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LPG cap brings lifestyle changes in Valley
ASI Abdur Rehman |
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Stampede at test venue
Rare feat by Kupwara docs
After days of shivering cold, mercury stabilises in Valley
2-day Kashmiri language conference begins today
Eight injured in road accidents across
Valley
Youth festival ‘Sonzal’ commences at Kashmir University
School timings rescheduled
Pattan gets first modern post office
Separatists condemn Facebook ‘slur’
Kayaking, canoeing meet inaugurated
Women cricket tournament gets underway
Haj pilgrims to return from November 2
Tourist from Kolkata dies in Srinagar
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LPG cap brings lifestyle changes in Valley
Srinagar, October 30 “Now every household wants to set up hamams while some are also setting up fireplaces at their houses," said Ghulam Hassan, a local mason-cum- contractor. "While the rich are setting up fireplaces, the middle-class families are setting up hamams," he added. Hamam is a closed fireplace with a small opening to insert firewood from the outer wall of a house. It heats up a room and water kept in traditional aluminium tanks. Even as locals are aware that lighting firewood is not cheap, many feel it is a better alternative to gas heaters and electric heaters. "I think hamam is the best option, as after the installation of meters, electricity bills are bound to skyrocket in winter months. Moreover, there is no electricity supply for hours and even days in case of a snowfall. The hamam not only keeps the room warm, but it also warms the water that is essential in winters," said Gulzar Ahmad, a local resident. Meanwhile, gas heaters, which had become a popular mode of heating rooms after the Power Development Department (PDD) had started installing meters a few years ago, have gone missing. Due to the Centre’s decision to give subsidy for only six LPG cylinders per year, most of the people have refrained from using gas heaters. "My gas heater is catching dust in the attic. I don’t think I will use it again. Even if the subsidy is increased, gas will be used for cooking purposes, as it takes a lot of time to prepare food and tea in winters when temperature dips below zero degree," said Nasir. Another local, Arif Ahmad, said: "I visited over a dozen households of my kith and kin this Eid to extend greetings. But no one had taken out gas heaters. I was offered only a blanket or a kangri (earthen pot) to keep myself warm as cold wave conditions are being witnessed in autumn only this year." What is Hamam
Hamam is a closed fireplace with a small opening to insert firewood from the outer wall of a house. It heats up a room and water kept in traditional aluminium tanks. |
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ASI beaten up in daylight
Srinagar, October 30 ASI Abdur Rehman, posted at the Regal Chowk crossing, said he was beaten up with a stick and hit on the head by the driver of a Ford Fiesta car when he ordered the car to stop as it jumped the traffic signal. Rehman said he asked his colleague to fine the driver. This agitated him and he (car driver) went berserk after that. “He abused and attacked me after which another vehicle came which had some civilians and policemen. I tried to run away but one of them chased me and thrashed me with a stick,” the traffic policeman said. Rehman, who is due to retire within next few months, broke down several times while talking to reporters. The Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, said they have filed an FIR against the assaulters at the local police station. “We have lodged an FIR. We don’t know the identity of these men but they will be identified. We have the car registration number,” the SP said. The ‘challan’ prepared by ASI Rehman says the car is owned by a Raj Bagh resident and the ownership has been transferred to Shafeeq Ahmad Qureshi. It further says the driver has been booked for not obeying traffic signal and was without a pollution control certificate and had not paid the token tax. The challan directs the accused to appear before a local court on November 15. The police said it has filed a case with FIR number 92/2012 under Section 353 of the RPC against Qureshi. A police official said Qureshi has also filed a complaint against the traffic policemen. |
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Stampede at test venue
