Srinagar, March 25
Intermittent rain continued in the region overnight while sun shined brightly during the day ending the latest spell of precipitation in Kashmir valley.

Srinagar city received nearly 2mm rainfall overnight as rain also lashed other parts of the region, including south and north Kashmir.

During the day, no rainfall was recorded in the city and sun shined brightly, ending the latest spell of snow and rainfall which had began on Saturday.

Light snowfall was witnessed on Zabarwan mountain range, eastern edge of the city and at north Kashmir’s Gulmarg resort, while intermittent rain lashed the entire region for nearly two days as fresh western disturbances effect the weather.

The state Meteorological Department said, “Weather is likely to remain dry for next 24 hours and snowfall and rain are expected at isolated places in the region on Thursday and Friday.”

The maximum temperature in Srinagar city, which had dropped three degrees below the normal to 11.9 degrees Celsius on Sunday, rose by several degrees on Monday to settle at 16.0 degrees Celsius. The meteorological department said the maximum temperature was likely to increase further around 19 degrees Celsius mark on Tuesday.

The overnight temperature in the city fell to a low of 5.2 degrees Celsius, according to the weather department.

Srinagar, March 25
Incessant rain during the last three days has left several city roads and residential colonies waterlogged, causing inconvenience to pedestrians and commuters.

Even as sunshine from the afternoon today dried up roads in most of the areas in and around the city’s Lal Chowk, roads and residential colonies in the Civil Line areas of the city are still flooded.

“An area close to Sanatnagar crossing resembles a lake and it is posing lots of problems to the pedestrians and motorists. Waterlogging has also damaged roads,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a local resident.

He said waterlogging was also a problem in the nearby colonies, including those at Hyderpora and Peer Bagh. “Whenever rain falls, we are subjected to this problem and action, if any, is taken only after inclement weather and no preemptive measures are taken by the authorities,” he added.

Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) spokesperson said the authorities had taken notice of the matter and necessary steps would be taken. The spokesperson said the corporation too had received complaints and SMC commissioner G N Qasba had visited various areas, including Hyderpora and Peer Bagh, from where complaints had been received after fresh rainfall.

“It was found that dewatering pump station was already operational but its capacity needed to be upgraded for which the department has already installed an additional dewatering pump set with adequate capacity to cater to the demands of the area. The Commissioner directed the officers concerned that the matter should be taken up with the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, and other departments concerned,” the spokesperson added.

Srinagar, March 25
Six persons, including an elderly man and a woman, were injured in different road accidents across the Valley, the police said here today.

Mumtaza Indrabi (60) was injured on the city outskirts when she was hit by a truck near Sanat Nagar, a police spokesman said. Indrabi, a resident of Wanabal, was shifted to a hospital for treatment.

In south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Mohammad Khalil Hajam (60) was injured when he was hit by a car at Mattan town, the spokesman said.

In south Kashmir’s Qazigund town, a 46-year-old woman identified as Saleema Bano was injured when she was hit by a load-carrier near Upper Bazar in the town. The injured woman was shifted to a Srinagar hospital.

Two cars collided with each other near Panzinara resulting in injuries to two people in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

In another accident, a car collided with a passenger cab resulting in injuries to the car driver in Baramulla district, the spokesman said. 

Srinagar, March 25
All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) has threatened to take out “Kafan March” from Lal Chowk to Kanyakumari if the government failed to honour its commitment over introducing a bill for protection of temples and shrines in the state Assembly.

“We will take out “Kafan March” wearing shrouds from Lal Chowk, Srinagar, to Kanyakumari in case the government does not honour the agreement made with us,” said APMCC chairman Vinod Pandit.

While the APMCC also held a month-long hunger strike at Porbandar in Gujarat and it was called off after assurance from the state government, Pandit said they held a meeting today to review the progress made on the assurance of the government over its six-point charter of demands.

