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Wild animals on a killing spree
File compliance report in two weeks, HC tells state
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Two youths convicted in Lajpat Nagar blast case acquitted
Flyover project: Shopkeepers’ online campaign bears fruit
Despite ban, teachers taking private classes during school hours
Delhi should address K-issue: Mufti
Students should opt career in food technology: Prof Trag
Health centre fails to take care of students, university staff
Despite Israel-Hamas truce, protests continue in Valley
Robert Thorp Kashmir’s first guest martyr, says separatist leader
Srinagar hosts first bear workshop
12 injured in road accident in Uri
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Wild animals on a killing spree
Kupwara, November 22 The killing triggered protests against the wildlife authorities in Rafiabad. The victim, Ghulam Ahmad Mir (48) of Pootosa near Rafiabad, was attacked by a leopard near his field around 5.30 pm. The animal chopped his neck and head leaving him in a pool of blood. He died on way to the district hospital at Baramulla. In another incident, a bear attacked and injured Ashiq Ahmad Pir in Rajpora village of Handwara tehsil last evening. Residents of Rafiabad and its adjoining areas held a protest against the wildlife authorities for “failing” to deal with the increasing attacks from wild animals. “The wild animals who have become man-eaters are on the prowl. We are living under a constant threat to our lives. The wildlife department is doing nothing to curb their movement while human beings and livestock continue to fall prey to them,” said Mohd Sultan, a resident of Rafiabad. The protesters raised slogans against the wildlife department and demanded setting up of cages in the peripheries of affected villages to trap the animals on the prowl. They said the animals roam freely in many villages, including Pootosa, Lassar, Ladwa, Dangiwacha and Tramboo in Rafiabad tehsil. They said the animals had killed dozens of cattle during the past two weeks and were attacking livestock in cow sheds during the night hours. “Children are more prone to attacks by wild animals, who have turned maneaters,” said Mohd Shafi of Dangiwacha. In Rajpora of Handwara tehsil, a bear attacked and injured Ashiq Ahmad Pir near his house last evening. The animal fled from the spot after locals raised hue and cry. A leopard attacked cow shed of Abdul Ahmad Bhat in Kohipora near Rajwar and killed four sheep last evening. Villagers of Rajwar, Shatigam, Zachaldara, Satkoochi, Wadar and Bun Wadar in Handwara tehsil said the wild animals had turned man-eaters and were posing danger to their lives and livestock. Mohd Maqbool Baba, wildlife warden of north Kashmir, said, “The movement of wild animals, especially in Rafiabad and Langate, has increased manifold due to intense cold wave conditions. We have activated our control rooms and field staff in villages and they are monitoring their movement.” |
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File compliance report in two weeks, HC tells state
Srinagar, November 22 The high court had earlier directed the state government to file a status report with regard to civilian killings that took place in 2010. The government was directed to file an affidavit stating whether any Commission of Inquiry was set up regarding these deaths. The PIL seeks the registration of FIRs and initiation of a probe into 117 deaths that took place during the 2010 summer unrest. The PIL was filed by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik in the high court on January 10, 2011. The high court had recently issued a public notice in local newspapers asking the families of the victims to file their affidavits into the PIL. Malik, through his PIL, has sought a judicial probe into the deaths during 2010 mass uprising in Kashmir. Civilian Killings in 2010
The HC had earlier directed the state government to file a status report with regard to civilian killings that took place in 2010 The government was directed to file an affidavit stating whether any Commission of Inquiry was set up regarding these deaths The PIL seeks registration of FIRs and initiation of a probe into 117 deaths that took place during the 2010 summer unrest. The PIL was filed by JKLF chief Yasin Malik in the HC on January 10, 2011 |
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Two youths convicted in Lajpat Nagar blast case acquitted
Srinagar, November 22 Mirza Nissar Hussain and Mohammad Ali Bhat were acquitted by the high court, who had been given capital punishment by the trial court. “Since the arrest of my son Mohammad Ali in the blast case, the entire family had faced tough days. We were sure that our son was innocent and finally justice has prevailed,” said Haji Sher Ali Bhat, a resident of Hassanabad Rainwari in the old city. The Mirza family too is jubilant about the court decision. The family members are glued to television to hear more about the acquittal news. “The entire family is happy. In 2010, Nissar’s brother, Mirza Iftikhar Hussain, who was also behind the bars for 14 years in the case, was acquitted by the court in the Lajpat Nagar bomb blast case. But the court at that time had awarded Nissar death punishment in the case and today he too was acquitted,” said a family member. “The whole family is happy now,” he added. As the news about the acquittal spread in the old city, Mirza's neighbours and relatives visited their house to greet them. The Delhi High Court today converted Mohammad Naushad’s death penalty to life term while acquitting Mirza Nissar Hussain and Mohammad Ali Bhat in the 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast case, which had claimed 13 lives |
