Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, July 13: Normal life remained disrupted today in Kashmir valley in response to the strike called by separatist groups in memory of the 22 persons killed during protests in 1931 while authorities imposed curfew like restrictions in parts of Srinagar to foil any protest march by separatists.
Shops and business establishments in most parts of the Valley were shut and public transport was off the roads. However, private cars, taxis and auto-rickshaws were plying in civil lines of the city and across major towns of the Valley.
The separatists had called for a general strike and had planned a march to Naqashband Sahib Shrine, where these 22 people are buried.
Authorities imposed restrictions on the movement of public and transport in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of five police stations in old city Srinagar to foil the separatist rallies.
A police spokesman said restrictions were imposed in the jurisdiction of Police Stations of Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal and Maharaj Gunj for maintaining law and order in the city.
Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was heavily deployed in old city and police had erected steel barricades and closed the main roads with concertina wire.
In Khanyar area of old Srinagar police and CRPF laid razor wires and erected barricades at road junctions since last evening to stop the movement of people. Besides the fortification of the area around the graveyard, armored vehicles of police and CRPF were also deployed.
Chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conferences Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other senior pro-freedom leaders Muhammad Yasin Malik, Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah, Bilal Gani Lone and Shahid-ul-Islam were put under house arrest. Besides it, police arrested several leaders including chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik and National Front (NF) Chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan.
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today visited Naqashband Sahib here to pay tributes to the Martrys of July 13. He laid flower wreaths over the graves and offered Fateh.
Omar said that the sacrifice of Martyrs to free the society from autocracy and lay edifice for democracy and human dignity is one of the riches chapters of the history of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The best way to pay homage to the Martyrs is to help create equitable and palatable environment for everyone to grow and develop in a democratic atmosphere”, he added.
Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Mubarak Gul, Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar and Minister for CAPD, Choudhry. Mohammad Ramzan and Minister for Law and Justice, Mir Saifullah were accompanying the Chief Minister.
Curfew like restriction, strike paralyses life
An open-air theatre where cultural activity never took place
By Mohinder Verma
KISHTWAR, July 13: Astonishing it may sound but it is a harsh reality that an open-air theatre which was constructed by making huge expenditure with the sole objective of promoting cultural activities has never been used for the intended purpose ever since its construction. The height of the official apathy can be gauged from the fact that major portion of the theatre is being used for office purpose by different departments.
This beautiful open air theatre albeit not of gigantic capacity was constructed in the year 2008-09 in the premises of Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in the heart of Kishtwar town with the solitary objective of providing a platform to the local artists to organize cultural activities.
Having seating arrangement for more than 100 people and adequate number of changing rooms for the artists besides proper lighting facility, the open-air theatre was expected to play a major role in boosting the cultural activities.
Shockingly, this open-air theatre, officially believed to be constructed by spending not less than Rs 50 lakh, has not been put to use for the intended purpose till date because of the apathy of the concerned authorities.
What to talk of encouraging different organizations working for the promotion of cultural activities to make use of this platform, even the Government’s cultural functions are not organized at this place as a result of which the expenditure on its construction remains an unfruitful expenditure.
“It is not understandable as to why the Government’s cultural activities in connection with different occasions are not organized at this platform and rather arrangements are made at other places for the same”, people of Kishtwar said.
Due to official apathy, the major portion of the open-air theatre is being used as offices of different officers. “The changing rooms are being used as offices by the Chief Executive Officer of the Kishtwar Development Authority, Executive Engineer, Accounts Officer and Establishment Section of the CEO’s office while as another portion is being used by drawing section of the CEO office”, official sources said.
In the absence of any proper focus on its proper use and upkeep, the open-air theatre has started suffering damages also, they said, adding “if this facility continued to remain uncared and unused, the damages will increase with the passage of time”.
According to the people, “the main area of the open air theatre, which is also slightly covered, is put to use by the officials of different departments for smoking to avoid public glare”, adding “the platform and stairs of the open air theatre can be easily seen used by the officials and security forces personnel for gossips and enjoying sunrays during winters”.
When contacted, an officer of the Kishtwar Development Authority said, on the condition of anonymity, “no seriousness has ever been shown in making best use of the open-air theatre for obvious reasons”, adding “had there been any interest in making intended use of this facility first the changing rooms of the theatre could have been vacated”.
“Had this been done, at least Government schools would have been able to conduct small cultural functions there but there is non-seriousness at every level”, he regretted.
