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CM makes surprise visit to hospital
SMGS Hospital in Jammu no better...
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Blast targets BSF’s floodlighting project
JKPCC delegates meet today
Now, get medical care on Dal Lake
News Analysis
Five districts declared accident-prone
Omar holds ‘awami mulaqat’
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah interacts with a delegation of locals during ‘awami mulaqat’. Photo: Amin War
Recovered IED similar to the one that killed Showkat
BJP activists hold protest against govt
Race on in Cong for Legislative Council seats
Teacher held for stealing jewellery
Quality education still a dream in govt schools
Now, get medical care on Dal Lake
One injured in clashes
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CM makes surprise visit to hospital
Srinagar, May 18 More than 350 children have died this year in the only tertiary childcare hospital in the Valley that caters to children of the age group 0-15 years. “There is an enormous scope for improvement in the functioning and maintenance of the hospital,” Abdullah told reporters after a surprise visit to G B Pant Hospital. “I assure that the measures initiated by the government and decisions taken in this regard would show visible improvement in the functioning of the hospital within a week’s time.” The state government on Thursday evening, while admitting that the children’s hospital in the Valley was lacking in manpower, equipment and overall management, removed the Medical Superintendent of the hospital Javeed Chowdhary for his “casual administrative response” to the situation. The charge of the hospital was given to Medical Superintendent, Lal Ded Hospital. The Chief Minister also underlined the importance of public support in maintaining the hygiene and sanitation of the hospital besides improving the discipline. “While government will take all measures in upgrading the functioning of the hospital and improving its maintenance, the attendants with the patients and visitors visiting the hospital should cooperate fully in this task,” Abdullah said. “The necessary checks have been put in place for the monitoring of the hospital and the Director, SKIMS, will continue to visit this hospital and monitor its functioning.” |
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SMGS Hospital in Jammu no better...
Jammu, May 18 While the GB Pant Hospital witnesses on an average 70 deaths of infants per month, the SMGS Hospital, too, registers more than 50 deaths every month in the Jammu region, giving a dubious distinction to the oldest hospital in Jammu. The hospital is facing acute shortage of paramedical staff, which affects the quality of healthcare being provided to the patients. There is shortage of around 500 staff members in the hospital. With more than 170 deaths reported in the first three months this year, the hospital has recorded more than 2,400 deaths in the past three years, which means that on an average there were more than 65 deaths every month and that too only of infants. The hospital authorities revealed that there were 63 deaths in January, 60 in February and 44 in March this year in the paediatrics department. The record revealed that there were 842 deaths in the paediatrics department of the hospital in 2009-2010, 885 in 2010-2011 and 762 in 2011-12. “The mortality rate in a tertiary hospital is always higher than the primary or secondary healthcare units as in most of the cases we get the patients in a critical condition and that is why the death rate is more”, said Dr Dhara Singh, Deputy Medical Superintendent, SMGS hospital. “We agree that we have shortage of staff but we are trying to overcome it. As many as 35 nurses have joined yesterday and we will send our staff to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences also for specialised training”, he added. |
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Blast targets BSF’s floodlighting project
Jammu, May 18 However, a senior BSF officer described it a low-intensity blast and blamed “hostile elements” across the border for the incident. Sources said this morning around 9.15 am an IED went off on Zero Line track, just 100 metres ahead of the border fence at Mangochak forward post in the Samba sub-sector. There had been no casualty or injury to BSF personnel in the blast, which occurred between pillar number 140 and 145, they said. The area is being manned by 182 battalion of the BSF. The sources said Pak Rangers had planted the explosive device in the night. “The realignment of the fence had already been done and now the BSF was working on the border floodlighting project in the area. To prevent the BSF from installing floodlights, they (Pak Rangers) had planted the device,” the sources added. Sources in the BSF said it could be the handiwork of Pak Rangers or militants. |
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JKPCC delegates meet today
