It was all about shallow speeches and blame game. Politicians blamed the Police and the Police blamed the society. But one stark fact stands out: 99% of such cases go unreported in the State
KU hosts seminar on ‘Domestic Violence against Women’
Ishfaq Ahmad Shah (Kashmir Images)
Srinagar: Scant knowledge of the subject, blame game, absence of victims’ account, poor time management was what marred the inaugural day of two-day seminar on ‘Domestic Violence against Women’ here on January 22.
The seminar organised by the Department of Students Welfare (DSW) and Women’s Studies Centre (WSC) in collaboration with J&K police began at varsity’s Ibn-Khaldun auditorium with several speeches in which speakers focused more on creating awareness about the problem without actually deliberating on how to bring about that awareness.
Social Welfare Minister and chief guest on the occasion Sakina Itoo while laying blame on police for ignoring reports of domestic violence said that police is not doing enough in this regard.
“Many women have come to me with their woes. All of them were ignored by police. The cops hadn’t registered their reports on domestic violence,” she said.
“I am not saying police isn’t working, but the work is not up to the mark,” the minister said.
Itoo also revealed that she had many times in the past asked several district police SSP’s to forward list of FIRs lodged by widows of militants “but in this regard too, the response was poor.”
Talking to media outside the auditorium, Itoo underlined the need of implementation of act in the State that protects women against domestic violence.
Earlier officials of police present in the seminar expressed their helplessness regarding the issue. They instead shifted blame on media and entire society for increase in the number of women victims of domestic violence.
“The department can’t do anything. Domestic violence against women is a social problem and society as a whole has to stop it,” Inspector General of Police (Armed) Dilbag Singh said.
Refuting Itoo’s claims, he said that 99% of such cases in the State aren’t reported while 12.5 per cent increase in domestic violence against women since 2006 have been registered.
DIG Central Kashmir, H K Lohia also came up for the defence of police saying that police is doing its job effectively. “We are doing our job but there must be fear of law within the society which makes efforts effective. There is loopholes present in every system here,” Lohia said.
He also blamed media for not playing its role sincerely in this regard.
Earlier stressing on the need of having victims’ account in the agenda, the social welfare minister said the function would have been “much better” if women victims would have been offered chance to speak.
Interestingly the moderator of the seminar announced that victims would be speaking at the function, however, the list of speakers distributed by organisers include officials of police KU and some academicians and lawyers.
The speakers stressed on the implementation of laws without going much into the process of its implementation and the present status.
Scheduled for 11:30 am, the event started at 12:30 pm which saw delay in Friday prayers while many among audience missed the entire prayers.
K
U VC Prof Punjabi also spoke at the event. He advocated the need of creating awareness among masses about the affects of the domestic violence on women.
Presiding officer, Motor Accident Claim Tribunal, Kaneez Fatima, HoD Sociology and Social Work KU, Aneesa Shafi, Registrar KU S Fayaz Ahmad, Nilofar Khan of DSW, WSC also made speeches on the issue.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Resurrecting a Colonial Garden
Resident’s Garden to bloom again
New attraction includes Kehwa Khana, fountains, benches
Srinagar: The State Floricultural Department is aggressively revamping the ‘Resident’s Garden’ now Emporium Garden at New Zero Bridge established by Britishers some 100 years back.
The 1.82 crore rupees project, according to officials of department, is aimed at renovating some of the garden structures besides securing safety of a wide range of rare and vibrant plants.
“There are many plant varieties that are unique. Even some varieties are foreign which are present in this garden,” Director Floriculture, G Sarwar Naqash told Rising Kashmir.
Spread at 10 acres, the garden established in 1905 was a part of the then British Resident’s dwelling when it was laid first. And the plant species in the garden were introduced by Britishers from time which saw many plantings succeeding in getting acclimatized to the weather and soil.
Naqash said, “The purpose is not only to maintain the old plants here but to propagate them further." The official said that the department intends to plant exclusive varieties within the 10-acre-garden to make it unique and different from the routine gardens present here.
“It is an ambitious overhaul. We also intend to repair some of the heritage gates and adjoining structures that lead to this garden. We also aim to set up a mini museum where a Kahwa Khana would always serve the visitors,” he added.
Apart from attracting non-local tourists the garden is expected to draw locals as well who could come upon several never-seen-before foreign plants.
The varieties include Ginkgo Biloba—a Chinese plant variety, Laurus Nobilis (Tej Pata)—that only grows in plains, species of Taxodium besides various other foreign plant varieties.
Two new fountains with lighting and a podium will also come up as a new feature in the garden.
(Rising Kashmir)
New attraction includes Kehwa Khana, fountains, benches
Srinagar: The State Floricultural Department is aggressively revamping the ‘Resident’s Garden’ now Emporium Garden at New Zero Bridge established by Britishers some 100 years back.
The 1.82 crore rupees project, according to officials of department, is aimed at renovating some of the garden structures besides securing safety of a wide range of rare and vibrant plants.
“There are many plant varieties that are unique. Even some varieties are foreign which are present in this garden,” Director Floriculture, G Sarwar Naqash told Rising Kashmir.
Spread at 10 acres, the garden established in 1905 was a part of the then British Resident’s dwelling when it was laid first. And the plant species in the garden were introduced by Britishers from time which saw many plantings succeeding in getting acclimatized to the weather and soil.
Naqash said, “The purpose is not only to maintain the old plants here but to propagate them further." The official said that the department intends to plant exclusive varieties within the 10-acre-garden to make it unique and different from the routine gardens present here.
“It is an ambitious overhaul. We also intend to repair some of the heritage gates and adjoining structures that lead to this garden. We also aim to set up a mini museum where a Kahwa Khana would always serve the visitors,” he added.
Apart from attracting non-local tourists the garden is expected to draw locals as well who could come upon several never-seen-before foreign plants.
The varieties include Ginkgo Biloba—a Chinese plant variety, Laurus Nobilis (Tej Pata)—that only grows in plains, species of Taxodium besides various other foreign plant varieties.
Two new fountains with lighting and a podium will also come up as a new feature in the garden.
(Rising Kashmir)
Bangladeshis, not Kashmiris, are Finding Dignity in Capitalism
Can Kashmiris shake their "babu mentality" to go after entrepreneurship wherever it exists? Today it is garbage, tomorrow it may be something else
Unrelenting Bangladeshis Outdo SMC
Srinagar: While Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) lacks waste segregation facility and dumps garbage at its lone landfill site at Achen, it is Bangladeshi migrants who are reaping the benefit.
The industrious migrants not only rid city of tons of waste, much before SMC workers, in the morning, but they also stop usable items ruin that would otherwise end up at the landfill site.
“We always whine that there are no jobs. But see how they make money without any investment,” says a scrap dealer Mushtaq Ahmad, who receives most of the scrap collected by Bangladeshi rag pickers.
These migrants live near Noorjehan Bridge, locally Cement Kadal, and are earning through waste collection from various dumping site within the city.
Equipped with a cycle rickshaw, the migrants could be seen groping in heaps of garbage for cardboard sheets and boxes, transparent polythene sheets, plastic pet bottles, tin cans, glass bottles, iron scraps and nails, besides other things that are recyclable.
Ahmad says, “The Bangladeshis are highly industrious. In different localities, they work endlessly from early morning till late nights to collect waste.”
The segregation process is never a one-man-job. Rather the migrants involve entire family in the job.
“It is actually a family effort. We work on the collected material and segregate it later before we sell it to the scrap dealers in the city,” says a Bangladeshi worker Najmul (name changed on request).
He says that the entire family from children to women takes part in the process of collection and segregation.
“My wife, however, makes candies which she sells to the children in the community,” he says.
