Srinagar, September 7
For most youngsters college life means freedom. This spirit of freedom is also enjoyed in the freedom from uniform but this does not hold true for the girls studying in various colleges in the state who have to adhere to a particular dress code not very different from a school uniform. Unlike their counterparts across the country, girl students are made to wear white colour salwar-kameez, something a majority of them are not happy with. The freedom to express in terms of clothing is reserved for male students.

“College life feels no different from school days when we are made to wear uniforms. Besides we are not allowed to wear long earrings, nail paint or high heels. These rules are implemented strictly in all girls' colleges,” says Safoora Mufti, a BA (Journalism) student at the Government College for Women, Srinagar.

The Department of Higher Education is clearly tough on girls but it is not the case for boys as they can wear whatever they want to and don the latest trends without any fear.

“I feel bad for the girls because such rules do not apply to us. I would change my college than adhere to such norms in college. Colleges are supposed to be all about freedom and fun," Sahil, an MBA student at Islamia College, Srinagar said.

The authorities, however, argue that the college uniforms bring a level of fairness among the students and these cannot be done away with but they are mum about bringing boys under the same rules.

“It is true that most of the universities and colleges in the country do not have any dress code, but we cannot compare them with the state. Uniforms introduce more discipline and uniformity. Girls usually feel more alienated than boys when they see their friends wearing better dresses, hence the dress code applies for them," Prof Nalini Kohli, Director, Colleges said.

Srinagar, September 7
Jammu and Kashmir police has decided to train female students of the government and public educational institutions in unarmed combat so that they can defend themselves.

“The training would be imparted under the civic action programme,” said K Rajendra Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP).

He said the training would be imparted by well-versed female police officers and services of international Wushu player Kuldeep Handoo and national Wushu player Nissar Ahmed would also be utilised to acquaint the students with the skills of unarmed combat.

Around 150 female students of Kity Hawk Public School Srinagar would attend the course commenced from Friday. Students from other educational institutions, including Girls Middle School Palapora, High School Baghi Dedmari, Girls Higher Secondary School Goripora and Rehmania Educational Institute Noorbagh would also attend the training programme.

“More than 1,000 students of these educational institutions would be imparted training under the programme,” said the ADGP. He said such programmes would continue to impart training to other students of different educational institutions.

Anantnag, September 7
More than a decade after the expiry of their land lease agreements, a large number of hoteliers in the famous tourist destination of Pahalgam continue to run their establishments without getting their agreements renewed. This is leading to huge losses to the state exchequer.

A secluded resort in Pahalgam. Tribune photo

In 1957, the then Chief Minister, Bakhshi Ghulam Muhammad, had allotted 1,000 kanal of land in Pahalgam to construct hotels and guest houses so as to increase the accommodation.

The lease agreements, valid for 40 years, expired in 1997; however, 15 years later the agreements are yet to be renewed. “If the lease of these hotels is renewed it would generate a decent income for the state, however, the matter remains pending with the state administrative department and they are yet to give us a go ahead in this regard,” sources said.

They said most of these hotels have occupied twice the land they were originally allotted but no steps were taken to retrieve the same or keep a record of the same. “Steps should also be taken not only to renew the land lease but also to ascertain the quantity of the land in the possession of these hoteliers,” sources said.

They said illegal encroachments have gone beyond the banks of Lidder River endangering the green vegetation and the once sparkling waters of the river. Local residents demand that the government must initiate measures to ensure that the lease agreements are renewed and illegal encroachments are removed.

The CEO of Phalgam Development Authority CEO, Syed Qamar Sajad, said he has recently joined and needs to look into the matter.

“The Revenue Department has an important role to play because we have to see whether the land in question is registered with the PDA or not,” said the CEO. He said he would get in touch with the revenue officials to ascertain the facts.

Srinagar, September 7
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said pubic empowerment was the right move to ensure good governance and bring in transparency in the functioning of the administration. He claimed that his government was focussed in this direction.

“We have given the common people the power to ask the administration any questions about its performance, financial transactions, allotment of tenders, expenditure, physical status of ongoing works etc,” he said. All government departments have thus been made accountable to the common man.

Interacting with the members of various deputations and individuals at the weekly Awami Mulakat here today, Omar said he was striving towards peace and development for a progressive Jammu and Kashmir. “Welfare of all sections of the society is my government’s aim,” he said. A well-defined development policy is being followed in this direction with keenness and the commitment to achieve this goal.

He said with the implementation of the historic Public Service Guarantee Act, his government has authorised people to receive over 50 public services in eight vital departments within the prescribed timeframe to make the government functionaries accountable to deliver within that timeframe. “Any laxity or failure on part of the government functionaries in delivering services would lead to fine up to Rs 5,000, a part of which would be paid to the affected party,” he said.

