The Kashmir valley is gearing up for a harsh winter that is set to begin this month, little over a fortnight later when 'chillai kalan' - a 40-day long harshest phase of the winter - begins.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature in frontier Kupwara town in north Kashmir was recorded at minus 2.8 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature in the south Kashmir’s Qazigund town was recorded at minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

Handwara, December 2
Residents of Rajwar and its adjoining villages in Handwara of north Kashmir are living under a constant scare of wild animals. Locals said due to the scare of wild animals, they have to accompany their children when they go to schools and return home.

They said the animals had devoured dozens of cattle during the past two weeks and were on prowl in the villages.

“The increased movement of animals is posing a threat to human lives and livestock. We spot leopards and bears in the village almost every evening,” said Rafiq Ahmad of Rajwar. The most affected villages include Sirajpora, Kampora, Kukroosa, Lilum, Ramhal, Kohipora, Zachaldara, Trumboora, Deedipora and Vodipora. Villagers arrange major fires in the evening to scare away the roaring animals.

Today, the wild animals devoured four cows - two each of Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh and Ghulam Rasool Sheikh - both residents of Krumpora. “The cows were the only source of livelihood available to me as I used to sell their milk to few families in the neighbourhood. A bear today broke the cow shed made of half-baked bricks and killed two cows,” said Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh of Krumpora.

Locals have appealed to the wildlife authorities to take necessary steps to deal with the increasing scare of wild animals. “The animals have devoured dozens of cattle in Rajwar and adjoining villages. We fear to move freely even during the day time. We appeal to the department to take necessary measures to curb the increasing movement of animals,” said Ghulam Hassan, a trader.

Habibullah, a resident of Zachaldara village, said, “We have to accompany children to and fro schools as they are more prone to attacks by the wild animals roaming freely in the villages.” Reports from many other villages in Baramulla and Kupwara district said the wild animals were posing a threat to human lives and livestock. The killing of a person by a leopard in Potoosa, Rafiabad, in the third week of November had triggered protests against the wildlife authorities.

People living in villages close to forests are more prone to attacks by the wild animals. Block Forest Officer Habibullah Malik said the snowfall in upper reaches had forced the animals to come down to villages in search of food.

“We have set up cages in some villages to trap animals on the prowl. We are unable to reach every affected village due to dearth of staff but are sparing no efforts to track the movement of animals. People should take extra care in venturing out of their homes in the evening hours," he said. 

The increased movement of animals is posing a threat to human lives and livestock. We spot leopards and bears in the village almost every evening
— Rafiq Ahmad, rajwar resident

The animals have devoured dozens of cattle in Rajwar and adjoining villages. We fear to move freely even during the day time. We appeal to the Wildlife Department to take necessary measures to curb the increased movement of animals
— Ghulam Hassan, trader

Handwara, December 2
The Langate Forest Division has seized 160 kg mini-forest produce (medicinal herb) in the past two weeks and arrested four persons. In its drive against smugglers, the forest officials have also recovered three vehicles used for transporting the banned herb.

The market value of this rarest herb is estimated at more than Rs 2 crore in the international market. It is sold at Rs 80,000 per kg in markets outside the state and in international market, it fetches nearly the double. The herb, also called as ‘chattri’, is locally known as patrisa and is rarely found in the dense forests of north Kashmir, especially in the forest range of Langate and Rafiabad.

The Range Officer of Rafiabad Forest Range, Altaf Hussain, said a team of forest officials raided different places in Langate and Rafiabad forest ranges and recovered the herb.

“A gang of smugglers involved in the trade of banned and rare herb was nabbed during the raids at three different places. We also seized three vehicles used for its transportation. The smugglers transport the herb to other states where it is sold at a good price,” said Altaf Hussain.

The state government is losing crores of rupees to smuggling of medicinal herbs in the forests of Kashmir. A team of officials led by Watergam Block Forest Officer Mohd Ayoob Dar raided Potoosa village in Rafiabad and recovered a consignment of herb weighing around 50 kg.

