Chilling Economic Divide: The State With Highest VAT Collection is also the One With Substantial Poverty

Kashmir provides a vivid contrast among the rich and the poor

Poverty: J&K not too far behind the rest

Jammu: Contrary to popular perception that J&K state fares quite well in poverty eradication graph vis-…-vis national statistics, the indicators of regional development put the state close to all India magnitude in percentage of population living Below Poverty Line (BPL).

As per these indicators, on the whole, the state has 21.63 percentage of BPL population in 2007-08 as compared to all India magnitude of 27.50 in 2004-05. The state has an estimated BPL population (rural and urban combined figure) of 2420826.

Of 22 districts of the state, eight districts i.e., Reasi, Ramban, Kishtwar, Poonch, Kupwara, Kargil, Bandipora and Doda, in 2007-08 indicators, have even crossed the scale of national statistics of BPL population percentage as recorded in 2004-05.

Though exact figures of BPL population for the year 2007-08 in the country are not available on paper yet roughly (including slum population also), they account for 40 percent of entire population of India. However BPL population percentage for the year 2007-08 in these districts of J&K hovers between 37.93 to 29.07 percent on high magnitude scale, which is again close to the latest (approximate) national statistics as well.

Reasi district has the highest magnitude of BPL population percentage i.e., 37.93 percent while Srinagar records the lowest magnitude with 6.51 percent. In Reasi, estimated BPL population is 103670 while Srinagar has an estimated BPL population of 73262.

Jammu district figures at the third position (lowest magnitude) with an estimated BPL population of 177399 which accounts for 11.97 percent of its entire population. Kathua district is slightly ahead of Jammu with 11.72 percent in BPL population percentage and an estimated BPL population of 69159.

However in three regions, it is the Ladakh region, which has the highest BPL population percentage i.e., 27.03 in 2007-08 which is almost close to the national magnitude as recorded in 2004-05. In Ladakh region, there is an estimated BPL population of 70541 as compared to 1291222 in Kashmir region which turns out to be 21.37 percent. However, Jammu region has an estimated BPL population of 1059063 which accounts for 21.67 percent of its population.

On the higher side vis-…-vis BPL population percentage and estimated BPL population, among the districts, Ramban and Kishtwar districts of Jammu closely follow Reasi district. While Ramban district has the second highest scale of estimated BPL population i.e., 89482 accounting for 37.73 percentage of its population, Kishtwar has just a difference of .01 percent and it emerges as the district with third highest magnitude of BPL population percentage with 37.72. In Kishtwar an estimated BPL population has been registered as 79417 in 2007-08.

Poonch, Kupwara, Kargil and Bandipora districts have an estimated BPL population of 138404, 233569, 41993 and 120846, which account for 33.67 percent, 32.55 percent, 31.90 percent and 31.09 percent respectively of their respective population count.

However, as per population count size (purely in terms of number), Baramulla district has the highest estimated BPL population i.e., 237068 (though accounting for only 26.7 percent of its entire population), closely followed by Kupwara district with 233569 estimated BPL population (accounting for 32.55 percent of its total population).

Leh has the lowest population count (purely in terms of number) i.e., 28548 (though accounting 22.07 percent of its total population).


TAXES / COLLECTION
JK tops in Vat collection

Jammu: Record revenue of Rs 1721.59 crore was earned by the Commercial Taxes Department by the end of February 2009 as compared to Rs 1623.87 crore during the same period last year.

This information was given to Minister for Finance, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather while reviewing the functioning of the department here this afternoon. The meeting was informed that revenue generated from General Sales Tax/Value Added Tax (GST/VAT) has been to the tune of Rs 1394. 31 crore by February, 2009 end while it was Rs. 1,287.72 crore during the same period last year which is a rise of about 12.94 percent .

Out of Rs. 1394.31 crore revenue collection, Rs 936.14 crore was generated in Jammu province and Rs 458.17 crore from Kashmir province. Similarly, under Motor Spirit Rs 275.37 crore, under stamps Rs 46.11 crore while as Rs 5.80 crore revenue was collected as Passenger tax during the same period.

Stating that the state earns major revenue from CT department, Rather stressed upon the officers to utilize their proficiency and ability for increasing the revenue realization. He hailed the efforts of the officers on the implementation of Value Added Tax and added that their efforts had made J&K, the first ranked state in the country in terms of VAT collections. He said that the performance should also be replicated in other areas, as well.

Minister said for achieving better revenue realization friendly relationship between traders and officers is imperative. He said that there is a general perception among people that red-tape in government departments leads to delays and inconvenience. He said that such perceptions needs to be changed in the present times when the government is going for a customer friendly set up.

Minister called for effective monitoring of tax realization and added that transparency and efficiency be maintained at all levels. He stressed upon the officers for undertaking random inspection and field visits to maximize the revenue realization in all the areas. Commissioner/ Secretary, Finance Sudhanshu Pandey, Commissioner Commercial Taxes, Basher Ahmad and other senior officers of the department participated in the meeting.

(Kashmir Times)

My Kashmir

Rashneek takes a journey down the memory lane of a childhood long gone

(Mr. Rashneek Kher, 36, was born in the Alikadal precinct of Srinagar. He did his initial schooling from Vidhya Bhavan and Angels Garden in Kashmir and joined Boarding at the Sainik School Nagrota in Jammu from 1983 till 1990. He graduated from the University of Jammu and completed his Master's degree in Business Adminstration from the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University, where he currently serves as a Guest Faculty. He has published his work in various literary magazines(including SAARC magazine-Beyond Borders), and writes regular columns for the Greater Kashmir. He has delivered lectures at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA),and his poetry is a part of the the Anthology of Poets-in-Exile released by "Sampriti" - an organsation working for promotion of Kashmiri literaure. In his leisure time, he delves in History,Spirituality across borders, pschology and psychonanalysis, and music.)

AWAY FROM HOME

Come Spring and small streams emanating out of Doodh Ganga would be full of water and the perennial brook near my home would be enticing small boys to its muddy banks. The willows will be in a new green hue while the solitary apple tree in my courtyard would be quietly awaiting the arrival of its fruits of labour.

Swarms of men and women would be ready for “thal” or sowing of the paddy saplings. People would dig small pipe like canals from the flowing streams to their fields. There would be minor quarrels among people as they jostle for water. But all that would be amicably settled. Chirping birds would fly down to pick insects from the freshly ploughed soil. Young girls would carry samovars full of hot salt tea and bagfuls of bread to their family members working in the fields. The teachers would have it easy though. A ready stock of students would be eager to work on their fields in hope of a mass promotion to the next grade. My village, would hear women sing in mesmerizing tones Rasul Mir’s “Hariye thavak na kan ti lolo”. The mild sun would shine over my small, non- descript village Kanipora.

I was seven when the elders of our house decided to sell our ancestral house at 10, Qutubdin Pora, Ali Kadal, Srinagar and move to a new location on the outskirts of the city. There was a deep sense of loss as the truck moved out of the narrow downtown lanes to the wider roads leading out of the city. I thought of Sallam the butcher, Kare Kon the local candy man, the flowing Vitasta ,the Batyaar Mandir, Rishi Peers Aastan and the avuncular saint Rahbab Saheb. I would miss them all, I thought. These were the by-lanes, the narrow by-lanes where we lived among Nawchis. Sultans, Patigaroo’s ,Dar’s, Hagar’s and Kaul’s. Then of course there was a man who seemed like a lunatic to all of us; someone who would have tea in a 5kg P-Mark Tin and share his Tale-vor (a local variety of Kashmiri bread) with dogs. He was called Hone-Rahman. No one knew where he came from. I was scared yet fond of him. It was him who I was to miss the most.

I was now a student of The New Cambridge Public School (later re-christened as Angels Garden) the only English medium school in the entire village. The school was housed in an old dilapidated building near the saw mill not very far from the main bus stand, not that there was any other bus stand in or around our village. Kanipora was a block in the Chadoora Tehsil of Budgam district of Kashmir subdivision of Jammu and Kashmir. It had a non working post office, a branch of State Bank of India, an Elaqaui Dehati Bank, a Boys High School, a Middle school for girls, a terrible primary healthcare centre and a very bad road connecting Kanipora to Kralpora-an equally small village on the main road to Char-e-Sharief .It was on this bad road that we had our new house-a palatial house compared to the concrete pigeon hole called a flat, that I live in now.

The new house was bereft of any living neighbours. The only other house around was a huge house across the small brook. The owners, we were told were too scared to live in that house. This is a haunted house they would say. One of their cousins, a short man with a beard would come to visit the house from time to time. His name was Khursheed and he was a probably a teacher in one of the Government schools in Srinagar. But Srinagar was far now, thirteen kilometres from the main bus stand and fourteen from our home.

The new house had a brook for running water and toilets were still a luxury. Endless vast expanse of green surrounded us and some hundred meters behind us was a small cremation ground. That seemed to be the only companion and neighbour that we had till a Peer Sahib with his three sons started building a house near the grazing field. The village had walnut trees, chinars, poplars, willows and yes it grew some strawberries and saffron too.

The village Moqadam was a pious man called Rasul Daar. He was a man with a great sense of humour and would often laugh at his own self. It was his grandson who was to be my best pal, my alter ego in times to come. It has been long; I have seen Yaseen or heard from him. I write this in hope that he may read it and get in touch with me. We would attend tuitions together in Nawab Bazzar where my uncle would teach us Mathematics. Another of my friends Ashwani met me here in Delhi after a gap of seventeen years. It was a tearful re-union as we talked about our common past, the village swamp and our uncertain future. Two of them, me, Mushtaq, Shafiq, Ameen and my younger brother Rinku would play cricket on Motilal Khar’s land, the land he was planning to build a house on after his spinster brother’s death. Neither did Mohan Lal die in Kashmir nor did Moti Lal ever make a house.

There was a family of Thokur’s pronounced locally as Thukre who lived in a dark lane near the biggest apple orchard of the village. The families of two brothers lived in a wood house with freshly painted wooden stairs and a big courtyard. The house was a picture of prosperity in an otherwise no so rich village. One early morning the elder Thukre and his wife were seen leaving the village, their only belonging being the metal trunk painted light green overall with purple coloured leaves and flowers adorning its borders. His unceremonious departure was talked about in hushed tones in the village. None had a clue where he would head to and none ever knew where he went. After a few days of his exodus no one even mentioned a word about him. Ramzan Thukre’s son Farooq, my junior in my school was now the only inheritor to the property of Thukrs.

I am sure the village would have changed now. The Railway Line might have changed the fortunes of the people who owned some land in the vicinity of the rail tracks. I just hope they haven’t cut the chinars of the village. The three Chinars near the green coloured mosque where the rivulet and the road take a bend are keepers of my yesteryears’ secrets. The second of the three Chinars, yes the one in the centre was already beginning to show signs of hollowness in late eighties. Is it still alive?

Twenty years is a long time. Ghlam Nabi the tailor must have grown old and his brother Wosta Ali must have excelled further in the art of masonry. The three shops near the Pomegranate orchard must have become more now. Would they still be selling Thoole Mithae ,I wonder. There must be no Prabha School anymore. Incidentally I could not attend Prabhawati’s funeral in Jammu.

Men and women would now be returning to their homes after a hard days’ work. They would soon fall asleep. The night sets in early at my village. Far away someone is singing….Mae Chu basan mae ma gache shaam vatey.

Human Effort for Love and Peace (HELP)

Aditi meets a special person who is using her connections for the betterment of suffering Kashmiri women

(Ms. Aditi Bhaduri, 39, is an independent journalist based in Kolkata. She has a Masters in International Relations with specialisation in Arab-Islamic world, Russian linguistics, internal displacement and gender inequalities. She was a Rotary Goodwill Ambassador to the US. She is one of the few Indian journalists to have reported from the West Bank, Palestine, on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and writes for the Indian print media in English, and is also a correpondent with Newsline (Karachi) and Women's eNews (New York). Recently she was awarded the UNFPA-Population First LAADLI National Media Award 2008 for gender sensitive reporting. She has recently started studying the Kashmir issue as part of her interest in the Islamic ummah and its interaction vis-a-vis other communities.)

Crafting new hope in the conflict zone

Nighat Shafi Pandit explains conflict precisely: "When two parties do not agree with the views of each other, it creates a conflict. A conflict always starts at home and then spreads in society."

Living in Kashmir, where ordinary citizens have been caught in the spiral of violence between militants and the army, it is striking that the activist uses words like family, home and disputes to explain conflict. But then for women, the personal is always political.

Pandit does not represent the common woman of Kashmir whose voice we usually hear — the economically underprivileged, the rural woman, the 'half-widow' or the one who has lost her husband or son to militancy. In fact, both her father and husband are senior bureaucrats. She has mostly led a comfortable life. Yet, when the Kashmir conflict was growing apace in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the violence became personal. Mohamed Shafi Pandit, her husband and Chairperson of the State Public Service Commission, was an automatic target for militants. Threats to her children were common. Following specific threats to her daughter, her family was given Border Security Force protection. Even her son had to be sent abroad.

Then, when militants attacked her husband, they moved to Delhi. The family returned only in 1997 when insurgency was waning. But the homecoming changed Pandit's life forever. When she saw the widespread devastation and despair, she knew she had her work cut out for the future. "I decided that I had to do something about the situation. So I called some friends and we set up Human Effort for Love and Peace (HELP)," she recalls.

In Kashmir, there are an estimated 30,000 women, who have lost their husbands in "militancy related activities", while 20,000 children have been orphaned. (The State Women's Commission's unofficial figure is 40,000 widows, while unofficially the Public Commission on Human Rights puts the number at 25,000-30,000). Today, if Tasleema, a widow and mother of three, is able to earn a decent living and send her two children to school, it's all thanks to Pandit.

HELP started small. "We began with a school for children of fishermen in one of the backwaters of the Dal Lake," says Pandit. Along with children, women have been the worst victims of the violence that has crippled the state of Jammu and Kashmir for almost two decades. Women constitute 48 per cent of the Valley's voters, and the literacy rate is about 32 per cent. With conflict claiming the lives of hundreds of men, more women are being compelled to become the breadwinners of their families, despite lacking the skills for it. Responding to this predicament, HELP started a special economic rehabilitation programme. "We realised that the women have nothing to sustain themselves with. I have been to villages in Kupwara where one can find three to four widows in one home alone. I know of women who never knew their husbands were militants.”

Six training centres have been established across the Valley — in Kulgam, Sitaharan, Kupwara, Handwara and in Srinagar — that impart training in embroidery and weaving and also extend interest-free loans to women to set up their own small groups. "My aim is to ensure that these women are not reduced to begging. And they are not exploited," says Pandit.

The women who enroll in the programme are divided into groups on the basis of their skills. All the handmade stuff is later sold in Shehjar Bazaar, which is owned by HELP and at exhibitions, which are periodically held in Kashmir and Jammu. The proceeds from the sales are shared with the women and also used to further HELP's work.

If winning the trust of the people was tough, another enormous challenge was the security concerns. "In the beginning people warned me not to move out. After all, my husband had been shot at by militants. But I had faith in God."

Neglecting Heritage is akin to Promoting Talibanisation

Abdul speaks for many in his letter to the Greater Kashmir

(Mr. Abdul Salam Qureshi, 69, was born in Srinagar. He studied at the Sri Pratap College, Srinagar, and completed his B.Sc. in Agriculture and his M.Sc. in Pomology from the University of Jammu & Kashmir. He joined the State service and at his retirement held the position of Director, Project Planning and Monitoring, Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST). He enjoys reading and gardening.)

Who is responsible for the neglect of our heritage?

It has been a practice to organize functions on any historical event or occasion, by holding seminars, lectures, exhibition or walks etc, to justify our otherwise forgotten existence through print and electronic media. Traditionally the world heritage day was also recently observed in serene and cool atmosphere of Pari Mahal garden. When it is a hard fact that state archeological department with its sister central unit has fallen into deep slumber from nineties onwards as the valley was surprisingly overtaken by the turmoil. Nevertheless, we should be thankful to the various armed organizations, which were running the show then, as they did not act like Taliban of Afghanistan, who damaged the world famous Bamiyan heritage site of Lord Buddha, inviting worldwide condemnation.

However, it pains to mention that our own people, residing around the various sites encroached and usurped them either individually or collectively under the garb of some religious and social institutions. The worst hit site of this criminal negligence is the illegal possession of Kalai (fortification) depicting complete insensitiveness and neglect on the part of people of Srinagar city. This historical structure was built by King Akbar on his first visit to Srinagar in 1586-97 around Hari parbat hillock, in order to provide timely succor to the starving people of the city, which was badly damaged due to devastating floods. Major portion of the Kalai have been plundered and even illegally held by the land grabbers patronized by invisible organized land mafia, having support of political goons for petty financial considerations.

The municipal authorities compounded the problem by providing facilities like tiled lanes and drains as well. Paradoxically, PHE and PDD(s) rushed with water and electric connections possibly under pressure from known quarters for vote bank politics. When left unchallenged, the encroachments have been extended up to Malakha (major graveyard) as well. New structures (concrete) have come up on both sides of Kalai including graveyard with tacit support of employees of Muslim Waqf Board. Considering the alarming and appalling condition of the historic kalai and Malakha, the concerned departments (Archeology, Waqf Board, Municipal Corporation, Revenue and Police) should have a pro active policy and move in unison in order to curb and vacate encroachments to save the threatened heritage sites from extinction for our future generations. The illegal possession should be asked for original land records of 1946-47 with allied information, as has been asked by LAWDA authorities from Dal dwellers.

The political organizations can be requested to keep their hands off from this sensitive issue, in order to save our prestigious heritage for present and future generations. The other heritage site, which also demands attention of the government are; Budshah tomb, Pathar Masjid, Grave and house of Mullah Ghani Kashmiri, Martyrs site of 1931 uprising, and gates of Residency (emporium garden).

The gates (royal type) of the emporium garden located at eastern and western side of the residency were built in second half of the 19th century, when official residence cum office was built for British resident stationed in Srinagar. The gates having artistic wood work, design and majestic look need to be listed and saved from further damage.

Thank you, Mr. Zafar Iqbal Manhas

Thank you, Zafar, for facilitating a cultural program called "Mauj Kasheer"

Kashmiri youngsters enthrall audience at Jammu

Jammu: It was an evening filled with nostalgia, pathos, sadness and tears. Yet, no element of hatred or bitterness could be felt at any moment during “Mauj Kasheer”, a variety cultural programme by young Kashmiri artists, presented by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages here this evening. In fact the programme marked the celebration of the composite cultural ethos of Kashmir and the centuries old tradition of co-existence and mutual love and respect.

In his opening remarks, Secretary of Academy Zafar Iqbal Manhas said that the programme was being presented by young artists belonging to the Kashmiri Pandit community, all of whom were born in exile far away from their cultural moorings. Most of them have never visited Kashmir, he added. The programme was manifestation of the age old maxim “Jo sukh Fattu de Chobare, Na Balkh te na Bukhare” (East or West, Home is the Best) and signified the yearning of young generation of Kashmiri Pandit community to return to their land on ancestors. This programme is a humble effort on behalf of the Academy to keep the unique cultural ethos of Kashmir alive among the new generation. The need to keep their connection with Kashmiri language intact is also a thrust area that needs our immediate attention, he said. He added that he was quite assured of the ability of the community to surmount the economic and job related difficulties because of their intelligence, talent and hard work. The only thing that worried him was whether the connection of the young members of the community, born and brought up in exile, with their culture and language would remain intact or not. He expressed the resolve of the Academy to take this programme to different parts of Kashmir valley during the next few months so that these young Kashmiris could visit the land to which they belong.

The programme, composed by well known music director Krishan Langoo, consisted of compositions based on the poetry of Lalla Dyed, Mehjoor, Dina Nath Nadim, Abdul Ahad Azad and Moti Lal Saqi. The young artistes on stage displayed their love for not only their own culture, language and traditions but also their understanding of the festivities of the majority community in Kashmir. The tragedy of migration and the sufferings of the community also found expression in various items presented during the programme.

Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Khurshid Ahmed Ganai highly appreciated the efforts of the Academy in promotion and preservation of art, culture and languages of the State. He said that such efforts will go a long way in keeping the cultural richness and diversity of the State alive.

Arjun Dev Majboor, who presided over the function extolled the significance of mother in our traditions as the land of ancestors is known as motherland in India. He said that most rivers in India also carry a feminine name because we treat these as mothers due to their importance to the existence of mankind. He added that these young artists remembering their motherland and their mother tongue through this programme was a very significant event.

D.S.Saroya, Director, North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala also spoke on the occasion.
The programme was ably compered by Ravinder Kaul and Sunita Bhat.

Programme was witnessed by a full house, saw the audience applauding the young migrant artists who presented the compositions based on the poetry of Lalla Dyed, Mehjoor, Dina Nath Nadim, Abdul Ahad Azad and Moti Lal Saqi. The lilting musical compositions were composed by Krishan Langoo.

Well known poet and author Arjun Dev Majboor and ace Music Director Krishan Langoo were felicitated by the Academy on the occasion.

(Kashmir Images)

Article 370

Balraj Puri looks recalls important events surrounding the controversial article of the Indian Constitution

(Mr. Balraj Puri, 80, was born in Jammu city and attended the Ranbir High School and the Prince of Wales College in Jammu. He is a journalist, human rights activist and a writer who has been an eye witness to the turbulent history of the State. He has written 5 books, including the historical "5000 years of Kashmir" in 1997. He is the Convenor of the J&K State branch of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), and the Director of the Institute of Jammu and Kashmir Affairs, based in Jammu.)

Article 370: Can it be abrogated?

BJP General Secretary Arun Jaittey reiterated commitment of his party, during his election campaign in Jammu that abrogation of Article 370 of the constitution which guarantees special status to Jammu and Kashmir State was the key issue for his party. He invited the State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to debate with him on it. Whether or not it remains the key issue of the party in the rest of the country, it promises to remain a perpetual controversy within the state where the coalition partner, the National Conference had contested the election on the slogan of restoration of autonomy of the state. It is therefore necessary to seek on end to this controversy.

Omar had maintained that any change in the statues of the State could have been done only by J&Ks Constituent Assembly which ceased to exist in 1956. Constitutional validity of this stand was never tested by a judicial court. Never were series of measures for erosion of the autonomy of the State challenged in the court on this ground. Likewise, Indian Parliament has inherited all the powers of the Constituent Assembly of India.

Intriguingly Congress which is locked in a contest with the BJP, and not the National Conference, in two Lok Sabha seats in Jammu, has not joined the issue with its rival. That tends to make it Jammu versus Kashmir issue. As far actual possibility of abrogation of the Article is concerned, the BJP does not have the support of its own allies in the NDA. Moreover, the Law Minister in the government led by it had declared that Parliament had no power to abrogate the Article unless the State assembly recommended it.

Not that the Article has entirely been used in the interest of the people of the State. For instance 73rd and 74th amendment to the Indian constitution which ushered in Panchayati Raj and local self government in urban areas were not applicable to the State. The most diversified State of the country, consequently, has been administered by a most centralised government. Which is the root cause of most of the internal tensions within the State.

Similarly, autonomous institutions like National Human Rights Commission and National Women Commission have no jurisdiction in the State. Obviously, people of the State do not get any benefit for being out of the jurisdiction of these national institutions which are autonomous of the executive authority. It was under the pressure of public opinion generated by some enlightened citizens that the State has just adopted Central Right to Information Act.

If Article 370 is restored to its original position, central autonomous institutions like Supreme Court, Auditor General and Election Commission would not have any jurisdiction over the State. These would be appointed and managed by the State government. It would also facilitate the Union government to manipulate affairs of the State. If Supreme Courts jurisdiction had extended to the State in 1953, Sheikh Abdullah could not be arrested under any law then in force in India.

It is the manner in which ruthless integration was imposed on the State by post Nehru leadership in Delhi and the manner the issue was posed as Kashmir versus Jammu and Kashmir versus India that provoked the people of Kashmir and alienated them. It was the agitated mood of the people in 1965 over such measures of forced integration that might have tempted president Ayub of Pakistan to send its army men in the form of infiltrators to the state that led to 1965 war. National interest, in no way, is linked with the degree of integration of the State.

Nor Jammu’s grievances have any thing to do with Article 370. Let people of Kashmir be free to discuss and decide in consultation with people of other region the type of centre-State relations that serve their interest. It may be recalled, that much damage was done to Kashmir’s emotional relations with India by the agitation for ek vidhan, ek pradhan and ek nishan (one constitution, one head of the state and one flag) launched by Praja Parishad, Jammu affiliate of the Jana Sangh, in 1953 ostensibly to safeguard Jammu’s interest and the national interest. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukerjee, the founder president of the Jana Sangh came to lend his support to the agitation.

Jawahalal Nehru in a letter, to Jayaprakash Narayan on 29 July 1953, observes, reactions in the Kashmir to the situation have weakened our position terribly and for the first time I feel very doubtful about the future. Dr. Mukerjee had also entered into a prolonged correspondence with Pandit Nehru. Nehru had warned him also about the dangerous repercussions of Jammu agitation on Kashmir problem. Eventually, Mukerjee in his letter dated February 17, 1953 agreed to support Delhi Agreement that had conceded special status to the State provided principle of autonomy will apply to the province of Jammu as also to Ladakh and Kashmir valley.

This was precisely what I was campaigning for and had succeeded in getting Nehru and Abdullah to declare at a joint press conference on July 24, 1952, that when the constitution of the State is framed, it will provide for regional autonomies. The Praja Parishad agitation was finally withdrawn on July 3, after a meeting of its leaders with Nehru on this very formula.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mukerjee’s death in Srinagar jail had created sharp reactions in Jammu and many parts of India with counter reactions in Kashmir. This had caused further tensions and complications in the situation which were a major cause of the crisis of August 1953 when Sheikh Abdullah was dismissed from power and put under detention. From Indian point of view, it was the beginning of Kashmir problem.
After some months, according to Balraj Madhok who became president of the Jana Sangh after some years, the party withdrew its support to the formula Mukerjee had agreed viz autonomy of the State within India and of the regions within the State on directions from Nagpur (the RSS headquarters).

If successors of Nehru, Abdullah and Mukerjee had stood by their joint agreement, on the issue of status of the state alienation of the people of Kashmir would not have gone to the extent it exists today and Kashmir problem would have been resolved long ago. Let their respective commitment be recalled and debated to find an end to the Kashmir imbroglio.

Hurriyat's Moving Goals

Nazir explains how the right may be there in principle but it has been sentenced to death in practice

(Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani, 59, is a jurist. He was born in Naranthal (Jalshree) village near Baramulla and was a student at the Government Degree College in Baramulla. Subsequently, he studied English Literature and Politics at the University of Kashmir, Law at the Sindh Muslim Law College in the Karachi-Pakistan, Islamic Law at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), International Law at the Queen Mary University London, Victimology at Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik - former Yugoslavia, Peace Keeping/Humanitarian Operations & Election Monitoring from Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento S. Anna - Pisa Italy, and has a Ph.D. in the Jurisprudence of UN Resolutions and Kashmir Case. He successfully argued a constitutional writ petition in the High Court of Azad Kashmir from December 1992 to April 1999 on the question of self determination and duties of AJK Government. As a lead human rights advocate he has faced a sentence of 5 years imprisonment and 15 lashes and a death sentence during the Martial Law of General Zia in Pakistan. Dr. Gilani has introduced awareness around the title of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to a Rights Movement since 1877 and the respective sovereign claims of India and Pakistan since 1948.)

