Srinagar, September 2
In a decision which is termed as another setback to the ‘behind schedule’ Jehangir Chowk-Natipora flyover project, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has allowed an appeal against a single bench order regarding dispossession of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) of its land at Rambagh in Srinagar.

Calling for maintaining the status quo on the spot, the High Court has, however, directed the writ court to decide the ‘controversy’ within two months.

The land, measuring 8.11 kanals, was being used by the government to rehabilitate shopkeepers affected by the proposed Jehangir Chowk-Natipora flyover project.

“This appeal is allowed. The order dated April 25, 2013, is set aside. The status quo shall be maintained on the spot till the petition is considered and decided finally by the writ court preferably within a period of two months from the date of this judgement,” the division bench comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice DS Thakur said in its orders made available today, while allowing the BSNL appeal against an earlier single bench order.

The work on much delayed Rs 350 crore flyover project was started in June, which is being executed by the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA).

“However, we wish to make it clear that any observation made in the proceeding para shall not be construed as an expression of final opinion on the issue raised before the writ court,” the bench observed while adding that “these are our prima facie impressions.”

“The writ court should proceed to consider the controversy on its own merit without being influenced by any observation made herein,” the court said while disposing the appeal by the BSNL.

The government had issued a notification in 2010 for acquisition of the land measuring 8.11 kanals belonging to the BSNL at Rambagh in Srinagar under Land Acquisition Act. The land was being acquired to construct a shopping complex for rehabilitating the shopkeepers affected by the flyover project.

However, the BSNL chose to challenge this notification by filing a writ petition before the High Court. As an interim relief, the BSNL had sought that it should not be disposed of the land in question and prayed for the stay.

However, while admitting the petition, a single bench of the High Court had dismissed the miscellaneous application without granting any interim relief, as was sought by the BSNL.

Subsequently, the BSNL authorities chose to file an appeal against the dismissal of an interim application before a division bench, which before reserving the appeal for final decision had on June 30 stayed the government order dispossessing BSNL of its land at Rambagh.

The division bench while admitted the BSNL appeal had also issued notices to the government and other authorities directing them to file their objections by next hearing.

The Jehangir-Chowk Natipora flyover project, which had already way behind schedule, was announced in July 2009 and was to be completed in three years. However, since then it has hit many roadblocks and numerous litigations are pending before various courts in Srinagar, including many filed by the traders and shopkeepers affected by the project.

Anantnag, September 2
The police has arrested an Imam of a mosque in the Chowgam area of Qazigund in Kulgam district under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for allegedly instigating people during the communal violence in Kishtwar area of Chenab valley last month.

Sources said Imam Hafiz Syed Kifayat of the Dhadyal area in Doda district was arrested on Sunday soon after he returned from his native place.

“Our sources revealed that the Imam was involved in instigating protesters to resort to violence,” said a police official. However, residents of the area said their religious leader was falsely implicated in the case.

People came out in a large number to protest against the detention of the Imam.

“The Imam was not even in the town on the day of the protests. He had gone to his native place for Eid,” said a local resident.

The residents demanded immediate release of the religious leader. They threatened to escalate the protests if their demand was not accepted.

The police official said they had proof of the Imam’s involvement in provoking people to resort to violence in the area. “He has been booked under Sections 147, 148, 149, 295, 307, 336 and 427 of the RPC and we have shifted him to Kathua Jail,” said the police official.

Kupwara, September 2
Health services in bordering Kupwara district were severely affected due to a strike by hundreds of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) employees.

The employees, including nursing and paramedical staff, abstained from work and held a protest demonstration at the sub-district hospital, Kupwara.

They were demanding hike in pay, regularisation of their services, maternity leave benefits and release of arrears. They said their services should be regularised on the pattern of Rehbar Taleem and Zahbar Zirat.

“Despite meager salaries, NRHM employees, especially doctors and paramedical staff, have been working round-the-clock to ensure better healthcare. It has been more than a decade that there has been no enhancement in pay and the medical staff has been deprived of all benefits, which is a gross injustice,” said Abdul Ahad Qureshi, state vice-president, NRHM Employees Union.

