Srinagar, October 8
Volunteers of the National Youth Corps (NYC) tried to gherao the Civil Secretariat in order to press the legislators in the ongoing Assembly session to accept their demands here today.

The attempt was, however, foiled by the police. The protesters, led by NYC president Muddasir Hassan, took out a protest march from Jehangir Chowk flyover to the Civil Secretariat.

As many as 15 NYC members were later detained by the police at the Shaheed Ganj Police Station.

The NYC members later observed a sit-in in protest against the police high handedness.

Waseem Siddique, a leader of the organisation, said nearly 7,000 NYC members were up in arms against the insensitivity of the state government in accepting their demands.

He said the recent statement of Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Taj Mohiuddin to forward the NYC case to the Centre was not enough in the wake of their struggle for the past one-year.

“Supporting our demand, Pradesh Congress Committee president Saifuddin Soz has said the demand of extension of our services with various state government departments is justified,” Waseem said.

He said the government should be fair in implementing the NYC scheme in the state and look into the employment opportunities for these 7,000 youth.

Handwara, October 8
Human lives continue to fall prey to beastly attacks and children are more prone to such attacks. In the past three weeks, leopards killed four minor boys in Kupwara.

Last evening, a leopard attacked and killed a nine-year-old boy in remote Darpora village of the Lolab valley. The victim, Zakir Ahmad Awan, was killed by the leopard near a playing field outside his home.

Reports said the leopard pounced on the boy killed him on the spot and disappeared into the nearby forests.

Local residents alleged that the department had miserably failed to save human lives from beastly attacks.

“We have made several representations to officials of the Wildlife Department to set up a few cages in the village and to trap the man-eater but they did not bother to take any measures to save human lives. Department is fully responsible for the killing of the minor boy and action should be taken against the officials on duty,” said Gulfam Ahmad Khan, a local resident. Another resident Mohammad Sayeed Shah said, “Had the department set up cages in the village, the wild animal would have been trapped. We will be forced to take to the streets if the department did not take necessary measures to do away with movement of wild animals in human habitations.”

On October 5, three-year-old Hanan Manzoor, son of Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh of remote Sudal village in Handwara tehsil was killed by a leopard near his home. On September 26, seven-year-old Naveed Jahangir, a resident of Pathan Mohalla, Munwan in Handwara tehsil, was attacked and killed by the leopard near his home. The incident triggered protests against the department.

On September 20, the leopard killed a Class V student, Umar Manzoor Dar near his home in Pazipora village. Three days later, the mutilated body of the victim was found about 700 metres away from his home.

A wildlife official said, “We laid a cage in the village to trap the animal. We have also employed professional hunters to eliminate the animal.” “People should refrain from moving into orchards and vegetable fields especially in the evening hours as the animal often takes shelter at such places,” he added.

Srinagar, October 8
Discussions over the implementation of various healthcare projects in the state dominated discussions in the Legislative Assembly today.

After the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators created ruckus in the House demanding discussions over the healthcare projects, Speaker Mubarak Gul later allowed the same after the Zero Hour and other businesses.

PDP legislator Chowdhary Zulfikar claimed that constituencies of the MLAs of the opposition parties were being neglected as they were not given ‘fair share’ of funding. He also claimed that most of the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) were being set up in the constituencies of the MLAs of the ruling parties.

Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmed Khan informed the House that 600 new health centres would be established in the state, adding that expenditure on the account would be fully met by the Central Government under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). He said by opening of these centres, 2,400 qualified educated youth of the state would get employment.

The Minister said 70 ambulances and other vehicles had been purchased by the government during last two fiscal years.

Srinagar, October 8
The issue related to the demands of the government employees, who are on a warpath, continued to resonate during the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly today.

Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA MY Tarigami demanded that the cases registered against the employees be withdrawn as the Darbar Move was approaching. He said the same would pave the way for negotiations with the employee leaders.

National Panthers Party (NPP) legislator Harsh Dev Singh also demanded withdrawal of cases while Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Basharat Bukhari said he was receiving calls from the employees over the arrest of their leaders.

To this, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mir Saifullah said those employee leaders, who are not under arrest, should contact the Chief Secretary in case of any issues. He said the Chief Secretary had been given the authority to take decisions over the employees’ issue.

Pertinently, several employee leaders have been put under arrest after the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various employees’ associations, refused to call off its agitation.

After a series of protests and strikes by the employees last year, the government had reached an agreement with the JCC wherein the employees were assured that a decision on their demands would be announced by September 30. However, the JCC then resumed protests, saying the government had failed to fulfil the promises made to them.

The employees’ demands include release of arrears recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments.

Srinagar, October 8
With the government identifying 25 hotels in ‘A’ category in tourist resort of Pahalgam operating without consent from the Pollution Control Board (PCB), the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has asked the authorities how these hotels were allowed to operate and why action has not been taken against them so far under the pollution laws.

These observations were passed by a Division Bench of the High Court today, while it refrained from passing any directions as the Advocate General sought time to file status report in this regard.

The High Court is hearing a public interest litigation seeking preservation of environs of ski resort Gulmarg and a ban on illegal constructions there.