Najmul refused to divulge details on how he along with others landed up in the valley; however, he said Bangladeshis are everywhere in Kashmir and India.
“We have been frequenting various cities across India where we are engaged in low wage works that includes waste segregation and final recycling, but since no one segregates garbage here in the valley, the chances of collecting scrap is more,” he says.
Over the years, several families have settled here in the city and are enjoying waste collection throughout Kashmir.
(Rising Kashmir)
Unrelenting Bangladeshis Outdo SMC
Srinagar: While Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) lacks waste segregation facility and dumps garbage at its lone landfill site at Achen, it is Bangladeshi migrants who are reaping the benefit.
The industrious migrants not only rid city of tons of waste, much before SMC workers, in the morning, but they also stop usable items ruin that would otherwise end up at the landfill site.
“We always whine that there are no jobs. But see how they make money without any investment,” says a scrap dealer Mushtaq Ahmad, who receives most of the scrap collected by Bangladeshi rag pickers.
These migrants live near Noorjehan Bridge, locally Cement Kadal, and are earning through waste collection from various dumping site within the city.
Equipped with a cycle rickshaw, the migrants could be seen groping in heaps of garbage for cardboard sheets and boxes, transparent polythene sheets, plastic pet bottles, tin cans, glass bottles, iron scraps and nails, besides other things that are recyclable.
Ahmad says, “The Bangladeshis are highly industrious. In different localities, they work endlessly from early morning till late nights to collect waste.”
The segregation process is never a one-man-job. Rather the migrants involve entire family in the job.
“It is actually a family effort. We work on the collected material and segregate it later before we sell it to the scrap dealers in the city,” says a Bangladeshi worker Najmul (name changed on request).
He says that the entire family from children to women takes part in the process of collection and segregation.
“My wife, however, makes candies which she sells to the children in the community,” he says.
Najmul refused to divulge details on how he along with others landed up in the valley; however, he said Bangladeshis are everywhere in Kashmir and India.
“We have been frequenting various cities across India where we are engaged in low wage works that includes waste segregation and final recycling, but since no one segregates garbage here in the valley, the chances of collecting scrap is more,” he says.
Over the years, several families have settled here in the city and are enjoying waste collection throughout Kashmir.
(Rising Kashmir)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Bringing Civility in a Metropolis With no Traffic Lights
Tajamul wonders when our public will mature as a society and show patience and discipline
(Tajamul Hussain, 53, was born in Srinagar. He went to the Government Higher Secondary School in Nawakadal, Srinagar, and the S.P. College, Srinagar. He attended the College of Engineering, Andhra University, Waltair, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi, and the Forest Research Institute. He is a freelance writer.)
Waiting in the Queue
You can be standing in front of a door of an ATM machine. Someone will brazenly walk right in front of you as the previous person exits the vestibule. He (or she) will pretend not to see you…until you stop him! The fellow may express his sorrow or try to be on your head, within the vestibule flouting the privacy required for operating your bank account. He may even cajole you into operating your transaction and suggesting the amount of cash you should draw. Tell this fellow to refrain, and he will simply be with his hackles up to dismiss it with scorn.
Standing in a queue requires patience, discipline and self respect and respect for others. It calls for a strong belief in the existence of good and fair play. The turmoil that a person goes through, while standing in a ‘qyamat say qyamat tak’ long queue, is unmatched. When you see your life going at a glacial speed and to know, that even after hours of patient waiting, you are still not the first in line, all hell wants to break loose. But then the sanity prevails amidst all the pushing and shoving, or else one may lose the privileged spot that he occupies and may be sent back to square one.
Life is a cruel thing for everyone in the queue and the willingness to get over with it is what gives people the strength to stand in it for hours while the discomfort, one is facing rises with every minute. This is more so when one is made to stand in a queue (the analogue of what in the automotive world constitutes "bumper to bumper" traffic) without any ‘personal space’ that has evolved over the ages to keep at bay transgressors that are always looking for breaks in the queue.
Every one amongst us has had to go through the ordeal of standing in the queue at some point of time or the other. It may be an everyday story once people in India wake up in the morning and are off to catch a bus to college or office…. but it is definitely not so in our beautiful valley. When people there get into the bus, to buy a ticket, they are again waiting in queue…we Kashmiris would always be found jostling against each other to be the first in the bus. Indians on an average spend 12% of their lives in the queues. This however does not include the time that takes in commuting before they reach the tail end of the queue. The world records in the queue whether the longest, the fastest, the most patient queue, all belong to India.
Queuing is such a national trait that the Indian athletes are invariably found in the queue to finish. Whether it is the union cabinet standing in a queue to send off or to welcome the president or Prime Minister the queue is every where. The 3.2 kms long queue in Delhi to collect MTNL bills a decade and a half ago is a record in itself. The fastest moving queue in India was recorded at a movie theatre showing the film ‘Hot Nights’ in Hissar, Haryana. It took a mere 5 minutes and 40 seconds for 581 people, all men, to buy tickets and enter the hall.
The extreme hatred for standing-in-the-queue is some thing unique with us Kashmiris. Perhaps because of the grasping propensity to profit by the industry of some one else without we ourselves producing anything (exactly what the bird of prey does when it swoops down upon the toiling king fisher and takes from it by force the fish it has wrested from the waves by the exercise of his strength and talents) perversion of economy has gone deep into our DNA. As the strong belief in the existence of good and fair play is simply lacking in us, a typical Kashmiri can not think of wasting time in a queue. During college days one of our friends dared to buy a cinema ticket. In the maddening rush as the unruly cine goers jostled each other, the hapless fellow somehow managed to elbow his way through the crowd to push his hand into the ticket counter. The ticket seller seated behind the grill handed over the ticket to him. As he pulled himself out of the crowd after a great struggle, to his astonishment the sleeve of his shirt covering his right arm, was torn asunder to leave no trace thereof. Imagine the plight of the poor fellow!
The rare exception of standing in the queue nevertheless was the claustrophobic one forced upon the 3rd class cine goers in our childhood in the famous ‘iron cage’ of the Palladium cinema (now in a dilapidated condition) right in the centre of Lal Chowk, Srinagar. No sooner did the ticket vendor open the window to sell tickets than a dozen or so of mustachioed hooligans (with lot of muscle) suddenly appear from some where to leap across heads in the cage to worm their way atop tens of the queued heads in the cage to the ‘counter’ to walk away with a wad of tickets to be later sold in ‘black’ to the same disgruntled lot that was imprisoned for several hours in the narrow cage. It was not many minutes before, much to the disappointment of the people waiting in the queue; the shutter at the ticket counter would suddenly and unexpectedly close down.
Multiple queues follow the Murphy’s Law, “Whatever queue you join, no matter how short it looks, will always take the longest for you to get served” and thus, it is safer to stay put in one’s queue rather than go around looking for a quicker way to get to your goal. Bala laws that Dr. Kuabakoonam Balasubramanium of the University of Quebec devised are stated as under;
1. The length of the queue is inversely proportion to the time you have to stand in the one.
2. You discover you are in wrong queue only when you reach the counter.
3. You always reach the counter at lunch tome or closing time.
4. When you reach the counter in time the tickets are over.
5. When you do get the tickets they are the wrong ones and therefore; a) you have to go to the tail end of the queue to get them changed or b). You have to go to the refund counter where 1 and 2 apply
6. When there are no obstacles, the queue moves quickly and when you buy the right ticket the teller has no change. 7. The teller always has his say.
8. The other queue always moves faster.
9. When you switch to the other queue the original queue gathers momentum.
10. When you are finally the second person in the queue the guy in front of you develops a complicated problem which takes half an hour to sort out.
11. When others jump the queue no one says anything. When you jump the queue hoots and jeers follow.
12. Every one in the queue will want to borrow your pen; when you want a pen no one will have one.
13 You are always caught napping when they open an extra counter.
Keep this in view and see you will have a disciplined life.
