Srinagar, November 1
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has issued notices to four food joints functioning under unhygienic conditions as part of the drive against adulterated food.

The joints have been told to improve hygienic standards within seven days failing which strict action would be taken.

SMC Health Officer Shafqat Khan said in case the business units did not improve their conditions, fine to the tune of Rs 1 lakh would be imposed or imprisonment, including sealing of their premises, would be initiated under the Food Safety and Authority Act (FSSA), 2006.

He said the notices were issued to Shakti Sweets, Modern Sweets and Hollywood Bakery, all situated at the Residency Road, and Mughal Darbar at Karanagar area. Products of these units were in demand among the locals ahead of festivals and during the marriage season.

He said officials of the department found that these units were being run in unhygienic conditions, including exposure to dust and flies.

Khan said the notice was issued as part of the SMC drive against unhygienic and adulterated food. He said the drive would continue and inspections would be held at other bakeries, sweetmeat shops and eateries as well.

The Health Officer said the SMC had declared a 'war' against adulterated and sub-standard food products available within the municipal limits. The corporation had so far collected 120 samples of food products. Out of the collected food samples, seven were of sub-standard quality.

For the first time, the SMC will be sending collected food samples to referral laboratories in Kolkatta and Chandigarh for the quality check.

Khan said the locals should contact the Srinagar Municipal Corporation in case of reports of adulterated or substandard food items available in the markets so that the required action can be taken.

Kupwara, November 1
Early chill, this year, has forced people in north Kashmir to stock firewood to fight the harsh winter. Groups of women are venturing into forests to collect remains of deodar and kiel trees and stock it for the winter season. Most of the people in north Kashmir use hearth for cooking and warmth during the winter.

The coal obtained from firewood is used in firepots, locally called Kangris, for warmth. The women are also busy in burning leaves of wall nut and chinar trees to make coal for firepots. “Winter in villages is usually harsh and long. Early chill, this year, is an indication of a harsh winter ahead. Every year, we stock the firewood in abundance and use the same for cooking and warmth during winters,” said Sarwa Begum of Muqam Lolab.

Locals said the shortage of LPG and kerosene was likely to worsen in winters and they need to stock enough firewood to fight the biting chill, especially in December and January.

“In the absence of LPG and kerosene in villages, firewood is the only option left with the people. To sustain the harsh winter ahead, the locals should stock enough firewood,” said Nazir Ahmad from Kupwara.

Reports from Handwara and Baramulla said groups of women were moving into the forests for collecting the firewood.

“Firepots (kangris) are the affordable heating devices for a common man. The biggest advantage of them is that they can be carried along while strolling,” said Reyaz Ahmad.

The cost of a kangri varies from Rs 70 to Rs 150 depending upon its size, quality of wicker and earthen pot used in it. “Electrical heating gadgets like room heaters are not preferred by the people in north Kashmir due to erratic power supply in winters. This makes kangri a widely-used heating device in north Kashmir,” said Shabir Ahmad, a Handwara resident.

Srinagar, November 1
A major fire broke out in the Rambagh area of the city, damaging five houses, an official of the Fire Services and Emergencies Department said. The fire severely damaged upper portion of three houses, partially damaged one house and slightly damaged another house at Rambagh, the official said.

The fire was caused by an electric short circuit.

The official said the fire had engulfed a residential block of 10 houses, which were closely annexed to each other. However, before the tenders could douse the flames, it already spread to five houses.

Eight fire tenders from the headquarters, Gaw Kadal, Nowgam and Rawalpora stations were pressed into service.

We have received a call about the incident at 2:13 pm, the official said.

However, he said, traffic jams along the route delayed the tenders from reaching the spot. 

Srinagar, November 1
Several moderate Hurriyat leaders today held a protest in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district against the use of pellet guns and pepper gas. Leaders of moderate Hurriyat faction Javaid Ahmad Mir, Zaffar Akbar Bhat and Syed Bashir Andrabi led the protest at Khimber in Ganderbal district.

The protesting separatists termed the use of pellet guns and pepper gas as the violations of the human rights.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court, earlier this week, had dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the moderate separatists seeking a ban on use of pepper gas and pellet guns against protesters.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today termed the state High Court’s dismissal of a public interest litigation (PIL) against the use of pellet guns and pepper gas as “surprising”.

