Precious Kashmir Epaper

SRINAGAR | 09 December 2015 | 26 Safar 1437 AH Vol: 3 | Issue No: 292 | Pages: 08 | Rs 3/- 

WEDNESDAY 

3rd 

PRECIOUS KASHMIR 

http//www.preciouskashmir.com | email: preciouskashmir@gmail.com 

Swaraj arrives in Pak, to 

discuss ways to improve ties 

Islamabad, Dec 8: Reflecting the thaw 

in Indo-Pak ties, External Affairs Minister 

Sushma Swaraj flew in here today 

on a two-day visit during which she 

will discuss with the Pakistani leadership 

the ways to improve bilateral 

relations. 

Essentially here for an important 

multilateral conference on Afghanistan, 

Swaraj's visit nevertheless 

provides an opportunity to both the 

countries to overcome recent bitterness 

and move towards resumption 

of bilateral dialogue, the format 

and mechanism for which are being 

worked out. 

Swaraj is slated to call on Pakistan 

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif 

and meet her counterpart Sartaj Aziz 

tomorrow after which the two sides 

may indicate the way forward in the 

dialogue process. 

"I have come with the message 

that ties between the two countries 

should be good and move forward," 

said Swaraj, who is here to lead the 

Indian delegation at the 'Heart of Asia' 

5th Ministerial Meeting on Afghanistan 

tomorrow. 

She refused to share what she 

would be discussing with Pakistani 

leaders, but said, "What will happen 

during the talks will be known after 

meeting." 

"Heart of Asia conference is very 

important for India because it is associated 

with Afghanistan. That is why I 

have come here to participate. Since it 

is happening in Pakistan it is necessary 

and appropriate for me to meet Prime 

Minister Nawaz Sharif and hold talks 

with my counterpart Sartaj Aziz to talk 

about improving the bilateral ties and 

take them forward," Swaraj said. 

Yesterday, Aziz had said the focus 

of talks would be on the resumption of 

composite dialogue process. 

Adopting a cautious approach 

over the agenda of talks between 

Over 1600 cr 

spent on 

Kashmiri 

migrants 

New Delhi, Dec 8: An 

amount of Rs 1663.92 crore 

has been incurred on relief 

and rehabilitation of Kashmiri 

migrants till September 

this year under Security 

Related Expenditure (SRE) 

of Home Ministry, the Lok 

Sabha was informed today. 

The expenditure incurred 

by the Jammu and Kashmir 

government on relief and 

rehabilitation of the migrants 

is being reimbursed by the 

Home Ministry under SRE 

(Relief and Rehabilitation), 

Minister of State for Home 

Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary 

said while giving details 

of packages of the Government 

from time to time for 

Kashmiri migrants, who left 

the Valley with the onset of 

militancy in early 1990's. 

"The government has incurred 

a total expenditure of 

Rs 1663.92 crore under SRE 

(R&R) till September 2015 for 

relief and rehabilitation of 

the Kashmiri migrants since 

1989-90," he said. 

Out of this amount, 

Rs 155.03 crore has been 

incurred in 2014-15 and Rs 

181.75 crore during 2015-16 

till September this year, the 

Minister said. 

There are about 62,000 

registered Kashmiri migrant 

families in the country out 

of which nearly 40,000 stay 

in Jammu, 20,000 in Delhi 

and remaining 2,000 in other 

parts of the country. 

The migrants were 

provided with 3,000 jobs in 

2008 under which 1,963 jobs 

were provided by the state 

government out of which 

1,597 have joined. 

Besides this, another 

package of Rs 2,000 crore 

was announced last month 

under which additional 

3,000 jobs will be provided 

to Kashmir migrants besides 

construction of transit 

See Migrants on Pg 6 

Sharif meets top Pak 

officials ahead of talks 

Islamabad, Dec 8: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today chaired a 

high-level meeting of top security and civil officials ahead of holding talks 

with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of a regional 

conference here. 

The two-day 'Heart of Asia' conference, an annual gathering of Asian and 

other countries, with focus on Afghanistan began today where Swaraj will 

represent India at the ministerial-level meeting tomorrow. 

Today's meeting was attended by Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif, 

National Security Advisor Lt Gen (Rtd) Nasir Janjua, Finance Minister Ishaq 

Dar, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz 

and other officials, according to an official statement. 

In the meeting, the National Security Advisor briefed about his recent 

talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval in Bangkok, in which the foreign 

secretaries of both the countries were also present, the statement said. 

The agenda of the fifth 'Heart of Asia' conference, hosted by Pakistan 

See Sharif on Pg 6 

Swaraj and Aziz, Indian officials said 

they will see how the meeting goes 

and if there will be any point of convergence. 

Swaraj's visit comes after talks 

See Swaraj on Pg 6 

Support all 

positive steps 

India, Pak take to 

reduce tension: US 

Washington, Dec 8: The US has said 

it supports "any and all positive steps" 

India and Pakistan take to reduce 

tensions and engage in dialogue as 

it welcomed their NSA-level talks in 

Bangkok. 

"We welcome reports of the 

meeting between Indian and Pakistani 

officials. 

"We support any and all positive 

steps India and Pakistan can take to 

reduce tensions, engage in dialogue, 

and forge closer relations," a State 

Department spokesperson said. 

"The normalisation of relations 

between India and Pakistan is vital to 

both countries and the region," the 

spokesperson said when asked about 

the talks between the National Security 

Advisors of India and Pakistan in 

Bangkok. 

The talks that lasted for four 

hours was attended by the foreign 

secretaries of the two countries. 

The State Department also 

welcomed that Pakistan is hosting 

the Heart of Asia Summit this week 

in Islamabad, which among others 

would be attended by External Affairs 

Minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan 

President Ashraf Ghani. 

"We are pleased that Pakistan is 

hosting the Heart of Asia Summit. We 

are also encouraged that President 

Ghani, Indian Minister of External Affairs 

Swaraj, and other senior officials 

will be attending," the official said. 

"The meeting is an opportunity 

for the United States and all 

See Support on Pg 6 

Chill in Valley, rain likely on three days from today 

Precious Kashmir News 

Srinagar, Dec 8: Srinagar witnessed 

a chilly Tuesday morning 

as a feeble winter sun 

struggled to break through 

the clouds. The weather office 

forecast rain at some places in 

Jammu and Kashmir for three 

days from Wednesday evening 

onwards. 

"We are expecting a 

mainly dry weather; however, 

there may be isolated rain 

at some places in in Jammu 

and Kashmir during the next 

24 hours," an official of the local 

Met office said here. 

The minimum temperature 

dropped below 

the freezing point at many 

places in the state, with Leh 

town in Ladakh region recording 

a lowest of minus 

5.6 degrees Celcius on Tuesday. 

Mercury in Kargil town 

in the region plummeted to 

minus 5.2 degrees. 

Gulmarg and Pahalgam 

tourist resorts in the valley 

recorded minimum of minus 

3 degrees and 0.4 degrees respectively 

on Tuesday. 

"It will be a partly cloudy 

day ahead in Srinagar, with 

maximum temperature likely 

More than a year after floods 

Govt fails to start permanent 

restoration of drainage system 


Srinagar, Dec 8: Over a year has passed since 

the devastating floods hit the state, the government 

is yet to take up the permanent restoration 

of drainage system and has been waiting 

for the World Bank financial assistance. 

The drainage system in Valley especially 

in Srinagar city was badly hit by the last year 

September floods. However, despite passing 

over a year, authorities have failed to start the 

permanent restoration of drainage system on 

its own funding and have been waiting for the 

World Bank assistance. 

“We have sought around Rs 150 crore from 

the World Bank for permanent restoration of 

drainage system in Srinagar. We will start the 

work once the World Bank releases funds,” a 

senior official of Housing and Urban Development 

Department said. 

The official said the poor drainage system 

was responsible for flood like situation in April 

this year. “The improvisation of drainage system 

should have been the top priority of the 

government but the authorities are waiting for 

the World Bank assistance,” he said. 

The poor drainage system has always 

been exposed during the rains when roads 

remain inundated under water for weeks 

and there seems no mechanism how to drain 

out the water from the streets and residential 

houses in Srinagar city. 

The September floods according to officials 

further worsened the drainage system of 

the state. “No new drainage works have been 

started in aftermath of the floods. Even by the 

partial downpour, the Srinagar city witnesses 

water logging and many parts remain inundate 

in water for days,” the official said. 

The Srinagar city has poor drainage system 

which was a decade ago in place despite 

spending of crores of rupees over the years. 

The poor drainage system according to officials 

poses a serious threat of flood in Kashmir even 

during the average downpour. 

It has been learnt that around 500 drainage 

schemes were started over the years but 

less than 200 have been completed while work 

on other schemes have been stopped due to 

non-releasing of funds. 

“The Roads and Buildings department has 

been constructing roads in various areas without 

drainage system. 

"The restoration of drainage system and 

road macadamization should have been done 

simultaneously. But government seems only 

interesting with road macadamization and 

ignoring the drainage part,” a senior official of 

SMC said. 

Meanwhile one of the top officials Housing 

and Urban Development department said 

the government has made a comprehensive 

master plan which will overcome drainage and 

See Govt on Pg 6 

to hover around 14 degrees," 

the official said. 

The overnight minimum 

temperature in Srinagar city 

was 1.6 degrees. 

"Wet conditions are 

likely to last for three days 

with fairly widespread 

rains, mainly in the Kashmir 

valley, on December 11 

(Friday)", the weather office 

said. 

The overnight minimum 

temperature in Jammu city 

was 11.4 degrees. 

In Jammu province, the 

minimum temperature was 

10.4 degrees in Katra town, 

1.8 degrees in Banihal, 7.3 

degrees in Batote and 4.4 degrees 

in Bhaderwah town, the 

weather official said. 


Srinagar Dec 8: The second day of a 

two-day workshop on ‘Media and Gender’ 

commenced in Kashmir University’s 

Gandhi Bhawan Auditorium. 

Supported by United Nations Population 

Fund (UNFPA), the workshop on 

Tuesday witnessed legal, journalism and 

business professionals share their ideas 

and experiences related to gender sensitivity 

in their respective fields. 

During the morning session, Faisal 

Qadri, a prominent High Court Lawyer 

pointed out the non-implementation of 

2002 enacted Pre-Conception and Pre- 

Natal Diagnostic Test (PCPNDT) Act in 

Jammu and Kashmir. 

According to him, there was zero 

conviction in J&K in cases related to 

PCPNDT even though the child-sex ratio 

had worsened if one compared 2001 and 

2011 census. 

“In 2001, the child-sex ratio in J&K 

was 941 which further went down to 862 

in 2011 census. This happened even after 

we had an act like PCPNDT implemented 

in the state in 2002. Even though prebirth 

sex determination is a cognizable, 

non-bailable offence, we have zero conviction 

rate in J&K,” Faisal said. 


Journalism With A Human Heart 

Two militants killed, four 

injured in Pampore shootout 


Srinagar, Dec 8: There are 

apprehensions of another 

Machil fake encounter like incident 

after the revelation of 

disappearance of two Kashmiris 

in north Kashmir's Kupwara 

district, a media report 

said today. 

According to a report by 

an Urdu daily, two persons 

went missing on November 

17 when army claimed to 

have killed two militants in 

Kupwara's Manigah area. 

The report said that a 

court in this frontier district 

has been informed that 

the civilians, Ghulam Jilani 

Khatana, 42, and Mir Hussain 

Khatana, 45, went missing on 

November 17 and personnel 

of Territorial Army associated 

with Trehgam camp had a 

role in their disappearance. 

The duo are the residnets 

of Kralpora Dardpora villages 

of this district. 

In this regard a case has 

been registered against the 

personnel of 160 Battalion of 

Territorial Army associated 

Srinagar, Dec 8: Two militants 

were killed and four 

persons including two Central 

Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 

personnel and a lady tourist 

were injured after a brief 

shootout in Pampore area of 

south Kashmir this evening. 

Official sources said 

thatSpecial Operation Group 

(SOG) of police, 50 RR and 

23 Battalion CRPF had established 

a checkpoint near 

EDI Pampore after it received 

a specific input about the 

movement of militants this 

evening at around 5:15 PM. 

"In the meanwhile, a Tata 

Mobile bearing registration 

number JK22- 5943 passed 

through the checkpoint and 

forces directed its driver to 

stop. Suddenly, a barrage of 

gunfire came from the vehicle 

towards forces party from 

militants who had boarded 

it. The militants then took 

position in nearby EDI building, 

triggering off a brief gunfight," 

the sources said. 

In the shootout, which 

continued for nearly 15 minutes, 

two militants were 

killed by forces, the sources 

said. The exchange of fire also 

left two CRPF men and two civilians 

including a lady tourist 

injured, who were rushed to 

hospital for treatment. The 

gun shots reverberating in 

air created panic in the area. 

Traffic came to a grinding halt 

while the drivers turned back 

their vehicles and adopted alternative 

routes. 

The injured CRPF men 

were identified as Parvinder 

Machil fake encounter 

like incident feared 

in Kupwara 

with the said camp. "Police 

has filed a case under an FIR 

number 100/2015 under 364 

of RPC," the report said. 

The newspaper reported 

that the relatives of Ghulam 

Jilani Khatana said that army 

men from the camp called 

Ghulam Jilani and Mir Hussain, 

took them along in an 

army jeep and subjected 

them to disappearance. 

Since then, no contact 

could be made with the missing 

persons and with their 

abductors, they added. 

The relatives have apprehensions 

that the missing 

persons could have faced 

same fate as of 2010 Machil 

fake encounter where army 

had killed three young Kashmiris 

in a staged encounter 

along the Line of Control in 

Machil area of the district. 

A police official said that 

they presented the status of 

the case before the Court. “An 

FIR vide number 100/2015 

under section 364 already 

stand registered in police station. 

We have been looking 

See Kupwara on Pg 6 

He suggested that media should dig 

deep by filing RTIs to know how many 

diagnostic centres in the state are actually 

following the rules laid as per the 

PCPNDT Act and the role of concerned 

authorities in implementing the law 

properly. 

“I am sure no government official 

would even know who the Nodal Officer 

is for PCPNDT Act in J&K even though 

some official is being additionally paid to 

carry the responsibility and he does not 

care,” added Faisal. 

Director Population First Dr A.L. 

Sharda said that her NGO surveyed 40 

diagnostic centres and clinics in Mumbai 

back in 2008 and found out that 39 of 

them were violating PCPNDT Act. 

Kumar and Muhammad Iqbal 

Lone. The injured civilians 

were identified as Ashya, wife 

of Sheikh Shamim, of Bihar 

and Reyaz Ahmad Dar of Ratnipora 

Pulwama. 

Deputy Inspector General 

(DIG) South Kashmir Nitesh 

Kumar said that the slain militants 

were enroute to 

See Pampore on Pg 6 

‘Plug fake 

currency 

routes in JK’ 


Jammu, Dec 8: As the security 

agencies have seized Fake 

Indian currency note (FICN) 

worth Rs 17 lakh and arrested 

15 persons in separate cases 

this year, Jammu and Kashmir 

top cop Rajendra Kumar 

today called for coordination 

among stake holders to plug 

roots and channels of fake 

currency into the state. 

"There should be 

coordination among all 

stakeholders to plug the 

routes and channels and curb 

the crime(of circulation of 

Fake Indian Currency Notes). 

Proper monitoring by the 

stakeholders is required to 

check circulation of FICN, 

besides dissemination of 

information related to FICN 

See Currency on Pg 6 

KUs Media and Gender workshop 

Lal Ded challenged male-chauvinism 

decades back in Kashmir: Masroor 

“Our campaign made a huge impact 

as media was after the authorities to 

implement the law and check on the discrepancies. 

As a result, there have been 

108 convictions in such cases in Maharashtra, 

the highest in the country,” Dr 

Sharda said. 

The workshop participants were creatively 

engaged by Manjul Bhardwaj, a 

prominent theatre artist and a member 

of Population First. He encouraged the 

participants to bring forth their gender 

sensitivity and workshop inputs in the 

form of skits, an exercise which was thoroughly 

enjoyed by everyone. 

On the occasion, Riyaz Masroor, a 

noted journalist and Correspondent BBC 

See Lal Ded on Pg 6 

C 

M 

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K 

C 

M 

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K


Administrative discipline, 

revitalization of institutions main 

achievement of Govt: Naeem 


Jammu, Dec 8: Minister for Education, 

Naeem Akhtar today said the 

revival of defunct institutions and 

restoration of administrative discipline 

is among the major achievements 

of PDP- BJP Coalition Government 

in the State. 

“Our Govt inherited an administrative 

system which was in total 

disarray with important institutions 

having been rendered defunct 

over the past six years,” Akhtar 

told Doordarshan in an interview. 

He said the present Government 

also inherited a huge liability of 

Rs 10,000 crore. “The government 

handled the challenge well and to 

a large extent achieved success in 

bringing the system back on track,” 

he said. 

Naeem said due to the rampant 

misgovernance and malfunctioning 

of the administration during 

the past six years, the system was 

fraught with corruption, indiscipline 

in recruitments and defunct 

institutions. “In the first instance the 


Jammu, Dec 8: The Legal Metrology 

Department (LMD) 

is set to establish technically 

advanced laboratories in the 

State to improve the accuracy 

of weighing and measuring instruments. 

“While Secondary Standard 

Laboratories, with one each 

at Srinagar and Jammu, would 

be established by LMD at provincial 

level, Working Standard 

Laboratories would be established 

in each district,” Minister 

for CA&PD and Tribal Affairs, 

Choudhary Zulfkar Ali said 

while reviewing the functioning 

of Legal Metrology Department 

here today. 

He said these laboratories 

would be established with the 

funding from the central government. 

He said the objective of 

establishing hi- tech laboratories 

is to further improve 

the accuracy of weighing and 

measuring instruments to curb 

cheating and other unfair trade 

practices. Zulfkar asked the Legal 

Metrology Department to 

new coalition led by Chief Minister 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took up 

the challenge to set the system right, 

restore the accountability and discipline 

in the administration,” he said. 

He said the revival of the institutions 

like PSC and SSB by appointing 

record nine and twenty members 

respectively was a major milestone 

in the direction to ensure fair recruitment, 

which was earlier missing. 

He said introduction of written 

test for gazetted posts was another 

major step, which would provide 

a level playing field for all and end 

nepotism in the recruitments. 

“The recruitment was main area 

where corruption and nepotism was 

rampant and by restoring the crucial 

institutions such practices were 

brought to end,” he added. 