Death of Self Determination

Kashmiri leadership, in particular, Muslim leadership in the Valley, seem to have over done itself on the question of Self-Determination. The Right may be there in principle but it has been sentenced to death in practice. We all seem to be busy fooling each other and the public at large. If a majority of Kashmiri leaders represented in Hurriyat at one time, or having opted out of it at another, and others who have remained outside the fold, had won the elections in 1987, it would have been a way forward in politics under an oath.

The history of political wrangling may have been different, at least on the count that Right of Self Determination would not have died with the death of a generation. Keeping in view the Independence struggle of Quebec, we know inferiority of number caused by the loss of life in Kashmir and given the representative character of politics, may have sealed the success of Self Determination as a practical phenomenon for some time. Right of Self Determination may be alive in principle but is dead in practice for a serious loss of numbers.

On October 30, 1995, Quebec voted 51 to 49 percent to remain part of Canada –a switch of 25,000 votes would have led to a vote for separation. Some supporters of separation blamed non-French speaking minorities for voting to remain part of Canada - the 82 percent of Quebec's seven million residents who speak French mostly supported separation, while the 18 percent who do not speak French mostly opposed it. The Cree of Northern Quebec opposed the separation and declared that declaration of independence by Quebec would violate the Crees' principles of human rights, democracy and consent. They said that Parti Quebecois (PQ) and the Quebec National Assembly do not have the right to unilaterally proclaim that the Quebec people will exercise their vote on their collective future. They argued that the PQ cannot force them or their native neighbours to be part of the "Quebec people" for purposes of self-determination of secession.

The Cree believed they had a right to stay in Canada. They maintained that their territory will not be taken over or given to an independent Quebec without their consent; if Quebec leaves, the Cree wish to remain part of Canada. This action would show that Quebec uses unfair and undemocratic methods to carry out its wishes. The forcible inclusion of the Cree in an independent Quebec would go against international, Canadian, Aboriginal law and practice. The Innuit declared that they will use their legal rights to remain in Canada in the event of a Quebec separation.

Kashmir situation is no different than Quebec. Hurriyat has failed to keep to its constitutional programme of July 1993 which accommodated among many other things, the three opinions, namely pro Pakistan, pro India and pro Independence, only if pursued in accordance with UN resolutions. It would assure and retain the trust of minorities if followed in accordance with UN mechanism on Kashmir. It would put an end to the distribution of Kashmiri people and end an unfair control of Kashmiri people under three administrations.

Hurriyat does not qualify as a representative political leadership because in view of the plural complex of Kashmir UN has set a very clear test for representation. Hurriyat did not work to reduce this infirmity. Its political rerecord since 1993 away and outside the constitution too has made its representative ability for the cause of Self Determination weak and suspect.

The other more serious and real difficulty is the role of Kashmiri Pandit, Kashmiri Sikh, Kashmiri Dogra, Christian, Jew and many other faiths in the dispensation of self determination. They have the same case as Cree had in Quebec question of self determination or separation from Canada.

A switch of 25,000 votes would have led to a successful vote for separation of Quebec from Canada. The deficit killed the vote for separation. Our leaders are putting the death toll to over 70,000 (seventy thousand) and we see that the loss of life continues on the streets of Kashmir unabated. Even if, it is a militant, he is a State Subject and his death causes a deficit in the number to be called for in any future referendum.

Our leaders unlike mainstream politicians are under no oath. They seem having it all under no holds barred. A main stream politician elected to the assembly or the parliament could be taken to a court for any breach of oath or promise made during the election. The separatist leaders are born free and do not have any cause to answer under any oath. It is no disrespect to sensitise the call of common conscience and point to the constituency of information, that among the living youth a large number is educated unemployable, uneducated unemployable and an army is preparing to add to this waste. Without any hope, visible bench mark and programme not for the process but for the quality of life, Kashmiri youth has crossed once rigorously defended psychological barrier and have sought job opportunities in Indian army.

Do we need to label them traitors and cause a further deficit to our debilitated number for self determination or argue out that the right does not become defunct by joining the Indian army. We have narrowed down the constituency of our number and killed many ‘traitors’ and ‘non Tehreeki ‘people. The few moralists left behind have neither the ability to execute a political agenda nor the number to win the case of Self Determination. They may have accrued a criminal liability for some target killings and for failing in their duty to protect life.

How does it help to ask the people to boycott Parliament elections when the horses sit mid-stream after taking full part in Assembly elections? Even if people do not vote in full strength, there would a winner for the Parliament. He or she will be visible and if detached from people, would cause a serious disadvantage to the interests of our people, their children and to all spheres of life. It is a well known fact that elections or no elections, our leaders are always heard in India and Pakistan. They are well looked after and their children and in some cases their wives are favoured in utter disregard to equity and the moral ability required in representing the suffering and poorly people of Valley.

It is time to look beyond boycott and remain on the side of the people even after the elections are over. Life does not stop at a boycott and Self Determination does not face a threat from an election. Life stretches beyond self determination. A Kashmiri has to live and enjoy a protection of ‘life’, ‘honour’ and ‘dignity’. He has to have means to reconcile a day with a following night. The calendar would not stand still for him and his children.

The case is still at the UN, although in a degraded form, and India as a member nation of UN has a burden of responsibility under the Charter and UNCIP resolutions. Hurriyat leaders too should decide to be themselves and on the side of Self Determination and ask the Government of Pakistan to explain its failure in not raising Kashmir at the UN Security Council from November 1965 to August 1996, for a period of 30 years and 9 months. Hurriyat needs to explain its silence on the degradation of Kashmir case from a regular agenda item to becoming the subject of a risky annual ‘reminder’ rule. They have an explanation to offer for switching over from UNCIP resolutions and their own constitution to Musharraf’s four point formula.

How People in Denial Make "Soft Ethnic Cleansing" Work

Two related reports on dwindling Pandit Minority in Kashmir

Valley Based Pandits Face Economic Insecurity

Many mulling migration due to official apathy

Rashid Paul (Rising Kashmir)

Srinagar: Official apathy and lack of economic avenues has forced 29,035 Kashmiri Pandits to migrate to different parts of India over the last few years, claims a survey conducted by Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti (KPSS). According to the survey carried during 2008-2009, out of 32,000 members of the community that stayed put in Kashmir after the armed resistance broke out in early nineties, only 2965 Pandits are now left in the valley.

“Neglect of the community by the government and lack of economic avenues has forced 29035 members of the community to migrate to India since 1992,” said Rattan Chakoo, a member of the survey team.

The study states that the community is comprised of 611 families residing in 187 places across Kashmir. More than one-third of the population is in the productive age group of 19 to 40 while as 700 souls are aged between 40 to 60 years. Rest of the population comprises children and elderly persons. Males comprise 45 per cent of the population.

“The boys are on the run as getting a job is an impossible feat in Kashmir,” said Sanjay K Tickoo, KPSS president. “Joblessness among youth compels the families to look for prospective grooms amongst Kashmir Pandits settled outside Kashmir,” he added.

Citing a government survey of 1992, Tickoo said that 32,000 Kashmiri Pandits had opted to stay in Kashmir, and lived freely with the majority Muslim community.

“Killings of non-migrants at Sangrahama, Vandhama, Telvani, and Nadimarg from 1997 to 2003 (all executed in the months of March) and rejection of an impartial probe by the government added to the fear psychosis and accelerated their exodus,” Tickoo said.

Master Avtar Krishan of Budgam while castigating the pro Hindutva Panun Kashmir, (a group of migrant Kashmiri Pandits demanding a separate homeland for the community) said, “New Delhi last year had announced an employment package of 6000 government jobs to those migrants who wished to return to Kashmir. But the hardliner Panun Kashmir opposed it. The programme could have helped stopping further migration and at least accommodated our 500 youth.”

Sociologist, Khurshidul Islam termed the unabated exodus as an unfortunate trend.

“The bulk of the community has assimilated in the alien culture of urban India. The leaders of the community need to give up radical politics and instead work for reconciliation with the majority community,” he said.

“They need to make themselves relevant to the current socio-political dynamics of Kashmir,” he said, adding, “The resistance leadership and intelligentsia here too have to be magnanimous in adopting the estranged sons of their soil.”

KPSS claims to be working for the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits who preferred to stay in Kashmir despite the political unrest.

Pandits Mysteriously Disappear from Voter Lists in J&K

Seema Sharma (Tribune)

Jammu: BJP state secretary and in charge Kashmir province S Charanjit Singh Khalsa and BJP Migrant Cell convener Hira Lal Chatta charged the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir, for deleting the names of thousands of voters of Kashmiri migrants from the voter lists of the valley and introducing M Form and Postal Form, which has turned the migrant voters as second class voters in their own country. They said the commission provides the voter lists to the candidates after filing the M forms just 24 hours before the polling starts, which is violation of the fundamental right of the contesting candidate.

The BJP leaders questioned the ECI as to why no action has been taken despite repeated representations to the CEO, Jammu, and the Chief Election Commission at Delhi, regarding irregularities in voter lists of Kashmiri migrants from the valley.

Elaborating further, BJP leaders informed that in the 1996 Assembly election, out of 1.47 lakh, 97,000 voted, whereas in 2002 the number came down to 1.17 lakh due to the death factor. Despite the boycott call of the Hurriyat Conference, 40,000 Kashmiri Pandits voted. In 2008, the number again decreased up to 71,000 out of which 17,000 votes had been polled.

Citing an example, Chatta said during the 2008 Assembly polls, there were 400 Kashmiri Pandit voters in Chanam village of Baramulla, but in the list prepared for the 2009 parliamentary election only 16 names are there in the voter lists which reflects that names of the Kashmiri Pandits voters have been deleted deliberately, a blunder ECI and state government is responsible as they both have failed to check the same.

Alleging that the NC and the Congress too was responsible of militancy and exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the valley, Chatta said now the NC and the Congress were again curbing the right of the Kashmiri Pandits by getting their names deleted from the voter lists.

They further appealed the Kashmiri Hindu migrants from the valley to vote in favour of party candidates Avtar Krishan Pandita and Mohd Sadiq Khan, who were contesting the parliamentary election from the Srinagar and Anantnag constituencies, respectively.

Highlighting the Misfortune of Living in Doldrums

Two recent Editorials in Srinagar based broadsheets put the misery in perspective

Mess all Over (Kashmir Images)

‘Conflict is development in reverse’. However, in Kashmir Valley, more than the political conflict, it is the incompetence of various governmental agencies that has not only halted the development process here but even reversed it. Worsening the matters further is the unfortunate lack of accountability that has become a characteristic feature of the state’s governance. Be it individual incompetence of the officials manning various developmental agencies or the collective inefficiency of various departments, it is hard to find even a single example wherein the government might have fixed responsibility on people for the mess they have created in the state.

Take the premier developmental agencies meant for executing and overseeing various public engineering works. Be it the Roads and Bridges (R&B) or the Urban Engineering and Environment Department (UEED) or the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) or the Power Development Department (PDD) or the Public Health Engineering (PHE) or the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) or for that matter the new monster called the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), all these agencies are in absolute mess. And so are the works undertaken by them, and consequently the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Now a glaring example of the mess created by these agencies is the pitiable plight of the Dr. Ali Jan Road. Right from Eidgah to Soura, this road, named after Kashmir’s noted physician is in complete shambles and it has been so for over two years now. Today the condition of this road is so miserable that it is difficult to walk on it not to speak of the problems faced by the vehicles that have to ply on this road.

For the past couple of years, this road has been under the sickle of authorities, sometimes for laying of water pipes and at other times for construction of drains. Ironically the works that should have been completed in few months time have dragged on for years and even today are nowhere near completion. Understandably, a huge chunk of population of the Valley is suffering owing to this road’s uncomfortable situation. With lethargic engineering wings of the government having provided a pretext for a vast majority of common people including the heavy rush of people visiting premier health institution SKIMS situated at one end of this road, to stop using it, some greedy land-grabbers too have started filling in the Khushalsar and Anchar lakes converting portions of these water-bodies into solid land masses. And again LAWDA is nowhere to check this plunder.

With a new government in place, the new Chief Minister will certainly do public some real good if he directs his attention towards the corrupt engineering wings of the government. The miserable condition of the Dr. Ali Jan Road provides a vital starting point for creating a culture of holding public servants responsible their lethargy and inefficiency. Given the complicity of various engineering wings in defacing and disfiguring of the Dr. Ali Jan Road, it will be really worthwhile to find out how and why the works that should be completed in months are dragged on for years – who are the people benefited by this lethargy and how it helps promote land-grab of lakes and lagoons. Otherwise, it’s better that the government renames Dr. Ali Jan Road. Naming a road after Dr. Ali Jan is no homage to this great soul if we are not able to give this road semblance of what a road is like. We have no right to insult the great son of soil Dr. Ali Jan.

Up in Smoke And Dust (Kashmir Observer)

Seasons used to come to Kashmir with their own unique delights, filling even the busy city of Srinagar with their particular charms. But now, common blights blur the lines between nature’s changing colours, turning life into an unbroken procession of ordeals most of which could have been avoided with a more sensible approach to civic issues.

The dominant feature in Srinagar these days, if it is not rain-submerged roads, is dust-laden air assailing pedestrians and passengers on the streets when the weather switches to the dry mode. What should have been the refreshing breath of spring is a choking, stinging experience thanks largely to the various government agencies supposed to be keeping the city in a decent state of repair.

Rains, not exactly unheard of in spring, turn into a major civic catastrophe as roads get instantly submerged and flooded, with a total breakdown of the already decrepit drainage system. Apart from the city’s showpiece, the Residency Road, hardly any other road has storm drains to handle run off water, and even the facility in this fashionable mall is defunct due to silt and clogging. So, sights of pedestrians wading through ankle-deep water, and vehicles marooned in tyre-deep bilge, are common even in the relatively better maintained city center after anything heavier than a drizzle. What happens to outlying areas is best described by photographs appearing regularly in the press depicting vast expanses of accumulated water where shiny stretches of tarmac were supposed to be. What is hidden by rains is laid bare by dry weather as waters recede to reveal deeply eroded and potholed roads badly in need of repair. Any hopes of relief when the downpour ceases are literally dashed to the ground by the clouds of dust that hang in the air like a pall after being kicked off by incessant traffic. If this is expected on bad roads, streets in comparatively better condition respond no differently, as they rarely ever get the attentions of a broom to sweep away the dust, and possess no drainage that could have carried the dirt away. The result is that most of Srinagar streets remain engulfed in billowing dust that makes nonsense of the government’s efforts to check emission levels of vehicles, which, in any case, is little more than a token gesture.

Far from being the temperate, refreshing and soothing abode that Srinagar used to be in spring, the advent of the tourist season, it today presents a grimy clime where the air, already difficult to inhale in the streets, becomes intolerable with a slight rise in mercury. As spring yields way to summer with its blistering heat, the situation is only bound to become worse as there is no sign of the government gearing up to undertake badly needed repairs on roads, repair and complete the city drainage, or give teeth to the municipality to discharge its expected duties. The only sign of the administration’s life is the annual coat of paint to the edges of sidewalks, an exercise and honour reserved for the return of the durbar from Jammu.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, or so the saying goes. The benefits of the plethora of government departments and agencies charged solely with the duty to maintain roads and drainage, monitor construction, or in general, develop the city to respectable standards, are there for all to see. Given the condition of the city, it would be hard to convince an outsider that there is department upon government department, guzzling money like water, supposed to be active in Srinagar’s upkeep.

The situation was a God-send for the present government to prove its sense of civic responsibility by cracking the whip on this array of erring agencies, but it apparently has yet to get over the daze of newly-acquired power.

Gross Injustice Through Gender Inequalities

Maroof speaks for the humanity

(Dr. Muhammad Maroof Shah, 31, was born in Kunan, Bandipore. He has pursued a career in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, completing Bachelors's degree in veterinary sciences (BVSc) at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (FVSc & AH), Shuhama campus of the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), and MA English through the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He is presently posted as a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS) at the Government Sheep Breeding Farm in Dachigam. Dr. Shah is the author of two books, and has lectured as a visiting fellow at the Jaipur University on Western Philosophy. In his leisure time he pursues studies in comparative religion, philosophy and literature.)

When a girl child is born ….

When it is a question of our choice vs. God’s choice we need not ask which one should be given priority and which in fact reigns ultimately. But how strange that we – most of us – think that we know better and God should accept our dictation and we go on petitioning for our choice and call it prayer. Is it imaginable that we are wiser or more knowledgeable than God? But we continue to practically assert our superior wisdom and knowledge vis-à-vis God so shamelessly by not welcoming a girl child.

I wish government to launch an awareness campaign to make truth prevail – the scientific truth that if we are bent on punishing her or teaching God a lesson for such a blunder (anyone not very happy on the birth of the girl child practically thinks he is wiser than God), for not honouring our will, we should punish the real culprit who is father or husband. Women have no role in deciding whether the new child shall be male or female. She produces the egg with x chromosome and a child is conceived when it meets either y or x chromosome. If it meets y chromosome it is a male child and if y it is a female child. Now it is male’s x or y which is decisive and which one meets the x chromosome of mother is purely a matter of chance that God controls himself. Scientifically onus lies on man rather than women and any court of law will punish the father only though ultimately he too is helpless and God does what he wants and those who accuse their wives or daughters-in law with the charge of conceiving a girl child should file a suit against God if they can. Any woman tortured on this account should easily seek justice by filing the case of slander, defamation and abuse of human rights against her accusers. Let the government fix a huge compensation for any such abuse and disqualify its employees if found guilty of such a crime. Murder is less serious crime than the slow death or mental/spiritual death that such victims are practically condemned to. Who can calculate the immensity of misery faced by a women for life in the form of bouts of depression etc. I have seen cases where more tears have flowed on this account than would be occasioned on the death of one close one in family. Women are unaware of their rights. Why don’t they seek justice?

I request victimized mothers to file cases against those who accuse them of the crime of bringing a girl child and lawyers could make great business out of such cases as it is very simple to win the case and extract huge compensation from the accusers. Many a time divorces and deaths have resulted and all these could be a matter of solicitation. If it is fundamental human right to be respectfully treated and emotionally mishandled or even physically abused as happens in these cases we could fight the cases legally. I wish some NGO take this issue and lawyers association attend to this problem. It should be possible to launch FIR against every slanderer and abuser. Government could enact fresh laws to punish the huge army of men and mothers in law who are guilty of such offenses. I wonder why we are yet to declare it as an offence. I think it needs more severe punishment than theft or corruption. I think even a few rears of rigorous imprisonment is not a sufficient imprisonment for such criminals. Employees found guilty should be retired- those who can’t honour God’s property (women) can’t be trusted to be trustees of government institutions. We don’t realize how dear every soul is to God who has made every human being with his two hands. There is no greater thing in the whole universe than human heart and there is no virtuous act greater than caring for this heart (dil anjam aanun) and conversely there can’t be greater evil than disgracing it, or injuring it. Torturing a mother for the “crime” really committed by her husband covertly or overtly (what is more killing than an abusive remark or taunt from her mother-in-law or husband and threat of a divorce if a girl child is born) is a form of slow death, a murder in cold blood that murders not only the body but lacerates the soul as well and therefore doubly punishable both here and hereafter.

Every time we feel shame or sadness for giving birth to a girl child we dishonour the divine image on which every human is created, we disgrace motherhood, we write off countless sacrifices.(which are great than the greatest sacrifices of great heroes and martyrs of history) that mother gives in nourishing a child, we authenticate Satanic reservations on Adam’s creation that the Quran narrates, we commit an unpardonable sin that no tears can wash off (Even God can’t pardon it because it concerns huqooqul ibad), we betray God’s trust and faith in us, and we stoop lower than the beasts.

Every time I go to congratulate a friend or a relative for becoming a father of a girl child I am in a fix whether to congratulate or to console or speak a few words of condolence as I don’t know how he takes it. Traditionally Kashmiris have learnt to console on these occasions by saying mubarak chu zuvow bachayi – her life was saved therefore congrats). Implied is the statement of condolence or consolation for missing the right kind of child.

For God a girl child is a gift to man. She manifests divine mercy. It is not only a gift in itself but it paves way for the greater gift of heaven in the next world. It manifests God more perfectly than male child does. I If God is love, as Jesus (AS) said, He is best manifested in mother and wife. If God is Beauty it is her face that celebrates and reveals him par excellence. As Ibn Arabi, one of the greatest Sufis and metaphysicians of Islam, said that it is feminine face that best unveils God. Beauty attracts us but great beauty liberates us even from itself as Jibran says and that is why a beautiful face can be a vehicle of salvation/enlightenment as it leads us away from itself, its form to the Essence that it dimly expresses, to the Formless who paradoxically expresses himself in all forms. It is not for nothing that hoors, who personify archetypal feminine beauty, are to be found in the heaven on the way to the Garden of Essence that is the highest paradise in Islam. Women is the gateway to God, not only for certain libertine mystics but for all mystical traditions, even the most ascetic of them Christianity. The women is not merely a creature, an object that gives pleasure, but a symbol of that which religion seeks. She is, for the most humans, for all those who love and seek love, for the poets, for the artists, for the Tantrics, for the generality of mystics especially bhaktas and most importantly for the Prophet of Islam (SAW) the medium through which divine speaks and manifests and through which the divine could be sought (the Prophet of Islam (SAW) listed women along with prayer and perfume amongst the most lovely things of the world). Contemplating the beauty of women without desire and lust in what Joyce echoing Augustine calls in the state of stasis is prayer and a mode of prayer that very few people, if any, dispense with. All prayer is essentially a feminine activity as it is emptying of oneself to the Cosmic Beauty, to Cosmic Self; it is a passive activity. One can only receive God in feminine receptive spirit. Those who don’t want to care for a girl child forgo primordial human vocation of serving/worshipping/loving God and seeing Him everywhere.

There is no such thing as mere girl children whom you can throw off in a dustbin or better abort. Metaphysically all women are loci of divine manifestations. It is slap on God to ask him to grant us male children and dislike his gift of a girl child. Asking God for boys instead of girls and going from shrine to shrine and pir to pir to impress upon Him our dislike for his likes and gifts is shameless to the extreme. Desiring a male child is human weakness but our decision to surrender to God’s will by consenting to say kalimai shahada means we no longer accept the bondage of desires and other human weaknesses. We gratefully and heroically accept God’s will, God’s choices and gifts. When I see a person not very happy on becoming a father or mother of a girl child I conclude, on the authority of the Quran and Sunna, that (s)he is yet to enter the fold of Islam. Islam, Iman, and Ahsan constitute the three ascending stages of perfection of religion. These people have yet to enter the first one. Those who don’t submit to or accept God’s will (which is the primordial meaning of Islam) are condemned to suffer and despair. They invite suffering.

Why is girl child disliked? Because it is other’s property (lukhhoond maal) and hurts our social ego and we don’t wish to be charitable. It is only our selfishness that ultimately dictates our dislike of her. So whenever you see a sad face after the birth of a girl child take it to mean that deep down this person is mean selfish godless (or better God abandoned) creature not worth meeting and making friends with. The darkness inside us is often covered but it comes to the fore on such testing moments as these. Some rationalize their preference for male children on the grounds that girls are badly treated in our society so it is better if they are not born. The question is who is responsible for this bad treatment? This reasoning implies, for instance, that the solution of poverty is to abort the children of poor parents or kill the poor. We want only good things from God as if he has really created anything bad in the ultimate sense. We are not here for comforts but bearing witness to Truth and that Truth respects no human likings and dislikings. The question is why were we brought into this world and why we will be driven back from here? Why should we cling to life? Why to bother about living life and not decide to round off the show? Why was the world made? And why God created everything in pairs? Pondering on all these questions leaves no scope for such silly things as pining for a male child or any child at all. God is the best treasurer and account manager and drawing disturbursing authority. Our job is only to do our duty. Our wages are paid exactly as required and as merited. There is no scope for mere chance. All is measured out by God as the Quran says. It is height of folly to advise God in these matters. We can’t avoid meeting our own fate that we appropriated for ourselves.

Asking saints to interfere in these matters is ideally not recommended. I am reminded of a story that someone approached a saint for the boon of a child and he resisted but upon great insistence he consented to pray and he got a handicapped child after some time and then it was a great bane for him to take care of and requested the same saint to pray for his smooth death. So it is better to pray for only one thing - to ask God to grant the vision to see things as He sees them, see things as they are. “O God, show us the things as they are” prayed the Prophet (SAW).
A girl child is not a liability for the rich class but they too dislike her. She is liked by God and His prophet; His servants have, however, mostly, different opinion and would like to advise God to think again while fashioning the sex of their child. These advisors are not worth talking to and deserve disgrace in hell. No word is mean enough for labeling them.

While pining or longing for a male child kindly remind yourself that perhaps you had sold everything – including your soul and the whole empire of desire – to God in the covenant made in preeternity (alastu birabikum) which you had revived when you consented to believe in God and his prophets by saying kalima. Let us trust in God and His wisdom who knows best what is best for us - a male child or a girl child or none at all. We are here to pine for God and there is no bliss in things other than God. (Ala bizikrillahi tatmainal qullob) How strange we pine for children. It is God’s business to distribute or withhold his bounties and not ours. Let us be Muslims. A Muslim is unattached to anything whatsoever. It doesn’t behoove him to be exulted or grieved by anything that happens under the sun. He glorifies God on every occasion. Alhamdullilah his every fibre speaks. He welcomes even death with a smile. He never complains; he only praises and celebrates. He is a lover who endures life’s hardships serenely as kisses from the Beloved.

I wish our politicians ask questions in the assembly or parliament regarding this issue and try to punish the criminals - criminals who stand against God, against humanity, against motherhood, against science and logic and ultimately who wrong their own souls by accusing, abusing and doing all kinds of subtle psychological – not even hesitating to use physical means also and give threats of divorce – torturing mechanisms. Let NGOs, lawyers, imams, doctors and other social institutions play their role in fighting these terrorists who are terrorizing countless women for no sins of their own. These terrorists are more insidious, bigger criminals that destroy the peace and dignity of countless souls even in their bedrooms. Let Muslims launch a jihad against them. Jihad is meant to be fought against all transgressors and traitors. Is it possible for our leading newspapers to present one sentence ad on front page for some time regarding these strange honour killings where a women is tortured to slow psychological/ spiritual death for the sin of motherhood? May I also request Radio Kashmir and Door Darshan to keep 30seconds slot in news etc. and announcing – ‘It is God’s “fault” to let a girl child be conceived and born. Scientifically the onus lies on male partner to decide the sex of the newborn. Beware ye women bashers. Insulting women on this issue is a crime punishable under law.” Would our CM take personal interest in this matter? I hope so.

