Srinagar, November 10
A year after all the associated hospitals in the Valley sent a proposal to the government for upgrading the old fire extinguishing system, it is yet to release the funds.

According to hospital officials, they had sent Rs 5 crore plan to the government for upgrading of old firefighting system with the latest techniques. They had also sent a list of things that will ensure the latest firefighting system in all the associated hospitals.

“The proposal will ensure the installation of latest firefighting mechanism, including latest alarm system, fire safety system and other equipments,” a senior official said.

The fire at Lal Ded maternity hospital in Srinagar, last week, exposed the lack of firefighting facilities at major government hospitals in Kashmir.

“We have basic fire extinguishers, but they don’t work in case of major fire outbreak. We want the latest and perfect firefighting system. We have already placed a proposal through Government Medical College on behalf of all hospitals a year ago, but no funds have been released yet,” Superintendent, Lal Ded Hospital, Dr Mushtaq Rather said.

The other major hospitals in the Valley, including those associated with the Government Medical College (GMC), lack modern fire-fighting capacities and are short of equipment, like fire-alarms and smoke detectors. Besides, there are no fire exits and water stations in many of the hospitals.

“Though we have the basic fire extinguishers, but they are very old and poor to fight any major fire incident,” said a hospital official on the condition of anonymity.

The government apathy has also anguished the locals.

“Instead of ensuring good fire fighting system at hospitals, government wakes up only when a fire incident occurs. They are simply playing with the lives of patients,” Abdul Rashid, who was witness to the fire at Lal Ded Hospital, said.

A senior official in the Medical Education Department, however, said government was working on the proposal submitted by hospitals for upgrading of fire fighting equipments.

“While we are working on the proposal (to upgrade the existing system), at the same time all new hospital building will be equipped with the latest fire fighting equipments,” he said.

Kupwara, November 10
Non-metered villages of Kupwara district are reeling under darkness since last evening. The power supply was snapped in the villages, including Ticker, Batergam, Gulgam, Hirri, Trehgam, Hayan and Kralpora, around 8pm last evening and restored around 3pm today only to be snapped again till 5 pm.

Consumers threatened to take to the streets in protest against erratic power if the supply was not restored to normal. They said they were made to pay power tariff in time but power was not supplied according to the curtailment schedule.

“What is the point in having a curtailment schedule in place when power is not supplied in accordance with the schedule. We are made to pay power bills in time but are faced with erratic power scenario. We will be forced to hold protests if the supply is not improved at the earliest,” said Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Batergam.

Residents of many villages of Handwara said the power was playing hide and seek with them. They said there were power cuts for hours even during the peak hours.

Consumers in Kupwara town also complained of frequent power outages.

“Even the metered areas are not spared and subjected to frequent power outages. The power department should do away with metering system or improve the power supply,” said Afaq Ahmad, a Kupwara resident.

Residents of Sogam, Darpora, Kalaroose and Andurgbugh, Drugmulla and Chowkibal falling under the jurisdiction of Kupwara Tehsil said the villages were reeling under severe power crisis.

Students said they were the worst suffers. “Our studies are badly affected due to grim power scenario. During night, power goes off for hours and in the absence of power, we are forced to study under candlelight,” said Altaf Ahmad, a Class XII student from Drugmulla, Kupwara.

Residents of Handwara town also complained of erratic power supply.

They said the power outages had become order of the day. “For one week, power is playing hide and seek in the evening and night hours. We visited the power division, Handwara, with a plea to improve the power supply but to no avail,” said Mohd Amin, a trader.

Consumers of some Lolab villages complained of low voltage. “The voltage is so low that we are forced to lit candles to illuminate a room. In spite of paying the power tariff in time, the power department continues to test our patience,” said Zahoor Ahmad of Darpora Lolab.

Chief Engineer, Power department, Kashmir, Bashir Ahmad Dar said, “The department is sparing no efforts to provide uninterrupted power supply to the consumers. I will look into the matter and the supply would be improved at the earliest.”

Srinagar, November 10
In a surprising move, the Power Development Department (PDD) has made available the new power curtailment schedules for a majority of the localities of Srinagar in local mosques.

Earlier, the PDD had resorted to frequent power cuts without notifying the masses through a public notice which irked the people particularly when the demand for power during winter was high.

Power officials had earlier said the power cuts were likely to become more frequent in winter due to overload from use of heating gadgets especially during evening hours.

The PDD had stated that as compared to load agreement of 570 MW during evenings with the domestic consumers of the Valley, the usage becomes 1,070 MW which compels the department to go for frequent power cuts.

The PDD ‘s new curtailment schedules pasted as posters on local mosques involves daily power cuts of 3-4 hours in the metered as well non-metered areas.

People have decried the move of the department and urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also in charge of the department, to address their grievances.

“The state government has done nothing for providing adequate power supply to the people. It is a general concern among the people here that power woes are never addressed. But Omar Abdullah-led state government has done nothing to address this issue from the last four years,” said Abdul Shakir, a Srinagar-based shopkeeper.

