Srinagar, October 14
The J&K government has decided to hold another detailed inquiry into the reasons behind alarming infant deaths at the GB Pant Children hospital earlier this year. This has come after the House Committee and a one-member committee probe having held the former head of department and Medical Superintendent of the hospital guilty of “administrative failure”.

“The inquiry headed by the director of Shere-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Professor Showkat Ali Zargar, has held the former HoD Dr Javid Chowdery responsible for all lapses at the hospital. Zargar’s inquiry has failed to identify the others who were also responsible for the mess. Therefore, a detailed inquiry needs to be conducted which will look into other aspects as well,” said Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi.

The inquiry will be ordered shortly and is to be conducted by some senior officer from the secretariat.

“The probe conducted by Dr Zargar and the House Committee will be a baseline for an in-depth inquiry and it will look into all aspects of administrative lapses,” Dwivedi added.

Over 500 neonatal and infant deaths were reported during the first five months this year. After a public outcry in May, the government asked the SKIMS Director to hold an inquiry into the alarming deaths at the children's hospital. The Assembly speaker Mohammad Akber Lone too constituted a House Panel of legislators to look into the alarmingly high infant death rate at Valley's lone tertiary children care hospital. The report of the House Panel which was tabled in the Assembly recently had squarely blamed the doctors and the hospital administration for the deaths.

Chowdery was attached on May 17 by the J&K government after the SKIMS director submitted his preliminary report. The government had also chargesheeted Chowdery and he was asked to explain the charges against him in 15 days.

The former Medical Superintendent has approached the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir against the inquiry report filed by Zargar. In his petition, Chowdery claimed that Zargar was not authorised to conduct an inquiry against him since both were holding the same rank and designation. He also accused Zargar of having a personal bias against him.

Srinagar, October 14
A 70-year-old man was killed and another was grievously injured when they were attacked by a bear in Srigufwara area of Anantnag district, police said.

Abdul Rehman Lone, 70, was killed while 25-year-old Shabir Ahmad Lone was seriously injured when the two were attacked by a bear.

A police spokesman said the two men, both residents of Srigufwara area in Anantnag, were working at an orchard in their village when they were attacked by the bear.

The two were shifted to a hospital for treatment where Abdul Rehman succumbed to injuries, the spokesman added.

There has been a spurt in bear attacks in recent past across Kashmir of late.

Sources said five people, including three forest guards, have been injured in bear attacks in the past week in Anantnag district and Ganderbal district of central Kashmir.

In the upper reaches of Kupwara, residents are under the grip of fear. They have stopped venturing out once it gets dark as there has been increasing movement of wild animals, including leopards, in residential areas.

Residents of Moori village in remote Kalaroose area, Dardpora village in Lolab belt and Haphroda area in Handwara belt of Kupwara district are witnessing an increasing movement of wild animals in their villages recently.

There have been regular wild animal attacks in the region which experts blame on the shrinking forest space for these animals and growing intrusion of humans into the forest area.

In mountainous and forest areas of the Valley, residents go to the woods to collect firewood. Many of the attacks have led to fatalities or severe injuries.

The Himalayan black bear and leopards, which are found across this mountainous region, are involved in most of such attacks.

Kupwara, October 14
Maize crop spread over 7,000-kanal land in Rajwar area of Handwara has suffered heavy damage due to a prolonged dry spell this time. Earlier this year, the farmers had cultivated maize instead of paddy following acute shortage of irrigation water.

District Agriculture Officer (DAO), Kupwara, Farooq Ahmad said the maize crop had been badly hit in Rajwar and few other areas in Handwara. The most affected pockets are Bakiakar, Wadipora, Chaipora and Gunpora, he informed.

“The crops have been badly hit due to a prolonged dry spell. The late rainfall though infused some life into the wilting maize crop,” said Ahmad. He informed that crop disease paddy blast had also affected the crop in some areas of Lolab around the harvesting season.