There are few faces that glow when the news of girl child’s birth is given them. Let us be amongst those few. They alone can count as Muslims as Islam means submission of desiring/willing self to God. If we once pray like like this: ‘God! Grant us the will to will whatsoever You will’ we will never be frustrated in life and nothing will happens against pour (transformed) will. This is a corollary of the station of raza that Sufis seek. Eckhart has quoted a prayer from Seneca: “Lord, supreme Father and only Master of high heaven, I am ready for anything you will; only give me the will to want what you will.” One can quote dozens of Sufi sayings in this connection. Just one will suffice from Ba Yazid: “I only will not to will.” Hell is nothing but self will procured by sin which is a form of self-love. William Law has expressed this point succinctly. “See here the whole truth in short. All sin, death, damnation, and hell is nothing else but this kingdom of self, or the various operations of self-love, self esteem, and self seeking which separate the soul from God, and end in eternal death and hell.”

Scientifically it is absurd to blame anybody for the birth of a girl child. Metaphysically (according to Islamic metaphysics as explicated by Ibn Arabi), whatever befalls us we have asked for it so we have, in some plane that precedes out spatio-temporal being, asked for a girl child when one is born to us. It needs deep familiarity with Islamic metaphysics and Ibn Arabi to understand this point. May God grant us wisdom to appreciate His wisdom and the understanding and the vision of Him that we may wholeheartedly consent to His workings. Amen!

South Kashmir is Closer to New Delhi Than Srinagar

Kashmiris adopt the age old mantra ..... Follow the Market!

For youngsters in South Kashmir, Srinagar is alien but…….Dilli Door Nahin

Arifa Gani (Kashmir Times)

Srinagar: For hundreds of youngsters in South Kashmir, Delhi is nearer
and Srinagar not any closer. This is because they have not visited the state’s
summer capital even for once but they go to the union capital every winter with
their other family members by road. The families of these youngsters are apple
and walnut growers and traders. They go to New Delhi every year to sell their
produce. For them accommodation in the union capital is not a problem as the
commission agents there provide it to them.

In some cases the accommodation is free and in other cases the rent for the
accommodation is not usually that high. However, the well off business families
make arrangements on their own for the accommodation.

“I have been visiting Delhi every winter for last four years with my family.
During these years I came to know much about the metropolitan city. I move there alone without any problem,” said Rayees Ahmad, a village youngster in south Kashmir.
He added that he has never visited Srinagar. “I am very keen to see Srinagar but
have not been to that place so far. This is because I never felt the immediate
need to go to Srinagar. My educational institution is located in my area. For
higher studies I may have to go to Srinagar some day,” Rayees said.

Nayeem Ahmad, another youth, said he visited Delhi last year. “My father and
brother were with me. We had to sell our apple in Delhi market. As far as going
to Srinagar is concerned, I have not yet gotten any chance to go there. Who will
not like to go to that beautiful place and see Dal Lake and Mughal gardens? But
my family has apprehension that if I go there alone I may land in some trouble
because of security reasons,” he said. The youngster added that he has made up
his mind to go to Delhi again in coming winter. “It is fun being there. I get a
chance to watch movies in cinema theatres,” he said.

Mohammad Yusuf, a youth, said moving in Delhi for a Kashmiri is not a cake walk.
“Being a Kashmiri outside is itself sufficient to invite trouble. Eyes of police
and security agencies are on the movement and activities of Kashmiris
particularly in Delhi. We have been seeing such situations in Kashmir so we are
used to it and we will not stop going there,” he added.

Naveed had visited Delhi a number of times and was never in Srinagar for a long
time. He visited this place only after he was to get admission in Kashmir
University two years back. “While traveling on the unfamiliar roads in Srinagar
for the first, I almost cursed myself. I felt pity on myself for not visiting
this beautiful city which is part of our Valley. I was not guilty about visiting
Delhi because with that city our bread and butter is related. I have three
orchards at home and we have to go to Delhi every year for the sale of our apples,” he said.

Contraditions in Walnut Production Figures Accentuate Dismal Performance

Official apathy mars Rs 500 cr walnut industry



Rabia Noor (Greater Kashmir)

Srinagar: There seems to be contradiction in the figures of production of walnuts in Kashmir with the government claiming that over 1 lakh metric ton was produced annually while experts saying that the actual production was only 25 per cent of what is claimed.

“The government’s claim that 1 lakh metric ton of walnuts is produced every year is misleading. It is only on paper, not in records,” said Dr Zain-ul-Abidin, president, Kashmir Chamber of Food Processing Industry (KCOFI).

As per the official figures collected from deputy commissioner excise, Bashir Ahmad Saraf, the quantity of walnuts (in quintal) exported from the Valley through Lakhanpur for the past four fiscal years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 (till ending February) was 29159, 44998, 33963 and 36709 quintal, respectively.

The quantity of walnut kernels in quintal exported from Kashmir during the same years was 75856, 93811, 109778, and 75767 quintal, respectively.

When converted into metric tons, the figures for walnuts stand at 2915.9, 4499.8, 3396.3 and 3670.9 metric ton respectively, where as figures for walnut kernels were 7585.6, 9381.1, 10977.8 and 7576.7 metric ton, respectively.

Generally in walnuts, 40 per cent is the yield, whereas 60 per cent goes waste in inner and outer husk. Therefore, by multiplying the quantity of walnut kernels by 2.5, we get the actual quantity of the walnuts, and the figures received this way were 18964, 23452.75, 27444.5 and 18941.75 metric ton, respectively.

Therefore, the total quantity of walnuts exported from the Valley was 21879.9 metric ton during the year 2005-06, 27952.55 metric ton during 2006-07, 30840.8 metric ton during 2007-08 and 22612.65 metric ton during 2008-09 (till February).

So the mean of the quantity of walnuts exported during past four years is 25,821.475 metric ton, which comprises of slightly over 25 per cent of the walnut production that is claimed by the government.

According to KCOFI president, only one to two per cent of the people in Kashmir consumed walnuts either indirectly or as nut “that would not comprise more than 50 quintal overall.”

“So how come the claim of government is valid that they produce 1 lakh metric ton of walnut annually when they do not produce even 30,000 metric ton?” he asked.

“In 2007, the figure had slightly picked up because the crop yield was fine in that year and then demand too was good. But it cannot go as high as 1 lakh metric ton,” he said.

He said no doubt global recession had been there in 2008, “but what about 2005 and 2006?” “Prior to recession, people would not store walnuts, for earlier the walnuts would be sold for over Rs 110 per kg, where as at present a farmer does not get more than Rs 40 per kg that too for high-grade walnuts,” he said.

Abidin said the global meltdown had adversely affected the walnut industry of the Valley, “but where are the rescue measures for this Rs 500 crore industry on the part of the government?”

“Whatever is happening on the departmental level is not enough,” he said.

He said the Valley had four departments in the name of horticulture and agriculture, namely Department of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture, Department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing and Department of Horticulture Produce and Marketing Corporation.

“These departments have got an excellent network all across India. They could have easily utilized this network to market mere 25,000 metric ton of walnut, which is the actual production of the Valley. But they don’t do so,” said Abidin.

“On top of that, the government does not know what the actual production of walnuts in the Valley is. They don’t have the correct data despite that they have got so many officials taking good amount of salaries. So the first thing government needs to do is activate its officials,” he said.

“We are the only producers of walnuts of the country, so central government too has to think in terms of rescue of the industry.”

Abidin said ultimately it was a farmer who was at loss. “Many of the farmers have sold their land in order to compensate the losses, especially farmers from Kupwara, Pulwama, Islamabad and in Sindh belt,” he said, adding that government must come to the rescue of the farmers.

He said banks too were not providing major rescue measures to the farmers the way they should have. “The rescue measures and schemes provided by the banks are not enough. It has to be more than that,” he said.

A Kashmiri Scholar Writes About Global Warming

Mushtaq is concerned that global warming may lead to extinction of the mankind

(Dr. Mushtaq A. Wani, 49, was born in Ajas village in the Bandipora District (erstwhile Baramulla District) and started his elementary school education in Ajas and finished at the Nadim Memorial Higher Secondary School in Bandipora. He completed his B.Sc. in Agriculture from the Government College of Agriculture Wadura in Sopore, securing the third position on the merit list. He obtained his post-graduate degrees (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) in Soil Sciences from the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), securing the perfect GPA of 4.0/4.0. His Ph.D. research was conducted in collaboration with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). He started as an officer in the Government Agriculture Department, joined SKUAST (Kashmir campus) in 1998, and was promoted as Associate Professor in 2007. He is currently the Deputy Director Research of the Research Directorate of the SKUAST, Kashmir campus. He has received numerous meritorious awards for his scholarly excellence.)

Global warming: The threat is real

Humanity is about to face the most devastating catastrophe since the Bubonic Plague of the Middle Ages. This catastrophe is global warming. Some people are still debating over if global warming is a reality and what actually are the long term effects of pollution in the environment, but the general consensus among most scientists and researchers is that global warming has started and is going to increase at an uncontrollable rate in the very near future.

The effects and consequences of global warming are both frightening and overwhelming. Currently, global warming has resulted in modest increase in the average temperatures throughout the world. However, this temperature increase will continue to spiral upwards and cause massive climate changes throughout the world. For instance, these temperature changes will increase the average worldwide rainfall yet decrease rain in some areas, thus negatively affecting farming everywhere. Seasons to grow foods will shorten in some areas and lengthen in other areas, while few farmers will have to adapt to these changes quickly. Farmers will be unable to properly change the types of their crops, because the local climate changes will be too unpredictable and changing too quickly.

Eventually, both polar ice caps will start melting at a very fast rate because of global warming. This will cause the world's oceans to rise rapidly. Not quickly enough to cause tsunami like conditions to drown thousands of people, but rather people will be forced to evacuate coastal cities, where most of the world's population now lives, to higher ground that is more inland. No one knows, how high the world's oceans will increase; but whatever the height, global warming will decrease the amount of land available for human use. This will decrease the amount of farm land available, thus further decreasing the amount of food mankind can grow. Since a large percentage of the world's population already does not grow enough food, this will cause mass starvations. The sudden increase in population densities in smaller cities not prepared for a surge in population growth will cause huge sanitation issues and diseases will spread much more rapidly, especially with food becoming scarcer. Furthermore with the ice caps melting, the amount of sunlight reflected back into space will decrease thus increasing the temperature of the Earth even faster. Underneath these receding ice caps and glaciers is dead organic matter that when thawed will release even more heat trapping greenhouse gases (carbon emissions) into the environment. While all this time, humankind will continue to produce an ever increasing amount of carbon emissions via pollution into the environment.

Eventually, global warming will melt enough of the polar ice to modify the world's oceans in two ways. First, the oceans will start to desalinate, in other words the salt in the sea water will be more diluted by the fresh water from the ice. Second, the oceans' water temperature will drop because of the cold melting ice, and this will cause the oceans' currents to change. Since the world's ecosystem is regulated by the oceans’ currents, this will cause another ice age. That's right, global warming will start another ice age. Human civilization is not equipped to survive an ice age that will last a few years let alone a few thousand years. No one knows when this ice age will start, but the world's agriculture can not sustain the world's population during an ice age. This may even cause the extinction of mankind.

No one knows when this ice age will happen, but it is coming. We know that the cycle of temperature increases are followed by ice ages, but this time the changes are not natural. These changes are caused by man-made greenhouse gases released in the environment. Therefore scientists believe that the next ice age will start much sooner than the scientific evidence has proven to have happened in the past.

Global warming is the effects of greenhouse causing gases released into the environment that increases the average temperature of the world, thus adding more energy into the atmosphere. This increase in temperature and energy will cause an increase in rain and hurricanes, and wreak havoc to the agriculture of the world. Eventually, enough of the world's icecaps will melt to increase the world's sea levels, thus further destroying the world's agriculture land. Furthermore, the melting ice water will disrupt the world's oceans that regulate the world's temperatures and cause an ice age. And finally, human civilization can not survive an ice age.

As a result, our world leaders have to recognize global warming as a real threat to humanity. They need to both try to slow down global warming and prepare for its eventuality. If they do not, the collapse of the human civilization is almost certain, and the entire human race is at risk of becoming extinct.

Food habits in Kashmir are Consistent With Global Trend Towards Indulgence

Dr. Dabla, head of the Department of Sociology, University of Kashmir, examines dietary habits among Kashmiris

Changing Food Habits in Kashmir

Dr. B A Dabla

The traditional Kashmiri society was till the recent past characterized with extreme poverty and miserable life conditions. But, while at the initiation of the twentieth century, a broader and deeper process of social transformation started affecting the material conditions of the masses; here the post-1947 period experienced a radical change in all fields of life, especially economic, political, demographic, social, cultural, ethnic and linguistic.

There is a lot of empirical evidence to support the fact that a significant degree of social change has occurred in the traditional life style, particularly in the consumption pattern/s among the inhabitants of the Kashmir valley. In actuality, it also reflects in the emergence of new consumer trends in the valley. These new trends of consumerism reflected specifically in the fields of food habits, dress patterns, entertainment items, household goods, toiletries, and so on.

In the preceding situational context, we carried out a survey with the objective of knowing-enquiring about nature and pattern of consumption of food items and food habits among the general people living in the valley of Kashmiri at present. This survey was conducted among 750 randomly-selected respondents (representing their households) living in different mohallas and newly-established colonies in and around the city of Srinagar. This sample was highly representative and gave representation to all economic, educational, demographic and other relevant sociological categories. This research work was carried out in the field by 35 trained Research Investigators through the questionnaires which composed of about fifteen fixed-choice and open-ended questions. The relevant information and data was collected, aggregated, tabulated and explained and the conclusions drawn scientifically. The entire scientific fieldwork was carried out by the third-semester strudents of M.A Sociology, Kashmir University under the supervision of the writer.

The main findings of the survey are as follows:

 The survey revealed a near-total majority of 99.33 percent respondents consumed plain rice twice every day. At the same time, dominant majority of 81.24% respondents consumed different vegetables with rice daily. The survey also revealed that a huge majority of 95.09 percent respondents drink the salt (Kashmiri) tea daily (twice a day, morning and afternoon). The survey found that the sweet delicacies like Kehwa, Halwa and Fereeni was consumed by majority of respondents occasionally in the respective proportions of 86.00 percent and 88.01 percent.

 The survey conveyed that while a huge majority of 77.22 percent take Lipton tea daily many times a day), a majority of 77.007 percent respondents drink Lassi daily. It was found that 66.93 percent respondents consumed chicken weekly and 65.46 percent respondents consumed meat weekly. At the same time, 64.13 percent respondents eat Biryani occasionally, Stick meat and kanti were used by 69.06 percent respondents ate biryani occasionally. Stick meat and kanti were used by 69.06 percent and 72.04 per cent occasionally and respectively. While the Pulao was taken by 77.04 percent respondents occasionally, fried rice was taken by 60.00 percent respondents occasionally. Butter was used by 61.64 percent respondents daily.

 It has been found that from the past decade, 76.06 percent respondents started using the mineral water, especially on special occasions like marriage. Among 60.13 percent respondents, salad has become a necessary component of good food among Kashmiris. Fruits are also taken regularly by 64.06 percent respondents. During the winter season, 67.08 percent respondents took Haresa several times. Along with different varieties of sweets, the chewing gums were taken regularly especially by younger respondents as reported by 59.02 percent.

Now it is clear from the above statement that the Kashmiris at large have adopted many new consumer items related to food habits, which stands extremely opposite or parallel to the traditional nature and pattern of food habits in Kashmir. It follows that while in the traditional situation, the inhabitants in Kashmir could hardly get even two time simple meals (i.e. haak-batte) and a cup of black tea, they now consume most of the foods and other related items in the changing situation.

(Rising Kashmir)

Juvenile Delinquency is a Growing Menace in Kashmir

Iftikar think school teachers can be most helpful in tackling the social disorder

Fighting the evil

Iftikar Rashid Wani (Rising Kashmir)

Finally an institution of international repute woke from a deep slumber to have deliberations on a serious social problem - delinquency. While interacting with people, a galaxy of eminent academics stressed teachers to play their role to fight juvenile delinquency.

Teachers are supposed to handle these cases with care so as to motivate and help the delinquents to live their normal life. Most of the people are ignorant about this ever increasing problem.

Juvenile delinquency is a social problem that is embedded in the changes of the society itself; rapid changes, unsustainable development and other activities have shaken and uprooted the old institutions and established new norms of behaviour which are some times undesirable to the people. Technically child is delinquent when his anti social tendencies appear so grave that he becomes the subject of official action.

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed many such cases. However, due to certain reasons law enforcing agencies these are dealt with under prevailing laws. Because of the disturbed conditions in Kashmir the percentage has gone up manifold and according to an estimate it has risen to 70% from 30% over a period of 20 years.

The Valley of Kashmir is passing through a critical stage. There is chaos and confusion everywhere. The children got hit by violent atmosphere. Unemployment, unnatural deaths of their elders, victimization by different agencies, drug addiction and other such evils add to volatile situation pushing the society towards fragmentation. It is strange that in Kashmir we only a few rehabilitation centers. Keeping the present scenario of Kashmir in mind there should be a counseling center in every district

According to repots published in local dailies majority of the offenders are male teenagers and their offences range from theft to murder and most of the juveniles apprehended were in the age group of 12-21 years. The problem is rapidly spreading with increased urbanization of the state. Though such cases are more frequent in cities but rural areas of Kashmir have also started getting affected. The excessive outdoor indulgence of house wives and general tendency on the part of educated women to get a job has disturbed the harmony of family structure of Kashmir. Modern woman is no longer confined to her domestic duties with the result the internal discipline of the family is disrupted. Due to this child is overpowered by the evil influence. Thus the lack of care and affection on the part of parents results in their detachment from their family and ultimately leads them towards the world of crimes. But it is important to remember that there is no single factor, but a combination of factors working mutually, responsible for delinquent behavior.

There are various causes responsible for the juvenile delinquency and unless these things are checked well in time the rate of delinquency will go on increasing. The ever changing life style of people imitating the fast life style worsens the situation. Hence a lot of responsibility falls on the shoulders of parents and teachers. Normal there is no contact between teachers and parents. Both are ignorant about the problems of the students and their insensitiveness compels some students to search other ways and means to solve their problems which ultimately makes lose track of things. Thus to ensure the safety of the students there should be a mutual cooperation and contact between the teachers and parents so as to keep an eye on students.

Teachers are expected to play an active role to curb the problem because it is only through education that the rate of crime in the society can be brought down. It has been found that 75% of delinquents were illiterates and this rate decreases in those parts of the country where the literacy rate was high.

It is our collective responsibility to root out the problem and everybody has a role to play. In recent past it has received the attention of sociologists, criminologists and other social workers of the our state and conducting of this type seminar after a long time is certainly a welcome step and it will definitely play a great role in making people aware about the problem of juvenile delinquency. Law enforcing agencies are also required to be educate about the problem so that they can treat these cases properly. If things are to be set right every member of the society has to play a role.

The government should take the steps so that the very condition that gives birth to this evil is targeted. By creating more employment opportunities and by lifting the standards of education we can create a situation that will direct the energies of our young generation towards desired goals. Sports and other activities also can be beneficial in this regard. It is good that the state government is promoting the sports activities at Panchayt level to direct the attention of youth towards the sports fields consuming their energies in harmless activities.

All said and done, teachers have the main role to play if our younger generation has to be saved from the ignominy of crime.

Tackling Unemployment

Tanvir describes his blue print for the most pressing problem of the day

(Mr. Tanvir Sadiq, 31, was born in Srinagar and attended the Burn Hall School. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Information technology and management from Orissa University. He is the youngest Municipal Corporator of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and was elected from Zadibal Constituency. He has contributed regularly to local newspapers like the Kashmir Times, Kashmir Images, Greater Kashmir, and Kashmir Monitor. He was associated with many programs on Disaster Management of J & K and did a couple of programs on highlighting urban poverty. He is active in State politics and his interests are writing and social work.)

An Idea....!

Some wise man once observed that if you give a poor man some bread, you feed him for one day. But if you teach the poor man how to grow food, you feed a whole generation. I could be paraphrasing this saying incorrectly but all I want to accomplish is convey the message. Same is true in dealing with the issue of unemployment in Kashmir. Generating more government jobs is not the solution. What we need is some serious aid from other parts of India and overseas in training our youth in areas such as technical trades, intensive agriculture, electronics and computers, and modern construction techniques.

The purpose of education should not be to simply churn out graduates with worthless degrees who contribute very little to society, and whose only goal in life is to procure a civil service job. I personally know hundreds if not thousands of youth with multiple PHd's and yet they are unemployed, greying in the hopes of getting a foothold into the public service. It is not their fault that today's society has very little to offer them in terms of employment or means of earning a living for all their hard work and dedication in earning their degrees. It is the fault of our education system for not having the vision to foresee that the ultimate goal of any education should be to secure the future of the student economically and not to add uncertainty. Sadly, today's education system has failed in this regard.

The most stark difference in the education system of other countries and our Indian system of education is that our focus here is on generating more degree holders without consideration for the interests and capabilities of the students. The students trust the education system and work endless hours to finally pass the grueling exams and after three or four years of treading the tortuous path of education, they finally make it only to be added to the sad statistics of unemployed youth in Kashmir. It is for no fault of theirs. This is the responsibility of the government to devise strategies for the best possible utilization of the state's manpower, and I am certain things will change in this direction in the near future.

The current polytechnic colleges in Kashmir should be our blueprint to work with. My mother is one of the instructors in the women's polytechnic therefore I can talk about this with authority. These polytechnics are a phenomenal success and without a doubt the students who pass from these colleges are in a much better state in terms of being self-employed or being employed in some private firms. They fare much better than my friends holding multiple degrees in arts, history, or physics from degree colleges. Why this discrepancy? because these polytechnic colleges took the initiative of imparting education that helps meet the student's immediate needs in terms of being employable right after completing their courses. Sadly, there is a cap on how many students these polytechnic colleges can enroll and therefore many students are left out.

I suggest that the government put all resources in action and open up polytechnic colleges so that all students, whether old or young are able to enroll in them to seek valuable applied knowledge. By 'applied knowledge' I mean courses that will meet their immediate needs, courses such as "auto repairing" "tailoring" "computer network" "computer repair and maintenance" "cellular repairing" "horticulture" "crop disease diagnosis" "carpentry" "masonry" and the list goes on. We all are aware of that these courses are offered in all community colleges in other countries and has helped ease the unemployment numbers in these countries.

We also know that apart from the two polytechnic colleges in Kashmir, there are no other institutions where students can learn about these applied skills without being charged an arm and a leg for learning these courses. For instance, a student is charged ten thousand rupees at a private computer centre just for learning basic computer skills. This scares away many students from seeking applied skills and thus the cycle of dearth of skilled manpower continues.

If unconventional courses such as "intensive agriculture" or "green house production" are taught in Kashmir on a regular basis with the help of aid from overseas leaders in this field such as experts from Holland, it could jump start an altogether unique industry in Kashmir. Remember it doesn't necessarily take an million dollar investment to start an industry. Kashmiris have the skill and the diligence to learn and innovate. All we need is a jumpstart.

Saving Manuscripts - Government Wakes Up!

The J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) takes the charge

J&K govt launches Mission Manuscripts

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art Culture and Languages has launched a "Mission for Manuscripts", to help catalogue and preserve rare manuscripts from all parts of the state in Jammu, with an objective to save the valuable cultural inheritance of Jammu and Kashmir ~ an area threatened by prolonged armed conflict.

The pilot mission by the premier body in J&K for promoting art and culture in the state, will collect data on manuscripts housed in a variety of places, including shrines, temples, matthas, madrasas, monasteries and private collections.

Mr Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, secretary, state, J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages, stated that the “Mission for Manuscripts” project will catalog the state’s ancient documentary wealth and ensure that basic conservation practices are followed to halt their rapid decay.

Mr Manhas said the main objective of the project is digitalisation, microfilming and cataloguing of J&K’s manuscripts, using the latest available technology to hit the global scene. He added that the academy has the largest repository of manuscripts in Northern India, with an estimated 20,000 texts in dozens of languages. The academy will involve writers and religious scholars in this adventurous hunt for ancient volumes, in the hope that the "Mission for Manuscripts" will not only increase expertise on the manuscripts, but also generate cultural sensitivity.

“Our researchers have found rare ancient Sanskrit, Tibetan, Arabic and Persian treatises on such subjects as diabetes, astrophysics, interpretation of dreams, surgical instruments, concepts of time, and the art of war. We want to catalogue and preserve these documents for all generations to come. After the hunt, the academy will promote and facilitate research and scholarship based on the manuscripts and the wealth of knowledge that lies therein," Mr Manhas continued.

Under this mission, JKAACL is looking to improve access to the manuscripts, generate awareness on cultural inheritance, and encourage the use of manuscripts for educational and research purpose and lifelong learning.

(The Statesman)

Dream Kashmir

In Mehmood's dream, Kashmir is a model for justice, knowledge and beauty

(Mr. Mehmood-ur-Rashid, 36, was born in Srinagar. He graduated from the Amar Singh College, Srinagar. He has been active in journalism for over ten years, and currently works at the Rising Kashmir as the Features Editor.)


We have a dream......

No barricades on its roads, no bunkers in the streets and squares, no camps and cantonments in towns and cities, no sprawling tracts of land under the dreadful occupation of Indian army, no carpeting of its landscape along the Line of Actual Control by explosive devices, no network of intelligence agencies sleuthing the life of an ordinary Kashmiri, no batons and bullets, no crackdowns and curfews, no frisking and firing, no widows and orphans, no arrests and tortures, no loot of resources, no plunder of honour, no poising of its society by religious hatred, no politics of extreme exploitation, no quislings and collaborators, no guns and grenades; No Indo-Pak rivalry, and absolutely no super-power diplomacy..................; we dream of a Kashmir where we are people and this is our land.

We dream of a Kashmir that is all about life and the beauties of life. A place where human mind flutters in open skies, soul discovers a blissful station to perch itself on. The resources that the nature has gifted this land with belong all to us. We dream of a body well past the scars of occupation ambling along the path of recovery. The Kashmir of our dreams belongs to its people and not to the military powers that surround its borders. Its politics is its very own, it has an independent economy, its society is free of mistrust, cynicism and animosity; it is deeply involved in educating the young generation to understand the world and interact with it meaningfully.

We dream of a Kashmir that writes its destiny the way other free nations do. We dream of a Kashmir where India is a benign neighboring country, if not a friend. We dream of a Kashmir that doesn’t hog the headlines for Indo-Pak military face off but is thrown into limelight for a work of literature that takes over the minds of the readers world over. Our Kashmir is not talked about by ‘Western military analysts as a potential trigger for atomic war’, but as an example of how the bitter memories of occupation are left behind and the society is prepared to bury the hatchet. How the perpetrator of the past, India, is considered as a neighbour and never an enemy. Our Kashmir teaches the world how death morphs into life. In the Kashmir of our dreams, Kafka doesn’t become Beetle, Beetle becomes Kafka. It is a land of resurrection and not doomsday.