Kupwara, October 30 Around 7,000 candidates from different parts of the district had reached the venue and were waiting for their turn since 7 am. Contingents of the police were deployed in and around the venue to tackle the rush of candidates for the test. Reports said some candidates lost their cool around 1 pm and started overtaking each other in long queues. “When the police could not discipline the huge number of candidates, it resorted to lathicharge,” said a police official. The candidates, however, alleged that the police resorted to lathicharge unnecessarily while they were waiting for their turn. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Kehmil Range, DP Singh told The Tribune that over 8,000 candidates had turned up at the venue. The official said the candidates did not maintain the discipline, which led to chaos. “Fresh dates would be announced for the test. To ensure that the walk-in test is organised in a disciplined manner, only 1,000 candidates would be called on a single day for the test,” the official said. Candidates lose cool
Around 7,000 candidates from different parts of Kupwara district had reached the venue and were waiting for their turn since 7 am. Reports said some candidates lost their cool around 1 pm and started breaking the queues, which led to stampede following which the police resorted to lathicharge |
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Rare feat by Kupwara docs
Kupwara, October 30 “TB in UT is one of the rarest forms of TB and this has been detected for the first time in the history of CHC Kupwara. It is difficult to diagnose as patients complain of infection in urinary tract and frequent urination. An examination of 24-hour collection of urine helps in its diagnosis,” said Dr Bhat. The victims undergoing the treatment under Direct Observatory Treatment Scheme (DOTS) are showing good signs of recovery, according to the doctors. Under the DOTS, patients of TB are provided treatment free of cost under the direct observation of doctors. “The patients under constant treatment are showing good signs of recovery. They have to undergo different tests, including sputum test, from time to time, which helps in future course of treatment,” said Dr Shabir. Three cases of TB in the UT were found by doctors at Ayush Center in July after tests conducted on patients were repeated few times and their results confirmed TB everytime. One of the patients, Bashir Ahmad Mir (40), said: “In the past few years, I have visited leading urologists across the country and even went to Batra Hospital in Delhi, but invain. The doctors at Ayush Centre observed my condition for some days and advised me to undergo urine examination. They diagnosed TB in my urinary tract. I am feeling better after taking medicines under DOTS.” His wife, Haseena, was also diagnosed with TB in the UT. “I am feeling much better now. We are thankful to doctors of Ayush Centre, who diagnosed our ailment and treated us,” she said, adding that so far they had spent lakhs of rupees on tests and treatment for the past four years. |
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After days of shivering cold, mercury stabilises in Valley
Srinagar, October 30 In Srinagar city, maximum day temperature rose to 22.3 degrees Celsius, which is nearly two degrees above normal, an official at the state Meteorological department said. The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 3.2 degrees Celsius, which is the average normal for this time of the year. Since Sunday this week, Srinagar has witnessed sunny and warm days, giving respite to the residents here from a spell of harsh cold. On Monday also the maximum temperature in the city here was recorded at 22.4 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature was recorded at 2.4 degrees Celsius. The temperature in the Valley has finally stabilised after plunging below the average normal for nearly last fortnight. The mercury in the region was continuously falling several degrees below the normal, leading to shivering cold in the region over the past couple of weeks. Another official of the weather department had blamed a sudden and drastic fall in the temperature for the cold saying a gradual fall in mercury would have prepared the residents for the cold weather, which didn’t happen. The mountains around south Kashmir’s Pahalgam resort, north Kashmir’s Gulmarg resort and places around the Zojilla pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway, where the mercury has on several occasions fell below the freezing point, have already received the season’s first snowfall. The Meteorological department in its daily forecast said the weather over the city is likely to remain dry over the state for the next 24 hours. On Wednesday, the day temperature is likely to hover around 21 degrees Celsius and the night temperature will fall up to two degrees Celsius, the weather department said. Temperature rises
In Srinagar, maximum day temperature rose to 22.3 degrees Celsius, which is nearly two degrees above normal. The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 3.2 degrees Celsius, which is the average normal for this time of the year.