The Minister said that the government 

has also decided to conduct 

written test for recruitment of 

teachers to check the entry of people 

with degrees secured from Tuck 

Shops and fake universities. 

Referring to the indiscipline in 

the development sector, he said no 

Zulfkar for launching 

consumer awareness 

campaigns 

Public Darbar 

held at Ganderbal 

Ganderbal, Dec 8: District 

Development Commissioner 

Ganderbal Showkat 

Aijaz Bhat, accompanied by 

Executive Engineer R&B today 

visited Saloora Ganderbal 

and held public Darbar. ACD 

Ganderbal, Executive Officer 

Municipality Ganderbal and 

people from Saloora Ganderbal 

attended the public 

Darbar. On the occasion 

people apprised DDC about 

various problems and difficulties 

faced by them including 

absence of lanes and drains, 

poor condition of power sector 

besides many other issues, 

Speaking on the occasion, 

the DDC ordered on 

spot redressal of most of 

highlighted problems and 

passed necessary instructions 

to the district officers 

for resolving all the issues 

raised in the public Darbar. 

design an in-house information 

portal and upload all the requisite 

information on it for the 

awareness of the traders and 

the consumers. He also directed 

the Department to formulate a 

comprehensive proposal for the 

digitization of the records. 

The Minister said that 

the proposal for delegation of 

magisterial powers to Deputy 

Controllers and Assistant Controllers 

of LMD would be taken 

up with the Law and Parliamentary 

Affairs Department. 

The Minister also directed 

the concerned officers to 

launch an intensive awareness 

campaign to make consumers 

aware about their rights and 

laws defending their interests. 

In recognition of the performances 

of dedicated officers, 

the Minister ordered release of 

outstanding grade to those who 

achieved cent percent results 

on their set targets. He also 

encouraged other officials to 

work hard with true spirit for 

upholding the integrity of the 

department besides achieving 

the assigned targets within 

the stipulated time. 

rules and norms were followed in 

the allotment of works by the previous 

regime and in a single division 

headed by an executive engineer 

over Rs 100 crore liability had been 

created. “To end this, the Government 

decided to go for e-tendering 

for all works be it Rs 50000 or Rs 1 

lakh and even JKPCC - a state government 

undertaking is being brought 

under the ambit of e-tendering”. He 

said these reforms were definitely 

going to bring a discernible change. 

On infrastructure development, 

Naeem said the government has 

decided to create durable assets by 

making the contractors accountable 

for maintenance for the next three 

years. Listing the decisions taken 

in this direction, he cited the new 

specifications set for blacktopping 

adding that this would prolong the 

life of the roads up to next 20 years. 

On reforms in education sector, 

the Minister said the stage is 

set for adding quality to education 

and introduce courses having market 

demand. “Instead of producing 

educated unemployed, the thrust 


News 

Wednesday 

2 

09.12.2015 

is being laid on producing capable 

and empowered graduates,” he said 

adding; “The upcoming Cluster Universities 

will provide opportunity 

for integrated courses from undergraduate 

to research level”. 

The aim is to make these universities 

round the clock hubs of 

educational activities with variety 

of multi-shift courses. “This will increase 

the intake capacity and lead 

to social intervention when thousands 

of students would partake in 

these educational activities”. 

On Skill Development Mission, 

he said the move is aimed to revive 

the traditional craft which has 

centuries old recognition across the 

world. “The state has huge creative 

tradition which is to be revived. 

There is need for repackaging of the 

modern skills to meet the demand 

of huge works at hand under flood 

reconstruction programme”. 

The Minister also spoke at 

length on the PP Mode in development 

sector recently approved 

by the state cabinet and host of 

other issues. 

Panchayat an interface between 

government, people: Haq 

Lal Singh stresses on effective 

implementation of NHM 

Jammu, Dec 8: Minister for 

Health and Medical Education, 

ARI and Trainings 

Choudhary Lal Singh has 

stressed on effective implementation 

of National 

Health Mission (NHM) for 

achieving the envisaged 

goals under the scheme. 

The Minister said this 

while taking a review of the 

achievements registered 

under the National Health 

Mission in the division. 

The Minister was apprised 

that about 155 children 

in the age group of 

0-18 years suffering from 

various ailments which included 

79 cases of Congenital 

Heart Diseases, 61 Hearing 

Impairment, 05 Club 

foot, 04 Cleft Lip and Palate, 

02 DDH, 02 Developmental 

Delay, 01 Congenital Cataract 

and 01 CSOM were provided 

financial support for 

their treatment (including 

Surgical Interventions) on 

fast track basis under Rashtriya 

Bal Swasthya Karyakaram 

(RBSK) programme 

under National Health Mission 

(NHM) from April to 

November, 2015. 

It was given out in 

the meeting that the programme 

is being implanted 

in all the districts of the 

State with a target to ensure 

screening of children upto 

18 years .Under the scheme, 

children are being screened 

for 30 common ailments/ 

health conditions so that 

there is the possibility of 

early medical intervention 

in case there is such a need. 

The Minister stressed 

that the focus should be 

Yaseen chairs Assurance Committee meet 

Jammu, Dec 8: A meeting of 

the Committee on Government 

Assurances was held 

today under the chairmanship 

of MLA Hakeem Mohammad 

Yaseen. 

Legislators, Nawang 

Rigzin Jora, Kamal Arora, 

Dr. Gagan Bhagat and Noor 

Mohammad Sheikh were 

present in the meeting. 

Speaking on the occasion, 

the chairman stressed 

upon the officers to work 

with utmost dedication for 

resolving public issues. He 

further asked to strictly 

adhere to the government 

policy regarding prohibition 

of agriculture land for 

construction and commercial 

purposes. 

Yaseen also urged officers 

to maintain the 

custodian property with 

utmost care as the state 

is the guardian of the 

property of those people 

who left the state especially 

the property which 

has brought seen under 

income generating units. 

Divisional Commissioner 

Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, 

Secretary Revenue Mohammad 

Afzal, Custodian 

General, Mohammad Javaid 

Khan and other senior officers 

of Revenue, Custodian 

and Assembly secretariat attended 

the meeting. 

Uri, Dec 8: Minister for Rural Development 

and Panchayati Raj, Abdul 

HaqTuesday said Panchayats are an 

interface between government and 

the public and can play a major role 

to bridge the communication gap between 

the two. 

The Minister said this while inaugurating 

31st Public Information Campaign 

organized by Press Information 

Bureau, Srinagar in coordination with 

DFP, S&DD, AIR, DD & District Administration 

at Mini Sports Stadium, Uri. 

The Minister said public information 

campaigns help in bridging communication 

gap between government 

and people and in creating awareness 

among them with regard to various 

state and centrally sponsored schemes 

and programmes. 

The Minister said a Panchayat is 

an interface between government and 

the people through which knowledge 

regarding various government programs 

can be communicated to masses. 

Panchs and Sarpanchs can play an 

important role in this endeavor in their 

respective villages, he added. 

Abdul Haq said there are large 

number of schemes meant for welfare 

and economic development of the 

people, however due to lack of awareness 

people are not able to avail benefit 

of such schemes. 

Minister said knowledge with 

regard to the said schemes should 

reach the people in a way they are able 

to avail benefit from these. He also 

stressed on departments to redouble 

their efforts to promote information, 

education and communication (IEC) 

campaign as a continuous process. 

“The departments need to develop 

good rapport with the people and 

make use of both conventional and 

non-conventional means to spread 

awareness among them regarding the 

schemes,” he added. 

Speaking on the occasion, he 

thanked PIB Srinagar for organizing 

such a campaign. He said such type 

on generating mass awareness 

about the scheme and 

ensuring facilities to provide 

better healthcare and 

improve the quality of life 

of children through early 

detection of birth defects, 

diseases, deficiencies, development 

delays including 

disability under the Rashtriya 

Bal Swasthya Karyakram 

(RBSK). 

Choudhary Lal Singh 

said that the mobile health 

teams being constituted 

in all the medical blocks of 

the State for screening of 

children should perform 

their duties efficiently. He 

also stressed that the newborn 

children should be 

screened for possible birth 

defects in health centers 

and by ASHAs upto 6 

weeks during home visits. 

Jammu, Dec 8: Minister for Social 

Welfare, Forests, Ecology & Environment, 

Bali Bhagat laid foundation 

of developmental works worth Rs. 

12 lakh at Bhalwal Block in Raipur- 

Domana constituency here today. 

The works include boundary 

wall of Government Higher Secondary 

School, Bhalwal, platform in the 

premises of Primary Health Centre 

and a bathing Ghat on pond. The 

works will be executed by the Rural 

Development Department under 

MLA’s Constituency Development 

Funds (CDF). 

Speaking on the occasion, the 

Minister said that it is endeavor of 

the BJP-PDP Government to ensure 

sustained development in every nook 

and corner of the State, especially the 

of public information campaigns 

should be organized regularly, so 

that people are informed about various 

welfare schemes. 

He said that revolutionary 

achievements have been made in 

Rural Development and other sectors 

through various centrally sponsored 

schemes like PMGSY, MGNREGA, IAY, 

SSA and NRHM but still more needs to 

be done. 

The Minister was accompanied 

by ADC Baramulla, SDM Uri, Assistant 

Director (M&C) PIB Srinagar, other officers. 

Later, the Minister also visited as 

many as 40 stalls that were put up by 

various State and Central government 

departments, PSUs & NGOs at the 

rural areas . He said the people will 

see a massive change on ground, adding 

that the initiatives taken in recent 

past will start giving dividends. He 

Raise awareness 

about developmental 

schemes: Asiea 

Srinagar, Dec 8: Minister of 

State for Health and Social 

Welfare Asiea Naqash today 

stressed on the need for raising 

awareness about various 

government schemes 

among masses. 

Chairing a review meeting 

for developmental 

schemes including “Ladli 

Beti”, “AASRA” here today, 

the Minister said that the 

onus lies on Social Welfare 

Department and the people 

associated with it to 

ensure that more people 

avail the benefits from these 

schemes. 

“Mass promotion of 

these schemes should be 

done by organizing awareness 

camps so that more 

people get awareness 

about the benefits of these 

schemes,” Naqash said. 

Ladli Beti scheme is not 

a dowry, but a monetary 

support from government 

for girls to become important 

part of our society, the 

Minister added. 

About “Marriage Assistance” 

scheme, Naqash said 

that it will help those whose 

marriages get held back due 

Jammu, Dec 8: Minister for 

Industries and Commerce, 

Chander Prakash Ganga 

chaired the 133rd meeting of 

Board of Directors of J&K SID- 

CO, here today. 

The Board reviewed the 

progress on various industrial 

infrastructure projects undertaken 

by J&K SIDCO. 

The progress on development 

works of the new industrial 

Estates at Ghati, in Kathua 

and Ompora in Budgam, were 

also reviewed in the meeting. 

Land acquisition process for 

IGC Samba Phase- III was also 

discussed. The Board was also 

informed about the major projects 

being initiated by SIDCO 

including Trade Facilitation 

Centre at Salamabad, Uri, 

Phase - II, National Institute 

of Fashion Technology (NIFT), 

IT Tower Building Phase II and 

National Mission on Food Processing. 

It is pertinent to mention 

here that J&K SIDCO was 

designated as State Mission 

Directorate/Nodal Agency for 

National Mission on Food Processing 

for implementation & 

Monitoring of NMFP scheme 

in the state. 

It was informed to the 

board that in response to wide 

publicity of various schemes 

of NMFP by SIDCO, Mission 

Directorate in the last three 

years, received 124 proposals 

from prospective entrepreneurs 

for availing grant-in-aid 

under various components of 

the said scheme to the extent 

of Rs 17.45 cr was sanctioned 

to lack of money. 

Expressing her gratitude 

towards Centre for their various 

scholarship schemes, 

the Minister tanked for providing 

such schemes which 

help in making the future of 

our children. 

She informed besides, 

general population, militancy 

affected children have 

also greatly benefited from 

such schemes. 

Early the Minister was 

informed about the status of 

pendency and digitization 

of accounts in National Social 

Assistance Programme, 

and Integrated Social Security 

Scheme. 

The meeting was attended 

by Director Social 

Welfare, Kashmir, Director 

ICDS, Deputy Director Social 

Welfare, Deputy Director 

ICDS, District Social Welfare 

Officers, District Programme 

Officers, and Child Development 

Officers. 

Later, Naqash visited 

various government schools 

in Hazaratbal constituency. 

She was accompanied by 

Director School Education 

Kashmir, Dr. Shah Faesal. 

venue to showcase their programmes, 

schemes, achievements and services. 

On the occasion, the resource persons 

interacted with people and spoke 

on various flagship and rural development 

package themes like MGN- 

REGA, NHM, IAY, SSA, Mid Day Meal 

Scheme, ICDS, PMGSY, RTI Act & Prime 

Minister’s New 15 Point Programme 

for Welfare of Minorities besides latest 

Social Security Schemes viz Beti 

Bachao Beti Padao & Swach Bharat. 

The Minister also held a public 

meeting at Boniyar and interacted 

with people in the area. The locals 

apprised the Minister about various 

problems. The Minister was accompanied 

by various officials and local representatives 

on the occasion. 

by the SLEC till December 

2014. Managing Director SID- 

CO, Amit Sharma while enumerating 

the achievements of 

the corporation informed the 

board that the work of Trade 

Facilitation Centre, Phase-I at 

Salamabad Uri, which was taken 

up with an estimated cost 

of Rs 10 Crore was completed 

with in the specified time period 

and handed it over to the 

concerned agency, works at 

National Institute of Electronics 

& Information Technology 

(NIELIT) at Rangreth worth Rs 

87 Lacs completed and handed 

over to the NIELIT and the 

said that rural areas, especially the 

Raipur-Domana constituency witnessed 

apathy of consecutive regimes 

and representatives and it will be his 

www.preciouskashmir.com 

Comm Secy IT 

gets E-Gov award 

Jammu, Dec 8: Commissioner 

Secretary Information 

Technology, Technical 

Education and Youth Services 

and Sports Hirdesh Kumar has 

been conferred prestigious 

National Award of Excellence 

at CSI Nihilent e-Governance 

Awards 2014-15, at New 

Delhi for implementing 

the android based JKPULSE 

Project Monitoring Tool for 

online monitoring of various 

developmental works and 

schemes in J&K and taking 

a leap towards the model of 

smarter governance. 

Out of numerous nominations 

from all over the country, 

three nominations were 

shortlisted by the panel of 

adjudicators for J&K. The three 

nominations included two 

from the Information Technology 

Department and one from 

the Election Department (By 

NIC). 

The commissioner Secretary 

said that the department 

is working hard to implement 

many more similar 

initiatives and expressed that 

implementing Information 

Technology in J&K is a challenge 

and has to be realized in 

innovative ways. He stressed 

that the department under the 

leadership of Chief Minister 

and Minister for Information 

Technology is working on 

many such initiatives and the 

state shall see the results in 

days to come. 

He added that only a few 

nominations were awarded 

the “Award of Excellence” 

which was cleared by the 

distinguished panel comprising 

of many senior IAS officers, 

experts and technocrats from 

around the globe. 

DC Bandipora 

convenes meet 

Bandipora, Dec 8: To ensure 

strict implementation of 

National Food Safety ACT, a 

meeting of concerned officers 

was held here today with 

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora 

in chair. The meeting 

was attended by Additional 

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, 

Tehsilders concerned 

and other Officers of Food 

Safety Department. During 

the meeting various issues 

with regard to Food Safety 

Act were discussed threadbare 

and various decisions were 

also taken. 

The meeting was 

informed that District and 

Tehsil level committees have 

been constituted to monitor 

strict implementation of Food 

Safety Act in the district so 

that standard and pure food 

items are provided to people. 

Govt committed to foster industrial growth: Ganga 

works worth Rs 81 Lacs completed 

and handed over to the 

Craft Development Institute. 

Various issues pertaining 

to the development of the industries 

were also discussed 

in the meeting. 

Ganga emphasized on 

judicious land use plan in the 

Industrial Estates of the state 

and issued instructions for retrieval 

of un-utilized allotted 

land so that the same can be 

offered to prospective entrepreneurs 

being in queue for 

allotment of land. 

The Minister said that the 

government is fully committed 

to foster industrial growth 

in the state and directed the 

officers to provide conducive 

environment to budding entrepreneurs 

who are interested 

in establishing Industrial 

units in the state which would 

help in generating revenue for 

the overall development of the 

industry sector in the state. 

Sustained dev endeavor of coalition Govt: Bali 

endeavor to ensure its overall development. 

He said the present Government 

believes in action on ground 

and not on hollow slogans and road 

shows, therefore, the people will get 

proper justice in every sector. 

Responding to the demands of 

the locals, the Minister said a comprehensive 

plan to develop the constituency 

on modern lines is underway 

and shortly a practical shape will be 

given to it. The plan covers upgradation 

of infrastructure in all essential 

sectors including road, PHE, PDD, 

education, health, sports and transport, 

which are the basic needs of 

the people. He informed that work 

on upgradation of all link roads in 

the area is in full swing and soon all 

the roads will be blacktopped.

Precious Kashmir 

NEWS 

Srinagar,Wednesday 

09.12.2015 

3 

Mirwaiz urges UN to end 

HR violations in Kashmir 


Srinagar, Dec 8: In a message 

on the eve of International Human 

Rights Day 2015, Hurriyat 

(M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq 

has said that on December 

10, 2015 when the entire world 

is going to reiterate its commitment 

to promote and protect 

the Human Rights of the people 

and when the United Nations is 

going to launch the campaign 

“Our Rights, Our Freedoms, 

Always” it gives the forlorn 

people of Jammu and Kashmir 

a ray of hope, though flickering, 

that in keeping with the 

spirit of the declared objectives 

of the campaign the Human 

Rights violations of the 

people of Kashmir will also 

be taken notice of and United 

Nations will play its role to 

end the suffering and worst 

violation of Human Rights in 

Kashmir. 

The message reads: 

The United Nations has 

decides to launch a yearlong 

campaign on International 

Human rights Day 2015, 10 

December “Our Rights, Our 

Freedoms, Always” to promote 

and raise awareness about 

Human Rights especially with 

reference to International 

Bill of Human Rights which 

describes, the civil, political, 

economic, cultural and social 

rights as the birth rights of 

all human beings. The Bill 

underpins freedom from fear, 

freedom of speech, freedom of 

worship, and freedom of want 

at its core. 

The decision to this effect by 

the United Nations is by all 

means encouraging especially 

at a time when in many parts 

of the world the growth of 

hate speech against religious 

and racial minorities, the 

justification of rights violations 

in the name of combating 

terrorism and the failure 

to respect other right of the 

people is growing. 

