Anantnag, November 12
The police at Tral town of Pulwama district has seized fake currency worth Rs 1.5 lakh after a man tried to deposit the amount at a local branch of HDFC Bank yesterday, said police reports.

Sohail Maqbool, a resident of Tral, tried to deposit the fake currency in his account at the branch.

Police sources said Muhammad Maqbool, father of the accused, and a woman accomplice of the duo had also been arrested in the case.

“A teller at the bank, however, detected that the notes were fake and confronted the account holder,” said a senior police official from the area.

“The accused was arrested with the fake currency notes,” said the reports.

The police has registered an FIR in this regard.

Awantipora SP Abdul Wahid said the police was investigation the matter to get to the helm of the fake currency racket.

“One person has been arrested in this connection so far. Further arrests might follow after investigations,” said the SP.

Srinagar, November 12
Even after conducting raids across the Valley, the Power Development Department has failed to detect power thefts.

The agreement load in the Valley, as per the PDD, is 1000 MW, but the power consumed is much higher than the agreed load.

“Technically, if we have 1000 MW agreement load for domestic, commercial as well as industrial units, the load should not exceed 50 per cent on an average. But the load during the peak hours in the Valley is 1100 MW and it shows that power theft is taking place,” said a senior official in the PDD. “Though the department has constituted teams to check power thefts across the Valley, the consumers need to understand that power pilferage is the main reason behind the frequent power breakdowns,” he said.

Sources said the department had conducted inspection of various areas to check the power thefts and tighten noose around the violators. A team of the department recently raided a private hospital in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and found that the hospital had an illegal power connection. The Chief Engineer, PDD, Bashir Ahmed, said the department would continue its efforts to check power thefts.

“We have many teams in Srinagar and other districts of the Valley to check power pilferage. Our efforts will continue to ensure that such incidents do not take place,” Ahmed said.

The shortage of power supplies is a common feature in the Kashmir valley, particularly during the winter months. It is mainly because of the low-level of water in the sources to the hydel power projects that get dried up due to cold conditions. The decline in power generation gets coupled with the increase in the demand for power in cold weather conditions. The power is more in demand due to the use of heating gadgets in domestic use like heaters and geysers. The government relies on the Northern Grid for the purchase of power to overcome the increasing domestic demand, thereby leading to additional financial burden.

Protest demonstrations against power shortage or disruptions are a common feature in the Valley during winters.

Srinagar, November 12
Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmed Mir said today that the Centre had approved a project of Rs 3.50 crore for the development of Chatpal, known as mini Pahalgam, in Kokernag, as a tourist spot.

He said this while addressing public meetings at Achabal and Dooru in south Kashmir today.

“The pristine glory of Nagdandi pilgrim place will also be restored by bringing it on the tourism map of the state. Besides, Shangus area has a distinct place in the tourism activities and assured the people of the area that the authorities concerned would be deputed to survey the areas for the creation of the required tourist infrastructure,” he said.

Mir said tourism was the backbone of the state economy and its expansion was important. “We should encourage tourism and its related activities in order to accelerate the development process in the areas,” he added.

Srinagar, November 12
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has banned the sale of layer chicken in the summer capital of the state.

Talking to Kashmir Tribune today, SMC health officer Dr Shafqat Khan said the decision to ban layer chicken was taken as it had no food value. During an inspection at the city markets, the SMC food safety officials found out that layer chickens were being sold at several places.

He said the SMC would be issuing notices to all chicken retailers so that the ban was enforced. Layer chicken is also called a spent bird and the term is referred to egg laying hens.

Khan said the SMC would take strict action against the outlets selling the layer chicken.

He said the decision to ban its sale was taken as part of the ongoing SMC drive against the unhealthy and substandard food products being sold within the municipal limits.

Kupwara, November 12
Residents of Pathra hamlet, 16 km from Kupwara town, have demanded opening of a primary school in the hamlet for their children. At present, at least 50 children have to walk 4 km to attend a middle school at Kaniback, which is the nearest school.

Parents said education of their children was severely affected due to cumbersome walk they have to take every day. They said the Education Department was yet to approve the opening of a primary school under centrally sponsored Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

“Most of the times, our children fail to do homework at home due to fatigue caused while traversing the distance on foot. Some children have left studies midway due to the long distance they had to cover. Despite repeated pleas, the department has not approved opening of a primary school in the village,” said Nawab Ahmad Khan, a resident.

Under the Right to Education Act, the government has to provide the access to education to all, with a primary school within the radius of 1 km of every residential locality, an upper primary school within 3-km radius and a high school within 5 km radius.