The officer said that adverse climatic conditions this year greatly hampered the growth of maize crop, especially in Rajwar. The farmers in Rajwar are feeling dejected with the low yield.

“We could only obtain fodder from the maize crop. The long dry spell badly affected the growth of maize crops in many areas of Rajwar. Fearing shortage of irrigation water, we decided in May this year to cultivate maize on land instead of paddy,” said Abdul Gaffar, a farmer.

The farmers appealed to the district administration to compensate the loss and help prevent their families from facing starvation-like conditions.

“We have to buy ration from stores for the entire year. Most of the farmers in Rajwar area barely manage their livelihood. The paddy crop has been the only means of subsistence for poor farmers here,” said another farmer Gulzar Ahmad. Crop diseases such as ‘paddy blast’, locally called “Rai” and sheath blight had affected the paddy crop in parts of north Kashmir in June this year. The Agriculture Department, however, had brought the disease under control by spraying fungicides, including tricyclozol and adphenphos on affected areas.

Srinagar, October 14
Four persons were injured in different road mishaps across the Valley. A woman and a car driver were injured when the vehicle they were travelling in turned turtle on the national highway near Boniyar town in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, a police spokesman said.

In another incident, a motorcyclist hit and injured a man identified as Muhammad Ayoub Lone near Ushakara in Baramulla district, the spokesman added.

In Kulgam district of south Kashmir, a truck turned turtle near Lower Munda near Qazigund town as a result of which the truck driver Zahoor Ahmad Thoker of Shopian district got injured.

The police spokesman said all the four injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals where they were being treated.

There has been an increase in the number of accidents in Kashmir. The number of fatal and non-fatal casualties is constantly rising in the region.

As per the data released earlier this month by the state government, nearly 18 road accidents take place in Jammu and Kashmir every day. About 3,000 people have lost their lives and 25,000 have been injured in the past 32 months.

The Jammu and Kashmir government in the legislative Assembly last week said that 17,276 accidents have taken place in the last two-and-half years.

Srinagar, October 14
A delegation of the Akhil Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha (ABGM) today submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde here demanding security for panchayat members in the state.

ABGM state president Eshfaq-ur-Rehman Poswal said the delegation highlighted the issues of panches and sarpanches who were facing increasing threats from various militant outfits and separatist groups.

“It is a matter of concern and the silent approach of the state government over the matter is ironical. At a time when nobody is ready to contest panchayat elections due to threats from the separatists, the state government has promised to provide all of them power and security,” he added.

Poswal also briefed the Home Minister about the problems being faced by the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities. He claimed that the communities were feeling “insecure in their own homeland”.

“They are being threatened and harassed by anti-national elements and miscreants, especially when they migrate with their families and cattle from one place to other,” Poswal added.

He also demanded security for Gujjars and Bakerwals who live in or travel through militancy-infested areas. Several other deputations also called on the Union Home Minister and apprised him of various problems confronting them. They included Salamabad Chakoti Trade Union, J&K Pahari Cultural & Welfare Forum, J&K Producers, Directors, Writers, Actors and Technicians Association, J&K Political Migrants Front, Television Professionals United Forum, All Migrant Camps Coordination Committee and Young Industrialists.

“The Union Home Minister listened patiently to the demands put forth before him and assured that he will take up their issues with the concerned ministries for redressal. He said the Central as well as the state government was committed to provide comfort to the deprived,” an official said.

Srinagar, October 14
With setting up of ramps and a special toilet for the physically challenged people, the Raj Bhavan at Srinagar has become disabled friendly. An official said special ramps and a special toilet had been installed recently for the physically challenged here.

Chairman of Humanity Welfare Organisation Helpline, Bijbehara Anantnag, Javed Ahmad Tak welcomed the move. They said the differently-abled children had been visiting the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor NN Vohra frequently for the past three years while hoping that it would serve as a model for others to emulate.

Tak had on Thursday led a group of differently-abled children to meet the Governor and first lady Usha Vohra.