(Tajamul Hussain, 53, was born in Srinagar. He went to the Government Higher Secondary School in Nawakadal, Srinagar, and the S.P. College, Srinagar. He attended the College of Engineering, Andhra University, Waltair, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi, and the Forest Research Institute. He is a freelance writer.)
Waiting in the Queue
You can be standing in front of a door of an ATM machine. Someone will brazenly walk right in front of you as the previous person exits the vestibule. He (or she) will pretend not to see you…until you stop him! The fellow may express his sorrow or try to be on your head, within the vestibule flouting the privacy required for operating your bank account. He may even cajole you into operating your transaction and suggesting the amount of cash you should draw. Tell this fellow to refrain, and he will simply be with his hackles up to dismiss it with scorn.
Standing in a queue requires patience, discipline and self respect and respect for others. It calls for a strong belief in the existence of good and fair play. The turmoil that a person goes through, while standing in a ‘qyamat say qyamat tak’ long queue, is unmatched. When you see your life going at a glacial speed and to know, that even after hours of patient waiting, you are still not the first in line, all hell wants to break loose. But then the sanity prevails amidst all the pushing and shoving, or else one may lose the privileged spot that he occupies and may be sent back to square one.
Life is a cruel thing for everyone in the queue and the willingness to get over with it is what gives people the strength to stand in it for hours while the discomfort, one is facing rises with every minute. This is more so when one is made to stand in a queue (the analogue of what in the automotive world constitutes "bumper to bumper" traffic) without any ‘personal space’ that has evolved over the ages to keep at bay transgressors that are always looking for breaks in the queue.
Every one amongst us has had to go through the ordeal of standing in the queue at some point of time or the other. It may be an everyday story once people in India wake up in the morning and are off to catch a bus to college or office…. but it is definitely not so in our beautiful valley. When people there get into the bus, to buy a ticket, they are again waiting in queue…we Kashmiris would always be found jostling against each other to be the first in the bus. Indians on an average spend 12% of their lives in the queues. This however does not include the time that takes in commuting before they reach the tail end of the queue. The world records in the queue whether the longest, the fastest, the most patient queue, all belong to India.
Queuing is such a national trait that the Indian athletes are invariably found in the queue to finish. Whether it is the union cabinet standing in a queue to send off or to welcome the president or Prime Minister the queue is every where. The 3.2 kms long queue in Delhi to collect MTNL bills a decade and a half ago is a record in itself. The fastest moving queue in India was recorded at a movie theatre showing the film ‘Hot Nights’ in Hissar, Haryana. It took a mere 5 minutes and 40 seconds for 581 people, all men, to buy tickets and enter the hall.
The extreme hatred for standing-in-the-queue is some thing unique with us Kashmiris. Perhaps because of the grasping propensity to profit by the industry of some one else without we ourselves producing anything (exactly what the bird of prey does when it swoops down upon the toiling king fisher and takes from it by force the fish it has wrested from the waves by the exercise of his strength and talents) perversion of economy has gone deep into our DNA. As the strong belief in the existence of good and fair play is simply lacking in us, a typical Kashmiri can not think of wasting time in a queue. During college days one of our friends dared to buy a cinema ticket. In the maddening rush as the unruly cine goers jostled each other, the hapless fellow somehow managed to elbow his way through the crowd to push his hand into the ticket counter. The ticket seller seated behind the grill handed over the ticket to him. As he pulled himself out of the crowd after a great struggle, to his astonishment the sleeve of his shirt covering his right arm, was torn asunder to leave no trace thereof. Imagine the plight of the poor fellow!
The rare exception of standing in the queue nevertheless was the claustrophobic one forced upon the 3rd class cine goers in our childhood in the famous ‘iron cage’ of the Palladium cinema (now in a dilapidated condition) right in the centre of Lal Chowk, Srinagar. No sooner did the ticket vendor open the window to sell tickets than a dozen or so of mustachioed hooligans (with lot of muscle) suddenly appear from some where to leap across heads in the cage to worm their way atop tens of the queued heads in the cage to the ‘counter’ to walk away with a wad of tickets to be later sold in ‘black’ to the same disgruntled lot that was imprisoned for several hours in the narrow cage. It was not many minutes before, much to the disappointment of the people waiting in the queue; the shutter at the ticket counter would suddenly and unexpectedly close down.
Multiple queues follow the Murphy’s Law, “Whatever queue you join, no matter how short it looks, will always take the longest for you to get served” and thus, it is safer to stay put in one’s queue rather than go around looking for a quicker way to get to your goal. Bala laws that Dr. Kuabakoonam Balasubramanium of the University of Quebec devised are stated as under;
1. The length of the queue is inversely proportion to the time you have to stand in the one.
2. You discover you are in wrong queue only when you reach the counter.
3. You always reach the counter at lunch tome or closing time.
4. When you reach the counter in time the tickets are over.
5. When you do get the tickets they are the wrong ones and therefore; a) you have to go to the tail end of the queue to get them changed or b). You have to go to the refund counter where 1 and 2 apply
6. When there are no obstacles, the queue moves quickly and when you buy the right ticket the teller has no change. 7. The teller always has his say.
8. The other queue always moves faster.
9. When you switch to the other queue the original queue gathers momentum.
10. When you are finally the second person in the queue the guy in front of you develops a complicated problem which takes half an hour to sort out.
11. When others jump the queue no one says anything. When you jump the queue hoots and jeers follow.
12. Every one in the queue will want to borrow your pen; when you want a pen no one will have one.
13 You are always caught napping when they open an extra counter.
Keep this in view and see you will have a disciplined life.
Wither Jehlum?
An editorial in the Kashmir Images laments about a dying river
Save Jehlum
What has happened to the beautification project concerning the River Jehlum, the life-line of Kashmir Valley. With prolonged dry spell having pushed the water level in the river to an all-time low, the pathetic plight of the river is just there for everybody to see. If the amount of filth and garbage that has accumulated in its bed over the years is taken as an indicator, then it goes without saying that it has been turned into a huge sever with the sewerage of entire city somehow finding its way into this river.
Historical accounts of Kashmir are replete with the mention of this river as for its importance in the socio-economic profile of the place and its people is concerned. For instance, the Srinagar city and other major towns thrive on the banks of this river to comprise a unique human geography here. The importance of Jehlum to the Valley’s physical geography too has been very profound. No wonder that this river finds a place of pride in history as well as the Kashmir’s folklore, sometimes as Jehlum while at other places as ‘Vyeth’ or ‘Vitasta’. Masjids, shrines and temples on its banks only add to the reverence this river has attracted from the local population since times immemorial.
However, today the situation is quite different as the river is no longer what it has been or what it should have been. Instead, both the people as well as the governmental agencies have, owing to their criminal carelessness, relegated this river to a massive drain to accommodate all kinds of filth and dirt. Not only does the sewerage from Srinagar city as well as other towns empty into this river; major portion of garbage too is dumped into it. As if this was not enough, the people who erected new shopping malls and other commercial complexes in place of the old decrepit residential houses in parts of city along it banks also used the river bosom as a landfill site to dump old construction material in it. And the irony has been that all this happened and is happening even today not only under the nose of, but also with the active connivance of the civic authorities.
Complicating the problems for the already ailing river has been the accumulation of silt in its bed. While until 1986, dredging the river to take out sand and silt was a regular feature from Khadanyar onwards in Baramulla district, the practice was stopped for some unknown reasons. Even though there existed a full-fledged Flood Mechanical Division in Baramulla for the purpose, but both the men and machinery of the said division has been lying idle since. What sounds really intriguing is the fact that the dredging of river, despite being a self-financing venture in the sense that the sand and silt taken out not only met the cost of dredging but also earned some profits for the government, was stopped all of a sudden.
