Introduction to KashmirForum.org Blog

I launched the website and the Blog after having spoken to government officials, political analysts and security experts specializing in South Asian affairs from three continents. The feedback was uniformly consistent. The bottom line is that when Kashmiris are suffering and the world has its own set of priorities, we need to find ways to help each other. We must be realistic, go beyond polemics and demagoguery, and propose innovative ideas that will bring peace, justice and prosperity in all of Jammu and Kashmir.

The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.

Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.

The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.

This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.

Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
www.kashmirforum.org

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Sadly, the Place is Going to Dogs

With VVIPs insulated by Z security, it is the common man that has to bear the brunt of his barking nemesis

1 Lakh Dogs Roaming in City

Srinagar: The department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Government Medical College, has introduced the intra-dermal regimen of anti-rabies immunization to treat dog bites.

“During the treatment, only four visits are required and 0.1 ml is injected at two sites on each visit due to which less than a vial is required as against five through intra-muscular route,” said lecturer SPM and APCRI member Dr. S. Muhammad Salim Khan on Tuesday. He was addressing the continued medical education programme organised by the GMC in collaboration with national service scheme and association for prevention and control of rabies in India to observe world rabies week.

Dr Saleem underscored the need to control the dog population in the Valley. “About 16000 cases of animal bites have been reported from anti-rabies clinic run by SPM while as many peripheral hospitals are also managing such cases which add to the number while many more are unreported,” Dr Saleem added.

Addressing the gathering, the participants expressed concern over increasing numbers of dogs in valley, especially in city where their number is reported to be about 80,000 to one lakh. They urged authorities to take necessary steps to control the population of canines and asked the human right activists to challenge any rule or law in the Court that threatens human life.

(Greater Kashmir)

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