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Girl crushed by train in Budgam
Kashmir valley receives rain, fresh snowfall
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Fear of cosmic rays sends cellphone users into a tizzy
Newborn was chopped: Doctor
Class X results by Dec 25, students resent over delay
100 research papers presented at Women Science Congress
Defunct streetlights irk Anantnag residents
Kashmiris get a literary unit in Delhi
Restoration of Anchar Lake sought
Tributes paid to former Chief Ministers
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Girl crushed by train in Budgam
Srinagar, December 13 The police said 21-year-old Rukhsana, daughter of Ghulam Qadir, a resident of Naidgam, died instantly after she was hit by the train near Manzgam village around 9:15 am. The train which crushed the girl was going from Qazigund to Baramulla. While the residents alleged that the girl was crushed in the accident, railway officials said the girl committed suicide. “She was hiding behind the bushes and jumped in front of the train at Manzgam and was crushed,” chief area manger, Northern Railways, Budgam, AK Sharma said after visiting the spot. The police said they were investigating whether the girl died in the accident while crossing the track or committed suicide. “Though initial investigations suggest it was a suicide, but we are looking into the case,” said a police official at Budgam. The villagers assembled
at the accident site and staged a protest against the railway officials. “It was an accident. We have been demanding a halt point or an overhead bridge in the village to enable the people to cross the track, but the railway officials have not given any ear to our demand,” said a protester. Due to the protests, the train was stopped at Mazhom railway station for almost four hours. Senior civil, police and railway
officials reached the spot and assured the protesters that they would look into their demands. The railway officials cancelled two trains from Budgam to Qazigund and their return trip. The railway traffic was restored later in the day on the the Qazigund-Baramulla railway line. One killed, 19 injured in accidents
One person who was injured in a road accident breathed his last today while 19
others were injured in different road accidents across the Valley. The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Fayaz Ahmad Gani, son of Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Saloosa, Kreeri. “The deceased was one of the injured in a road accident that took place on December 11. He breathed his last at the SKIMS. A case has been registered in this regard,” the police said. Meanwhile, 15 people were injured in another accident when a Tata-407, bearing registration number JK03/2963, on way from Damhal Hanjipora to Kulgam turned turtle near Pombie Kakran, Kulgam. “Two among the injured, Mohammad Yousuf Malik and Ghulam Rasool Parray, a resident of Bhan Kulgam, were critically injured and have been referred to Srinagar for treatment,” the police said. Another accident took place between a Tata-407 passenger vehicle, bearing registration number JK05B/1341 and a WagonR bearing registration number JK05B/1100 at
Khawaja Bagh near Degree College, Baramulla. Three people were injured in the accident and all of them were shifted to a
hospital for treatment. A case has been registered in this regard. Another person was injured in a road accident at Haridal Kupwara, when a tipper bearing registration number JK01S/9268 driven by Sanaullah Bhat son of Abdul Ahad resident of Kalarooch, Kupwara, skidded off the road. The injured driver was shifted to the Sub District Hospital, Tangdar, for treatment. |
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Kashmir valley receives rain, fresh snowfall
Srinagar, December 13 As intermittent rains were reported throughout the day, Srinagar shivered under a temperature
of 4.4 degrees Celsius, which is four degrees below normal. The minimum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at 0.8 degrees Celsius. Snowfall was also reported from high-altitude areas, including Jawahar Tunnel, the gateway to Kashmir valley, along the 294-km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, officials said. The light snowfall did not disrupt traffic on the arterial road. The
situation is being monitored along the highway on hourly basis as forecast was of moderate to heavy snowfall in the Pir Panchal Range this week, they said. Reports of snowfall were also received from Shopian in south Kashmir, Sonamarg on Srinagar-Leh National Highway and Razdan top in Bandipora district, they said. The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, which received couple of inches of snowfall over the past two days, witnessed brief spells of rains since this morning. Gulmarg remained the coldest place in the valley with a low of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius, a spokesman of the Meterological office said. However, Kargil and Leh towns of frontier Ladakh region continued to be the coldest place in the state despite a notable
improvement of several notches in the night temperature which settled at minus 9 degrees Celsius at both places. |
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Education board, Kashmir varsity urged to revisit examination schedules