Srinagar, May 18 Sources said the delegate session, through its resolution, would authorise the Congress president Sonia Gandhi to frame a new team of the office- bearers. This follows the re-organisation of the state PCC under the leadership of its president Saifuddin Soz (MP). Soz has already completed a full term of two years last year and has been continuing as its president. With the re-organisation of the state PCC of over 300 members, the office-bearers and its president would be known through the resolution to be adopted tomorrow. With the “important political resolution” at the delegation, the re-election of Saifuddin Soz to the post of JKPCC chief would be cleared as the Congress high command has already approved the list of the office-bearers sent by him. In view of the vital importance for its coalition arrangement with the two regional parties, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the recent years, the state Congress leadership has been working hard to maintain its base at the ground level. At present, it is in coalition arrangement with the NC following the 2008 Assembly elections, while it had a similar coalition with the PDP, now in the Opposition, after the 2002 elections. None of the three parties, the Congress, the NC and the PDP, could wrest a majority in the state in the last two elections. Soz has been holding series of public meetings in different parts of the state over the years as part of the party’s objective to reach out to the people at different levels. Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had earlier this month addressed a public rally in south Kashmir as part of the party’s efforts to reach out to the grassroots level. The two “factions” of the state Congress seem to have sunk their differences in view of the larger “party interests” that would be explicit at the tomorrow’s delegate session. |
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Now, get medical care on Dal Lake
Srinagar, May 18 The service, known as Rashtriya Medical Mobile Unit (RMMU), will cater to the medical requirements of 28 hamlets having a total population of around 40,000 in and around the lake besides tourists, who stay at the houseboats. “Dal dwellers will be provided medical facility on their doorstep,” Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sham Lal Sharma said while launching the service at the Nehru Park here yesterday. Initially, the government intends to provide the service twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays while its frequency will be extended later. “Two shikaras equipped with medicines and other diagnostic equipment will be pressed into service with three doctors and paramedics, who will cover the entire Dal area and provide free medical services to the needy. The services include general OPD, lab tests, immunisation, dental care, antenatal, post-natal and neonatal check-ups,” an official said. The Dal Lake is also famous for it floating vegetable market, where vegetables are sold on shikaras. The Department of Posts had also launched a “floating post office” on the Dal Lake in August last year.
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News Analysis
Srinagar, May 18 After Union Home Secretary R K Singh visited the two regions and the cross-LoC trading points on Wednesday and Thursday, after interacting with Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Kashmiris are looking forward to the forthcoming round of talks between India and Pakistan, the underlying point being that once Delhi and Islamabad are on board, Kashmir solution would be within sight. Thereafter, they are looking towards the visit of Foreign Minister S M Krishna to Pakistan in July and then they also hope that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be undertaking a visit to Islamabad. Their eyes are set on the moves that Delhi and Islamabad will take this summer because that is what would determine the events for the future summers. Kashmiris want that the agenda of the talks between the two nations should transcend terrorism and trade. Instead it should focus on Kashmir. In spite of their severe differences and bitter exchange of words at rallies and press statements, both the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party have made it clear that both India and Pakistan should realise that neither India’s liberal funding, infrastructural development nor Pakistan’s destructive approach would help in any of the matters concerning Kashmir. “They would have to understand that peace in Kashmir would come only if the solution is there,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is very clear on this. He has said it time and again. Even as hoteliers, houseboat owners and taxi operators have almost doubled their rates, for them this is the time to earn and the adage seems to be “ earn as much as you can today” without trusting tomorrow. A tour operator approached the counter of a leading hotel here, asking for booking for September. The young receptionist at the counter said: “It’s all booked”. The tour operator taken aback said: “I am asking for September, not June”. “You send your request, we will have a look,” the receptionist replied. Twentynine-year-old Pervez Ahmad of Fateh Kadal, a downtown area of Srinagar, is happy that “this is a good (tourist) season”, but has deep apprehensions. “We have seen it before too, look what had happened in 2010,” he said, referring to the violence that cut short the tourist season without