What to talk of open-air theatre, fountains in the premises of TRC have also been mocking at the concerned authorities as they are non-functional during the past quite long time. “It seems there was only interest in creating these facilities and then leaving them unattended”, sources said.
Major reshuffle at Secy level
NEW DELHI, July 13: In the first secretary-level appointments by the Narendra Modi Government, Rakesh Garg was today named the new Telecom Secretary while Jugal Kishore Mohapatra is to be Secretary in the fertilizers ministry.
Ahead of his departure for Brazil for the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Modi cleared fresh appointments for various ministries.
According to the official order, Garg, a 1980-batch Uttar Pradesh-cadre officer, was appointed the new Telecom Secretary.
The vacancy for the post was created after MF Farooqui had superannuated. Garg was on central deputation till 2012 and returns to the Centre after serving in various capacities, including as Principle Secretary to UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Sanjay Kothari, a 1978-batch IAS officer from Haryana, has been appointed as the new Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training. He will take over from SK Sarkar, who retires on July 31.
Kothari was serving as Secretary of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Secretary, Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare. This will be looked after now by N Ravi Shanker, a 1980-batch IAS officer from Uttarakhand. He was Administrator of Universal Service Obligation Fund in the Department of Telecommunications.
Chief Secretary of Odisha, Jugal Kishore Mohapatra, a 1979 -batch Odisha cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as Secretary in the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. He replaces Shaktikanta Das, a 1980-batch IAS officer from Tamil Nadu who has been appointed as Revenue Secretary.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister also cleared the appointment of Enforcement Director Rajan S Katoch as Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industry. He will, however, continue to hold the post of ED chief for a period of six months or till a regular incumbent is named to the post of Enforcement Director.
Katoch, a 1979-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, will take over his new assignment after the present incumbent, Sutanu Behuria, retires on July 31.
Sanjay Kumar Panda, a 1980-batch IAS officer of Manipur-Tripura cadre, has been appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles. He is presently serving in his cadre state. He will take over from Zohra Chatterji, who superannuates on July 31.
Senior IAS officer Hara Krushna Das has been appointed as Secretary of the Inter State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Das, a 1980-batch IAS officer, is presently serving in his cadre state of Gujarat. He has been appointed in place of Tabom Bam, who has retired.
The Government has also appointed Shankar Agarwal, a 1980- batch UP cadre IAS officer, as Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development. He is at present Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which post will be taken over by Vinay Sheel Oberoi, a 1979-batch IAS Assam-Meghalaya cadre officer.
Agarwal was appointed in place of Sudhir Krishna, a 1977- batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, who has retired. (PTI)
Clash at Mattan between two minority communities, several injured
Mir Iqbal
Srinagar, July 13: Tension gripped Mattan town today after clashes broke out between members of two minority communities in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district over a land dispute in which some people received minor injuries.
The scuffle took place between them after one group objected the other for replacing its religious flag on the pole.
Eye witnesses said that members of Sikh community started assembling since morning to hoist the religious flag, but Pandit community members objected to it.
They said the angry members after entering into verbal dual pelted stones at each other till police and CRPF reached the spot to maintain law and order.
Some of the members of both the communities received minor injuries in the stone pelting incident, while few got injured in police baton charge.
The locals said both the communities have their religious places here on opposite banks of famous Mattan spring and it has been a ritual for centuries to replace religious flag, but it was from last year that something wrong was going between two communities.
A top police officer told Excelsior that Sikhs have three rooms here and they assembled early in the morning to replace their old flag, but Pandits objected it.
But members of Pandit community said that Sikhs have encroached their temple land, while as Sikhs disputed their claims saying that the Gurudwara situated here is one of the oldest in Kashmir.
Mattan Temple Trust President, M K Yogi told Excelsior that the land dispute was in the Supreme Court and it ordered that Sikhs can’t renovate or construct anything here, but they only can use their present property.
The Pandits later on hoisted black flags in their temples and locked their main gates as a mark of protest against police high handedness and failure of civil administration to protect them.
P N Pandit, Senior Vice President of Displaced Kashmiri Front while talking to Excelsior said that it was a conspiracy to sabotage the return of Pandits in Valley.
“We don’t know whose hands are behind it, but something wrong is going on,” he said.
Terming the dispute a conspiracy against the Sikhs, Jagmohan Singh Raina, President All Party Sikh Coordination Committee said that there are some selected Pandits creating trouble with “peace loving Sikhs, who have set an example of brotherhood for last 25 years despite turmoil.”
