Jammu, March 29
Due to the failure of the state government to complete urban reforms in time as mandated under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) the Central government is yet to release about `697 crore.

Admitting this in the Legislative Council recently, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Nasir Aslam Wani, on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, said the Union government was yet to release `696.84 crore for projects under the JNNURM.

“These funds are expected to be released after the completion of urban reforms as mandated under the JNNURM,” said Wani while replying to a question by Congress legislator Amrit Malhotra during Question Hour.

He added that, “There are 23 sets of reforms to be implemented. Some of the reforms have been done and others are in process of implementation”.

Wani said of the total sanctioned amount under the JNNURM, `370.37 crore had been released while `696.84 crore was yet to be released. Congress legislator Amrit Malhotra sought a reply from the government regarding the failure of the authorities to ply buses sanctioned under the JNNURM. The minister in his reply admitted that the buses meant for Jammu and Srinagar cities under the JNNURM were diverted on the inter-district routes because the Jammu and Kashmir High Court had imposed a ban on the entry of heavy commercial vehicles into these cities. He said, “The case is being pursued in the court in this regard”.

Meanwhile, NC legislator TS Wazir asked a supplementary question about the violations being committed by some owners of schools. He said, “Some school owners are running big buses on the city roads, which is a violation of the High Court’s orders. What steps has the government taken against them?”

Wani said, “If any member of the House is aware of any school committing violations, provide me its name and action will be taken in this regard”. He added that he would also direct the officials concerned to look into the matter.

Srinagar, March 29
When the hijab-clad Sabiya Kirmani won a gold in the first international championship in thang ta, a Manipuri martial art, she scored a victory not only for herself but also other young women in Kashmir, which has lived under the shadow of terror for over two decades.

The 22-year-old post-graduate student of commerce in Kashmir University, Sabiya has spent most of her life learning the martial art, which she calls her "first love", with or without the permission of her parents.

Combat sports is a trend significantly picking up among young Kashmiri women. They are learning taekwondo, kung fu, judo and thang ta.

Kirmani, for instance, has been practising thang ta to "defend herself from physical threats and also because I am passionate about sports since an early age".

"Winning the gold after sweating it out for hours in daily practice, sometimes alone in my room behind closed doors or with my friends (at the only indoor sports stadium in the Kashmir Valley), was, of course, a dream come true," Kirmani said.

"It was a victory for all Kashmiri women and a message to the world that Kashmir is more than what you read in the media," Kirmani told IANS, showing off the gold medal she won in Manipur.

The first international thang ta championship was held in Manipur (March 11-14) in which, besides host India, over 250 players from Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal, Britain and Sri Lanka participated.

India won the overall championship while Malaysia got the runners-up trophy. The Indian team had 30 members - boys as well as girls - from Jammu and Kashmir who got 25 medals between them, including eight gold, nine silver and eight bronze. Six of the eight gold medallists from the state were girls.

Hailing the performance of the state's team, Kirmani's coach, Ejaaz Bhat, also admits that it is tough for Kashmiri women to get into sports but then "the trend is changing and changing fast".

"Look, our girls have done us proud. It is a big achievement to win so many medals in an international event," said Bhat, who is president of the Jammu and Kashmir Thang Ta Association.

Usually girls in the conservative Muslim society of Kashmir are not allowed by their parents to go into sports. “But they are breaking the shackles now, coming out of the closet in the valley where an unending separatist war has been raging since 1989.”

Amina Mehraj, another gold medallist from the tournament, believes Kashmir has lots of "talented young women sportsperons" who need "encouragement and good training" to be groomed for international events.

"We don't have a good sports culture for girls. Otherwise we can do wonders. Infrastructure is lacking, encouragement is lacking," Mehraj said.

In Kirmani's case, graduating from a point when she had to sneak off from her home for practice to the time when her parents allowed her to go for tours outside Kashmir has not been an easy journey.

"There are only a few girls who take part in sports in Kashmir. Even I was discouraged by my family and friends who told me it's not good for a girl to follow sports," Kirmani said.

"Convincing my family was, of course, a tough job. I have got their support lately, but then you know gender has to do something with success in a male-dominated society. I fought everything, within and outside. Insha Allah I will continue doing so," she said.

Ask her about the hijab, the cloth covering her head that she never forgets to wear even when she is in the fighting rink, and Kirmani feels a little embarrassed, a little angry.

"What is wrong with you or for that matter with my hijab? It is a part of my dress and I am proud of it. It doesn't make any 'statement'," she said. — IANS

Srinagar, March 29
As stress-related disorders are on the rise in Kashmir Valley, the police is set to launch a helpline to provide counselling to patients on ways to overcome their problems.