We welcome the launch of this 

campaign and hope that it will 

focus its attention on Kashmir 

as well where all the freedom 

set out in the International 

Bill of Human Rights is violated 

flagrantly by the state 

apparatus. 

Killing of unarmed persons 

especially youth, terrorizing 

of population by the use if 

indiscriminate force, denial 

of freedom of assembly and 

protest, preventing people 

from offering prayers, even 

the weekly Friday prayers at 

the most important and central 

mosques like the historic 

Jamia Mosque in Srinagar 

Kashmir have become a routine 

affair. 

Instead of making laws, as 

required by the provision of 

International Bill Of Human 

Rights and other International 

Covenants, laws like 

Armed Forces Special Powers 

Act (AFSPA), Disturbed Areas 

Act and Public Safety Act are 

in force in Kashmir which 

give legal protection and immunity 

from prosecutions to 

the personnel of Indian army 

and other government forces 

who indulge in the worst 

crimes against humanity in 

Kashmir. These laws are also 

meant to give authorities the 

power to deny the people 

their liberty and the rights 

of freedom of speech and 

expression by detaining them 

for years without any trail 

whatsoever. 

On December 10, 2015 when 

the entire world is going to 

reiterate its commitment 

to promote and protect the 

Human Rights of the people 

and when the United Nations 

is going to launch the 

campaign “Our Rights, Our 

Freedoms, Always” it gives 

the forlorn people of Jammu 

and Kashmir a ray of hope, 

though flickering, that in 

keeping with the spirit of the 

declared objectives of the 

campaign the Human Rights 

violations of the people of 

Kashmir will also be taken 

notice of and United Nations 

will play its role to end the 

suffering and worst violation 

of Human Rights in 

Kashmir. 

This day reminds us and 

infuses in us the confidence 

of our struggle being just 

and based on the universally 

agreed principals of justice, 

equality and fundamental freedoms 

of human being. 

For a generator, Pulwama 

hospital risks patients’ lives 

Will look into the matter: Asiea Naqash 


Srinagar, Dec 8: For a faulty power generator, 

administrators in District Hospital 

Pulwama have put patients’ lives at risk by 

delaying their surgeries, while asking most 

others to go to private or Srinagar hospitals. 

The patients said that the administrators 

have failed in repairing an old generator 

in the hospital from the past one month. 

Due to unavailability of electricity, the 

hospital has closed its operation theatre for 

patients who need surgeries. 

“Only emergency surgeries in Gynecology 

section are being done by running an 

alternative small generator till surgery is 

done. All dated surgeries are either cancelled,” 

a doctor in the hospital said. 

Gulzar Ahmad, 31, a patient from Pulwama 

said that after developing shooting 

pain in his abdomen, doctors in Pulwama 

hospital advised him to go for a surgery for 

appendicitis. 

“Four weeks ago, doctors put me for a 

dated surgery on December 2. But when I 

went to the hospital, the administrators told 

me that your surgery cannot be done as the 

generator is not working for the past one 

month,” Ahmad said. 

“I asked them why they put my life at 

risk by not telling me that the due to lack 

of generator my surgery could not be done. 

They told me ‘such things keep happening’,” 

he said, adding, he is living on pain killers 

till his surgery. 

Scores of patients like Ahmad have 

similar complaints about the hospital. “My 

wife was dated for a gynecology surgery, 

but when the date was closely nearing the 

doctors at the hospital told me to go to LD. 

They told me only emergency surgeries 

are done here,” said another resident of 

Pulwama. 

President Traders Federation Pulwama, 

Bashir Ahmad said that as a citizen concerned 

he has complained to the administrators 

about the generator and other 

problems patients are facing in the hospital. 

“But the administrators are not bothered 

about patient care. The doctors refer the 

patients to private nursing homes where 

they practice after duty hours,” he said. 

A senior doctor in LD hospital rued that 

it is because of these “negligent” administrators 

in district hospitals that the patient 

rush increases in tertiary hospitals. 

While Director Health Kashmir, Dr 

Sameer Mattoo confirmed that the generator, 

installed in 1981, is not working in the 

hospital for the past one month, Medical 

Superintendent of the hospital Dr Mohammad 

Saleem claimed that the generator is 

“running smoothly”. 

While abusing the patients and people 

who inform media, Dr Saleem said that “it 

is some people who give such information 

to media,” he said and dropped his phone 

when asked about the generator. 

Director Health Kashmir, Dr Sameer 

Mattoo that the hospital has installed 

a temporary small generator. “We have 

ordered for the new one which will take 

time.” 

Minister of State for Health and Social 

Welfare, Asiea Naqash that such kind of 

incidents occur “due to non-seriousness of 

some officials”. 

“I will look into the matter at earliest. 

I will ask Medical Superintendent of 

the hospital to provide the detailed list of 

surgeries conducted from last one and a half 

month and will accordingly take action over 

it,” she said. 

The minister said that they are putting 

NC legislator protests 

against Tiwari’s remarks 


Srinagar, Dec 8: 

National Conference 

(NC) legislator and MLA 

Idgah, Mubarak Gul 

Tuesday staged a demonstration 

here against 

Hindu Mahasabha 

National (KMN) Working 

President Kamlesh 

Tiwari over his alleged 

anti-Muslim remarks. 

Gul along with his 

supporters assembled 

here at Srinagar’s press 

enclave under the 

banner of J&K Rural 

Development Society, a 

social organization he 

heads as chairman and 

was chanting slogans 

against Tiwari. They 

were demanding strict 

punishment against 

Tiwari under provisions 

of the law. 

Gul said that RSS is 

backing Tiwari due to 

which he is using anti- 

Muslim remarks openly. 

“It stands Government 

of India’s responsibility 

to deal with such kind 

of persons who are trying 

to start communal 

riots between Muslims 

and other religious 

communities,” Gul said. 

“Tiwari should 

“The remarks 

have brought 

anger among 

the Muslim fraternity 

and are 

urging the union 

government to 

play their role to 

curb such kind 

of persons in 

future” 

be hanged for using 

such kind anti-Muslim 

remarks. We won’t let 

anyone to speak against 

our beloved Prophet 

(PBUH). We are ready 

to sacrifice our lives on 

our Prophet,” Gul said. 

Condemning the 

remarks done by Tiwari, 

Gul said that legal action 

against him should 

be taken at earliest so 

that no one could dare 

to speak against Islam 

in future. 

“The remarks have 

brought anger among 

the Muslim fraternity 

and are urging the 

union government to 

play their role to curb 

such kind of persons in 

future,” Gul said, adding 

that the persons should 

be arrested as soon as 

possible. 

He said that if the 

situation is not controlled 

and miscreants 

are not stopped, “The 

day is not far away 

when the entire country 

will be engulfed by 

communal disharmony 

and hate. It will not 

be possible for anyone 

then to bring the peace 

back,” Gul warned. 

While criticizing the 

Mufti led government 

for remaining silent 

over the issue, Gul said 

that it seems that Muftoi 

led government is in 

hand-in-glove with such 

persons who are openly 

giving their statements 

against Islam. 

Pertinently, Tiwair’s 

remarks have evoked 

strong resentment and 

condemnation across 

the Valley and agitated 

people held protests. 

Suwat ul Awliya 

called for complete 

shutdown on Monday 

against it and also 

staged protest and 

demanded legal action 

against him. (KNS) 

Fateh Kadal 

residents up in 

arms against PDD 


Srinagar, Dec 8: Accusing 

the Power Development 

Department (PDD) 

for ignoring their plight, 

the residents of Razdan 

Kocha fateh Kadal 

demand redressal of their 

genuine grievances. 

The residents said 

that the PDD officials 

started work of providing 

new transformer in 

the area but for some 

unknown reasons, the 

authorities even removed 

the electric polls which 

were erected by them. 

They said that are 

wandering from pillar to 

post but nothing favorable 

has been done so far. 

“A month back after 

several pleas the authorities 

agreed to provide 

another transformer in 

the area but after starting 

their work over it, 

the officials refused to 

complete the process 

and even removed the 

electric polls from the 

spot,” Bashir Ahmad, a 

local said. 

He said that they are 

facing tremendous hardships 

due to the “deplorable 

attitude” of the 

Private schools keep institutes open despite winter vacations 


Srinagar, Dec 8: Despite government 

announcing winter break in 

the Kashmir Valley, various private 

school managements have paid no 

heed to the order and have kept 

their schools running. 

The schools including Delhi 

Public School, Oasis, Shamford 

Futuristic School, Anantnag, and 

many other schools have paid no 

heed to the government order. 

Minister for Education, Naeem 

Akhtar has said that the winter 

vacation of government and recognized 

private schools up to middle 

Makhdoom Sahib (RA) 

Ropeway thrown open 

for devotees 

Srinagar, Dec 8: The ropeway 

on the foothills of Hari Parbat in old 

city of Srinagar up to Sufi shrine of 

Makhdoom Sahib (RA), that was 

closed since May 10 this year after 

officials found defective components 

in the system has been 

thrown open now for the devotees 

and tourists. 

The Project Manager Showkat 

Ahmed said that all the defective 

components were replaced with 

new ones. He said that a team of expert 

engineers worked day in and day 

out to made the Ropeway operational. 

standard of Kashmir division and 

winter zone of Jammu division 

would begin from December 7. 

A parent from Anantnag whose 

has enrolled his ward in Shamford 

Futuristic school said that the 

school administration forced their 

children to attend the classes even 

after the winter break has been announced. 

“We cannot even deny to send 

our children to schools as the authorities 

are charging them for remaining 

absent for a day,” he said. 

“Our children are suffering in 

this harsh winter. The government 

should look into the matter and 

should redress our genuine grievances 

at earliest,” he said. 

Another parent who has enrolled 

his ward in Oasis said that 

on the chilly morning they have 

to send their ward to the school as 

the school administration has not 

obeyed the government order. 

The parents later appealed the 

higher ups to look into the matter 

at the earliest. 

Despite repeated attempts, 

Minister for Education, Naeem 

Akhtar and Director Education, 

Shah Faisal could not be contacted 

for the comments as their phone 

remained switched off. (KNS) 

SKIMS ‘liver transplant unit’ in limbo, 

patients dying: DAK 


Srinagar, Dec 8: Doctors Association 

Kashmir (DAK) today said 

that SKIMS authorities have failed 

to operationalize ‘liver transplant 

unit’ which was sanctioned so that 

patients from state need not to visit 

outside for liver transplantation. 

Liver transplant unit was approved 

for SKIMS in 2013 and since 

then nothing has been done to make 

this life saving unit functional. 

President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan 

in a statement said that it is painful to 

see salvageable liver failure patients 

dying due to lack of liver transplant 

facility which has been hanging in 

limbo.Governing body of SKIMS in its 

40th meeting sanctioned the yearly 

grant of Rupees one crore for placement 

of trained staff to kick-start liver 

transplant unit.But SKIMS authorities 

showed no interest to start the unit 

and no infrastructure was put in place 

and no staff was trained.It is ironical 

that the space which was designated 

for liver transplant unit has been converted 

into chambers for consultants. 

Even the services of two trained liver 

transplant surgeons have not been 

utilized and one of them has submitted 

his resignation as his skill was 

wasted. 

Police destroying education 

career of our youth: Geelani 


Srinagar, Dec 8: While taking 

strong notice of the arrest of six 

students of Pampore area by the 

police, subjecting them to third 

degree torture in the police 

stations and not allowing them 

to participate in their exams, 

Chairman Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali 

Geelani said that the state police 

in a planned manner are destroying 

the education career of our 

youths and by pushing them to 

the walls, the state administration 

is forcing the Kashmiri youths 

to abandon the colleges and 

universities. 

Syed Ali Geelani appealed the 

local and international human 

rights organizations to take serious 

notice of this issue and use 

their influence in their release.In a 

statement, Geelani expressed his 

deep concern and anguish over 

this serious episode and said that 

the students namely Muteeb 

Malik (Drangbal), Imran Ahmad 

Koundu (Kadlabal), Adil Hameed 

Dar, Uzair Bashir Khanday, Parvaiz 

Ahmad Akhoon and Tabish 

Bhat (Namblabal Pampore) were 

arrested by the police naka party 

at Seampora on December 4 at 

the time when they were traveling 

to Srinagar in a Tavera car. 

The arrested youths were 

first detained at Pantha Chowk 

police station and then they 

were shifted to Safakadal, Khanyar 

and Nawhatta police stations 

where they were abused and put 

to third degree torture. 

According to reports received, 

one of the arrested student 

Muteeb Malik was scheduled to 

appear in the practical exams on 

December 5 while as Imran Ahmad 

Koundu was to appear in his 

11th class exams on December 8. 

While demanding immediate 

release of the arrested youths, 

Syed Ali Geelani said that the police 

had not yet given reasons of 

their arrest and detained and tortures. 

He said that whatever were 

the reasons of their arrests but the 

police should have allowed them 

to appear in their exams. This is 

a serious issue which should be 

condemned at every level. 

Hurriyat (G) chairman said 

that the government forces in 

Jammu & Kashmir are unleashing 

atrocities upon the common 

people and youths particularly 

students are at their prime target. 

They are without any reason arrested 

and subjected to custodial 

torture and are framed in baseless 

and fabricated charges which 

make their career uncertain. 

Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed 

Ali Geelani said that the reasons 

behind the students of Jammu & 

Kashmir abandoning the schools, 

colleges and universities and picking 

up gun are the rigid approach 

and excesses and atrocities of the 

government forces. 

“This is the story of most of 

the students who have joined the 

militant ranks so far. Everybody of 

them has faced third degree and 

inhuman tortures at the hands 

government forces after which 

they took the path of the brave 

people,” Geelani said. 

While demanding the immediate 

release of all the students 

of Pampore, Syed Ali Geelani said 

that this issue will be brought 

into the notice of the human 

rights organizations and their 

professional responsibility is 

that they will use their influence 

in their release. 

Sealing of shops conspiracy 

against Srinagar: KEA 

‘Punish guilty 

enforcement officials 

and touts not people’ 


Srinagar, Dec 8: 

Kashmir Economic Alliance 

Chairman Muhammad 

Yasin Khan has termed the 

recent sealing of commercial 

establishments in 

Srinagar as a deep rooted 

“conspiracy” to deprive 

Srinagar of development 

and subsequently make the 

people of Kashmir suffer. 

“If the orders of the 

honorable high court were 

about lack of parking facility 

in the basement, why 

sealing only undertaken in 

Srinagar whereas Jammu 

city and other areas like 

Kathua, Katra and Udhampur 

have been spared,” 

Khan said in a statement. 

He said the present 

PDP led government 

is “working on Nagpuri 

agenda of victimizing” 

Kashmiris through all possible 

means and that sealing 

of buildings exclusively 

in Srinagar was a part of 

this game plan. 

He said the buildings 

which have been sealed 

were providing livelihood 

to hundreds of people 

including educated youth 

who were working these in 

the establishments in these 

buildings. 

“From the offices of 

multinational companies 

to banks all the business 

establishments have 

got closed as a part of 

the sealing and that the 

government is depriving 

the youth of employment 

opportunities and leaving 

no space other than that of 

revolt for them,” Khan said 

adding CM Mufti Mohammad 

Sayeed and Mehbooba 

Mufti must know it. 

Khan said the first action 

from the government 

side should have been that 

those officials of SMC and 

other departments who 

allowed the violation of 

building permissions be 

sacked from the services. 

“The best deterrent 

would have been that those 

officials who allowed the 

violations should have been 

punished but the reverse is 

happening,” Khan said. 

Khan said he has 

received complaints that 

corruption is so high that 

some SMC officials have retired 

from services are now 

working as touts. “Such 

retired officials who are 

known for dubious service 

tenure are now working 

as touts in SMC and other 

departments,” he added. 

“We appeal the High 

Court to look into the 

hidden facets of the illegal 

constructions. Those officials 

who allow the illegal 

constructions should be 

taken to task and not the 

innocent people who are 

fleeced even when they 

have a genuine permission,” 

Khan said. (KNS)

Precious Kashmir 

Potential of research 

T 

he 

field of academic research is not so strong 

in our Valley. Our institutions of higher education 

are literally functioning like a secondary 

school where students go through the same old 

texts and study the same old curriculum. The point 

here is not to criticise or ridicule anyone, the point 

is to determine the shallowness this conventional 

model has brought in the field of higher education; 

the overall affect it has had on the key concepts of 

research and idea generation. In a recent interview 

with a weekly here, the Vice Chancellor of Kashmir 

University (KU), Professor Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi 

acknowledged that KU is like an administrative office 

and has a lot to cover in order to become a meaningful 

university. He remarked that the priority in the 

last few years within KU has been teaching and the 

university is far away from research and knowledge 

creation. The dependence on decades old curriculum, 

the pressure of getting good grades and hence 

simply cramming whatever is printed on the books. 

A Post Graduate programme devoid of any research 

is futile and counterproductive at the same time. We 

produce thousands of degree holders and that is all we 

do. Hardly any researcher who makes it to the next 

level of determining something new, something that 

challenges or atleast acknowledges what was already 

being taught. For example, going through the list of 

books on social sciences, one hardly comes across an 

author who has gained credibility and whose books 

are taught anywhere else. There are some exceptions 

but our universities admit thousands of students every 

year and to produce only a few noted names once 

in a blue moon does not suffice the role of universities. 

To fix this is obviously time consuming and demands 

a productive well thought academic strategy right 

from the college level. The first step towards achieving 

this would be to identify research potential. At a 

college level, students of every stream may be asked 

to voluntarily choose research as one of their supplementary 

subjects. Research, as a subject, should 

sound appealing and not a ‘no go territory’. The general 

concept here about MPhil and PhD scholars is 

that they are only a few geeks out of a huge student 

community. This concept needs to change. Research 

should be introduced with varied levels in different 

three year undergraduate courses. When a student 

reaches a post graduate level, he or she should have 

a clear understanding of the importance and usefulness 

of research. Accordingly, the post graduate 

curriculum should be framed with a separate paper 

right from the early semesters dedicated to preparing 

something new in the chosen field. While the Masters 

degree is being pursued, the students should be encouraged 

to challenge the topics of study and develop 

critical thinking. This should help the varsity as well 

the students to identify the true research potential 

and then choose them as scholars. 

