Kupwara, July 1
Patients suffered badly across the north Kashmir today due to a shutdown call given by separatists.

Patients and attendants were seen stranded at bus stands and hospitals as public transport was off the roads.

Shabana Rashid (30) gave birth to a baby girl at the sub-district hospital, Kupwara, on Saturday and doctors discharged her today but she could not reach her home in remote Kalaroose village due to non-availability of public transport.

“We could not find any vehicle to take us home and decided to stay at a relative’s place at nearby Ticker village. The doctors discharged her today. Although we requested for an ambulance service but the same had gone to Srinagar to ferry a patient,” said Shabana’s husband Majid Wani.

Patients and attendants remained stranded in Kupwara hospital for want of transport. Shabir Ahmad Badana, a resident of remote Chowkibal village, said, “The hospital has only two ambulances and scores of patients from remote areas have been unable to reach their respective destinations. Like many others, I am struggling to take home my mother who was discharged from the hospital today.”

A senior doctor at the Kupwara hospital said many surgeries listed for Monday could not be performed as patients failed to reach the hospital.

Reports from district hospitals at Handwara and Baramulla said many patients and attendants faced difficulties in reaching their homes due to the shutdown. Many others complained that a few drivers overcharged them to their destinations. “I had to pay Rs 800 to the driver to take my ailing father from Warsun to the Kupwara hospital. I had no option but to pay because my father was seriously ailing and needed immediate medical care,” said Nazir Ahmad.

Srinagar, July 1
Chief Secretary MI Khanday has directed all administrative secretaries to submit status of vacancies in their respective departments.

While chairing the periodic meeting of the Committee of Secretaries, the Chief Secretary emphasised on early filling up of all vacant posts with directions to the General Administration Department to examine and revisit the recruitment process which would enable the government to expedite recruitment of youth to various district, divisional and state level posts, a statement said here.

During the meeting, he asked administrative secretaries to submit the status of all government vacancies in their respective departments ahead of the scheduled review meeting later this month on the progress of recruitment in the state.

While reviewing the construction status of polytechnics, colleges and ITI buildings in the state, the Chief Secretary stressed for their early completion, the statement added.

He was also informed that out of the 24 colleges taken up for construction, 14 colleges had been completed and handed over and remaining 10 were in various stages of completion.

The Chief Secretary also asked the administrative secretaries to establish linkages with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under disaster management, handicrafts, social mobilisation and UMEED sectors and take advantage of its programmes, experience and experts.

“Preliminary discussions with the agency should be held under these fields for developing a working relationship and cooperation,” he asserted. 

Srinagar, July 1
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Saifuddin Soz had a meeting with German Ambassador Michael Steiner where the latter invited Kashmiri students to undertake higher studies in Germany.

“The German Ambassador came to meet me at my residence here last evening and apprised me, among other things, that he was here to invite students from Kashmir, particularly the students from Kashmir University, to utilise space now available in Germany for studies at its centres of higher learning,” Soz said here today.

“I welcome the German Ambassador’s offer of the space also available in areas like engineering, information technology, natural sciences and subjects like mathematics and economics. I also welcome the Ambassador’s offer of studies in vocational courses,” he added. Soz expressed hope that the state administration would take full advantage of the Ambassador’s offer for studies in Germany. 

Srinagar, July 1
Hardline separatist Syed Ali Geelani has called for a march on Wednesday to Markundal and Kondbal, ancestral villages of the two youths who were allegedly killed in the Army firing.

Geelani, the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, termed the statement of the Army as “ridiculous”. He said such announcements were being made to pacify the anger. Geelani also called for statewide protests to be held on Friday.

Two civilians, Irfan Ahmad Ganai (17) of Markundal village, Bandipora and Tariq Ahmad (in his early 20s) of Kondbal village, Ganderbal, were allegedly shot by Army personnel during a counter-insurgency operation at Markundal village on Sunday morning.

The Army denied shooting Ganai and said it shot Ahmad in self-defence when protesters, agitating against Ganai’s killing, tried to attack an Army ambulance.

The Hurriyat leader said the authorities were not sincere and no probe would be initiated against perpetrators.