“The consumer is now in the position to receive compensation for any delay in getting the demanded public service instead of paying bribe to get the work done,” he said. He said special attention was being paid towards the development of far-flung, remote Kandi villages and bringing them at par with the developed ones in terms of availability of the basic amenities and economic welfare. He said the focus is to upgrade road communication in these areas and linking cut-off habitations with the main highways.

Omar said his government has paid equal attention to the development of cities as well as towns. Several new schemes have been initiated to upgrade the amenities in the urban areas, he added.

He said besides more than a dozen new bridges being built in Srinagar, flyovers worth Rs 256 crore are coming up from Jahangir Chowk to Natipora area. Similarly construction of a fourth bridge over Tawi River, a flyover and an artificial lake is on in Jammu besides other development schemes in the sectors of PHE, UEED, Power and R&B.

Kupwara, September 7
Unscheduled power cuts have thrown life out of gear for residents of Kupwara, Handwara and Baramulla towns of North Kashmir. Residents complain that though they pay power tariff as per the curtailment schedule but power is not supplied in accordance with it.

“Electricity plays hide and seek and is often disrupted for days. Unscheduled power cuts have become a routine,” said Altaf Ahmad, a resident of Handwara.

Students are the worst sufferers as erratic power supply has affected their studies. “We are forced to study in candlelight. Especially students from far off places are unable to perform well in studies because of erratic power supply,” said Shabir Ahmad of Batpora Kupwara.

In view of the ongoing Class XII bi-annual examination in Kashmir, residents of Gulgam, 7 km from Kupwara said the village was groping in the dark over the past two weeks. “The damaged transformer has not been repaired. We will lodge protests, if the electricity was not restored at the earliest,” the villagers said.

The problem of low voltage adds to the problem in many villages, including Lalpora, Darpora, Krusan and Dardpora.

“The voltage is lower than the candlelight. At times, the supply is snapped for days,” said Javid Ahmad, a resident.

The situation in metered areas is also grim. “The electricity department should take the meters back and supply electricity according to the curtailment schedule. What is the point in bringing the areas close to town under metered areas, when the electricity supply is so erratic,” said a trader in Kupwara.

At several places in Kralpora and Handwara towns, the residents rued that the power supply lines were lying suspended very lose and low, which could prove dangerous as it could lead to short-circuit.

“The supply lines should be tied to poles to prevent any untoward incident,” said Sarpanch of Kralpora.

Reports from several Baramullah villages, including Danchiwacaha, Rafiabad and Delina say the areas were reeling under severe power crisis. “The power scenario is grim. Despite repeated requests, the power supply is often snapped for hours,” said Malik Malik Rafi of Dangiwacha village in Baramulla.

A senior official of the electricity department said, “The power supply in several areas was affected due to storms over the past two weeks. The supply would be restored over the next few days,” he claimed.

affected areas

* The problem of low voltage adds to the problem in Lalpora, Darpora, Krusan and Dardpora

* Kupwara, Handwara and Baramulla towns affected due to unscheduled power cuts

destinations
Chatpal along with Kokernag are the two places in south Kashmir that the government is trying to promote as new tourist destinations

Srinagar, September 7
The Department Of Business And Financial Studies, University of Kashmir, will organise a national conference on ‘Contemporary Issues in Business, Management and Finance’ from September 21 - 23.

The main objective of the conference is to highlight the challenges of the modern era which are characterised by the ongoing global crisis, cut throat competition and the need for making changes which are widely acclaimed to have placed huge demands on business panorama.

More than 150 delegates from within the country and abroad are expected to present their research papers at the conference. 

Srinagar, September 7
Following public outcry over the desecration of a mosque by some unknown miscreants in Handwara, the police has taken cognisance of the incident. On Saturday, locals of Kralgund, Handwara, had alleged that some miscreants during the night hours barged into the mosque with their shoes on and put mud all over the floor of the mosque.

A statement issued by the police said, “Senior police officers of the district are monitoring the situation. The police is investigating and trying to track down these unknown miscreants.” A case has been registered at Kralgund police station.— TNS

Srinagar, September 7
The hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was detained on Friday while he was walking towards a mosque to offer the congregational mid-day prayer. Geelani, chairman for the hawkish faction of Hurriyat, has spent maximum time in the last two years under house arrest.

Pictures released by the separatist group on their Facebook page showed Geelani being detained by a group of policemen led by the SHO of Humhama police station.

The Hurriyat party in a statement said Geelani along with Ghulam Mohammad Ganai, spokesman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat party founded by Geelani which is a constituent of hardline amalgam, were taken into custody by the police when they left Geelani’s Hyderpora residence to offer Friday prayers.Geelani’s latest detention is the third time in last three weeks for going to a mosque.