Meanwhile, chairman Martand Charitable Trust R.N Koul has dissolved the organisation and diverted all office bearers including its President of the Sanstha.
Installation of idol of Rani Yashorajya demanded
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 13: Shri Ranbireshwar Mandir Welfare Committee has appealed Jammu and Kashmir Dharmarth Trust to install an idol of Rani Yashorajya at Yashokaran Park.
Installation of an idol of Rani Yashorajya at Yashokaran Park is imperative and it should be installed as early as possible so that new generation could know about the history of Dogra rulers, the committee said in its meeting held here today under the presidentship of Onkar Sharma.
The committee expressed serious concern over the decreasing number of devotees visiting the temple and discussed many measures that could be taken to increase the number of devotees.
The committee members hoped that J&K Dharmarth Trust will cooperate with the committee to give better facilities to the pilgrims coming from different places of the country and will look into the demands raised by them.
The meeting among others was attended by Shiv Kumar Sharma, Sanjeev Dogra, Rajkumar Gupta, Amit Gupta, Vinod Gupta, Narender Vaid, Mandeep Sharma, Deepak Sharma, Vinay Sharma, Subash Chander Chohan, Advocate Jyoti Swaroop Mishra, Dr Sunny Gupta and Mohan Sharma.
Natrang stages ‘Sabse Bada Aadmi’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 13: Hindi satire, “Sabse Bada Aadmi”, was staged here today by Natrang at its Studio Theatre under regular weekly theatre show Sunday Theatre.
The play has been written by Bhagwati Charan Verma and was directed by Neeraj Kant.
The play opens at a tea shop where the contemporary politics is being discussed. Such kinds of tea shops are very common and popular these days. People hailing from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds gather there to putforth their ideologies over tea.
Few of them are the firm believers of great political thinkers and intellectuals. Where one person has a firm view that ‘Napoleon’ was the strongest the other person contradicts that it was ‘Shelly’ who was much above the others. Suddenly they both are contradicted by another person for whom the only biggest person in the world was ‘Mahatma Gandhi’. But yet another person was the staunch follower of ‘Lenin’ who rejects the supremacy of anyone but just his hero. Their debate soon takes the shape of the altercation, but a new person diffuses the situation. He praises all the discussed legends differently without offending the critics. Within no time all started swinging towards him and tactfully managed to lower all voices and opinions. At last he announces that indeed he is the biggest man of the world which all of them will agree once he leaves. Everyone mocks at him for his self praise and he leaves unnoticed but to the surprise of all, that person was a crook who had cut the pockets of all and made them look stupid in their own eyes.
The artists who performed were Mohammad Yaseen, Ashwani Bali, Rajan Thakyal, Mahikshit Singh Langeh, Syed Mudassar Ali Shah, Pankaj Verma, Susheel Raina and Sachin Saini. The lights were designed and executed by Neeraj Kant and the music was operated by Varun Sharma. The show was coordinated by Sumeet Sharma.
Natrang Director Balwant Thakur informed that Natrang is staging ‘Roshomon’ based on a Japanese classic directed by Aarushi Thakur at Amar Mahal on Saturday (July 19) and Charles Dicken’s Christmas Carol’s Hindustani Adaptation ‘Party To Banti Hai’ directed by Sumeet Sharma on Sunday (July 20) at the auditorium of Women College Parade.
Woman’s parents hold protest, demand action against in-laws
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 13: Suspecting foul play in the death of a woman, who allegedly hanged herself to death, her parents and relatives held a protest and demanded action against in-laws of the woman.
As per police sources, the parents and relatives of woman namely Renu (30), wife of Kaka of Ashok Nagar, Nai Basti held protest outside the house of woman’s in-laws at Ashok Nagar and demanded action against them for forcing the woman to take this extreme step.
On getting information, SHO Gandhi Nagar police station Manzoor Ahmed Kohli and PSI Ashiq Hussain rushed to the spot and assured the protestors that investigation into the case is going on and all angles will be verified. They said that if anything found suspicious, prompt action will be taken against the persons behind.
On the assurance, the protestors dispersed and the woman was cremated with full religious honour.
As reported, Renu allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself with a fan hook at her residence yesterday. Finding her hanging, family members informed the police and shifted the body to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where after conducting postmortem, it was handed over to family members for last rites.
A case in this regard stands registered at Gandhi Nagar police station and investigation started to ascertain the reason behind such extreme step.