Couple of years back, state government embarked on a massive project to beautify Jehlum and actually did some cosmetic activities here and there by giving facelift to a portion of its banks between Zero bridge and Second (Budshah) bridge. Afterwards nothing was heard or seen of the so-called beautification project. Was it shelved with the change in state’s ruling dispensation? Whatever the reason, the miserable condition of the river that is visible now with this major river having almost dried up, is calling for some action. Saving this river system is not only important for the ecosystem of the Valley but also for its cultural legacy. Without Jehlum Kashmir will no longer be Kashmir.
Save Jehlum
What has happened to the beautification project concerning the River Jehlum, the life-line of Kashmir Valley. With prolonged dry spell having pushed the water level in the river to an all-time low, the pathetic plight of the river is just there for everybody to see. If the amount of filth and garbage that has accumulated in its bed over the years is taken as an indicator, then it goes without saying that it has been turned into a huge sever with the sewerage of entire city somehow finding its way into this river.
Historical accounts of Kashmir are replete with the mention of this river as for its importance in the socio-economic profile of the place and its people is concerned. For instance, the Srinagar city and other major towns thrive on the banks of this river to comprise a unique human geography here. The importance of Jehlum to the Valley’s physical geography too has been very profound. No wonder that this river finds a place of pride in history as well as the Kashmir’s folklore, sometimes as Jehlum while at other places as ‘Vyeth’ or ‘Vitasta’. Masjids, shrines and temples on its banks only add to the reverence this river has attracted from the local population since times immemorial.
However, today the situation is quite different as the river is no longer what it has been or what it should have been. Instead, both the people as well as the governmental agencies have, owing to their criminal carelessness, relegated this river to a massive drain to accommodate all kinds of filth and dirt. Not only does the sewerage from Srinagar city as well as other towns empty into this river; major portion of garbage too is dumped into it. As if this was not enough, the people who erected new shopping malls and other commercial complexes in place of the old decrepit residential houses in parts of city along it banks also used the river bosom as a landfill site to dump old construction material in it. And the irony has been that all this happened and is happening even today not only under the nose of, but also with the active connivance of the civic authorities.
Complicating the problems for the already ailing river has been the accumulation of silt in its bed. While until 1986, dredging the river to take out sand and silt was a regular feature from Khadanyar onwards in Baramulla district, the practice was stopped for some unknown reasons. Even though there existed a full-fledged Flood Mechanical Division in Baramulla for the purpose, but both the men and machinery of the said division has been lying idle since. What sounds really intriguing is the fact that the dredging of river, despite being a self-financing venture in the sense that the sand and silt taken out not only met the cost of dredging but also earned some profits for the government, was stopped all of a sudden.
Couple of years back, state government embarked on a massive project to beautify Jehlum and actually did some cosmetic activities here and there by giving facelift to a portion of its banks between Zero bridge and Second (Budshah) bridge. Afterwards nothing was heard or seen of the so-called beautification project. Was it shelved with the change in state’s ruling dispensation? Whatever the reason, the miserable condition of the river that is visible now with this major river having almost dried up, is calling for some action. Saving this river system is not only important for the ecosystem of the Valley but also for its cultural legacy. Without Jehlum Kashmir will no longer be Kashmir.
Disturbing Trends from Kashmir and Jammu
Strangely, these trends have a common source - Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKAUST) Srinagar and Jammu campuses
SKUAST-K: Snow-starved Kashmir may Turn Into Desert
Arif Bashir (Kashmir Images)
Srinagar: In what is certainly an expression of frustration and desperation, people in Kashmir are now wondering if Valley is all set to turn into a desert as snowfall continues to evade the Valley. Even when there are no similarities between Kashmir and a desert,
the lack of snowfall in the Valley is forcing people here to look down south-west for metaphors to describe the “climactic disaster’ they feel is unfolding on the Valley.
The intolerable dry spell in Kashmir, with mountains as well as plains dying to kiss the white bride of winter - snow, the Valley seems loosing its climate to various influences and disturbances across the globe.
Global warming or no global warming - drastic climatic change is certainly evident in this part of the world as the Valley continues to long for snow even in the middle of the winter season while fluctuating temperatures only exacerbate the scares of a disastrous year ahead.
The dry spell during this time of the year when entire Valley should ideally have been covered under heaps of snow is certainly very scary for it is the snow that lends Kashmir its majestic charm; without it brooks and streams will stop roaring, ponds and springs will fry up and plight of already dying rivers and lakes will only worsen and their march towards sure death will be catalyzed.
If the weather continues to be like this, its impact on the agriculture and horticulture as well as all other farming activities can only be imagined!
While the lack of snow is haunting all and sundry throughout the Valley, people associated with tourism trade, particularly at Gulmarg, are facing the brunt of changed weather conditions as this world-famous ski resort has already witnessed 60 percent downfall in the business this winter.
Talking to ‘Kashmir Images’ many hoteliers at Gulmarg expressed their fears about economic setbacks this year saying that almost 60 percent bookings this year stand cancelled while the meager number of tourists present in Gulmarg too feel depressed and plan to move out as the ski slopes offer nothing but disappointment with fast receding snow cover.
“The Ski slopes at Gulmarg have been exposed at various places and as of now it is neither advisable nor preferred to ski down the slopes. We are planning to move out soon,” Henry, a skier from New Zealand lamented.
“It is depressing that there has not been much snow this season even after half of the season is already over. It means great loss. We at Gulmarg pray for snow,” said manager of a local hotel at Gulmarg.
But the miseries do not end here alone as the repercussions of this unusual climate change, as seen by climate experts and agriculturalists, are sure to show epidemic signs in the season ahead.
B A Khanday, professor and head of the Department of Agronomy, Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) fears a massive reduction in crop yields this year while adding that mustard crop would be the worst hit.
Talking to ‘Kashmir Images’ Prof Khanday said that the changed weather conditions were suicidal for some of the crops including mustard, oats, peas, etc, while the phenomena would leave drastic impact on the overall yield including fruit production.
“While early sown crops and late sown crops including mustard were already facing the brunt of the changed weather conditions, the summer crops too might be impacted badly,” Kanday said adding that the summer would see water scarcity which again threatens not only the crops but the fruit yield as well.
SKUAST-J: Farmers Trained on Paper; Scam Exposed
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu: In a perfect example of “Sab Gol Maal Hai,” the higher rung officials of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Jammu (SKUAST-J) siphoned off varsity’s funds by conducting “fictitious” training camps for farmers and showing “fictitious” expenditure spent on these camps.
Contrastingly, Governor N N Vohra, who is also the University Chancellor, had called upon agriculture scientists to take the available research output to the doorsteps of the farmers and regularly monitor its impact on the ground during his visit to University campus on September 7, 2009.
If the 78-page document formulated by the members of teaching and non-teaching wings is to be believed, Dr R K Sharma, Registrar SKUAST-J in his capacity as Principal Investigator of two ICAR projects had “misappropriated” and “embezzled” funds through “fraudulent means” by reflecting demonstration camps for farmers only on papers.
The document revealed that the progress report (physical and financial) and final report submitted by Dr R K Sharma on April 15, 2009 and October 10, 2009 showed a large variation particularly in the financial report and alleged the accounts were fabricated.
Making a sensational disclosure, the document alleged, “As per the final report submitted by Dr Sharma, one of the training conducted in the ‘Project 3.5’ on December 23, 2006 at Shahjadpur where 52 farmers participated but the photographs shown in the report pertains to the turnings of HTMM project number 1.14 organised by Dr Ravi Kher on December 23, 2006 with the participation of only 20 farmers.”