O 

Printer, Publisher, Owner : Afaq Ahmad Bhat 

Editor: Afaq Ahmad Bhat 

Legal Advisor: Hakim Sami Yaqoob (Advocate) 

Published From: Rajbagh Opposite Radio Colony Srinagar J&K 

Printed At: Alsafa Printing Press Hazuri Bagh Srinagar 

RNI No: JKENG/2013/55310 

Cell No: 9419081703 

Other Opinion 

Benefits of GST 

One thing clearly emerging from the draft proposals 

on the goods and services tax (GST) submitted 

by a panel headed by chief economic adviser Arvind 

Subramanian is that consumers will benefit 

only if retailers and manufacturers pass on the 

benefits of GST to the consumers. 

The GST is to replace all other taxes, like sales 

tax, excise duty and VAT. This would enable the 

seller to bring down prices and pass on the benefit 

to the consumer. There is no reason why 

retailers and manufacturers would not want to 

pass on the benefits as it would increase their 

volumes. This, in turn, means more revenue for 

the government and, eventually, higher GDP 

growth. The implementation of GST is expected 

to add between one and a half to two per cent 

to GDP growth, which is why it is important 

for retailers and manufacturers to pass on the 

benefits to the consumers, and for the government 

to see that it happens. Services, however, 

would be two to three per cent more expensive, 

according to some estimates. 

The fine print will reveal which services would 

be exempt, etc. It is interesting that the panel has 

recommended a 40 per cent tax on the so-called 

sin goods, like tobacco, aerated drinks and luxury 

goods. In the case of those services that enjoyed 

taxes between two and six per cent the panel has 

suggested a 12 per cent tax rate. This seems a bit 

steep as it would affect equipment for the handicapped 

and sections like bangle-makers. It is now 

over to the government to accept these recommendations 

in toto, or make changes. 

Email: preciouskashmir@gmail.com 

Website: www.preciouskashmir.com 

Edit 

Srinagar,Wednesday 

09.12.2015 4 

The Assad ultimatum 

James Denselow 

The expansion of the Islamic State of 

Iraq and the Levant’s campaigns outside 

the Middle East and the military 

response to that threat has dominated 

coverage of Syria in recent months, but 

behind that lies the best shot at a diplomatic 

solution since the crisis began. 

The Vienna agreement - although lacking 

the pomp and ceremony of the Geneva peace 

meetings - has set out an ambitious new package 

to bring the conflict to an end and chart a 

way forward for the beleaguered country. 

Opposition-government talks are to begin 

by the start of 2016. A new credible, inclusive, 

and non-sectarian government is expected 

within six months after that, as well as a 

schedule and process for drafting a new constitution. 

Free United Nation-backed elections 

are planned after 18 months, in which all Syrians, 

including refugees outside the country, 

are able to vote. 

The toxic issue 

With just over 150 days until a theoretical 

ceasefire at the start of this week, Syria’s 

fragmented opposition met in Riyadh in an 

attempt to unify before possible peace talks. 

Despite the complexities and huge range of 

issues that will be on their agenda, one big one 

is expected to dominate as it has the story of 

Syria for so long - what is the future of President 

Bashar al-Assad? 

The players at the Vienna talks didn’t 

include any Syrians and addressing the toxic 

issue of whether Assad will stay or go was generally 

fudged with the answer that a “transition” 

of some sort will occur. 

Syria is much more than one man and for 

a process to truly take the country out of the 

darkness, the question needs to be comprehensively 

addressed rather than continually 

deferred. 

Syria is much more than one man and for 

a process to truly take the country out of the 

darkness, the question needs to be comprehensively 

addressed rather than continually 

deferred. 

While Assad responded to the Vienna 

process with predictable rhetoric, saying there 

would be no solutions until “terrorism is defeated”, 

the truth is he is in weak position. 

While he has already won one wartime 

“election” in 2014 with 88.7 percent of the 

vote, the standard refrain of his future being 

up to the Syrian people to decide is wearing 

thin. Indeed, what Vienna showed was that the 

world’s powers see the Syrian conflict as far 

too important to be left to the Syrians. 

Remember that in addition to the human 

cost of the war the economy has shrunk in 

Michael Knights 

The players at the Vienna talks didn’t include any 

Syrians and addressing the toxic issue of whether 

Assad will stay or go was generally fudged with 

the answer that a “transition” of some sort will 

occur. 

half, with a corresponding cost of living crisis. 

The Syria Report revealed this month that the 

Syrian Telecommunications Establishment 

has doubled the cost of the monthly subscription 

to its phone network as the government 

becomes increasingly desperate for new 

revenues. 

Outsourcing of sovereignty 

The cost of Assad remaining in power to 

date has seen huge outsourcing of sovereignty 

to other actors - Russia, Iran and Hezbollah 

in particular. This places Assad potentially as 

the object rather than the subject of a political 

process, and for that to be both smart and effective 

it needs to be “Assad-proof” in charting 

a transition forward. 

A recent report from the European Council 

on Foreign Relations highlighted the fact that 

Assad leaving power in Syria can take a lot 

of different forms. The classic scenario of the 

dictator fleeing the country or being hunted 

down and imprisoned or killed may be the 

options that people immediately associate 

with, but the report suggests that enshrining 

the devolution of power both vertically and 

horizontally within the stages of the Vienna 

process could be a smart way of addressing the 

The issue of sovereignty is a sensitive 

one in any country but particularly 

so in the Middle East. Governments 

have been critically weakened over 

the issue of allowing foreign troops 

too much leeway: for instance, Ayatollah 

Ruhollah Khomeini made devastating use of 

the 1964 US-Iranian status of forces agreement, 

which he claimed “reduced the Iranian 

people to a level lower than that of an American 

dog”. 

In Iraq, the scene of a prolonged occupation 

by a US-led coalition, the government has 

recently pushed back on the presence of both 

US and Turkish “boots on the ground”, citing 

sovereignty concerns. But in both cases, the 

presence of such troops was nothing new: 

instead the controversy tells us more about 

the internal politicking between Iraqi Shia 

factions and how Iraqi groups and their foreign 

backers care more about the local power 

balance than defeating the self-styled Islamic 

State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). 

A clash over the return of US troops has been 

a long time coming. In June 2011, just months 

before the full withdrawal of US military 

forces, Iran-backed militias killed 16 Americans 

to drive home the point that US forces 

must leave. 

Waking nightmare for Iran 

The return of US and other Western forces to 

Iraq is like a waking nightmare for Iran and 

her proxies in Iraq, notably Badr, Kataib Hezbollah 

and Asaib Ahl al-Haq. 

These militias (and others such as Muqtada 

al-Sadr’s followers) have been levying threats 

against the 3,500-strong US presence ever 

since it returned in 2014, threatening to kill 

US advisers if they have crossed red lines such 

as in the establishment of US-only bases or 

the direct US arming of Kurdish or Sunni Arab 

paramilitaries without Baghdad’s involvement. 

Most recently the Iranian-backed groups 

have started a sustained push to replace the 

US-led coalition with Russia and Iran. This has 

included unsuccessful efforts to transfer the 

overall command post for the war from the 

Combined Joint Operations Centre (collocated 

with the coalition) to a new intelligencesharing 

centre housing representatives from 

Iraq, the Shia militias, Russia, Iran, Lebanese 

Hezbollah and the Assad regime. 

Recent events have played into the hands of 

the groups trying to knock the US-led coalition 

out of Iraq. 

Recent events have played into the hands of 

the groups trying to knock the US-led coalition 

out of Iraq. On October 22, US special 

forces took part in a Kurdish raid in Hawija, 

resulting in one US soldier being killed, and 

since then other evidence has emerged of US 

special forces sporadically undertaking sniper 

and mortar attacks on ISIL forces along the 

Kurdish front line. 

On November 29, US Senators John McCain 

and Lindsey Graham visited Iraq and publicly 

touted ideas for an expanded US presence of 

10,000 personnel as part of a multinational 

ground force to counter ISIL and “to neutralise 

the Shia militia advantage to some extent”, 

Graham noted.Though the Iraqi government 

was fully supportive on the special forces unit, 

one of a number of such groups already operating 

with Iraqi permission, the backlash from 

Badr and other Iranian-backed groups was 

sufficiently fierce that Prime Minister Haider 

al-Abadi was forced to clarify his position on 

December 2, noting: “There is no need for 

foreign ground combat troops. Any such support 

and special operations anywhere in Iraq 

can only be deployed subject to the approval 

of the Iraqi government.” 

Later Abadi went further, adding that the Iraqi 

government “would deal with the presence of 

foreign ground troops in Iraq as though their 

presence were a hostile act and a violation of 

Iraq’s national sovereignty”. 

Assad dilemma. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and 

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad [AP] 

What this means in practice is that power 

moves from the presidency to the Syrian 

parliament and judiciary, and that far more 

regional power and autonomy is enshrined in 

the constitutional agreements on the horizon. 

It will mean that Assad’s exit won’t be as 

sharp and as sudden as many would prefer, but 

that kind of compromise and potential trust 

built by the parties within the political discussions 

could mean that his exit becomes more 

of a unifying rather than a divisive process for 

the country. 

There can be no illusions as to the difficulties 

and immense challenge of the benchmarks 

and expectations of the Vienna process. 

So much hatred, distrust and anger have 

been unleashed within the space of five years 

to expect anything else. However, unless the 

issue of Assad’s future is tackled early on with 

great care and political imagination, the process 

may find itself stillborn. 

James Denselow is a writer on Middle East 

politics and security issues and a research associate 

at the Foreign Policy Centre. 

Playing politics with boots 

on the ground 

Abadi has also been drawn into a serious dispute 

with Turkey since the media announced 

the presence of 150 to 200 newly added Turkish 

troops plus heavy equipment at a training 

base inside the Kurdish region of northern 

Iraq. These forces were deployed to the Zilkan 

base in November to join about 30 Turkish 

trainers who had already been working at 

the base since 2014 to train Arab policemen 

to take part in the recapture of nearby Mosul 

city. 

In one of Iraq’s quiet complexities, the Saddam 

regime and subsequent Shia-led governments 

have tolerated a large 15,000-strong 

Turkish ground force presence in the Kurdistan 

Regional Government (KRG) area and 

constant Turkish aerial incursions since the 

early 1990s. 

As long as the Turks were keeping Kurdish interests 

in check, there was little opposition to 

this presence from Baghdad. But Baghdad has 

become more critical of the presence since 

Turkey’s role shifted to alliance with the KRG. 

‘A violation of Iraq’s sovereignty’ 

On July 30, Abadi referred to Turkish air 

strikes on Kurdistan Workers’ Party sites inside 

the Kurdish region of northern Iraq as “a 

violation of Iraq’s sovereignty”. The addition 

of 150-200 troops plus 35 armoured vehicles 

at Zilkan led Abadi to declare on December 

6 that the presence was a “serious breach 

of Iraqi sovereignty” that Turkey needed to 

withdraw within 48 hours or face “all available 

options”, including recourse to the UN 

Security Council. 

Head of the Badr Organisation and Shia paramilitary 

commander Hadi al-Amiri [REUTERS] 

The Turkish case is illustrative of the role that 

politics plays in the sovereignty debate. The 

October 22 Hawija raid caused outrage among 

supporters of the Iranian-backed militias but 

at no point did such supporters seek to place 

any restrictions on the combat role played 

by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Qods 

Force or Lebanese Hezbollah special forces in 

Iraq. 

>>>>>>>>> Please send your articles and letters on preciouskashmir@gmail.com >>>>>>>>>


Sensex Nifty Gold 

Business/ International 

Wednesday 

5 


09.12.2015 

Silver Dollar J&K Bank Yes Bank SBI ICICI Bank HDFC Bank 

219.78 

63.70 

93.00 

217.00 

0.11 

1.25 

9.15 

2.70 

1.60 

12.70 

25310.33 

7701.70 

25,459.00 

34,554.00 

66.84 

80.45 

725.75 

235.95 

261.45 

1,049.25 

Sensex ends near 3-month low at 25310 

Mumbai, Dec 8: Markets have closed 

lower for fifth straight session and hit 

near 3-month low due to sell off among 

oil exploration companies like Reliance 

Inds and ONGC after OPEC policy meeting 

on Friday ended without an agreement 

to lower production. 

Besides, sell off among metal shares 

tracking weak China trade data also 

dampened the sentiments. 

The S&P BSE Sensex ended at 

25,310.33, down by 219.78 while the 

Nifty50 settled at 7,701.70, down by 

63.70 points. Sensex has hit its weakest 

level since September 29, 2015. Among 

broader markets, BSE Midcap and Smallcap 

indices were down 0.5%-1%. 

According to Ravi Shenoy , AVP- 

Midcap Reseach, MOSL,”Indices closed 

down by 0.85% on last hour selling in 

stocks as the Parliament was adjourned 

on the requirement of Congress leaders 

having to appear in Court for the National 

Herald case. Midcaps and Small 

caps have been hammered more with 

indices lower by 1.2% to 1.5%. Another 

factor that weighed heavy on markets 

today was the China trade data that 

New Delhi, Dec 8: Amid a 

declining trend in foreign 

portfolio investments, the 

government today said the 

fall may not have any major 

macroeconomic impact as 

long as capital flows are adequate 

to finance current account 

deficit. 

During April-November 

period of the current fiscal, 

FPIs had pulled out a sum 

of Rs 7,008 crore from the 

country’s capital markets 

after investing staggering 

funds in the preceding two 

financial years. 

FPIs had made a net investment 

of Rs 2.77 lakh 

crore and Rs 51,649 crore in 

2014-15 and 2013-14 respectively. 

“As long as other capital 

flows remain adequate to finance 

CAD (current account 

deficit), decline in the level 

of FPI flows may not have 

a significant impact on the 

macroeconomic outcome,” 

‘Drop in FPI inflows may not 

have major impact on economy’ 

Minister of State for Finance 

Jayant Sinha said in a written 

reply to Rajya Sabha. 

He was replying to a 

question about the impact of 

slowdown in FPI inflows on 

the economy. 

Sinha said FPI through its 

impact on the cost of capital 

helps supplement domestic 

resources and thereby 

growth momentum. 

It also helps finance the 

level of current CAD and 

has implications for the 

exchange rate. However, a 

larger than required flow 

in either direction tends to 

impact exchange rate and 

hence to be modulated by 

the RBI through intervention, 

the minister added. 

Overall, financial services 

sector accounted for most 

of the investment, followed 

by pharma. 

came in below estimates and caused a 

sharp correction in Energy and Metals 

counters.” 

He further adds, “Larger Midcaps in 

capital intensive sectors such as Infrastructure 

and Power crashed by 4% to 

10%. We have been recommending caution 

on Mid/Small cap companies as we 

have seen valuations move up sharply 

with large number of circuit hitters and 

“tip” counters. Such overheating of markets 

usually is followed by cooling off of 

the market.” 

In the currency front, the rupee was 

Mumbai, Dec 8: The Reserve 

Bank is likely to keep 

repo rate unchanged in 2016 

as CPI inflation may remain 

above its target of 5 per cent 

by March 2017, says a report. 

“With inflation expectations 

still elevated, we expect 

RBI to keep policy rates 

on hold in 2016 and instead 

focus on greater transmission,” 

Nomura said in a report. 

As disinflationary forces 

stabilise — oil, rural wages, 

negative output gap, MSP 

— the report expects underlying 

core CPI inflation to remain 

above RBI’s 5 per cent 

target in March 2017. 

Headline CPI inflation 

should rise above 6 per cent 

due to higher housing allowances, 

it said. 

In the fifth bi-monthly 

monetary policy review last 

week, RBI kept the repo rate 

trading lower by 10 paise at 66.83 against 

the dollar on sustained foreign fund outflows 

amid increased demand for the US 

currency from importers. 

Among overseas markets, Chinese 

stocks led decline in Asian markets after 

China reported weak trade data for November 

2015. Energy and materials sector 

stocks led losses for US equities yesterday 

as global crude oil prices tumbled 

in the wake of a decision late last week 

from the OPEC to keep crude production 

running at current levels. Hang Seng, 

Nikkei and Shanghai slipped between 

1%-2%. 

Back home, GAIL India was the top 

Sensex gainer, up over 5%. The company 

has decided to shut down the coal-based 

power plants near metro cities and 

switch to cleaner gas as a source of electricity 

generation. 

Metal shares reeled under selling 

pressure due to weak Chinese trade data 

for the month of November. Hindalco, 

Vedanta, Tata Steel and Coal India fell between 

3%-5%. 

Coal India might eventually end 

the financial year with a shortfall of 10 

unchanged at 6.75 per cent. 

“RBI will use the space 

for further accommodation, 

when available, while keeping 

the economy anchored 

to the projected disinflation 

path that should take inflation 

down to 5 per cent by 

March 2017,” it had said in 

the policy statement. 

According to a report 

by Bank of America Merrill 

Lynch, RBI will go for a 

25-basis point cut at its February 

policy meet. 

Nomura further said it 

expects GDP growth to rise 

to 7.8 per cent y-o-y in 2016, 

from 7.3 per cent in 2015, 

aided by private and government 

consumption and 

a slight pick-up in investments. 

“We estimate India’s potential 

growth at around 8 

per cent, which implies that 

the output gap will gradually 

narrow over the course 

of 2016, before closing fully 

by the first quarter of 2017,” 

million tonnes (mt), or nearly 2%, of its 

marked output. Shares of Coal India 

dropped by almost 3%. 

Oil exploration companies were trading 

lower after crude oil tumbled to its 

lowest level in nearly seven years. RIL, 

ONGC, Cairn India and Oil India dipped 

between 1%-6%. 

On the gaining side, Tata Motors 

gained over 1% after the total Jaguar Land 

Rover (JLR) retail sales rose 27% to 46,547 

versus 36,621 units a year ago. 

Select IT majors ended marginally 

positive due to weak rupee against US 

dollar. ITC rose almost 1%. The company 

has acquired 87% equity share capital of 

group firm Classic Infrastructure and Development. 

Shares of public sector undertaking 

(PSU) banks were under pressure with 

four state-owned banks – Allahabad 

Bank, Bank of India, Canara Bank and 

Corporation Bank have touched their respective 

52-week lows on the BSE. 

Donear Industries was locked in 

upper circuit for the second straight 

day, up 20% at Rs 24, also its 52-week 

high on the BSE. 

RBI may hold rates in 2016 on 

inflationary risks: Nomura 

the report said. 

It, however, sees risks 

from implementation of the 

7th Pay Commission recommendations, 

which it said 

would mean higher inflation 

(transitory) and fiscal 

challenges. 

“We expect quantity 

and quality of fiscal consolidation 

to suffer,” the report 

added. 