Taj reviews implementation of various Govt schemes
Excelsior Correspondent
URI, July 13: Minister for Health & Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din reviewed the execution and implementation of various Govt. schemes and programs at a meeting of officers here today.
The Minister impressed upon the officers to execute the schemes meant for people’s welfare within the deadline schedule so that the benefits percolate down to masses.
Mr. Taj asked the officers to undertake regular field visits particularly of far flung and border areas and sort out the problems on the spot. He asked them to minimize the red tap and act proactively for the redressal of people’s grievances.
On the occasion, the Minister reviewed the targets achieved in various schemes like NRHM, NREGA, NBA, BADP, PMGSY, IAY etc. in Uri area and asked the officers to complete the targets within the time schedule.
Officers of several district offices were present in the meeting.
Later, Mr. Taj convened a public durbar in which people raised their grievances in presence of officers of concerned departments and these were redressed on the spot.
Refugee Sadar Sabha criticizes Centre for ignoring PoJK, West Pak refugees
Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, July 13: Refugee Sadar Sabha has expressed its serious concern over the silence adopted by the Union Government on the plight of PoJK and West PaK refugees.
In a statement issued here today, Kewal Krishan Sharma, Patron and Chairman of the Sadar Sabha said that the stoic silence adopted by present Union Government on refugees issue has hurt the sentiments of about 14 lakh refugees who had pinned high hopes in the present Government that it will fulfill its commitment and settle the 67 years refugees issue once for all.
Sharma, while reminding the Union Government led by BJP about the promises made by it during campaigning with the refugees, said that it seems that it too was exploiting these hapless people as no step was taken in the last two months by it to ameliorate the lot of these hapless people.
He said the Pradesh BJP leaders have also failed to take up the issue of refugees with their leadership at Delhi though they have made many claims in this regard during the recent past.
He said PM Narendra Modi will not ditch the hopes of refugees from West PaK and Pakistan occupied J&K. He stressed till the final package for one time settlement of refugees is announced the Union Government should announce reservation for their (refugees) wards in professional colleges in and outside State as well as special reservation in Government jobs to restore their confidence as 4 generations have perished in the hope of their settlement.
Sharma also took State Government to task for not submitting the draft package for refugees to center till date.
Sharma also said that refugees will not accept the one time settlement package if it will not be on the current family status as refugees has lost their 4 generations to get justice.
National Commission for Safai Karamcharies reviews welfare schemes
Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, July 13: With a view to listen the grievances and demands of the Safai Karamcharies, the members of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharies Gopal Krishan Sahotra and Vijay Kumar today chaired a joint meeting of Safai Karamcharies and administration at Katra.
The meeting was attended by Chief Executive Officer SMVDSB Dr. M. K. Bhandari, Superintendent Police Kulbir Singh, Dy CEO SMVDSB, DySP Katra, Executive Officer Municipal Committee Katra, District Social Welfare Officer Reasi, Rafiq Ahmed, Block Medical Officer Katra, Tehsildar Reasi, Officers of other line departments, various Safai Karamcharies and their representatives also attended the meeting.
Underlining the need for taking various measures to improve and upgrade the status of Safai Karamcharies in the society, the members said that the Commission has been constituted for promoting and safeguarding the interests and rights of the community and every possible steps will be taken by the Commission to implement various welfare schemes for the Safai Karamcharies for their upliftment
During the meeting, the Commission was briefed about various programmes and measures being taken for the welfare of the employees in general and Safaikaramcharis in particular. Discussion was held regarding various issues and demands putforth by the Safai Karamcharies like minimum wages, promotions, more recruitment of Safai Karamcharies, improved accommodations, insurance cover, fast and hassle free recruitments under SRO 43 for those under Government jobs, providing of modern tools and equipments to Safai Karamcharies besides number of other issues came up for discussion during the meeting.
It was informed that the Shrine Board provides for requisite facilities for all the employees including Safai Karamcharies including their uniform, free accommodation, medical related facility, education for their children etc. On the issue of establishing separate colonies, the Commission directed the Executive officer, Municipal Committee to take immediate steps so that Safai Karamcharies could get colonies with modern facilities like crèches, recreational parks and other related facilities. The members of the Commission also desired that Safai Karamcharies get rain coats, masks, gumboots and other tools for their work, BMO Katra was also directed to organize free medical camps quarterly in the colonies of Safai Karamcharies.
They also stressed upon Social Welfare Department to organize awareness camps in these colonies to make them aware regarding various Government sponsored schemes meant for their benefit and welfare.