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4 boys injured in blast
Govt set to enhance retirement age of medical faculty
Govt urged to implement scholarship scheme |
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North Kashmir residents live under constant fear of wild animals
Heavy snowfall expected
Unions seek support for strike
Bar Association supports JKLF’s shutdown call for Feb 11
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4 boys injured in blast
Srinagar, February 3 “A mysterious low intensity explosion occurred in a bonfire that was started by the boys in the fields while playing. Four boys received injuries in the explosion and they were shifted to a hospital,” a police spokesman said. Among the injured two boys Momin Ahmad Rather, son of Ghulam Qadir, and Amjad Ahmad Khan, son of Ghulam Noorani, were shifted to the Bone and Joints Hospital, Srinagar, for treatment where their conditions were reported to be stable. As the news about the mysterious blast spread, senior civil and police officials rushed to the spot to ascertain the cause of the explosion. “We are investigating the cause,” said a police officer in Bandipore. “However, it is not clear whether it was an abandoned shell left by the Army which was picked up by the children or it was any explosive object left by militants.” On December 12, 2012, a girl died while two of her siblings were injured in a mysterious blast in Lolab area of Kupwara district. After many mysterious blasts, the state government in 2011 had asked the police, Army and other paramilitary forces to draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to avoid loss of human lives in such mysterious blasts. |
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Govt set to enhance retirement age of medical faculty
Srinagar, February 3 “I hope the agenda for enhancing the age of medical faculty members from 58 to 60 years will be cleared in the next Cabinet meeting,” Minister for Medical Education Taj Mohideen told The Tribune. “The step will help to overcome the shortage of teaching faculty in the state,” he added. Sources in the government said they were facing a shortage of medical faculty members which include lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors and professors in the medical colleges and its allied hospitals in the state. “Eight senior doctors are retiring in a few months, so there is an urgent need to enhance the retirement age,” said a government official. “Initially, the plan was to increase the retirement age to 65 years but fearing that other government employees will too pitch for the enhancement of retirement age, we proposed only two years enhancement,” he added. Sources said the number of medical faculty members was almost half of the actual requirement in medical colleges and its allied hospitals in
the state. While the state is all set to increase the retirement age of faculty members, the faculty of Valley’s only tertiary care hospital, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), retires at 65. SKIMS is a postgraduate institute for training, research and patient care. In other institutes of the country like the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, the retirement age of teaching specialists is
65 years. |
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Govt urged to implement scholarship scheme
Srinagar, February 3 “The scheme was launched in 2011 for students aspiring to take admissions in undergraduate technical and general degree courses outside the state, but the Ministry of Human Resources Development has not yet confirmed the scholarships in favour of the candidates,” CYD chairman Imtiyaz Chashti said. “We wish to send a message to the people at the helm of affairs about the sad plight of our students who are suffering due to the delay in confirmation of their scholarships. We request all like-minded organisations and associations to come forward and join the cause in the interests of students. The increasing uncertainty among the students has far reaching ramifications on their psychological state,” he added. Stating that more than 5,000 students had sought admissions in different colleges of the country under the scheme, Chisti said: “The government at that time had ensured that every scholar would get up to Rs 30,000 per annum for tuition fees for general degree courses, up to Rs 1.25 lakh per annum for engineering course and up to Rs 3 lakh per annum for medical studies.” |
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North Kashmir residents live under constant fear of wild animals
Handwara, February 3 In many villages of Kupwara, the growing fear of wild animals, which are on an attacking spree, has forced people to stay indoors. Locals said the wild animals were posing serious threat to their lives and livestock. A senior wildlife official said as many as 270 livestock, most of them sheep and cows had been killed by wild animals in Kupwara district last year. The animals killed three persons and injured 16 others, four of them critically in beastly attacks during the preceding year. The villages where the movement of wild animals is more prevalent include Ramhal, Shahlal, Sudal, Devaspora and Magam Kulangam, Kultoora, Pohru Chakla, Hanjishot Rajwar, Vodipora Deetipora and Kahipora in Handwara Tehsil. Locals said the animals were roaming like stray dogs in their villages and their lives were in danger. “The animals, mostly bear and leopards, move in groups posing serious dangers to humans. They attack and kill sheep and cattle almost every day. We are forced to stay indoors due to growing scare of animals,” said Mushtaq Ahmad Ganie of Bakikar. For the past four months, there has been no let up