Srinagar, December 13 The academic calendars have been finalised in such a way that all major examinations (secondary, higher secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate) are conducted during November-January period. Despite temperatures slipping to sub-zero levels during the day time, students are forced to prepare and sit for these examinations, which cause a lot of inconvenience to them. On the other hand, heating arrangements in most of the examination centres (government schools, degree colleges and Kashmir University campus) are inadequate which make problems worse for the students taking examinations. The examinations conducted by the State Board of School Education (BOSE) and Kashmir University are supposed to start from October onwards but get delayed till mid-November. In 1972, Bhagwan Sahay Committee, a state-level committee constituted by the then state government, had suggested that in the wake of harsh winter period in the Kashmir valley, the annual examinations across schools, colleges and universities should be held from October to mid December. These recommendations have not been adhered to by the examination conducting authorities in the Valley. Academicians in the Valley have come to the rescue of students and urged the state authorities to ensure that Bhagwan Sahay Committee (1972) recommendations are fully implemented. “It is usually the delay which is a reason for the conduct of examinations during the harsh winter period. If we adhere to the suggestions made by the said committee, there should be no inconvenience either to students or the authorities conducting examinations,” Prof GM Malik, an educationist at Kashmir University said. Prof Malik added even the results get delayed due to which students cannot appear for admissions to the colleges/universities outside the state, which start by early April. “It is a total loss for students. If the authorities stick to recommended examination schedules, most of the problems will subside,” Prof Malik said. Valley’s renowned sociologist, Prof Bashir Dabla opined that students were inevitably suffering due to these unplanned examination schedules, especially over the past two years when winters have turned harsher. Prof Dabla said in order to maintain a 6-7-month-long academic session, both the BOSE and KU authorities try to conduct all examinations during the winters. “Though it is insensitive on our part to compel students to prepare and appear for crucial examinations under harsh winter conditions, we need to change the schedules for ensuring efficacy of the examinations and avoid inconvenience to them,” Prof Dabla said. |
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Fear of cosmic rays sends cellphone users into a tizzy
Srinagar, December 13 These reports, which were being circulated largely through SMSes and the social networking sites like Facebook, said the people were urged not to keep their cellphones with them, especially when they were asleep during the night. “On Tuesday evening, I received a message from my friend that I should switch off my cellphone during the night as it may explode”, said Javed Ahmad, a local resident. The friend, Javed said, warned that the cosmic rays entering into the earth’s atmosphere from space may harm his cellphones if kept on during the night. “I then called my friend who deals in mobile phones. He too suggested me to switch off my cellphone during the night as a precautionary measure”. Various mediapersons and media houses also received frantic calls from people seeking confirmations of the reports about the cosmic rays and their effects on the cellphones. This “panic” among the people prompted authorities in Kashmir to issue a statement, terming the reports about 'cosmic rays from mars entering the earth’ as baseless and rumours. “There are reports that people around the world are receiving messages attributed to NASA and BBC that cosmic rays are entering the earth from mars and have asked the people to switch off their mobile phones at night and keep them away from themselves while sleeping”, coordinator of the Disaster Management Cell Amir Ali said. “It is clarified that neither the BBC nor NASA has released any such news related to cosmic rays,” he said, urging the people not to lend ear to such rumours. “Don’t pay heed to these rumours and help educate others. Spreading rumours and unsubstantiated warnings is unethical and against the law”, he said. |
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Newborn was chopped: Doctor
Kupwara, December 13 The statements of the accused woman, her ‘husband’and two more persons, including mother and brother of the sweeper, also exonerated the doctor, who was detained on the charges of murdering the newborn. “The sweeper, who is an expert in conducting deliveries, had struck a deal of Rs 6,000 for conducting the delivery. She had received Rs 3,000 from the accused in advance. She then took the pregnant woman to her home in Shahwali Muqam village but the woman developed some complications when she tried to conduct her delivery. The sweeper, with the help of her brother and mother, then brought the pregnant woman back to the sub-district hospital at Kupwara,” said the doctor. The sweeper misled the gynaecologist Shani Alam that the woman was wife of his accompanying brother, who is a driver. “The doctor trusted her and helped in “forcep delivery” of the woman,” he said. The doctor on duty went to see other woman in the labour room.