"The ‘Dial 100’ facility is being run by the Police Control Room on an experimental basis at the moment as the counsellors are being trained. The facility for stress management will be thrown open to the public soon,” a senior police official said.

The police has roped in several psychologists and psychiatrists, including trauma counsellor Justin Hardy, for training counsellors, who are currently undergoing a week-long training programme.

Assistance has also been sought from NGO, Kashmir Life Line, for providing training to the counsellors who will man the ‘Dial 100’ facility.

The police personnel manning the PCRs have also been put through the training in a bid to sensitise them about the issue.

“The programme has been designed to sensitise the counsellors of stress management helpline, drug de-addiction centre PCR and the policemen manning the ‘Dial 100’ as to how they could deal with people who call them for help to cope up with stress,” said Javed Faroqui, SSP, Police Control Room, Srinagar.

Psychologists and other trainers demonstrate techniques to trainees on how to converse with a caller who seeks help.

The Valley has seen the number of suicides or attempts to commit suicide go up drastically. “At least two to three cases of attempt to commit suicide are reported at SMHS hospital in Srinagar on a daily basis. These are figures from just one hospital and the situation seems to be alarming,” an official at Srinagar's largest government-run hospital said.

Over 100 cases of suicide were reported in 2010 alone. Psychologists have attributed the rise in such cases to the turmoil and strife in the Valley over the past two decades.

Drug addiction is the other major stress-related social evil that has taken the Valley in its grip. More than 4,000 youths have approached the police drug de-addiction centre since its inception in March 2008, to kick the habit.

Out of these, 538 were found fit to be admitted to the centre and so far, 244 have been treated. “We still have 292 cases which are waiting to be admitted as we do not have enough rooms,” a police official said.

“We are hopeful that we can keep them away from drugs and intoxicants as it has become a major problem in Kashmir,” he added. - PTI

Jammu, March 29
As March 31 is drawing close, officials in various government departments are presently on a “spending spree”. Their march for exhausting funds is on at a brisk pace. In almost every department, officials are awfully busy in purchases and computing and finalising pending bills as the financial year 2010-11 is on its last legs.

A visit to any government department these days reveals that the accountants, clerical staff and all those who deal with finances, are busy emptying the coffers. They claim that if they do not do this, the funds will lapse.

Unmindful of the fact that whether the money is being spent on genuine work or not, the officials are only submitting the proposals and clearing all pending bills, genuine or fictitious.

The public works agencies of both the Central and state governments seem to destroy, dig and start repairing and renovating roads, buildings, water pipes, electricity and telephone lines, boundary walls, painting, white-washing and numerous other such activities during this month only while the public clamours for the same and cries hoarse throughout the previous 11 months of the same financial year.

However, in a bid to check the misuse of funds, all treasury officers have been asked to ensure strict observance of prescribed rules and regulations while entertaining various claims presented to them for payment.

In a recent circular issued by the Finance Department, all treasury officers have been directed not to process bills or cheques for payment after banking hours during the last days of the financial year.

Similarly, all drawing and disbursing officers have been directed to close their cash books on March 31 within office hours and immediately communicate closing cash balance to the Finance Department. Wali Mohd Batt, director general, account and treasuries, said treasury officers had been directed that amounts should not be drawn by DDOs and kept into deposits to avoid lapsing of funds. He clarified that no payment would be authorised in anticipation of budgetary provisions. Batt warned that any deviation of the instructions should make the erring treasury officers responsible and liable to disciplinary action.

Srinagar, March 29
As arch-rivals India and Pakistan gear for a face-off in the cricket World Cup semifinal in Mohali on Wednesday, passions are running high among the ardent cricket lovers of the Kashmir Valley, where both teams enjoy a large fan following. Matches between India and Pakistan have the power to evoke great passions.

An old-timer vividly remembers an incident during a test match in Delhi, way back in 1950s, when radio was the only means of running commentaries on sports events.

“A meat seller in Kokerbazar, adjacent to Lal Chowk, sliced his transistor into two with a butcher's knife after the commentator announced Pakistan's captain Hanif Mohammad had been bowled,” recalled Abdul Rehman Sheikh, 89. Pakistan cricket players have a large following - cutting across all ages - in the old areas of Srinagar city.

“Some years ago, an elderly woman suffered a fatal heart attack in the old city after a Pakistan star batsman was out for a duck,” a police officer said.

It is not only the Pakistan cricketers who evoke strong feelings among the sports lovers in the Valley. Indian players, especially Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, have ardent fans among the youth here.