The document suggested that the said training camp organised by Dr Ravi Kher has already published in the annual report (2006-07), adding “It had been generally observed that mostly the training dates were deliberately shown on Saturdays and Sundays just to overshadow misdeeds in the project work.”
“This observation is being supported while going through the final report which indicates that on January 6, 2007 (Saturday) a training camp was organised at Kathua but the TA/DA claims showed that he was at Reasi. He had conducted training camp at Pouni in district Reasi on January 7, 2007 (Sunday). Interestingly, no training camp was reported in the final report on such date,” the document maintained.
Another interesting aspect to training camps was that majority of the employees of the varsity were aware that on January 6, 2007 the then Vice Chancellor, Dr Nagendra Sharma was admitted to the Government Medical College & Hospital Jammu and subsequently was airlifted to Delhi on January 7, 2007 and Dr R K Sharma was very much present in the hospital on that day, revealed the document.
Furthermore, the report submitted by Dr R K Sharma on March 6, 2009 regarding review meeting to Nodal Officer HTMM-1 project, Dr Nazeer Ahmed showed that total number of training camps conducted during 2008-09 up to February 2009 were 15 whereas the number of camps in final report were 20.
The document said, “Dr N A Sudhan’s communication number AUJ/DR/09-10/F-146/03 dated April 1, 2009 to Dr B Mishra, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-J established that Dr R K Sharma, in his capacity as Principal Investigator of two externally funded projects misappropriated and embezzled public money through fraudulent means.”
It has been alleged, “Time and again, Dr Sudhan reminded the Vice Chancellor that he has not taken any action against Dr Sharma for conducting financial irregularities. “Though the Director Research also forwarded a letter to Governor N N Vohra and other members of Board of Management SKUAST-J apprising them that the Vice Chancellor has not taken any action against the Registrar for financial irregularities, yet it yielded no results,” the document maintained.
SKUAST-K: Snow-starved Kashmir may Turn Into Desert
Arif Bashir (Kashmir Images)
Srinagar: In what is certainly an expression of frustration and desperation, people in Kashmir are now wondering if Valley is all set to turn into a desert as snowfall continues to evade the Valley. Even when there are no similarities between Kashmir and a desert,
the lack of snowfall in the Valley is forcing people here to look down south-west for metaphors to describe the “climactic disaster’ they feel is unfolding on the Valley.
The intolerable dry spell in Kashmir, with mountains as well as plains dying to kiss the white bride of winter - snow, the Valley seems loosing its climate to various influences and disturbances across the globe.
Global warming or no global warming - drastic climatic change is certainly evident in this part of the world as the Valley continues to long for snow even in the middle of the winter season while fluctuating temperatures only exacerbate the scares of a disastrous year ahead.
The dry spell during this time of the year when entire Valley should ideally have been covered under heaps of snow is certainly very scary for it is the snow that lends Kashmir its majestic charm; without it brooks and streams will stop roaring, ponds and springs will fry up and plight of already dying rivers and lakes will only worsen and their march towards sure death will be catalyzed.
If the weather continues to be like this, its impact on the agriculture and horticulture as well as all other farming activities can only be imagined!
While the lack of snow is haunting all and sundry throughout the Valley, people associated with tourism trade, particularly at Gulmarg, are facing the brunt of changed weather conditions as this world-famous ski resort has already witnessed 60 percent downfall in the business this winter.
Talking to ‘Kashmir Images’ many hoteliers at Gulmarg expressed their fears about economic setbacks this year saying that almost 60 percent bookings this year stand cancelled while the meager number of tourists present in Gulmarg too feel depressed and plan to move out as the ski slopes offer nothing but disappointment with fast receding snow cover.
“The Ski slopes at Gulmarg have been exposed at various places and as of now it is neither advisable nor preferred to ski down the slopes. We are planning to move out soon,” Henry, a skier from New Zealand lamented.
“It is depressing that there has not been much snow this season even after half of the season is already over. It means great loss. We at Gulmarg pray for snow,” said manager of a local hotel at Gulmarg.
But the miseries do not end here alone as the repercussions of this unusual climate change, as seen by climate experts and agriculturalists, are sure to show epidemic signs in the season ahead.
B A Khanday, professor and head of the Department of Agronomy, Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) fears a massive reduction in crop yields this year while adding that mustard crop would be the worst hit.
Talking to ‘Kashmir Images’ Prof Khanday said that the changed weather conditions were suicidal for some of the crops including mustard, oats, peas, etc, while the phenomena would leave drastic impact on the overall yield including fruit production.
“While early sown crops and late sown crops including mustard were already facing the brunt of the changed weather conditions, the summer crops too might be impacted badly,” Kanday said adding that the summer would see water scarcity which again threatens not only the crops but the fruit yield as well.
SKUAST-J: Farmers Trained on Paper; Scam Exposed
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu: In a perfect example of “Sab Gol Maal Hai,” the higher rung officials of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Jammu (SKUAST-J) siphoned off varsity’s funds by conducting “fictitious” training camps for farmers and showing “fictitious” expenditure spent on these camps.
Contrastingly, Governor N N Vohra, who is also the University Chancellor, had called upon agriculture scientists to take the available research output to the doorsteps of the farmers and regularly monitor its impact on the ground during his visit to University campus on September 7, 2009.
If the 78-page document formulated by the members of teaching and non-teaching wings is to be believed, Dr R K Sharma, Registrar SKUAST-J in his capacity as Principal Investigator of two ICAR projects had “misappropriated” and “embezzled” funds through “fraudulent means” by reflecting demonstration camps for farmers only on papers.
The document revealed that the progress report (physical and financial) and final report submitted by Dr R K Sharma on April 15, 2009 and October 10, 2009 showed a large variation particularly in the financial report and alleged the accounts were fabricated.
Making a sensational disclosure, the document alleged, “As per the final report submitted by Dr Sharma, one of the training conducted in the ‘Project 3.5’ on December 23, 2006 at Shahjadpur where 52 farmers participated but the photographs shown in the report pertains to the turnings of HTMM project number 1.14 organised by Dr Ravi Kher on December 23, 2006 with the participation of only 20 farmers.”
The document suggested that the said training camp organised by Dr Ravi Kher has already published in the annual report (2006-07), adding “It had been generally observed that mostly the training dates were deliberately shown on Saturdays and Sundays just to overshadow misdeeds in the project work.”
“This observation is being supported while going through the final report which indicates that on January 6, 2007 (Saturday) a training camp was organised at Kathua but the TA/DA claims showed that he was at Reasi. He had conducted training camp at Pouni in district Reasi on January 7, 2007 (Sunday). Interestingly, no training camp was reported in the final report on such date,” the document maintained.
Another interesting aspect to training camps was that majority of the employees of the varsity were aware that on January 6, 2007 the then Vice Chancellor, Dr Nagendra Sharma was admitted to the Government Medical College & Hospital Jammu and subsequently was airlifted to Delhi on January 7, 2007 and Dr R K Sharma was very much present in the hospital on that day, revealed the document.
Furthermore, the report submitted by Dr R K Sharma on March 6, 2009 regarding review meeting to Nodal Officer HTMM-1 project, Dr Nazeer Ahmed showed that total number of training camps conducted during 2008-09 up to February 2009 were 15 whereas the number of camps in final report were 20.
The document said, “Dr N A Sudhan’s communication number AUJ/DR/09-10/F-146/03 dated April 1, 2009 to Dr B Mishra, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-J established that Dr R K Sharma, in his capacity as Principal Investigator of two externally funded projects misappropriated and embezzled public money through fraudulent means.”
