Srinagar/Anantnag, March 3
Protest demonstrations amid a sporadic shutdown broke out in many parts of south Kashmir today after the news that a 29-year-old Kashmiri research scholar was found hanging in his hostel room in a university in Hyderabad, spread.

A PhD scholar at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) Hyderabad, identified as Mudassir Ahmad Malla from Parigam village in Pulwama district in south Kashmir, had been found hanging, under mysterious circumstances, in his room at the Basheer hostel on the university premises last evening.

“He was rushed to the hospital by some of his colleagues. He was declared brought dead,” said Jaya Laxmi, Deputy Commissioner Police (DCP), East Zone, Hyderabad.

The situation in Pulwama and the adjoining Shopian and Kulgam districts worsened after conflicting reports regarding the death of Mudassir started doing rounds. A large number of police and CRPF men have been deployed to contain the situation.

The police said stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported from some areas including Naidkhai, Bandipore and Pulwama.

“I don’t believe my son is no more,” said a grieving Ghulam Qadir, Mudassir’s father, a retired teacher.

Kupwara, March 3
Property worth lakhs of rupees was destroyed in a fire at Meelyal Market of Kralpora town in Kupwara district on Sunday. Six shops and a food godown were gutted.

Fire broke out at a shop around 11 pm last night and the blaze soon engulfed the adjoining shops, said sources. The cause of the fire is being ascertained, a police officer said. Affected shopkeepers said the fire broke out due to electric short-circuit in a shop and it soon engulfed the adjoining shops.

“The shops housed in a wooden building were completely damaged in the fire,” a shopkeeper said. Fire tenders from Kralpora and Trehgam rushed to the spot and doused the flames but not before six provisional stores and food godown were reduced to ashes.

Locals from nearby houses also rushed to the spot and assisted the firemen in dousing the flames. The fire was brought under control after an hour, reports said. Shopkeepers have appealed to the district administration to compensate them for the loss caused due to the devastating fire.

“I owe a loan of around Rs 2 lakh to the bank, which I had availed in the recent past for setting up a shop. Everything has been reduced to ashes,” said affected shopkeeper Junaid Ahmad.

Another shopkeeper said, “I make a fervent appeal to DC Kupwara to come forward and provide us some financial help. We lost everything in the devastating fire.”

The fire broke out in the cowsheds of Abdul Jabbar Lone and Lateef Ahmad Lone, residents of Muqam village of Kupwara district. The cowsheds were gutted in the fire incident, a police spokesman said, adding the cause of the fire is being ascertained..

Srinagar , March 3
The first five months of 2012 created a major tumult in the healthcare sector of the Valley, with as many as 400 infant deaths having been reported at the lone paediatric hospital, GB Pant Hospital. The unprecedented number of infant deaths raised questions over the management as well as infrastructure of the hospital and thereby led to major changes in both.

“We aren't saying there are no more deaths. Deaths do occur which is more prevalent among neonates (infants less than a month old). But with betterment in the infrastructure as well as implementation of central government-sponsored schemes, things are starting to get better,” assures Deputy Medical Superintendent, GB Pant Hospital, Muhammad Salim Khan.

A one-man inquiry committee constituted to probe into infant death cases, headed by Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar Director Dr Showkat Zargar found an acute shortage of ventilators which is particularly required in neonates ward of the hospital. Hospital authorities say a total of nine more ventilators have been added which include six Continuous Airway pressure (CPAP) ventilators to the existing lot of three ventilators.

“The hospital has 12 ventilators at present. The addition of CPAP ventilators has in particular reduced the risk of infant deaths due to pulmonary (lung)/respiratory diseases. The shortage in equipment was certainly a big cause of the infant deaths,” Dr Khan said.

He added that there are still various gaps to be filled as far as equipment procuring is concerned.

“We don’t have incubators (closed warmers) yet. The open warmers which are used for bed purposes too can fit in two babies simultaneously,” he adds.

The hospital is also supplying free meals to the babies and their mothers who are admitted during the first 30 days period of their birth under a centrally sponsored scheme.

“This scheme has been implemented since May 22 this year with the funding of Rs 75 lakh and also involves dropping facilities for patients admitted in the hospital,” Dr Khan asserts.

A one-man inquiry committee constituted to probe into infant death cases headed by Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar Director Dr Showkat Zargar found an acute shortage of ventilators which is particularly required in neonates ward of the hospital

The hospital has 12 ventilators at present. The addition of CPAP ventilators has in particular reduced the risk of infant deaths due to pulmonary (lung)/respiratory diseases. The shortage in equipment was certainly a big cause of the infant deaths
— Muhammad Salim Khan, Deputy Medical Superintendent, GB Pant Hospital

Handwara, March 3
Residents of Rajpora and Zachaldara villages in Handwara tehsil of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Sunday held a protest demonstration against Power Development Department (PDD) for failing to restore power supply.

The villages have been groping in the dark for the past two months and one month respectively after transformers developed snags and were lifted by power division Handwara for repairs.

The protesters including women and children blocked Zachaldara- Handwara road and raised slogans against power division Handwara.

Residents of Rajpora said the village had been groping in the dark for the past two months as the transformer lifted by power division Handwara for necessary repairs has not been installed to date.

“The transformer lifted by PDD employees has not been installed for the past two months. We are making rounds of power division Handwara but to no avail,” said Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, a Rajpora resident.

Some residents demanded that the village be provided with 63 KV transformer instead of the existing low capacity transformer to avoid load-shedding and ensure smooth supply of power.

“In order to ensure smooth supply of power to the village, the power division must provide us 63 KV transformer and not the existing low capacity transformer,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, Youth club president, Rajpora.