“The employees should be regularised on the pattern of Rehbar Taleem and Zehbar Zirat and other benefits, including maternity leave, should be provided to them besides release of their arrears,” he added.

Health services were badly affected by the strike. Patients were seen struggling to get treated at hospitals in the absence of medical staff. “The medical staff cannot afford to stay on strike for long as it badly affects services in hospitals. I faced great difficulties in getting my wife treated at the sub-district hospital here as doctors were also busy convincing the protesters to résumé work,” said Shabir Ahmad, a resident of Lalpora in Kupwara.

Director, NRHM, Dr Yashpal said a few demands of the medical staff had already been taken up with Union Health Ministry. “We are keen to address a few of their demands and I am hopeful that they will cooperate with the administration in this regard,” said Dr Yashpal.

Srinagar, September 2
A 25-year-old sand extractor drowned in the Jhelum while he was extracting sand from the river in south Kashmir’s Awantipora town, a police spokesman said here today.

Ashiq Hussain Ganie, a resident of Kharmod area near Awantipora town, drowned in the river while extracting sand, the police spokesman said.

Ganie’s body was retrieved and handed over to his relatives for the last rites, the spokesman said.

In another incident, a 40-year-old conductor of a trailer drowned while washing clothes near a canal in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The conductor, identified as Baja, a resident of Kot Kapoor village in Faridkot district of Punjab, drowned in the canal at Harnag railway crossing in Kulgam district yesterday, the spokesman said. He said Baja drowned when he was washing his clothes near the canal.

He was rescued from the canal and shifted to a hospital where he expired, the spokesman said.

Srinagar, September 2
Two people, including an 11-year-old boy, were injured in a bear attack near north Kashmir’s Handwara town, a police spokesman said here today.

Ishfaq Ahmad Kumar, a resident of Pazalpora village, and 80-year-old Mirbaz, a resident of Monibal village, were attacked by a bear at Pazalpora near Handwara town, the spokesman said.

Both the injured were shifted to a hospital for treatment, the spokesman said.— TNS

Srinagar, September 2
Documentary films portraying various faces of Kashmir will be screened during a six-day-long film festival “Kashmir Before Your Eyes” in Hyderabad from September7-12.

The film screenings will be followed by book readings and discussions. The sessions will be conducted by documentary film makers Ajay Raina and Pankaj Rishi Kumar.

The inaugural session will start with a poetry reading followed by screening of the films, including Nationalist Discourse, Aatish-e-Chinaar and Jashn-e-Aazadi (Longing for freedom). During the remaining days, some of the best documentary films based on Kashmir’s political, social and geographical aspects would be screened in the festival. The films which are expected to be featured include “Tell Them The Tree They Planted Has Grown” (based on the exile of Kashmiri Pandits), “Where Have You Hidden My Crescent Moon (based on disappearances) and “Valley of Saints” (a love story between a tourist girl and a boatman).

Kashmir Before Your Eyes Festival was earlier held in May in Mumbai in which students, film makers and academicians participated.

Srinagar, September 2
An inter-school competitive examination of Punjabi language was conducted by the Punjabi Sahit Sabhah at Government College, Baramulla.

A number of Sikh students from different institutions of the district participated in the examination to give a boost to the Punjabi language.

“At least 70 Sikh students from different institutions participated in the competitive examination,” said Punjabi Sahitya Sabhah, Baramulla, general secretary Karan Singh Talib.

“Punjabi is our mother language but now Sikh people are forgetting it but through this examination, students will learn something about their language. Our government is doing nothing to promote our language,” Talib added.

Srinagar, September 2
Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad today commissioned a model police station building at Harwan on the city outskirts.

The two-storey model police station building has been constructed by the Police Construction Division (PCD) within a year at a cost of Rs 1 crore and is having hostel facilities and residential quarters.

It would help in providing better policing to the people with quick response while earthquake resistant column structure has been utilised in the construction as per the prescribed norms.

The DGP said the state police department was upgrading its building infrastructure to provide better working and living facilities to its personnel.

Prasad said various office and residential accommodations had been constructed across the state to strengthen the building infrastructure under the modernisation scheme.

He said the department had been focusing to upgrade the working conditions for its personnel as per the latest requirements. “Constructions are made keeping in mind the modern facilities and techniques of construction,” he said.

