Srinagar, May 5
Changing seasons, particularly the end of spring, bring some bad news for residents of the Valley as pollens from grasses, weeds and Russian poplar trees engulf the region making it difficult for people to step out of their homes.

These pollens trigger a variety of disorders such as hay fever, asthma, cough, sneeze and even skin diseases. Since the pollens can remain suspended in air over a long period of time, avoiding them by not stepping out of homes is nearly impossible.

Botanists have therefore advised on cutting down the Russian poplar tress which are the major source of pollen grains and act as vector particles carrying dust and other hazardous substances leading to air pollution.

“It is better is to cut down the female poplar trees and introduce male trees of this species as it is dioecous tree species .In Srinagar city, people are facing lots of problems like respiratory etc. These cottony seeds in air act as vector and carry all kinds of hazardous particles along,” said Akhter Hussain Malik, a botanist at Kashmir University.

The state government had last year mulled to genetically modify the Russian poplar trees species, but the same has not been done so far.

The air mixed up with the pollen grains exacerbates the respiratory diseases, due to which the medicos have insisted that people should wear masks if they step out of their homes.

The medicos have therefore issued a list of dos and don’ts for the people so that preventive measures can be taken to avoid any long-term implications of pollen seeds on health of people.

Dr Hardeep Singh, a city-based physician, said staying indoors especially for asthmatic patients would be the best possible measure more so on windy and rainy days.

“It is better to wear sunglasses, avoid mowing the lawns, keep the windows of homes and cars closed and take frequent showers,” said Dr Singh.

He said people who were allergic to pollens should seek proper medical treatment as many options were available now days.

“People should avoid self-treatment and consult a physician. We usually prescribe anti-histamine tablets or syrups which help in combating sneeze, irritating eyes and itching. Decongestant sprays unblock and dry the nose, but should not be used for more than a few days as they can cause long-term problems in the nose,” he added.

Dr Singh also suggested doing some home treatments like salt nasal spray which could relieve symptoms to some extent.

In case of serious medical condition like pollen asthma, Dr Singh said the treatment commences with prescription of anti-inflammatory asthma medication either preventatively or with the first wheeze of spring. “Some patients undergoing immunotherapy for their allergic rhinitis find that their seasonal asthma improves as well,” he said.

Srinagar, May 5
Expressing concern over the “cold shoulder response” shown by the state government to the striking patwaris, state secretary of the CPM Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today urged the authorities to fulfil the promises made to the revenue officials.

“The government must fulfil the demands of revenue officials that include removal of pay anomalies and its retrospective effect from the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendation in the state. The government must shun its dilly-dally attitude and resolve the crisis emanated from the strike by revenue officials in the state without any further delay,” Tarigami said in a statement issued here.

Stating that despite the efforts of the Jammu and Kashmir Patwar Association towards getting their demands fulfiled by the means of petitions and prayers, Tarigami regretted that the government had not taken any step to resolve them.

He also flayed the government for its ‘unwarranted announcement’ of holding the salary of the patwaris who are on strike for nearly past one month now. 

Kupwara, May 5
Around 8pm yesterday, power supply went off in Kupwara town and many of its metered areas in its surroundings. The areas remained without electricity throughout the night and the supply was restored around 12 noon today. An hour later, the power supply was again snapped.

For the past nearly one week, the erratic power supply in metered areas continued to irk consumers. The consumers threatened to surrender the meters and take to streets in protest against the Power Development Department (PDD) if the supply was not restored to normal at the earliest.

“Power continues to play hide and seek with us for the past about a week. What is the point in installing meters when we are faced with erratic power supply time and again. The department should either ensure uninterrupted power supply to the metered areas or put them under the non-metered areas,” said Shameem Ahmad, a trader.

Local residents said Kupwara town was reeling under power crisis and in spite of repeated pleas, the power division concerned was doing nothing to restore the supply to normal.

“In the evening hours, the supply is often snapped for hours. We never know when will the electric bulb glow and diminish. We fail to understand why the town is subjected to erratic power supply when elsewhere in major towns of the Valley the metered areas receive uninterrupted supply,” said Altaf Ahmad, a local resident.

In Handwara town, the power scenario is no better. Consumers of the metered and non-metered areas in Handwara tehsil also complained of erratic power supply. They said power was playing hide and seek for the past about 10 days.

They said they were forced to pay the power tariff according to the curtailment schedule, but electricity was not provided in accordance with the schedule. “Electricity is playing hide and seek and often we do not see power for hours. Unscheduled power cuts have become a routine matter for the past 10 days,” said Nazir Ahmad of Handwara.

Students said the erratic power supply had badly affected their studies. “We are forced to study under candle lights. Power scenario worsens in the evening hours and often supply is snapped for hours,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a class X11 student.

A senior power official said, “We do not make additional curtailment unless load-shedding occurs and forces us to do so. Whatever amount of power we receive, we supply without any curtailment.”