The residents said most of the children did not want to go to the Kaniback school because of the long distance. The thick forest cover also poses serious threat to their lives as wild animals are always on the prowl in these areas. They further said the denial to the access to education had also led to child labour menace in the area. The residents said it was high time the Education Department opened a primary school in the hamlet, so that poor children could get basic education. “The literacy rate here is below 3 per cent, indicating the backwardness of the hamlet. It is far behind the district average of 64 per cent,” said a resident.

“We appeal to the Education Minister to intervene in the matter and open a school here under the SSA,” he added.

Srinagar, November 12
A group of children from Jammu will be among the delegates during the 18th edition of the International Children’s Film Festival of India (ICFFI) to be held in Hyderabad from November 14 to 20.

This was stated by the Additional Director General (Media and Communication), Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar, Obaidur Rahman, during a press briefing here today.

“A total of 111 children delegates from all over the country, including Jammu, will take part in the festival. Around 1.5 lakh children are expected to watch the films during the festival,” he said.

When asked why there was no representation from the Valley, he said the matter had already been brought to the notice of the organisers of the festival.

During the ICFFI, popularly known as The Golden Elephant, 200 films from 48 countries will be showcased in Hyderabad with 30 shows each day. Rahman further said the festival would also see 16 awards being presented in four categories namely International Live Action, International Animation, Competition Shorts and Competition Little Directors.

The ICFFI is being organised by the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI) in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

Srinagar, November 12
District Development Commissioner Farooq Ahmad Shah today chaired a meeting to review the arrangements being put in place in connection with the upcoming Gurpurab celebrations.

The District Development Commissioner directed the Power Development Department (PDD) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) authorities to ensure uninterrupted power and water supply in and around all gurdwaras of the district.

The PHE authorities were also directed to keep water tankers available at all gurdwaras. Shah directed the authorities of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) to ensure proper cleanliness around all religious places of the Sikh community.

He directed the officials concerned of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System to ensure adequate availability of essentials, including kerosene and sugar, for langar of Gurdwara Chattipadshahi.

Transport authorities were also directed to ensure adequate transport facilities to Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi, Kathidarwaza and make arrangements for parking facilities around the gurdwara.

He further directed the health authorities to set up a mobile medical camp at Gurdwara Chattipadshahi.

Srinagar, November 12
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has said some areas of Shopian district in south Kashmir had been hit hard by the political victimisation and misgovernance of the present coalition government.

Mehbooba held a meeting with MLA Abdul Razaq Zawoora and district officials led by the District Development Commissioner, Shopian, to review the implementation of a developmental plan in the district. She alleged the government had failed to carry out even 10 per cent of the works on ground that it claimed to have done.

Mehbooba said Shopian town had been on the receiving end of the callousness, indifference and neglect of the present government. She said the atrocities committed on people by the government had a very damaging impact on the economy and social life of Shopian town, which is known for its sensitivities and cultural identity.

“In 2009, the area was marred by the inhuman incident against Neelofar and Asiya, who were denied justice despite a year-long agitation. In 2010, the district was again in the forefront against the killings of people by security forces. This year, while the Omar Abdullah government thought of comforting its ears with Zubin Mehta’s concert, Shopian became a witness to four more killings,” she said.

She said in the villages of both the constituencies of the district, Shopian and Wachi, which she represents, the developmental activities had almost been abandoned.

Srinagar, November 12
Principal Islamia College of Science and Commerce Professor Mohammad Aslam Baba inaugurated the 8th state level baseball championship being held here in which 32 teams of boys and girls would participate.

The championship has been organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Baseball Association under the auspices of the Amateur Baseball Federation of India and sponsored by the Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council.

“The tournament will witness the baseball talent of 20 teams in boys and 12 girls teams from across the state in the open age category,” an official said.

A team from the Kashmir University is also participating in the championship which will conclude on November 16.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Baba described the need of physical education for the proper physical and mental development of a human body.

He urged and stressed on the participants to perform to the best of their potential and lay a solid foundation for their bright future.

J&K State Sports Council (JKSSC) manager Mushtaq Ahmad, ICSC Physical Education Department director Prof Altaf-ur-Rehman, Ganderbal District Baseball Association secretary Sheikh Mohammad Shafi, Baramulla District Baseball Association secretary Mohammad Amin Shah, faculty members of the ICSC and renowned sports personalities were also present on the occasion.

Jammu and Kashmir Baseball Association general secretary Fida Hussain Fidvi expressed joy for taking baseball to attain popularity in the state and urged to work hard to make the game familiar to each and every sportsperson of the state.

“The association is keen to see youth of J&K showing their skills to make a remarkable future in baseball on national and international level,” Fidvi said.