He thanked the Governor for taking a keen interest in the welfare and empowerment of differently-abled persons in the state. People with disabilities have been provided employment in different departments with diligent efforts of various individuals and organisations, he said.

The Governor has assured all possible support for the differently-abled children in future as well.

Srinagar, October 14
As part of its efforts to empower the Kashmiri youth, the Army has trained several local youths to handle heavy construction equipment. As many as 17 students, hailing from different villages of Kashmir, were awarded certificate training course for handling excavator loader this week by the Army’s Srinagar-based engineering regiment stationed at the Old Air Field.

“As part of the ongoing efforts of the Chinar policemen towards empowerment of the Kashmiri Youth, a vocational training certificate course was organised by the Chinar Corps Engineers at the Old Air Field on Excavator Loader (JCB), an Army spokesman said here.

“Keeping in view the infrastructural projects coming up in the Valley, it was envisaged that persons trained on such courses can speedily get employed, thereby, becoming assets for their families. The training was aimed at imparting useful and functional skills in handling of excavator loader,” he said.

He said it was a four-week training programme, organised by 102 Engineer Regiment under the aegis of the Victor Force, in which 17 youths hailing from various villages of Anantnag, Ganderbal, Kulgam, and Pulwama districts participated.

During the training, the youths were provided lodging, food and equipment facilities by the Army free of cost, he said. Subsequently, on completion of the training course, the trainees were assessed for their technical proficiency and certificates were awarded to them during the ceremony held on Saturday.

Brigadier Navin Ahuja informed the trainees that a large number of ventures related to the skill and entrepreneurship development were being undertaken by various units of the Army in many parts of the Valley and the youths should remain in the lookout to benefit from such courses.

“The trainees will have a definite edge to get absorbed in the booming construction industry and will be able to confidently serve as excavator loader operators,” the Army spokesman said.

Srinagar, October 14
Any profeesional, who is willing to devise a technology for solving the existent problems of society, would be financially supported by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology with a funding of Rs 45 lakh.

This came to light during a one-day workshop on “Promoting Innovation in individuals, start ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (PRISM)” organised today at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar.

The workshop was organised by TePP Outreach Centre (TUC), University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC), Kashmir University, in collaboration with Mechanical Engineering Department, NIT, aimed at inspiring the bussing engineers to venture into innovations for societal good.

DSIR head Indu Bhaskar said the DSIR had established a TUC at the Kashmir University for scouting and processing the new innovations, thereby, providing a monetary support to provide a scientific solution to an existing problem in the society.

He said such workshops were meant to ignite the thought process among the young innovators and to provide a platform of technology incubation for them.

Director NIT, Srinagar, Prof Rajat Gupta said, "Engineering is not just the degree but it is the device that can be utilised to deduce the solution for the problems that can be minimised by using innovative ideas."

Director USIC and coordinator TUC, Prof GM Bhat, highlighted that the purpose of the workshop was to sensitise the technocrats about the new ideas and innovations.

While encouraging the young engineers to think out of box and come up with technical solutions to the problems faced by our society, Prof Bhat said, "Technology has to reach to grassroot level.”

Three technical sessions were held in the one-day workshop followed by an interactive session and a valedictory function.

Srinagar, October 14
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today paid obeisance at the shrine of revered Sufi saint Hazrat Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali (RA) at Charar-i-Sharief town in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Shinde was accompanied by Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather, Pradesh Congress Committee president Saif-ud-Din Soz, Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani, chief secretary Madhav Lal and Director General of Police Ashok Prasad.

“The Home Minister paid obeisance and prayed at the mausoleum of Hazrat Sheikh-Noor-ud-Din Wali (RA) and prayed for peace and prosperity. The mujawirs of the shrine, as a mark of respect, performed traditional dastar bandhi of the Home Minister and other dignitaries,” an official said.

While interacting with the people, Shinde said it had always been his keen desire to pay obeisance at the Hazratbal and Chrar-i-Sharief shrine.