“On returning back, the doctor found the woman and other attendants missing. His only guilt is that he trusted the sweeper and did not ask for the OPD ticket.” The accused, who had illicit relations with the woman, told the police that he had chopped the dead baby and threw him into a nullah to destroy the evidence. “Even the accused woman who gave birth to the baby told the police that the doctor was innocent and should be set free. The accused ‘husband’ is a butcher and had thrown the baby at the same place where he used to dispose of waste after chopping the cattle,” he said. |
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campus buzz
Srinagar, December 13 Various experiment designs and chemicals stored in the laboratories are affected due to interruptions in the power supply. Since classroom work is still going on, students and teachers are having a tough time staying in the classes without electricity. “The LPG heaters are available only in the staff rooms. Majority of classrooms do not have heating facilities. There is an uninterrupted power supply, but since last week the university is witnessing a load shedding of 5-6 hours everyday. The attendance in classrooms has also suffered due to this,” a teacher said. VC conducts surprise visit
After the issuance of a notification by Registrar Prof Zaffer Ahmad Reshi, a surveillance team led by Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad had conducted surprise checks in the Departments of Biochemistry, Arts and Pharmacy. This week, the VC-led team visited the
Computer Science Department during the morning classroom hours. However, VC and his team, had to face the students wrath, who said the authorities had not taken any stringent action against the teaching
faculty, who report late to the class. Students complained that only non-teaching faculty members were bearing the brunt of not being punctual, whereas teachers had been spared from the same. The VC, while spending an hour with the students at the department, ensured them that there would be no biasness when it comes to enforcement of regulations. Single-paper system for degree colleges
After a go-ahead signal by the Kashmir University Council, chaired by Chancellor Governor NN Vohra, the various departments at the varsity are busy compiling the new pattern syllabus-based on the single paper system. After the expert-level recommendations, KU had decided to merge the eight semesters of the undergraduate classes into five semesters and also do away with the A and B papers of each subject of study. Subject experts have been called in from various universities and affiliated colleges of the Jammu and Kashmir divisions to compile the new pattern syllabus for the college
students. The new pattern syllabus would lessen the burden for the students and make the evaluation of examination easier. |
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Class X results by Dec 25, students resent over delay
Srinagar, December 13 The examinations were held from October 8 to October 21, in which as many as 51, 569 candidates from the Valley appeared. The examinations were conducted across 529 examination centres all over the Valley. The state board authorities claimed that the results would be announced on a fast-track basis this year, however the ground reality seemed to be far from true. Students awaiting the examination results said their academic sessions were badly affected due
to uncertainty in the timings of declaration of results, which always got delayed. “Where are results now? These are all false assurances aimed to fool students. The BoSE, in order to evade criticism, generated all this hype,” Imtiyaz Khan, a parent said. Renu Goswami, secretary, BoSE, when contacted told The Tribune the Board had not promised of declaring the results soon. “We declare the results within 45 days after the conduct of examinations. The results will be declared by December 25,” she said. |
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4,000 take part in Scouts and Guides rally
Srinagar, December 13 Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports RS Chib, J&K Scouts and Guides chief commissioner Farooq Renzushah, School Education secretary Farooq Ahmad Faktoo, Education joint secretary Fida Hussain, Information joint director Bashir Ahmad Khan,
officers of the sports council, heads of various educational institutes and large number of sports lovers were present on
the occasion. Chib said the basic aim of the scouts and guides was to contribute for the preservation of the natural environment and ecology, besides achieving moral character and discipline. He appreciated the efforts being put in by the organisers and hard work for making such mega event which plays the pivotal role in shaping and guiding for achieving their goal. He said it was with the help of the J&K Scouts and Guides that use of polythene was brought at zero which shall be remembered. The minister also applauded the role of teachers and parents of the scouts, who inspired and encouraged them
for such extra-curricular activities. Farooq Renzushah, in his welcome address, said the scouts would render volunteer services for the community, especially for needy and helpless people. He said scouts considered the rendering of services to people as a triumph of the scouts’ movement. On the occasion, a march past and marshal art was presented by the scouts. A film on performance of the J&K Scouts and Guides was also presented on
the occasion. Later, the minister distributed awards and certificates to the scouts, who participated in the rally. |
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100 research papers presented at Women Science Congress