any warning. Like many of his age group and downtown residents, he believes that India is bleeding because of its high military presence in Kashmir. “During Kargil (war of 1999), India had gone bankrupt and it had to cut salaries of its employees to meet the cost of ammunition. It had to fire 50 (artillery) shells against one of Pakistan (because Pakistan had occupied vantage points).” He is quick to qualify his statement about Pakistan. “I don’t say Pakistan is good, they are bombing their own people, especially at mosques, but then you (Indians) should think of Kashmir too. My childhood was snatched by crackdowns and curfews, I could not pass 12th standard, so I am a driver.” Kashmiris, fed up with violence, also acknowledge that they have been betrayed by their own people. They know that security forces could not have reached jungles, hideouts of militants and killed them had someone not led them there. They dub some of the former militants as “traitors”. “Who doesn’t love normal life, but there should be certainty about this normalcy, India and Pakistan, if they talk between themselves and talk to us, we can move forward,” a senior officer in the government observed reflecting on the contrasts between the past and the present. But future has to be secured. India and Pakistan can pave the way. |
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Five districts declared accident-prone
Jammu, May 18 It has also been decided to bring a Bill in the state Legislative Assembly, proposing “strict punishment” for those drivers who “behave irresponsibly and put the lives of passengers on risk while driving on treacherous roads”. “We have declared five districts, including Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch as accident-prone following recurring fatal road mishaps in these areas. Special focus will be laid on curbing traffic violations like overloading, rash driving and fitness of vehicles,” Minister for Transport Qamar Ali Akhoon told The Tribune. He said the government would not only set up special “traffic police posts” but also deploy ambulances in these districts. Statistics of the state transport department revealed that over 1,120 persons lost their lives in about 6,600 road mishaps across the state last year. The year 2010 had devoured 1,071 precious human lives in 6,113 road mishaps. The number of road accidents in 2009 stood at 6,006 wherein 1,126 people had lost their lives. “A majority of these accidents took place in five hilly and mountainous districts viz Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch. These districts claimed over 1,000 lives in just three years. The fatal road mishaps have become a routine affair in these areas,” a source said. The minister disclosed that more number of people had lost lives while travelling in private and mini-buses. “A very small number of government buses, owned by State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC), met with accidents which gave an impression that the drivers of private and mini-buses took the safety of passengers casually,” Akhoon said. The government would lay special focus on curbing traffic violations by bringing a new legislation and some amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the J&K Motor Vehicle Rules, 1991 to make the penalty provisions more stringent in order to deter the offenders. “Construction of concrete crash barriers, parapets of specific height, speed barriers on all sharp and blind curves, setting up of model driving schools and strengthening the operations of SRTC buses are some of the major initiatives to be taken in these districts to bring down the number of fatal accidents,” the minister said. "Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch districts have been declared accident-prone following spurt in fatal road mishaps in these areas. Special focus will be laid on curbing traffic violations like overloading, rash driving and poor condition of vehicles."— The government will lay special focus
on curbing traffic violations by bringing a new legislation and some amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the J&K Motor Vehicle Rules, 1991, to make the penalty provisions more stringent in order to deter
the offenders. |
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Omar holds ‘awami mulaqat’
Srinagar, May 18 The deputations, which presented their problems before the Chief Minister, included residents of Tibetan Colony Idgah, staff of National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation, Saw Mill Owners Association Kashmir, Bio-medical Electronic Engineers and Professionals Association, Urdu Academy Jammu and Kashmir, Gurdawara Prabandak Committee (Srinagar), Idarah Aquaf Islamia, Litter Pulwama and Tujjar Sharief, J&K Brick Kiln Association, Zamindar Association, deputation of Oncology Department of SKIMS, and NGOs and inhabitants of Fag Ganderbal, Samboora Pampore, Beminia, Safakadal, Nandpora-Karpora Dal, Chandpora, Khanyar Srinagar, Hyderpora Budgam, Baramulla, Doda and other places. “The people brought to his (Omar’s) notice their demands and difficulties. Scores of individuals also presented their personal problems to the Chief Minister and sought his help,” an official said.
