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Gastroenteritis hits Baramulla
Lawyers condemn beating up of separatist leader
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Religious heads, scholars seek ban on anti-Islam film
Website for fruit growers mooted
SRTC shuts down ‘ladies special’ bus service in Srinagar
Sniper rifle, explosives recovered
Tributes paid to Akbar Hyderi
Gangabal pilgrimage begins
Hurriyat criticises authorities for imposing curfew on Friday
Baramulla district hospital sans vitamin-A supplement
Orientation programme for Haj aspirants
Bad roads put commuters to inconvenience
Inter-School Chess Tourney begins
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Gastroenteritis hits Baramulla
Baramulla, September 22 The victims have been hospitalised in the sub-district hospital, Tangmarg, and few of them are being treated at a Baramulla hospital. More people are falling prey to the outbreak, reports said. “The victims are suffering from vomiting and dysentery. In some families, all the members have fallen prey to the outbreak,” said Ghulam Hassan of Qazipora, Tangmarg. The authorities have sent the samples of blood, urine and stool of the affected persons and water of the affected areas to a Srinagar hospital for test and the reports are awaited. Children have also fallen prey to the outbreak. “At least 40 children in the age group of 8-15 years are suffering from the infection. More children are complaining of pain in stomach and diarrhoea,” said a local resident. The villages where most of the cases have been reported include Kohipora, Suckkar, Karihama, Miahen, Qazipora, Vulgam, Gushi and Taratpora. Some villagers said more people in the affected areas were picking up fever and diarrhoea. The locals attributed the infection to consumption of contaminated water. “We are forced to consume contaminated water from ponds and nullahs as there is an acute shortage of drinking water for the past few weeks. Rains in the recent past have made the water in ponds and nullahs muddy,” said Nazir Khuroo. The hospital authorities are constantly monitoring the situation in the affected areas and people have been asked to consume only boiled water. They have also been asked to keep their houses and surroundings clean to prevent the infection from spreading further. “Teams of doctors are camping in the affected areas and the situation is under control,” said a doctor. Baramulla CMO Dr Mohd Younis said the doctors were constantly monitoring the situation. “We have sent samples of urine, water, stool and blood for tests. We will be able to ascertain the cause of infection after the reports of tests are received,” he said. |
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Lawyers condemn beating up of separatist leader
Srinagar, September 22 A Muslim League spokesman had yesterday alleged that Mushtaq-ul-Islam received serious multiple injuries on his head and back during interrogation in the jail. He had also alleged that instead of providing medical assistance to him, he was stripped and beaten up by the Udhampur Jail authorities. Mushtaq is currently serving detention under the Public Safety Act at Udhampur jail. “The Bar Association condemns the attack on Mushtaq-ul-Islam by the jail authorities at Udhampur and has taken a serious note of the attack and injuries sustained by him”, Bar general secretary Mohammad Ashraf Bhat said. He said the Bar Association has decided to move the high court and seek appropriate legal action against the officer responsible in the attack on Mushtaq-ul-Islam. He said the Bar Association was also concerned about the non-implementation of the facilities to be provided to the detenues booked under the PSA. “There is no law under which Mushtaq-ul-Islam, a detenue under the PSA, can be put under solitary confinement at Udhampur jail. We will also raise this issue before the court”, Ashraf said. |
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Religious heads, scholars seek ban on anti-Islam film
Srinagar, September 22 To discuss the issue of controversial film and to formulate a joint strategy aimed at checking such blasphemous acts in future, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (joint conference of religious scholars and heads) had convened a joint session of religious heads and scholars of Kashmir in Srinagar today. The joint session of religious heads and scholars of Kashmir, being organised by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema, was held today here under the banner of Anjuman-e-Tahafuz-e-Iman (organisation for protection against faith). Many prominent religious heads and scholars participated in the session. “The joint conference urged upon all the Muslim countries and OIC to take the issue of blasphemous film on Prophet Muhammad with UN authorities and press for a UN legislation for checking such blasphemous activities in future”, said secretary of Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema. Calling for a complete worldwide ban on the film such as the current one, the secretary said the joint session of religious scholars had also asked for taking appropriate legal action against the makers of the movie. “The Ulema urged all the members countries of the OIC to file a petition