Nomura expects a slight 

slippage in the fiscal deficit 

to 3.6 per cent of GDP in 

2016-17 as against the target 

of 3.5 per cent and a smaller 

rise in government-funded 

capital expenditure. 

With higher domestic 

growth and real effective 

exchange rate appreciation, 

the report expects 

marginal current account 

deficit widening to 1.3 per 

cent of GDP in 2016, from 

0.9 per cent in 2015. 

3 companies 

get Sebi nod 

for IPOs 

New Delhi, Dec 8: SSIPL Retail, 

Paranjape Schemes (Construction) 

Ltd and Bharat Wire 

Ropes have received capital 

markets regulator Sebi’s approval 

to raise funds through 

initial public offerings (IPOs). 

Paranjape and Bharat Wire 

Ropes filed their draft red herring 

prospectus (DRHP) with 

Sebi in July, while footwear 

manufacturer and retailer 

SSIPL had approached the 

capital markets regulator in 

October. 

The Securities and 

Exchange Board of India (Sebi) 

issued its final observations on 

the draft offer documents last 

week, which is necessary for 

launching a public offer. 

As per the draft papers, 

Paranjape Schemes plans to 

come out with a public issue 

of equity shares “aggregating 

up to Rs 6,000 million (Rs 600 

crore)”. 

Bharat Wire Ropes aims to 

raise Rs 70 crore through the 

issue and SSIPL Retail is looking 

to garner Rs 72 crore by issuing 

fresh shares and an offer for 

sale of up to 19.88 lakh equity 

scrips. SSIPL Retail had received 

a nod from Sebi to launch IPO 

in May but it had filed fresh 

papers with the regulator in 

October. 

The funds raised through 

these issues would be utilized 

for repayment of loans for expansion 

plans and for general 

corporate purposes. 

The shares of the firms are 

proposed to be listed on both 

NSE and BSE. 

Since the beginning of 

2015, as many as 41 companies 

have filed draft documents 

with Sebi to float IPOs. In 

the same period, the market 

watchdog gave an approval 

to 34 firms to launch their 

initial share sale plans, some 

of which were pending from 

the previous year. This year, 

18 companies have so far 

launched IPOs, raising more 

than Rs 12,000 crore, making it 

the best in four years in terms 

of fund raising through initial 

share-sale programmes. 

Syrian opposition groups discuss peace push 

Syria, Dec 8: Saudi Arabia is hosting 

a three-day meeting in Riyadh to try 

to unite the Syrian opposition before 

potential talks with the government 

of President Bashar al-Assad. 

There have been attempts to do 

this before, but this time international 

peace efforts are gaining momentum. 

There is a need for the opposition 

to speak in one voice and present 

a common vision for Syria’s 

future. 

The alliances in this conflict are 

a complicated maze: There is no 

clear way through. 

There is a thorn in the works 

already following the decision by 

Saudi Arabia not to invite the Democratic 

Union Party (PYD), the largest 

Kurdish group, and its armed wing, 

the YPG. Its allies, the Syrian Democratic 

Forces (SDF), have not been 

invited either. 

Instead, they will be holding a 

separate meeting in Syria’s northeastern 

province of Hasakah. 

The Saudi meeting comes amid 

international efforts to restart peace 

negotiations with the Syrian government 

and there is a need to create 

a delegation to represent the opposition. 

Global and regional powers recently 

met in Vienna and agreed on 

launching peace talks and a political 

process but there was no agreement 

on Assad’s role in that process. 

Foreign backers of the warring 

sides disagree on whether the Syrian 

leader can stay in power during 

the transition process. The opposition 

is just as divided. 

“The majority of the opposition 

believes Assad is part of the problem. 

There can’t be a solution unless 

he steps down immediately,” 

said Louay Safi, who was a member 

of the opposition delegation which 

attended the first peace conference 

held in Geneva last year. 

Safi will be attending the meeting 

in Saudi Arabia but he is no longer 

a member of the main political 

opposition in exile, the Syrian National 

Coalition. 

The coalition will be sending 

delegates to Riyadh but so will the 

Damascus-based National Coordination 

Committee for Democratic 

Change. They are known as the tolerated 

opposition. But many, like 

Safi, believe its members are hostages 

of the government. 

Yemen confirms 7-day 

ceasefire for peace talks 

Yemen, Dec 8: Yemen’s president told the 

United Nations that he has asked the Saudiled 

coalition to begin a 7-day ceasefire on 

Dec. 15 to coincide with U.N.-sponsored peace 

talks aimed at ending months of fighting. 

“I have notified the leadership of the Coalition 

of our intention to cease fire for a period 

of seven days, starting December 15 until December 

21,” President Abd-Rabbu Mansour 

Hadi said in a letter to UN Secretary-General 

Ban Ki-moon. 

“This will coincide with the starting of 

consultations and will automatically be renewed 

upon commitment by the Houthis,” he 

added. 

Hadi’s letter, which it said was also sent to 

the UN Security Council, confirmed remarks 

made earlier on Monday by UN special envoy 

to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who 

said Hadi’s government and the Houthis were 

committed to the peace process laid down by 

the Security Council in April. 

“I hope you would inform the UN envoy 

of the need to ensure that the Houthis would 

respect the ceasefire, and to take practical 

steps to ensure adherence to the permanent 

ceasefire, so that the Coalition forces would 

not deal with any breach of the ceasefire,” 

Hadi said. 

He added that the ceasefire came “out 

of our desire to create an atmosphere for the 

success of the UN-led consultations that the 

government intends to participate (in) in the 

coming days, and in order to help avoid further 

bloodshed and expand the medical and 

humanitarian relief efforts.” 

Forces loyal to Hadi, backed by air strikes 

and ground forces from a mainly Gulf Arab 

coalition, have been locked for nine months in 

a battle with Houthis militias. 

“They are under the influence 

of the regime and they are scared 

of the regime. They cannot outright 

call for Assad’s departure.” 

Politicians are not the only ones 

who do not see eye to eye. On the 

ground, armed groups do not share 

similar ideologies. 

They have fought together on 

the front lines against the Syrian 

government and its allies. But apart 

from that, they lack a unified command, 

and have different visions for 

the country’s future. 

One of the most powerful forces 

in Syria, al-Nusra Front, will not be 

present in Riyadh. It has been listed 

by the United States and the UN as 

a terrorist organisation and Syrian 

opposition politicians have urged 

the group to disassociate itself from 

al-Qaeda. 

Until now, it has not. Its allies on 

the battlefield, though, will be attending 

the meeting in Saudi Arabia. 

“If everything goes well in Riyadh, 

some groups will distance 

themselves from Nusra,” Marwan 

Kabalan, a Syria expert, said. “There 

could also be a split within Nusra. 

Some may join ISIL and others may, 

for example, join Ahrar al-Sham.” 

Even if Saudi Arabia succeeds in 

getting the opposition to speak in 

one voice, some in the delegation 

may not be acceptable to Russia, the 

Syrian government’s main backer. 

Russia does not want to negotiate 

with groups such as Ahrar al-Sham 

and Jaish al-Islam, another powerful 

force based in the Damascus countryside. 

For the opposition’s backers, 

however, they are the backbone of 

the armed rebellion. 

Ahrar al-Sham is a powerful 

group with thousands of fighters 

and it will be represented in the 

Saudi meeting. The US has so far refused 

to work with it since it cooperates 

with al-Nusra. 

“What is becoming clear is that 

whoever doesn’t support the Vienna 

process will be classified as terrorist 

organisations,” Kabalan said. 

Jordan has been given the task 

of coming up with a list of groups 

deemed terrorist organisations. The 

ones on the list will not have representation 

at the talks and will not be 

part of any ceasefire deal. 

And there are realities on 

the ground that could cause further 

conflict. 

US Supreme Court gives nod 

to assault weapons ban 

Washington, Dec 8: The US 

Supreme Court appeared to 

back lawmakers who want 

to restrict the type of guns 

such as semi-automatic assault 

weapons used in recent 

mass shootings. 

In a 7-2 vote, the high 

court’s justices refused to 

take up a challenge to a Chicago 

suburb’s ban on the 

sale or possession of semiautomatic 

weapons or highcapacity 

magazines with 

more than 10 rounds of ammunition. 

The court’s move is a 

small victory for activists 

against the spread of such 

guns, which can potentially 

kill many people in a short 

period of time. 

“By rejecting this case, 

today the Supreme Court 

sided with a community 

that has taken action to 

protect itself from the type 

of violence we’ve seen in 

San Bernardino, on college 

campuses and in movie 

Washington, Dec 8: The United States 

has agreed with Singapore on a first 

deployment of the US P8 Poseidon spy 

plane in Singapore this month, in a 

fresh response to China over its pursuit 

of territorial claims in the South 

China Sea. 

In a joint statement after a meeting 

in Washington, US defense secretary 

Ash Carter and Singapore defense 

minister Ng Eng Hen welcomed the 

inaugural deployment of the aircraft in 

Singapore. 

A US defense official said further 

deployments in Singapore could be 

expected. The move comes at a time of 

heightened tensions in the South China 

Sea over China’s assertive pursuit of territorial 

claims there. 

The US deployment is likely to anger 

China, which is at odds with Washington 

over the South China Sea. China 

claims almost the entire energy-rich 

sea, through which more than $5 trillion 

of maritime trade passes each year. 

The United States already operates 

P8s from Japan and the Philippines, and 

has also conducted surveillance flights 

from Singapore’s neighbor, Malaysia. 

The statement said the P8 deployment 

in Singapore would “promote 

greater interoperability with regional 

militaries through participation in bilateral 

and multilateral exercises, while 

providing timely support for regional 

HADR and maritime security efforts.” 

HADR is an acronym for Humanitarian 

and Disaster Relief operations. 

The United States and Singapore 

have long-standing defense ties and the 

theatres,” said Dan Gross, 

president of the Brady Centre 

and Campaign to Prevent 

Gun Violence. 

Just last week, a husband 

and wife who authorities 

say had been radicalised 

for “quite some time” 

cut down 14 people and 

wounded another 21 in San 

Bernardino, California using 

legally purchased semi-automatic 

rifles. 

Pediatrician Arie Friedman 

and the pro-gun Illinois 

State Rifle Association 

filed suit, saying his Second 

Amendment rights to bear 

US agrees spy plane deployment 

in Singapore amid China tensions 

announcement of the P8 deployment 

was part of an enhanced Defense Cooperation 

Agreement signed by Carter 

and Ng, which also covers cooperation 

in fighting transnational terrorism and 

piracy. 

Washington has criticized China’s 

building of artificial islands in the South 

China Sea’s disputed Spratly archipelago, 

and has conducted sea and air patrols 

near them recently. 

Last month, US President Barack 

Obama called on countries to stop 

building artificial islands in the sea and 

militarizing their claims. He said the 

United States would continue to assert 

its freedom-of-navigation rights. 

China responded by saying it would 

continue to build both military and civilian 

facilities on the islands. 

arms under the US Constitution 

had been violated by 

the city of Highland Park’s 

ban. 

Friedman took his challenge 

to the Supreme Court 

after losing in lower courts. 

Conservative justices 

Clarence Thomas and Antonin 

Scalia, writing for the 

dissent, said they would 

have taken up the challenge. 

“Roughly five million 

Americans own AR-style 

semiautomatic rifles,” 

Thomas wrote in a sixpage 

dissent. 

Al-Shabaab, IS 

leaders killed in US 

airstrikes: Pentagon 

Washington, Dec 8: The 

US airstrikes killed a senior 

leader of al Qaeda affiliated 

Al-Shabaab group in Somalia 

and a senior leader of the 

Islamic State (IS) in Libya, 

the Pentagon has said. 

Abdirahman Sandhere, 

also known as Ukash, was 

killed during a US airstrike 

in Somalia on December 2, 

Xinhua quoted Pentagon 

spokesman Peter Cook as 

saying. 

The airstrike “specifically 

targeted” Sandhere, said 

Cook, adding that two other 

Al-Shabaab associates were 

also killed in the strike.


HEALTH 


Srinagar | Wednesday 

09.12.2015 

36 

Tried the phantom 

workout yet? 

The festive season is here, and most of us have a fitness 

goal that we want to achieve to look our best. But 

do you find that you have reached a plateau? 

If so, it’s time to shake things up. The phantom workout, 

designed by Bengaluru-based strength coach 

Kristian Ebenezer, is a high-intensity workout that is 

ideal for people who want to achieve a specific goal. 

Split over three levels, the programme is broken down 

into three sessions of about 45 minutes each. None of 

the workouts are repeated, which helps maintain one’s 

interest and makes it more effective. 

“The workout is divided into three levels, with the focus 

on a high-intensity workout. This includes weights 

and functional movements such as the deadlift, 

push-presses and bear crawl. It is a combination of all 

these movements at a higher intensity , with very little 

time for rest. This helps build muscle endurance and 

boosts strength levels. Each workout session targets 

the entire body ,” says Kristian. 

THE EFFECTS 

HR professional Manisha Naik has been working out 

for two years, but wanted to increase her stamina, 

which is why she opted for the phantom workout. “I 

have finished two levels and can now climb all the way 

up to my 11th floor office without panting too much. I 

feel more energetic and active after signing up for the 

workout.Recently , we had an impromptu plank challenge 

at work.While most people could stay in position 

for only a minute, I did it for almost three minutes.Such 

short and quick programmes require a lot of dedication 

and hard work, but you can really see the results if you 

are sincere,” she says. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIET 

The workouts have several variations that basically 

confuse your brain. Your body tends to adapt to a 

movement quickly, so varying rest intervals and workout 

sequences shake things up, and help burn fat and 

build resistance. While Kristian says that the phantom 

workout doesn’t require one to go on a diet (you do, 

however, have to watch what you eat), fitness expert 

Leena Mogre feels that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% 

workout. “People want variety and trainers understand 

this. There is a good chance of success with a workout 

regime that has variety .Confusing the body is one of 

the principals of weight training -also called instinctive 

training. It is a shift from doing something that your 

body is used to. It is good to try something new, but 

80% is diet, and if you don’t follow a proper diet, you 

How much water should you drink every day? 

It's important to drink water according to your 

lifestyle rather than follow the 8-glass water rule, say 

nutritionists. 

Water is your body's principal chemical component 

and a natural detoxifier but not many are aware about 

how much water should we ideally drink everyday. 

Moreover, the popular 8 by 8 rule which says that one 

should drink eight glasses, each consisting of eight 

ounce of water, may not suit every individual. Says nutritionist 

Venu Adhiya Hirani, "While the general belief 

is to drink eight to 10 glasses of water, it is advisable to 

drink 12 to 15 glasses of fluids which includes water, 

tea, buttermilk, soup, etc. This would amount to an 

intake of around 2.5 litres of fluids everyday." 

Drink according to lifestyle 

According to nutritionist expert Nupur Krishnan, 

one's lifestyle plays an important role in deciding the 

amount of water that one should consume. "If you have 

a sedentary lifestyle and work in an air-conditioned 

environment where there is no scope for water loss via 

sweat, drinking more than 2 to 2.5 litres of water is not 

advisable. It will end up accumulating in your kidney 

and cause edema," says Krishnan. For moderate workers 

like salespersons, who are required to do physical 

activity, it is important to drink around three litres of 

water. 

Water consumption during summers 

Also, it is necessary to change water consumption 

habits with the change in seasons. For instance, it is important 

to keep oneself hydrated during summers. "If 

you do not suffer from diabetes or blood pressure, you 

can have electrolyte or glucose water or drink nimbu 

paani. It is not only refreshing but also increases your 

energy levels," says Krishnan. Moreover, it is important 

to drink maximum amount in the morning. Hirani says, 

"After waking up, it is important to drink around two 

to four glasses of water within the early part of the day. 

You could also add some amount of lemon, honey and 

cinnamon in it." 

Your water guide 

- Drink around two to four glasses of water (roughly 

amounting to 800 ml) after waking up 

- If you work in an airconditioned environment and 

follow a sedentary lifestyle, do not drink more than 2 to 

2.5 litres of water per day 

- For moderate workers, for instance salespersons, 

it is important to drink around three litres of water 

- During summers, keep yourself hydrated by 

drinking water at regular intervals. If you don't suffer 

from diabetes or blood pressure, having electrolyte or 

glucose water is also advisable. 

will not lose weight,” she says. 

Coming, adjustable 

lens for your eyes 

An Indian-origin researcher in the UK is developing 

an adjustable artificial lens, made from 

the same material found in smartphone and TV 

screens, which could improve vision in older 

people with presbyopia and cataracts. 

As people age, their lenses lose flexibility and elasticity. 

This leads to a condition known as presbyopia, common in 

people over 45 years old, and can require optical aids, such 

as reading glasses. 

Devesh Mistry , a postgraduate research student in the 

School of Physics and Astronomy, at University of Leeds 

is working with liquid crystal to create a truly adjustable 

artificial lens. “As we get older, the lens in our eye stiffens, 

when the muscles in the eye contract they can no longer 

shape the lens to bring close objects into focus,” he said. 

“Using liquid crystals, which we probably know better as 

the material used in the screens of TVs and smartphones, 

lenses would adjust and focus automatically , depending 

on the eye muscles’ movement,” he added. 

Using these liquid crystal-based materials, Mistry’s research 

is developing synthetic replacements for the diseased 

lens in the eye -a new generation of lenses and intraocular 

lens implants to rejuvenate sight. Mistry is researching 

and developing the lens in the lab and aims to have a prototype 

ready by the end of 2018. Within a decade, the research 

could see the new lens being implanted into eyes in a quick, 

straightforward surgical procedure under local anaesthetic. 

Studies are busting long-held 

beliefs on dementia in the 

elderly, and are saying that 

memory lapses need not be 

a cause of fear as one ages, 

as the apprehension itself 

means the mind is healthy 

One of the problems senior 

citizens face is the fear that 

they are headed for dementia, 

because of a few lapses of memory 

that they experience, previously known 

as `senior moments’. Some loss of recent 

memory is an inevitable part of ageing. 

When I retired from my public hospital job, 

my junior colleagues asked me how I would 

spend the several hours that I invested here. 

I joked that I would spend much of the time 

in the dentist’s chair and at the orthopaedic 

surgeon’s, and the rest looking for my 

The fear of dementia 

glasses and keys. 

At last, part of this appears to be true. The 

anxiety over normal memory fallout ensures 

that dementia is not setting in. Having taken 

care of many demented patients, I realised 

that if their organs systems were reasonably 

healthy, they lived long. 

Relatives and those at home had to cope 

with this, and I was sometimes asked how 

long this would go on - a question with no 

plausible answer. 