Kashmir of our dreams will have no reason to go on frequent strikes and inflict harm on her economy; it will not feel forced, by the power of situation, to throw stones and get killed; no Indian military or Para military personnel would ask a Kashmiri to disembark a bus to get him frisked; no single Kashmiri will face the humiliation of carrying his identity card to present it as and when asked for, by an Indian soldier, a non-Kashmiri. Our Kashmir won’t be an easy prey for the Delhi-controlled politics; it will not be a testing ground for the machinations and chicanery of political parties - raised, funded, and used by intelligence apparatus of Indian state.

We wish that Providence makes the global politics reach a point where Kashmir suddenly becomes an impending task for the International community. Heads that matter roll and the regional powers are made to understand that unless Kashmir was unlocked the treasure of peace and development would remain hidden. Popular consciousness within Kashmir awakens and grasps the hand of God-send opportunity. The sun of hope breaks through the dark clouds of despair. The dream starts unfolding.

Can it all begin with the demilitarization of political rhetoric within Kashmir, in India, and in Pakistan? Can the verbal investments in the ‘national projects’ of controlling Kashmir freeze on both sides. Can the political leadership of Kashmir act in a matured way by not allowing the euphoria to set in, as it might embarrass Indian state before its own people, who she had always been feeding with untruth about Kashmir. Can Pakistan, instead of scoring a point, engage herself in not letting the old memories of partition and chopping up of her eastern arm resurface? Can political parties, religious organizations, establishment apparatus and the civil society of Pakistan prepares its population for a peaceful, yet radical, change in the politics of sub continent. We dream that while the two powers begin to change, political leadership and the popular consciousness of Kashmir take every care not to unsettle public sentiment in these two countries, and also don’t ignore the strategic apprehensions of the two countries.

With this tense beginning, the Kashmir of our dreams starts off her journey.

And then the fight over resources gradually changes into friendship over recourses. Kashmir gets technological help, and also human resource, from both countries, India and Pakistan, to keep track of development, but the ownership of all the projects aimed at harnessing the natural resources lies with Kashmir. As the time moves ahead Kashmir takes control of its projects by creating its own technology and allowing its own human resource to grow. This way Kashmir starts building up on its economic health.

Threat to life and property receding into past, political uncertainty gets replaced by a vibrant participatory democracy. Since Kashmir invests heavily in education and development, politics witnesses a sweet change. It gets free of exploitation on the basis of radical ideologies, religious obscurantism, and non-sense rhetoric feeding all kinds of perverse political projects.

In the Kashmir of our dreams people from here walk into Pakistan and India, as if the extension of their own territory. The memories of partition fade off and a new chapter of life begins - KASHMIR.

Did Hurriyat Flunk the Elementary "Politics 101" Test?

Javid suggests that the Hurriyat Conference should introspect and correct its politics in order to remain relevant

(Mr. Javid Ahmad Dar, 26, was born and raised in Srinagar. He received his Bachelor's degree from the Amar Singh College, Srinagar and secured first position (Gold Medalist)in Master's degree from the Political Science Department of the University of Kashmir. Mr. Dar passed the National Eligibility Test held by the University Grants Commission (UGC-NET) for lectureship position and started as a Guest Lecturer in the Department of Law, University of Kashmir, shifted for a short-term to the faculty of the Government Degree College, Baramulla, and presently holds the position of Assistant Professor in the Post-Graduate Department of Political Science in the University of Kashmir. He is also enrolled in the M. Phil program.)

Lessons From Past

Summer 2008 witnessed an unexpected large scale uprising in response to Land Transfer to Shri Amaranthji Shrine Board (SASB) and economic blockade at the hands of Hindu fanatics. More than 50 people lost their lives and nearly two thousand were injured in the clashes between the Indian troopers and unarmed people. On the one hand, the State used its coercive machinery to curb the movement at higher degrees and larger levels, committing human rights violations. And on the other hand, the Co-ordination Committee, an amalgam of various political, social and trade organizations, under the leadership and guidance of Hurriyat Conference was highly busy only in framing up the programmes of Hartals (strikes) and announcing Chalos—Pampore Chalo, Sonwar Chalo, Eidgah Chalo and Lal Chowk Chalo. (The last one could not materialize as the Government imposed strict curfew and closed all the routes heading to Lal Chowk by installing Iron barricades and fencing some of the roads with tin sheets). Millions marched towards these destinations and million others greeted them and offered them drinks and eatables. People faced bullets on their chests and challenged batons by offering their shoulders and heads. Hundreds donated blood. Women didn’t take a back seat and participated in protests; young girls even donated blood, especially at the Kashmir University Campus. Some collected money, rice and vegetables for people who ran short of food due to Strikes, Hartals and Curfews. Trucks loaded with vegetables, rice and pulses started coming into City. Villagers and sub-urban population donated whole-heartedly, as they had done in the Past. The tune of Azadi floated so melodiously that even lame rats started jumping. Cats too were compelled to join the chorus of rats so they would not have to face the brunt of feeble flock. They (mainstream leaders) too thought of, what they called, respecting “people’s aspirations”.

Many a people thought that the goal was so close; but, unsurprisingly, they stand disillusioned now. Few month practitioners of Ragda Ragda Hindustan (Trample India!) embraced mainstream parties which were thought to be Gaddars (traitors). What went wrong for Hurriyat or where did Hurriyat miss the game? Were they [really] commanders/leaders or important players in the field? Was mainstream leadership strong enough to attract people to its agenda of development and resolution of Kashmir Issue within the four walls of Indian Constitution or was Hurriyat Conference weak to sustain the Intifida! Did Hurriyat Conference correctly understand spontaneous reaction of people to Land Transfer and Economic Blockade? If so, why did (characterless and dumb-driven cattle, as ‘history’ calls them) people vote? And what did they vote for? Or, did Hurriyat Conference fail to convince people (Voters) that participation in voting is, what they used to call, selling off the blood of martyrs?

It was thought that the atmosphere in Kashmir was not conducive for elections. Some were reluctant to have elections in such a hostile environment in the State, particularly CPI (M) and PDP. The announcement for Assembly elections was thought of as pregnant with many ill-consequences. A general feeling among the masses was that elections were being ‘imposed’ on them. The Co-ordination Committee and the Hurriyat Leadership were all set to manipulate the charged atmosphere for election boycott. People were on the toes to welcome the Old-Man, who had gone to New Delhi for his treatment. Government came heavily down on Separatist leadership and put them behind the bars under Public Safety Act. Meanwhile, the Co-ordination Committee chalked out a strategy for boycott asking people “to march to those areas” where elections were to be conducted in different phases on their scheduled dates (Jahan Election, Wahan Chalo!). Consequently, strict restrictions and undeclared Curfews were imposed through out the Valley; save the areas where elections were to be conducted on those dates.

Elections were characterized by long serpentine queues outside the polling stations, some protests against elections in which one was killed and scores injured and common practice of group fighting between the supporters of mainstream parties. And to the surprise of one and all, Kashmir witnessed a heavy turn out.

Over a period of last twelve years or so, the Hurriyat Conference used people’s boycott of elections (alienation factor) as an instrument of de-legitimization of Indian control over the State. They would highlight it wherever they went and propagated the same to whosoever visited them. They consciously or unconsciously confined their politics of action only to Strikes, Hartals, Boycott Calls and recently-devised Chalos. It weaved a Cocoon for itself and is miserably caught in it now. It miserably failed to catch hold of the opportunities provided to it by the turn in events and by the people whose representatives they claim to be. It neither could provide a quality leadership which could unite the people for one political goal. It was carried away by the public sentiment and started building ivory towers and badly lost the ground. The Separatist leadership through out its working has proven its short-sightedness and intellectual bankruptcy.

The NC-Congress Coalition of mid-1980’s created a vacuum. They could not emerge as vibrant socio-political force highlighting the mutilation of democracy in these decades. The imposition of six year Governor’s rule, in 1990’s, created another vacuum. With the emergence of mass uprising and armed struggle, mainstream camp lost its footing and became highly irrelevant. Separatist Camp could not prove itself as an effective alternative force. It didn’t address the problems created by violence and was a mere spectator to whatever was happening in Kashmir. It did nothing for the victims of violence. Number of orphans and widows and half widows increased and the graph of property loss went high; It had no efficient plan for welfare and development. Some work was started in the shape of Hilal-e-Ahmar (Red Crescent), but that too didn’t develop into an organized welafare system.

Summer 2008 was thought to have changed the things in Kashmir radically, as millions of people protested against India, and Kashmir again became a focus of world attention. Instead of coming out with some creative means and methods, the Hurriyat Conference was more conventional and orthodox. It did expect a large scale boycott. No doubt, it faced a heavy crackdown and most of the leaders were put in jail under Public Safety Act. Its influence of election boycott calls could not last for even a month! Factions within Hurriyat started fighting within as if they had to board a bus with limited seats for the formation of New Government without contesting elections.

At this point in time Hurriyat faces challenges within and without. Separatists have a tough time ahead. It has to go for a serious introspection and come out with a creative and people friendly mechanism if it wants to have a say in the making and shaping of the history of Kashmir. It has to understand the dynamics and challenges of contemporary world order and learn to adapt to change. It has to learn from the past mistakes, devise a more accommodative platform, sort out the differences and learn to live with them. It will have to devise such policies which are not only acceptable but beneficial to the masses if it really wants to do something meaningful for the subjugated lot. If the Separatist leadership continues with the current means and methods, it is doomed.

On Corruption, Good Governance, and Effective Leadership

Three thought provoking articles on ways to overcome J&K's uncertain future

Fighting Corruption

Bashir Ahmed (Greater Kashmir)

The officialdom in Kashmir has strangulated the process of our progress and development. It is responsible for the miseries of the common man. It is no wonder that the common man is completely disillusioned with the Government and the system of governance. He has never got justice from the Government and its officialdom, whether it was pre or post 1947 era. He has always been disgraced, bruised, brutalized, repressed and exploited. He does not find any compassion, sympathy or understanding of his plight from the Government or its administration. Change of Government does not make any difference to the common man. Common masses are always on the receiving end of this misgovernance, the beneficiaries, the favorites are almost the same in every Government. These are wonderful people, they know the art of survival, adjustment, winning the favours and protection of their bosses……they put the chameleons of the animal kingdom to shame. You see them on television, strutting, bragging, hogging the headlines of the news papers, making tall claims of their achievements……….but you know that mostly it is hollow and what ever little they do it always revolves around their own selfish interests.

The Government, the politicians, the policy makers, the senior bureaucrats who think on behalf of the Government have failed to deliver justice to the people, they have failed to devise and frame policies, laws and rules, establish institutions, to hold the officialdom accountable. No thinking has been done, no analysis or study has been conducted of the reasons of the ever galloping misuse of authority and corruption by officialdom. No thinking/study and analysis has been carried out whether the present institutions have been effective to deliver justice, curb misuse of authority, corruption, nepotism and cronyism. It is a highly disturbing situation.

There is only one institution: ‘Vigilance Organization’, which works under the J and K Prevention of Corruption Act to curb misuse of official position, corruption and amassing of illegal wealth. This institution has miserably failed to carry out its mandate because of a host of reasons. The cases registered and investigated by it (if at all these are enquired into rightly) take an incredibly long time, some times five to ten years from the enquiry to the finalization of the trial, ultimately invariably fail to prove the guilt against the accused. The responsibility for the delay in the enquiry and investigation lies with the Vigilance Organization but failure to prove the cases is not entirely its fault. The J and K Prevention of Corruption Act empowers the Vigilance Organization to register the cases with the aim to prove the offences of misuse of official position/corruption punishable by sentence of imprisonment for varying periods of time. The conviction for the commission of these offences requires presentation/marshalling of unequivocal evidence in the court at the time of trial. The evidence collected by the Vigilance Organization is both documentary and oral. Authenticity of the documentary evidence is some times also required to be proved by oral evidence. Because of the lack of consciousness of the implications of their statements in the court and because of lack of confidence, cynicism which the law enforcement and judicial systems and general governance have generated over a period of time, the witnesses most often fail to depose before the courts as per requirement. They are subject to lot of inducements, pressures to change their stand during the trial. The net result of these circumstances is that almost every accused gets scot free and are acquitted by the courts and whole of the exercise comes to a naught. The corrupt officials involved in multi million scams continue in the service, never think it prudent to restrain themselves, they subvert and wreak havoc with the functioning of the departments they handle.

It has never occurred to our policy makers and the people who matter in the Government and the administration to study and objectively analyze the problem and the implications it has got for the governance, development, welfare of the people and social justice. It is rightly generating hostility of the people towards the Government, administration and the political leaders. The political leaders make all sort of claims, promises to the people during public meetings at the election time but are not able to deliver any thing. The common masses feel rightly cheated. In my opinion the answer to this grave crisis lies in the form of an effective and adequately empowered Accountability Commission.

Accountability commission has some attributes of a court as it also acts on the evidence presented before it and gives adequate opportunity to the accused to defend themselves. But instead of irrevocable evidence asked by trial courts to base their judgment upon, the accountability commission requires only convincing evidence to pronounce its judgment. The judgments of Accountability Commission involve the recommendations to the Government for: removal from service, down grading in rank or the registration of a cases etc. against a Government servant. The recommendations of the Accountability Commission have sanctity, legitimacy, legal backing and these are made after giving adequate opportunity to the accused under principle of natural justice. Its recommendations if accepted by the Government cannot be dubbed as political vendetta and the Government cannot be accused of victimizing the favorites of its political opponents. In the past there has been some exercise of prematurely retiring of some Government servants, but it has been dome arbitrarily. The Government officials have been retired prematurely on the pretext of being ‘dead wood’ on the recommendations of their corrupt and arrogant administrative bosses.

There has been an Accountability Commission in the state for some time, but it has not been much heard of. The Government servants posted to the Commission must be competent, enthusiastic, with a high sense of commitment and non compromising on principles. The Accountability Commission in its present form lacks resources to carry out its task effectively and in a comprehensive manner. A common man who knocks at the door of the Accountability Commission is not aware of the whole gamut and scale of corruption. His encounter with revenue or a police officer or a junior engineer compels him to make a complaint with the Accountability Commission. He does not know about multicrore scams and scandals which are a common feature of the working of Government departments. The Accountability Commission needs to act on its own also on the information it may collect from news paper reports or otherwise. For this it requires an investigative wing of competent officers with a high degree of integrity and efficiency to enquire into the complaints made before it or otherwise, so that full picture of frauds, scams, misuse of official position is laid bare. It is a small step for the Government to take and may involve a little expenditure, but it may make a big difference with the quality of governance, development and justice to the common man.

Get the right men

Dr. Sadaqat Ali (Rising Kashmir)

The present transfer policy of deputing officers to Protection Force from Forest Department adversely affects things as it helps them to form a nexus quickly. Also it makes Protection Force lose its independent character and is against the basic principles responsible for its creation. (since as per present delegation of powers all powers to take action against smugglers are vested with territorial authorities so a mechanism is to be evolved to check misuse of authority by the territorial authorities.) The need of the hour is to spell out independent duties and

responsibilities for these two departments to check smuggling which may include transfer of forest check posts to Forest Protection Force. If this proposal is found feasible it could help Forest Department to utilize its personnel in safeguarding forests to minimize damage there. it is most important to stop damage from taking place in the first instance rather than seizer of smuggled timber which is of secondary nature. Simultaneously, it will also limit the role of Forest Department officials in helping movement of smuggled timber. By introduction of two agencies in the field the smuggling will become difficult and less lucrative. Any smuggled timber seized outside a forest area should be basis for calling explanation and taking action against the concerned in-charge of the Compartment and Range from where it has been smuggled out. However, this can be effective only when Forest Protection Force is controlled by officers who have independent existence and are ready to confront officers of Territorial Forest Department.

Similarly all extraction, and transportation works together with sale of timber of all types (including in concessional zones) should be managed by Forest Corporation. Timber to be used in all government works need to be supplied by it. It should be made mandatory for all government works to allow cost of timber only as per bills provided directly by corporation. The idea is to minimize scope for sale of smuggled timber. Conditions are to be created to make it less lucrative whereas simultaneously efforts are to be made to create hurdles in smuggling of timber from forests. Fool proof system is to be devised to minimize misuse of supply of subsidized timber.

All the three sub departments should be given powers and made accountable for checking smuggling of timber which can be checked and counter checked. For this first step will be to make timber available to common citizens of state.

Deputation of forest officers from Forest Department to Forest Corporation and vice versa, as was ordered by previous government needs to be examined as it has not shown expected results. The previous government had taken this initiative to address lack of coordination between officers of Forest Department and that of SFC; it was a good idea but was implemented badly, rather mischievously. State Administrative Council had shown serious concern over poor performance of SFC during the year 2008-09, when the performance of SFC was reviewed. The financial health of SFC together with its assets is fast depleting. Corporation has been able to sustain as it had accumulated good reserves up to 2007 which have been consumed during 2008. Since the Governor Administration was on its fag end it had recommended that “the obtaining problems and inadequacies should be brought to the notice of Minster in-charge Forest Department of the incoming elected government”. Some of the officers deputed during 2007 have been repatriated. This is an important issue which unfortunately has not attracted due attention from the concerned Minster. As on date seven more posts of Divisional Managers are lying vacant, how can an organization sustain in such atmosphere, is to be observed. Only those officers should be deputed to Corporation who can put in efforts needed for running a commercial organization, for this time bound targets for each Division, Circle need to be fixed which should cater to demands of timber requirements in State. Failures in achieving the targets should be viewed seriously and the defaulters taken to task as it can cause problems for common man of the state. Good workers need to be appreciated and encouraged.

Corporate working culture needs to be introduced in Corporation for which a delegation of power is important; by making it foolproof and target oriented, it is possible to streamline the working to encourage good performance. However the Corporation employees need to be given better service conditions which should be at least at par with those in Forest Department, if not better than them, as they are expected to work in difficult situations and circumstances, and the success of forest working is dependent on their efficiency.

Another important action should be to implement a transparent uniform rational, well-defined transfer policy. All officers having questionable integrity who have not been able to check activities of timber mafia need to be sidelined, the action should start from top not from bottom. Efforts are to be made to get those people who have little bit of self respect and professional integrity. Some time back there was a press report in local English daily wherein it was reported that transfers are being made as per paying capacity of a forest officer. It was alleged that those officers who can afford, manage good postings irrespective of their professional capacity and capability. Under the influence of money power senior and honest officers are sidelined, whereas juniors are given prime and plum postings. The transfer orders should have simple objective of better results and efficiency not political or monetary position.

All this can be done only if government is serious about protection of forests. Politicians of the State have not performed so well so far, and all of them without any exception have encouraged loot of our forests. Present government has a golden opportunity to reverse the trend, provided it has will to do so. It can effectively check manipulations of paid agents of timber mafia. This group has its sympathizers at important places who are well experienced to sabotage constructive efforts. Can this government deliver on this account, is a million dollar question. For the time being let us keep our fingers crossed. Up till now this government has not shown any encouraging signs.

Dreaming of a leader

Dr. Fayaz Ganie (Rising Kashmir)

As a conscious people Kashmiris can best understand the pain and agony, suffering and plight that a nation is subjected to when leadership is ineffective, corrupt, and devoid of any vision. The entire ummah is suffering at the hands of the leaders who have sold themselves to foreign powers for material benefits. Leaders are meant to lead a nation and act as torchbearers. They initiate social changes, and strive hard to make dreams of justice and freedom come true; this all they do for their nation. An effective leader is always selfless; he never aspires to assume power. Such a leadership combines the traits of charisma, pragmatism, and transformation in itself and change the destiny of people.

Whenever there are crisis and turmoil, people turn to them. They explain the situation for their people, talk about the grand vision and act as source of confidence and encouragement for their people. The best thing about a meaningful leadership is that it has a clear vision, and for the ideals that they set for themselves, they sacrifice everything. They never falter on this. An effective leader makes things move by the force of his persona. But while doing so he never imposes himself on people but takes them into confidence and always tries to gain their trust and respect. An effective leadership has its hand on the pulse of the nation, every time. Whenever there is a need to take a crucial decision they do it keeping in mind the aspirations of the people.

Leadership, in order to be effective, has to be dynamic, understanding the needs of changing time. But that doesn’t mean they keep on changing colors. They are rock-strong and stick to principles. The book named 'Leading People' compiled by a board of authors from Harvard School, aptly list four traits of an effective and successful leaders.
1. They focus on future, create a vision and stick to it.
2. They take calculated risks.
3. They are persistent and maintain a positive and focussed determination in pursuing a vision despite obstacles.
4. They maintain a cool head in times of turmoil and confusion.

Applying this yardstick who do we find in Kashmir worth calling a leader? Leave so called mainstream leaders apart, everybody knows about their role in sell-out, bloodbath, sex scandal, loot and plunder of resources, but who create the real confusion in the minds of people are separatist leaders. There words and their deeds are disconnected. They have no vision. They have opened up shops to conduct business in the form of numerous organisations. Some have build shopping malls and restaurants, some of them are busy creating spheres of influences. Some have got their wards admitted far away in US and UK. Some are acting as agents of foreign forces, some are projecting proxy candidates; these leaders resort to mud-slinging in public. They incite violence by provoking people to come on to the roads; themselves they go on foreign tours or arrange for preventive detention or house arrest, while hundreds of young men are martyred on roads.

If you really want to taste a positive change, change your leaders.

Decadent Culture - that too, but it is mostly bad laws that inhibits transparency and liberalization

Mr. Qalander is seeking patrons within state bureaucracy when he should be asking for dismantling of the "License Raj"

‘Decadent industrial culture’ led to Kashmir business downfall: FCIK

Srinagar: The industrial sector in Kashmir has reached to its nadir, owing to what the industrialists and entrepreneurs have termed as the outcome of a “decadent business culture” that persists since decades.

“There are many factors that have contributed towards debacle of the ongoing industrial movement, the cumulative effect of which has led to culmination of a decadent industrial culture,” said Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) President Shakeel Qalander.

Qalander said that the factors still persist while the process of decay has assumed recurring virulent posture, “which needs to be addressed immediately in a right perspective.”

“We have identified eight key factors, which, if not immediately addressed will mask the current industrial segment into a permanent oblivion,” the FCIK President said.
Elaborating, he said that the first generation entrepreneurs taking up entrepreneurship with fervor had no concept of industries here. “They even didn’t get any guidance from the sponsoring authorities who, too were passing through a nascent stage,” he said.

Moreover, Qalander added that the industrial programme, though introduced with alluring elements of incentives, had inherent shortcomings which were initially dormant, “but eventually developed as a virulent impediment in the process of its implementation.”

He revealed that the infrastructural facilities and provisions of basic amenities such as space in the organized industrial estates, road connectivity, electric energy, technology for increased productivity, financial assistance, marketing assistance, and flow of raw-material “were either inadequate or provisions of such facilities were evaded with impracticable conditions enforced by the implementing agencies meant for the growth of industries.”

Another factor which contributed to the downfall of the industry, he said, were “The industrial programs that lacked a real sponsorship assigned to various departments like agriculture, horticulture, industries and commerce for their role got diluted and restricted to unimportant works.”

Adding to the collapse was the imperative coordination that never existed between various organizations and departments involved in the process, which FCIK President said “ultimately led to red-tapism, corruption, nepotism, and favoritism at all levels.”

Qalander said that the remaining chances of continuance of industrial programme received a death blow due turmoil from 1989 and onwards. “The industrial activities got further stagnated, when the strangulated industrial promoters exhausted their reserves and borrowed funds for their sustenance and for meeting up the recurring losses; and in that process got themselves impoverished,” he said.

Qalander said that the performances of implementing agencies came to zilch not to speak of coming to the rescue of industrial programme, “which got reverted back to its primitive stage.”

The FCIK president said that the industrial program incepted in the State was more to achieve dimensional purpose of economic elevation and generation of employment, yet it could not obtain the desired goal owing to these factors.

First 100 Days of the Omar Abdullah Administration

Fayaz conducts a prognosis of the new State administration

Evaluating performance

Fayaz Malik (Rising Kashmir)

As Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir completes 100 days in office, it is customary for both print and electronic media to present before its readers and viewers a progress report on governance, which essentially tracks a State government’s record across a range of key parameters like infrastructure development, health, employment, investment, education and economic growth.

Peace is a prerequisite for development. The atmosphere of violence and uncertainty are the greatest enemies of both. The new Chief Minister is fully aware of this. His insistence on the need for dialogue between India and Pakistan and New Delhi and Srinagar is a clear indication that he is seriously committed to the lasting solution of Kashmir issue and wants peace in the region to flourish. He has made no bones about the efficacy of the withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act and zero tolerance to human rights violations to invest in peace and development in the State. What makes his statements significant is that he is making these while in power.

Though 100 days are not enough to dissect the performance of any ruling alliance, it is time enough to foresee what is in store for the people for the next six years. Even before Omar Abdullah could settle down, he had to grapple with the huge challenge on security front with the killing of three innocent people at Bomai and Khaigam. By ordering a time-bound enquiry that indicted security forces, Omar has practically demonstrated government’s resolve to punish those found violating human rights.

By this time in office, Omar must have realised the virtues of good governance. Even if the State posses all qualities of becoming a model state, poor governance, wholesale populism, bureaucratic indolence and corruption can push any state into a deep morass from which it becomes very difficult for any State to emerge. I think Omar will do himself and the State a whole lot of good by making a positive intervention in these areas so that he is able to give practical shape to agenda of “effective delivery mechanism’.

To begin with, the government seems to have got its developmental priorities right. Omar is emulating “roads-bring-wealth” mantra of a similar state like Himachal Pradesh. He is keen to see Mughal Road becoming operational as well improving road connectivity across all three regions of the State so that his agenda of social sector development is spread equitably. The government has made a good beginning to activate grassroots institutions in education and health sectors by targeting flagship programmes so that tangible gains are made in literacy rate, life expectancy, immunisation and infant mortality. Mind you, these social sector indices matter in far-flung regions of the State and the government seems aware of that.

At various fora, Chief Minister has more than once talked about a barrage of issues like creating employment opportunities in tune with the high turnover of educated youth in the State, outlined significance of tourism sector as a key driver of service industry and private investment in micro, small and medium enterprises to script its success.

More than once, Omar has stressed the need to upgrade technical skills of our youth so that their employability in the private sector is enhanced. Along with CII, the government has announced a Joint National Task Force for which CII will invest Rs. 1 crore for entrepreneurial development in J&K. Opening of 18 new polytechnics in the uncovered districts of the State is another pointer in this direction.

The Chief Minister has eyed the education sector for a major revamp. Aware of the need to develop educational infrastructure in peripheral areas of the State, the government announced setting up of 11 new colleges in educationally-backward areas of the State. Showing that the government connects with his people, Omar also announced special funding for setting up of career counseling centres and magazine referral sections at all the 79 colleges across the State to help students prepare better for competitive examinations.

In the health sector, the government has been even more proactive. Right in his first review meeting on health sector, the Chief Minister asked the authorities to prepare a new Drug Policy. He also asked the authorities to complete under-execution projects so that they could be put to operational use. Realizing the need to upgrade health facilities in remote and inaccessible areas, the Chief Minister has discussed various proposals with Central government for laying new infrastructure in the State that includes two 400-bedded maternity hospitals and 17 trauma centres at accident-prone locations. He has also come down harsh on menace of absenteeism in the health sector.