It has been alleged, “Time and again, Dr Sudhan reminded the Vice Chancellor that he has not taken any action against Dr Sharma for conducting financial irregularities. “Though the Director Research also forwarded a letter to Governor N N Vohra and other members of Board of Management SKUAST-J apprising them that the Vice Chancellor has not taken any action against the Registrar for financial irregularities, yet it yielded no results,” the document maintained.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Climate Change is a Serious Concern on Both Sides of the LOC
Zafar discusses the impact of climate change in Azad Kashmir
(Mr. Zafar Iqbal, 32, was born in village Tarar, Rawalakot, in the Poonch district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He did his early schooling in a private school, matriculating through examinations conducted by the Mirpur Educational Board, and completed his higher secondary education from the Government Degree College in Rawalakot. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Rawalakot campus), and his M.A. in Mass Communication from the Punjab University in Pakistan. He received international scholarships to attend the International Summer School at the University of Oslo in 2005 receiving a Graduate Diploma in Media Studies, and the Nottingham Trent University, U.K., in 2006-2008 receiving M.A. in Media & Globalization. Mr. Iqbal has been a journalist working in the print and TV media since 1999 and is very active in human rights, earthquake relief and rehabilitation especially involving women and children, and inter-faith harmony. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Press for Peace (PFP) and the Founder-President of the Environmental Journalists Forum, both based in Muzaffarabad. Mr. Iqbal has been invited to numerous national and international seminars and workshops related to human development.)
Climate Change Hits Natural Paradise of Kashmir
The tangible impacts of climate change are now witnessed even in those areas of South Asian region which are considered as habitat of ecosystem due to the abundance of natural resources. Like other areas of world, the weather pattern in Kashmir has changed so much so that people are experiencing in chilly and dry winter without rains and snowfall.
People paid special prayers for rain after a spell of dry and harsh weather conditions prevailing in the region since many months. People in Pakistan part of Kashmir on Wednesday offered Namaz e Istaska in small and big towns and remote areas. Prime Minster of Pakistani Azad Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Haider has appealed people to offer particular prayers for the end of harshly dry weather. Hundreds of residents, including the Prime Minister and his cabinet members of government of Pakistani controlled Kashmir, offered Namaz e Istakska in an open ground in the capital city, Muzaffarabad.
In Islam Namaz e Istaska (Pray for rain) is a special kind of prayer which is performed in the time of drought, in order to seek relief from God, so that God may send rain. Similar rituals were paid in other cities where parched citizens pray for rain and snowfall.
In various towns and cities in Pakistan and its administrated Kashmir arid weather has affected badly local population because of water scarcity in the region as most of the water sources have dried up and people are struggling to access for drinking water. Women have to walk for miles to bring water as all springs, streams, wells and other natural water sources have dried up where as water level in rivers, mini rivers and lakes are also shrinking.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir most of the population rely for natural water sources, including rivers, springs and wells. According to World Bank More than 60 percent of the population still has no direct access to water supply. A 1998 census shows that only 34.58 percent of the rural population has access to piped water supply (house connection) while more than 65 percent fetch water from communal sources.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Azad Kashmir Government under a project worth Rs. 493 million are jointly working to restore rural water supply system and improve the sanitation in the region.
The majority of water supply and sanitation systems in AJK (both rural and urban) were badly damaged by October 8, 2005 earthquakes. According to the Governments of AJK, a total of 1641 water supply schemes and sanitation system, were damaged and need to be rehabilitated or reconstructed.
The dry weather has also affected areas which are famous for torrentional rains and snowfall in winter, howevever, this year wave of dry weather is not finished even after beginning of one month of winter. The intensity of the dryness has even been witnessed on high mountainous areas which used to be covered with many feet high snow in the beginning of autumn in the past.
Most of the cities and towns and remote hilly areas are experiencing dry spell of weather. Rawalakot is tourist resort and have a beautiful lake in Banjosa, which during the recent years have attracted a large number of visitors form Pakistani cities like Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi etc. Especially a large influx of visitors has been observed in the Rwalakot in summer and winter seasons after the military operation in Swat and other areas in Northern Pakistan which used to be tourist resorts in the past. The peaks of Lass Danna, Toli Peer, and Ganga Choti in Bagh District which are located at more than 7000-8000 feet over the altitude are still waiting for snowfall.
(Mr. Zafar Iqbal, 32, was born in village Tarar, Rawalakot, in the Poonch district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He did his early schooling in a private school, matriculating through examinations conducted by the Mirpur Educational Board, and completed his higher secondary education from the Government Degree College in Rawalakot. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Rawalakot campus), and his M.A. in Mass Communication from the Punjab University in Pakistan. He received international scholarships to attend the International Summer School at the University of Oslo in 2005 receiving a Graduate Diploma in Media Studies, and the Nottingham Trent University, U.K., in 2006-2008 receiving M.A. in Media & Globalization. Mr. Iqbal has been a journalist working in the print and TV media since 1999 and is very active in human rights, earthquake relief and rehabilitation especially involving women and children, and inter-faith harmony. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Press for Peace (PFP) and the Founder-President of the Environmental Journalists Forum, both based in Muzaffarabad. Mr. Iqbal has been invited to numerous national and international seminars and workshops related to human development.)
Climate Change Hits Natural Paradise of Kashmir
The tangible impacts of climate change are now witnessed even in those areas of South Asian region which are considered as habitat of ecosystem due to the abundance of natural resources. Like other areas of world, the weather pattern in Kashmir has changed so much so that people are experiencing in chilly and dry winter without rains and snowfall.
People paid special prayers for rain after a spell of dry and harsh weather conditions prevailing in the region since many months. People in Pakistan part of Kashmir on Wednesday offered Namaz e Istaska in small and big towns and remote areas. Prime Minster of Pakistani Azad Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Haider has appealed people to offer particular prayers for the end of harshly dry weather. Hundreds of residents, including the Prime Minister and his cabinet members of government of Pakistani controlled Kashmir, offered Namaz e Istakska in an open ground in the capital city, Muzaffarabad.
In Islam Namaz e Istaska (Pray for rain) is a special kind of prayer which is performed in the time of drought, in order to seek relief from God, so that God may send rain. Similar rituals were paid in other cities where parched citizens pray for rain and snowfall.
In various towns and cities in Pakistan and its administrated Kashmir arid weather has affected badly local population because of water scarcity in the region as most of the water sources have dried up and people are struggling to access for drinking water. Women have to walk for miles to bring water as all springs, streams, wells and other natural water sources have dried up where as water level in rivers, mini rivers and lakes are also shrinking.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir most of the population rely for natural water sources, including rivers, springs and wells. According to World Bank More than 60 percent of the population still has no direct access to water supply. A 1998 census shows that only 34.58 percent of the rural population has access to piped water supply (house connection) while more than 65 percent fetch water from communal sources.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Azad Kashmir Government under a project worth Rs. 493 million are jointly working to restore rural water supply system and improve the sanitation in the region.
The majority of water supply and sanitation systems in AJK (both rural and urban) were badly damaged by October 8, 2005 earthquakes. According to the Governments of AJK, a total of 1641 water supply schemes and sanitation system, were damaged and need to be rehabilitated or reconstructed.
The dry weather has also affected areas which are famous for torrentional rains and snowfall in winter, howevever, this year wave of dry weather is not finished even after beginning of one month of winter. The intensity of the dryness has even been witnessed on high mountainous areas which used to be covered with many feet high snow in the beginning of autumn in the past.
Most of the cities and towns and remote hilly areas are experiencing dry spell of weather. Rawalakot is tourist resort and have a beautiful lake in Banjosa, which during the recent years have attracted a large number of visitors form Pakistani cities like Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi etc. Especially a large influx of visitors has been observed in the Rwalakot in summer and winter seasons after the military operation in Swat and other areas in Northern Pakistan which used to be tourist resorts in the past. The peaks of Lass Danna, Toli Peer, and Ganga Choti in Bagh District which are located at more than 7000-8000 feet over the altitude are still waiting for snowfall.