“Sachin is not only a cricket player, he is a phenomenon perhaps never to be equalled by others,” said Danish, 18, a student. Owais, 21, is a great fan of Sehwag and Dhoni.

“To maintain your cool while you stand behind the stumps and also captain the team is not an easy job. Dhoni has been doing it like a rock. Sehwag has been the sultan of Multan where he scored a double ton”.

“The clash between India and Pakistan is the most interesting sports event in my life although I have more favourites in the Indian team,” Owais said.

Streets usually get deserted in Srinagar during India-Pakistan sports clashes with government offices, business establishments and educational institutions largely empty. The Mohali match is no exception, with people looking forward to it.

“The Mohali match is the mother of all matches as both India and Pakistan would be fighting each other to get into the finals. Perhaps, the clash between India and Pakistan is the only sports event when not only the players, but also spectators and sport lovers give their best to the match,” said Muhammad Ashraf, 59, a former cricketer and Ranji Trophy selector here.

“Because of being a very strong team and the fact that they would be playing before a home crowd, I think the Indian players would be under higher tension than their rivals,” Ashraf said.

BL Saraf, 54, another cricket lover, said although India has never won any of the previous two Mohali clashes with Pakistan, yet he is confident that they would give their 100 per cent to create history this time.

Meanwhile, the high passions could create some problems for security personnel. “Emotions always run high in the old city areas during Indo-Pak sports clashes. Then, there is the problem of firecrackers among those who follow any Pakistan sports victory. An explosive noise is usually indicative of a grenade blast or a landmine explosion in the city as has been our experience during the past 20 years of violence here.

“Such events sometimes startle security personnel,” a senior police officer said. Some police officers, especially in the old city areas, have been requesting people not to create commotion on streets during or after the Mohali match.

However, some people say India-Pakistan matches no longer create the same tension. “Despite what many believe, there is a lot of difference between the past and the present. Because of access to satellite television, tempers have cooled down to a greater extent,” said Muzaffar Ahmad, a professor at a local college here.

“Most locals, especially the youth, understand that a game is a game and if the Indian Prime Minister can invite the Pakistan President and the Prime Minister to Mohali, why should the locals ignite passions”.

“Further, tensions in Kashmir are directly dependant on the straining of relations between India and Pakistan. If the two South Asia neighbours finally make peace between themselves, the ultimate beneficiaries will be us,” he added.

And yet, certain nervousness is palpable. Who will win? Who will play better? These questions definitely cease to remain just academic in Kashmir when it comes to an Indo-Pak clash. — IANS

Jammu, March 29
Social networking sites have become a tool in the hands of anti-social elements to instigate violence in different parts of the state, especially in the Kashmir Valley.

In a written reply to a query of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti in the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the portfolio of Home Department, said 13 youths had been arrested for instigating violence through electronic means during the last year’s unrest in the state.

He said 4,064 persons involved in stone pelting and other law and order incidents last summer were arrested. Out of these, 3,900 were released or bailed out.

As the PDP leader inquired about the number of people arrested under preventive laws, the Chief Minister stated that 1,250 persons were charged for various offenses related to the disturbance. He informed that 176 persons were detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) out of which 58 detainees had been temporarily released on court orders. “At present, only 128 persons involved in last year’s unrest are lodged in various jails in the state,” he said.

Replying to another question of BJP member Chaman Lal Gupta, Omar stated that since 1989 till March 15 this year, 902 cops and 475 SPOs were killed in anti-militancy operations in the state.

He said relief out of the contributory police welfare fund had been paid to the next of the kin of all 902 deceased police personnel. “Similarly, ex gratia relief has been sanctioned in the favour of the deceased personnel,” he said and admitted that 18 cases of deceased police officials were still under process.

“In case of deceased SPOs, the power to grant ex gratia relief to the family members are vested with the DGP,” he stated, adding, “Out of the 270 cases received in respect of the deceased SPOs, 263 cases have been settled in which an amount of Rs 5.21 crore has been sanctioned while the remaining cases are under process”.

As many as 8,417 SPOs, including 283 ex-servicemen, had been engaged in the Valley while 15,366 SPOs, including 1,092 ex-servicemen, were working in Jammu province, he added.

Srinagar, March 29
A book on great Kashmiri poet Rasul Mir titled ‘Rasul Mir: Nadir Sukhan Goe’, a philosophical literary review of Rasul Mir’s poetry, written by Dr Nazir Azaad was released at a function organized at the University of Kashmir here yesterday. The function was organised by Adbi Markaz Kamraz, an organization dedicated to the promotion of Kashmiri literature in collaboration with Iqbal Library, Kashmir University.