The protesters threatened to intensify protests if power was not restored to the villages at the earliest. Residents of Chak Mohalla in Zachaldara village comprising at least 80 families said the lineman Mohd Sultan collected Rs 50 from each family for lifting and installation of transformer but the same has not been installed.

“The lineman assured us the transfer will be installed in just a few days, but it has been over a month since we have been groping in dark. Despite repeated pleas, the transformer has not been installed to date,” said Ishtiyaq Ahmad of Chak Mohalla.

Executive Engineer Electrical division, Handwara, Abdul Qayoom, said, “The locals of Chak Mohalla Zachaldara should make a written representation about making payment to the lineman and action under law will be taken against him. We will try to install transformers in both villages before Wednesday.”

Srinagar, March 3
Villagers of Shogapura in Budgam district are up in arms against the local administration for starting construction of a Primary Health Centre (PHC) building in a playground.

The residents said the playground was being used by students of three schools in the village and the government surprisingly did not find any other place for setting up the PHC and recently started construction work on the building.

“Hundreds of children from nearly two dozen villages are studying in the three schools in Shogapura and it is surprising that the government isn’t trying to stop damage to the playfield ,” said a local resident, Ali Mohammad. “We are not against the setting up of PHC in the village, but it should come up at some other place,” he added.

The villagers have threatened an agitation in case the government does not stop the work on the PHC.

“We know that it is the government land where the PHC is being constructed and the government has every right to construct the PHC, but one should take into consideration the fact that the children need a playground,” said Ghulam Rasool, a businessman.

“We hope the government will look into our request, otherwise we will be left with no option but to stage a protest,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Khursheed Ahmed Shah, said the villagers were unnecessary raising the issue.

“Out of 20 kanal government land available, we have acquired only 12 marla land for constructing the PHC. So I don’t understand why a few people in the village are making it an issue,” Shah said. “The playground for the school children will be there and even the PHC will benefit the local residents,” he added.

Srinagar,March 3
Adbee Markaz Kamraz (AMK), an organisation aimed to promote and protect Kashmiri language and literature, established two special support units today which would work to involve students, youth and teachers in its language movement.

In the monthly executive meeting chaired by AMK president Aziz Hanji, the AMK resolved to seek active support of teachers, students and youth to make its language movement more vibrant and inclusive.

Two support units, which were set up, will co-ordinate with the representatives of teachers and students to make them an important part of the AMK’s struggle for preservation and promotion of the Kashmiri language and literature.

Majeed Majazi, a student from AMK, was chosen as the chief coordinator for the special support unit for teachers, while Hassan Azhar and Aadil Mohi-U-Din were selected as the chief coordinators for the unit of students and youth.

The AMK has already formed an 11-member committee, comprising representatives of the civil society to take up different issues of the Kashmiri language with the state government.

The AMK pledged to revive the Kashmiri section and appoint the requisite staff for it. The meeting passed a condolence resolution on the demise of legendary scout Ahmadullah Affandi, who is father-in-law of AMK vice-president Rafiq Masoodi.

Among the members of the executive, the meeting was attended by Ateeqa Bano, Muhammad Ahsan Ahsan, Rasheed Roshan, Abdul Khaliq Shamas, Zameer Ansari, Irshad Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yousuf Sameem, Abdul Ahad Parah and Nazeer Javid. 

Srinagar, March 3
The hoteliers today urged the state government to put in more efforts so that the foreign countries lifted travel advisories to Kashmir.

“We have to persuade UK and other countries to lift advisories so that we can have good inflow of high spending tourists?. The Tourism Department needs to put in more efforts to help lift travel advisories,” said Hoteliers Club secretary general Musadiq Shah during their first interactive session with the newly appointed Chief Secretary, Iqbal Khanday.

The interaction was organised by the Hoteliers Club, led by Mushtaq Chaya, and was attended by the stakeholders of Kashmir’s tourism sector and senior government officials.

The UK has restored its travel advisory to Kashmir in the aftermath of the recent execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Stating that the tourism industry had suffered immensely during the last 23 years and it needed to be brought back on track, Shah urged Khanday to work for the promotion of the sector, which is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy.

He also urged the government to bring in synergy between various departments, especially the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Department of Tourism, Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), Traffic and Police Department and local tourism stakeholders for collective efforts to promote Kashmir as a brand.

Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance (JKTA) chairman Nasir Shah also urged the government to work towards lifting of travel advisories by European countries.

Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Association (KHARA) president Showkat Chowdhary urged Khanday to formulate short and long-term plans for the expansion of tourism sector and also identify new tourist spots in the Valley.

Former Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) president Shakeel Qalander underscored the need of encouraging young entrepreneurs to take up business ventures through proper government support.

The Chief Secretary assured the tourism sector stake holders all possible help from the government. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon, Deputy Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Baseer Khan and Deputy Development Commissioner, Anantnag, Farooq Ahmad Shah were also present on the occasion.

Hoteliers Club senior vice-chairman Riyaz Ahmad Shahdad, joint secretary general Tariq Rashid Ghani and president Pahalgam Chapter Hoteliers Club Asif Burza also attended the interactive session. 

Srinagar, March 3
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Mohammad Sagar visited Kalantra Payeen in Baramulla district today to express condolence to the bereaved family of slain Sarpanch and NC worker Javed Ahmad Wani, who was killed by unidentified gunman last week.

The minister was accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Ghulam Ahmad Khawaja, SSP, Baramulla, Anand Jain, Rural Development director Mohammad Altaf Mir and other officers concerned.

While expressing solidarity and sympathies with the bereaved family, Sagar prayed for the eternal peace to the departed soul.

The minister assured the bereaved family for every possible support and assistance from government.