I had my own theory -since these patients in 

an advanced state of dementia experienced 

little stress, they seemed to go on endlessly. 

However, a new article published in August 

in the journal Neurology shatters my theory. 

It says that awareness of memory impairment 

starts deteriorating 2.6 years before a 

diagnosis of dementia sets it. So, the rule of 

thumb that said if you were worried about 

memory loss then you probably don’t have 

dementia remains a little shaken. 

The data was collected from prospective 

studies of people over the age of 50. They 

had normal memory at the start of the 

study and were evaluated every year with a 

battery of 19 tests. 

Researches found that the 239 patients who 

developed memory drops could be identified 

between two to three years of the study. 

A good conclusion was that those being 

demented did not suffer depression. I don’t 

know why the authors found this conclusion 

baffling. Once you develop dementia, it’s not 

likely that you have the thought processes to 

be depressed. 

It has been commonly presumed that nutritional 

supplementation and physical activity 

helps delay the onset of dementia. I have 

seen this observation across many years of 

practice.However, a journal of the American 

Medical Association from North Carolina 

surprises me. 

It states that two years of moderate physical 

activity failed to boost cognitive function as 

compared to a health education programme. 

Also surprising also is the report also states 

that supplements like Omega 3 fatty acids, 

lutein and zeaxanthin failed to improve cognitive 

function in patients at risk for age-related 

blindness (macular degeneration). 

It does, however, state that a physical 

activity programme was more beneficial for 

patients ol der than 80, and they had better 

changes in executive function. On the other 

hand, a trial published in Lancet claims exercise 

and diet benefit cognitive function. 

So, what does the physician then advise 

you? Will your physician change his advice 

on a single or a few observational studies? If 

he does, he will be changing his advice every 

three weeks. 

A single non-conformist study is to be taken 

note of and not acted on till several such 

studies form the basis of our databases. 

Medical research often reaches diametrically 

opposite conclusions, and many of us recognise 

this before making any suggestions. 

FROM FRONT PAGE..................... 

Swaraj........ 

between the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan 

in Bangkok on Sunday, where they discussed terrorism, Jammu 

and Kashmir and a range of key bilateral issues apart from 

agreeing to carry forward the "constructive" engagement. 

Aziz had said yesterday that the deadlock in Indo-Pak ties 

had eased to some extent. 

Sharif........ 

with focus on Afghanistan, also came under discussion during 

the meeting. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's visit to Pakistan 

was also discussed in the meeting. 

After chairing the meeting, Sharif held one-to-one talks 

with the army chief to discuss security issues. 

The powerful army controls the security policy and analysts 

say its consent is key to exploring improvement of ties with India 

and Afghanistan. 

The 'Heart of Asia' conference provides an occasion for leaders 

of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan to discuss regional issues 

during the conference and some of contentious bilateral problems 

on the sidelines. 

The conference is aimed at enhancing cooperation for countering 

security threats and promoting connectivity in the region. 

The high-ranking delegations from 14 participating states, 

17 supporting countries and 12 international and regional organisations 

are participating in the conference. 

Support........ 

participating countries to discuss our shared commitment to a 

stable, peaceful, and prosperous Afghanistan," the spokesperson 

said in response to a question. 

Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special US 

Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson will 

represent the US in the fifth meeting of the Heart of Asia process 

in Islamabad. 

The US had earlier welcomed the brief meeting between 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart 

Nawaz Sharif in Paris on sidelines of the UN climate summit, 

saying it "always welcomes these kinds of exchanges and dialogue 

between India and Pakistan". 

Pampore....... 

Srinagar to carry out a Fidayeen attack. He claimed that the duo 

was involved in an attack on CRPF convoy yesterday at Bijbehara. 

Over the identity of the militants, he said that one hails 

from Pakistan while the other one is a local militant. 

He identified the local militant as Shakir Showkat Bhat son 

of Showkat Ahmad Bhat of Nowpora, Sopore. (GNS) 

Kupwara....... 

for the whereabouts of Territorial Army man Manzoor Khawja 

whose mobile is not operational. The truth will surface after the 

arrest of the accused Manzoor Khawja,” he said. 

Currency....... 

recoveries, which would help to ascertain the links between the 

criminals," DGP said here. 

He was speaking at a meeting of senior police officers to 

discuss measures taken to check circulation of fake Indian currency 

notes in the state. 

The DGP said that the role of banks and law enforcing agencies 

is imperative to identify elements involved in such malpractices. 

He said that prosecution also has a great responsibility to 

fight the cases vigorously in the courts so that the culprits are 

not left free on technical grounds. 

He said that intelligence sharing among different agencies 

could also help to bring the culprits to justice. 

Rajendra asked to explore possibilities for organizing training 

camps in police training institutions, in collaboration with 

banks, in order to acquaint police personnel with techniques to 

detect forged notes. 

"Magnetic fake domination note detectors would help apprehend 

the culprits and detain them under preventive measures", 

he said. 

Earlier, DIG Crime, Johny William, briefed the meeting 

about the progress achieved in curbing the fake currency circulation 

in the state. 

He said that 10 cases of fake currency have been registered 

in the state this year and 15 persons arrested, besides recovery 

of fake currency of more than 17 lakh. 

DIG CID Kashmir, Syed Kifayat Hyder also apprised the 

meeting about the achievements in the Valley to apprehend 

the involved persons in smuggling and circulation of 

FICN. 

He said that close vigil is being maintained on activities of 

suspected persons and channels, besides intelligence sharing 

with other agencies. 

Migrants....... 

accommodations in the Kashmir Valley, he said. (Agencies) 

Govt....... 

sewage problems in the state. “We are working on it and very 

soon you will see a lot of improvisation in drainage system not 

only in capital cities but across the state,” the official said and 

added that for that we have sought financial assistance from the 

central government and the World Bank. (KNS) 

Lal Ded....... 

discussed gender sensitive media reporting in Kashmir. 

“Unlike other places, Kashmir as a society has never ever 

hurt the progress of women and it is a fertile ground to nurture 

the debate of gender sensitive reporting. Lal Ded challenged 

male-chauvinism decades back in Kashmir,” Masroor said. 

He added that there is a need to sensitize the society at 

large and one cannot always expect a moral judgement from 

a journalist. In one of the sessions, Dr Gazalla Amin, KCCI Executive 

and Entrepreneur said that Gender sensitisation was all 

about creating a balance in the society. 

Elizabeth Maryam, Assistant professor Economics Department, 

Kashmir University discussed four key areas: Gender, 

Health, Education and Economic Empowerment using a multimedia 

presentation. 

The workshop was organized by University’s Media Education 

Research Centre (MERC) in collaboration with Population 

First, a Mumbai based NGO. 

Need to maintain high 

standards of healthcare 

delivery: Bukhari 

Baramulla, Dec 8: Urging officers and doctors to maintain high 

standards of healthcare delivery in the state, Minister for Law, 

Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Syed Basharat Bukhari Tuesday 

called for serious efforts in ensuring efficient medical facilities 

for the public. 

The Minister stated this while chairing the meeting of Rogi 

Kalyan Samiti of at Sub-district Hospital Kreeri, here. 

The meeting which was attended by Director Health Services 

Kashmir, Dr. Sameer Mattoo, CMO Baramulla, Executive 

Engineer GDA, Exen R&B, BMO, BDO, CDPO Wagoora, Revenue 

Officers, and Local Committee members took a comprehensive 

account of status of healthcare services at SDH Kreeri. 

It was given out in the meeting that around 96000 patients 

were treated for various ailments in the OPD, while as 2356 patients 

were admitted and treated in IPD during last 8 months. 

Total number of deliveries that have been carried at the SDH 

stood at 356 and major surgeries at 345 during 2015-16 so far. 

It was also mentioned that under NCD scheme, 2 Doctors are 

working in the SDH and as many as 600 patients suffering from 

hypertension and diabetes have been treated and provided free 

medicines during the year. 

Responding to the need for augmentation of the SDH, 

Bukhari gave on spot instructions to Exen R&B to prepare an 

estimate. With regard to staff strength at the SDH, the Minister 

showed concern over inadequate staff and issued strict instructions 

to the concerned to ensure that the vacant 52 posts are 

filled up at the earliest. 

The Rogi Kalyan Samiti also sanctioned Rs 3 Lakh, which 

shall be paid to PDD for providing hot line electricity service to 

ensure continuous electric supply to the SDH. This shall help 

uninterrupted emergency services and also blood bank facilities 

will function without any hitch. 

Meanwhile, during the meeting, the Minister also took an 

account of various healthcare services available at Sub-district 

Hospital Sopore. The Minister was informed that out of Rs 55 

lakh additional funds sanctioned for the SDH, 90 % expenditure 

has been carried out so far. 

Various deputations of people also met the Minster during 

his visit and put forth their issues and demands. 

DDC Budgam convenes 

meeting on DAS 

Budgam, Dec 8: District Development Commissioner Budgam 

Mir Altaf Ahmad today reviewed the digitisation of Cable TV 

network under Phase-III in the district. Besides Cable operators, 

Additional Deputy Commissioner Budgam ACR, SDM’s and all 

the Tehsildars were present in the meeting. 

District Development Commissioner discussed in detail the 

digitization process with all the participants. It was informed 

that most of the Cable operators have switched over from analogue 

to DAS. Cable operators informed the meeting that they 

have procured some of the equipments and are in the process 

of acquiring further within month so that the target is achieved 

well before the deadline.

7 

SRINAGAR,WEDNESDAY 

09.12.2015 

S 

P 

O 

R 

T 

S 

HWL Final: India 

lose 0-1 to 

Belgium in 

semi-final 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• India conceded a soft goal 

in the fifth minute of the 

second semi-final encounter. 

• Indians hardly troubled 

the Belgian defence in the 

first two quarters. 

• India managed 11 tries in 

the last two quarters but 

failed to convert those into 

goals. 

RAIPUR: Inconsistency 

continued to haunt India as 

they conceded an early goal 

to lose 0-1 to Belgium and 

crash out of the title race of 

the Hockey World League 

Final on Saturday. 

As it happened: India vs 

Belgium 

India conceded a soft goal 

in the fifth minute of the 

second semi-final encounter 

when Cedric Charlier 

scored from a field strike for 

Belgium, which eventually 

separated both the teams 

at the Sardar Vallabh Bhai 

Patel stadium. 

The Indians were slow to 

get off the blocks as they 

hardly troubled the Belgian 

defence in the first two 

quarters. But the hosts came 

out with more purpose after 

the change of ends to create 

numerous scoring opportunities 

but their forwardline 

failed to finish off the 

moves. 

After failing to register a 

single shot at the opposition 

goal in the first 30 minutes, 

India managed 11 tries in 

the last two quarters but 

failed to convert those into 

goals. 

The Indians also enjoyed 

59 per cent possession in 

the match as against their 

rivals’ 41, while the hosts 

made 24 circle penetrations 

compared to Belgium’s 

16. Interestingly, both the 

teams failed to secure a 

single penalty corner in the 

entire match. 

But things did not look good 

for India even before the 

resumption of the match 

as goalkeeper P R Sreejesh 

hurt himself above the knee 

in the warm-up session 

and did not take part in the 

mandatory national anthem 

ceremony, drawing fears 

that he might not start in 

the first eleven. However, he 

recovered in time and took 

the field. 

As India’s coach Roelant 

Oltmans said after their 

quarter-final duel, he could 

not guarantee a consistent 

performance from his wards 

in the next game, his words 

turned out to be true as the 

Indians looked out of sorts 

in all departments of the 

game in the opening two 

quarters. 

After the inspired show 

against Great Britain in the 

quarter-finals, the Indians 

lacked purpose and seemed 

running out of ideas when 

the ball was in their possession, 

at least in the opening 

half. 

Pune, Rajkot to host new IPL franchises 

IPL season to begin on 

April 9 

IPL 9 will start on April 9, 

six days after the World 

Twenty20 final in Kolkata, 

and end on May 26 

Mumbai will host the IPL 

season-opener and final 

According to BCCI president 

Shashank Manohar, 

the player auction will be 

held in Bangalore on February 

6 

He also said the franchises 

will take part in a two-day 

workshop in Srinagar, on 

January 13 and 14 

The Sanjeev Goenka-owned New Rising 

consortium and mobile phone manufacturer 

Intex have won ownership rights of the two 

new franchises in the IPL. New Rising have 

picked Pune as their home base, while Intex 

have opted for Rajkot. 

New Rising bid Rs minus 16 crore while 

Intex quoted minus 10 crore in the reverse 

bidding process through which the new franchises 

were chosen. 

In a short media briefing, IPL chairman 

Rajiv Shukla said a total of five bidders had 

entered the fray to bid for the ownership 

rights of the two new franchises that would 

replace Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan 

Royals, who were both suspended for two 

years by the RM Lodha panel investigation 

the 2013 IPL corruption scandal. Harsh 

Goenka’s RPG group, Chennai-based cement 

major Chettinad Group and Axis Chemicals 

were the other three bidders. 

Under reverse bidding investors were 

encouraged to bid for lower than the base 

price of Rs 40 crore set by the IPL. This meant 

the BCCI would pay a maximum of Rs 40 

crore from its central revenue pool to the 

new owner. The investor who bid the lowest 

price would eventually bag the ownership 

rights. Having bid in the negative, New Rising 

will now pay Rs 16 crore while Intex will 

Should Virat Kohli captain 

India in World T20? 

NEW DELHI: Is it time for Indian cricket 

to seriously think about Virat Kohli as 

captain for the upcoming World T20? 

Of course, success in one format does not 

guarantee success in another. But India’s 

Test skipper has shown in the win over 

South Africa that his unflagging energy, 

ability to rouse the troops, read the game 

and play tactical cards astutely are in 

addition to a remarkable poise under 

pressure. All these are qualities which 

can serve a young team well, as was apparent 

over the last two days at the Feroz 

Shah Kotla. 

In India’s most testing game of the series, 

it would have been easy for Kohli to ease 

his foot off the pedal once he had been 

surprised by South Africa’s stubborn 

refusal to relent. The series had already 

been won, and spin spearhead Ravichandran 

Ashwin appeared to have too much 

on his plate. All too often in the past, India 

have displayed an unwillingness to think 

and fight their way out of trouble once an 

opposition was in its face. For years, an 

easy acceptance of limitations came in the 

way of overseas Test success too.Maybe it 

had something to do with self-belief. What 

stood out in the fourth Test was Kohli’s 

contagious enthusiasm, his sturdy support 

of Umesh Yadav and the clever, attacking 

field placements. Right from Adelaide last 

year, when he led the team for the first 

pay Rs 10 crore to the BCCI per year of their 

contracts. 

Goenka has business interests spread 

across different domains such as power, 

information technology and media and 

entertainment. Goenka is also a part of the 

Kolkata Games and Sports Pvt.Ltd consortium 

that owns the football franchise Atletico de 

Kolkata in the Indian Super League 

The Delhi-based Intex Technologies 

specialises in manufacturing smartphones 

and consumer electronics durables, “I am 

personally a great sports enthusiast and a 

cricket lover. We have a great synergy with 

Smith contemplating SA comeback 

Graeme Smith, the former South 

Africa captain who retired in March 

2014, is considering a comeback to 

international cricket. He is getting 

ready for the Masters Champions 

League and reports suggest he 

might end up training with his old 

team-mates again, as they prepare 

for full series against England in 

December. 

“For me, I’m at the cusp of whether 

I should play international cricket 

again or not,” he told the National. 

“I’m 34 now, retired at 33, there’s 

always that question mark of 

whether I can play for another 

three-four years. I know I can. But, 

it’s just about ... I’m at the cusp. I’m 

looking forward to the MCL and 

take it from there.” 

Smith had quit cricket at Newlands, 

his home ground, following a 

gruelling three-Test series against 

Australia last summer. He had 

mentioned several factors ranging 

from the exits of Jacques Kallis and 

time, Kohli has shown a rare flair for his 

new role. “It all began in Australia for us, 

the way we played there,” he said. “We 

focus on our skills and a strong bond, 

and give 110%. It’s (only) been a couple of 

series that I have been full-time captain. 

I have enjoyed it. I relish making plans 

with the bowlers, and when it comes off, 

that particular feeling is hard to explain. 

The essence of a good team is all-round 

contribution. And we believe we can win 

against any opposition anywhere in the 

world.”India’s consecutive Test series wins 

in Sri Lanka and at home mean that among 

recent Indian captains who have led in 10 

or more Tests, Kohli currently enjoys the 

best success per cent of 50. He has also led 

in the least Tests (10) but, like he showed at 

the Kotla again, Kohli has exhibited a rare 

tenacity of approach. 

“Captaincy is not an easy job,” he said. “You 

do have challenging situations. You have 

to maintain your focus, wait for that half 

chance. Too many changes also send out 

wrong messages. It’s about not panicking. 

That one wicket will come at one stage 

and after that you have to cash in with an 

aggressive mindset.” 

captaincy in international cricket also 

has a shelf life. Will India be best served 

by expanding Kohli’s role, starting with 

T20s, when the confidence is high and an 

important tournament looms? 

Gary Kirsten to his responsibility to 

a young family. 

Since then, Smith has moved on 

to a job as a cricket expert. He had 

even ventured into the corporate 

sector with Momentum, a financial 

company, and also dabbled in the 

administrative side of things when 

he served as tournament director 

for the Ram Slam T20 in South 

Africa. 

In July 2014, he said he missed 

playing for South Africa. “I think 

ideally, I would have loved to have 

gone to another World Cup and 

played against England here, end of 

next year.”Those sentiments appear 

to have precipitated after watching 

South Africa’s 0-3 loss to India. 

But nothing is certain as yet. For 

now his focus appears to be on the 

Masters Champions League, where 

he features as a marquee player for 

Virgo Super Kings. 

“Who knows the MCL could be a 

platform back into the international 

game?” he told ARY TV. “I get asked 

this question a lot. It does spend 

time in your head, especially when 

you see the boys struggling in India 

you think you can contribute, but 

we’ll see. I’ll go back train, prepare 

and get ready for the MCL.” 

Nevertheless, Smith threw his 

weight behind the current South 

African Test team, who are struggling 

with transition. The loss in 

India marked the end of a nine-year 

streak of being undefeated away 

from home. But the England series 

begins in familiar surrounds, in 

Durban for the Boxing Day Test, 

which gives enough time for the 

players to recuperate. 

cricket,” Keshav Bansal, the director of Intex, 

said. “Nothing bigger than the IPL to connect 

with the youth, which is our target audience. 

Gujarat is a great cricket-loving state.” 

