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Proper
Distribution of Fertilisers to Farmers
Silk industry in a shambles
Poor upkeep of Katra bus stand irks pilgrims
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Increase
in RTI queries
In age of gender equality, age-old traditions promote bias
Girls in hostels unite in distress
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Proper
Distribution of Fertilisers to Farmers
Jammu, January 20 At the last meeting of the DRC of the Legislative Council, which was held under the chairmanship of MLC Ajay Sadhotra, members discussed various aspects of ensuring proper supply of fertilisers to the farmers. The committee, while reviewing the availability and distribution mechanism of fertilisers, called for streamlining the working of the cooperative societies involved in the task. The members asked the department to improve the system apart from keeping a check on overcharging and spurious fertilisers being supplied to the farmers through a few private players. The committee suggested the authorities to use mass media, especially radio, for wide publicity of the schemes run by the Agriculture Department for the benefit of poor. It also instructed the department to take due care to avoid non-repetition of beneficiaries. The committee desired to have a detailed examination of the entire issue of procurement to the distribution of fertilisers at the grass-roots level and decided to further deliberate upon the system, including the working of cooperative sector, in the field. Not only opposition parties, but also the Congress, which is a partner of the coalition government, expressed resentment over the irrational distribution of fertilisers to the farmers of the Jammu region. Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) spokesman and Member Legislative Council Ravinder Sharma has repeatedly raised voice against the shortage of fertilisers in the Nowshere area, while PCC vice-president Thakur Hari Singh has also criticised the state government for its failure to streamline the supply of fertilisers to the farmers. Congress leaders have alleged that farmers were not getting fertilisers on time. Similarly, the BJP has already launched an agitation on the issue of alleged discrimination with the Jammu region in the supply of fertilisers. On the opening of the Civil Secretariat at Jammu in November, two BJP MLAs, who belonged to the rural belt, had created furore by staging a demonstration in front of the secretariat. BJP MLAs Choudhary Sham Lal and Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar have repeatedly labelled allegations of discrimination on the state government in supplying fertilisers to the farmers. Keeping in view the resentment brewing among the farming community due to the non-availability of fertilisers at the time of sowing, the DRC has suggested the government to streamline functioning of cooperative societies in the region. The DRC had also asked the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST) to make efforts to promote technology-based farming in the state with special focus on introduction of modern techniques of crop cultivation, dairy, poultry, fish and sheep farming to make these employment potential activities more profitable.
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Silk industry in a shambles
An official with the Sericulture Department said, “Our state has a vast potential for manufacturing silk but due to lack of infrastructure, only 25 per cent of the total cocoons produced in the state are converted into threads, while the rest are being sold to states like West Bengal. The threads are converted into sarees and suits which are then sold here”. Jammu and Kashmir is among the five states in the country where traditional sericulture is practiced. The state produces quality bivoltine cocoons to the tune of more than 900 Metric Tonne and 115 MT of raw silk. Of the total cocoons produced in the state, 75 per cent of them are sent to West Bengal and other states and only 25 per cent are used in the state. Sericulture Director Dhanbir Singh said, “We lack infrastructure so we cannot convert all the cocoons into thread. We will invite the
unemployed youth to set up their own units. This will be done over a period of five years”. Historians say about a century ago, Kashmir had a dynamic silk trade. In the 1940s, silk industry was the main revenue earner for the state during the Maharaja rule. Kashmir had its indigenous races of silkworm and produced best quality cocoons in the world. Statistics shows that in the 80s, cocoon production had reached above 15 lakh kg. Records reveal that when the silk industry in France got almost wiped out due to a disease to the silkworm seed, material was imported from Kashmir to revive the dying industry in France. After that, time changed for the worse for the Kashmir silk industry. The cocoon production dipped to 60,000 kg in the late 90s.
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Poor upkeep of Katra bus stand irks pilgrims
Katra, January 20 The moment the pilgrims step out of their vehicles, they are greeted with heaps of garbage, stinking and overflowing drains and pot-holed roads at the bus stand. As if this much is not enough, dozens of beggars flock around the visitors. For those who are regular visitors to Katra, the scene is just a routine, but for the first-timers, the image of the holy town being an exotic destination and a visitors’ paradise, is shattered within a few minutes. Sanjeev Kumar, a pilgrim from Shimla, said, “The authorities concerned must take some appropriate action
otherwise it is quite tough to come out of the bus stand, especially for children, as there are overflowing drains and pot-holed roads”. Atul Kumar, another pilgrim from New Delhi, said, “I came here along with my family to pay obeisance at the Vashno Devi shrine. The condition of the bus stand is terrible and I would never like to board a bus from here again”. Ajay Gupta, a local businessman, said, “No one can stand here even for five minutes. Its condition leaves a bad impression of the city among the people coming from the other states”. Over 30,000 pilgrims arrive daily at Katra bus stand in the peak season and if these people are regarded as the ambassadors of the state, the impression they take back home is surely marring the image of the state as an attractive tourist destination. RK Sangral, Deputy Director, Local Bodies, Jammu, said “The matter is in our knowledge and we have submitted a plan for the renovation of the bus stand to the higher authorities and are awaiting an approval from them”.