“The blame lies on the state government for not being able to recover its T& D losses and not being able to get the payments from various public departments which consume a large amount of power. Only the domestic consumers are punished for no crime of theirs,” said Mumtaza Bhat, a doctor.

Srinagar, November 10
The J&K Bank has recorded net profit increase of 12.29 per cent for the second quarter of the current financial year.

A bank spokesman said Rs 302.66 crore net profit was registered against Rs 269.53 crore for the corresponding quarter last year.

He said the quarterly results were announced yesterday and the bank had posted net profit of Rs 610.58 crore for half-year (H1) ended September 2013, up by 18.42 per cent from Rs 515.62 crore earned during the corresponding H1 of the previous financial year.

Commenting on the performance for the quarter, J&K Bank Chairman and CEO Mushtaq Ahmad said: "Despite stressed economy, we feel confident by our H1 results. Going by the current industry scenario, we have performed really well."

The bank, he said, would continue to increase its priority sector lending in the state to give boost to the agriculture and allied activities, craft economy, trade and industry within the state.

“Meanwhile, we shall pace-up our efforts to tap every grower across the state under the Apple Project, which also forms a part of our broader plan on financial inclusion. Going forward, the bank envisions tapping of almost all the apple growers across the Valley which in financial terms would mean credit off-take of at least Rs 5,000-6,000 crore,” he added.

About the bank’s expansion plan outside the state, he said: “This year, we have already opened five business units in Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad. We are prospectively looking at opening 15 more such units this fiscal in Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Delhi. And our corporate loan-book outside the state shall grow though on a very selective basis.”

Kupwara, November 10
Residents of several villages in Kupwara district heaved a sigh of relief following the killing of three leopards turned man-eaters during the past two weeks. A team of professional hunters assisted by wildlife employees killed a man-eater yesterday in Bomi-daggar forests at Magam village of Handwara tehsil.

A senior wildlife official said the animal had killed three children in Karihama, Pazipora Chek Kupwara and adjacent Sheikhpora village of Handwara tehsil. “The wildlife team was fully equipped with tranquilising guns, cages, nets and sharpshooters. The animal was spotted and killed around 4.15pm on Friday,” he said.

Local residents said they were feeling relieved following the killing of the man-eater, which was posing serious dangers to their lives.

“Children were scared to venture out of homes as the man-eater was on the prowl in the village. We are thankful to the wildlife staff, which worked hard for about past two weeks and finally killed the animal. The animal was increasingly posing dangers to human lives and livestock,” said Ghulam Rasool, a resident of Magam, Handwara.

Recently, a team of wildlife officials of north division killed two man-eaters at Sudal village in Handwara. The leopards had killed 10-year-old Basit Ali Mir from Hayan and Omar Manzoor Dar from Pazipora, said locals.

The wildlife official said hunters and field staff of the Forest Department and the Forest Protection Force, Langate, were searching for another man-eater responsible for killing the children in other areas of Kupwara.

“People living close to forests should avoid movement dawn and dusk hours as wild animals intensify their movement during these times. We are working hard to trap or kill the animal responsible for killing of a few children,” said the official.

Residents of many other villages, including Kalaroose, Sudal, Maidanpora, Khurhama, Gund Villgam, Dardpora, Bakiakar, Wadipora and Moori, said they were living under intense scare of wild animals.

The residents said the leopards and bears had devoured dozens of livestock. They said especially children were prone to attacks by wild animals coming down to human habitations.

“The wild animals are on prowl in villages since past few weeks. They have devoured many cattle and are posing increasing threat to human lives. We fear to venture out of our homes even during the broad daylight. Apart from setting up cages, the wildlife authorities should take other necessary measures to scare away the animals to their habitations,” said a delegation led by Abdul Jabar Khan from Kalaroose.

Srinagar, November 10
Union Minister Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed shock and offered condolences over the demise of party leader Shiban Dudha, who passed away last night in a hospital in New Delhi.

Dudha, a well-known Kashmiri Pandit leader, had recently joined the National Conference. "I express my deepest anguish at the very sad demise of Shiban Dudha,” said Farooq, president, NC, in a statement. The Union Minister also expressed solidarity with the bereaved family. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed deep shock and described Dudha’s death as a big loss to the party and to the Kashmiri Pandit community.

Omar expressed his solidarity with them and conveyed his sympathy. Party’s provincial president for Kashmir Nasir Aslam Wani, provincial president of Jammu Devender Singh Rana and Political Secretary to Chief Minister Tanvir Sadiq have also condoled the demise.

Srinagar, November 10
The Commissioner, Income Tax, TDS, Chandigarh, today concluded his five-day official visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

During his visit to the state he took up the matter related to the delay in transfer of the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) amount into the Income Tax account by the J&K State Finances (Resources) Department.