The Chief Minister is aware about State’s potential in tourism and industrial sectors. While tourism has been dovetailed with cultural heritage of the State to reach out to new visitors, the Chief Minister’s experience as a Union Minister of Commerce and Industry will hold the State’s industrial sector in good stead. The Chief Minister has rightly identified the industrial sector as being the answer to our unemployment crisis, adding that the small and medium enterprises sector has the potential to absorb thousands of our skilled youth.

Omar Abdullah has also short-listed power sector as the key area for economic development. He has already taken up the issue of extension of Power Reforms Grants, a special dispensation, with the Central government for another six years so that the government realises the plan to add 3,500 MWs of hydro power, high power voltage transmission line and specific blue print for reduction of losses. He is pursuing with the Centre for taking up Baghliar II Power Project, as promised by Prime Minister while commissioning Baghliar I in October last year. He has also called upon NHPC to expedite its projects in J&K at the earliest so that State generates its full potential in the power sector.

In disaster management, the Chief Minister has been right on mark. Within 30 minutes of the caving in of the Assar road, in Doda, the Chief Minister was right on the spot, personally monitoring relief operations. After a series of unfortunate road accidents in the same district, the Chief Minister has called for creation of a Central Corpus Fund for providing urgent relief as well as replacing old buses with new ones of the National Highway.

Lastly, the Chief Minister has sent a terse message across to his administration to work with accountability and transparency. After the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission, the Chief Minister has said he expects his employees to work with more zeal and dedication so that Jammu and Kashmir also counts itself among the model states of the country.

RTI Act is Only as Good as its Implementation

Abid reports on a seminar that emphasized the role of the civil society in maximizing benefits under the RTI Act

(Mr. Abid Bashir Wani, 27, was born in Srinagar. He attended the National School, Srinagar, and went for college studies to the Government Degree College, Srinagar. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Kashmir and then finished his Post Graduation in Mass Communication and Journalism from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Kashmir branch. Mr. Wani was trained in journalism by his uncle (mother's brother) who is the head of the Jammu and Kashmir bureau of a national weekly magazine and was writing for a Pune based paper for some time. His own break came at the Rising Kashmir, where he joined as a staff reporter in 2008. In his leisure time he likes to read books and listen to music.)

New RTI Act holds troops accountable for HR abuses

Srinagar: For transparent and accountable governance in the State, members of civil society have advocated formation of a “pressure group” for effective implementation of Right to Information Act. They also hailed passing of RTI Bill in the assembly saying that it holds the troopers accountable for human rights violations.

They were speaking at a seminar “JKRTI—Role of Media and Civil Societies” organized by JK Right to Information Movement in collaboration with Action Aid International.
Social activist A R Hanjoora said the recently passed RTI Bill was the best ever law that the strife-torn state has had. “RTI Act 2004 was so weak. Now we have the same RTI as that of New Delhi. We have a strong Act now as far as bringing transparency and accountability is concerned,” he said.

“The need of the hour now is to form a pressure group so that the Act is implemented effectively,” he said.

He said the best thing about the new RTI Act was that it makes troopers accountable which was not possible under the earlier Act.

Dr Sheikh Ghulam Rasool, a member of RTIM said under the new Act, a person can seek answers from the troopers, paramilitary CRPF and Police also.

“The new Act gives us the right to quiz any security agency in case they commit human rights violations. This is where media can chip in if the concerned security agency fails to share information,” he said.

“Media has been playing a vital role in highlighting the RTI Act is concerned. Without media, RTI can’t bear fruit,” he added.

Dr Rasool too supported the idea of forming a pressure group. “The group should have members from all sections—media, civil society and NGOs. Once a strong group is formed, this will help build pressure on the officers to share information,” he said.
Another social activist, Syed Yasin Andrabi said RTI is a revolutionary Act, but needs to be implemented in true letter and sprit.

“It is aimed to bring transparency and accountability, but I believe before these two things, there should be personal transparency. Officials at the helm of affairs should know the power of RTI. They should not treat the applicant as a layman and throw his application in the dustbin,” Andrabi said.

Hanjoora said there was a dire need of massive awareness campaign.

“First of all, officials, especially bureaucrats should make themselves aware about he power and need of RTI. This is must for the effective implementation of the Act,” he said.

Convener JKRTIM, Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat said officers and bureaucrats should understand that they are the government servants.

“Highhandedness of officers should end. Civil societies and media should highlight wherever there is stubbornness shown by any of the government officers when information is sought from them,” Bhat said.

He said the person who files application to seek information on any of the subject should be respected.

Bhat urged the government to finalize the rules of new Act so that it could benefit people of Kashmir.

What if Civilizational Wars Were Replaced by Cola Wars?

While Kashmir consumes Rs 270 Crores worth of carbonated drinks and juices annually, local drinks have only 2% market share

Indigenous Industry Lacks Highly Sophisticated Marketing Approaches to Grow Local Brands

Srinagar: The consumption of carbonated and non-carbonated drinks in the State has touched a whooping Rs 270 crores annually, however with the drinks being manufactured outside and local producers holding mere 2 percent market share, local processing unit-holders are worried over what the trend would mean to their business.

“The trend is quite dangerous for the local processing units,” said Dr Zainul-abidin, President Kashmir Chamber of Food Processing Industry (KCOFI).

Furnishing details he said that the non-carbonated drinks have a market of Rs 55 crores in the State and is almost entirely under the control of foreign brands.

Across the State there are around 40 beverages and juice manufacturers, some owned by government and some by local entrepreneurs, but they are nowhere in competition with brand leaders like Coca Cola, Pepsi, Real, Tropicana and Rani juice “which leaves a very less space for the local brands like FIL, Shah Foods, Hyacinth juices and others.”

“The local brands are no where in contest,” he said.

According to the figures available, in 2008 alone, the State witnessed a consumption of around 18.40 lakh liters of Slice Juice—a Pepsi product, 27.60 lakh liters of Maaza juice—a Coca cola product, 17.35 lakh liters of Appy juice, 8.50 lakh liters of Real juice, 15 lakh liters of Rani juice and 8.50 lakh liters of other juices like Jumpin and domestic brands. The leading brands in carbonated segment Pepsi and Coca Cola saw sale of 7 lakh crates.

“This means we have a huge consumer base here. And definitely a potential market of juice and beverage industry,” the KCOFI President said.

Zainul-abidin proposed several initiatives, which he said, would help the local industry grow and have a bigger share in the total beverage market of State.

“We essentially need a cold storage and easily available raw material. We don’t have a proper packaging plant. Besides it is poor lending from banks that is stopping local entrepreneurs to enter the business,” he said while appealing government to consider these demands.

Meanwhile, President of Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) Shakeel Qalander said that the trend of choosing juices over carbonated soft drinks is increasing and if proper plans are set up, local industry can make it to the 70 percent of the total share.

“And that can happen in next five years. I can bet on it,” the FCIK president was confident.

He said the local entrepreneurs have managed to set up eight mineral water plants across the Valley and similarly, if government helps, “we can have a good share in the non-carbonated beverage market.”

Almost 7 lakh metric ton of fruits every year during culling stage, he said, simply go waste which can be stopped by declaring orchardists and farmers as processors, giving them a small processing unit, where in they could start processing these fruits simply from their farms.

“Encouraging our own units would reverse the trend of consuming imported beverages,” Qalander added.

(Rising Kashmir)

UNESCO Listed Heritage Site in Ladakh Undergoing Improper Renovation

17th century monastery may go from World Heritage Sites’ list

Hemis Gumpha In Ladakh On Verge Of Collapse

Srinagar: Due to poor maintenance by the Archeological Survey of India, the 17th century Hemis Gumpha in Ladakh is likely to be dropped from the list of World Heritage Sites, former director general of Tourism, Muhammad Saleem Beigh said.

The Hemis monastery is on the “tentative list” of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites and a protected monument by the ASI. In 2007 the ASI started restoration work on the monastery to plug leakage of rainwater into it. “But the leakage didn’t stop and its walls and foundation were damaged to a great extent,” a source in the ASI said.

After the defective works by the ASI the monks started the work on their own but since they lacked the experience and expertise the monastery was damaged further. In August 2008 a team of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) that visited the monastery was surprised to find labourers demolishing a floor without conducting any structural analysis, said Beigh, chairman of the JK chapter of the INTACH.

Beigh said the INTACH expressed its displeasure in a letter to the director general of the ASI. “But the communication didn’t evoke any concrete response,” he said, adding, “It would be unfortunate to see the monastery de-listed.”

The superintending architect of the ASI’s Srinagar Circle, R Krishnaiah, however, said at present the monks were not allowing the ASI to do any work. “But we are talking to the monks. We have sent a status report on the monastery to the ASI and once we get its nod we would start the work again,” Krishnaiah said.

The monastery, 47 km from Leh, is believed to stand concealed inside a gorge and belongs to the Dugpa Order. It is the biggest and the wealthiest monastery of Ladakh and a major tourist attraction. The annual Hemis festival in Ladakh is celebrated in its name.

According to a UNESCO website, Hemis Gumpha is believed to have been established in 1630 by Lama Tagstang Raspa and built by Palden Sara under the patronage of King Sengge Namgyal on a site previously sanctified by the construction of a cave hermitage dating from the 12th century.

“This monastery is the oldest one in the area belonging to the Kargyu school. The Gompa is a unique example of a monastic complex of this period which manifests in its structure the geomantic principles which underlie religious constructions of this type. In addition there are also examples of construction techniques and details which are not found elsewhere,” the website reads.

(Greater Kashmir)

Ghost of Swat Looms Large on Kashmir

As violence subsides and Spring weather returns, people begin to enjoy visits to parks, music and theatre. But Taliban chants are not far behind. First three reports on idyllic charms, and fourth and the last report a grim reminder of what is possible


All city roads lead to Mughal gardens

Danish Nabi (Greater Kashmir)

Srinagar: The Mughal Gardens witnessed unprecedented rush of people, including tourists on Monday. All city roads lead to the gardens which were thrown open to public on Monday.

While hundreds of people from Srinagar queued up at the gate of Nishat and Shalimar to get a ticket, the gardens remained jam-packed with families who had come from far off places of the Valley.

People of all ages could be seen enjoying themselves in the gardens. While children were busy playing, the elders were easing out on the mats, relishing the home made dishes in customary Kashmiri style.

Maximum visitor inflow was seen at the Nishat garden where people were waiting in a queue outside the ticket centre. The other Mughal gardens like Shalimar and Harvan also witnessed a good rush of the visitors.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, people expressed joy over the opening of Mughal gardens.

“We have come to Mughal gardens just to relax in the beautiful Mughal gardens. It is like a festive season here with so much rush of the people,” said a group of youth, while waiting for his turn to get the ticket outside the Nishat garden.

Others who had come along with their family said, “This is good time to enjoy with the family at Mughal gardens. The new bloom in the garden is refreshing and the presence of colorful people is adding to the charm,” said Bashir Ahmad Dar of Narbal.

The occasion had attracted several tourists from all across India. “This is the first occasion when we have been to the valley on Baisakhi. But these are unforgettable moments for us,” said Ashok Mishra of Assam, who is touring Valley along with his family.

The ongoing tulip festival at the Asia’s largest tulip garden here added to the attraction.

Tourism department had organized special musical programme in the tulip garden while musical programme were also organized at the Zabarvan Park on Boulevard in the evening.

‘We have opened the Mughal gardens for the public. People kept flowing into the garden throughout the day,” director tourism, Farooq Ahmad Shah, said, adding, “We had organized musical programmes for people in tulip garden. We received people from across the valley and also from outside the state.”

Shah said the tourist inflow into the festival was more this year. “Around 90 per cent tourist were from outside the state,” he added.


Musical night adds to Kashmir’s idyllic charm, lends fillip to tourism

Suhail Ahmad (ANI)

Srinagar: The Kashmir Tourism department has come up with a unique way of adding to the idyllic charm of the valley and captivating the tourists.

After nearly two decades, an initiative by state tourism authorities has revived the custom of musical nights in Kashmir.

A musical night organised near the Zabarwan park overlooking Dal Lake in Srinagar on April 14 enthralled the local youngsters..

The event added to the bewitching charm of the valley.

The tranquil environment here came alive as the youngsters dance to the tunes of traditional folk music and bollywood numbers.

Farooq Shah, director, Kashmir Tourism said that the reason behind organising a musical night was to make the tourists feel at home.

“We are organising the musical nights so that the tourists have a wonderful evening and we also wanted the tourists to feel at home and be happy,” said Shah.

On the other hand, the evening was a nostalgic reminder of the rich cultural heritage of the state for the people, who are fatigued by years of militant threat.

People enjoyed the musical evening with local artists dressed in traditional attire and singing traditional songs.

Asif, a local, said that he could not believe that such events were being organised in the state.

“We used to watch on the television the musical nights happening in other places such as Delhi, but now I can’t believe that such programmes are happening in Srinagar. Organising such nights have been made possible with the help of tourism department of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Asif.

Kashmir witnesses harsh winters for more than six months between November and April. During this extremely cold weather, the temperature dips to sub-zero levels and most people prefer to stay indoors.

But as spring sets in, the valley bursts forth with life as the landscape undergoes a sea change.

The state’s tourism department as well as locals are optimistic that such shows will once again see tourists from abroad thronging this Himalayan haven, as it is a sign of the return of peace and normalcy in the valley.


Violence down, curtain up for Kashmir theatre

Srinagar: Theatre is undergoing a revival in Indian Kashmir where the most popular plays these days deal with the gritty reality of the violence that has blighted the troubled region for decades.

More than a dozen theatre clubs from various towns have started operating in summer capital Srinagar, many staging new plays about the hardship of daily life.

Srinagar's only theatre, Tagore Hall -- which was closed when violence broke out in 1989 and used as a security forces' base -- is presently showing seven different plays during the week, all by renowned writers.

Playwrights and actors say the revival is thanks to a lull in violence since India and Pakistan, who have fought two wars over control the scenic Himalayan region, launched a peace process in 2004.

"The relative calm has definitely helped in the revival," said actor Shabir Hakak, 37, who has been performing to packed audiences at the Tagore Theatre in "April Fool" -- which focuses on politics and the environment.

Kashmiri playwright and director Amin Bhat, 44, said the popularity of heavyweight plots over romance was a "reflection of events taking place".

"How can we detach ourselves from day-to-day happenings? It comes through in our writings," said Bhat, whose hard-hitting play "White Paper" won him wide praise and huge audiences.

"White Paper" touches on the sensitive issue of disappearances and custodial killings which have characterised the troubles.

Police say more than 300 people have died in custody, and at least 100 have disappeared after being arrested since the insurgency against India rule erupted in the Muslim-majority region nearly 20 years ago.

They say many of the missing crossed over the line of control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan to join insurgents.

Local human rights groups however offer figures much higher, with the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) saying that 8,000 people have vanished, most of them after being arrested by Indian security forces.

The drawn-out insurgency against New Delhi's rule here has affected almost every household in Kashmir -- and Bhat is no exception.

"I have felt the pain of violence and the stage is the place to give vent to my feelings," said Bhat, whose younger brother bled to death after a grenade attack two years ago.

"The stage is a refined form of protest and it helps to debate an issue. I am glad the plays are back and the response has been fantastic."

The violence has left more than 47,000 people dead by official count, though rights groups put the toll at 70,000 dead and disappeared.

Bhat's play "April Fool" explores political issues surrounding the famous tourist destination of Dal lake, tackling corruption at the highest levels of government and the authorities' failure to protect the lake.

The farce, which drew huge crowds during its run last month, revolves around rumours of government plans to fill in the lake and build houses on the land.

Ayash Arif, 48, is another writer-director of the new wave of Kashmir theatre whose latest production tells of a sculptor who is forced to give up his art and carve tombstones for the victims of the violence.

"These topics are very dear to us and they touch the psyche of every Kashmiri," said Arif.

"I could do justice to them as I have seen the turbulence myself," said Arif. "Our plays hold a mirror to what has happened and the present situation."

It is all very different to before the insurgency, when theatres staged saccharine boy-meets-girl storylines that helped people forget about the horror outside the theatre doors.

Now the mood is calmer, theatre-goers says they are simply delighted to back in their seats.

"My favourite form of entertainment has returned. You will see me here more often now," said Nazir Ahmed after enjoying an evening at Tagore Hall. (AFP)


Taliban Chants Heard In City Violence

Srinagar: Pro-Taliban slogans rang out in the old city today as masked protestors turned violent during demonstrations demanding a poll boycott during which the effigies of acting Hurriyat (M) chairman, Maulana Abbas Ansari, were set on fire.

Violence also flared up in Baramulla and Sopore where the police used tear gas and aerial firing to disperse protestors, while a march was held in Anantnag, even as Syed Ali Shah Geelani and several other pro-freedom leaders were placed under house arrest since Thursday evening.

Pitched battles between the police and violent protestors in several parts of old Srinagar and in Baramulla and Sopore in north Kashmira left nearly 35 persons, including 5 policemen, injured.

Groups of youth took to the streets in Nauthatta and adjoining areas after Friday prayers chanting slogans for the release of detained leaders and for total poll boycott.

Slogans in favour of the Taliban were heard in Srinagar for the first time since the birth of the group as the crowds surged towards the Nauhatta square where the effigy of acting Hurriyat (M) chairman, Maulana Abbas Ansari, was set on fire.

The demonstrators, many of them having masked their faces, also shouted slogans favouring the United Jehad Council and militancy as they demanded a total implementation of a poll boycott during the parliamentary elections now underway in the state.

Acting Chairman of Hurriyat Conference Maulana Abbas Ansari had said on Thursday the "diktats" of UJC chairman for a poll boycott were not acceptable.

(Kashmir Observer)

Kashmir is Steeped in Hindu Culture

Hindus may have left the valley (for the time being) but the valley resonates with their culture

1500-Year Old Hindu Godess Idol Found in Bijbehara

Bijbihara: A rare stone sculpture (idol) of Hindu goddess of wealth, Laxmi, believed to be over 1500 years old, was evacuated few days back from the village Waghama (Anantnag district) on the right bank of river Vitasta - near Bijbehara, according to deputy director of Archives, Archeology and Museums, Peerzada Muhammad Ashraf.

Ashraf said the farmers stumbled upon the idol when they were digging a field in Waghama, Bijbehara. “They took the idol with them but some villagers tipped the local police who recovered the idol and handed it over to us after legal formalities,” Ashraf said, adding, the experts are studying the idol.

Experts have identified the sculpture as that of Goddess Laxmi, dating back to 5th Century AD. The sculpture measures 7 inches high and 4.5 inches wide and is seen as the most impressive find of the year. “It is a rare idol that depicts the goddess riding a lion while a crocodile rests at her feet,” said an expert wishing anonymity. Another expert said the sculpture depicting Goddess Laxmi on a lotus throne with lion motifs on its either sides is a complete figure with impressive artistic details.

Experts say there has been great influence of Greek culture in areas in and around Bijbehara. Noted historian, Muhammad Yousuf Taing, said that Mehra Kul, a Hindu King, in 4th century AD had donated a huge chunk of land in Bijbehara to Brahmins of Gandhara, Afganistan.

“It is pertinent to mention that a big temple devoted to Vishnu existed till 19th century in Bijbehara. Bijbehra should be declared as a heritage zone with a museum to preserve its rich artifacts given its tremendous historical significance,” various experts said, who criticized the Archeology Survey of India (ASI) which shifted its operations to Jammu under the militancy began in early 1990.

“Our archeological wealth is in ruins due to the neglect by the ASI. Government must take steps to handover the archeological sites to State Archeology department,” said a noted expert.

Meaning of Azadi in a Land of Indulgence: Is Azadi possible without a movement of reform?

Firdous does a follow-up to an earlier story posted on the Blog on March 22, 2009

(Mr. Firdous Syed, 43, was born in Bhaderwah, Doda, and had his schooling in Jammu. He is currently the Chairman of the "Kashmir Foundation for Peace and Development Studies," and associated with the J&K National Conference. Between 1989 and 1991, he led the Moslem Janbaaz Force, a militant group, and was jailed from 1991 through 1994. In 1996, he publicly renounced the gun culture, and has since joined mainstream politics and is an active member of the Kashmir civil society.)

Pessimism of Intellect, Optimism of Will

After the publication of Column “What does Azadi means”, a journalist friend disapprovingly commented: why do you juxtapose movement for Azadi with issues related to reformation, in your columns? The friend may have deduced; I am following a sinister agenda to confuse the ongoing movement with some obscure ideas. At the spur of that moment I had no readymade answer. Nonetheless a great sense of dejection engulfed me; even well educated and supposedly intellectual class in Kashmir considers reform and Azadi as two different spheres. Not able to place the two together--part of one common running thread. For this class, merely end of occupation connotes Azadi and a movement of reform has nothing to do with the quest for Azadi. Some even may go to the extent: talk of reform at this juncture while Kashmir is engaged in a freedom struggle is to confuse the movement, which solely serves the interests of colonial masters. However, whatever the mindset, question remains; is Azadi possible without a movement of reform? And whether Hindustan is bigger enemy or Sheatan (Devil)

Before putting things in a perspective, let us have a reality check. How many in Jammu and Kashmir dream of Azadi? Without any doubt or exaggeration, 95 per cent of the Muslim population. And given a chance, how many will seek or strive for Azadi? Difficult proposition to answer, but if Ragada phase of summer 2008 provides any clue, 80 percent of the population believing in Azadi is ready to sacrifice in one way or other. Provided right kind of conditions prevail. And the most pertinent question, how many in Kashmir believe Azadi is possible? It may sound outrageous, nonetheless a hard fact; 99 percent of the people who dream Azadi in their heart of heart believe achieving Azadi is not possible, at least in their lifespan.

The reason for such a profound pessimism is lingering impression widespread in Kashmir; India is invincible. Strengths of the occupation cast a bleak scenario; we are unable to judge our ideological underpinnings or self-esteem. Majority of us only see the struggle through occupational lens. We have developed strange habit of victim mentality. We completely undermine our strengths, from one to ten we think India as foe that too insurmountable. India is formidable and unshakable hence no Azadi is possible. We do not consider our tepid and wicked behavior reason for our failings.

Victim mentality syndrome means putting onus of our all ills plaguing our society on Indian presence here. We are driven by hate against our external enemy and see him source of all our ills and are unable or not ready to locate enemy within. We may be justified to loath our oppressor because of the oppression, psychological and physical we undergo consistently. However this enmity, hatred or repulsion is relative and transitory---linked with the presence of India here. Once we are able to settle our pending issues with India, there will be no justification for any hard feelings against it. This we learn from the facts of history.

India was colony of British. Once Britain left India, both the countries were able to forge a respectable relationship as sovereign entities. This is not true in case of India and Britain alone. More than half of the world at one time was under British yoke. But after attaining independence all these countries are part of Commonwealth now. Most recently Bangladesh fought a bitter war of Independence, but today Pakistan and Bangladesh are good friends, both engaged in their own ways in nation building efforts.

Struggle against bad and evil, is perpetual. Whether India is enemy or friend, value systems have to be safeguarded. Free may cherish values but oppressed cannot sustain their resistance bereft of values. Movement of reform is prerequisite for the successful culmination of the freedom movement. Without reformation freedom is difficult to attain. Bigger evil is not the occupation but degradation of value systems, suppression is not permanent, fight against vices is.

To understand this better, it is required to deconstruct the idea of occupation. Primarily India maintains its position in Kashmir on the basis of its military power not goodwill of the people in Kashmir. People in Jammu and Kashmir keen to get rid of the bondage of slavery have been struggling for a long time now. Despite enormous sacrifices rendered, we have failed again and again. Reasons for the failures are so many. India is a mighty power and it matters, but it is not the predominate reason. The important reasons for our failures are internal contradictions and moral turpitude.

What strengthens the oppression here? Since 1931, Kashmir has witnessed many mass uprisings. However, 1989/90 phase of the movement was most widespread and unique. It was first time that entire Kashmir was up in arms, passion driven and hopeful. People, who remember 1990-92 period, will vouch that entire Indian administrative system had collapsed then. Only Indian soldier fighting against armed struggle was the remaining symbol of India in Kashmir. Indian political leadership was wondering in anxiety: is there any way it can maintain even a nominal/symbolic presence in Kashmir. It was the time, when mandarins in Delhi were mulling over the Bhutan sort of relationship with Kashmir. ‘Sky is the limit’ was offered much later in 1996. In Srinagar rumors were afloat; Rajbhavan working on a contingency plan, how to evacuate!

India retrieved Kashmir from the jaws of defeat. How it happened? The knowledgeable may argue: due to Indian military might; Pakistan’s wavering stand and international geo-politics favoring India. True, but partially. Let’s cast a different scenario. If we had one leader, like Mandela, Jinah, Gandhi or Che Guevara; one organization like, ANC, INC or Muslim League, with one program and one people solidly supporting the idea of Azadi, up till now, we would have reached our destiny. And if not yet, hopes would have been hovering over the horizon of an imminent victory. At least we would not have lost the hopes and battle as well, so meekly.

Again the pseudo-intellectuals taking false pride will contemplate and blame the machinations of the sovereign powers-- conspiring and collaborating to break the will of the people. Agreed, but there is another side of the story also. State apparatuses did their job well, what about us?

Oppression always plays the dirty games to destroy the freedom movement. And they were supposed to fragment us, but why we allowed ourselves to be fractured in hundreds of pieces. It severed colonial interest to create chasms and prop dozen’s of leaders. Why we played in their hands; every Sulla, Gulla, and Subhana started dreaming to become leader of the uprising. Who failed, we, and who won, they. They wanted to exploit, and we allowed them to get exploited. Who do, we blame? Him, who did his job well, or we, who failed to rise up to the occasion? Where does the blame rest-- in our wicked nature, or their sense of purpose?

Kashmiri Floriculture Exports Promoted by a Punjab Based Business Group

A public-private partnership provides a win-win situation for valley florists

Floriculture Department Ropes in Beauscape Farms

Abrar Lone (Rising Kashmir)

Srinagar: The Valley florists at last have something to cheer about as Beauscape Farms – a Punjab based flower and vegetable exporter shall procure the flower produce of Kashmir growers. The firm has been roped in by the department of Floriculture, to provide marketing support to flower growers who were badly hit due Amaranth land row last year and global recession this year.

Director Floriculture, Dr. G S Naqash is happy about the development and appreciated Beauscape Farms for starting dealings with the Valley growers.
“We have studied their model and are serious in entering into dealings with the firm. This is for the benefit of the growers who should get their money on time,” Naqash said while introducing the firm to the valley based growers in the department premises here.

“We will provide technical assistance to the growers under technology mission and in this context we had a meeting in Jammu last time in which it was decided that floriculture shall not be dependant on agriculture for inputs and other things,” the director said.

Avtar Singh the promoter of Beauscape Farms said, “We grow and export vegetable, flower seeds and plant material and have 300 growers attached with us in Karnataka and 500 in Punjab.”

“We export vegetable, flowers, seeds and agriculture material and plan to get more and more growers tied with us.”