Geelani appealed to the residents of Ganderbal and Bandipora districts to march to Kondbal and Markundal on Wednesday. He urged them to organise special prayers and extend sympathy to the families of the youths.

“Under the garb of the AFSPA, they (Army personnel) enjoy impunity and authorised to kill any Kashmiri and go unaccounted for the crime they commit,” Geelani said.

Srinagar, July 1
A senior leader of the National Conference (NC) today termed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which provides immunity to armed forces in the state, as a ‘major cause’ of the human rights violations.

NC General Secretary (addition) Mustafa Kamal said the presence of the Army in populated areas is not in favour of the people.

He also blamed PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for bringing in the AFPSA. He said Sayeed would have to answer these killings.

Kamal said the NC as the guardian of human rights would never accept the violations of these rights. He said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had been struggling to revoke the AFSPA for the past four years. “Because he knows that human rights are violated in the garb of the AFSPA,” Kamal said.

Kamal said if the Army did not have the cover of the AFSPA, they would never have dared to shoot at the youths in Markundal village. Two civilians were allegedy killed in Army firing in the village on Sunday morning.

Srinagar, July 1
Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan has urged the banks in the state to ensure hassle-free loan disbursement among the farmers under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme.

The minister held a meeting with J&K Grameen Bank in Srinagar this morning and reviewed the progress of the KCC scheme.

In a statement, the minister said kisan credit cards are now playing an important role in boosting agriculture activities across the state. Taking a note of slow pace of disbursements after checking the figures, the minister asked the bank authorities to show the results at the earliest.

“He said adequate funds had been already sanctioned to the farmers having the cards but the banks were slow in disbursing the loans which made them (farmers) run from pillar to post,” the statement said.

“He said the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are farmer-friendly, but still there are some hindrances which are to be overcome,” it further stated.

At the review meeting, the statement said, Mir asked the bankers to change their attitude towards the farming community as the farmers are the growth indicators of the economy.

“If we want to make J&K a prosperous state, we have to strengthen the farmers first, for which every stakeholder has to play their role,” he maintained.

Grameen Bank general manager Aftab Qazi, area manager Rafiq Ahamd Shah and branch heads were present at the meeting. 

Anantnag, July 1
A wreath laying ceremony was held at the Police Lines, Lethpora, for a constable killed in an encounter today in Mundoora village, Tral area, Pulwama.

Kashmir Inspector General of Police Abdul Ghani Mir led the officers and police personnel to the wreath laying ceremony. South Kashmir DIG Vijay Kumar and Awantipora SP Abdul Wahid attended the ceremony and prayed for the departed soul.

An encounter was triggered in the Tral area after the security forces cordoned off the Mundoora village on the specific information about the presence of the militants. The militants opened fire in which two police men and a CRPF personal were injured.

The injured were admitted to a hospital in Srinagar where constable Mushtaq Ahmad succumbed to his injuries. 

Srinagar, July 1
CPI (M) state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today urged the state government to administer justice to the families of civilians allegedly killed in Army firing at Markundal village, Bandipora.

Tarigami also urged the government to speed up the investigation. “Whatever the hurdles, justice must be administered to the families who lost their near and dear ones in the firing incident,” Tarigami said.

The CPI (M) leader, who was addressing the party workers at a convention in Shopian district, said the government must expedite the probe and come out with the facts without any delay.

“Violence in any form and manifestation is condemnable. The pain and grief caused by the loss of two youths is irreparable and any compensation to the families can not fill their void,” he said.

Jammu, July 1
The students pursuing Elementary Teachers Training (ETT) course in 2011-13 batch heaved a sigh of relief today as the J&K High Court directed the J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE) to prepare a detailed schedule for conducting the first year annual examination of all candidates, including the late admitted ones.

It may be mention here that aggrieved by the recent court order regarding the conduct of annual examination of ETT students admitted after the completion of counselling process, the school education board had filed a review petition challenging the single judge order.