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Flyover project: Shopkeepers’ online campaign bears fruit
Srinagar, November 22 After their pleas for proper rehabilitation fell on ‘deaf ears’, a group of shopkeepers had contacted the ADB office in the Philippines alleging that the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), which is supposed to execute the project, had failed to come up with a suitable rehabilitation plan for them. “After a series of e-mails, ADB’s senior urban development specialist Atsushi Kaneko called us here for a meeting after we urged him to see our plight. We had told him that ERA and other authorities were cold-shouldering us vis-à-vis our rehabilitation,” said Abdul Rauf, a member of the Traders Federation Magarmal Crossing (TFMC). An ERA official confirmed that Kaneko, who looks after ADB-funded projects in the Valley, had specially flown to the city to meet local shopkeepers yesterday. The flyover project was announced with much fanfare by the government in 2009 saying it would ease traffic snarls to a great extent. However, its construction has missed several deadlines amid the cries of shopkeepers demanding proper rehabilitation besides an online petition to the ADB. The online petition says despite huge basic infrastructure lapses in the city, there are no funds to deal with them whereas funds are being diverted for the construction of this two-and-a-half-km-long flyover that would serve ‘limited objectives’. TFMC president Manzoor Mattoo said they had been demanding rehabilitation in an open market area after being offered rehabilitation in a ‘caged’ shopping complex. “We are a group of around 50 shopkeepers at the Magarmal Bagh Chowk. It is one of the prime markets in Srinagar and we are a group of egg-sellers, butchers, cloth sellers etc. Our livelihood depends on these shops…malls and complexes are for multinationals…what will egg sellers and butchers do there…putting us in a closed complex is like caging us,” he said. Mattoo said the one-man ADB team had assured them that they would be rehabilitated in accordance with the ADB's policy. Jehangir Chowk-Rambagh flyover
The project was announced with much fanfare by the govt in 2009 to ease traffic snarls The construction of the flyover has missed several deadlines Affected shopkeepers are demanding proper rehabilitation
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Despite ban, teachers taking private classes during school hours
Anantnag, November 22 The ban was imposed by the Division Bench of the high court in November 2011 while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL). “The teachers are allowed to take classes two hours before and after school hours in private coaching centres,” the judgment read. However, notwithstanding the high court directives, some teachers and lecturers in Anantnag district continue to take private classes during the school hours. “Almost every private coaching centre in Anantnag district has a couple of government teachers practising during the school hours right under the nose of authorities,” said an academician in Anantnag. He said not only are the teachers making students of their own schools suffer but they are also keeping students of other schools away from attending their classes in their own schools.“I have been requesting the teachers of a particular coaching centre to change their timings so that students of my school reach school in time, however, they they don’t care,” said Principal of a government higher secondary school in Anantnag, requesting anonymity. The principal said the high-handedness of these government teachers practising in private tuition centres is a violation of discipline at the higher secondary level. “I have complained to the authorities concerned a couple of times but nobody seems to be bothered about the issue,” the principal said. The authorities maintain that there is no such thing in their notice, “Nobody has ever complained to me in this regard,” said the Chief Educational Officer (CEO), Anantnag, Abdul Ahad. He said he would look into the matter and take necessary action if any teacher was found guilty of violating the orders.
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Delhi should address K-issue: Mufti
Srinagar, November 22 Addressing a party workers meeting at Chrar-e-Shareif in Budgam, Mufti said a structural dialogue with all stake holders was the need of the hour and New Delhi should shun its policy of taking event-based initiatives to address the grievances of people in the state. “There is no substitute for resolving the Kashmir issue that has dampened the immense economic potential of sub-continent for decades and bruised the body and soul of Jammu and Kashmir. Talking to media on such an important issue can prove counterproductive. The government of India must address the internal dimension of the Kashmir issue by putting together all stake holders on table,” he said. Referring to the lead taken by Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2003 during his visit to Kashmir, Mufti said it had come against a grim and potentially disastrous scenario as the two nuclear armies were in a combat position, following the attack on the Parliament. He said the announcement made by Vajpayee on April 18, 2003 at Srinagar was historic because he had extended hands of friendship towards Pakistan at that time. The PDP patron said any progress achieved since 2003 on the diplomatic and political front on the Kashmir issue internally or with Pakistan had become possible only because the UPA government had carried forward the historic initiates taken by Vajpayee. “It is now the turn of the NDA, especially the BJP to stop viewing any dialogue with Pakistan with suspicion and lend support to the new efforts,” he said.