A spokesperson for the hardline faction said Geelani has been prevented by the police from offering the Friday congregational prayers since April 6.The spokesman condemned Geelani’s arrest, saying government has failed to face the separatists on a political level.

Srinagar, September 7
The Democratic Party of Nationalist (DPN) today met to discuss the possibilities of roping in the state youths for the economic development of the state. The party called intellectuals of Kashmir Valley to come forward and re-strategise the policy for youth to channelise their potential for peace, progress, prosperity and development.

DPN president Ghulam Mir said, “All the shades of opinion are accountable among the people and we all have to work above the party politics to bring the valley back on the path of peace, progress and prosperity.”

He said that now people of the state are fed up from this exploitation and wants peace in the state. — TNS

Srinagar, September 7
A 20-folk-drama series, Bhand Pather, today reached south Kashmir. The play ‘Zaal’ (The Trap) was staged in Pulwama district. It was the 12th play of the series.

The play, Zaal, was an intelligent comment on the society. Taking various instances rooted to the life of Kashmir, the play in a humorous manner exposed the ill designs of certain elements that were responsible for the present fate. The artistes who enacted the play included Mushtaq Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed, Ghulam Ahmed, Abdul Rehman, Abdul Aziz, Abdul Salaam, Mohammas Amin, Bilal , Rayees Tahir Ahmed, Abdul and Javed Ahmed. 

Srinagar, September 7
A local court yesterday extended the police remand of Constable Abdul Rashid Shigan and his accomplice Imtiyaz Ahmad Gojri by five days. The court has directed the police to provide them medical facilities after the counsel for accused Mir Shafaqat Hussain submitted that his clients were subjected to third degree torture in the custody.

The duo has been allegedly involved in 13 militant attacks in Srinagar, past 18 months.

Their earlier eight-day remand had ended on September 5. They were produced yesterday by the police before Manzoor Ahmad Zargar, Sub Registrar, Srinagar, who extended their remand till September 10.

“Our counsel submitted that the duo were beaten up in the police remand and were subjected to third degree torture. The court has now directed the police officials to provide them medical facilities,” said the counsel for accused Shafaqat.

In their remand application, the cops have sought more time to interrogate the accused saying the investigation of the case is still on.

Shigan, a constable with the security wing of the JK Police, Gojri and a released militant were arrested on August 20 in Srinagar. Their arrest was announced by Inspector General of Police Shiv Murari Sahai during a press conference on August 21.

Shigan had been posted as a security officer at the Srinagar residence of the Superintendent of Police for north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

The duo had formed an independent militant squad, Islamic Movement of Kashmir, and carried out motorcyle-borne attacks in the city.

The attacks include the recent killing of a retired DSP of the J&K Police and the assassination bid on the ruling NC minister Ali Mohammad Sagar.

Srinagar, September 7
Power Development Department (PDD) would spend an amount of Rs 37 lakhs for improving the transmission and distribution system in Kangan constituency during the current financial year, of which Rs 25 lakh have been earmarked for improvement of 12 LT works, while Rs 12 lakh would be spent on the creation and augmentation of seven sub-stations of the area.

This was said in a meeting chaired by Minister for Forests and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad to review the financial and physical achievements of the Kangan power sector today.

The minister directed the officials to shifting old poles on Sonamarg-Ganaggir road and identifies the places for the installation of additional transformers in the area.

He instructed the officials to dump the additional poles and conductors in the constituency to meet any exigency during the winter season.

He also stressed on the judicious utilisation of fund earmarked for the purpose.

The meeting was informed that out of the targeted 76 habitations, 44 habitations have been electrified under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikarn Yojana (RGGVY) so far, while the electrification of the rest of the habitations is expected to be completed soon.An amount of Rs 44 lakh has been allocated for augmentation of existing sub-stations under Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP).

Chief Engineer M&RE Mohammad Muzaffar Mattoo; Superintending Engineers M&RE Mushtaq Ahmad; Executive Engineer M&RE Ganderbal Wali Mohammad attended the meeting. 

Srinagar, September 7
JK Football XI will face Kolkatta-based Mohan Bagan club on Saturday. The match will be played at Bakshi Stadium, said Jammu and Kashmir Sports Minister RS Chib. He said that the event is being organised by the JK State Sports Council in collaboration with JK Football Association.

Minister said the visitors, comprising 31 members, including players and technical staff, have arrived in the city.

“The first match will be played in the afternoon on Saturday. The second match of the event will be played at Government Gandhi Memorial

Science College in Jammu on September 11,” said the Minister.

He said the matches will be relayed live on television.

Chib termed the match as a ‘mega event’ for which all arrangements have already been made.

He said over 28,000 entry passes have been distributed so far.