While interacting with the Principal Accountant General (AG), Srinagar, the Income Tax Commissioner pointed out that the time taken at present by the AG, Srinagar, in compiling and filing of the TDS of the state government DDOs was too much, Income Tax Officer, TDS, Srinagar, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat said in a statement here.

“It was pointed out that there is a need for curtailing the same time period,” the statement said.

“In the meeting, the delay in transfer of the TDS into the Income Tax account by the State Finance (Resources) Department was also discussed. The Commissioner pointed out that earlier the AG office used to transfer the amount directly to the Income Tax account as is a practise with other states,” the statement said.

It added that after the J&K shifted its accounts to the RBI, the RBI transfers the amount only on the advise of the State Finance (Resources) Department.

“It was felt that the state government is delaying the transfer of the due amount for months together and retains the amount for unknown reasons,” the statement said.

It was also emphasised that the Accountant General, Srinagar, plays its role in timely credit of the TDS made by the State Government through book adjustment, which runs into crores of rupees.

The statement added that if necessary, the issue may be taken up with the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.

Srinagar, November 10
The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today flayed the government for the arrest of president, Non Gazetted Employees Welfare Association, GM Pandith and sought his immediate release.

In a statement issued here, DAK president Dr Nissar-ul-Hassan demanded Pandith’s immediate release from the detention and said if the government does not release him the body will launch an agitation.

Pandith was arrested on November 7 from the premises of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences(SKIMS), Soura, while on duty.

He was later shifted to the sub jail, Kupwara, in north Kashmir.

“This action by the police is illegal and unlawful. This proves beyond doubt that Kashmir is a police state. This is unfortunate that whenever somebody raises his voice against tyranny, his voice is being suppressed by force,” Dr Nissar said.

He added that Pandith is a man with conviction and he was fighting for the welfare of medical employees and quality care to patients.

He also alleged that the medical employees of the SKIMS are suffering at the hands of its Director.

“Instead of fulfilling the genuine demands of medical employees, the Director is harassing and abusing them,” he said.

Srinagar, November 10
The Education and Multimedia Research Centre (EMMRC), University of Kashmir, today organised a day-long orientation programme on ‘Development and utilisation of e-resources’ at Government Degree College for boys, Anantnag.

Students from Government Degree College for Women, Anantnag, Government Degree College for Boys, Tral, and Government Degree College, Kulgam, apart from the teachers and students of Government Degree College for boys, Anantnag, participated in the event.

Director, Education and Multimedia Research Centre, Shahid Rasool, on the occasion, demonstrated how technology has transformed teaching and learning process at the international level.

Rasool said today when global learning communities have made education seamless, it is time for us to embrace the change and make the best use of information and communication technology within and outside the classroom.

He highlighted various endeavours of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, University Grants Commission and media centers in promoting the use of television and new technologies to take knowledge to the doorsteps of students across the country, irrespective of their geographical location.

“In the age of electronic cottage, opportunities for education are tremendous,” Rasool said.

He invited teachers to help the research centre in packaging of knowledge, in various e-forms and take full advantage of the e-resources created by the media centres.

Zahoor Ahmad Chaat, Principal Government Degree College for boys, Anantang, presided over the inaugural function.

He appreciated the efforts of the centre for sensitising teachers and students about the use of technology.

Chaat said only technology can solve the present problems of higher education.

He lauded the role of the research centre for taking technology to the doorsteps of students living in remote corners of the state and making presence of the university felt at the national level.

Salima Jan, research scientist, EMMRC, urged students to make best use of e-resources.

The event was coordinated and anchored by Tariq Abdullah, producer EMMRC.

Srinagar, November 10
Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) today accused the police of falsely implicating Showkat Ahmad Paul in a ‘fidayeen’ (suicide bomb) attack early this year.

The association welcomed the High Court’s recent decision of giving the police as well as a section of the media a time of six weeks to come clean on the charges of Showkat Ahmad Paul being involved in the alleged ‘fidayeen’ attack.

“Showkat disappeared almost a decade ago from Srinagar. He was allegedly picked up by the 2 Rashtriya Rifles led by Major Pratap in Srinagar. Khursheed Ahmad Bhat, a counter-intelligence officer, had confessed that our son was in Major Pratap’s custody,” said Farida, Showkat’s mother.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, had directed the police to lodge an FIR and the FIR was finally lodged on January 18, 2005, at the Kothi Bagh police station, she said.

A Jammu-based newspaper in March this year had carried a news report saying that Showkat was killed in a ‘fidayeen’ attack on a BSF convoy in Nowgam, Srinagar, on March 22. The newspaper quoted police sources in its report.

The association questioned the credentials of the news report. The APDP then filed a petition in the High Court against the police and the newspaper on the basis of the report.

“No police official has come on record to say that my son is involved in the attack. In fact, he is languishing in jail for the past 10 years. Far from delivering justice, these allegations have only hurt our sentiments. We will intensify our protests against such misleading reports,” Farida asserted.