Regretting that the government had not yet taken any step towards introduction of Temples and Shrines Bill in the current session of the Assembly, he said: “Despite the assurance of Minister for Relief, Revenue and Rehabilitation Aijaz Ahmed Khan during his interaction with the APMCC on February 28 that he would personally talk to the Chief Minister as well as the Speaker to pave way for introduction of the Bill in the Assembly, no step seems to have been taken as yet.” Pandit said he had ended the indefinite fast at Porbandar only after assurance from the Minister that their demands would be looked into.

Other APMCC demands include dialogue with Pakistan for facilitating visit to Shardha Peeth Temple in PoK, establishment of Shardha Peeth University in the state, probe into temple /shrines land encroachments, one-time compensation for over-aged migrant Kashmiri Hindu youth and special employment package for non-migrant Hindus of the Valley. APMCC national spokesperson King C Bharati said the final dates of the yatra would be announced after two months. He said the APMCC had spoken to 40 organisations across the country who would support the agitation.

Srinagar, March 25
The Valley’s cultural scene kick-started today with a three-day poetry festival, being organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The festival was inaugurated by Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.

The inaugural session was presided over by celebrated Kashmiri writer and Gyan Peeth awardee, Rahman Rahi. He presented a mesmerising mix of Dogri, Punjabi and Kashmiri folklore songs and some classical poetry by renowned artistes from the state.

Farooq Abdullah suggested the formulation of a fund welfare committee comprising eminent Kashmiri poets and writers, which would take care of monetary needs of the local artistes. He also donated Rs 5 lakh to the committee.

“I am moved by the deplorable plight of some of our veteran artistes who are ageing and don’t even have means to purchase medicines now. We have clearly not respected them enough. I suggest without looking up to the government for coming to the rescue of our eminent artiste, we should step in for help,” Farooq said to a gathering of television, film actors, radio broadcasters, writers and poets here.

Earlier, Deputy Director, Radio Kashmir, Basheer Arif, took a dig at the state government’s flawed policies. He said till date no concrete policy had been made which could provide financial security to the artistes of the state.

“One of the major contributors to Kashmiri music, Naseem Akhtar, died because of abject poverty. We are really not helping our artistes lead a respectable life even if they gave us so much in the arts fields. I wonder why the governments have not nominated our artistes for national awards like Padma Shree and Padma Bhushan,” Arif said.

Earlier, popular singers like Waheed Jeelani, Abdul Rashid Hafiz and Shazia Bashir presented solo and group performances which were entertaining and kept the audiences including the chief guest, Farooq Abdullah asking for more.

Among various poets who were felicitated by the chief guest on the occasion included Rahman Rahi, Amin Kamil, Ghulam Nabi Nazki, Ghulam Nabi Khayal , Margoob Banihali , Brij Hali , Altaf Hussain Hali and Farooq Nazki.

Musicians who were felicitated included Ghulam Qadir Langoo, Raj Begum, Ghulam Muhammad Soz , Krishan Langoo and Santosh Kaul. 

Sopore March 25
Construction work on the Sopore bypass bridge on the Jhelum river, which was started more than two decades ago, is yet to be completed.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) started the construction work on the bridge in 1992, but the work was suspended in 1998 due to some legal hassles, sources said. In 2003, the work was again started by a private firm -Mir Construction Agency-- and so far, 70 per cent of the work had been completed, the sources said.

The construction agency had already missed two deadlines in December 2010 and March 2012 and the work on bridge was going at a snail’s pace. The vital bridge is supposed to connect Kupwara, Sopore and Baramulla areas and outskirts of Sopore town.

Residents of Sopore said the project was approved during the tenure of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the work on the bridge was started in 1992.

“The construction work was suspended a few months after it was started. Later, the work was again started but only to be suspended time and again by the executing agency,” said Haji Mohd Ashraf, president, Traders’ Federation, Sopore.

Local residents said Sopore town witnessed huge traffic jams and the bridge would help ease the traffic congestion to a great extent.

“The bridge will help in easing out the traffic mess and also connect outskirts of Sopore with the main town. I personally visited officials, including the head of the construction company, but the work has not been speeded up,” added Ashraf.

He said despite repeated assurances from the district administration that the work on the project would be expedited, nothing concrete had been done on the ground. Kupwara-bound passengers said they had to cover an extra distance of over 12 km via Sopore town to reach Kupwara and Baramulla. “The bridge may take another few years to complete if construction work is not speeded up.