Srinagar, May 5
Student activism is likely to be revived in Kashmir next year with Kashmir University, the largest university in the Valley, contemplating holding student elections. If the university goes ahead with holding student elections next year, student activism will be revived in the Valley after four years. Kashmir University had earlier disbanded its students’ union, Kashmir University Students’ Union (KUSU), in 2010 during the summer unrest in the Valley.

Vice-Chancellor, Kashmir University, Prof Talat Ahmad, said the state government had a say in holding the students’ elections on the campus and due to several miscreants allegedly having been found involved in student politics, the university had to ban the student activism.

He said although he supported the idea of student activism on the lines of Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where various student parties hold elections from time to time.

Kashmir University, which has over 10,000 students from various parts of Jammu and Kashmir, is also contemplating to introduce some recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee, especially pertaining to participation of students eligible in student elections.

“Although student activism will be allowed on the campus, it will be strictly on the basis of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations which states that academic performance and attendance of the students will be given top priority in contesting elections. We are strictly against any kind of ‘netagiri’ on the campus, but the student activism will be revived,” said Prof Ahmad.

Pertinently, in 2010, the KUSU was locked down by the police for allegedly vitiating the academic atmosphere on the campus which invited criticism from students and academicians alike.

Srinagar, May 5
As part of its ongoing programme, the Department of Posts (DoP), J&K circle, will soon modernise its post offices located at Lal Chowk, Kashmir University (KU) premises and Chadoora in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

“The post offices at Lal Chowk, KU and Chadoora are next on anvil and the same will be modernised in the coming weeks,” a DoP official said today.

He said the DoP had launched its modernised post office yesterday in the Karan Nagar area of the city. John Samuel, Chief Post Master General, Jammu and Kashmir, and Abdul Gani Mir, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, as part of its ongoing exercise of modernising the post offices across the state. The post office at Karan Nagar is the second largest in Srinagar city after the General Post Office (GPO).

Besides the ones at Lal Chowk, KU and Chadoora, the DoP is also upgrading its post offices at Bandipora, Ganderbal, Brein and other areas of the Valley in the next phase under its modernisation project. Post offices are also being modernised in the Jammu region, said the DoP official. 

Srinagar, May 5
Various Sikh organisation, including the Sikh Intellectuals Circle, J&K, Sikh Students Federation, Jammu Kashmir Sikh League and Sikh Welfare Front, have condemned the attack on a Pakistani prisoner in Kot Bhalwal Jail of Jammu. They have also demanded shifting of Kashmiri prisoners languishing in various jails of India to jails in Kashmir.

According to a press release, Sikh leaders, at a joint meeting chaired by S Narinder Singh Khalsa, urged both India and Pakistan to take serious corrective measures for the safety and the security of prisoners in each other’s countries.

“Communal and mischievous elements must not be allowed to spoil the relation between the two countries. Detainees languishing in jails across India are feeling insecure and should be shifted, as they are not safe even in the jails of Jammu,” said a spokesperson.

Hailing the decision of the Government of Pakistan, which handed over the body of Sarabjit Singh to his family for last rites, the Sikh bodies demanded stern action against the culprits of both the incidents in India and Pakistan.

They said hatred between the two countries had led to such inhuman and cowardly acts and delay in resolution of Kashmir issue was the root cause of this hostility.

“India and Pakistan must resolve Kashmir issue as per the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure durable peace in this region. The leaders urged United Nations and other human rights organisations to ensure the safety, security and shifting of pro-freedom Kashmiri prisoners to jails in Kashmir in view of prevailing communally surcharged and insecure atmosphere following death of Sarbjit Singh in Pakistan,” added the spokesperson.

Srinagar, May 5
President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti today claimed that the party had a positive agenda backed by its performance in the government and in the Opposition.

Addressing a convention of party workers at Bandipora in north Kashmir today, she said the party had introduced real competition into the democratic structure of the state without which the democracy had no credibility and substance.

“The PDP, after its formation in 1999, has maintained consistency in its agenda and while in government, it delivered more than any other government has ever done in the past more than six decades. By its conduct, the PDP has not just rescued democracy but has also provided people with a viable alternative which has already made a difference to political and development scenario of the state. In future elections, people will have a clear choice and they will not suffer due to lack of options as in the past,” said Mehbooba.

The PDP president said the oldest party in the state, which has had a monopoly over everything, had now been fully exposed and discarded by the majority of people. She said the party was reaching the end of its road. 

Kupwara, May 5
A house at Gushi near Kupwara was partially damaged in a fire on Sunday afternoon. The house belongs to two brothers Mohammad Iqbal Akhoon and Abdul Majid Akhoon.

A leakage in the cooking gas cylinder is believed to be the cause of the fire. Roof of the house and timber stored on the slab were also destroyed in the fire. Two fire tenders were pressed into service and the blaze was brought under control after two hours.

“We brought the fire under control after intense work of about two hours. We managed to save adjoining houses by dousing the flames,” said Ghulam Hassan, additional director, fire services, Kupwara. A few windows of the house of Mohammad Ramzan Akhoon, adjacent to the house on fire also got damaged.