Mirwaiz, who was addressing a Friday congregational gathering at the Jamia Masjid in the old city here, said, “Many realities have not been taken into consideration while dismissing the PIL.”

“The Hurriyat Conference will minutely examine the decision and if needed it will file a petition in the Supreme Court,” Mirwaiz said.

The state government had argued that use of tear smoke and oleoresin grenades are “internationally accepted non-lethal means of controlling unruly mobs to restore law and order”. 

Srinagar, November 1
Confusion prevailed over the school and office timings in the Valley, as the government has extended the winter timetable till October next year.

In an official statement yesterday, the government marked the winter timings for the schools and government offices of the Valley beginning today to October 31 next year. The statement said winter timings in government, private educational institutions as well as public department offices will remain in practice till October 31.

The winter timings in the Valley are generally in vogue between November and March, when the temperatures dip considerably and the duration of the days is much shorter.

Interestingly, the government is yet to come out with an official statement declaring the earlier schedule to be erroneous.

“The winter timings schedule made public yesterday, is simply illogical. In the Valley, summer and winter office timings vary greatly. Many schools and other institutions have refrained from issuing final notifications on these timings, as the clearance from the state government is yet to come,” Imdad Khan, an educationist, said. — TNS

Kupwara, November 1
Residents of Chandigam village in the Lolab valley of Kupwara district have urged the Tourism Department to build infrastructure like tourist huts and good roads in the village to woo tourists.

Bestowed with picturesque pastureland and lush green forests, Chandigam village, 25 km from Kupwara town, was formally opened for tourists by the state authorities on September 30, 2012.

Villagers said the tourist influx to the village would create job opportunities for unemployed youth in Lolab. “Normalcy is increasingly gaining ground in the Lolab valley and people especially, the jobless youth, are looking forward to making income from tourism-related activities," said Anees Ahmad, an unemployed graduate.

“The tourism authorities should build the necessary infrastructure and develop the village as a tourist resort. I am planning to build a hotel in my native village for tourists,” he added. Another jobless youth, Abrar Ahmad, said, “Lolab is no less beautiful than other popular tourist destinations in Kashmir, and we are expecting a good rush of tourists to the Valley. The Tourism Department should built more huts here and promote the place among tourists,"

Residents of Kalaroose and Dardpora villages, blessed with verdant forests and gushing streams, caves and old religious shrines in Lolab, also demanded that the tourism infrastructure should be streamlined in these villages.

Kalaroose is famous for its copper mines and carved rocks called Sat Burn (seven doors). “The shrines and caves are expected to attract hordes of tourists. We are ready to host the visitors after a long period of time," said Nazir Ahmad, a trader from Kalaroose.

“Fresh water springs, especially Kumarji Nag and Chandinag, are worth seeing.” he added.

Popular destinations, including Mir Sadradin Sahab Shrine in Kanthpora and Mir Baba Nazuk Shrine in Devar Lolab, witnessed a rush of devotees and tourists before the outbreak of insurgency in 1989, locals said.

Srinagar, November 1
With onion prices soaring, the J&K Government’s Agriculture Department, Kashmir Division, today organised a sale of onion seedlings at its kitchen garden on the Lal Mandi premises.

Kashmir Director of Agriculture Mushtaq Peerzada said the response to the onion sale had been excellent. He said earlier, a sale was also organised for hybrid varieties of different vegetable seedlings.

An amount of Rs 3 lakh was realised from the seedlings since the kitchen garden was set up in April, this year. This led to the production of vegetables worth Rs 4 crore and also helped employment generation, the director said.

Keeping in view the huge economic potential of vegetable seedling productions, unemployed youth and farmers have been advised to practice seedling production in their fields. The department will provide all technical guidance for this venture, the director said.

Srinagar, November 1
The J&K Police has submitted the conclusive report of Zahid Iqbal case to the Chief Judicial Magistrate, claiming that he died of drowning.

The police in its report has stated that Zahid Iqbal of Padshahi Bagh, Srinagar, had died of drowning while his friend was booked for concealing his belongings for person use.

