we don’t know.”

Quoting an example, the principal says, “Suppose there is a weak student in a class and he/she fails. According to the rule, she/he has to reappear in the examination in January and then in March. If he/she fails again, we’ve to finally declare him/her successful. By that time the student is already late by five months in his/her new class. Since he/she is already weak in studies, how will he/she he cover up? All this leads to frustration,” says Wani.

Pertinently, the examination session here is October-December. However, noted academician Prof GM Malik is optimistic about the decision. He describes it as a “wise decision” to achieve the minimum literacy level in the state.

According to him, the literacy level in the state, particularly among women, is below 50 per cent, except in Jammu and Leh. “If we discourage them they would leave studies. So the policy not to fail students up to Class X has been adopted by the government. Otherwise, it leads to dropouts and stagnation.”

Malik says “We want to give an impression that studying isn’t difficult. We don’t want everyone to be doctors or engineers, but let them be in a position to read, write and learn. There have been cases where students committed suicide after they failed to make it through the Class XII examination. We want children to enjoy studies. So we are even planning to introduce the grade system instead of marks.”

Malik, who has also served as the head and dean education and the head of psychology department, argues that education is a state subject and the state ought to take into consideration the needs and demands of a particular place.

Udhampur, July 15
As many as 38 persons were injured when a Ramnagar-bound private bus met with an accident today. Of them, three critically injured were rushed to the district hospital, Udhampur, while the remaining victims were under treatment at the sub-district hospital, Ramnagar.

Those who are in a critical condition have been identified as Savitri Devi (50) of Amroh village, Mohammad Sharif (30) of Dudu village and Kartar Chand (32) of Ladh village. All three were rushed to the hospital at Udhampur with the help of the local police and residents, who had reached the spot soon after hearing about the accident.

Fortunately, three minor boys identified as Hukam Chand (2) of Kulwanta village, Yashpal (12) of Dhirn village and Sudesh Kumar (7) of Ancha village escaped unhurt.

The accident took place around 8 am about 16 km before Ramnagar near Padhrakha village. The bus had left Samnavanjh village for Ramnagar around 6 am. There were 41 passengers in the bus.

Police officials said the mishap happened as the bus developed a snag. It rolled about 25 feet down the road. Its driver Jasvir Singh was also hurt, though he managed to jump out of the bus.

Jammu, July 15
The Drug and Food Control Organisation conducted raids at various places and seized oxytocin injections here today.

The shopkeepers have been selling these injections to dairy farm owners who administer the same to milch animals for inducing milk ejection.

The injections are usually sold at the authorised chemist shops but in the Nai Basti, Satwari and Bishnah areas, the inspection team found that the injections were being sold at general stores. The drive was led by Drug Controller Satish Gupta. “We are preparing the details and a proper legal action would be initiated against the accused shopkeepers soon,” Gupta added.

Jammu, July 15
The Jammu police arrested two drug peddlers from Sarwal and seized 11,000 intoxicant capsules from their possession today.

The local police said acting on a specific information a raid was conducted and Joginder Jamwal, a resident of Subhash Nagar, and Dinesh Bakshi of Rehari were arrested red-handed when they were carrying the intoxicants for delivery.

Deepak Rana, in charge of the Sarwal police post, said, “The two persons were involved in the illegal trade for a long time and the police was chasing them to catch them red-handed.”

He further said a case under Sections 18/21/22 of the NDPS Act had been registered and investigations were on.