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Students should opt career in food technology: Prof Trag
Srinagar, November 22 The two-day seminar was organised by the Department of Food Technology, IUST, from November 20 to November 21. The event was organised to highlight various opportunities in food sector of the state with due emphasis on the food processing, food adulteration and detection as per the international standards. The valedictory function was presided by Kashmir University Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad. Prof Talat said the state was self-sufficient in terms of food production and needs to adopt modern facilities for its preservation. Prof Talat said it was encouraging to see that nuclear dose injection increases the shelf life of the fruits. “There are several other technologies by use of which fruits production can be preserved for a long time. In Kashmir’s context, the technological advancements in terms of food processing will help to increase the storage life of fruits like apple,” he said. IUST Vice-Chancellor Professor AR Trag highlighted the various possibilities and career options available in the field of food technology. He said the food processing has a tremendous scope at the local as well as the national-level. “Kashmir is a largest producer of apple, however, due to lack of cold storage and other preserving facilities we incur huge losses every year,” he said. AR Trag stressed on the importance of food processing, which he claimed, was still in its infancy. Encouraging the students to take up the food technology course as a subject he said, “The share of food processing is around 32 per cent and around 13 million jobs are available in the food industry.” He said the establishment of cold storages, food processing units and manufacturing of value added products in milk and vegetables would prove to be a viable and profitable activity since the raw material was available in abundance. “The students, who graduate in food technology, should not only rely on the government and private sector jobs but take entrepreneurship in the food technology as their career. This however, will be possible if they acquire good subject knowledge, skills, practical training and habit of working diligently and seriously,” he said. Dean School of Technology Prof KKS Jamwal and Department of Food Technology head Prof SPS Guleria also spoke on the occasion. IUST Registrar Prof AG Rather, School of Business studies Dean Prof A R Matoo, chief librarian Prof Wajih Alvi, officials from the district office of Department of Science and Technology, besides heads, faculty members and students of various departments were also present at the valedictory function. The technical session on the second day of the event highlighted the menace of food adulteration. A documentary on traditional methods of food preservation was presented by the students. The speakers from SKUAST-K threw light on the food safety act, adulteration in animal food, various adulterants used in food industry and adulteration in honey.
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Health centre fails to take care of students, university staff
Srinagar, November 22 The three doctors, available at the health centre, have already been retired from their services and are serving on an extension of seven years. The students lament the KU authorities have been negligent in monitoring the functioning of the health centre, which takes a toll on the healthcare of the students and teachers. Sources said despite a health centre of the stature of a sub-district hospital, there were no specialist doctors available which forces the students to seek medical help from outside the campus. The students alleged that favouritism had crept into the appointments of the limited staff members as the two physicians’ serving at the health centre were married and living in a plush two-storeyed residential quarter. Kashmir University Registrar Prof Zaffar Ahmad Reshi told The Tribune that the university has drafted a proposal seeking recommendations from Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Sciences (SKIIMS) director Dr Showkat Zargar on the appointment of doctors. “We definitely have something in pipeline for the upgrade of the health centre. We might even take up the matter with the state government for bringing in more staff at the centre,” Reshi said. Teachers, students mourn Imam’s death
KU mourned the death of its head Imam (priest) Muhammad Yusuf Sheikh, who died due to leukemia on Sunday. Shiekh (38) had been leading the namaz for 12 years at the varsity mosque.
Shiekh was suffering from a medical condition since 2003. The University authorities bore the expenses for his treatment; however, Imam succumbed to the disease recently. The students and teachers demanded compensation to Shiekh’s widow and free of cost schooling for his kids. “He was indeed a pious soul. We have learnt many things from him. He was a great teacher and had inspired many people. Although still young, he fought the battle of his life bravely, still discharging his duties. The University should not let his family down after his death,” Shuja
Hussain, a scholar said. Classroom sessions in full swing
The annual second and fourth semester examinations are due to be held in the last week of December. The classroom sessions are going on in full swing with the active last hour studying, doubt clearing and mock tests being held. “It is a crucial phase of the sessions as exams will commence soon,” said
Mubashir, a student. |
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Despite Israel-Hamas truce, protests continue in Valley
Srinagar, November 22 After a series of protests, including those by a women separatist group, lawyers and Kashmir University (KU) students, besides a candle light vigil, the youth wing of the CPIM staged a demonstration seeking New Delhi’s intervention in the Israel-Hamas face-off. The members of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Youth Federation (JKDYF) protested at the Press Enclave area shouting anti-Israel and anti-US slogans. Talking to reporters during the protest, JKDYF general secretary Advocate Arshad Hussein Baba said, “We condemn the atrocities of the Israeli forces on Palestinian. We want that the Centre should raise its voice to put an end to the killings of the innocents in Palestine.” Questioning Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s silence over the issue, he alleged that New Delhi was silent only to please America. The protestors flayed the United Nations Organisation (UNO) for acting as mute spectator to the killings in Palestine. They also demanded that the Centre should revisit its foreign policy with Israel. After protesting at the Press Enclave, the JKDYF members tried to take out a procession towards Lal Chowk but were taken into preventive custody by the police personnel deployed on duty.