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Recovered IED similar to the one that killed Showkat
Srinagar, May 18 The president of Jamiat-e-Ahli Hadees, Kashmir, Maulana Showkat, was killed when a powerful bomb planted on a bicycle exploded outside a mosque in Maisuama on April 8, 2011. “The IED recovered on Thursday evening resembled the one which was used for the assassination of Maulana Showkat in Srinagar last year,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, SM Sahai said. Sources said the IED in Chanapora, which had a timer device, was planted to cause maximum damage.
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BJP activists hold protest against govt
Rajouri, May 18 BJP state secretary Vibod Gupta said, “The Omar Abdullah government has failed to check corruption in the state. If the CM has guts, he should ask Shabir Khan to resign.” “The Assistant Director of the CAPD has confirmed embezzlement within the department but he defended the involvement of minister,” Vibod said and asked how such a big scam could happen without the involvement of the minister concerned. “We want a CBI probe otherwise the party would not have any option but to come to streets against the government, which has failed to provide even basic amenities like water and electricity,” he added. Senior BJP leader Kuldeep Raj slammed both the state and the Central government for their failure to control corruption.
He also demanded a CBI probe into the recent embezzlement case in the CAPD Department. Meanwhile, hundreds of party activists held protest march across various streets of the old city and raised slogans against the government and local MLA Shabir Ahmed Khan. The arrested activists were released later. |
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Race on in Cong for Legislative Council seats
Jammu, May 18 Coalition partners National Conference and Congress in the state have decided to share two seats each. These four Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) will be elected by sarpanches and panches. As two seats each have been allotted to Jammu and Kashmir provinces, 15,726 voters will elect two MLCs from Jammu while 18,123 voters will elect two members to the Legislative Council from Kashmir province. There are 20 aspirants for the two seats from the Congress quota. At least half a dozen senior Congress leaders from the Kashmir Valley have been tapping their “connections” to get the party mandate while the list of aspirants is much bigger in Jammu province and the numbers have been swelling every passing day. Congress sources said leaders of both factions have been working overtime to ensure that their supporters get the party mandate. Besides visiting their mentors in New Delhi, Congress leaders are also visiting residences of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz to show their loyalty to them. Interestingly, panchayat elections were held on non-party basis but both National Conference and Congress leaders have been claiming that the majority of the panchayat members are their supporters. Except for a few panchayat members who are actively associated with one or the other political party, the majority of the panches and sarpanches have so far maintained a distance from the political parties. Leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also claim that the majority of the panchayat members elected in the Kashmir valley belong to their party. While senior Congress leaders from both factions have been staking their claim on the LC seats, panchayats members have been mulling over fielding some neutral candidates on all four seats to give a befitting reply to the political parties. In the conference of sarpanches which was held last week, speakers floated the idea of fielding persons who are not connected with any political party for the four seats. |
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Teacher held for stealing jewellery
Srinagar, May 18 The police also recovered 40 grams of gold worth Rs 96,000 from the accused, identified as Nazir Ahmad Bhat of Badamwari Hawal. “The accused is a teacher in a private school and in the lust for easy money he planned the theft and chose a jewellery shop at Kadi Kadal Nowhatta,” said Superintendent of Police, North, Tahir Khan. On Friday last, the owner of a jewellery shop at Nowhatta, Showkat Ahmad Zargar, had lodged a complaint with the Police Station Nowhatta that an unknown customer came to his shop and decamped with gold items after hitting him on his head. On his report, a case was registered at Police Station Nowhatta. — TNS
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Quality education still a dream in govt schools