Prasad also appreciated the efforts of the officers and engineers of the Police Hosing Corporation (PHC) and the PCD for ensuring quality material and time-bound construction of the buildings.

He asked them to keep in mind weather scenario of the particular area before finalising the plans of construction in that area.

The DGP said the constructions should be equipped with latest facilities of living and working including recreational facilities for the personnel.

Srinagar, September 2
The drive against the illegal use of red beacon atop vehicles concluded even as the traffic police did not find many offenders in this regard.

Srinagar SP (Traffic) Haseeb-ur-Rehman said only three to four persons were found using the red beacon on their vehicles illegally. The traffic police had launched the drive against misuse of the red beacons on August 26.

He said the traffic police had carried out an awareness campaign earlier where the public had been warned against the use of unauthorised red beacons. He said due to the reason several people had removed the lights before the start of the drive.

While the drive has concluded, the SP said the department would continue to act tough against those using red beacons on their vehicles illegally.

Dignitaries and officers who have been authorised to use the red beacon include the Governor, Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Speaker, Chairman of Legislative Council, Chief Justice of the J&K High Court and the Leader of Opposition among others.

Srinagar, September 2
Each and every village of the state having a population of 250 would be connected with road network under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), said Minister for Tourism GA Mir during a public meeting at Lokhbawan in Dooru.

Stating that provision of responsive, accountable and transparent governance was one of the top priorities of the government, he said: “Landmark acts, including the RTI, PSGA and Vigilance Commission, have been enacted by the government for the purpose.”

He cautioned the people about the forces inimical to peace, adding that some “defeated elements in order to satiate their vested interests are hell bent to vitiate the atmosphere of peace by raising frivolous issues”. “But they will never succeed in their nefarious designs because the people are aware about their machination and double standards. They have neither any agenda nor any mass base and rely only on politics of lie and deceit. Nobody will be allowed to disturb the peace and conducive atmosphere of the state,” he added.

Kupwara September 2
Erratic power supply has been irking residents of Kupwara district for the past two weeks.

The situation in some metered areas is no different. Consumers of metered areas in Kupwara and Handwara towns said the power supply was often snapped intermittently and restored after hours. They threatened to take to the streets if the power scenario in district was not improved. They said due to erratic power supply, fans, refrigerators and other cooling electrical appliances remained non-functional most of the times.

“Even the metered areas are not spared and subjected to frequent power outages. In the wake of erratic power supply to the metered areas in Kupwara, the Power Development Department should do away with the metering system or improve the power supply,” said Aijaz Ahmad from Ticker, Kupwara.

Delegations from Batergam, Ticker, Trehgam, Kalaroose, Ganie Mohalla Sogam, Darpora, and Andurgbugh villages falling in the radius of around 20 km from Kupwara town said the villages were reeling under severe power crisis.

Students said they were the worst-hit. “Our studies are getting affected due to grim power scenario. During nights, power goes off for hours and in the absence of electricity we are forced to study in candlelights,” said Latif Ahmad, a Class XII student from Kalaroose.

The consumers in Handwara town also complained of erratic power supply. They said the power outages had become order of the day. “For the past two weeks, power is playing hide and seek, especially in the evening and night hours. We also visited the office of the power division in Handwara in this connection but to no avail,” said Mohd Amin, a trader.

Consumers of some villages of Lolab complained of frequent unscheduled power cuts and low voltage. They said the voltage was so low that it failed to illuminate even a corner of a room. “If we have electricity during the evening hours at all, the voltage is so low that we are forced to light candles for illumination. In spite of paying the power tariff in time, the power department has failed to improve the scenario in the area,” said Javid Ahmad of Devar Lolab.

Anantnag, September 2
A team of 30 students was flagged in at the 2 Sector Rashtriya Rifles Headquarters in Larkipora after attending the National Integration Tour recently.

The 17-day tour was conducted under the aegis of 19 Rashtriya Rifles by 2 Sector RR.

A Defence statement said the students were flagged off on the August 14 and were scheduled to visit Jammu, Mumbai and Goa before being flagged in.