After every two weeks, the executing agency suspends work for reasons best known to them,” said a passenger. The bridge assumes added significance due to the Valley’s largest fruit market set up at Sopore a few years ago.

“The bridge will increase the rush of customers to the fruit market. It will save significant time and labour of fruit growers in Sopore,” said a fruit grower.

Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Hassan Khawaja said. “I have already reviewed the progress of work on the bridge. I hope it will be commissioned in April and we will hold a meeting soon to set a date for its inauguration.” 

Srinagar, March 25
Parts of Srinagar’s old city observed a shutdown to demand removal of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bunkers from the area.

The shutdown was observed in Saraf Kadal and Kawdara areas of the old city.

In both these localities, the CRPF maintains bunkers which have become centre of clashes between stone throwers and the security forces.

The CRPF had earlier demolished several of its two-decade old bunkers from most parts of the old city.

A shopkeeper, who sells garments at Saraf Kadal, said the shutdown was to demand the removal of the CRPF bunkers which had become a "cause of protests" in the area.

Srinagar’s old city had remained shut for over 20 days since Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru was hanged last month.

While stone-pelting was widespread in the old city localities during the 2008 and 2010 unrest, it had remained largely limited to Kawdara and Saraf Kadal areas since then.

Srinagar, March 25
Even after the Jammu and Kashmir High Court ordered deportation of a Bangladeshi national to the country of his origin two years ago, Sheikh Khalafatullah is languishing in jails since early 2011.

After the Bangladeshi Embassy did not send the requisite travel documents of Khalafatullah, the authorities were forced to detain him again under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

“Sheikh Khalafatullah alias Bengali, son of Sheikh Khair-ul-Basar, hailing from Durgapur Ashnaouni in Satkhira district of Bangladesh is not an Indian national and the government is satisfied that he is a foreigner,” the Home Department of the state government has said in the latest detention orders passed against Khalafatullah.

The high court, while quashing his earlier detention under the PSA in February 2011, had directed the state government to take necessary steps for deportation of Khalafatullah.

“The government is satisfied with a view to regulate his continued presence in the state, it is necessary to detain him under the provisions of the J&K PSA”, the Home Department said in its orders dated November 16, 2012.

“It is hereby ordered that Khalafatullah be detained for a period of six months with effect from November 14, 2012 or till the arrangements for his deportation from the state to his native country (Bangladesh) are made whichever is earlier and is directed to be lodged in the Central Jail, Srinagar,” said the detention orders passed by the government in November last.

However, human rights activist and lawyer Babar Jan Qadri, who has been pursuing Bengali’s deportation case with the Bangladeshi Embassy through ‘Initiative for Peace and Justice’, an NGO, says that Khalafatullah has also become a liability for the state government.

“As far I know this case, the state authorities had pursued the deportation case with the Embassy concerned, but they have not sent Khalafatullah’s travel documents so far,” Babar said, while terming Khalafatullah’s case a “human tragedy.”

“This man was detained at the India-Bangladesh border in early 2009 and since then he has been languishing in different jails in the state, where he was implicated in a false case in Shopian district,” Babar said, adding that the NGO had actively taken up the case with the Bangladeshi Embassy. 

Srinagar, March 25
A day-long seminar on cardio-surgical emergencies was conducted at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical sciences (SKIMS), Soura, today by the Department of Cardio Vascular and Thoracic Surgery (CVTS), SKIMS.

The doctors attending the seminar said in the last two decades, from 1990 onwards, an increasing number of cardio vascular injuries were being reported at the hospital.

The doctors said it could be due to bullet and splinter injuries, which were a result of the two decade-long violence in the Valley.

Senior resident, CVTS, Dr Nasir-ud-din Wani made in-depth presentation on the subject. He discussed diagnosis, treatment and management procedures followed in case of such emergencies.

He also gave a detailed account of six patients, with non-traumatic cardiac emergencies, who had been treated at SKIMS successfully through various surgical procedures like Trans-Catheter Valvotomy, Amplatizer Device Closure and Pigtail Drainage of Pericardial effusion and so on.