Singh said that the firm has been in the market for 24 years now and has dealings with major companies at international level. We plan to get more and more growers tied with us from Kashmir, he said.

“Our motive is to produce best crop for export and we already have established relationships with dealers and distributors in international market and providing potential market to valley growers is no issue for us”, Singh added.
The growers admitted that they are not totally aware about the technicalities required in floriculture.

“Despite getting good produce, we incur losses due to lack of marketing support. We don’t know where to deliver our crops at the time of harvest and how to tap potential customers,” an elderly grower said.

Another grower, Zakir Hussian told Rising Kashmir that growers here tend to destroy some of the produce during harvest as they have no idea about the end use of the stuff.

“Growers are least aware about harvesting of flowers and as such tend to destroy their crop at the time of the harvest. Department should play its role in awaking the growers”, said Zakir.

Jammu and Kashmir is the only State in India that enjoys four distinct climatic conditions (temperate, Sub-tropical, Sub-temperate and cold arid) and well defined seasons which favors cultivation of varied kinds and varieties of flowers and bulbs.
Naqash however said that their job is to facilitate each and everything to the growers.

“We are being paid to provide technical support and market to growers”, he said.
Production manager Beauscape Farms, Sukhvinder Singh said, “We will provide Rs 125 per kilogram for cosmos to the growers, Rs 150 for Nasturtium, Rs 1200 for Zinnia and Rs 200 for Elysium.”

Culture Neutral: Persian Archives Meet (Almost) the Same Fate as Sanskrit Archives

Iqbal finds that after Sanskrit was replaced by Persian in the late 14th century, Kashmiri Sultans did not do much for preserving Persian documents either. Now, the situation is even more pressing: who will archive the material?

(Mr. Iqbal Ahmad, 48, was born in Parigam Chek, Kulgam. He is a graduate with Diploma in Numastics, Archaeology and Heritage. He is an archaeologist, writer, and a cultural historian. Mr. Iqbal Ahmad has published 12 reference books on Kashmir archaeology and heritage.)

Neglected Persian records of Kashmir

Apart from Sanskrit records of Kashmir which have been neglected and are decaying in various manuscript collections, our Persian documents and manuscripts too have not been given any special or deserving treatment. As a result, most of them are facing a similar crisis.

Most of these manuscripts are still undescribed and un-translated. Resultantly, many of the manuscript collections are un-catalogued and undocumented.

Like Sanskrit works, these Persian documents have also become an outdated literature which have got very few scholars who can decipher and explain the meaning of these works to the common reader. For a layman it is better to know what is Persian and what does it really mean? Perhaps, very few people may be aware of Persians glorious heritage. While for the rest of our educated youth Persian is no more than an Iranian language.

No doubt when we define Persian in simple terms we can say that it is an Iranian dialect which is still prevalent there. But for Persian scholars and historians, it significance in context of Kashmiri culture and history is very much established. Since the decline of Sanskrit, it was Persian who filled a literary gap here. Historically speaking, Persian evolved here in late 14th century AD when Shahmiri Sultans founded Muslim Sultanate in Kashmir.

Since the 14th Century to 20th Century, Persian found a strong base in the whole of Kashmir. It served as the official language of the people here for centuries together; besides it was also taught formerly in local madarrases. It was in the period of NC’s founder and former Kashmir prime minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah that a new education policy was formulated and Persian was introduced as one of the languages for school education.

Kashmiri Pandits had also learned this language and their contribution to its promotion was very much outstanding. Persian originally emerged from Persian present Iran but it got cultivated in Kashmir. Of its religious significance, most of religious scripts for Muslims where available in this script. It was much earlier than Arabic. It was also language of Muslim missionaries who introduced it in Kashmiri Khanqah’s and Madarassas.

Just like Arabic, it was obligatory for every Muslim of the sub-continent to learn it. In fact the contribution of Muslims to promotion of this Iranian dialect was well understood. Because they then needed it to learn so as to understand their religious teachings. What was more significant and surprising, obviously, was the role which Pandits played in development of this language and its literature.

Among Kashmiri Pandits, the name of Munshi Bhawanidas Kachru stands pre-eminently among Persian writers and poets. The original style of his Bahri-tavil is held in high esteem. Pandit Taba Ram Turki, Satram Baqaya, Daya Kachru, Aftab Bhan, Gobind Koul, Kailash Dhar and a number of other Pandits’ contributions to development of Persian literature are well mentioned in several Persian accounts of this land.

When we classify our written and official languages, we know that Prakrit was the earliest dialect of northern India, it was followed by Sanskrit. When Sanskrit discontinued it was Persian which took over Sanskrit learning in this part of the world. Thousands of books were written in this language which covered almost all the fields of education and literature.

Those were the glorious periods for Persian language and literature. However, things changed, Persian could not stand the new cultural and literary invasions. A time reached when this script became outdated. Consequently, it was dropped from the school curriculum. The Urdu and English languages filled the official language vacuum. Notwithstanding the fact that Persian is still taught in few government universities and colleges, but it is totally abandoned from local Muslim madarassas; which in fact is shocking.

Despite its religious and literary significance and background, Persian should never have got such a punishment from the Muslim Darasgahs. Why the present Darasgahs dropped it from their curriculum? No one knows better than the management of these religious institutions. They may have some logic in neglect of this Iranian dialect.

To promote Persian as a language is not my point, my concern is about its neglected heritage. Like Sanskrit manuscripts, the Persian manuscripts are scattered in a number of collections, which are mostly unidentified and undescribed.

Its translations have not been taken up so seriously. At most of these places, the manuscripts are neither documented nor catalogued. Although we know that we cannot revive and restore back its pristine glory, still we could have made an effort to accord it a better treatment.

We need to bring its scattered manuscripts and documents under one umbrella and preserve those for future generations. To understand the philosophy, history, culture and moral values hidden in these Persian manuscripts, we could have encouraged its systematic translation into new and prevalent languages of this land.

Almost all the sufic philosophic traditions and rituals are preserved in this language. Let us not again wait for Kashmiri Pandits to undertake the documentation of these manuscripts and free ourselves from this moral responsibility. The job is ours. Lets do it.

"Before Inviting Tourists, Please Take Care of the Hosts"

An editorial in the Rising Kashmir speaks about the chronic delusion otherwise called water logging in Srinagar

Srinagar waterlogged: This city urgently needs an integrated deep drainage system

The absence of integrated deep drainage system in Srinagar has led to the flooding of the streets and market places of this city. During past few days the consistent showers have made the life of a city dweller unimaginably difficult as the lanes and by lanes in the residential areas are completely submerged under the rainwater. Not just this, the main roads too have turned into pools of water. In such a situation, calling Srinagar a city is oxymoronic.

While talking to different officers that are working for various government departments related to managing the drainage network of Srinagar it comes to light that only a small portion of city is covered under deep drain network and rest of the areas are left unattended. Further, the dewatering stations that must be established at the terminal of every drainage network are not functional. In this kind of a situation inundation of roads and squares in Srinagar is bound to occur.

One aspect of the functioning of various related department is extremely off putting. The absence of any coherence between the working of these departments is at the bottom of things not improving in this regard. If a slew of departments are supposed to do the networking of deep drains in Srinagar without any proper coordination among them, how can a viable deep drainage system come about in this city? The absence of coordination has been talked about by the people of this state not once or twice, but consistently, as people have been witnessing the wastage of money, that actually belongs to them, when one department lays the road one day and the very next day another department digs it for some other purpose. It has been a salient feature of public works system in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

One simple question that comes to mind is that why can’t government coordinate different departments? In this era of speedy communication why is it difficult to get things done in a coordinated manner? The resources pumped in through various departments can be better utilized if there is a single point application of a project. If it is not possible to put in place another department that can act as an overarching organization, at least any project started by a government department should include works that normally fall under other departments, so that public work becomes a priority and not the official trappings. In case of the deep drainage system government need to integrate the departments first before the network is integrated. It should be the priority of this government to make Srinagar city worth living. Before inviting tourists, please take care of the hosts!

Environmental Challanges Facing the Mughal Road

Zahoor describes the situation that led to the Supreme Court decision on July 25, 2007 related to the Mughal Road Project


(Mr. Zahoor Wani is a Srinagar based journalist specializing in environmental issues.)

Revival of a historic road

The revival of a historic road should ordinarily not attract the wrath of conservationists. But in Jammu and Kashmir it did. The state government's decision to upgrade the almost five century-old Mughal Road is being opposed by conservationists who believe that it will fragment the habitat of the highly-endangered markhor goat. The Supreme Court has intervened in the matter, giving a conditional go-ahead to the state government's plans.

The 83.9-km long Mughal Road connects Shopian town in Kashmir with Poonch in the Jammu region.

Its origins are said to lie in the Mughal conquest of Kashmir in 1586. Mughal forces had taken this route to conquer the Kashmir valley. The road is now being used by trekkers. The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway is currently the only motorable road linking the valley with the rest of the country. But maintaining it has proved a tough task for the Jammu and Kashmir government. This highway cuts across a mountainous terrain, is prone to landslides, avalanches and other natural vagaries.

In 1980, the then chief minister of the state, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, had mooted the upgradation of the Mughal Road as a supplementary road link to the highway. Construction began in 1983, but was stalled with the onset of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. Work on the road resumed in October 2005. The construction order was challenged almost immediately by the Kashmir-based NGO Bio-diversity Conservation Trust. In a writ petition to the Supreme Court, NGO representatives said construction work would affect the region's biodiversity—the movement of wild animals, especially the Markhor goat, would be disturbed.

This was a serious allegation because the animal is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN's) Red List of highly endangered wild animals and is also named in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Jammu Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act, 1978 (amended in 2002). Bio-diversity Conservation Trust's chief grouse is that the road will bisect the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary into the north-western alpine area and the south eastern area, which is spread over alpine as well as forest ecosystems. Around 67 hectares (ha) will be diverted, the conservationists alleged.

What got the short shrift? Fazal Ali Ansari, managing trustee of Green Kashmir, a Srinagar-based NGO, argues, "We need an alternate road for winters when the Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed, but the mountainous range along the Mughal Road always gets early and heavy snow. So it's a delusion to think it will supplement the highway. The road is being constructed through an eco-sensitive zone.'

M Y Yousuf, director of the University of Kashmir's Centre of Research for Development (cord) agrees: "The environmental clearances were not in place and the road was being constructed without an environment management plan. It's true that the initial construction work on the Mughal road began before Hirpora was notified as a sanctuary. But over the years there has been little coordination between government departments concerned.'

Yousuf says the state government sought environmental clearances only after conservationists took the matter to court. Cord was asked to submit an environmental impact assessment report to the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board. The report, submitted in January 2006, said the road would cut through 67 ha of the Hirpora sanctuary disturbing the habitat of the Markhor. It questioned the utility of the project saying, "3.63 km of the road is highly landslide prone and around 20 km of road length on either side of Pir Panjal pass have snow bound sections'.

It added: "Road construction activity in itself would result in cutting of many trees, which in turn would have a cascading effect on the associated biota. Besides, traffic on the road may cause death of many animals that utilise verge habitats or try to cross the road…The presence of motor vehicles may introduce the potential for contamination of soil, air and water adjacent to the road and in the case of surface water, well beyond the immediate surroundings. Chronic contamination may become a problem for animal species, especially those at the top of the food chain... .'

Environmentalists blame Jammu and Kashmir's wildlife department for the omissions. AK Srivastava, chief wildlife warden, does not deny the charges. "When the initial construction work began, environmental conservation was not given significance,' he says. But he also says that the department lacks personnel. "Presently we have only five employees deputed in the area,' he explains. "We have submitted a Markhor Recovery Plan for the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary to the Union ministry of environment and forests which has been approved. Also, the state government has agreed to provide Rs 10 crore to our department for protection of the Markhor.'
On July 25, 2007, the Supreme Court gave a conditional go-ahead to the Mughal Road project, on the recommendations of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC)—the body which advises it on forest-related matters. The conditions imposed include:

A complete ban on movement by graziers through the sanctuaries and the conservation areas. An alternative corridor/road and grazing areas outside and away from the sanctuary areas should be earmarked to enable the nomads to move and graze their livestock.

The sanctuary/conservation areas which neighbour human settlements should be fenced to prevent poaching and other illegal activities.

An additional 149 sq km located on the eastern side of the sanctuary, which is presently in the possession of Pir Panjal forest division, should be included in the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary

The Species Recovery Programme for Markhors prepared by the Jammu and Kashmir's wildlife department be implemented

Five per cent of the project cost be deposited in the Compensatory Afforestation Fund by the user agency for undertaking conservation and protection work in the sanctuary

The apex court's order has drawn mixed reactions. Srivastava welcomed the decision to charge 5 per cent from the project developers for the development of the sanctuary. "We plan to take up fencing, demarcation, infrastructure development, afforestation, development of ecotourism and other works with the fund,' he said.

Yousuf, however, does not vest much hope with the department. He notes that Hirpora sanctuary's management plans for 2006-2011 do not take cognisance of recommendations made in the road's environment management plan. "Specially neglected are recommendations to create facilities that will allow uninhibited movement of animals in the sanctuary,' he says. Other experts doubt the practicability of some of CEC's recommendations. Political compulsions will make it almost impossible to implement the ban on graziers, they say.

Khurshid-ul-Alam, an environmentalist at the Centre for Human Development, another Srinagar-based NGO, has the last word, "The affair is a mistake of the past. We need to amend it.'

Fake Doctors Operating in Srinagar's Premier Medical Facility

Kashmiri gullibility to trust one and all creates problems everywhere

Fake Doctors Busy In SMHS, Held

Srinagar: In an audacious case of impersonation, two persons, one of them a woman, have been found to be posing as doctors in Srinagar’s premier medical facility, the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital, and looting gullible patients and their attendants right under the noses of authorities.

Both were arrested in a sudden operation by the Karan Nagar police today, and have confessed to their counterfeit activities.

Identified as Parvez Ahmad Sheikh of Bemina and Rabia of Barzulla, the duo was caught red-handed extracting money from patients after the police sealed off the hospital and began a hunt for the fake doctors.

Clad in white aprons with very medical-looking stethoscopes dangling around their necks, the twosome would pursue unsuspecting patients with their assurance and sweet talk, and make them part with their money.

Though it is possible to pass muster in the hospital bustling with white-coated and stethoscope-toting figures for some time, it is not clear how the duo avoided rousing suspicion for so long in the busy premises where doctors are a close-knit community.

When contacted, the Karan Nagar police confirmed arresting only one person, saying that a case had been registered and further investigations started.

(Kashmir Observer)

A Pillar of Civil Society

Nazir says that a good and conscientious journalist has no borders

(Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani, 59, is a jurist. He was born in Naranthal (Jalshree) village near Baramulla and was a student at the Government Degree College in Baramulla. Subsequently, he studied English Literature and Politics at the University of Kashmir, Law at the Sindh Muslim Law College in the Karachi-Pakistan, Islamic Law at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), International Law at the Queen Mary University London, Victimology at Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik - former Yugoslavia, Peace Keeping/Humanitarian Operations & Election Monitoring from Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento S. Anna - Pisa Italy, and has a Ph.D. in the Jurisprudence of UN Resolutions and Kashmir Case. He successfully argued a constitutional writ petition in the High Court of Azad Kashmir from December 1992 to April 1999 on the question of self determination and duties of AJK Government. As a lead human rights advocate he has faced a sentence of 5 years imprisonment and 15 lashes and a death sentence during the Martial Law of General Zia in Pakistan. Dr. Gilani has introduced awareness around the title of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to a Rights Movement since 1877 and the respective sovereign claims of India and Pakistan since 1948.)

Blind Folded Wisdom

A free press is important to engineer a social change and disturb the hard protected taboos. Press, like any other discipline in public life, has to be able to look into tomorrow and charter the nation into a prosperous and fairer tomorrow. And there are many tomorrows.

Press has to act as a lead catalyst to cause a social engineering. Recent example is the media of Pakistan which decided to remain on the side of its people, in their just struggle for supremacy of constitution, rule of law and a sovereign parliament. The new generation of media persons and writers changed the semblance of Pakistan and earned it respect of all other communities around the world for the first time since 1947.

Press owes its freedom and reach to people like late Babu Raheem of Glasgow, Great Britain, who used to be labelled as Indian agent, just for his innocent practice of annually subscribing to the Urdu Daily Sach published from Jammu. In fact Master Roshan Lal, the editor of Daily Sach was a distinguished son of the State and had suffered a forced migration from Mir Pur, Azad Kashmir. The two had been childhood friends as well. The Hindu Mir Puris in Jammu have continued to conserve their identity as a special group and continue to ascribe their attachment with Mirpur and Pahari language.

There are 56 Dailies, 57 Weeklies, 3 Monthlies and 11 News Agencies in the Valley alone. Jammu has its own strong contingent of Urdu and English press. Majority of this service is available on the internet. Babu Raheem would be turning in his grave in utter disbelief to find that the Newspaper that he paid for annually and many others are now available free on the internet. Technology has defeated the enemies of good understanding and Babu Raheem has won, though posthumously.

I have a journalist seated in the deep recesses of my heart. He was identified by my teacher Mr. Ganjoo at Higher Secondary School, Baramulla, way back in 1960s. He was true in his prophesy and I edited the school magazine ‘Uqab’, College magazine ‘The Varmul’, University magazine, S M Law College Magazine in Karachi, Pakistan ‘The Collegiate’, first monthly of Ministry of Information, Azad Kashmir ‘The Jaiza’, leading daily of Pakistan ‘Nawa-i-Waqt’ and a few other titles.

To be a good journalist and a fair journalist has its price. I paid it in the manner of facing a charge of preaching revolt against the military regime of General Zia. The regime booked me under Martial Law Regulation 13 prescribing 5 years imprisonment and 15 lashes and incremented it with a death sentence under Martial Law Regulation 53. Zia regime was angered by my article on the last meeting of Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto with Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in Rawalpindi jail before he was hanged. The article was published in weekly ‘Alfatah’, Karachi.

I defended the rightful place of Kashmiri language in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Editor Weekly Kasheer Rawalpindi, late Khawaja Samad Wani, a thorough gentleman of Kashmiri origin tendered an apology for publishing my article. The three people, who did not apologise to the Government of Punjab, were the editor of ‘Alfatah’ Karachi, the publisher and myself. M/S S T Printers in Rawalpindi chose to pay a heavy fine instead for a sin which they had committed on behalf of a Kashmiri writer. Irshad Rao editor weekly Alfatah, who later became advisor to Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto closed ranks with me and remained on the side of the freedom of expression.

It has discouraged me as an experience during my visits to Valley since 1996 and by a mail received from JKCHR office in Srinagar today to find that a section of Valley press has decided to remain blind folded and offer itself for channeling the mischief of State, non State actors and other vested interests. “The Day After” claiming to be an international illustrated news magazine, has quoted a news item from two Srinagar based newspapers, Daily Srinagar News and Srinagar Mail attributing to me as a speech made at the 61st Session of UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva in April 2005. The style, diction and the wisdom carried in the text is alien to my style and person. In fact there are a few words which have never found any space in my written or spoken work.

It is, however, true that I addressed under agenda items 5 and 9 the sixty-first-session of UN Commission on Human Rights, 14 March-22 April 2005. India, Pakistan and others who remain in attendance at the UN Sessions are fully familiar with the substantive merits and the quality of the phrase used in my written statements and oral presentations. It has a notoriety of arrogant secrecy until it is delivered.

Daily Srinagar News and Srinagar Mail may have been made to err in ignorance but a similarity of fabrication in three titles can’t be a simple error. One thing remains for sure that none of these newspapers has an accredited correspondent at the UN in Geneva. JKCHR too has never released any press advice to any one of these three news papers. I would not at this point argue that it is a sponsored mischief but would like to educate my fellow Kashmiris in-charge of the two titles and responsible for the first offering for doing a fake story and attributing to me that as a practice 25 copies of each speech are made available to the UN Secretariat for distribution among the Commission Members (now the Human Rights Council) and the interpreters before the delivery. And after the delivery other Government, Inter Governmental and NGO delegates also approach for the copies. Copies are available with the UN and UN would have done a press release about the two speeches.

We have a new generation of very able journalists in Kashmir. Post 1990 many others have mushroomed as wolves in lambs clothing. The latter are a cancer for any civil society and to encourage this crop of daily wagers is a crime against ‘good conscience’. It is important that rather than being dragged to face criminal liability for their misdemeanour they need to delve deep into the recesses of their good conscience and apportion a decent and noble role for themselves. It does not matter who sponsors who and which title. However what matters most is the substantive merit of the editorial content and the strength of a column. As long as it is a fair comment and a well researched piece, it remains in its noble spirit to enhance the common constituency of freedom of expression. We live in the year 2009 and it entails due accountability and transparency. Let our intellectual class resist to be a part of Blind Folded Wisdom. It is never too late to revise ones approach and resolve to make a difference in the best interests of our people.

A good and conscientious Kashmiri journalist has no borders. He belongs to all geographies and all nationalities. He is noble as long as he discharges his duty to fairness. He has the capacity and reach to connect Kashmiri nobility with rest of the world.

Creating World Class Products for Export Market

Mohi-u-Din believes the success in exports of crewel embroidery and chain stitch rugs over traditional carpets and shawls is due to innovation in manufacturing

(Mr. Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Khan, is a Crewel and Chain Stitch Manufacturer/Exporter. He is a member of Excutive Committee, Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Kashmir - CCIK.)

Kashmir Handicrafts: Declining Markets

Handicrafts of Kashmir that came into existence six centuries back, during the time of Hazrat Amir-e-Kabir (RA) are famous in the whole world. Different crafts of our state J&K developed big market, domestic and international. Among all crafts Carpet Industry alone has a value, in terms of export and domestic market, of about 900 crores annually. Other crafts like shawls, crewel embroidery, chain stitch rugs, paper machie, and wood carving have a value of about 800 crore.

Sad to note that Carpet industry has already declined in export market. These are many reasons for this, particularly in manufacturing of carpets. The manufacturer exporters have failed to develop new designs and color schemes. We have been seeing since decades only traditional designs, copied mostly from Persia. Further, the manufacturers have not encouraged the artisans, with the result the production of carpets has declined to a large extent in Kashmir valley. The grass roots level workers have lost the interest in manufacturing of carpets. Actually, there should have been regular increase in the wages, and quality check should have been put in action also. Just two decades before it was observed that almost every lane in Srinagar had a carpet loom, and same was the case in villages and remote areas. There is a big question mark that why we don’t have carpet looms in Srinagar and in villages. The people who were engaged in this trade, directly or indirectly, have left this job, main reason being the worker does not get sufficient wages. This has resulted in loss of interest and consequently the trend of carpet manufacturing has declined to a large extent. Otherwise a carpet was, and is, considered to be a Royal Product. We see its use in every part of the world. It is used in palatial houses, in conference and meeting halls, in hotels, in world famous mosques; more ever carpet has a domestic use also. When a dignitary visits from one country to another he is first given a carpet reception. Above all the use of carpet is a routine matter in the day to day life.

The carpet exporters and manufacturers are very much worried about its decline regardless of the current recession in the whole world, which can end sooner or later. Therefore we have to examine its root causes. If we want the carpet business flourish, both internationally and domestically, then we have to provide every facility to the artisans in terms of purchase of latest looms, raw materials and more particularly we have to pay them sufficient wages, that too in time, so that a worker gets encouraged and more and more people get involved again in its manufacturing process. The exporters and manufactures have a duty to develop new designs and new color schemes so as to compete with the world market, otherwise Persia, China, Pakistan, Turkey and other countries have gone far ahead in its export market. We have to blame ourselves first. We have to work collectively for uplift of this trade and go beyond paper work; practical steps must be taken.

There are a few carpet manufacturer exporters who exist here since decades. They have put forth their efforts and are always engaged with its uplift in terms of quality and quantity, both Silk and Wool. They develop new designs and color schemes time to time and have kept their market alive. To keep the carpet industry alive every manufacturer and exporter has to set up a new trend and change the modalities. The J&K government also has to come forward to help the manufacturers and exporters, particularly during the times of global recession.

Now if we talk about Shawl industry of Kashmir, this too is witnessing bad times. The big factor in this is the introduction of machine made shawls from Amritsar, Punjab, which has developed a big market though they do not contain 100% wool and last not much longer. The real Kashmiri shawls of Pashmina wool, which comes from Ladakh region of J&K State, is produced only in Kashmir, with hand-made embroideries. The raw pashmina is spun first by middle aged and elderly women on charka, woven by men on handlooms only afterwards. The other Kashmiri shawls made with Raffal Yarn in different counts of wool are very soft and again embroidery done on each item is by hand. To differentiate the Kashmiri shawl from Amritsar shawl there should be quality control and more particularly the manufacturers and traders must insert labels with some trade mark on each product mentioning machine -made or hand-made so that customers don’t get cheated; otherwise the famous Kashmiri Pashmina and Raffal shawls will fast decline in its export market, and also in domestic market. To uplift this trade the J&K Handicrafts Department has to play a huge role in this.

The case of Crewel Embroidery and Chain Stitch Rugs is different. There has been an uptrend in its export market since last two decades. The manufacturers and exporters have brought innovation in these products. It was mostly produced on Handloom Dasuti Cloth with single ply wool only, that too on natural backgrounds. Now, we have developed these products on different base materials like cotton duck fabric normally soft, velvet, linen, fine cotton jute, silk organza, organdhee, tissue, net, glazed, cotton, etcetera. More over the woolen yarn, mostly used in these are 2ply soft and strong wool of high quality. Here, I may mention that like shawls and carpets the stock goods are not possible in these products, the orders depend absolutely on buyer’s choice. More particularly the workers engaged with these products are getting sufficient wages and which get increased almost every year whenever the situation demands. The interest of the workers has developed to a large extent in this activity, though its 90% products are made in South Kashmir only. Here credit goes to our association where we have many manufacturer exporter members, some dealing in this trade since almost six decades.

Same is the case of chain stitch rugs. These products have definitely established the market not only in USA, but Europe, Gulf Countries, South America and even domestic. Everybody knows that recession is a global phenomenon. No doubt crewel and chain stitch rugs have also very slow trend but again it is a matter of time. When business meltdown will be over things will change for better.

Now, it is the duty of the manufacturers and exporters who are involved in different hand-made crafts of Kashmir; they must set up an organization of their own so that they can conduct regular meetings to discuss the difficulties faced by their trade, and only they know better how to keep this trade alive. If exporters care only for export figures, regardless what difficulties are faced by the worker at grass roots level things are not going to change. Government and private agencies have to come forward and manufacturers, exporters, artisans have to put due efforts to better the trends.

Public Health is a Challenge in Kashmir

Water borne diseases kill 200 kids every year

New Kashmir Challenge

Mehboob Jeelani (Rising Kashmir)

Srinagar: After 20 years of violence, Kashmir has identified its new enemy – the water borne diseases that are alarmingly proving to be fatal, particularly among the children.

Talking to Rising Kashmir, Head of Government Medical College’s (GMC) Preventive Medicine department, Dr Muneer Masoodi said: “Water borne diseases are the only fatal diseases in the Valley. We often get cases of jaundice and gastroenteritis due to consumption of unsafe drinking water.”