“They got an exposure to the diverse cultural heritage of the country. The students also visited Church of Immaculate Conception, Jama Masjid and Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary at Goa,” the statement read.

For most of the students it was a maiden experience to visit various parts of the country.

“The youths were flagged in during an impressive ceremony, wherein they were received by Anantnag Deputy Commissioner Farooq Ahmad Lone, who was the chief guest on the occasion,” the press release said.

While addressing the gathering, he exhorted the tour members to make the most out of their exposure to the cosmopolitan society.

He said sharing of these experiences by the tour members with their peers would encourage a healthy and progressive mindset, thereby coaxing them to aim for a brighter future as well as for the state and the nation.

Srinagar, September 2
Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abhul Rahim Rather today asked the Banking Institutions to extend their reach in the hinterland, in order to support inclusive growth.

Speaking to a gathering, after inaugurating a bank branch of the HDFC at Chadoora in Budgam district, Rather asked the banks to reach out to the rural and unbanked areas to give impetus to the economic and business activities in the state. He also urged for improving Credit- Deposit Ratio (CDR) adding that the role of banks in socio-economic emancipation was pivotal.

Appreciating the HDFC for opening its 60th branch in the state, Rather said opening of business units by different banks promoted healthy competition in providing better services to people which ultimately went in the favour of customers. He asked all the 39 Banking Institutions working in the state to strictly follow the guidelines of the RBI, adding that the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) was closely monitoring performance of each bank with regard to credit flow to priority primary and agriculture sectors.

He lauded the HDFC for improving CDR to 48 per cent by March 2013, against RBI Governor?s target of 40 per cent.

Rather said the HDFC was one of India's premier banks providing wide ranging financial products and services to its 28.5 million customers across 1891 cities and towns across the country, with 53 per cent of its branches in the semi-urban and rural areas. He said within a relatively short span of time, the bank had emerged as a leading player in the retail banking, wholesale banking and treasury operations.

While urging the banks to provide hassle free credit facilities to people, Rather called for utilising loans properly and purposefully. He also asked the people to repay loan installments regularly as it was imperative for keeping the money cycle in order.

Zubair Iqbal, state head of the HDFC Bank, in his welcome address while highlighting major achievements of the Bank said the bank had a national distribution network of 3,210 branches and 11,088 ATMs and was considered Asia's No 1 private sector bank for the past 6 years. He said the CDR of the bank was not only improving but was poised to surpass to 50 per cent by the ending March this fiscal. He said the Bank had made a significant headway in its multi-channel servicing strategy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Ali Mohammad Dar, MLC, Irshad Ahmad, SP, Budgam, and officers concerned of the HDFC and district administration, Budgam, were also present on the occasion.

Srinagar, September 2
The Department of Public Health Engineering (PHE) in collaboration with the Communication and Capacity Building Development Unit (CCDU) under the aegis of J&K State Water Regulatory Authority (SWRA) will organise a one-day seminar on the role of the civil society in the water conservation at Kashmir University on September 3.

Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma and Minister of State PHE, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi will be the chief guests, while SS Kapur, Chairman, SWRA, will be the guests of honor on the occasion.

Srinagar, September 2
Mohammad Afzal Zargar took over the charge of Registrar, Central University of Kashmir, today.

Zargar was previously working as the Head of Department, Bio Chemistry, and Chief Proctor at Kashmir University. He was also working as the Chairman, Disaster Management Group of KU, and had also been appointed Vigilance Officer by the State Vigilance Organization. He had also discharged the duties as an officer in-charge, environment and hygiene, at the university.

After holding the office, Zargar held a detailed interaction with Vice-Chancellor Abdul Wahid and discussed important matters and issues pertaining to the functioning of the university. He also held a meeting with the non-teaching staff of the university and underscored the need to work with zeal and zest for the overall development of the university. He asked the employees to provide all kind of necessary support and cooperation to the students, teaching staff and other allied departments.

Meanwhile, the members of the teaching and non-teaching fraternity of the University of Kashmir today accorded a warm send-off to Zargar. He was relieved by the university on deputation for the new assignment.

While chairing a farewell meeting, which was organised by the Proctor Office of the university, Vice-Chancellor, KU, Talat Ahmad, hailed the services of Zargar and said he had contributed enormously to the university while working on various key positions, including Chief Proctor, head of the department of biochemistry and head of the department of clinical biochemistry.