Earlier on October 4, it had directed the PCB to identify hotels in Srinagar and Pahalgam that are operating in violation of the pollution laws and furnish the list on October 8. Earlier, the High Court had ordered the sealing of the hotels in Gulmarg tourist resort which were operating without installing STP (sewage treatment plants).

“In compliance to order dated October 4, a compliance report has been furnished, identifying hotels operating in Pahalgam and Srinagar,” the High Court observed in its orders.

In the list of hotels under ‘A’ category, it said, “35 hotels in Pahalgam have been identified and 25 of them are operating without the consent from the PCB and the consent has been given to only 10 hotels.”

“In respect of ‘B’ category, a list of 99 hotels has been furnished and only 36 have been issued consent and 55 are without consent while in respect of five, consent is under process and field inspection is in progress in respect of 3 hotels.”

Referring to the status report, the court said the list of hotels operating without consent under ‘C’category , has also been furnished. Out of 242 in this list, 124 are operating without consent.

In respect of ‘D’ category, out of 490, 153 hotels are running without consent from the PCB, the court said while referring to the list provided by the government.

“We have asked Advocate General M I Qadri as how the hotels without consent have been permitted to operate and why action has not been taken so far under the pollution laws as it is the primary duty cast upon on the PCB and other government agencies to implement provisions of law”, the Bench observed.

“In order to ensure that the state agency functions and comes into action, we refrain from passing any order today despite wanton violation of laws committed by the state,” it further observed.

Anantnag, October 8
The police today ‘forcibly’ occupied a residential hut belonging to the engineering wing of the Mughal Road project in Chowgam area of south kashmir’s Shopian district.

Officials of the engineering wing said the police moved into one of the three huts meant for the residential purpose of the officials.

“One of the huts has already been occupied by a District Sessions Judge a year ago and now, the police has moved into another one,” said Superintending Engineer (SE) of the project, Muhammad Ali Khan.

He said the Executive Engineer of the project was supposed to move into the hut.

“We have only one hut left now that houses our office. Where are the engineers and other staff supposed to live,” Khan said.

He said he had taken up the matter with the higher authorities when the judge occupied the hut; however no notice had been taken.

Sources said the shifting of the CRPF camp from Gagren to District Police Lines had created a space crunch at the Police Lines, making policemen to look for other avenues of lodging.

Police officials, however, maintained that they had got prior permission to move into the huts from the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Shopian.

“We have not moved in forcibly, we have got a proper written permission from the Deputy Commissioner,” said Shopian Superintendent of Police Mumtaz Ahmad.

Deputy Commissioner Bashir Ahmad Bhat chose not to comment on the issue.

“I’m busy right now, you can call later,” Bhat said. Calls after that went unanswered.

Srinagar, October 8
The Coaching Centres Association (CCA) of Kashmir today warned the state government against changing the guideline regarding the release of payment under the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS).

The association said certain touts and some college lobbies were recommending that the money given under the scheme should be released directly to colleges and not through the students. “At present, the money is being released to the beneficiary (student) account, which empowers students and enables colleges to provide better education,” said GN Var, chairperson, CCA. “But if the lobbies persist and the guidelines are changed, then there will be no accountability on colleges,” he said.

Recently, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had stated in the state Legislative Assembly that the money bungling by NGOs and third parties in the PMSSS would be probed. The CCA was one of the associations that had brought to fore the misuse of funds under a centrally sponsored scheme.

“There are a number of cases where some touts and NGOs admitted the students to some non-deserving colleges, with no faculty and qualified staff,” said Var.

He said if funds go to such colleges directly, student would to suffer without any option to step back, said Var. “Even if colleges wind up in the middle of the session, students will loose everything,” he said.

The association said the power of money vested with students kept an effective check on colleges. “Otherwise the tout-college lobbies will have a field day fleecing students from the state,” said Var.

The association also demanded an answer from the government regarding its claim that it had no role in the implementation of the scheme. “The CM recently said that we had no role in the implementation of the PMSSS. The All-India Council for Technical Education was provided some role recently. Who was running this scheme earlier?” said Var.

“We just want to know about the person who was at the driver’s seat and landed thousands of students in a complete mess,” he added.

Kupwara, October 8
After the Army called off its operation in the Shalabhato area near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district on Tuesday, the residents in Jummagund village are hopeful of getting back on track soon.

Residents of this region heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday after the Army called off the operation after more than two weeks.

They said they had spent sleepless nights amid the exchange of firing at regular intervals between the Army troops and militants for more than two weeks.

“We haven’t heard a gunshot since the morning. We are convinced that the two-week stand-off has finally ended as we can see troops coming down from the nearby forests. The operation had caged us in our houses,” said .

Shepherds said they were unable to take their livestock out for grazing due exchange of firing at regular intervals. “Now we will be able to take livestock for grazing. The return of normalcy will allow us to get back to our daily business once again,” said Jamal-u-din Khatana, a resident.

Residents said amid a tensed situation nearby, the Army used to patrol the village and its surroundings throughout the day. “The children were fearful due to frequent patrolling of the Army and exchange of heavy firing for the past more than two weeks. Thankfully, following the exodus of the Army from the outskirts of the village, we have once again started getting back to normal life,” said Mohd Amin Poswal.

Jumagund village remained one of main centres of the exchange of firing between the Army and militants during one of longest stand-offs between the Army and militants.