Responding to the demand of the local youth regarding on-the-spot police recruitment drive at the Charar-i-Sharief, Shinde said he will take due consideration of the demand. 

Srinagar, October 14
Valley’s prominent hotelier Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya was awarded the Domestic Tourism Impetus to National Growth Award 2012 by the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) here today.

The award, conferred on Chaya by the ADTOI during its sixth Annual General Convention, here in Srinagar was given by Governor NN Vohra, who was the chief guest on the occasion.

Chaya, who is the chairman-cum-managing director of Mushtaq Group of Hotels, also owns Grand Mumtaz Hotel in Srinagar. He has been awarded in recognition to his outstanding contribution towards development of domestic tourism in the state. The Governor called for greater synergy among all the stakeholders, including the tour operators and the tourism department for making the state as number one tourist destination.

Srinagar, October 14
Chandigarh Golf Club on Sunday lifted the trophy of three-day Greater Kashmir Autumn Golf Festival which was played at three major golf courses of the Valley.

The winning team from Chandigarh was led by Col AP Dhillon while Greater Kashmir team was the runner-up in the golf championship.

The third and concluding day’s game was played at the Royal Springs Golf Course in the city here after the first two days being played at Lidder Valley Golf Course (LVGC) at Pahalgam in south Kashmir and at Gulmarg Golf Course in the north Kashmir resort.

Three teams - Greater Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh - were playing in the Greater Kashmir Autumn Golf Festival.

The Greater Kashmir team was led by BR Singh while Lalit Kapoor led the Delhi team. Around 108 golfers, including 52 golfers from outside the state were participating in the tournament.

The final day’s play was teed-off at the Royal Springs Golf Course by Devender Rana, who is the political advisor to Chief Minister.

The golfing event was organised in collaboration with Mushtaq Group of Hotels, JK Toursim, Al-Khuddam, JK Bank and others. 

Srinagar, October 14
The Shah-I-Hamadan National Moot Court Competition concluded here on Sunday at the University of Kashmir.

The faculty of law, KU, was declared winner and the faculty of law, AMU, was declared the runner-ups. Around 20 teams from various law institutions across the country participated in the two-day competition.

National Consumer Disputes Redressal commission president Justice Ashok Bhan, who was chief guest on the occasion, said, “Judiciary should provide quick relief to a common man but under present system, justice is getting delayed and expenses are unbearable.”

He said the legal education was bound to be better and there was a need to change and strengthen the education system at the grassroot level.”

Congratulating the faculty of law, University of Kashmir, for its contribution towards the legal knowledge in the state, the President, J&K Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Justice BA Kirmani said, “Policies are made establishment-friendly but people with good legal education and trainings can implement constitutional policies in a people friendly manner.”

Head and dean faculty of law Prof Farooq Ahmad expressed happiness at the successful completion of the competition and said the event was bound to help the budding lawyers to grow in their field.

During the valedictory function, Govind from AMU won the best male advocate category award whereas the best female advocate award was won by Sapna Arora, Lloyd Law College, Greater Noida. The best memorial award went to ILS Law college, Pune. 

Srinagar, October 14
Minister for Youth Services and Sports RS Chib today inaugurated a two-day Professor Nazir Ahmad Khan District Boxing Championship (boys and girls)-2012 at the Sher-i-Kashmir Indoor Sports Complex, Srinagar.

The boxing championship was organized by the Srinagar district Amature Boxing Association to commemorate the contributions of Prof Nazir for promoting sports.

“Prof Nazir served the community with dedication and distinction in various capacities, initially as principal, SP College, Srinagar and later as chairman of the J&K Public Service Commission. He was an ace boxer who won national and state-level boxing championships, including the Aligarh Muslim University Boxing Championship. He was the first person who introduced boxing and lawn tennis sports in SP college,” an official spokesman said.

Chib paid rich tributes to Nazir and highlighted his contributions for promotion of boxing in the Valley. He lauded the efforts of the organisers for organising such events. "It is the best way to pay tribute to those whose have contributed in their respective fields," he said.