Kashmiri Woman Wins a National Entrepreneurship Award
Afsana writes about an outstanding women entrepreneur from the valley
(Ms. Afsana Rasheed, 29, was born and raised in Srinagar and attended the Minto Circle High School. She graduated from the Government College for Women with a Bachelor's degree in science, and completed her post-graduation degree from the University of Kashmir, obtaining her Master's Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. She has received numerous world-wide recognition and awards for covering economic depravation and gender sensitive issues in Kashmiri journals, which include Sanjoy Ghose Humanitarian Award, Bhorukha Trust Media Award 2007, and the 2006-07 UNFPA-Ladli Media Award. Her work on "Impact of conflict on subsistence livelihood of marginalised communities in Kashmir and Alternatives", was recognized by Action Aid India in 2005-06. She has travelled abroad attending a workshop on "conflict Reporting" by Thomson Foundation, Cardiff, UK, and a seminar for women in conflict areas by IKV Pax Christi, Netherlands. In February 2008, she compiled a book, "Waiting for Justice: Widows and Half-widows.")
"Kashmiri florist gets Stree Shakti Award"
Srinagar: Nusrat Jahan Ara, a Kashmiri florist, is among eight women entrepreneurs who have been recently conferred with the TATA TiE Stree Shakti Award by the Tata Group and the TiE Mumbai chapter.
This award is given to outstanding women entrepreneurs across the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprise). These awards are given to recognise the growing aspiring role of Indian women in business and comprise a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, each.
“It is great to receive the award. It is encouraging for entrepreneurship. I joined the field that was new, but my family supported me throughout. Without their support I may not have succeeded in getting this position,” said Nusrat.
Nusrat (petals agritech) received the award under the small enterprise category at a function in Mumbai recently. Her work was highly appreciated. Thirtyfour-year-old Nusrat is regarded as the founder of cut flower industry in the state. She entered cut flower business in 2000 with literally no financial support. Now, she is recognised as the most successful women entrepreneur in the Valley.
With her determination, she has established herself as a successful businesswoman with the annual turnover of her business unit touching Rs 2 crore. She now owns the state franchise of the country’s largest chain of fresh flower stores ‘Petals n Ferns’.
“As a Pan India initiative, the programme aims at connecting women entrepreneurs from different socio-economic strata and celebrate inspiring women entrepreneurs in the country,” believe the organisers.
A graduate in computer applications, Nusrat comes from Dadoora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. She broke all odds and went on to set out an example. She started a business that was unheard in Kashmir. “I wanted to start a business that was new. Cut flower was the best option”.
The Grassroot Entrepreurship Monitor (GEM), commissioned and conducted by Indian consulting group, identified the needs of women entrepreneurs across three segments that is, aspiring, grassroots and mid rung across the country.
According to a press release, the conference is part of a larger platform. “The Tata TIE Stree Shakti seeks to reflect the growing role of women in Indian entrepreneurial eco-system and enabling aspiring businesswomen to realise their dream of running own enterprise successfully through educational programmes”.
(Ms. Afsana Rasheed, 29, was born and raised in Srinagar and attended the Minto Circle High School. She graduated from the Government College for Women with a Bachelor's degree in science, and completed her post-graduation degree from the University of Kashmir, obtaining her Master's Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. She has received numerous world-wide recognition and awards for covering economic depravation and gender sensitive issues in Kashmiri journals, which include Sanjoy Ghose Humanitarian Award, Bhorukha Trust Media Award 2007, and the 2006-07 UNFPA-Ladli Media Award. Her work on "Impact of conflict on subsistence livelihood of marginalised communities in Kashmir and Alternatives", was recognized by Action Aid India in 2005-06. She has travelled abroad attending a workshop on "conflict Reporting" by Thomson Foundation, Cardiff, UK, and a seminar for women in conflict areas by IKV Pax Christi, Netherlands. In February 2008, she compiled a book, "Waiting for Justice: Widows and Half-widows.")
"Kashmiri florist gets Stree Shakti Award"
Srinagar: Nusrat Jahan Ara, a Kashmiri florist, is among eight women entrepreneurs who have been recently conferred with the TATA TiE Stree Shakti Award by the Tata Group and the TiE Mumbai chapter.
This award is given to outstanding women entrepreneurs across the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprise). These awards are given to recognise the growing aspiring role of Indian women in business and comprise a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, each.
“It is great to receive the award. It is encouraging for entrepreneurship. I joined the field that was new, but my family supported me throughout. Without their support I may not have succeeded in getting this position,” said Nusrat.
Nusrat (petals agritech) received the award under the small enterprise category at a function in Mumbai recently. Her work was highly appreciated. Thirtyfour-year-old Nusrat is regarded as the founder of cut flower industry in the state. She entered cut flower business in 2000 with literally no financial support. Now, she is recognised as the most successful women entrepreneur in the Valley.
With her determination, she has established herself as a successful businesswoman with the annual turnover of her business unit touching Rs 2 crore. She now owns the state franchise of the country’s largest chain of fresh flower stores ‘Petals n Ferns’.
“As a Pan India initiative, the programme aims at connecting women entrepreneurs from different socio-economic strata and celebrate inspiring women entrepreneurs in the country,” believe the organisers.
A graduate in computer applications, Nusrat comes from Dadoora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. She broke all odds and went on to set out an example. She started a business that was unheard in Kashmir. “I wanted to start a business that was new. Cut flower was the best option”.
The Grassroot Entrepreurship Monitor (GEM), commissioned and conducted by Indian consulting group, identified the needs of women entrepreneurs across three segments that is, aspiring, grassroots and mid rung across the country.
According to a press release, the conference is part of a larger platform. “The Tata TIE Stree Shakti seeks to reflect the growing role of women in Indian entrepreneurial eco-system and enabling aspiring businesswomen to realise their dream of running own enterprise successfully through educational programmes”.
A Kashmiri Entrepreneur at the top of his Profession
Ali Mohammad Shows resilience that is rapidly vanishing in a state where increasing number of migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are exercising free enterprise while native Kashmiris seek government jobs and fruits of corruption
Selling Masala at ‘battlefield’ Lal Chowk
M. Hyderi (Greater Kashmir)
Gunshots and explosions rent the air. But Masala Wala, Ali Muhammad Akhoon remains unmoved as he rolls his Dal delicacy on Lawasa, a local bread. As for his customers, they too don’t miss to get spicy Chutney spread on the roll.
This is the scene at Lal Chowk, just a few hundred yards away from where fierce encounter is going on at the other side of the Ghanta Ghar. Smoke is seen billowing out from the encounter site amid intermittent gunshots and explosions. Akhoon and his customers watch the fight, live.
Scores of people eager to get a live glimpse of the encounter rush to Lal Chowk even though vehicular traffic movement has been restricted. Such avid watchers get more closer to the encounter site. The only barrier between them and the line of fire is the Ghanta Ghar where police has laid concertina wires.
The moment the crowd swells to around a thousand, cops swing to action and disperse them. As the cops chase away the crowd, many shout pro-Islam and pro-freedom slogans. But then they regroup and this cycle continues.
As for the Masala Wala, he avoids the melee moving a few steps back.
“But then I can’t avoid to remain away from my potential clients, the crowd,” says Akhoon while sitting with his basket near junction connecting Lal Chowk with Abi Guzar.
“This is an advantageous position where I have a chance to make sales and escape.”
Akhoon, a resident of Shalimar has been selling Masala at Lal Chowk for the past nearly a decade earning around rupees 150, a day.
But today’s incident could mean no business.
“I couldn’t go home empty handed as I have to feed my family,” says the Masala Wala who father’s young kids, and a wife.