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Robert Thorp Kashmir’s first guest martyr, says separatist leader
Srinagar, November 22 Bakshi, who visited the Christian graveyard at Shiekh Bagh here, close to Lal Chowk, where the Imperial British Army officer was buried, prayed for Thorp. “He is the first guest martyr and his contribution will always be remembered,” Bakshi said as he cleaned the stone epitaph on Thorp’s grave which says ‘He gave his life for Kashmir’. The term guest martyr came in vogue since 1989 when it was used for militants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and sometimes Arabs, who died fighting security forces in Kashmir. Bakshi said Thorp gave his life for the cause of other people and it was a lesson to the Britishers, who today were doing a reverse of it, and were killing innocent people. “His countrymen today stand in the lines of the oppressor instead of showing solidarity with oppressed,” Bakshi said. According to various research works, Thorpe visited the state during the rule of Maharaja Ranbir Singh. The young lieutenant of the East India Company, Thorp visited far and deep into the state and collected first hand information about the administration, taxation and living condition of Kashmiris. He then wrote several articles in the British Indian and British press criticising the Maharaja’s government. On November 22, 1868, 30-year-old Thorp died under mysterious circumstances and was largely believed to have been poisoned. Bakshi, who along with his lawyer friend, had visited Thorp’s grave, said the Englishman had a deep impact on Kashmir’s recent history. “His grave is a proof that we have a baggage of centuries which is yet to be accounted for,” Bakshi said, referring to Thorp as Kashmir’s George Habash, a Palestinian Christian, who led a militant struggle for several decades. Praising Thorp for fighting for the cause of oppressed people when his countrymen sold and bought humans as part of the slave trade, Bakshi said he was a living example that those who die for a cause, live on forever in the pages of
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Srinagar hosts first bear workshop
Srinagar, November 22 “The workshop is a part of the impending international conference on bear research and management slated to be held from November 26 to November 30. As many as 350 delegates are expected to participate in the said conference,” an official said. Wildlife Trust of India executive director Vivek Menon said bears were true representatives of wildlife with regard to the issues reflecting wildlife scenario of the country. —TNS
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12 injured in road accident in Uri
Baramulla, November 22 The four critically injured persons were shifted to a Srinagar hospital for treatment. Sources said most of the injured were students. The other injured were admitted to Baramulla district hospital. Eyewitnesses said the passenger vehicle was overloaded and the driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve. “The driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve. As many as 12 passengers were travelling against it seating capacity of nine passengers,” said Abdul Rashid, a local resident. A police team rescued the victims from the spot and shifted them to hospitals. Locals said the drivers were flouting traffic rules and resorted to reckless driving and overloading. “In the absence of constant monitoring by the traffic policemen, the drivers plying on the hilly stretch are openly violating the rules. The department should depute policemen for regular checks and punish the violators,” said Latif Ahmad, another resident.
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The wild animals, mostly leopards and bears, are on a killing spree in villages of north Kashmir. In a recent spate of attacks, wild animals killed a person in Rafiabad village of Baramulla district and injured another at Rajpora in Handwara tehsil last evening.
For the two families in old city, whose children were acquitted by the Delhi High Court today in 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast case, justice has been finally done.
Mirza Nissar Hussain and Mohammad Ali Bhat were acquitted by the high court, who had been given capital punishment by the trial court.
Even as Israel and Hamas have reportedly agreed on a truce after a week of violence in and around the Gaza strip, anti-Israel protests continued in the summer capital of the state today.
After a series of protests, including those by a women separatist group, lawyers and Kashmir University (KU) students, besides a candle light vigil, the youth wing of the CPIM staged a demonstration seeking New Delhi’s intervention in the
Israel-Hamas face-off.
Srinagar, November 22