in beastly attacks by the animals. In a major onslaught, bear killed 37 sheep of Zahoor Ahmad Bhat of Vodipora in October
last year. The wildlife officials laid traps in four villages, including Bakikara, Madain Chogal, Badarkali and Shanu. The shortage of manpower and equipment is posing serious challenge to the wildlife officials to deal with increasing movement of wild animals in north Kashmir. Forest guard Habibullah Khan said, “Instead of 15 cages needed to trap animals in most of the affected villages, the department has only four cages. There are only seven employees in Kupwara district and four are posted in Handwara and three in
Kupwara. We need at least eight more employees in the district and additional equipment like cages and tranquilisers.” Reports said inhabitants of many villages in Kupwara, including Chowkibal, Zangli, Devar, Krusan and Doolipora, were also reeling in the grip of wild animals. Residents of many villages of Baramulla district, including Rafiabad, Watergam, Dangiwacaha and Sheeri, have demanded that cages be set up in their villages to trap the animals. |
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Heavy snowfall expected
Srinagar, February 3 Rainfall started in Srinagar city on Sunday evening and precipitation could continue for the next four days. The state Meteorological Department said light to moderate rainfall and snow would occur at most places over the state in the next 24 hours. The department said there might be moderate to heavy rain and snowfall at isolated places in the state. The weather department further said there would At Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir, locals
said snowfall started on Sunday evening and it was continuing. The weather department had last week issued an advisory warning of a severe Western Disturbance system approaching the state which would affect the climate for four days beginning tonight. The system would affect Jammu and Kashmir and its adjoining areas from Sunday night till the morning of January 7 (Thursday). “Main activity” will occur on Tuesday and Wednesday, the weather department said in the advisory. Due to the weather system, moderate to heavy snowfall would occur over the hills and rain would occur in plains at widespread places of Jammu and Kashmir regions and at a few places over Ladakh region, the department had said. It warned that due to “moisture incursion” from Arabian Sea, some places along Pirpanjal range and plains of Jammu were “likely” to receive heavy to very heavy snowfall and rainfall during these days. The day temperature during this period may fall by six to seven degrees Celsius than the average and night temperature may rise by two to three notches. The fresh Western Disturbance is “likely” to disrupt surface and air transportation for two days on Tuesday and Wednesday. |
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Unions seek support for strike
Srinagar, February 3 “We appeal to the people belonging to all sections to extend support to the two-day nationwide general strike in protest against the anti-people policies of the central government,” CPIM state secretary Mohammad Yousuf
Tarigami, who is also the president of the J&K State Committee of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said while addressing a press conference here. He said a convention of all trade unions of the state would be held in Jammu on February 7 to chalk out a plan of how to make the two-day strike a success. “We appeal to all central, state employees,
contractuals, daily wagers, causal labourers, Anganwari workers, helpers, Asha workers, trade union organisations and retailers to extend their support to the strike,” he added. Stating that the central government’s “anti-people economic policies” had resulted in large scale retrenchment of workers and price rise, thereby affecting the common people, he said the trader unions had called for the strike demanding social security for those working in the unorganised sector, including agricultural workers and employment for the unemployed youths. “The Pension Fund Development and Regulatory Authority bill has already been introduced in Parliament to legitimate such retrograde and anti-workers exercise. In this case, the workers would be made to pay for their pension fund and the fund will be used in the stock market through various fund managers. Experience worldwide has already proved that stock market can never ensure an assured pension for the workers.” Tarigami added. Meanwhile, he also sought amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act. |
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Sunday market gives swanky malls run for money