against the makers of the controversial US movie before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for committing blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad”, he said. Besides formulating the practical strategy against checking attacks on Islam and Quran, the religious conference also called for maintaining sectarian unity and harmony in Kashmir. The conference, the secretary said, also condemned the preventive measures taken by the authorities in Kashmir to prevent protests against the US film on Friday. The joint session of religious heads and scholars was presided over by the chairman of Anjuman-e-Tahafuz-e-Iman (Organisation for protection against faith) Moulana Rahmatullah Qasmi. Other participants who attended the session included representatives from Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Alhadees and many other socio-religious organisations and religious seminaries of the Kashmir valley. |
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Website for fruit growers mooted
Stressing on exploring markets to promote the horticulture products of the state, the minister said all out efforts would be made to promote this sector appropriately. Sham made this statement while chairing a meeting of officers from the horticulture (planning and marketing) department to review the functioning of the department and to discuss the strategy for transportation of apples to various parts of the country. “He called upon the officers to motivate the growers and traders to ensure quality of fruits, especially the apple, to fetch attractive returns of their products. He added the quality control is must to succeed in the competitive market and we have to focus on this vital area to maintain the credibility of the state’s horticulture produce,” a government spokesman said in a statement here. In order to bring more transparency in the functioning and to respond queries of customers with regard to the quality and other aspects of products and trade, the minister directed the department for creating an exclusive website. “He said this website should be regularly updated. The system would be helpful in getting valuable feedback and suggestions from the different stakeholders for improving the functioning of the department,” the spokesman quoted Sham as having told the officers. The spokesman added that while giving resume of the activities of the department, the Commissioner Secretary Horticulture, Shaleen
Kabra, said during the meeting that last year the department dispatched 9.69 lakh metric tonnes
(MTs) of fresh and dry fruits to different states and generated revenue to the tune of Rs 41.75 crore. “He said during the current financial year, the department has tentatively fixed a target of 9 lakh
MTs, despite low production of fruits in the Valley. He said the department had devised a well-knit strategy for smooth transportation of apples to different markets of the country”, the statement added. |
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SRTC shuts down ‘ladies special’ bus service in Srinagar
Srinagar, September 22 The corporation has cited a court directive as the reason behind this move. The General Manger, Operations, SRTC, Suhail Ahmad Khan, told The Tribune that the high court directions on cutting down the number of buses plying on Srinagar roads is the reason which led to stoppage of services for women. The SRTC had initiated the bus services for women in 2010, which included a fleet of eight buses plying on various routes of the summer capital, Srinagar. It had received an overwhelming response from the women commuters. With each bus plying in the morning, afternoon and evening shifts daily, the bus service was a huge relief for the Valley’s women commuters from routine public transport hassles. With Lal Chowk Srinagar being the central point, the buses would ply on the major routes of uptown and downtown residential areas like Kashmir University Campus, Rainawari, Degree College Bemina, Karan Nagar, Wathura, Chanapora, Hyderpora, Natipora, and Barzullah. The SRTC had even started phone bus services for women from other districts of the Valley like Pulwama and Anantnag who travel in a group. With the fares in SRTC buses ranging between Rs 5 and Rs 10, the women would find these buses convenient as well as affordable means of transportation. “I was waiting for the bus in the morning when someone told me that the STRC has stopped the service. This is unfair on the part of the authorities to stop the service only for women. We already face a lot of problems in commuting in the city by a public transport,” said Amira, a bank executive. |
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Sniper rifle, explosives recovered
Srinagar, September 22 The cache of deadly arms and ammunition was recovered from the Bazbal forest in Kupwara during a search operation, a police spokesman said. The spokesman said a sniper rifle, its magazine and nine rounds of its ammunition, six rocket propelled grenade (RPG) rounds and 24 explosive devices were recovered during the operation. |