“We should be proud of our literary traditions,” said Prof Riyaz Punjabi, Vice- Chancellor, Kashmir University, on the occasion and made an appeal to young writers to devise a proper theory and philosophy of literary criticism for Kashmiri literature. He also stressed the need for a proper platform for debate and meaningful criticism.

Similar views were expressed by noted Kashmiri writer and Jnanpeeth awardee, Prof Rehman Rahi, who presided over the function. “We need to pay attention to the fact that we do not just have Persian and Urdu influence on our poetry but that of Sanskrit as well”, said Prof Rahi. About the author, Rahi said:“ Dr Nazir Azaad has shown us that there are a lot of dimensions to each verse of Rasul Mir.”

The book release function was the first of this sort as people from the USA voiced their opinion about the book through video-conferencing. Muneeb-ur-Rehman, a Kashmiri poet from Virginia, USA, said the book was extremely well-organised and presented a thesis on poetry of Rasul Mir. “This book is very important to understand Rasul Mir,” he said.

Jammu, March 29
The annual garden competition was conducted at Udhampur Garrison under the aegis of Headquarters 71 Sub Area on March 27. Anagha Parnaik, president, Family Welfare Organisation, Northern Command, presided over the prize distribution ceremony and complimented all participants.

The competition was held in multiple categories of institutional and individual gardens, potted plants and flower arrangements.

Keenly contested, the event displayed the commitment of the armed forces towards environment and efforts to hand over a beautiful earth to the posterity.

Varied variety and extravaganza of colours, textures and hues rightly made the task of the judges difficult. Criteria like layout, neatness, surrounding area and health of plant were also considered for the competition.

The zeal, dedication and enthusiasm displayed by the “green fingers” in the said competition reaffirmed the commitment to the cause by all ranks of the Army.

Jammu, March 29
Even as the state government has announced rehabilitation policy for the misguided youth (militants) who want to return from PoK and start afresh as law-abiding citizens with proper checks and balances, the Rajouri police these days is baffled over the identity and domicile of a militant, who had surrendered before the security forces way back in 2000.

“In late 80s, a youth Jami Shah, son of Hakim Shah of Chrung village in Thannamandi tehsil of Rajouri district, had left his house and till 1999 his family had no idea about his whereabouts. In 2000, a militant claiming to be Jami Shah, son of Hakim Shah of Chrung village, surrendered before the security forces,” said official sources. Interestingly, his father Hakim Shah also accepted him as his son Jami Shah, the sources added.

Subsequently, after reunion with his family, the surrendered militant worked with one of the counter-insurgency forces (not police) as an informer for five years before being booked under the PSA by the police and jailed in Dangri prison in 2005 for his involvement in militancy related activities, they said.

The sources further disclosed that in 2008, after he was released from the jail, the militant got married to a girl of Chrung village and became the father of a son.

Even in police records, he was shown as a local militant all these years, but in a late night development, the Rajouri police picked him and his father from Chrung village after getting a lead that the militant, who had surrendered himself to the security forces in 2000 and reunited with Hakim, was perhaps a foreign militant from Pakistan. “Though Hakim still claims the surrendered militant to be his son Jami Shah, the clear picture will emerge in a day or two,” said a police officer. “Their questioning is on and we expect the truth to come out in a day or two,” he added.

However, Rajouri SSP Anand Jain claimed that the police had not picked up any surrendered militant by the name of Jami Shah.

While the Rajouri police has been quietly looking into this issue, the state government has so far received over 600 applications from the families of misguided youth, who want to return from PoK.

“What should I do when “Tyson” appears before me in your absence?” asked a perplexed tenant to his landlord about his dog, which is more like a tiger.

The landlord laughingly responded, “You need not do anything. Tyson will take care of you.”

Though the tenant has been trying hard to befriend Tyson for the past six months, the latter’s “tiger-like” physique, sharp canines, paws with clawed nails and “roar-like” voice still sends shivers down his spine.

People in Jammu have special love for dogs and it seems every second citizen has them in.

From bulldog, greyhound, alsatian and other breeds, one can find these well-built dogs taking evening and morning walks with their masters.

Srinagar, March 29
J&K Bank opened its 590th branch at Arizal, Budgam district, yesterday. Abdul Hamid Banday, zonal head, central Kashmir, inaugurated the branch equipped with latest technology and modern banking facilities like core banking, anywhere banking etc.

Abdul Hamid Banday said the bank had already tailored customised schemes like agri-term loan, apple advance scheme, giri-finance, saffron finance, trade finance, transport finance, education loan, housing loan, car finance etc.