Srinagar, November 4
Despite depleting forest cover in the state, felling of trees in the state has been going on at a frightening pace with little or no close monitoring by government agencies.

The demand for charcoal and wood especially increases manifold during winters in Kashmir due to their usage in conventional modes of heating like kangris, hamams (wooden basement rooms) and fireplaces.

At a time when the Valley is grappling with problems of shortage in power and is unable to meet the demand, a large number of people have switched back to old methods of warming their homes.

Alternative sources of heat applied in solar room heaters and water geysers are yet to make their inroads into the Valley while heating appliances like coal stoves and LPG room heaters still continue to dominate the sales.

“Charcoal consumption and thereby usage of wood definitely goes up during winters. The state government, as of now, has not seriously implemented the regulations under Environment Acts which would limit the intervention of man in eco-sensitive areas, particularly when it comes to felling trees in the countryside,” Imran Shafi, an environmentalist, said.

He added that the people take the extreme step of felling trees because they often feel there is no other viable alternative for keeping warm.

“One also has to bear in mind that the forest cover has depleted to a large extent and the experts predict that will also change the climatic conditions in the state. The government has to take the responsibility and provide proper alternatives to people,” Maaroosa Shafi, a lecturer at Government College for Women, Srinagar, said.

Srinagar, November 4
The state's weather department today warned of heavy rains and snowfall at isolated places in the state during the coming hours as mercury continued to plunge several degrees below the normal and fell down to sub-zero levels at many places including at the holidaying resorts of Pahalgam and Gulmarg.

The forecast bulletin issued today evening by the state's Meteorological department warned that "moderate to heavy" rain and snow would occur at "isolated places" during the next 60 hours.

The bulletin said that light to moderate rain and thundershowers would occur at a few places in the state during the next 24 hours, which end on Tuesday evening.

The weather department forecast said there will be an increase in precipitation during the two subsequent days on Wednesday and Thursday.

Meanwhile, cold weather conditions continued to grip the region as Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir remained the coldest place in Kashmir valley and mercury there fell to a minimum of minus 3 degrees Celsius, an official of the department said.

In north Kashmir's Gulmarg resort, which is a famous skiing destination during winter, the mercury fell to a minimum of minus 1 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg resort, which received the season's first snowfall last week, had earlier recorded even more biting chill when the mercury there fell to a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius on Friday night.

Leh town in the remote Ladakh region, which is located outside Kashmir valley, recorded an extremely cold night as the mercury there fell to a low of minus 8 degrees Celsius, said the official. In the neighbouring Kargil district, the mercury overnight fell to a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius.

In Srinagar city, the minimum temperature overnight dipped closer to freezing point, as the mercury here fell to a low of 1.2 degrees Celsius, which was a departure of two degrees from the normal, said the official.

The maximum temperature during the day in the city here was recorded at 15.4 degrees Celsius, a departure of nearly four degrees from the normal.

The night temperature remained close to freezing point in south Kashmir's Qazigund town where mercury fell to 0.4 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature in north Kashmir's Kupwara town fell to minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, said the official.

Srinagar, November 4
The American Ellen Meadows Prosthetic Hand Foundation and Kashmir American Human Society, in affiliation with Voluntary Medicare Society, Bemina, Srinagar, provided prosthetic hands free of cost to more than 75 needy amputees today.

The foundation’s hand, known as LN-4, is a functional hand and has been provided to more than 14,000 needy people in 65 developing countries.

President of Voluntary Medicare Society, Dr Mir Mohammad Maqbool, gave a description of LN-4 hand and its functioning. He said this is for the first time that prosthetic hands are being provided to needy people in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr Maqbool thanked American Ellen Meadows for delivering these hands. He said this will have a great impact on day-to-day lives of the amputees as this will help them do important tasks like brushing of teeth, writing, eating, drinking and even driving the vehicles.