Masoodi said waterborne diseases could only be controlled by taking precautionary measures and supplying safe drinking water.

“We can only treat these diseases. The best way to be on the safer side is to consume water after boiling it for 15 to 20 minutes,” he said. “Hepatitis-A is one of the dangerous diseases transmitted through contaminated drinking water. The symptoms are only acute (no chronic stage to the virus) and include fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, itching, jaundice and depression. “These diseases cannot be controlled until people take precautionary measures and Public Health Engineering department provides safe drinking water.”

A doctor of GMC’s SPM department, wishing not to be named, said that in Kashmir province two to four people die due to waterborne diseases a week. This takes the annual death toll due to water borne diseases to over 200.

“Children are the worst hit as their immune system finds it difficult to overcome this disease. Contaminated drinking water used in the preparation of food also becomes source of food-borne disease through consumption of pathogenic microorganisms,” he said. “The consumption of non-treated drinking water initially causes abdominal discomfort, fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, bloating, and fever.”

According to World Health Organization, diarrhea disease accounts for an estimated 4.1 per cent of the total DAILY global burden of disease and is responsible for the deaths of 1.8 million people every year.

It was estimated that 88 per cent of that burden is attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene and is mostly intense among children in developing countries.

The K-Word: Is it Kashmir or Kentucky?

Ashraf wonders why Separatists keep writing letters to American Presidents, especially when America could not care less. But wait, there is more .... Kashmir actually belongs to America!

(Mr. Mohammad Ashraf, 66, was born and raised in Srinagar. He attended the S.P. High School and the S.P College before joining the Regional Engineering College at Naseem Bagh in Civil Engineering. However, he changed his career to adventure sports like mountaineering and skiing, completing his training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling and Gulmarg. He also completed a diploma in French language from the Alliance Française in New Delhi. He joined the J&K Tourism Department in 1973, rose to become its Director-General in 1996, and retired in 2003 after 30 years of service. He has been associated with the Adventure Sports at the national level and was recently re-elected as the Vice-President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, the apex body of adventure sports in India, for two years. To commend his efforts in introducing rescue measures in Kashmir Mountains, he was awarded “Merite-Alpin” by Swiss in a special function in Les Diablerets in 1993. He continues to be a member of the Governing Council of IMF and is also the President of Jammu & Kashmir Mountaineering & Hiking Club.)

Waiting for America!

For sometime past there have been many write ups that the United States of America led by its new dynamic President Obama may intervene to find the solution to the most intractable problem of Kashmir. In fact, this feeling had resulted from his pre-election discourses in which he had emphatically stated that for peace in Afghanistan it was essential to secure Pakistan’s eastern border and the ideal way to do that was to sort out the dispute on Kashmir. According to him the worst distraction for the Pakistan army preventing them in concentrating on the Afghan border was the emotional attachment of Pakistanis to Kashmir. If the reason for Jihad in Kashmir was eliminated, Pakistanis could be asked to devout full attention to the war on terror being waged in Afghanistan. This had given hope to many that immediately after taking over, President Obama will concentrate his energies in South Asia on solving this most vexed problem, probably among the last ones pending for solution for more than half a century. For some strange inexplicable reasons Kashmiris seem to have more hope on America than on their own selves in getting emancipated. They have failed to understand the American game plan. The real American face was shown very brazenly by their last President George Bush. In a way he was more practical and outright and left no one in doubt. According to him people all over the world were either with America or against America. There was no third option! This represents the true inner feeling of the American ruling elite. They see America to be the centre of the world. Everything else is subservient to this “reality”!

It is interesting to analyse the American attitude in regard to Kashmir right from the creation of this problem. Initially they were fond of supporting an Independent Kashmir which would be a bulwark against the expansion of the erstwhile Soviet Union. In fact, one of the main charges against late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was his hobnobbing with Adlai Stevenson, the then American Ambassador, for the creation of an Independent Kashmir. During the entire debate in the UN Security Council, Americans supported Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. In fact, there was a direct confrontation between America and USSR on the subject in all debates which took place in the UN. Americans supported their ally Pakistan and the USSR supported India. This continued during the entire period of the Cold War. No one knew that behind the scenes the Americans and the British had already decided to keep the pot of Kashmir boiling in order to keep their hold on the sub-continent. This was revealed a couple of years back through the declassification of some secret documents containing the minutes of meetings held between George Marshal and Bevin in Paris in late forties! However, as long as the erstwhile Soviet Union was there, Americans took an outright stand in favour of Kashmiris.

Once the Soviet Union disintegrated, their stance had an immediate change. They did not need any bases to lay a siege round the Soviet Union. Globalisation of the world economy forced them to reorient their aims and objectives. The priority now was the possession of control over the world energy sources and monopoly on the world market. Economy was the buzz word. Liberty, equality, fraternity, the three attributes of the French Revolution which also formed the basis of the American Republic lost their meaning for them. The control of oil wells, the access, and manipulation of markets in different parts of the world became the priority number one. They did not mind, in spite of claiming to be leaders of the democratic free world, supporting the most autocratic, ruthless, and dictatorial regimes and Sheikhdoms in the Middle East to keep their hold on the Arab oil. On one hand they supported these undemocratic Kingdoms and on the other hand they put the dagger of Israel in the heart of the Arab world. During the Bush era they went totally overboard and declared Islam to be a religion of terror and all Muslims potential terrorists. Americans tried their best to ensure that the entire western world turns against Muslims. Kashmir which was once dear to their heart as a nation struggling for its freedom became a hub of “Jihadi Terrorism”. They made a complete somersault. From supporting Kashmiris’ right to self-determination they came to support Indian hold on Kashmir. There are two reasons for this change. Firstly, Kashmir is now construed to be a problem of Muslims. If Kashmiris were Christians or Jews, things would be quite different. The living example is East Timor. Secondly, India is a massive market for Americans which they cannot afford to neglect especially with the fast growing economy of China.

It is difficult to understand as to why Kashmiris look towards America for justice and fair play in the face of these stark truths? Unfortunately, the continued oppression and development of a totally selfish outlook have made Kashmiris insensitive not only to the finer qualities of self-respect and dignity but have also made them lose faith in their own selves. There is total and absolute lack of self-confidence. It was really funny to watch some Kashmiri leaders pleading with President Obama through letters written to him and through their statements in the media, for intervening in the Kashmir dispute. There is only one conclusion that the leaders of the movement do not have faith in their own beliefs and convictions. If they had the convictions and were confident of the genuineness of their cause, they would not be pleading for foreign intervention. Highlighting human rights violations and demanding intervention of Global Watch Dogs of these rights for halting these excesses is totally different from pleading with the original creators of the conflict for its solution. It may be better to address the civil society in India itself by making them aware of the ground situation. It has been generally observed that the majority of people in India are absolutely unaware of the real ground situation in Kashmir. There is a general feeling resulting from massive propaganda that Kashmiris want to remain with India of their own free will. The recent massive participation of the people in the assembly elections is presented world wide as well as within India as a proof of this “truth”. Most people are made to believe that it is only a few hundred cross-border terrorists coming from Pakistan who are creating the problem. Not many people in other parts of India know that tens of thousands of Kashmiri youth, almost a complete generation has been killed. Not many know that thousands have disappeared without a trace and not many know that thousands are in different Indian prisons without any trial for last 18 years or so! Not many know that almost every inch of the civilian population is under the control of security forces having impunity for killing any one at the their sweet will on the mere suspicion of being a potential militant. All the international pressure and foreign intervention will not be as effective as the pressure of the public opinion and the civil society within India. The Algerian freedom struggle received a real boost when the famous French writer Simone de Beauvoir wrote a book about the torturing of the young Algerian girl Djamila Bopacha by the French soldiers. Kashmir’s real tragedy is the presence of dozens of parties led by dozens of leaders going in dozens of directions!

The first requirement for all these groups and their leaders is to put their act together. Unless they unite and have a common goal, Kashmiris would continue to wander in the desert. The least they could do is to educate Indian masses about the plight of Kashmiris which is not such a tall order!

There is a silver lining to the Kashmiris’ American dream. Dan Brown, the author of the controversial book about Jesus and Mary Magdalene, “The Da Vinci Code” is coming out with a book on Kashmir titled, “The Secret of the K-Word”. The author claims to have discovered the original document over which the Instrument of Accession, signed by Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh and preserved in the National Archives, New Delhi, was later superimposed. The secret document reveals that Hari Singh, equally apprehensive of joining either India or Pakistan, covertly ceded Kashmir to the US. According to Brown, when the map of Kashmir is reversed it becomes, uncannily, congruent with the hilly state of Kentucky in the southern US. Let us hope Kashmiris have not been waiting for America without a reason!

Home of Ancient Civilizations

Iqbal pleads for preserving Kashmir's ancient manuscripts written in Sanskrit and Persian

(Mr. Iqbal Ahmad, 48, was born in Parigam Chek, Kulgam. He is a graduate with Diploma in Numastics, Archaeology and Heritage. He is an archaeologist, writer, and a cultural historian. Mr. Iqbal Ahmad has published 12 reference books on Kashmir archaeology and heritage.)

Home of Sanskrit Learning

Without doubt we should take care of our spoken dialect, Kashmiri, which since centuries has been serving as the medium of our common people although it hardly served as a written language and never as the official language of this land.

As records witness it was Sanskrit and Persian which filled the written and official gaps which were left empty by our mother tongue.

The earliest hand written documents and manuscripts of our classical ages are found in Sanskrit language and the characters adopted are Sharda; although we could not preserve this classical language, we need to take care of those manuscripts and documents which have been written in Sanskrit and Persian languages.

If you visit the old libraries and archive repositories you would definitely come across a number of ancient manuscripts and documents of Sanskrit. Sometimes you would find such manuscripts written in bark leaves and wooden sheets. We cannot decipher these characters. There are only few experts and scholars who can recognize this ancient alphabet and decipher the script. For most others such ancient literatures are beyond their understanding and wisdom.

These ancient records undoubtedly would be most significant, as they pertain to our ancient land and its people. These records have been written in this land and should be genuine documents of our classical literature. Most of such manuscripts are found in various old institutions of Srinagar and Jammu namely the Research Library, Archival repositories of Jammu and Srinagar, SPS Museum, Srinagar Dogra Art Museum, Jammu Centre of Central Asian Studies Museum Srinagar and in the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. Obviously, even the preservers of this record did not know what they have preserved?

Kashmiris are proud and justly so of the literary glories of their land. For centuries it was the home of the greatest scholars and at least one great Indian religion Shaivism has found some of its most eloquent teachers on the banks of the Vitasta. Some of the greatest Sanskrit poets were born and wrote in the valley and from it has issued in the Sanskrit language; a world famous collection of folklore.

Sanskrit records are the oldest records of Kashmir. But to make matters clear the language did not serve as the language of common people, it was the language of officers of rajas and Maharajas and of the literary classes. Besides, it served as the only written language of this land till the arrival of Persian. If you ask somebody about such collections they would say these are Sharda manuscripts and most of them do not know in which language these have been written.

In fact, most of our earliest manuscripts are written in Sharda alphabet while few in Gilgitian characters, but the language adopted in these records was Sanskrit, so we can call them our Sanskrit records. Kashmir is said to have served as the home of Sanskrit learning; in the words of Grierson, “For upwards of two thousand years Kashmir has been the home of Sanskrit learning and from this small valley have issued masterpieces of history, poetry, romance, fable and philosophy.

In fact whatever records of ancient Kashmir are available they are entirely in Sanskrit. These Sanskrit records are found written on local paper. I have seen many such manuscripts written on brick bark leaves, locally called burz. These entire Sanskrit records are not unidentified and undeciphered. Most of these records have been deciphered earlier and their respective translations are available. One such significant example is of our Kashmir history Rajtarangni which was also written in Sanskrit

But nowadays we have many explanatory translations available of this earliest historic ‘epic’. Who were the people who undertook this mission? The reply is the British missionaries. The first scholars who undertook the translation work of Sanskrit records were European missionaries. Gareison, George Buhler, and Stein were the first line scholars who studied the earliest Kashmir records. Maharaj Ranbir Singh who was very much inspired by the British missionaries founded the first ever Sanskrit Pathshal at Srinagar and employed proficient pandits for teaching the language.

He also set up a translation bureau where Sanskrit texts were translated into Persian and Hindi. The Maharaja was followed by democratic government which established an independent and fully equipped research department where many Sanskrit texts were edited, collated and published. The Research Department of Kashmir which was set up at Lal Mandi in Srinagar did a great work in translation of a number of Sanskrit works. Later on in the period of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the Research Department which was known as Research Library was shifted from Lal Mandi to Iqbal Library Kashmir University;

However, its management control remained with public libraries department. This glorious institution suffered badly in the hands of political and administrative high ups and a time reached when it became entirely non-functional. It lost its basic purpose of establishment. It could neither collect further manuscripts nor could it continue its translation bureau. As a result the Sanskrit records got scattered in various non-research organizations. Of course, those organizations also preserved these manuscripts but they could not translate it into other understandable languages.

These organizations are not to be blamed because the people employed there do not know what they preserved? Besides proper preservations, our Sanskrit records need to be translated so that people can understand the significance of these manuscripts and can also know their ancient land and its people. This is our genuine classical source material by which we can be able to research our past.

No doubt the Mission Manuscript Scheme launched by Government of India has been successful in documentation and cataloguing of a number of such manuscripts. But it is not sufficient, until these manuscripts are not translated and interpreted. Steps are required to be taken to restore the translation bureau of research department and make it functional by providing professional hands to it. That is the only way to protect it.

A Tragedy of Immense Proportions

In March 2009, Lal Ded Maternity Hospital records the highest number of infant deaths in any month in its history

Deliveries go wrong in Lal Ded

Srinagar: Eleven newborns died in Lal Ded (LD) hospital during March, allegedly due to mishandling of deliveries and wrong use of vacuum extraction method by the hospital staff.

According to medical record section of LD hospital, 11 death certificates were issued to families whose newly born babies died in the hospital in the previous month.

“Senior doctors who want to spend most of their time in private clinics use the easy method of vaccum extraction for deliveries. This method, at times, results in the death of newborns,” hospital sources said.

The medical record section of the hospital reveals that from March 3 to March 27, 11 newborns died during operative delivery or the normal delivery process.
Hospital sources said 11 deaths a month is the highest for any month in the history of hospital. “It is an abnormal trend. Government should take a serious note of it,” said a doctor, Shabir Ahmed.

While hospital authorities attribute the “abnormal” death rate to the shortage of staff and huge rush of complicated patients from peripheries, sources said doctors remain negligent while handling patients.

The 500-bed LD hospital is the biggest maternity hospital in Kashmir.
Hospital records reveal that everyday around 350 to 400 patients visit the hospital’s Out Patient Department of which 250 are obstetric and 150 gynecological patients.

The records reveal that everyday about 115 patients are admitted in Indoor Patients Department with about 80 obstetric and 35 gynecological cases. According to the records, the hospital performs 45 major and 30 minor surgeries everyday.

“About 20 normal deliveries and 40 to 45 lower segments caesarian sections are performed daily,” said a senior doctor at the hospital wishing not to be named. “The hospital has a good laboratory backup, well established radiology department, laundry CSSD and the blood bank. Despite this patient care has come down drastically.”

The doctor held the successive State governments responsible for the “virtual mess” in the hospital. “The hospital is a victim of lobbyism. We have a lobbies of paramedic staff and doctors. They are always at loggerheads. This, coupled with negligent attitude of the hospital staff, is severely telling on the patient care,” the senior doctor said.

The doctor said that the recent decision of the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of transferring the medical superintendent of the hospital won’t do any wonders.
“The chief minister should have transferred the entire paramedic staff and made senior doctors more accountable. Private practice of doctors should also be banned like it is in SKIMS,” he said.

Medical Superintendent of LD Hospital Dr Mohammad Shafi termed the 11 death in the March as an “abnormal trend”. He said the matter would be investigated. “I will see what the cause of these deaths is and take appropriate action if necessary. The hospital is overcrowded with patients. The rush at times is unmanageable.”

However, Principal Government Medical College Dr Sahida Mir said vaccum extraction could not be the cause death of baby. "I will find out the reason why there had been 11 deaths in the month of March,” she said. Dr Mir said LD being the referral hospital receives all complicated patients from peripheries.

“Most of the times these patients are handled by untrained people in the peripheries and reach the LD hospital at a later stage. If a mother is in labour for long, we use vaccum extraction in the interest of the patients. It cannot cause the death of a baby but can cause the head injury to the baby,” she said.

(Rising Kashmir)

Bridging the Industry-to-Industry Divide in J&K

Mehmood discusses dilemma in reconciling needs of vocal businessmen with rural activists on industrial policy

(Mr. Mehmood-ur-Rashid, mid-30's, lives and works in Srinagar. His commentary is published by the Rising Kashmir.)

Talking industry

Sectoral typology of economy into Agriculture, Industry and Service becomes really beneficial when each of them contributes to the overall economic health of a nation independently and in visible forms. It still benefits if the problems related to each sector are specifically targeted. The typology is denuded of any benefit when people lose the consciousness of being a part of any particular sector.

This has happened to Kashmir. Our failure to institutionalise these sectors of economy, and deepen the understanding of how things specifically work in a particular sector, has resulted in our economy becoming an undifferentiated mass of random economic efforts. Our farmer works in the field or takes care of his orchard but he is least informed about his sectoral belonging. Our Small Scale Industry (SSI) unit holder has the mindset of an ordinary shopkeeper and our government employee could not give a damn to what this Service means. Talking in economic terms might have become a matter of little pride for our ‘vocal businessmen’ and ‘rural activists’, but fact of the matter is that we participate in a terminology laden economic discourse without being serious about what all this means. The change will begin to appear only when while talking Industry we mean Industry.

Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) organised an interactive leadership briefing session titled, ‘Kashmir’s Industrial Growth and Development – The Road Ahead’. The organisers of the event explained why the industrial sector in Kashmir hasn’t picked up well, the way it did elsewhere in India; inadequacies in the Industrial policies that were introduced from time to time and what industrial sector in Kashmir expects from current dispensation. Dr Drabu made his point by alluding towards the status of industries in Kashmir and rubbished the very idea of having an Industrial Policy for Kashmir. He instead emphasised on having a strident Enterprise Policy. Omar Abdullah, as politicians always do, brought in the talk of Sangarsh Samiti and the diabolical precedent that the traders in Jammu set by cooperating with the rightwing Hindu parties, to sustain the agitation in Jammu and prolong the economic blockade of the valley. An entrepreneur, an economist and then the politician; all three expressed their mind on how things stand in Kashmir and how is the Road Ahead.

Being always grumbling about the policies of government and asking more in terms of sops and subsidies has been the hallmark of business community in Kashmir; although they cannot be blamed for that because they think and do things in a particular mindscape that has developed in Kashmir over many decades. Further they tend to draw comparisons between how governments in other states of India bolster industries in their respective areas and how Kashmir is being ignored by the central government. In this kind of a situation Shakeel Qalander is absolutely right in highlighting the inadequacies of earlier policies and talk openly about what is needed by this sector if it has to grow.

All this granted, we need to gear up for a real change. Dr Drabu’s reading may actually act as a point of departure from our fossilised approach towards industrial growth in Kashmir. Who knows when the government at Delhi gets really serious to infuse life into Kashmir industries, and Drabu has his wish granted, but if people in the industrial activity give heed to this suggestion they can turn it into an Enterprise Initiative. If governments have policies they are only to strengthen an already present public initiative or to create one. Since the political construct of Kashmir is never going to allow people to grow beyond the confines that Indian colonial cartography has permanently drawn, expecting government to come to our rescue is actually barking the wrong tree.

How the political eye of India gazes at Kashmir was well demonstrated by last year’s economic blockade by Rightwing Hindu parties in Jammu. The way our arm was twisted is proof enough that sky is not the limit, but the limit is our sky. Omar might have his own reasons to talk about Sangrash Samiti and his disgust with the big houses that once pitched their industrial tents in the lands of Kashmir; nevertheless, he has underlined the brutal truth about Kashmir’s relation with India.

Now that our sky is limited how can we keep flying till we actually dream of a horizon! May be one way of doing it is to make our younger generation conscious about the importance of economy in the overall growth of a nation and also equip them with the knowledge of how to do it here and how to explore possibilities elsewhere. While we are here we can press for concrete things like making land available easily for industrial activity, reclaiming the land that is registered against someone who has not started any industrial activity from past some years, making it compulsory for government department to buy the products manufactured here, and also connecting the companies like IRCON, ERA, and other big construction companies that are working in Kashmir with the local industries. Beyond Kashmir our top industrial houses can collaborate with the industries in India and beyond. That way they can expand their markets significantly. If we cannot stretch the limits here we can step into open lands, at least.

Reviving Agricultural Sector in Kashmir Requires Change in Priorities

An editorial in the Rising Kashmir puts emphasis on money, but equally or even more important is a change in public perception about the importance of agrarian economy on alleviating poverty in rural countryside of the State

Reviving agro-economy

Now that the new government has started taking measures for reviving the ailing economy and is trying to improving all the essential sectors of the State’s economy, one of the sectors that needs more than mere focus is agriculture. There is now a unison agreement that agriculture development is impossible if timely and adequate credit is not available to the farming community.

In a recently “State Credit Seminar for 2009-10” organized by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development(NABARD) in Jammu, it came to light that banks and financial institutions in the State need to tap the vast potential in agriculture and rural development sector. Speakers at the seminar including the Minster for Finance, Law and Parliamentary Affairs were apt to point out that Credit Deposit ratio is much below the levels prevalent in other states of India, besides the schemes that have been formulated for the uplift of agri-sector of the State are not being pursued by nationalized banks operating within Jammu and Kashmir. This directly has affected the agriculture production as a cycle of savings and investments has not been generated to adequate levels by making credit available to farmers.

The formation of Farmers Club has not received any focus from either NABARD or the government. The formation of Farmers Club in every village on the pattern of other States would help the agri-community to get proper extension service, technological know-how and credit facility.

The need for opening Compressed Atmosphere Stores and Cold Chain Facilities for increasing the fresh fruit life was also emphasized by speakers during the deliberations of the seminar. The credit potential for priority sector in the State by Reserve Bank of India has been projected at Rs 2315.65 crore including Rs 536.17 for agriculture, Rs 648.66 for non farm sector, Rs 59.87 crore for agro and food processing and Rs 12.12 crore for micro credit sector. Now this sounds adequate given the credit absorption capacity in the state economy and in primary sector like agriculture. NABARD has also been asked to help the State in development of vital infrastructure pertaining rural economy. Besides the agricultural bank has been advised to come forward and provide safeguard to farmers through insurance cover to crops in collaboration with the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS).

Now the question remains that is this enough to revive the rural economy of the State more particularly the Valley given the level of existing infrastructure available in rural areas? Definitely not, as sectors like irrigation, flood protection, rural drinking water, roads, bridges, schools, primary health centers, agriculture clinics, and host of other areas need the push for bringing the rural economy within acceptable levels.

KPSS Holds an Exhibition Displaying Photos of Desecrated Temples in Kashmir

Sanjay's organization hosted an exhibition that drew audience from all major separatist organizations in the valley

(Mr. Sanjay K. Tickoo, 46, was born and raised in Srinagar. After graduating from Hindu High School in Sheetal Nath, Srinagar, he completed his B.Sc. degree from S. P. College, Srinagar. Currently self-employed, his hobbies are reading and traveling. He is among the 4,000 brave Pandit souls who have weathered the worst of the militancy in Kashmir, and is proud to call himself a citizen of Kashmir who stayed put in the valley. He is the President of the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti - KPSS.)


KASHMIRI PANDIT SANGARSH SAMITI (KPSS)
Sathu Barbar Shah, Srinagar, Kashmir - 190 001


Press Release


From the past so many years it has been the primary agenda of the KPSS to protect the religious places and its properties from the unscrupulous elements from being desecrated or alienated by way of deeds and agreements. And to this effect KPSS is already pleading the cause before the Government and its functionaries so that the identity of the Kashmiri Pandits could be saved in practical terms. But till date nothing positive is yielded from their side except the hollow promises and lip sympathy. In addition to that some Non-State Subjects having very good nexus with some locals, Government officials and blessings of some high profile politicians are alienating the properties of our religious places and institutions to mint their fortunes and vanishing the culture and identity of the Kashmiri Pandits in particular and the age old heritage of a Kashmiri in general.

As this is a well known fact that after the mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandit Community from the Valley in 1990, the worship places were the most neglected ones. Neither the successive Governments never tried to protect them nor a single word came from the local or Separatists leadership side, even after our repeated appeals through press or one to one meetings.

Worship places play a big role as the identity of a Community and so without these religious places the identity of the Kashmiri Pandit Community is under a big question mark, as unfortunately some person’s within the Kashmiri Society are working in hand with some vested interest persons to vanish the existence of this miniscule community from the Valley for their petty political gains and interests and the blame is put on all the Kashmiri Society. So we feel that it is duty of all common citizens of the Valley to contribute in their own ways and means to protect these religious places belonging to the minority community.

Today’s photo exhibition under the theme “PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS PLACES (Challenges & Responsibilities)” is an attempt to protect the religious places with the active support from the Muslim Majority Community living in the Valley, obviously, which is our last hope.

So we appeal who so ever is part of this Kashmiri Society whether it be the local Leadership (main stream or separatists), Civil Societies, Intellectuals and Religious Scholars to come forward to denounce these acts which cause the moral and religious imbalance in the Society and impress upon the general public to protect the worship places belonging to Minority Community.

Paranoia Runs Deep in Kashmir, Especially When it Comes to Dealing with the Success of a Miniscule Minority

It is unfortunate that some Kashmiris display characteristic insecurity in coming to grips with the success of a handful of minority Pandits, forgetting conveniently that significantly higher proportion of the majority community - intellectual or otherwise - work for the Indian State, including many Separatists

(Mr. Riyaz Masroor, 37, was born and raised in Srinagar. He is a Srinagar based journalist who writes in English, Urdu and kashmiri. Besides working in the local press, his articles have appeared on BBC Radio online, Himal Southasia and the Journal of International Federation of Journalists.)

Kabul, Kandhar and Kashmir

Mohan Lal (1812-1877) was an ethnic Kashmiri Pandit who pursued a career in British intelligence during first Afghan war; it was the time when the East India Company was relieved from managing India and the country was taken (or enslaved) into the direct domain of the RAJ. Mohan Lal was less likely to go with the freedom struggle because his father, a high-caste Brahmin, had also participated in a British mission to Afghanistan in 1808. He, therefore, went with the family tradition.

Credible historians have recorded that in early nineteenth century Mohan Lal was the first Kashmiri to speak fluent English as he had graduated with first-class degree from Delhi English College that was founded by Charles Travelyan. It was Travelyan who had spotted Mohan Lal and sensed a spark of 'coercive diplomacy' in this dynamic Kashmiri young man. He had so impressed Sir Alexander Burnes that when Burnes was appointed British Resident in Kabul he invited Mohan Lal to become his partner in the mission.