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Encounter victims get relief
Srinagar, October 30 The JKLF delegation, led by the Front's chairman Yasin Malik, visited the Shalpora locality of Sopore where they met with the families whose houses and business were damaged in the gunfight. Two militants, Lashkar-e-Toiba's divisional commander Muzumil Amin Dar alias Urfi of Sopore and a Pakistani militant Abdullah Shaheen were killed in the gunfight in which one house was completely destroyed and several others were damaged. The JKLF delegation which included Noor Mohamad Kalwal, Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, Mir Mohamad Zaman, Bashir Kashmiri, Mohamad Haneef, Abdul Rashid Mogloo, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Mir Abdul Rashid, Ghulam Qadir Khan, Moulvi Reyaz, M Azam distributed Rs 2.25 lakh among the affected families, the separatist group said in a statement. It said that Rs 1.25 lakh of the donation money was collected from the well wishers' in Srinagar while as Rs 1 lakh was contributed by people at Fruit market in Sopore. "Yasin Sahib appealed to all Kashmiri's to keep these affected (families) in mind who have lost everything and are compelled to live under the open skies during these cold days," said JKLF in a statement. The statement said Malik, who was a militant commander before joining the separatist politics, condemned the terrorism unleashed by Indian army. "This approach of Indian army has once again proved that the Indian Army and always treat Kashmir as their colony where they have no rule or regulation to follow," said Malik. JKLF delegation also visited the family of Lashkar-e-Toiba's Divisional Commander who was killed in the encounter on Sunday last. A prayer meeting was held for the martyrs'.
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2-day Kashmiri language conference begins today
Srinagar, October 30 Among other things, the scholars, poets and writers would also discuss challenges and prospectus of Kashmiri language in cyber age, when the language barriers seem to have been shattered by rapid technological advancements. The two-day Kashmiri language conference ‘Kashmiri Language-challenges and opportunities’ which begins here on October 31 is being organised by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. During the conference several papers on kashmiri language will be presented, discussed and debated. The key papers include ‘Saiber Zamans Manz Kashir Zaban (Kashmiri Language in cyber age) which will be presented by Professor Shafi Shouq, Kaishri Zabane Manz Tarjamek Masail (the issues of translation in Kashmiri language) by Dr RL Talashi and ‘Kashirs Manz Lugatsazi’ (Dictionary making in Kashmiri) by Professor HK Kher, a prominent poet and writer. “The keynote address will be delivered by Gyanpith awardee Professor Rehman Rahi on the theme ‘Kashmiri language - challenges and opportunities’. The conference will be inaugurated by senior National conference leader and finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather,” said a cultural academy spokesperson. He said that each paper presentation will be followed by an ‘open-house discussion and question-answer’ session. The other prominent scholars, poets and writers who are scheduled to attend the conference, include Ghulam Nabi Aatish (writer and critic), Professor Margoob Banihali (poet and writer), Professor HK Kher (poet and writer), Professor Zaman Aazurda, Professor Bashar Bashir , Shahbaz Rajourvi (poet and writer), Aziz Hajini ( president Adabi Markaz Kamraz) and Dr RL Talashi ( poet and writer). At the end of the two-day conference, which concludes on November 1, the organisers have planned a Mushaira (poetry recitation) in Kashmiri.