Giving details of the case the police said the body of missing Zahid was fished out from Jhelum and Srinagar police initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 CrPC to ascertain the cause of the death.

After the body was recovered, protests had sparked in the area as his family suspected that it could be a murder.

The postmortem of the deceased body was also conducted, police said.

“During the investigation of the case, some friends of the deceased were called for questioning. Search of the cell phone and SIM card was made through surveillance unit Raj Bagh, during which it came to the surface that cell phone is being used by a female resident of Soura, Srinagar,” police said.

“She was called for questioning. During questioning she stated that the said cell phone was given to her by her nephew namely Ruhail Gowhar Sofi a resident of Padshahi Bagh.”

“Ruhail was called to the police station and during questioning he disclosed that the deceased was his friend and neighbour,” police said.

Ruhail revealed that on August 25, after the Friday prayers, both of them had gone to the river side. The deceased went for bathing, while he went to the other side for smoking, police said.

“When he came he found the cloths of the deceased on the banks. Before going for bathing, the deceased had handover his watch and cell phone to Ruhail. On his return he could not locate the deceased, he was afraid and left the place,” police said.

Subsequently police seized the cell phone and the wristwatch from Ruhail. Later, the postmortem report was also obtained from the concerned quarters, which suggested that the death of the deceased was caused due to drowning.

The items seized by the police from Ruhail were kept by him dishonestly for his personal use and therefore he was booked under section 404 of the RPC, the police said.

Srinagar, November 1
Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir today said that various areas of Anantnag district, including Wasaknag and Kund, would be brought on the tourism map of the state shortly.

The composed project on this account is being sent to Central Government for approval, so that the tourism infrastructure is built in this area as early as possible, Mir said during his extensive tour of Anantnag district today.

“By virtue of Central Government’s liberal funding, the state government constructed roads, bridges, schools and tourism infrastructure in all the three regions of the state. The developmental activities started, are aimed at improving socio-economic conditions of the people besides extending welfare measures,” the Minister said.

Mir, meanwhile, directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam, to identify land in ‘Nag’ area for construction of the tourist resort.

He asked the Director Tourism to formulate a project report for the purpose, so that levelling of land and other steps are taken, for construction of two view points.

Later addressing a public meeting at Waltengoo Kund, the Minister said the government is committed to develop the area and provide all the basic facilities to the people. Mir was accompanied by Director Tourism Talat Parvez and officers of the district.

Anantnag, November 1
While the erratic power supply is becoming a nightmare for the common people in Kashmir, the industrial unit holders across south Kashmir continue to remain the worst of the lot.

According to reports, the unit holders at different industrial estates as well as the ones operating from outside the zones are incurring hefty losses in the wake of unscheduled power cuts.

Many of the unit holders are even considering winding up their units.

They say that they have a lot of people working for them and in the wake of regular power cuts all of them remain idle.

“We have to keep paying the workers, despite the fact they are able to work only for half of what they do when the power supply is regular. Electricity is not their headache, it’s ours,” Basit Khan, a unit holder from Pulwama, said.

The owners are blaming the authorities for being indifferent towards them.

“We have been pleading for an essential service line, but nobody pays any heed,” said Bilal Ahmad, another unit holder from Dupathyar area of Bijbehara in Anantnag district.

The people associated with the industrial sector say that even a power supply of six or seven hours a day will suffice them, provided it is uninterrupted.

“We don’t need a 24 hour service line. But the six or seven hours of electricity we get should, at least, not be supplied in half hour packages,” said

Mohsin, who owns an industrial set up in Anantnag district.

If the power scenario continues to be like what it is, Kashmir will see a lot of unit holders winding up their business, said one of the owners.

Srinagar, November 1
J&K Forest today defeated J&K Bank 2-0 to lift the JK Power Development Corporation (JKPDC) Football League— 2013, being played at the Polo Ground here.

Both the teams began in an exciting fashion, matching each other move for move. However, it was J&K Forest which drew the first blood in the 53rd minute of the match, with Ashiq Mushtaq finding the back of the net. Toufeeq Ahmad, then doubled the lead eight minutes later.

Managing Director JKPDC, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo was the chief guest on the occasion, while Abdul Hameed Banday, Executive President, J&K Bank, was the guest of honour.