Jammu, May 18 Although no officer of the Education Department was ready to speak about the delay in providing books, sources said there were very less chances of providing books to the students before August. “There are books of 58 titles which have to be given to the students of government schools within a week’s time after the commencement of the academic session but books of 18 titles have been provided and that too in the schools located in urban areas”, sources said and added that situation was worst in the rural areas where majority of the students were studying without textbooks. As majority of the students in these schools belong to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, their parents could not afford to buy books from the market and their studies have been affected badly. Chief Education Officer (CEO) Reasi KK Gupta told The Tribune that books would be provided to the students as soon as they received the same from the quarters concerned. “The books which we have received so far have already been distributed among the students”, he said and admitted that some books were still required. Shortage of teaching staff further compounds the woes of these poor students. According to official documents, 17,259 posts of teacher have been lying vacant in different educational institutions run by the government. Although all government-run educational institutions are confronting with the problem of shortage of teaching staff, situation is worst in the schools up to the level of secondary classes. As many as 6,948 posts of teacher, 1,829 posts of master, 1,813 posts of lecturer, 98 posts of head master, 24 posts of principal and 16 posts of Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) have been lying vacant in the School Education Department. Furthermore, under the Rashtriya Madhamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), the Central Government has sanctioned upgradation of 530 schools. Although these schools have been upgraded, staff in these institutions is yet to be appointed. As many as 4,742 posts have been lying vacant in these schools. Former Education Minister and Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh has alleged that the education system had collapsed in the state. To substantiate his allegations, Singh countered the government’s claim and pointed out that 25,000 posts of teacher were lying vacant in schools. “The education system in the state is running in complete ad hoc manner and poor students have been bearing the brunt of this callous attitude of the government”, he added. |
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Now, get medical care on Dal Lake
Srinagar, May 18 The service, known as Rashtriya Medical Mobile Unit (RMMU), will cater to the medical requirements of 28 hamlets having a total population of around 40,000 in and around the lake besides tourists, who stay at the houseboats. “Dal dwellers will be provided medical facility on their doorstep,” Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sham Lal Sharma said while launching the service at the Nehru Park here yesterday. Initially, the government intends to provide the service twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays while its frequency will be extended later. “Two shikaras (boats) equipped with medicines and other diagnostic equipment will be pressed into service with three doctors and paramedics, who will cover the entire Dal area and provide medical services to the needy. The services include general OPD, lab tests, immunisation, dental care, antenatal, post-natal and neonatal check-ups,” an official said. Sharma said the Dal dwellers would get free medical service and all those requiring specialised treatment would be referred to nearby health institutions. The Dal Lake is also famous for it floating vegetable market, where vegetables are sold on shikaras. The Department of Posts had also launched a “floating post office” on the Dal Lake in August last year. |
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One injured in clashes
Srinagar, May 18 Sources said the protesters were chased by the police and the situation was immediately brought under control. “Mohammad Ramzan Gujree, a resident of Chak Kawoosa, got injured at Kawdara when a stone hit his right eye,” the police said, adding that he was shifted to SMHS Hospital. Meanwhile, the chairman of the moderate Hurriyat faction, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was placed under house arrest by the police at his Nageen residence. “The authorities forcibly stopped Mirwaiz from doing his political activities. Further, he could not offer jumma (Friday) prayers at Jamia Masjid,” a spokesman of the Hurriyat said. Mirwaiz later addressed a gathering at Jamia Masjid through telephone. |
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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held an “awami mulaqat” here today where he met 35 deputations from various sections of society.
Speaking on the occasion, Omar claimed that his government reached out to people and ascertained their difficulties to initiate steps for the redressal of their grievances.
The senior AICC general secretaries, Mohan Prakash, party’s in charge for the state, and Janardhan Diwedi, representative of the AICC president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, have already arrived. Union Minister and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
The government has made it mandatory for the drivers of all passenger and heavy vehicles plying in these districts to go for “driving test or trial” after every six months to ensure sanity on roads.