Sources said the JKBOSE had expressed inability to conduct the examination of the late admitted candidates along with the regular ones, claiming that there were so many formalities yet to be completed. Sources added that the school education board had preserved all the details of the candidates who were admitted through proper a channel but the documentation of those who had been admitted late was yet to be completed.

Sources claimed that the examination was earlier scheduled to commence on June 14 but this development had delayed the whole process and it was likely to take a few more days to settle.

“The decision of the High Court would definitely help the aggrieved aspirants who had lost all hopes of sitting in the examination. After the regular counselling, more than 7,500 seats were left vacant due to poor outcome. The institutes had no other option left but to request the BOSE chairman to extend the date. After submission of all the necessary formalities, the ETT institutes started admitting students for pursuing the course after the assurance that the list of candidates will be accommodated while preparing the final list of students who will appear in the annual examination”, owner of an ETT training institute claimed.

“As far as the lapses on the part of the ETT institutions or BOSE administration are concerned, they need to be dealt with strictly and in a justified manner to set right the things for the future”, he added.

The matter came to the fore when JKBOSE issued a notification to start counselling for the 2011-13 batch. Around 20,000 applications were received by the BOSE and out of that 12,000 candidates had appeared in the counselling.

With 8,000 seats left vacant in the counselling due to poor outcome, the ETT institutes had requested the BOSE Chairman to extend the date.

In spite of verbal assurances given by the BOSE Chairman, the authorities did not accept the list of students submitted by the ETT institutes. The institutes then intensified protests against the alleged negligent attitude of the school education board.

Srinagar, July 1
Minister for Higher Education Mohammad Akbar Lone declared the ninth North Zone Senior Baseball Tournament-2013 open at Bakshi Stadium, here today. The Jammu and Kashmir Baseball Association (JKBA) has organised the tournament.

Five teams, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, are participating in the tournament.

Lone said it was a good sign that sporting activities were being pursued seriously while the youth were also taking part in comparatively lesser played games such as baseball.

He hoped that the participating players would excel in the sport at the international level as well.

JKBA president MN Gazanfar urged the government to provide baseball-related infrastructure to the players so that the game could get a fillip in the state. He said there were no proper grounds available for the local youth interested in playing baseball.

The JKBA had earlier organised a snow baseball championship at Gulmarg ski resort in north Kashmir.

JKBA general secretary Fida Hussain Fidvi said the hosting of a national-level championship would encourage the local youth to take up the game (baseball).

Director General Youth Services and Sports Navin Agarwal was also present at the inauguration function. 

Srinagar, July 1
Two persons were killed and 26 others injured in different road accidents across the Kashmir valley, a police spokesman said here today.

A passenger cab fell into a deep gorge near Danch in remote Tangdar area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district resulting in on the spot death of a passenger and injuries to nine others, the police spokesman said. All the injured were shifted to the sub-district hospital at Tangdar for treatment.

In south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a mini-bus on its way from Srinagar to Anantnag skidded off the road near Humzapora, resulting in on the spot death of a passenger identified as Nisar Ahmad Ganie of Kanihama and injuries to 12 other passengers.

All the injured were shifted to a hospital. The Bijbehara police has registered a case in this regard.

In another accident in Anantnag district, a cab hit a motorcycle near Batangoo resulting in injuries to motorcyclist Sameer Ahmad Hajam of Natipora.

In Kupwara, an auto load carrier hit and injured 12-year-old Reyaz Ahmad Tantary of Krunsan village who was later admitted to the sub-district hospital, Sogam.

In another incident, a bus on its way from Panthachowk to Batamaloo hit an Alto car at Sanat Nagar Chowk here resulting in injuries to two people who were travelling in the car. Both the injured were shifted to a hospital for treatment, the police spokesman said.

An unknown vehicle hit and injured a pedestrian near Bemina on the city outskirts. The injured was identified as Ghulam Nabi Reshi (55) of Khansahib area of Budgam who was shifted to a hospital for treatment.

Rajouri, July 1
Rashtriya Rifles, Kalakote, launched a tree plantation drive to celebrate the Raising Day of its unit here. The soldiers planted various kinds of saplings at the Tehsil Office, Inspection Bungalow, and the CHC, Kalakote. —OC