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Srinagar, September 22 Several literary and social figures from all over the Valley paid tributes to the writer, who had more than 80 literary works to his credit. Dr Zafar Hyderi, son of Prof Akbar Hyderi, said Prof Akbar was a source of inspiration for youngsters like him, who aspires to make a mark in the Urdu literature. Literary personalities who spoke about the Prof Akbar’s contribution in the field of the Urdu literature included prominent Shia leader Moulvi Abbas Ansari, chief information commissioner Ghulam Rasool Sofi, Sr Syed Mohammad Fazal-ullah, Prof Ali Mohammad Bhat, Ghulam Ali and several others.Dr Hyderi was considered to be among the foremost scholars of Urdu. He had been editing and compiling the Hakeem-ul-Ummat magazine for the past 20 years. — TNS
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Gangabal pilgrimage begins
Srinagar, September 22 The chairman of the All Parties Migrant Co-ordination Committee (APMCC), Vinod Pandita, led a group of devotees to the lake which is located around 14,500 feet above the sea level. It takes around six hours to reach Gangabal from Naranag base camp, the devotees are expected to return on Monday after performing ‘Vedic Yajnya’ on the occasion of Ganga Asthmi on Sunday. Pandita said they would pray for peace. He hoped that they would perform all religious ceremonies smoothly. He said the yatra had been resumed in 2009 after more than 100 years as it used to be an annual affair from the ancient period. “The pilgrimage site (Gangabal Lake) is the abode of Lord Shiva from whose hair locks (jattas), the holy Ganga flows down forming a divine lake,” he added. Pandita said the main aim behind making the pilgrimage to Gangabal was part of the APMCC’s mission to reopen all historical religious places and resume ancient pilgrimages of Kashmiri Pandits. He said the same was being done to save the cultural and religious history of Kashmiri Pandits as majority of them have migrated away Kashmir after the eruption on militancy in the state. The Gangabal Lake is also known as Harmakut Ganga. Meanwhile, the APMCC thanked the Army besides police and government officials of the Ganderbal district for their cooperation in the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage. |
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Hurriyat criticises authorities for imposing curfew on Friday
Srinagar, September 22 It has also condemned the use of force against the Dukhtaran-e-Millat protestors by the police on Friday. “The Hurriyat conference condemns the state government for the use of force on the procession of Dukhtaran-e-Milat and their children, who were protesting against the film,” a Hurriyat spokesman said. “The protest restricted people for offering Juma (Friday) prayer in the Central Jamia Masjid in Srinagar and other mosques and Imam Baras,” the Hurriyat spokesman stated. Hindu body flays
anti-Islam film
The Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir (HWSK) today condemned the anti-Islam film made in the US, which has already triggered widespread protests across the Valley over the past nine days. “The Kashmiri Pandits strongly denounce such acts as these are aimed at creating discord among the people of different faiths,” HWSK spokesperson CL Bhat said after a meeting of the society held here. He said the video had caused great anguish among the Pandits living in the Valley. Bhat urged the state government to convey the people’s resentment to the Centre so that immediate steps should be taken to block the video on Youtube and other social networking websites like Facebook. “We have a rich cultural heritage from ages in the Valley that respects each others religions,” he added. |
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Food security a challenge, says expert
Srinagar, September 22 He was delivering a lecture on ‘challenges of equitable and sustainable development’ organised by the department of economics of the Kashmir University. “Modern humanity is destroying the natural world on which the survival of our entire posterity depends. It is the inequitable distribution of food among consumers that more than 20 per cent population of the country cannot manage 1-3 times meals per day,” he said. “The major challenge which we are facing today is to protect the remaining natural capital and humanity from further devastation and extinction. This can be done by promoting the concept of organic state where there is minimal or no use of fertilisers and chemicals in the agricultural practices,” Prof Darda opined. He stressed on the need to devise alternative resources of energy which would not wreak havoc on environment unlike our present resources. In his presidential address, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir Prof Talat said “These interactions provide an opportunity to our students and scholars to interact with the experts and veterans in the field and promote the culture of cross fertilisation of ideas.” Tej Pratap, Vice-Chancellor SKAUST (K), who was also present on the occasion, said “We have to think globally but act locally and adapt only those agricultural practices which can suffice our local needs without damaging our ecology. As per the indicators it has been proved that despite investing Rs 100 crore every year on improving plants or crops health most of the things which we eat today are unhealthy.”