“They arrested two notorious smugglers and seized a vehicle bearing registration no JK01D 1750,” the Range Officer said. The arrested persons have been identified as Naseer Ahmad Khan, Abdul Rehman Khan, Mohd Latif Khan, Abdul Majid Sheikh - all residents of Palpora in Rafiabad tehsil of Baramulla district.

In another raid, the officials led by a range officer raided Hadipora village in the Langate forest division and seized a Tata Sumo (JKO5B-0498) with around 50 kg of patrisa. A case under FIR No 66/2012 u/s 6 of the Forest Act was registered at Dangiwacha police station in Baramulla.

Reports said smugglers of minor forest produce were active in forests of Bungus, Mawar, Nowgam Rafiabad, Machil, K-K Gali, Jummagund and upper reaches of Haihama in Kupwara. They said the smugglers were also active in other high altitude areas and grazing pastures.

The range officer said the smugglers had also engaged village women and nomads in the illegal practice, which makes it difficult for the department to take action against them.

Srinagar, December 2
The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), currently holding protests in various districts in support of their demands, will hold its next protest on Tuesday in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.

The JCC is an amalgam of various employee bodies in Jammu and Kashmir.

JCC press secretary Pir Nisar Ahmad said their protest would continue as “the government continued to cold shoulder” their demands.

“We have been holding regular protests but the government continues to cold shoulder our demands. Yesterday, we demonstrated in Bandipore and our next protest will be held in Anantnag,” he said.

The JCC has been submitting memorandums at the offices of respective deputy commissioners across many districts.

It had earlier called for a statewide strike at the government offices on December 14 and 15.

“We are also planning to geharo Raj Bhavan in Jammu on December 15,” Nisar said.

He said their protests in districts were being led by JCC leaders Khurshid Alam and Farooq Trali among others and the next course of action would be decided during the meeting of the amalgam in Jammu on December 15.

After a series of protests and strikes by the employees earlier this year, the government had agreed with the JCC assuring the employees that a decision on their demands would be announced by September 30. However, the JCC then resumed protests saying the government had betrayed them.

The employees’ demands include release of arrears recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments.

Other JCC demands are inclusion of five years of contractual service of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book and regularisation of education volunteers after seven years of service.

JCC demands are inclusion of five years of contractual service of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book and regularisation of education volunteers after seven years of service.

Srinagar, December 2
While the Power Development Department continues to conduct raids in various localities to check the power thefts, consumers across the Valley complain of erratic power supply even in the metered areas.

Residents of Chanpora, Nowgam, and Gulshan Nagar in Srinagar city allege they are facing frequent power cuts since the past one month and the PDD officials were silent over the deteriorating power supply in these localities.

"Our entire area is metered and whenever a mild wind blows, power supply to the locality is disconnected from the Chanpora feeder number 3," said Showkat Ahmed, a resident of Nowgam.

"We have complained many a times, but no one addresses our grievances," he added.

Apart from these localities, there are many other areas in Srinagar which face erratic power supply. "The promise behind installing meters was to provide regular power supply. But now load shedding is a norm even in these areas," said another city resident Abdul Naseem.

Unscheduled power cuts and erratic power supply is putting residents of the Valley through a lot of inconvenience.

The PDD officials claim they are working hard to provide electricity to consumers.

"There is a problem with the Chanpora feeder number 3 and we are trying to rectify it. In other parts, we are trying to provide electricity as per the schedule," said an official of the PDD. 

Srinagar, December 2
Srinagar is set to host ‘Tour De International Motor Cycling’ race as the authorities have put in place all necessary arrangements for the event on Tuesday in which 120 cyclists from different countries are expected to take part.

The government also intends to host cultural activities on the occasion as the race is also being touted as an event to attract more tourists to the Valley, especially the foreigners.

An official said the day-long event will be telecast live on Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar and other 20 national and international channels. Besides, the programme will be broadcast by Radio Kashmir, Srinagar.

Minister for Medical Education, Technical Education and Sports RS Chib said, “Around 120 cyclists will participate in the race covering 160 km in seven rounds to and fro from the Royal Spring Golf Club to Kashmir University. Besides, 250 delegates drawn from various countries are participating in the event.”