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Increase
in RTI queries
Jammu, January 20 Equally, officials of post offices and revenue stamp sellers here are facing a tough time in providing postal orders and non-judicial papers to applicants. Sources said two post offices - Jammu Tawi HO and Gandhinagar HO, which have been entrusted with the collection of RTI applications, have found an abrupt rush of information seekers during the past few months. Those who seek information under the Central RTI Act-2005, route their applications through senior postmasters of these two post offices as they have been designated as assistant public information officers for all Central Government public authorities. The sources said during the past three weeks, both these post offices have received about 200 RTI applications. “The number of information seekers from the city can be more as most of the applicants send their applications directly to PIOs of the concerned public
authorities,” an official of the Jammu Tawi Head Post Office said. He admitted that postal order in the denomination of Rs 10 was presently out of stock at most of the post offices in the state. “This is an ample proof to judge that the number of RTI seekers in the state is on the rise, since its fee under the Central RTI Act is Rs 10 and it can be paid through postal orders,” the official said. “Similar is the fate of Rs 50 non-judicial stamp papers which also remains out of stock most of the times. The RTI fee under the J&K RTI Act-2009 is Rs 50 in the shape of postal orders or non-judicial papers but most of the applicants prefer latter”. JS Madan, an RTI activist, said he finds it extremely difficult to obtain postal orders or non-judicial papers for seeking information. “Post offices at Janipur, New Plots, Amphalla, Kachi Chawani and Gandhinagar always remain out of stock in proving postal orders worth Rs 10,” Madan said. Similar views were expressed by Praveen Kumar, an information seeker. “The authorities concerned should look into the matter without discouraging information seekers,” he added.
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In age of gender equality, age-old
Jammu, January 20 “Sankat Chauth”, a day celebrated by mothers wishing long life and wellness of their male children, has become a vital component of the Dogra culture. Since time immemorial, women from Dogra clan have been observing complete fast on this day. “The fast falls on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, just a day before the Lohri. This is somewhat similar to the Karva Chauth fast, which we observe for the well being of our husbands,” said Suman Sharma, mother of two. Asked about the rituals, she said, “This is much harder than Karva Chuath as mothers cannot eat food even after seeing the moon through a sieve. Rather, mothers have to depend on sesame and other items prepared from it. It is also believed that donating sugarcane and sesame is considered auspicious”. She added that even the women wishing a male child also observes the fast. Similarly, ‘Bash-Dwah’ is observed as another special day dedicated to the male children in the Dogra culture. Mothers observe fast and perform rituals on the banks of river or canals on the occasion. The day falls in the holy month of ‘Aawan’ as per the Hindu scriptures. Nirmal Padha, women rights’ activist, told The Tribune that women had to follow the traditions under compulsion, as these were age-old traditions being followed since generations. She said, “I think people are now mature enough and they do not see it as discrimination with the girl child. Through my experiences, I can say women still aspire to be mother of a boy and they are not solely responsible for that. Although they give equal treatment to the girls, at the time of marriage the difference is realised”. “Still the taboo of ‘paraya dhan’ is deeply associated with girls in our society. No doubt our society has undergone a vast transformation in the past two decades, but certain things are severely embedded in our culture and it is not easy to get rid of them. We cannot think of revolting against such trends,” she said. Padha said without altering the established trends, a few new trends to dedicate some days for the well being of girls could be introduced. Aruna Rawat, president, Social Action for Social Development, said there was a need to revisit our traditions. “If we can demand for constitutional amendments then what is wrong in revamping our traditional structure? I am not talking of omitting anything, but we can think of including some occasions,” She added. |
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Deputy CM for preserving pristine glory of Dal Lake
Srinagar, January 20 Tara Chand said: “Dal Lake is a part of paradise called Kashmir and we shall make every effort to preserve it for posterity”. He said the recent snowfall had enhanced the beauty of Dal waters and tourists would soon flock the Valley. He said: “We have been working for the restoration of Dal Lake’s pristine glory for the past three years. He said currently, seven machines were de-weeding and de-silting the water to make it crystal clear and a major tourist attraction. He said the government was considering the latest technology to augment the efforts being made currently. Interacting with mediapersons on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister said the government had made efforts for the restoration of power supply in the Valley, besides making essentials available to people. He said the government ensured dispatch of good number of truck