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Eight injured in road accidents across
Valley
Srinagar, October 30 In the first incident, a passenger vehicle hit a motorcycle at Mujgund Chowk near Parimpora on the outskirts of the city here, resulting in injuries to the motorcyclist identified as Nisar Ahmad Rather (25) and his pillion-mate Mukhtar Ahmad (20). Both the injured have been shifted to hospital for treatment and a case has been registered, said a police spokesperson. In the second incident, in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, a tractor on way from Shalihar to Batpora turned turtle near Batpora resulting in injuries to Fayaz Ahmed Teeli, Zahoor Ahmad Kumar and Zahid Ahmad Ganie - all have been shifted to hospital for, said the spokesperson. In the third incident, a 15-year-old boy identified as Momin Ahmad Dar was critically injured when he was hit by a passenger vehicle in the Bandipora district. He was shifted to a hospital in Srinagar for treatment, said the spokesperson adding that a case has been registered. In the fourth incident, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, a 45-year-old and a 50-year-old woman were injured in two separate accidents when they were hit by vehicles near Khwaja Bagh. Both were shifted to hospital for treatment, said the spokesperson. |
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Youth festival ‘Sonzal’ commences at Kashmir University
Srinagar, October 30 The five-day student festival was inaugurated by Science and Technology Minister Aga Ruhulla. Around 40 degree colleges and 45 University teaching departments are participating in the annual event, which is being organised by the Department of Students Welfare, University of Kashmir, at the university campus. The inaugural function of the five-day youth festival was held today at the University Convocation Centre, said university public relations officer Showkat Shafi. Science and technology minister Aga Ruhulla was the chief guest at the inaugural function. The inaugural function was also attended by Kashmir University Vice-Chancellor Professor Talat Ahmad and other university officials. Today on the inaugural day of the festival, the students drawn from different colleges and departments of Kashmir University participated in a quiz and poster On the day two of the event, which is on October 31, the students are scheduled to participate in elocution, cartooning, clay modeling, different genres of music, including classical vocal solo, light vocal solo, western vocal solo, group songs and instrumental music. The students are also scheduled to indulge themselves in on-the-spot painting competition, spot photography and folk dance on the third day. The students from different colleges and departments are also expected to showcase their theatre performances by enacting different plays. On the fourth day of the event, there will be an inter-university debates on different topics, while as the valedictory and prize distribution function will be held on the final day of the event, which is on November 3. The function will be followed by a cultural evening, which will be held in the main convocation complex of the university. How Sonzal Began The intra-university festival, which began as a small idea in 2007, has evolved since then and has now become an annual activity of University of Kashmir “Sonzal, a Kashmiri word for rainbow, immerses in itself every colour and becomes one. It transcends new levels of glory and gets everyone together in unison, a statement by organisers of the event,” said Department of Students Welfare
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School timings rescheduled
Srinagar, October 30 According to a notice issued by the Director School Education Kashmir today, the new school timings within the municipal limits of Srinagar city will be from 10 am to 3 pm. The timings outside Srinagar municipal limits will be from 11 am to 4 pm. All the educational institutions have been instructed to adhere strictly to the rescheduled school timings from November 1. NEW SCHEDULE
The new school timings within the municipal limits of Srinagar city will be from 10 am to 3 pm. The timings outside Srinagar municipal limits will be from 11 am to 4 pm |
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Pattan gets first modern post office
Srinagar, October 30 Chief Postmaster General J&K circle John Samuel said it was the first modernised post office of Baramulla district. “The post office will function from 9 am to 5 pm and will provide all facilities like registered post, speed post, savings account and insurance facilities. The facility of gold coins will also start at the post office,” Samuel added. He said three more post offices would be modernised in the remote areas of Gurez, Tangdhar and Trehgam in north Kashmir in the next few months while a new post office would be opened at Nowpora and Uri, also in north Kashmir. Ex-MLA Ghulam Qadir Baidar and general secretary of Pradesh Congress Committee Dr Abdul Ahad Itoo were also present on the occasion. Later, the Department of Posts, J&K circle, held a “Postmaster’s conference” at Baramulla. Postmasters from Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts attended the conference, an official of the Department of Posts said. The post office will function from 9 am to 5 pm and will provide all facilities like registered post, speed post, savings account and insurance facilities.
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Separatists condemn Facebook ‘slur’
Srinagar, October 30 The separatists have also criticised the government for what they call “its failure” to protect members of the minority community in remote Zanaskar area of Ladakh. The police has reportedly arrested three persons from Kishtwar district for allegedly running a "campaign" against Islam on the social networking site Facebook. Two of the accused are said to be government teachers. “Chairman Huriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani has expressed his anguish and concern over the continuos and pre-planed violence against minority Muslim community in Zanaskar, Kargil, and desecration of Islam on Facebook by some miscreants in Kishtwar”, spokesman of Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference Ayaz Akbar said.