The minister had also convened a review meeting recently where he asked the authorities concerned to coordinate with each other to make the event successful on an international level which would also help the state to ‘become famous’.

An official said seven ambulances and a medical team would be available at the venue to meet any exigency. He the State Road Transport Corporation would arrange special transport facilities during the event as regular vehicular traffic would be diverted from the areas where the cycling race is taking place. 

Around 120 cyclists will participate in the race covering 160 km in seven rounds to and fro from the Royal Spring Golf Club to Kashmir University. Besides, 250 delegates drawn from various countries are participating in the event
— RS Chib, Minister for Medical Education, Technical Education and Sports 

Srinagar, December 2
A 65-year-old man died in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district when he was hit by a poplar tree, the police said.

Abdul Kabir Mir, a resident of Wanihama village Anantnag district, was hit by a falling poplar tree at a village in the district, a police spokesman told reporters here.

Abdul Kabir Mir died on the spot, reports said. The police has initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the spokesman said. 

Srinagar, December 2
District Development Commissioner, Kupwara, Sarmad Hafeez today inaugurated 24th Farm Machinery Mela at Batargam Trehgam. The mela was organised by Agriculture Department Kashmir.

On the occasion, the DDC said the use of modern technology, farm machinery and agriculture inputs could take the state towards self-sufficiency in the agriculture sector.

He stressed on the need to plan cropping system which has economic and ecological sustainable remunerations. He said it was productive as well.

“There is a dire need for adopting mushroom cultivation, vegetable cultivation, flower cultivation and beekeeping so that the unemployed are involved to boost production in agriculture and allied sectors,” he said.

Hafeez appreciated the role of the Agriculture Department for transferring latest technology to the farmers at their doorsteps through awareness camps in the mela.

He advised the farmers to coordinate with the Agriculture Department for successfully implementing various agriculture schemes launched by the department to make the state self-sufficient in various crops.

Chief Agriculture Officer Kupwara Mushtaq Ahmad Parray said the main objective of organising such melas was to aware farmers about modern technology, machinery, equipments and other tools and also help them avail technical knowhow of latest technology. He further said the farmers should not keep their agricultural land idle and should therefore harness its potential to maximum. 

Srinagar, December 2
Several separatist and religious groups today held a meeting in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and called for sectarian unity in the region. The clashes between two groups last week had led to heightened tension and curfew in variou parts of Srinagar city.

The meeting, which was attended by leaders and representatives of various separatist and religious groups, was called by chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Mirwaiz is also a leading preacher and heads an amalgam of religious preachers under the banner of Muthaida Majlis-e-Ulema (Joint Council of Ulema).

The meeting was held at the headquarters of Anjuman Sharie Shia in Budgam district where members of Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadees, Anjuman Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, Anjuman Himayat-e-Islam, Shia Association, National Front and other separatist and religious leaders participated.

The threat of widening of clashes between the two groups last week, which forced the government to impose curfew in nine of the 26 police stations in Srinagar city, became the precursor for today’s meeting.

At the meeting, speakers called for unity among different sects in the regions and said there was “no scope for sectarian divide and conflict”. The meeting also appealed to the people to maintain unity and upset the designs of “miscreants”. 

Srinagar, December 2
The Annual Welfare Exhibition of the Central Reserve Police Force Wives Welfare Association (CWWA) concluded in Delhi on Sunday.

The exhibition was inaugurated on November 30 by Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

“CWWA is a joint effort by the wives of CRPF personnel which works as an organisation committed to serve the families of its personnel. It also lends a helping hand to the families in need such as those of the martyrs,” CRPF spokesman Sudhir Kumar said in Srinagar. He said that during the three-day exhibition, 49 stalls from group centres across the country, RAF and others, representing the CRPF, had been set up.

“The stalls showcased the distinctive features of states including bamboo crafts in stalls of group centres of the Northeast. As a whole, the exhibition presented a picture of unified India,” he said. Articles made by families of CRPF men were displayed and sold in the exhibition, he added. The CWWA was established in 1995 and it runs various programmes for the welfare of jawans.