Srinagar, February 3 Come Sunday, Lal Chowk, the commercial hub of the city, gives a look of a “shopping carnival” as a kilometre long stretch from the Tourist Reception Center to Amira Kadal in Lal Chowk is lined up with makeshift carts and stalls which sell everything from kitchen utilities to fake Gucci and Armani sunglasses. Over the years, the administration and the police have opposed the market for creating nuisance like traffic jams, thefts etc, but even that has not been able to drive this popular makeshift market out of the city. “Policemen come here every Sunday and warn us of dire consequences if we don’t pay them their weekly payment. This way, they are happy and even we are happy,” said 18-year-old Gowhar, who shows off his imported collection of leather jackets priced at 1/4th of what one gets at any branded showroom in the city. “Today, the monthly turnover of this market is over Rs 8 crore and the market is a source of income for at least 4,000 people,” said Abdul Rafiq, a member of the Sunday Market Delegation and owns various makeshift carts which sell quilts, Iranian carpets and washroom accessories. “We are basically a multi-utility market - one stop shop. Why should we be regulated? We are in fact making it convenient for people to shop from one place and that at very affordable rates,” said Abdul Rafiq. Most of the items are imported from Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Korea and the
USA. Initially, the market was about selling some fake branded apparels and original worn out wears. But, popularly known as “BD” (Bangladesh Bazaar), it is no more specific to clothes and products ranging from kitchenware, carpets, bedding and footwear are also exhibited in an eye-catching fashion. Nayeem Ahmad, a carpet stall owner, said, “I have been associated with this trade for the past nine years. I made a shift from selling clothes to carpets since carpets sell like hot cakes here. I sell Iranian carpets which resemble Kashmiri carpets and
are comparatively a lot cheaper.” For buyers, especially the families, the Sunday outing is usually teamed up with shopping from the market. “I usually take a stroll in the market, pick up what I like. Sometimes, the quality is really good at low price. But, the
Sunday market is definitely a big no for those who are brand conscious and prefer name over comfort,” says Arifa Jabeen, a housewife. |
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Mufti condemns govt’s action against Hurriyat leader Nayeem Khan
Srinagar, February 3 Party president Mehbooba Mufti, while addressing a workers’ meet in Home Shalibug in south Kashmir today said, “Booking Nayeem Khan was the latest instance of the ruling party’s double speak”. The J&K government, lead by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had accorded sanction to prosecute Khan under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in a two-year old case. Khan, who heads the National Front, a constituent of APHC lead by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was booked by the police in 2011, in a case- FIR 72/2011, registered under Sections 147 of RPC and 13 of the UA (P) Act, for raising “provocative slogans” along with his associate Abdul Hamid Bhat, who has also been booked. “Mufti said booking Khan for having raised slogans two years back by a government whose leaders have been calling for plebiscite repeatedly is a cruel irony”, a party spokesman said. “Mufti said while Sheikh Nazir and Dr Mustafa Kamal have repeatedly called for plebiscite, the government on the other hand has been punishing everyone else on charges of saying the same thing”, the spokesman said. ”Whether it is teenagers killed on the street, primary class boys slapped with PSA or thousands of young people facing criminal cases, NC government deals with everybody like they did with Khan. However, it keeps its own in-house separatists (Kamal and Zazir) secure, for misleading people during elections while enjoying luxuries of power", Mufti was quoted as having said in her address. The spokesman added that the PDP president said it might be the style of Abdullah to create a congenial atmosphere for talks but it had left no one in doubt about the actual designs of NC, which never wanted talks or resolution, as it thrived on conflict. |
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Bar Association supports JKLF’s shutdown call for Feb 11
Srinagar, February 3 The JKLF has called for a “complete” shutdown on February 11 in view of the death anniversary of JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged on February 11, 1984, in New
Delhi’s Tihar Jail on charge of murder. “The Bar has decided to suspend work in courts, including the high
court on February 11 to show solidarity with the family members of those who have laid down their lives in the freedom struggle, prominent amongst them being Mohammad Maqbool Bhat,” Bar general secretary Mohammad Ashraf Bhat said in a statement here. “These people laid down their lives for self-determination which has so
for been denied to the people despite there being a UN resolution in this regard,” he said. The JKLF headed by Yasin Malik has already announced a 10-day long protest programme to be observed across the Valley to mark the death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat. On February 1, a faction of separatist group led
by Javed Mir held a signature campaign in the city to demand the return of
the remains of Bhat from Tihar Jail, where he was buried after his execution in a murder case. For the last two decades, on every February 11, Valley shuts down on the
call of separatist groups to demand the return of Bhat’s body to Kashmir. |
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