According to BCCI president Shashank 

Manohar the BCCI stood to earn profits of 

more than Rs 300 crore with the two new 

franchises declining to accept money from 

the central revenue pool. 

“What we had calculated was that BCCI 

pays them [franchises] approximate 70 crores 

first year out of the central revenue and next 

year it would be 75 crores. So that makes it 

145 crore for one team. Now that 145 crore 

is going to be safe because they are not accepting 

that central revenue. Plus they are 

paying us 25 crore so 50 crores [across two 

years] more. That is the simple calculation,” 

Manohar said at the media conference. 

Asked whether New Rising was willing to 

suffer losses and look at entering the IPL as 

an investment, Subhashish Mitra, the executive 

director and group company secretary at 

New Rising, said the owners were looking at 

serving the sport.“We love the game of cricket. 

This is our humble way of getting associated 

under the great banner of BCCI. We will 

do our humble bit to support the game of the 

cricket in India. And this is the endeavour 

which has driven us to this humble initiative. 

We love the game of cricket as we love the 

game of football. This is a small gesture from 

our side to get involved with the great game 

of cricket.”Keshav Bansal, owner of Intex, 

said he looked at entering the IPL as just an 

extension of his company’s association with 

cricket and the BCCI. “You have to see the 

synergy from the product and the brand,” 

Bansal said. “We are the official on-air sponsors 

for 2015. 

Mosharraf burst takes Dhaka to 

doorstep of semifinals 

Dhaka Dynamites all but confirmed 

their place in the BPL’s last four, even 

as Chittagong Vikings became the first 

team to be eliminated from this year’s 

competition. The margin of victory was 

45 runs after Dhaka had made a modest 

121 for 8. Chittagong were nine down 

for 76, their second sub-100 score this 

season, with Ziaur Rahman not coming 

out to bat because of an injured 

shoulder. 

Mosharraf Hossain’s four-wicket 

haul helped Dhaka get back to winning 

ways and move up to eight points with 

two matches in hand. The win came as 

a rejuvenating effect to a side that had 

slumped to three successive losses in 

the competition. 

Dhaka’s total proved more than a 

hanful as Chittagong who lost half their 

side in just 11.1 overs of their 122-run 

chase. Dilshan was the first to go, 

bowled off an inside edge in the second 

over. Mustafizur Rahman had Tamim 

Iqbal lbw in the third over, although the 

ball appeared to have bounced a bit too 

much. 

Tamim clearly was unhappy as he 

walked off after making eight. Yasir Ali 

was run out after trying to complete 

a single called in by Anamul Haque 

in the fifth over and by the end of the 

ninth over, Anamul himself was gone, 

well caught off his own bowling by 

Yasir Shah. Mosharraf’s first wicket was 

Umar Akmal, Chittagong’s last batting 

hope, stumped for 14 off 22 balls. 

In the 14th over, Mosharraf took 

three wickets in the space of four balls. 

He first removed Elias Sunny with 

a leg-before and Mohammad Amir 

caught at deep midwicket before taking 

his fourth a ball later, Shafiul Islam was 

caught at cover to complete his second 

four-for in T20s. 

Dhaka sent Yasir Shah to open the 

batting for the first time in his T20 

career. It was a move that seemed to 

be in response to Chittagong’s decision 

to send them in on a sluggish 

Mirpur pitch. The experiment didn’t 

last long as he was stumped off Asif 

Hasan in the third over. His opening 

partner Shykat Ali holed out to midon 

in the next over for three before 

the most anticipated battle of the 

game took place though it lasted just 

four balls. 

BCCI to give 

away Rs 2 crore to 

Indian team 

The Board of Control for 

Cricket in India (BCCI) on 

Tuesday announced a cash 

award of Rs.2 crore for the 

Indian team for beating 

South Africa 3-0 in 

the just-concluded Test 

series. 

India defeated the 

Proteas by 337 runs in 

the fourth and final Test 

to win the series 3-0 at 

the Ferozeshah Kotla in 

New Delhi on Monday. 

Chasing a mammoth 

target of 481 runs, the 

visitors were bowled out 

for 143. 

India won the first 

Test by 108 runs at Mohali 

and the third match 

by 124 runs in Nagpur. 

The second match at 

Bengaluru was called off 

due to rain. 

“BCCI announces an 

award of Rs.2 crore to 

the Indian Cricket Team 

for their 3-0 series win 

against South Africa,” 

BCCI tweeted on Monday.BCCI’s 

all top bosses 

are in the city to attend a 

governing council meeting 

of the Indian Premier 

League (IPL). 

As a result of the 

win, India climbed to 

the second position in 

the International Cricket 

Council (ICC) Test rankings. 

South Africa still retain the 

No.1 position in the Test 

rankings. 

Sri Lanka rocked by drug shock ahead of New Zealand Test 

WELLINGTON: Wicketkeeper Kusal Perera’s 

shock suspension after failing a drugs test has 

left Sri Lanka reeling ahead of the two-Test 

series against New Zealand starting in Dunedin 

on Thursday. 

After Dhammika Prasad’s series-ending 

back injury, it was the second damaging blow 

for Angelo Mathews’ new-look side in what 

was always going to be an uphill battle in 

testing New Zealand conditions. 

Perera, 25, one of Sri Lanka’s new brigade 

following the retirements of several 

stars including Kumar Sangakkara, was sent 

home on Monday after returning a positive 

result to a banned steroid from a random 

test during their recent series against Pakistan. 

He is the second Sri Lankan international 

to fail a dope test following batsman Upul 

Tharanga’s suspension for three months 

after testing positive during the 2011 World 

Cup. 

The loss of the three-Test keeper follows 

the back injury suffered by leading fast 

bowler Prasad in a warm-up match against a 

modest New Zealand Board President’s XI. 

It was not the hit-out the tourists were 

hoping for with Dimuth Karunaratne’s 

93 in the first innings, backed by 63 from 

Udara Jayasundara and 61 from Kithuruwan 

Vithanage in the second, the only scores of 

note. 

The Sri Lankan batsmen can expect no 

mercy when the first Test starts at Dunedin’s 

University Oval on Thursday with New 

Zealand coach Mike Hesson ordering green, 

seaming pitches to suit his pace attack. 

New Zealand are at their best playing at 

home, which Sri Lanka learned the hard way 

12 months ago when bowling spearheads 

Tim Southee and Trent Boult took 22 wickets 

between them as the Black Caps completed a 

2-0 series whitewash. 

Mathews’ side return a year later, still in 

a rebuilding phase, to face a settled New Zealand 

line-up looking for a confidence boost 

after losing their recent away series defeat to 

Australia. 

The Brendon McCullum-led New Zealanders 

are brimming with confidence in home 

conditions where they have not lost a Test 

nor a series since going down 0-1 when South 

Africa visited in 2011-12. 

They are also a team that played better 

than the 0-2 scoreline in Australia last month 

would indicate. 

“We are back in conditions we are familiar 

with and grounds we are familiar with and 

hopefully we can show the high standards 

we have shown over the last couple of years,” 

said Southee Tuesday. 

“It’s typical Dunedin weather. We find it 

cold so I’m sure the Sri Lankans will find it 

even worse.” 

In Australia, only opener Martin Guptill 

and off-spinner Mark Craig failed to shine 

but Hesson is prepared to keep faith with 

the out-of-form pair.“Mark and Martin didn’t 

perform to the level they would have liked 

over in Australia, but both have shown in 

the past what they’re capable of and we’re 

confident they’ll make valuable contributions 

in the upcoming series,” he said.“We think it’s 

a strong squad, but equally we’ve got a group 

of players on the fringe of selection who are 

ready to be called upon if necessary.”

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PRECIOUS KASHMIR 12 

News 10 

Thursday 

13.03.2014 

www.perciouskashmir.com 


Avalanches..... 

2 Women die in south Kashmir 

Police said that a 48-year-old woman died after her tin shed 

collapsed due to heavy snowfall at Mimigam village in Qazigund 

area. A woman was critically injured in Shaheed Ganj area of Srinagar 

city when the roof of a shed collapsed. 

Official sources said that in South Kashmir’s Kansu hamlet of 

Shopian town, an elderly woman died after her house collapsed under 

the weight of snow. Two other family members were rescued. 

Superintendent of Police Shopian, Showkat Hussain while confirming 

the death told CNS that roof collapse resulted in her death. 

Life paralyzed 

The heavy snowfall disrupted life across Kashmir. All services 

including mobile internet services, rail services, and air traffic was 

affected. Whole Kashmir reeled under darkness for the second consecutive 

day on Wednesday while the authorities said that the restoration 

work was in process. They said that both the power transmission 

lines connecting Jammu and northern grid to Srinagar shut 

down due to heavy snowfall. The snowfall damaged transmission 

and distribution networks since Monday. 

Reports said that in South Kashmir’s Shopian town scores of 

residential houses were damaged due to recent snowfall. Reports 

of damage and destruction have been reported from Imam Sahab, 

Kellar, Wagam, Meemandar Shopian while in North Kashmir’s Sopore 

town different sheds of Colour Coated Seed industry were 

completely damaged. 

According to CNS, at least six residential houses were completely 

damaged in different parts of Kulgam district. These houses 

belonged to Nazir Shiekh and Ghulam Ahmed Khan residents of 

Guddar, Ghulam Mohi-u-Din (Banghal), Nazir Malik (Aadpora), Abdul 

Majid Magray (CR Pora), Mushtaq Ahmed and Wali Muhammad 

Wagey residents of Akhal Kulgam. 

In South Kashmir’s Samboora area of Pampore town three 

houses, a garage and car was damaged due to snowfall. The Santro 

vehicle (JK01T-3441) belonging to one Javid Ahmed Lone was 

damaged under the weight of snow. The residential houses of Abdul 

Rashid Bhat, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat and Muhammad Rajab Mantoo 

were also damaged in Nehama Pampore. 

Government Middle School Hanjivera, Pattan was damaged 

when it came under a heavy chinar. Locals praised Army soldiers for 

clearing all the roads from Pattan to Narbal area. 

The shrine of Said-u-Din (RA) was heavily damaged when it 

came under a Chinar. Reports said that in Mujhgund area various 

residential houses were damaged. 

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Shah Faisal told CNS that 

Power Development Department suffered heavy losses as most of 

the electric wires and poles have been uprooted. “Three residential 

houses were completely damaged in Gurez sector while in Khotran 

area one Government Middle School was damaged. As per information 

available with me, 13 houses have been damaged in the 

district,” he said adding that power and drinking water supply has 

been restored in the district. 

People from South Kashmir’s Pulwama town alleged that administration 

was caught napping from last two days. “There is no 

electricity and trees that have been uprooted at many places have 

not been lifted yet,” one of the residents Mukhtiyar Ahmed Bhat of 

Pulwama told CNS adding that a family had to pay Rs 5000 to a JCB 

driver to clear the road near Ghusso to reach the district hospital as 

his wife Tasleema Bano was suffering from labour pain. 

Deputy Commissioner Baramullah, Farooq Ahmed Lone said 

that more than 100 structures have been damaged at different 

places including Uri, Boniyar, Tangmarg and upper reaches of Rafiabad. 

He said that in Sopore town the sheds of JK Industries were 

collapsed. 

Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Saughat Biswas said that 

at least 250 structures have been damaged in the district. “All the 

roads have been cleared while power supply has been restored in 

different parts of the town,” he said. 

Deputy Commissioner Budgam Khurshid Ahmed said that a 

lady died in the district after the roof of a shed collapsed. He said 

that at least 600 structures have been damaged due to heavy snowfall. 

DC Budgam further said that orchards and fruit tree have also 

suffered extensive damage. (CNS) 

Kashmir..... 

activity is dependent on electricity. If there is no electricity 

there will be no business," he said. 

Traders slammed government for failing to restore the traffic 

movement on the highway and electricity. "Government 

must stay all alert and be ready to tackle such situations. It is 

not first time that there has been snowfall," said Khan. 

Meanwhile, the closure of highway for last two days has 

also led to the shortage of essential commodities across the valley 

markets. 

The KEA said that more than 500 trucks are stranded on 

the highway due to snowfall. "Not a single truck reached to Srinagar 

with the goods,” Khan said. 

Consumers complained they faced 'dearth' of essential commodities 

including green vegetables and chicken in all the major 

markets of the Valley. 

Mobile..... 

the ban must be within the legal limits and that the communication 

services need to be denied in the affected areas for the 

effective conduct of the counter insurgency and militant operations. 

(KNS) 

HC pulls..... 

sheet against six accused beneficiaries and facilitators of 

alleged fraud before Special Judge (Anticorruption), Srinagar. 

The CBK also said that charge-sheet has been filed against three 

juvenile beneficiaries before Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar. 

The status report said 20 out of the accused have been arrested 

and remanded to judicial custody while 14 accused are 

avoiding arrest and look out notice under Section 512 Crpc have 

been issued against them. It said that arrest warrants against 

three more accused stand issued and are being executed. 

“The Investigating Agency is, accordingly, directed to hone 

up its machinery, press into service Sections 87 & 88 Crpc, and 

ensure that the accused are arrested without any delay,” the 

court said. 

The division bench also asked BOPEE to publish list of 21 

candidates, who have a chance to get selected for MBBS Course 

on the strength of their merit, in wake of cancellation of admission 

of 21 accused beneficiaries. 

“It would be only after they signify and convey their intention 

to seek consideration for admission to MBBS course that 

BOPEE would have an opportunity to work out modalities for 

their admission, identity difficulties that may stand in their way 

and mechanism to iron out such difficulties,” the court said. 

The BOPEE has already cancelled admission of 21 candidates 

who were identified by the CBK to have been benefitted by 

the scam allegedly engineered by former chairman of BOPEE 

Mushtaq Ahmad Peer who has been arrested in FIR 24/2013 under 

section 420, 120B RPC, 5(2)d r/w (5(2) PC Act of Police Station 

Crime Branch. 

Turns..... 

Akbar said that Deputy Commissioners Srinagar and Budgam 

Farooq Ahmed Shah and Khurshid Ahmed arrived at Geelani’s 

Hyderpora residence this morning and requested him to 

use the government chopper to reach New Delhi for treatment. 

One of the bureaucrats told CNS that they went to Geelani 

Sahab’s residence on the directions of Chief Minister Omar 

Abdullah to inquire about his health. “He (Geelani) is stable and 

people should not believe in rumours,” he added. 

Geelani..... 

residence. 

Precious Kashmir received scores of phone calls about the 

condition of Geelani Sahab wherein some callers claimed that 

government has snapped mobile internet service to keep people 

unaware about the situation. 

"Geelani Sahab is showing improvement and is recovering. 

Don't trust rumours and do not create panic. He is stable and 

there is no need to panic,” his son Dr Nayeem said. 

He urged people to pray for Geelani Sahib’s health. He (Geelani) 

would be flown to New Delhi as soon as possible for a few 

medical tests and check-up. 

Hurriyat G spokesperson Ayaz Akbar said that Geelani Sahab 

is stable and will be flown to New Delhi for treatment. 

He urged people to keep praying saying they should not 

panic. Meanwhile, a number of people mostly youth including 

some separatist leaders visited the ailing leader on Wednesday. 

Akbar said that Geelani Sahab would leave for Delhi on 

Thursday at 12 noon subject to fair weather. “He will be treated 

by Dr Sameer Koul and Dr Sarabhai there with whom we are in 

touch. Geelani sahib is suffering from multiple ailments. Today, 

Doctor Navid and Dr Khuroo checked him at Hyderpora,” he 

said adding that number of youth are offering their kidney for 

the ailing leader but his kidney is stable. 

Akbar said that the Hurriyat G will expose those elements 

who are spreading rumours and had even posted the news about 

his death on facebook and Wikipedia. “We will take legal action 

against a particular Hindi news channel which reported false 

news,” he said. (CNS) 

Melting..... 

drainage system in most parts of the city has complicated 

the problem of water logging. 

At many places, including Bemina, Rajbagh , Qamarwari, 

Batmallo, Noor Bagh, Padshahbag,SafaKadal and other areas 

the residents were themselves making makeshift drains for the 

water. 

“Water has occupied nearly all lanes in our area. There is no 

de-watering system in the area. If the water is not pumped out 

immediately, it will cause immense inconvenience to people,” 

said Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Hilalabad Qamarwari. 

Reports from north Kashmir said that the water logging 

has caused huge inconvenience to the residents of Baramulla, 

Sopore, Handwara, Kupwara, Bandipora. The residents of these 

districts faced many problems while treading through the interior 

lanes, they also complained that nobody came to clear 

the snow. In Noor Bagh area of Sopore people made a path of 

bricks on the flooded lane for movement. The residents also 

complained that even the drains got blocked after the snowfall. 

“We informed the authorities, but nothing has happened so far,” 

the residents said. 

In south Kashmir the situation was not different as people 

faced difficult times after snowfall caused water logging in various 

areas. Locals blamed the poor drainage system as the reason 

for water logging and inundation due to snowfall. 

“The water has accumulated in various areas of the town 

including Lal Chowk, Achabal Bus stand and at other several 

places due to which inhabitants face tremendous in-convenience,” 


The residents complained that the government has failed to 

dewater their areas. The residents also complained of lack of 

dewatering mechanism in the town. 

Divisional commissioner Kashmir Shalindra Kumar said 

that water logging complaints are coming from many areas and 

authorities are on job to dewater these areas. 

Meanwhile sources said that one of the major reasons for 

the failure to de-water lanes in Valley is that de-watering stations 

in different parts of the city are not working. 

Second..... 

2007.Health resort of Pahalgam recorded the highest ever 

snow and rain in past 24 hours in March with a whopping figure 

of 133.4 mm. Batote, the major town equidistant from Jammu 

and Srinagar and located on the highway recorded 115. 9 mm 

of snow and rain which is the highest amount of rain witnessed 

in a span of 24 hours in the last ten years in March. The amount 

could beat the historical figure of 138.1 mm recorded on March 

6, 1976 as more precipitation is expected. Qazigund recorded the 

second highest rainfall of 84.2 mm in a span of 24 hours in last 

10 years during the month of March. The highest precipitation 

recorded is 124.2, on March 26, 1967. The place had recorded 109.6 

mm of snow and rain on March 13, 2007 which is highest in last 

10 years. 

Omar..... 

Wani, Jagjeevan Lal, Abdul Whaid Shan, Mohammad 

Aslam Khan, Suram Singh, Satpal Lakhotra, Dr Chaman Lal, 

Govind Ram Sharma, Mohammad Iqbal Bhat, Moulvi Abdul 

Rashid, Ghulam Haider Malik. 