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Kayaking, canoeing meet inaugurated
Srinagar, October 30 Speaking on occasion, Talat said: “The sportsperson have always brought laurels to the State by their excellent performances in sports events.” “The youth of the Valley are talented and efforts need to be put in for exploitation of their talent so that they can compete at National and International level,” said Talat. Among others, JP Singh, director, Youth Services and Sports; Inspector General of Police J&K Armed Police Rouf-ul-Hassan; and Balbir Singh Khushwah, General Secretary, All India North Zone Kayaking and Canoeing Championship, attended the inaugural function. Players both boys’ and girls’ from 12 states also attended the inaugural function.
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Women cricket tournament gets underway
Srinagar, October 30 The event is being organised and hosted by Directorate of Physical Education and Sports, Kashmir University, in which eight university teams of the country, who were winner and runner-up in their respective zonal events, are participating. Professor Talat hoisted the flag of Association of Indian Universities after which he had an interaction with the players of the participating teams. “The University of Kashmir is actively taking part in organizing such sports events of national level and the purpose of hosting such events is to create sports culture among youth of the valley,” said V-C Ahmad at an inaugural function. “These events are organised to boost the morale of the student, especially girls,” he said. V-C said, “Such events help the students to showcase their talent on a broader canvass and inculcates values of team spirit, enthusiasm, hard work and dedication in them.” Director Physical Education and Sports Department Dr Bashir Ahmad said: “The tournament is the first of its kind in the entire sports history of Kashmir University. Sports helps in bridging gulf between one region and another of the country and cricket is one such event which is followed religiously all over the country and transcends all geographical barriers.”
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Haj pilgrims to return from November 2
Srinagar, October 30 According to a statement issued by the Executive Officer, State Haj Committee, Srinagar, all concerned have been informed to collect the vehicle passes required for airport entry from the Haj House located at Bemina here. The first flight carrying 270 pilgrims is expected to reach the Srinagar International Airport at 11 am. The authorities have also decided to allow only one attendant and a vehicle with driver at the airport to avoid heavy rush of people that is usually seen while welcoming the Hajis. Around 9,170 pilgrims from the state are scheduled to perform Haj this year as direct Haj flights were operated from here to Saudi Arabia after a gap four year. This year’s quota for Jammu and Kashmir had been increased from 8,441 to 8,670. In addition, private Haj operators are facilitating 500 Haj pilgrims.
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Tourist from Kolkata dies in Srinagar
Srinagar, October 30 Yoginder Nath Halidar of Jabalpur, Kolkata, who was staying in Hotel Mughal Palace at Barbarshah in the city had complained of chest pain at the hotel room, said a police spokesperson. He said Halidar was shifted to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. After all medico-legal formalities, the body of deceased was handed over to his family for the last rites, said the spokesperson.—TNS
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sight to the common man's woes after the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders amid power shortage, the demand for traditional heating arrangements - hamams and fireplaces - has increased ahead of the winter months.
Doctors of Ayush Unit at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Kupwara, have found cases of one of the rarest kinds of “tuberculosis (TB) in urinary tract (UT)”. Senior medical officer and nodal officer, Ayush Unit, Kupwara, Dr Shabir Ahmad Bhat said three cases of TB in the urinary tract are acute in nature and is first-of-its-kind in the history of CHC Kupwara.
The 5th Intra-University Youth festival ‘Sonzal’ began here at Kashmir University today.
The five-day student festival was inaugurated by Science and Technology Minister Aga
Ruhulla.
The All India Inter-University Women Cricket Tournament was kicked off today by the Vice- Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Professor Talat Ahmad here at Kashmir University ground.