He said with the slogan of the foundation “Give Hope-Give a Hand”, VMS feels happy to deliver the same to the amputees. While giving a demonstration of the hand, an expert from the foundation, Arthur, said the mission is to provide a light, durable and functional prosthetic hand to every person who wants one and can benefit from it, and do so at no charge. He said the foundation will continue to help these amputees in future and will provide them larger hands. Arthur said this hand can work as a normal hand if used properly. He conveyed his willingness to provide more hands to the needy. He said that this hand will definitely change the lives of people who need it.

He answered several queries of the amputees. Arthur said industrial designer Ernie Meadows and his wife, Marj, lost their daughter, Ellen. Ernie decided to perpetuate their daughter's memory. Arthur said, “Our experience today informs us that those who benefit from the LN-4 hand may have been injured by landmines, work accidents, electricity, acts of violence, or a congenital condition." Technicians of Prosthetic and Orthotic department of VMS fit the hands to the amputees.

Anantnag, November 4
With the ever increasing number of private and public transport vehicles, the people here in Anantnag town of south Kashmir region do not have proper parking spaces.

The locals including members of the business fraternity rue that lack of parking spaces in the town creates an absolute mess for them and causes inconvenience to the shoppers as well as the general public. The locals allege that the only thing the authorities are good at is putting curbs on roadside parking. “That, however, is no solution to the problem. The vehicles are multiplying at a rapid pace and the parking space is almost negligible,” said Gulzar Ahmad, a shopkeeper in the town.

“Where are the shoppers supposed to park their cars if not along the roadsides, that is the only place to park?” he said. Being a business centre, Anantnag town, over the last decade or so, has seen a manifold increase in the number of vehicles that ply its roads.

“Anantnag town is the business hub of the south Kashmir region. It’s a pity that the town is being neglected on the developmental front,” said Muhammad Adil, a doctor from the town.

The shopkeepers rue that they lose potential customers just because the cops don’t let them park their car by the roadside.

An underground parking was to be constructed beneath the new municipal shopping mall, which would have eased off the crunch to a certain limit; however, the shopping mall has remained in limbo for the last more than a decade.

The district administration, meanwhile, acknowledges the inconvenience caused to the general public.

“We are working on this front and hopefully, the issue will be sorted out sooner than later,” said a senior official at the district administration.

Srinagar, November 4
Various Srinagar-based trade bodies today staged a protest demonstration at Press Enclave, Srinagar against the alleged high-handedness of the police while dealing with workers of a private construction company on the JK National Highway.

The traders, under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Coordination Committee of Trade Unions (JKCCTU) today protested against what they called police high-handedness.

“A few days back, workers of a private construction firm were protesting against the anti-labour policies of the company at Chenani-Tunul area of National Highway. However, what was unjustified was the attitude of the police against the workers. They unnecessarily beat up the protesting workers although the protests were going on in a peaceful way," Muhammad Yunus, senior leader of JKCCTU, said.

He said the workers were demanding an increase in wages which is their right.

“But, seemingly, the police acted at the behest of the company officials, indulging in violence, which resulted in injuries to dozens of workers,” Yunus said, adding that the trade body members express solidarity with these workers.

He demanded that the state government should intervene immediately and also sought the release of a few arrested leaders immediately.

Srinagar, November 4
KV Trespone team won the 7th Kargil taekwondo championship which concluded at the Indoor Stadium, Kargil in Ladakh region today.

The tournament was organised by Areezuna School of Taekwondo, a club of the Kargil Taekwondo Association. Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Kargil, Asgar Ali Karbalie, who was the chief guest, urged the coaches to focus on inculcation of moral values in the players along with physical development, so that they can become ideal human beings.

More than 150 students from five different taekwondo clubs of Kargil participated in the tournament.

Srinagar, November 4
According to Chairman, Tehsil Legal Services Committee, Sumbal, a Lok Adalat is being organised on November 23 at Court Complex Sumbal.

Interested parties including public in general and litigants in particular are informed that cases shall be taken up in the Lok Adalat, a statement said. Litigants whose claims are pending in relevant courts and are interested in settling cases amicably can apply for the same before the court concerned by November 23.