Mohan Lal assumed the charge of Mir Munshi in 1831 amidst the Afghan resistance against the installation of Shah Shuja, a British prop. "In Kabul, he (Mohan Lal) was the Resident's ears and eyes, his silent partner and agile fixer, capable of becoming a fly on the wall, or a figure in the carpet," writes Karl Meyer and Shareen Brysac, who have jointly authored an exhaustive account of South and Central Asian conflicts. Pandit Mohan Lal's knack for counterintelligence was superb. He had engineered defection within Afghan warriors during the famous British siege of Ghazni. Historical accounts suggest he had long before recruited a defector at Ghazni who would later tip the British troops about a less walled up gate (other two gates were impregnable) that could be easily stormed.

When Kandhar fell and things were calm under Shah Shuja, Mohan Lal got reports about a clan chief Abdullah Khan having vowed to slay Burnes. The Kashmiri spy informed his mentor in advance but Burnes ignored the warning and stayed put in his Kabul mansion; two mornings later the British officer and his visiting younger brother Charles were hacked to death in the Resident House. Later, Mohan Lal would organize a sort of “operation clean-up” at the behest of Sir William Macnagten to eliminate the resisting Afghan chiefs. He would distribute Rs 10000 for the head of each of the “rebel Afghan chief”. Two chiefs including Abdullah Khan, who had slain Burnes, were assassinated during this “operation”. This too did not work to the Empire’s advantage and Mohan Lal could only ensure his own safety; he survived the disaster of British retreat that saw many bigwigs dead including Macnagten, returned to Delhi where he died almost unnoticed in 1877.

More than 170 years after Mohan Lal believed he could facilitate a British victory in Kabul, another bright Kashmiri Professor Amitabh Mattoo visited the war-ravaged Afghanistan in the spring of 2008. Mattoo, then Vice Chancellor of Jammu University, was received in Kabul by Afghan President Hamid Karzai with official protocol on 16 April 2008, two weeks after Professor Mattoo had been nominated as Government of India’s nominee on the Board of Directors of India-Afghanistan Foundation (IAF) for two years.

Besides Karzai, Professor Mattoo had a long chat with the Afghan government’s National Security Advisor, Dr Zalmay Rasool whose great grandfather was the last Afghan governor in Jammu and Kashmir. It is interesting to note that in 1831 a Kashmiri academic reached Kabul with a mission and earned a significant if short-lived victory for the Empire and in 2008 another Kashmiri academic landed in Kabul to bolster India’s policy toehold in Afghanistan. Though known in the annals of history as a spymaster, Mohan Lal was a ‘principled intriguer’ who would advise his mentors to the best of his knowledge about Afghan resistance to British occupation.
Burnes ignored his advice and lost his life; Macnagten put down his word of caution against a withdrawal pact with Akbar Khan, son of the deposed ruler Dost Mohammad, and was shot dead with the pistol he had gifted Akbar sometime back; Macnagten’s body was dismembered, his head borne like a trophy and his corpse impaled on a meat hook. Not just this, in all around 12000 British troops and agents died in the much quoted “Death March”, which Mohan Lal had opposed. British did not listen to Mohan Lal and the war went wrong; we don’t know if Professor Mattoo will follow Mohan Lal’s principle, of being honest and accurate while assessing Afghan situation for the mentors, during his tenure as India nominee in India-Afghan Foundation.

Indeed Professor Mattoo and Mohan Lal represent two different eras of Kashmiri disempowerment. While Mohan Lal earned Kashmir a broader mention in the elite war history of British Empire, the community is keenly watching Professor Mattoo. Will he forge a grand reconciliation between Muslim and Pandit sections of the same ethnic stock of Kashmiri society or allow himself to become just an extension of Mohan Lal’s nineteenth century network of secret agents, more politely called as diplomats.

Tailpiece

Speaking in a seminar about Pandit heritage on 31 March 2009, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Chairman of JKLF, advised Kashmiri Pandits against collaboration with the government. “As a student of history I should say it is dangerous for minorities in conflict societies to be affiliated with the government.” Unlike their Muslim natives Pandits don’t lack intellectual capital but in order to stage a social comeback they should listen to this vital piece of advice from a non-intellectual Kashmiri liberal.

Life in a Refugee Camp

Aditi details health issues among displaced Kashmir Pandit women languishing in refugee camps for nearly two decades

(Ms. Aditi Bhaduri, 39, is an independent journalist based in Kolkata. She has a Masters in International Relations with specialisation in Arab-Islamic world, Russian linguistics, internal displacement and gender inequalities. She was a Rotary Goodwill Ambassador to the US. She is one of the few Indian journalists to have reported from the West Bank, Palestine, on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and writes for the Indian print media in English, and is also a correpondent with Newsline (Karachi) and Women's eNews (New York). Recently she was awarded the UNFPA-Population First LAADLI National Media Award 2008 for gender sensitive reporting. She has recently started studying the Kashmir issue as part of her interest in the Islamic ummah and its interaction vis-a-vis other communities.)

In Jammu's camps, no relief

Usha Pandita, 45, feels tired even after the smallest of chores. But that's not unusual for her. She suffers from Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). For her, it all began with abdominal pain, which she initially disregarded as routine until it steadily increased. Usha then started to notice a heavy discharge and the feeling of being perpetually run down. That was when she visited the doctor. Tests confirmed she was suffering from PID - the inflammation of the organs in the pelvic region because of infection. It is during menstruation particularly that the uterus becomes more susceptible to this condition caused by unhygienic conditions.

Usha is one of the 10,000 residents of the Purkhoo migrant camp, one of the several camps set up on the outskirts of Jammu for the Kashmiri Pandit community forced to flee the Kashmir Valley when militancy gained ground in the 1990s. From Kupwara, Usha and her family made their way to Purkhoo, which they have called home since 1990. Years have gone by and even militancy is on the wane, yet time seems to have stood still for the inhabitants of the camps. Living in a one-room pigeon hole with a family of four can be trying in itself but the lack of sanitation has only added to the woes. For women, in particular, it is horrifying.

The Purkhoo camp has four phases and each phase has around 300 to 500 rooms. There are 10 toilets each for men and women. So there is one toilet per 150 men/women. The water supply lasts only an hour each day. Every time Usha, who lives in Phase I, goes to the toilet, she walks about 150 metres. What's more, she has to carry her wash water along. But there is only that much water she can carry. On numerous occasions the water is found insufficient to keep both herself and her surroundings clean.. It is because of these abysmal facilities that she ended up with PID.
Veena Pandita, 40, also lives in the same deplorable environs of Purkhoo. She too has acute PID. Dr Indu Kaul, a well-known Jammu-based gynaecologist treating these women, explains that the symptoms for PID include abdominal pain accompanied by heavy discharge and backache. She finds that in the case of women like Usha and Veena, PID continues for years. Usha, for instance, has been suffering from it for the last four years. The medicines don't really help, as the toilet she visits roughly four times a day continues to be poorly equipped.

Unfortunately, even the medication includes heavy doses of antibiotics, the intake of which has major side effects. When PID is deep rooted then surgery is usually the final recourse. Usha has been recommended surgery but her financial condition doesn't permit the procedure. "We still have four 'kanals' (one kanal equals 605 sq. yards) left in Kupwara. We had our own 'chashm' (well) there," she recalls wistfully. She adds, "I did not have to go to a toilet that was used by hundreds of others there."

Purkhoo's water supply, too, is contaminated. Residents complain that they have to replace their utensils every few months as they get coated with a white sediment. The pipes leak at multiple locations and so germs and dirt merge with the water. Near the toilets at Phase I, there is a water hole from which people draw out water to flush. But not only is the water filthy, it is even difficult to draw it out, especially when there is a long line of people waiting for their turn to use the toilet. Although help has been hired to clean the facilities once every two days, because of insufficient water and the sheer number of users, it is impossible to maintain a basic level of hygience. Moreover, there is no electricity in the toilets, so going after dark is another hazard, especially for the women.

That's why the maximum number of cases of PID in the city come from these camps. In fact, according to Dr Kaul, while the national average of PID is six to eight per cent, the cases reported from the camps can be 15 to 20 per cent, which is extremely high. The most affected age groups are the adolescents and those above 35 years. In adolescents, chronic PID can lead to a loss of fertility, so the increasing trend is cause for alarm.

Sarla Kaul, 28, who lives in the Mishriwalla camp, a kilometre from Purkhoo, suffers from Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). The sanitation situation at Mishriwalla is worse than at Purkhoo as toilets for both men and women are common here and no one comes to clean them. Many toilets are simply holes in the ground. Sarla has UTI, caused by poor hygiene and unsanitary conditions that make her vulnerable to other infections too. Lately, she has been suffering from menstrual dysfunction, with heavy blood loss and pain around her abdominal area.

Expectant women are particularly vulnerable to UTI, as pregnancy causes hormonal changes that lead to the relaxation of the urethra, which if exposed to poor sanitary conditions is quick to contract infection. UTI leads to anaemia, itching and swelling, which could eventually endanger the life of the child. It also often retards the growth of the foetus and results in stunted babies or those with low birth weight. That was the case of the baby Rajni Raina, who is in her mid-twenties and lives in Purkhoo Camp's Phase II, gave birth too. Not surprisingly, Rajni had chronic UTI during her pregnancy. Once again, Dr Kaul points out that while the national average of UTI is about 10 to 15 per cent, it is about 20 to 30 per cent in these camps.

Besides this there are other water-borne diseases prevalent here. Shetu Pandita, 17, of Purkhoo, has been ailing from a recurring hepatitis for the last five years. As has Puneet Bhatt, 16, of Mishriwalla - since he was 10, in fact. According to the World Health Organization, 80 per cent of such cases are caused by lack of safe water and sanitation. Five of the 10 top diseases of children are also related to water and sanitation. According to Dr K.L. Chowdhury, of Jammu, Hepatitis A and E are common in the camps. Again, in pregnant women, Hepatitis is particularly dangerous as it can put the lives of both the mother and child at risk.

The Third South Asian Conference on Sanitation held in New Delhi recently called for according priority to sanitation and reiterated that sanitation and safe drinking water are basic rights. Such declarations need to be translated into a reality if life is to improve for women like Usha and Veena, who are rendered without proper homes because of the politics of division and hate.

Delinking Azadi and Self-Empowerment

Abid notes that "excuses" that were made to justify unexpectedly high voter turnover during the previous State election do not apply to the Parliamentary election and hence a repeat performance would be bad news for Separatists

(Mr. Abid Bashir Wani, 27, was born in Srinagar. He attended the National School, Srinagar, and went for college studies to the Government Degree College, Srinagar. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the University of Kashmir and then finished his Post Graduation in Mass Communication and Journalism from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Kashmir branch. Mr. Wani was trained in journalism by his uncle (mother's brother) who is the head of the Jammu and Kashmir bureau of a national weekly magazine and was writing for a Pune based paper for some time. His own break came at the Rising Kashmir, where he joined as a staff reporter in 2008. In his leisure time he likes to read books and listen to music.)

One More Election

Remember last summer, when everybody – young and old, men and women - even the toddlers, joined the chorus of Azadi. People flooded streets, and millions gathered in the grounds, demanding freedom. Such was the intensity of the sentiment that youth, especially teenagers, climbed the 500 meter tall cellular network phone towers. The sight of and Lal Chowk’s Clock Tower, with young boys unfurling the green flags is an enduring memory in the public mind. That was really an expression of deep anger against India.

At that point in time political observers named it resurgence of freedom movement. Hurriyat Conference-backed Coordination Committee called the shots all around the Valley and it seemed that the State administration had lost control over people. It seemed that they had almost surrendered, not before the pro-freedom leadership, but surely before the people’s power. Slogans echoed from every corner of the valley. The entire space reverberated with the slogans depicting pain, anguish, and an intense desire to the the political condition of the valley. More than sixty people received bullets on their chests. And above 1500 were left injured; some of them still being treated for their injuries.

It was followed by undeclared curfews, aimed at scuttling the chance of people gathering at any place to carry a freedom procession. Here, State administration succeeded in getting the control back over the situation. People were confined to their houses. When the renewed sentiment of freedom and undeclared curfew were playing hide and seek, Election Commission of India (ECI) was thinking of conducting election in the state. ECI was in a fix, unable to decide whether to hold elections or not. It was for the first time in the history of strife-torn State that ECI held more than 10 rounds of talks with the political parties, State Administration and the State Police Chief to gauge the mood, and assess the situation in totality before taking any decision.

The amount of anger that people had displayed indicated that Kashmir would hardly witness 5 to 10 per cent voting, and the election boycott call given by the CC would prove more than successful. Political parties, especially National Conference and Congress expressed their willingness to participate in the elections and anxiously impressed upon ECI to announce the elections. People’s Democratic Party was the exception. This party was reluctant, and wanted ECI to postpone the elections. PDP emphasised that there was an acute sense of alienation among the people following economic blockade enforced on Kashmir by right-wing forces in Jammu. PDP also wanted ECI to take into account the situation where Kashmir was still wailing over the 60 deaths, making an exercise like election a cruel cut inflicted on the minds of people. However, ECI gravitated towards NC and Congress, satisfying itself by the fool-proof security cover promised by the security agencies. Finally ECI announced seven-phase poll schedule placing Srinagar in the 7th phase as it was the hub of protests. Bandipore district of north Kashmir was the first to go for the polls. All eyes were set on Bandipore, gossip lounges in Srinagar predicted that no polling would take place. Just weeks before truckloads of fruit, rice and vegetables had arrived from this district to Srinagar in a bid to help people fight the effects of economic blockade.

But reverse happened. Bandipore registered 70 per cent voting. This deflated the balloon of boycott call given by pro-freedom leadership. Though boycott was not altogether absent but voting overpowered it. Same happened in the subsequent phases. Srinagar witnessed 21 per cent voting, highest ever after armed rebellion erupted in 1990.

The point to be noted is that those who voted were the same people who were part of freedom marches, especially youngsters; and after exercising their franchise, they maintained: “We stand very much for the freedom of Kashmir. We voted for jobs, better road connectivity, electricity and other issues that pertain daily life.”
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made this point as his poll plank. In his all election rallies, he stated that Kashmir issue and elections should be delinked. “These are two different things,” he emphasised. J&K witnessed historic turn out and zero violence. PDP won 21, NC 28 and Congress 17 seats. BJP won 11 owing to the radicalization of public opinion in Jammu in the wake of Amarnath land row. Rest of the seats was pocketed by independent candidates. PDP tried its every effort to persuade Congress for marriage but to no avail. Had it not withdrawn its support from the Congress earlier, there was no problem for Congress to enter into alliance with PDP once again. But memories of “last minute ditch” by PDP were very much afresh in the Congress mind. Since NC emerged as the largest seat wining party, talks of forming NC-Congress government gained pitch and New Delhi finally consented for forming NC-Congress coalition, but with the condition that NC’s chief ministerial candidate should be Omar Abdullah and not his father, Farooq Abdullah.

The senior Abdullah accepted the demand and the deal was done.

After more than 100 days behind us Kashmir can better judge how the politicians, who made tall promises, have performed. The same people who flooded the streets and voted for the resolution of their basic problems have to face another election. This time it is for the Indian Parliament. For voting in the State Assembly elections, they had some kind of reason, but what reason do they have voting for a person who wants to become a Member of Parliament. People should think over it and evolve a consensus about how to deal with elections, after all sacrifices, sentiment and accepting the Indian constitution by casting votes can’t go together.

Public-Private Partnership for Cleaning up Nageen Lake is Long Overdue

The state that enjoys per-capita consumption rate among the highest in India can afford to contribute finances towards societal issues like environmental degradation

Operation Clean Up for Nageen Lake Begins

Srinagar: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries Saturday offered to adopt the Brari Nambal lagoon to help clean it up. This was a announced by the President of The KCCI, Dr Mubeen Shah at the inaugural function of Operation Clean up organized by the Nageen Lake Conservation Organization (NLCO).

Principal Secretary to Chief Minster, Khurshid A Ganai who was the chief guest on the occasion appreciated the work done by NLCO and said, Saving the environment is not the job of the government alone, it requires a joint effort on part of all sections of the society from the School children to business men to religious leaders. This is what NLCO has achieved. I visited the peripheries and Pokhri-bal and the NLCO has done a commendable work by removing the polythenes from natural springs in the area. Referring to the failure of the previous ban on polythene which had been put in place by the SMC, he said. The previous ban failed because there were no alternatives available. Polythene cannot be banned successfully until and unless there are alternatives available. There need to be effective alternatives like Jute bags and paper bags to replace them.

The Registrar of Kashmir University, Prof. Syed Fayaz, who was representing the university at the function said, The Dal and Nigeen lakes are our neighbours and we will extend all support to help save these lakes. The Kashmir University has always taken a pro active role in saving the environment he said and added that KU will support all initiatives which are taken in this regard. Our VC Prof Riyaz Punjabi has already banned polythene in the campus and we are hopeful to take more steps in future which will help save our valuable heritage, he informed the audience . He informed the audience that Kashmir University has already formed a core group to save the precious body of the Dal lake and the group which has closely worked with LAWDAÂ is to submit its report to Vice chancellor soon, we will do every thing to save Dal lake which is our identity, he said.

The function had been organized for last ten days. The volunteers from National service scheme. Directorate of sports and physical education , and members of literary and cultural club participated in today event besides many schools and collages of the valley .

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mubeen Shah said, we should make countries like Singapore our model, where nothing goes waste and waste management is an industry in itself. The need of the hour is to emulate them and start industries which deal with waste. We also need to encourage industries which can provide us with an alternatives to polythene like paper bag or cloth bag industries. Mufti Nazir Hashmi spoke about the importance of preserving the environment in light of Islamic values and teachings.

Commissioner, Srinagar Municipality, Khawaja Farooq Renzoo said. The SMC has played a very a pro-active role in helping clean up the Nigeen and we had involved the full team this time. But we need full support from civil society only then can we change the city and make it among the best in the world He further said, If we can clean up Nigeen Lake in these few days we can save even the Anchar Lake. All it needs is efforts from our side

Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, who was the guest of honor on the occasion said that banning polythene is a matter of will, People who take refuge by saying that banning polythene will increase unemployment need to be told that even narcotics supports a large number of people but that does not justify its existence.

(Kashmir Observer)

Making Borders Irrelevant by Reviving the "Silk Route"

Willayat says that such a revival must also take into consideration the needs of people in the Ladakh region

(Mr. Willayat Ali, 28, was born in Hagnis, Kargil district, and did his schooling from Jawahir Navodiya Vidyalaya, Kargil. He completed his Bachelor's degree from the Maulana Azad Memorial College, Jammu, and post-graduation in history from the University of Jammu. He subsequently received M. Phil. from the Department of Strategic and Regional Studies(DSRS), University of Jammu, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. degree in the same department.)

Reviving Silk Route in J&K

Silk Route has served as a confluence of civilizations and the reopening of the old route will make Jammu and Kashmir a favorite spot of tourism. The major roads which connect Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the world are Jammu-Sialkot, Poonch-Rawalkot, Uri-Muzafarabad, Kargil-Skardu, Leh- Mansarovar and Leh- Yarkand. A casual look at history also reveals that these routes contributed greatly to economy, cultural and political development of Jammu and Kashmir as it known for their historical and cultural contacts with outside region-Central Asia, Xinjiang and Tibet. The fact that the section of "Silk Route", ran through this region, highlights the historical, economic and cultural significance of the various routes. All that need to be done is to learn from history and re-establish the cultural and economic contacts along these roads and will revive the Silk Route. Opening of these roads will totally change the nature of present interactions between the various communities of these regions that include Jammu, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Kashmir, Gilgit, Baltistan and Leh Kargil.

Subsequently, this process will provide positive inputs to the Indo-Pakistan peace process, Sino- Indian relation and also further contact with Central Asia through land route. Muzaffarabad-uri Road which opened in 2005 was the biggest confidence building measures between India and Pakistan relating to Jammu and Kashmir. The opening of this route for trade recently would benefits to apple industry, shawl and wooden furniture industry, since 80% people are engaged in these sectors. As it will be seen subsequently, the Kashmir valley has adequate goods, which could be exported successfully across the LoC. Poonch- Rawalakot Road was also opened in 2006 for divided families. A beginning has been made but this need to be consolidated and expand further. Beside trade, tourism is another important sector in the Kashmir valley and this region could also become an important hub for educational activities. Politically, it would also allow both sets of Kashmiris to appreciate the levels of political freedom, governance and security issues on the other-side.

Another route Jammu-Sialkot is yet to be open. In terms of trade transaction, economy, divided families or history, the linkages of Jammu with its neighboring regions - Punjab, Mirpur and Muzaffarabad can't be ignored. The Jammu-Sialkot links both road and rail in particular has great significance. Before independence, this road was the primary link for the people for this region with the outside world and the railway line from Lahore to Jammu ended in the heart of Jammu city. If there are train services like - Thar Express between Munabao and Kokhrapar and Samjhauta Express between Wagah and Atari why not have Chenab Express between Jammu and Sialkot.

Government of India is also considering the opening of Kargil-Skardu road. However, the government seems to be reluctant to take any decision over the opening of this road; though the leaders make promises during the elections to maintain their vote banks but they forget the given words once they come to power. The LoC not only divided the Paharis in Rajouri and Poonch and the Kashmiris in the valley, but has also divided the Baltis in Kargil and Skardu regions who would love to visit the other side and see their relatives. Skardu is 130 km away from Kargil. If the road is open, it would take just five to six hours to reach Skardu. Today it takes five to six days to reach Skardu from Kargil via Delhi. People of this region from Leh to Gilgit, believe that they are distinct, historically and politically. Geographi- cally, Ladakh and Northern Areas comprise two third (78%) of the entire Jammu and Kashmir territory and historically from times immemorial, these region from Leh to Gilgit were interconnected economically, politically and culturally. Until 1947, trade and movement of people took place continuously from Tibet to Central Asia through Leh, Kargil, Skardu and Gilgit. Traders, caravans, people and religions moved along the "Silk Route". Today this region cut off from rest of the world during winter session as the Zojila pass closed for six months in year and the road is also one of the most dangerous in the entire region. since two year army has started courier service from Kargil to Srinagar once in week during winter which is too much depend on the mood of the pilot as they often make excuse of bad weather and do not come as per schedule which always creates unnecessary headache to the passengers. Being an important region of the state it needs to be connected by air and land routes.

If the government can provide free air service to the Kashmiris during the blockage of Jammu- Srinagar highway for few days due to snow fall; why the government is so ignorant to provide an air service to Kargil once in a week as the region remains totally cut off from the rest of world for six month during winter session. Thus, the opening of this road is important. Apart from providing opportunities to the divided families and co-linguist people to meet, it might provide opening to the Central Asia. Skardu is already linked with Gilgit, at a later stage will give this region access to the strategic Karakoram Highway from Kargil and Leh regions. This will further link this region with China and Central Asia. Another important route lies across Line of Actual Control (LAC) is Leh- Manasarovar road and leh yarkand route between India and China, again ignored by New Delhi. This route is another option to India to reach Central Asia. Until 1947, the main roads of Ladakh were part of "Silk Route" spreading its fingers into Tibet via Demchok, into Yarkhand through the mighty Karakoram pass. From salt to oil, everything comes through Leh-once a connecting valley between Yarkhand and Central Asia. Today Nubra Valleys only links to the outside world lies through the Khardungla, the highest motorable pass in the world. The local in the Nubra valley are anxious to see the reopening of the old "Silk Route". Economically, the local population will greatly benefit out of this routes, mainly tourism. Kailash Mansurovar, one of the most revered Hindu pilgrim destinations, is only about 300 km from Demehok. India should make effort to develop the sub- region from Leh to Demchok and Karakoram areas in Nubra valley in terms of developing roads and reconsidering the permit system in the inner line. But unfortunately India did not see roads as of strategic importance, especially in its border regions. Now, the process has started, let it not be limited to only one region. A beginning has been made across the LoC, let it be strengthen further by opening all the routes. Thus, the opening of all above routes will revive the old "Silk Route" and Jammu and Kashmir once again could become the gateway to Central Asia.

Moreover, after opening of these routes, they could be used for linking Gas pipeline. The construction of road links would definitely benefits not only India and Pakistan in CBM, but also to the people of both sides of Jammu and Kashmir economically and politically. India energy needs can be accomplish by constructing pipeline from Central Asia via Afghanistan and Pakistan. As India - Iran - Pakistan Gas Pipeline proposal and Turkmen - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India Gas Pipeline proposal could be accomplish only by building good relationship with Pakistan over Kashmir issue. This age is one of looking for means of cooperation and integration despite whatever political difficulties may be involved. Given Indian growing energy needs, it has become imperative for it to tap into the huge energy reserves of Central Asia, whether in competition or in cooperation with the other major powers involved in the region.

However, given that energy pipelines will cross several national boundaries before they get to India, including those of Pakistan and China. India must necessarily adopt a cooperative approach. Either way, improving transport and other infrastructure in India's western border states and, in particular Jammu and Kashmir, is an absolute necessity not just in terms of energy concerns but also within a purely development framework. One positive point for India is that both China and Pakistan increasing keenly their concern in the development of bilateral trade keeping other disputes on backside. In Kashmir, both countries (India and Pakistan) showed their interest to open LoC for trade purposes by keeping the Kashmir issue on back. Hopefully, the planned road construction along the Line of Actual Control and Line of Control is a sign of a change in attitudes in New Delhi as well as of an increasingly confident Indian foreign policy in its neighborhoods.

Can we Talk About the Disposal of Biomedical Waste?

Typical Kashmiri approach of ignoring festering issues until these become unmanagable does not apply only to political controversies

Biomedical waste

The advances made in medical science and the technological interventions in the surgeries conduct these days, have given much relief to us. But with this a new problem has risen. One such serious issue is related to our environment. While our environment is facing many threats, improper and unscientific disposal of biomedical waste is menacingly looking at us, right in the middle of our face.

The production of this waste has increased manifold which has resulted in serious threat to environment. The reason for this is that the people are not very cautious while disposing off this waste. Improper and unhygienic disposal has resulted in a number of issues which need to be addressed at the earliest.

In this regard Jammu and Kashmir State Pollution Board, JKSPB, organized a workshop cum training programme on the scientific disposal of biomedical waste at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre. Although, the officials were upbeat about the fact that there is no financial constraint which can hamper the process, however, lack of awareness and knowledge among the medical practitioners about the proper disposal and dumping of the biomedical waste has been a matter of great concern. Medical professional make use of the equipment, but hardly bother about its disposal. However, before the situation goes out of control and take turn for worse, there are certain methods which can be effectively used to curb the problem from spreading any further.

First and foremost is to aware the people, particularly the medical fraternity, about how the waste can be managed. This awareness can be created by organizing seminars and by using the means of mass media. However, the scope of these programmes should not be narrowed down to Srinagar or its adjacent areas. It should cover every district, sub district, and every village. An important part can be played by NGOs and media; if these two organs of the society join their hands and launch a large scale campaign involving various sections of the society, a lot can be achieved. And hopefully we can be able to protect ourselves and our environment.

(Rising Kashmir)