Srinagar, December 13 The event ‘Women in Science- An Initiative for Women Scientist’ was organised by the Department of Environment, Water Management and the Department of Biotechnology in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir State Council for Science and Technology, and the Department of Science and Technology. First of its kind congress organised in the Valley, the event aimed to recognise the work of women scientists from the state, who fought successfully under pressure. Minister for Information Technology Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who chaired the inaugural session of the Congress on Tuesday, hoped that women scientists would continue to provide their vital contribution towards the scientific development of the state. He said the ‘Women Science Congress’ broke the stereotype of male domination in the field of science and hoped that such endeavours would continue in the future as well. He viewed that women have to come forth to prove their success in the field of sciences. Mehdi said women in Kashmir need to be encouraged from school-level to pursue their career in sciences. Various incentives, fellowships, awards and other programmes which motivate women to enter the field of sciences must be introduced, Mehdi said. |
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Defunct streetlights irk Anantnag residents
Anantnag, December 13 Shopkeepers say they have to shut down their establishments as soon as it gets dark because of the defunct lights. “I have recently opened a grocery shop in my own locality. I cannot continue sitting at the shop after the darkness descends hitting my business
badly,” said Muhammad Idrees, a shopkeeper in Bakhshiabad neighbourhood of the town. “The lights along the industrial area, just ahead of the Bakhshiabad neighbourhood, remain defunct most of the times. They glow only once in a while,” said Gul Muhammad, a local resident. Locals say they cannot even venture out of their houses after evening. “The condition of roads is also bad and to walk on such roads in complete
darkness is very difficult,” they said. “There are thousands of dogs which roam around the town. In the absence of streetlights, they get more ferocious in the dark and pose a threat to people’s lives,” said Muhammad Amin, a resident of the Qazibag area. The municipal authorities maintain that they are working on the shortcomings and soon the streetlights will start functioning in each area. “As many as 70 more streetlights have been sanctioned for the town from the MLA fund and they will be installed soon,” said Bashir Ahmad Nanda, executive officer, Anantnag Municipal Council. |
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Kashmiris get a literary unit in Delhi
Srinagar, December 13 Kashmir University former Vice-Chancellor Prof Riyaz Punjabi was nominated as the head of the Unit, senior journalist Iftikhar Gilani as the coordinator with Pandit
Bhajan Sopori, Prof ON Koul, Fayaz Dilbar, Renu Mohan Bhan and MK Raina as the members. “After the threadbare discussions, it was decided that, besides providing a platform to the Kashmiri litterateurs, it would be an important supporting base unit of the AMK to rejuvenate efforts for the protection of the Kashmiri language and culture in the NCR. Moreover, the unit would take up the demand of establishing a Kashmiri academy in Delhi with the Government of India,” the AMK spokesman said. There were approximately 3,00,000 Kashmiri speaking people in the NCR, who had a right to get the Kashmiri Academy, the meeting observed. The spokesman said that it was decided that the Delhi unit of the AMK would also focus on the important policy interventions for the protection, promotion and preservation of Kashmiri language and culture. The meeting was presided by AMK president Dr Aziz Hajni and attended by AMK vice-president Dr Rafiq
Masoodi, general secretary Dr Shujaat Bukhari, advisory board members Rukhsana Jabeen and Ghulam Nabi
Aatish. |
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Women detained for holding protest
Srinagar, December 13 The protesters, led by chairperson of the Mass Movement Farida, appeared on the Residency Road and started the protest march. “Our leaders are being sentenced to life imprisonments and the Government of India is using the judiciary as a weapon against us,” said a protester. We demand the release of all the prisoners.” The police said six activists were later detained after they refused to disperse. “We swung in action and also detained the chairperson,” he said, adding that all of them were later released. |
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Restoration of Anchar Lake sought
Srinagar, December 13 Mustafa Kamal was told that Rs 8 crore had been kept for eight segments of the Srinagar city for drainage and every MLA would get an equal share to spend it in their respective constituencies. He was assured that development of Srinagar was the commitment of the state government and all the works would be taken up on priority. Kamal, while thanking the Deputy Chief Minister, requested him to take up the famous Anchar lake for restoration on the same analogy as the Dal and Wullar lakes. |
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Tributes paid to former Chief Ministers
Srinagar, December 13 The commemoratory meeting was held yesterday under the chairmanship of Mohammed Muzaffar Parray, senior vice-president, the J&K Pradesh Congress Committee. The senior Congress leaders, who attended the meeting, included deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, senior ministers Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed and RS Chib. Mohammed Muzaffar Parray said these leaders had created history in reconstruction of the Congress party and led Jammu and Kashmir towards progress and prosperity. He appreciated the political wisdom of Gulam Mohammed Sadiq by propounding the theory of liberalisation in politics. |
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