Rhaim Daad, Nissar Ahmad Khan, Ikhlaq Khan, Haji Mohammad 

Hussain, Bhushan Lal Bhat, Master Dhian Chand, 

Gurdeep Singh Sasan, Chander Mohan Sharma, Dharamveer 

Singh Jamwal, Sajjad Shaheen, Baldev Singh Bhau, Kehar 

Singh, Vijay Lochan, Muhammad Ayub Malik, Surinder Singh 

Bunty. 

Anila Shaheen, G Q Mughal, Isher Singh, Devender Singh 

Bindu, Qasim Din Bania, Anil Dhar, Dilshad Begum, Satwant 

Kour Dogra, Mohinder Singh, Choudhary Salam Din, Nar 

Singh, Ashok Singh Manhas, Subash Bhagat, Ashok Kumar, 

Rashida Begum, Jaswant Singh Soodan, Shafqat Mir, Haraharan 

Singh, Mohinder Pyasa, Arif Mir, Rakesh Chib, Narinder 

Bhagat, R S Jasrotia and Vijay Gupta. 

The spokesman said that all District Presidents and District 

Secretaries will be the ex-officio members of this committee adding, 

“Rana will be the Chairman of the Committee and Provincial 

Secretary Sheikh Bashir Ahmad shall be the Member Secretary 

of the Provincial Election Committee.’’ 

Cong..... 

aide claimed. 

He said that Congress activists have conveyed their feedback 

to the party high command and final decision is awaited. 

Political observers and close BJP watchers are already anticipating 

close fight between the Congress and BJP nominee Dr 

Jitendar Singh if Azad agrees to contest from Udhampur-Doda 

seat. 

Sources said that many local leaders are not in favour of 

giving mandate to sitting MP Lal Singh even though he is also 

camping in New Delhi. 

“Azad's hold over the party machinery especially in hilly 

districts of Doda and Kishtwar may augur well for the party and 

support by the National Conference would be treated as an icing 

on the cake by the supporters of Ghulam Nabi Azad,” said a 

senior Congress leader. 


Ground floor Sarah City center opposite exhibition ground Jehangir Chowk 

ALLEN 

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ALLEN 

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Time out fast food and restaurant 

Step in for quality food 

Ess AAY Complex Baghat Barzulla Opp HDFC bank 

Wednesday 

04.06.2014 

JACK N JILL PRE SCHOOL 

Six Important Facts Why pre schooling is important? 

2. At Preschool kids 

discover that they are 

capable and can do 

things for themselves 

from small tasks like 

pouring their own juice 

and helping set snack 

tables, to keeping their 

belongings in their 

bags and many more. 

3. Preschool 

Help your children 

understand who 

they are and what 

makes them 

special. 

4. Preschool 

is a place which gives 

them a reason to 

celebrate each and 

every day with joy 

and enthusiasm, learn 

in a friendly manner? 

5. Preschool is a 

place where your 

child can gain a sense 

of self explore plays 

with his/her peers, 

build confidence, 

Learn how to 

ocialize get along 

with other children, 

share, and many 

more........... 

6. Preschool believes 

in children’s play 

unlocks their 

creativity and 

imagination, and 

develops reading, 

thinking, and problem 

solving skills as well 

as further develops 

motor skills. 

1. Preschool 

answers their 

wonderful questions 

like what happens to 

the water after rain. 

Do birds play? Do 

animals sing? And 

many more. 

Admission Open Toddlers 

Pre-Nursery and Nursery 

For further details contact: Administration office 

Jack N Jill Preschool Baghat Chowk Gurdwara –Srinagar 

0194-2439997/2440198 

Jacknjillpreschool2007@yahoo.com 

CCTV cameras have been installed 

everywhere for complete monitoring of 

activities done by children in class rooms 

and other parts of school 

Wednesday 

09.12.2015 

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Monday 

11.05.2015 

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News 10 

Thursday 

13.03.2014 

www.perciouskashmir.com 


Avalanches..... 

2 Women die in south Kashmir 

Police said that a 48-year-old woman died after her tin shed 

collapsed due to heavy snowfall at Mimigam village in Qazigund 

area. A woman was critically injured in Shaheed Ganj area of Srinagar 

city when the roof of a shed collapsed. 

Official sources said that in South Kashmir’s Kansu hamlet of 

Shopian town, an elderly woman died after her house collapsed under 

the weight of snow. Two other family members were rescued. 

Superintendent of Police Shopian, Showkat Hussain while confirming 

the death told CNS that roof collapse resulted in her death. 

Life paralyzed 

The heavy snowfall disrupted life across Kashmir. All services 

including mobile internet services, rail services, and air traffic was 

affected. Whole Kashmir reeled under darkness for the second consecutive 

day on Wednesday while the authorities said that the restoration 

work was in process. They said that both the power transmission 

lines connecting Jammu and northern grid to Srinagar shut 

down due to heavy snowfall. The snowfall damaged transmission 

and distribution networks since Monday. 

Reports said that in South Kashmir’s Shopian town scores of 

residential houses were damaged due to recent snowfall. Reports 

of damage and destruction have been reported from Imam Sahab, 

Kellar, Wagam, Meemandar Shopian while in North Kashmir’s Sopore 

town different sheds of Colour Coated Seed industry were 

completely damaged. 

According to CNS, at least six residential houses were completely 

damaged in different parts of Kulgam district. These houses 

belonged to Nazir Shiekh and Ghulam Ahmed Khan residents of 

Guddar, Ghulam Mohi-u-Din (Banghal), Nazir Malik (Aadpora), Abdul 

Majid Magray (CR Pora), Mushtaq Ahmed and Wali Muhammad 

Wagey residents of Akhal Kulgam. 

In South Kashmir’s Samboora area of Pampore town three 

houses, a garage and car was damaged due to snowfall. The Santro 

vehicle (JK01T-3441) belonging to one Javid Ahmed Lone was 

damaged under the weight of snow. The residential houses of Abdul 

Rashid Bhat, Manzoor Ahmed Bhat and Muhammad Rajab Mantoo 

were also damaged in Nehama Pampore. 

Government Middle School Hanjivera, Pattan was damaged 

when it came under a heavy chinar. Locals praised Army soldiers for 

clearing all the roads from Pattan to Narbal area. 

The shrine of Said-u-Din (RA) was heavily damaged when it 

came under a Chinar. Reports said that in Mujhgund area various 

residential houses were damaged. 

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Shah Faisal told CNS that 

Power Development Department suffered heavy losses as most of 

the electric wires and poles have been uprooted. “Three residential 

houses were completely damaged in Gurez sector while in Khotran 

area one Government Middle School was damaged. As per information 

available with me, 13 houses have been damaged in the 

district,” he said adding that power and drinking water supply has 

been restored in the district. 

People from South Kashmir’s Pulwama town alleged that administration 

was caught napping from last two days. “There is no 

electricity and trees that have been uprooted at many places have 

not been lifted yet,” one of the residents Mukhtiyar Ahmed Bhat of 

Pulwama told CNS adding that a family had to pay Rs 5000 to a JCB 

driver to clear the road near Ghusso to reach the district hospital as 

his wife Tasleema Bano was suffering from labour pain. 

Deputy Commissioner Baramullah, Farooq Ahmed Lone said 

that more than 100 structures have been damaged at different 

places including Uri, Boniyar, Tangmarg and upper reaches of Rafiabad. 

He said that in Sopore town the sheds of JK Industries were 

collapsed. 

Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Saughat Biswas said that 

at least 250 structures have been damaged in the district. “All the 

roads have been cleared while power supply has been restored in 

different parts of the town,” he said. 

Deputy Commissioner Budgam Khurshid Ahmed said that a 

lady died in the district after the roof of a shed collapsed. He said 

that at least 600 structures have been damaged due to heavy snowfall. 

DC Budgam further said that orchards and fruit tree have also 

suffered extensive damage. (CNS) 

Kashmir..... 

activity is dependent on electricity. If there is no electricity 

there will be no business," he said. 

Traders slammed government for failing to restore the traffic 

movement on the highway and electricity. "Government 

must stay all alert and be ready to tackle such situations. It is 

not first time that there has been snowfall," said Khan. 

Meanwhile, the closure of highway for last two days has 

also led to the shortage of essential commodities across the valley 

markets. 

The KEA said that more than 500 trucks are stranded on 

the highway due to snowfall. "Not a single truck reached to Srinagar 

with the goods,” Khan said. 

Consumers complained they faced 'dearth' of essential commodities 

including green vegetables and chicken in all the major 

markets of the Valley. 

Mobile..... 

the ban must be within the legal limits and that the communication 

services need to be denied in the affected areas for the 

effective conduct of the counter insurgency and militant operations. 

(KNS) 

HC pulls..... 

sheet against six accused beneficiaries and facilitators of 

alleged fraud before Special Judge (Anticorruption), Srinagar. 

The CBK also said that charge-sheet has been filed against three 

juvenile beneficiaries before Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar. 

The status report said 20 out of the accused have been arrested 

and remanded to judicial custody while 14 accused are 

avoiding arrest and look out notice under Section 512 Crpc have 

been issued against them. It said that arrest warrants against 

three more accused stand issued and are being executed. 

“The Investigating Agency is, accordingly, directed to hone 

up its machinery, press into service Sections 87 & 88 Crpc, and 

ensure that the accused are arrested without any delay,” the 

court said. 

The division bench also asked BOPEE to publish list of 21 

candidates, who have a chance to get selected for MBBS Course 

on the strength of their merit, in wake of cancellation of admission 

of 21 accused beneficiaries. 

“It would be only after they signify and convey their intention 

to seek consideration for admission to MBBS course that 

BOPEE would have an opportunity to work out modalities for 

their admission, identity difficulties that may stand in their way 

and mechanism to iron out such difficulties,” the court said. 

The BOPEE has already cancelled admission of 21 candidates 

who were identified by the CBK to have been benefitted by 

the scam allegedly engineered by former chairman of BOPEE 

Mushtaq Ahmad Peer who has been arrested in FIR 24/2013 under 

section 420, 120B RPC, 5(2)d r/w (5(2) PC Act of Police Station 

Crime Branch. 

Turns..... 

Akbar said that Deputy Commissioners Srinagar and Budgam 

Farooq Ahmed Shah and Khurshid Ahmed arrived at Geelani’s 

Hyderpora residence this morning and requested him to 

use the government chopper to reach New Delhi for treatment. 

One of the bureaucrats told CNS that they went to Geelani 

Sahab’s residence on the directions of Chief Minister Omar 

Abdullah to inquire about his health. “He (Geelani) is stable and 

people should not believe in rumours,” he added. 

Geelani..... 

residence. 

Precious Kashmir received scores of phone calls about the 

condition of Geelani Sahab wherein some callers claimed that 

government has snapped mobile internet service to keep people 

unaware about the situation. 

"Geelani Sahab is showing improvement and is recovering. 

Don't trust rumours and do not create panic. He is stable and 

there is no need to panic,” his son Dr Nayeem said. 

He urged people to pray for Geelani Sahib’s health. He (Geelani) 

would be flown to New Delhi as soon as possible for a few 

medical tests and check-up. 

Hurriyat G spokesperson Ayaz Akbar said that Geelani Sahab 

is stable and will be flown to New Delhi for treatment. 

He urged people to keep praying saying they should not 

panic. Meanwhile, a number of people mostly youth including 

some separatist leaders visited the ailing leader on Wednesday. 

Akbar said that Geelani Sahab would leave for Delhi on 

Thursday at 12 noon subject to fair weather. “He will be treated 

by Dr Sameer Koul and Dr Sarabhai there with whom we are in 

touch. Geelani sahib is suffering from multiple ailments. Today, 

Doctor Navid and Dr Khuroo checked him at Hyderpora,” he 

said adding that number of youth are offering their kidney for 

the ailing leader but his kidney is stable. 

Akbar said that the Hurriyat G will expose those elements 

who are spreading rumours and had even posted the news about 

his death on facebook and Wikipedia. “We will take legal action 

against a particular Hindi news channel which reported false 

news,” he said. (CNS) 

Melting..... 

drainage system in most parts of the city has complicated 

the problem of water logging. 

At many places, including Bemina, Rajbagh , Qamarwari, 

Batmallo, Noor Bagh, Padshahbag,SafaKadal and other areas 

the residents were themselves making makeshift drains for the 

water. 

“Water has occupied nearly all lanes in our area. There is no 

de-watering system in the area. If the water is not pumped out 

immediately, it will cause immense inconvenience to people,” 

said Mushtaq Ahmad resident of Hilalabad Qamarwari. 

Reports from north Kashmir said that the water logging 

has caused huge inconvenience to the residents of Baramulla, 

Sopore, Handwara, Kupwara, Bandipora. The residents of these 

districts faced many problems while treading through the interior 

lanes, they also complained that nobody came to clear 

the snow. In Noor Bagh area of Sopore people made a path of 

bricks on the flooded lane for movement. The residents also 

complained that even the drains got blocked after the snowfall. 

“We informed the authorities, but nothing has happened so far,” 


In south Kashmir the situation was not different as people 

faced difficult times after snowfall caused water logging in various 

areas. Locals blamed the poor drainage system as the reason 

for water logging and inundation due to snowfall. 

“The water has accumulated in various areas of the town 

including Lal Chowk, Achabal Bus stand and at other several 

places due to which inhabitants face tremendous in-convenience,” 


The residents complained that the government has failed to 

dewater their areas. The residents also complained of lack of 

dewatering mechanism in the town. 

Divisional commissioner Kashmir Shalindra Kumar said 

that water logging complaints are coming from many areas and 

authorities are on job to dewater these areas. 

Meanwhile sources said that one of the major reasons for 

the failure to de-water lanes in Valley is that de-watering stations 

in different parts of the city are not working. 

Second..... 

2007.Health resort of Pahalgam recorded the highest ever 

snow and rain in past 24 hours in March with a whopping figure 

of 133.4 mm. Batote, the major town equidistant from Jammu 

and Srinagar and located on the highway recorded 115. 9 mm 

of snow and rain which is the highest amount of rain witnessed 

in a span of 24 hours in the last ten years in March. The amount 

could beat the historical figure of 138.1 mm recorded on March 

6, 1976 as more precipitation is expected. Qazigund recorded the 

second highest rainfall of 84.2 mm in a span of 24 hours in last 

10 years during the month of March. The highest precipitation 

recorded is 124.2, on March 26, 1967. The place had recorded 109.6 

mm of snow and rain on March 13, 2007 which is highest in last 

10 years. 

Omar..... 

Wani, Jagjeevan Lal, Abdul Whaid Shan, Mohammad 

Aslam Khan, Suram Singh, Satpal Lakhotra, Dr Chaman Lal, 

Govind Ram Sharma, Mohammad Iqbal Bhat, Moulvi Abdul 

Rashid, Ghulam Haider Malik. 

Rhaim Daad, Nissar Ahmad Khan, Ikhlaq Khan, Haji Mohammad 

Hussain, Bhushan Lal Bhat, Master Dhian Chand, 

Gurdeep Singh Sasan, Chander Mohan Sharma, Dharamveer 

Singh Jamwal, Sajjad Shaheen, Baldev Singh Bhau, Kehar 

Singh, Vijay Lochan, Muhammad Ayub Malik, Surinder Singh 

Bunty. 

Anila Shaheen, G Q Mughal, Isher Singh, Devender Singh 

Bindu, Qasim Din Bania, Anil Dhar, Dilshad Begum, Satwant 

Kour Dogra, Mohinder Singh, Choudhary Salam Din, Nar 

Singh, Ashok Singh Manhas, Subash Bhagat, Ashok Kumar, 

Rashida Begum, Jaswant Singh Soodan, Shafqat Mir, Haraharan 

Singh, Mohinder Pyasa, Arif Mir, Rakesh Chib, Narinder 

Bhagat, R S Jasrotia and Vijay Gupta. 

The spokesman said that all District Presidents and District 

Secretaries will be the ex-officio members of this committee adding, 

“Rana will be the Chairman of the Committee and Provincial 

Secretary Sheikh Bashir Ahmad shall be the Member Secretary 

of the Provincial Election Committee.’’ 

Cong..... 

aide claimed. 

He said that Congress activists have conveyed their feedback 

to the party high command and final decision is awaited. 

Political observers and close BJP watchers are already anticipating 

close fight between the Congress and BJP nominee Dr 

Jitendar Singh if Azad agrees to contest from Udhampur-Doda 

seat. 

Sources said that many local leaders are not in favour of 

giving mandate to sitting MP Lal Singh even though he is also 

camping in New Delhi. 

“Azad's hold over the party machinery especially in hilly 

districts of Doda and Kishtwar may augur well for the party and 

support by the National Conference would be treated as an icing 

on the cake by the supporters of Ghulam Nabi Azad,” said a 

senior Congress leader. 



ALLEN 

SOLLY 

C 

M 

Y 

K 

C 

M 

Y 

K 


ALLEN 

SOLLY 

Time out fast food and restaurant 

Step in for quality food 

Ess AAY Complex Baghat Barzulla Opp HDFC bank 

Wednesday 

04.06.2014 

JACK N JILL PRE SCHOOL 

Six Important Facts Why pre schooling is important? 

2. At Preschool kids 

discover that they are 

capable and can do 

things for themselves 

from small tasks like 

pouring their own juice 

and helping set snack 

tables, to keeping their 

belongings in their 

bags and many more. 

3. Preschool 

Help your children 

understand who 

they are and what 

makes them 

special. 

4. Preschool 

is a place which gives 

them a reason to 

celebrate each and 

every day with joy 

and enthusiasm, learn 

in a friendly manner? 

5. Preschool is a 

place where your 

child can gain a sense 

of self explore plays 

with his/her peers, 

build confidence, 

Learn how to 

ocialize get along 

with other children, 

share, and many 

more........... 

6. Preschool believes 

in children’s play 

unlocks their 

creativity and 

imagination, and 

develops reading, 

thinking, and problem 

solving skills as well 

as further develops 

motor skills. 

1. Preschool 

answers their 

wonderful questions 

like what happens to 

the water after rain. 

Do birds play? Do 

animals sing? And 

many more. 

Admission Open Toddlers 

Pre-Nursery and Nursery 

For further details contact: Administration office 

Jack N Jill Preschool Baghat Chowk Gurdwara –Srinagar 

0194-2439997/2440198 

Jacknjillpreschool2007@yahoo.com 

CCTV cameras have been installed 

everywhere for complete monitoring of 

activities done by children in class rooms 

and other parts of school

Precious Kashmir Epaper

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