Director, SKIMS, Dr Showkat Zargar said the crucial bypass heart surgeries would also be conducted at the institute soon.

“The proposal is in the pipeline and all the formalities will be completed soon,” Dr Zargar said.

He hailed the Department of CVTS and cardiology for their excellent work and urged better coordination between cardiology and CVTS in future as well.

The experts observed that cardio-surgical emergencies were still a challenge and there was a need to have support mechanism like portable echocardiography machine available round the clock, Trans-esophageal echocardiography machine available in the main wards and emergency.

They also emphasised upon the availability of a blood bank backup at the hospital counter for better patient care.

It was also observed by some experts that there was a need to have pre-hospital emergency care at regional level, as was available outside the state and the country.

Additional Professor Dr Prof Nisar A Tramboo moderated the programme. The discussions were followed by an interaction between students and faculty members to clarify the doubts on the subject.

The seminar was a part of the grand round weekly activity organised at SKIMS and was attended by all faculty members, senior residents, postgraduate and junior residents.

Srinagar, March 25
The Jammu and Kashmir Police organised a debating competition on the topic “Respect for Human Rights contributes professionalism in Police”, which was held at Zonal Police headquarters today.

Twelve teams from Kashmir zone participated in the debate, a police spokesman said. Senior Police officers of the Zonal Police Headquarters and Srinagar district participated in the function.

SM Afzal Qadri, Ex-Head of the Department and Dean Faculty of Law at KU, chaired the event.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, AG Mir inaugurated the function. “IGP, in his inaugural address, stressed upon the fact that the basic job of a police officer in essence is protection of human rights of the citizens. At the same time, they must ensure that no rights are being violated by them while performing their duties,” the spokesman said.

Mir said the police should extend all possible help to the victims of a crime and must do everything in their competence to prosecute the criminals and deliver justice to the victims. “Police must be seen as friends and helpmates of the society and at the same time, no criminal must be spared. We should sensitise our men about human rights and such competitions will be organised in the future also,” Mir added.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Zaffar Iqbal Nawaz won the first prize while DSP Syed Javed Ahmad and PSI Azam stood second and PSI Amjad Ali won the third prize at the competition, the spokesman said. Handwara and Pulwama districts were declared winner and runner-up teams.

Srinagar, March 25
The Army organised a civil-military liaison conference in Uri, near Line of Control (LoC), on Saturday.

The meet was presided over by Commander, 12 Infantry Brigade. Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Ghulam Mohammad Khawaja and Sub Divisional Magistrate, Uri, Dr Sheikh Abdul Aziz attended the meeting.

A large number of civil administration officials and prominent citizens of Uri Tehsil and sarpanches of various villages of Uri also attended the function.

A defence spokesman said Commander Kalapahar Brigade exhorted the gathering to maintain peace and harmony.

“The locals who had turned out in large numbers to participate in the conference were vehement that peace shall be maintained at all costs. The gathering was apprised about various development and Sadbhavana projects being undertaken by the Army in the future,” he said.

Srinagar, March 25
The chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference, which also has an observer status in Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), has condemned the killing of Muslims in Myanmar and asked the UN, OIC and Amnesty International to put pressure on the Burmese (Myanmar) government to stop the violence against the minority community.

Mirwaiz, in a statement issued here, ‘regretted’ the silence of OIC and the international community over the communal violence by the majority against the Muslims in Myanmar.

“Mirwaiz said the rioters were burning mosques, houses and schools of Muslim community. He said the inaction of the Burmese government was tantamount to a crime”, the spokesman said.

“He has regretted the silence of OIC and international community over the communal violence by against the Muslims. Mirwaiz said a full fledged humanitarian crisis had erupted in Burma,” added the spokesman.

“Mirwaiz said the OIC had completely failed to stop the Muslim genocide in Burma. He has appealed to OIC, UN, Amnesty International, ICRC, and other human rights groups to take serious note of violence against Muslims in Burma”, the spokesman quoted him saying, adding that the international rights organisations should put pressure on Burmese government to stop the violence against Muslims.