Zargar has taught the students of biochemistry, clinical biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences, food sciences, diploma dietetics and environmental sciences at the University of Kashmir.

Zargar has also been a member of the academic and administrative bodies/authorities of various institutions, including University of Kashmir, SKUAST-K, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, University of Jammu etc. —TNS

Srinagar, September 2
The J&K Yateem Foundation in collaboration with the National Mission for Empowerment of Women, J&K and Women Studies Centre, Government College of Education, Srinagar organised a day-long seminar on the ‘Empowerment of Orphan Poor Girls and Widows: Women’s Responsibilities’, at Government College of Education, Moulana Azad Road, here on Saturday. A galaxy of college faculty, educationists, teachers and BEd, MEd students, were present on the occasion.

Hafiza Muzaffar, State Mission Director, National Mission for Empowerment of Women, J&K called upon the participants to work for the welfare and rehabilitation of the orphans, widows and destitute. She said the major chunk of sufferers among the population were women who need not only monetary help but also moral and emotional support. She urged the working women to contribute monetarily towards livelihood support, education and solemnising marriages of orphan and poor girls so that they could live honourable and dignified life without exploitation.

Hafiza, who also heads J&K State Rehabilitation Council, said militancy-affected orphans, including girls, widows, could avail help in the form of scholarships, one time marriage assistance aid and other aid from the Council under the Department of Social Welfare, Government of J&K.

Parveen Pandit, guest of honour, principal, Government College of Education, Srinagar, stressed on the need to take effective measures to make the orphan girls educated which would lead to their real empowerment. She urged the educated and literate sections to come forward and lend their support in this mission. She also highlighted the plight of women sufferers wherein girls and women are facing violence and onslaught, which needs to be fought while upholding rights and dignity of both men and women.

She called upon the participants to join hands for welfare and rehabilitation initiatives being undertaken by the NGOs like J&K Yateem Foundation.

Earlier, Manzoor Ahmad Wazir, Educationist, expressed concern over the insensitivity and apathy of the people in general, and called for taking sincere, meaningful and result-oriented measures for the orphans, widows and destitute who need all kinds of support, encouragement and help. He said failure to reach out to the destitute sections of the society, would lead to social chaos and anarchy.

On the occasion, a 43-minute film, titled ‘Together with Orphans, Widows and Destitute’ and also Tarana-i-Baitul Hilal (Baitul Hilal anthem), produced by the Press and PR Division were screened.

The film highlights the plight of orphans, widows and destitute people affected in Kashmir and who have no financial or family support to sustain themselves. The film includes opinions and comments from academicians, jurists, journalists, and entrepreneurs on the state of orphans and widows in the Valley. The film also documents JKYF activities. 

Srinagar, September 2
People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said the party’s roadmap for the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir issue, under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was clear, practicable and achievable in the present geo-political scenario.

Addressing a public meeting on Sunday at Kilam in the Devsar constituency of South Kasnmir, she said the action in this regard was, in fact, started in 2002 itself, even the party having only 16 members in the legislative assembly, and it was under implementation.

"If the party gets a decisive mandate, it will carry forward its policies and agenda for the resolution, reconciliation and reconstruction with the help of people only and hopefully leaving no role for discredited politicians who enriched themselves for decades over miseries of people," Mehbooba said.

She said it was PDP’s vision to get the state out of this morass without indulging in hoax slogans and blood-bath. The party stands for what was practically possible without emotionally black mailing people with the lofty promises of plebiscite and autonomy which were ultimately sold out for power. To bring Jammu and Kashmir out of the uncertainty and resultant darkness that had engulfed it for the last 65 years was the party’s core agenda, and we had attempted this during our brief tenure in the government and achieved a breakthrough, she said and added this process would be carried forward with the support from people.

Mehbooba said any headway in Jammu and Kashmir issue was impossible without people being fully empowered; who had faced the maximum brunt of tumultuous times and of the present repressive regime, and the PDP believed it was possible to do in an environment, where there was no fear, threat to life and unnecessary intimidation from the state.