loads carrying essentials, including LPG, from Jammu to Srinagar immediately after the restoration of the national highway to augment the stocks. He said a team of ministers was monitoring the post snowfall situation in Kashmir. He added that those indulging in hoarding and profiteering would be dealt with strictly under the Essential Commodities Act. Earlier, the Deputy Chief Minister convened a meeting of the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), Housing Board, UEED, and Urban Development and reviewed the pace of ongoing developmental projects in the Valley. Tara Chand directed the authorities concerned to ensure timely disposal of cases regarding building permissions and other services coming under the purview of the Public Services Guarantee Act. He directed the authorities concerned to provide every possible help to public and fulfil their responsibilities with utmost care and sincerity. The Deputy Chief Minister directed the Commissioner, SMC, to intensify campaign against the sale and use of polythene in the Valley. He asked the Commissioner to ensure that only quality food items were being provided in hotels, dhabas and restaurants in the Valley. He directed the Housing Board authorities to speed up the development and construction of Housing Colonies in the Valley. He directed the SDA to ensure the completion of Habitate Centre coming up at Bemina to accommodate Urban Development Kashmir, Housing Board, Chief Architect and Chief Town Planner Kashmir within 15 days. The Commissioner, SMC, Sheikh Mushtaq, and other officers concerned submitted a detailed resume of departmental activities to the Deputy Chief Minister. Vice-Chairman, LAWDA, Commissioner, SMC, Director, Local Bodies, Chief Executive Officer, UDAK, Secretary, SDA, Chief Engineer, UEED, representatives of the Housing Board and other concerned officers were present in the meeting. |
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Girls in hostels unite in distress
Jammu, January 20 Rasmneet Kour Mehta, an engineer from Srinagar, who stayed in Jammu in a hostel for two years and in a paying guest accommodation for three years, said: “There is a difference between a hostel and a PG but the difference is very slight”. Priya Sadhu, an engineering student, while sharing her experience of living in a hostel, said: “Unity among hostel girls is best seen when any girl has to go out for a date. The entire hostel conspires against the warden to make the date a success. They make suggestions, contribute in whatever way is possible and wait anxiously to hear the details of the meeting. When the girl is dropped back, mostly on the bike at some distance from the hostel, all friends surround the girl to know the whole story”. Girls claim that the best thing about hostel life is that they can share their clothes, dresses, accessories, footwear and even food. Though they sometimes fight amongst themselves on trivial issues, when it comes to helping a friend in distress, they come to the forefront. “Some girls are selfish. They use other person’s clothes, accessories and all other things but they never share their things with anyone. They are not liked, but tolerated somehow,” said one of the students. “There are also some religious ones in hostels who spend a lot of time performing prayers,” said Ritika, a BTech student. “Joys and sorrows are shared equally in a hostel. Girls from different parts of state start bonding emotionally,” said Jasleen
Kour. |
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srinagar
DIARY Railway tracks draped in white blanket of snow present a beautiful sight in the Kashmir valley during this part of the year (see photo). For generations, one could not have imagined of railway lines in the Valley. But, with the chugging of trains here since 2008, over a century-old dream of the authorities has been achieved.
Though it is yet to connect to the railway network outside the landlocked Valley, the people have been getting benefited from the services. Unlike clearance of snow from roads to make the vehicular movement easy after a moderate or heavy snowfall, the practice of clearing the railway lines is different in its own way. In case of a snowfall, which has occurred during the recent two weeks, the authorities have been taking adequate measures to clear the railway tracks of snow. A pilot engine moves ahead of the train with labourers making the rails visible for the driver. And in case the rails are visible to the drivers, the movement of trains is regulated to make the safe movement. Many people in the villages keenly observe the way in which the tracks are cleared of snow, which could have been unimagined only a few years ago. Waterlogged roads After facing many problems due to slippery road conditions caused by the snowfall, people in the Kashmir valley are now faced with yet another issue when they venture out of their houses. As the snow has started to melt, waterlogging has come up as the new cause of concern. While the main roads remain dry, interiors in many areas of the Valley, which do not have pucca roads, have turned muddy. Many residential colonies of uptown Srinagar, too, have been affected as they do not yet have any drainage facility. Even though most of these colonies have macadamised roads, due to lack of drainage facility, people have to walk through the waterogged streets these days. The government should realise that its duty does not end just after clearing the snow off the roads. (Contributed by Ehsan Fazili & M Aamir Khan)
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Jammu, January 20