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Baramulla district hospital sans vitamin-A supplement
Baramulla, September 22 The supplement, which is mandatory to be given to children below five years of age, is not available in the hospital for the past few months. “We are forced to take children to Srinagar hospitals for administering them vitamin-A supplement. The hospital authorities are least bothered to make it available here,” said Zahoor Ahmad, a parent. According to experts in the Health Department, vitamin-A plays an important role in the functioning of immune system and the growth of a child. “It is very important for strengthening the immune system of a child and also helps in his overall growth,” said a doctor. Many poor parents of remote areas said they were unable to take their children to Srinagar hospitals for the administration of vitamin-A supplement every month. “At least Rs 200 is needed to reach Srinagar for the administration of supplement. At times, poor parents like me cannot afford the fare, which results in delay of supplement to the children,” said a parent. They said the non-availability of the supplement has put the lives of newborn babies at a risk. “The carelessness of hospital management could prove fatal for the newborn babies. In spite of several pleas, the hospital management has failed to make the supplement available,” said Mohd Shafiq of Delina, Baramulla. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report released in the recent past, the deficiency of vitamin-A can cause blindness and many other ailments in children. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Baramulla Dr Mohd Younis said, “Baramulla is not the only hospital which lacks the vitamin supplies but many hospitals in the Valley are facing its shortage. We are hopeful that the supplement will be made available at the hospital soon.” |
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Orientation programme for Haj aspirants
Anantnag, September 22 Reports said the Haj aspirants of the district were acquainted with the Haj rituals using audio as well as video aides by experts from Kashmir and Bengaluru. "The Hajis were minutely told about the do's and dont's during the holy pilgrimage," reports said. The Haj aspirants present at the orientation programme thanked the district administration for such an event. "The programme is going to help us through the holy journey. It will help us to perform our religious duties better," said Muhammad Abdullah from Qazigund area. He said it was their priority to facilitate such awareness and orientation programmes particularly for the holy pilgrimage and they would ensure to use all kind of audio visual aides to make it simple for the participants. Earlier, the aazmeen were served lunch by the district administration and were given a special packet of spices by Kanwal spices.
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Bad roads put commuters to inconvenience
Handwara September 22 Mohammad Salim Khan, executive engineer (roads and buildings division), Handwara, claimed that of the total 800-km road stretch, which connects many villages to the town, the division had repaired and completed patch work on at least 400 km. The rest 400 km road links are still in a dilapidated condition for the past many years, causing immense inconvenience to the commuters. Major dilapidated roads include Shuloora, Mawar, Nowgam, Datipora, Kohipora, Kohipora Vohdpora to Devaspora, Kaslu and Watergam. A 15-km stretch, which connects Mawar to Nowgam, is to be repaired by the ERA. “It took around two hours to cover a distance, which could be easily covered in 40 minutes if roads are properly maintained,” said Shahzad Ahmad, a trader. “We have to leave our homes early in the morning to ensure that we reach schools in time. The authorities are doing nothing to repair these roads, which are in bad conditions,” said Faisal Ahmad, a class XII student. The locals said few unattended link roads had been rendered with non-motorable materials for want of repairs. “Drivers have suspended transport services on the Zachaldara to Wadar road as the 12 km- long stretch had been rendered non-motorable materials,” said a villager. The roads are the vital surface links, which connect villages including Bakiakar, Chak, Yamlar, Bawan, Wadar, Wadar bala, Shatigam, Payeen, Trumboora, Khundroo, Sudal, Shahlal, Pahaldagi, Kukrooa, Wagat, Palpora and many other villages to the town. “In spite of repeated representations to the authorities concerned, no repair works have been carried out in the region. We prefer to carry patients on stretchers rather than ferrying them in a bus,” said the villagers. Khan said, “The division will soon take up repair works on link roads. At some places, we are facing problems as locals are not cooperating with us for widening the link roads.” |
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Inter-School Chess Tourney begins
Jammu, September 22 Sixty players drawn from 20 different schools are competing in different age categories. Atul Kumar Gupta, joint secretary, All India Chess Federation, said the association would conduct more such tournaments in future to provide a platform for players to excel at higher level. The matches were officiated by FIDE arbiter Anil Kotwal along with Rohit
Bhardwaj. Selected players in the championship will represent the state in the forthcoming National Schools Chess Championship slated to be held in New Delhi.
— TNS |
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Baramulla, September 22
Amid worldwide protests denouncing the anti-Islam US film, the religious heads and scholars of Kashmir have called for a complete ban on the contentious film and asked the Muslim countries, particularly Organisation of Islamic Conference
(OIC), to file a petition against the makers of the film before the International Court of Justice.
Srinagar, September 22