“I am the only bread earner for my family so I have to make earnings even if it means risking my life,” he adds while serving a Masala roll. But then he recalls that in the beginning years of turmoil firing meant that people would stay away from the site for days together.
“If there would be a firing at Lal Chowk, one would avoid coming here for around a week.”
Meanwhile, there’s another spell of sloganeering and spectators being chased away only to regroup.
“Hey walk calmly or you will spoil my Masala,” he cautions them.
Meanwhile, prominent activist and poet Zarief Ahmed Zarief arrives on the Residency Road.
Looking at the crowd, Zarief turns nostalgic of a 1965 episode during India-Pakistan war when warplanes flew over Kashmir and he was an employee with Radio Kashmir, Srinagar.
“We were sitting in the office when suddenly someone on hearing the sounds of warplanes said ‘Pakistan’s Cyber jets have arrived’. We at once rushed out and climbed Jhelum bund to see the planes bombing,” he recalls.
“Except a few Kashmiri Muslims everyone including troops would take shelter in underground bunkers but we wouldn’t mind to move in the opposite direction to see the Cyber jets.”
A few yards ahead of Zarief, the Masala Wala was doing business. And his clients came fast. “On routine days I finish my basket by around 4:30 but today I have exhausted the stock an hour earlier,” he says while leaving the site amid intermittent gunshots and explosions.
Selling Masala at ‘battlefield’ Lal Chowk
M. Hyderi (Greater Kashmir)
Gunshots and explosions rent the air. But Masala Wala, Ali Muhammad Akhoon remains unmoved as he rolls his Dal delicacy on Lawasa, a local bread. As for his customers, they too don’t miss to get spicy Chutney spread on the roll.
This is the scene at Lal Chowk, just a few hundred yards away from where fierce encounter is going on at the other side of the Ghanta Ghar. Smoke is seen billowing out from the encounter site amid intermittent gunshots and explosions. Akhoon and his customers watch the fight, live.
Scores of people eager to get a live glimpse of the encounter rush to Lal Chowk even though vehicular traffic movement has been restricted. Such avid watchers get more closer to the encounter site. The only barrier between them and the line of fire is the Ghanta Ghar where police has laid concertina wires.
The moment the crowd swells to around a thousand, cops swing to action and disperse them. As the cops chase away the crowd, many shout pro-Islam and pro-freedom slogans. But then they regroup and this cycle continues.
As for the Masala Wala, he avoids the melee moving a few steps back.
“But then I can’t avoid to remain away from my potential clients, the crowd,” says Akhoon while sitting with his basket near junction connecting Lal Chowk with Abi Guzar.
“This is an advantageous position where I have a chance to make sales and escape.”
Akhoon, a resident of Shalimar has been selling Masala at Lal Chowk for the past nearly a decade earning around rupees 150, a day.
But today’s incident could mean no business.
“I couldn’t go home empty handed as I have to feed my family,” says the Masala Wala who father’s young kids, and a wife.
“I am the only bread earner for my family so I have to make earnings even if it means risking my life,” he adds while serving a Masala roll. But then he recalls that in the beginning years of turmoil firing meant that people would stay away from the site for days together.
“If there would be a firing at Lal Chowk, one would avoid coming here for around a week.”
Meanwhile, there’s another spell of sloganeering and spectators being chased away only to regroup.
“Hey walk calmly or you will spoil my Masala,” he cautions them.
Meanwhile, prominent activist and poet Zarief Ahmed Zarief arrives on the Residency Road.
Looking at the crowd, Zarief turns nostalgic of a 1965 episode during India-Pakistan war when warplanes flew over Kashmir and he was an employee with Radio Kashmir, Srinagar.
“We were sitting in the office when suddenly someone on hearing the sounds of warplanes said ‘Pakistan’s Cyber jets have arrived’. We at once rushed out and climbed Jhelum bund to see the planes bombing,” he recalls.
“Except a few Kashmiri Muslims everyone including troops would take shelter in underground bunkers but we wouldn’t mind to move in the opposite direction to see the Cyber jets.”
A few yards ahead of Zarief, the Masala Wala was doing business. And his clients came fast. “On routine days I finish my basket by around 4:30 but today I have exhausted the stock an hour earlier,” he says while leaving the site amid intermittent gunshots and explosions.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Reconciling Polemics of Self Righteousness With an Absolutely Corrupt Culture
Basim wonders how "Chai" and "Pani" became a way of life in Kashmir
(Mr. Basim Amin Bazaz, 27, was born in Srinagar. He attended the Tyndale Biscoe Memorial School and completed an engineering degree in Electronics and Communications from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar. He has worked at BQE Software and Satyam Computer Services as a software developer. He is currently employed by the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department as a Junior Engineer. In his leisure time Basim loves to write and design websites. He is also passionate about cricket and table tennis.)
CORRUPTION PARADOX
When Jammu and Kashmir featured in the list of most corrupt states this year, it was twice in succession that the state had managed to hold on to its number two spot. While it spells abysmal trouble for the state, I say we have done wonderfully well – for a moment it seemed that we would be crowned the undisputed champions.
Our society today has taken corruption shamelessly into its stride. Unfortunately it is no longer seen as disgraceful. It no longer invokes any trouble. What begs to be seen as shameful is met with reverence and awe. Bribes have become the only logic that works. What efforts and patience and pleading cannot do, bribes do in a jiffy. There was a time when the dishonest needed to hide their faces and did their business under the table. Today, however, it is the honest who need tables to hide under. Wealth, notwithstanding the source, is the true yard-stick of reputation; wealthy, however putrid, the true bearers of the torch. It seems that most people have lost their sense of reason; perhaps their conscience too. Regardless of what is right, we do what our neighbours do. We have become zombies who are hypnotised by an infernal potion called corruption and barely have discretion of our own.
Sometimes I think we suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder. One moment we are, “I the most honest and the wisest,” and the next moment we become, “Who cares? Let me take home some quick bucks.” We talk big– oh yes – we love to talk big. We talk morals and righteousness all the time, but what do we do? Soon after we finish talking, we do filth that even devils will be ashamed of. We cry all the hoarse about corruption one moment and the next moment we are found demanding bribes. So much so that if I am writing this piece right now, censuring corruption so harshly, I may well be the most corrupt person around!
A friend of mine needed to get an electric meter of his tested. When he approached the person who usually did the testing – a government servant who is duly paid for his work – the person had been taken over by his alter-ego (Remember he was a quintessential MPD friend). The other personality hidden inside him had come to the fore. It was busy castigating imaginary characters for their moral shortcomings. “Dishonest scumbags, how do they manage to sleep at night?” For a moment it seemed that indeed he was the only honest person alive on earth. My friend, pestered from his past experiences of having to pay extra money for his meter testing, could not believe his luck for he thought he had run into an honest man after all. However, as soon as he put forth the meter, the tester stood up. The honest alter-ego had suddenly fallen asleep and the other one had risen.
“What is this?” he fumed with anger. He looked angry (just as we look when we are asked to work). “Do you want me to test this meter?” His face turning red with blood. “Where is my Chai?” he demanded. “But ...But just now you proscribed bribes as a poison that is eating Kashmir,” asked my friend, full of surprise. “Oh forget that. This is no bribe. This is how things work here. After all I have a family to support as well.
Not too long ago, a young man at the Karan Nagar petrol pump asked me to pay him rupees ten extra for every hundred rupees of petrol he filled in my car. I was stunned. Not because it was Eid and even the people who I had never met were asking for ‘Eidiaan’, but because he was not asking, he was not pleading either; he was demanding, he was threatening. He even went to the lengths of saying that it was his right and that I should do better than denying him his bread and butter. Although the nature of his act does not strictly come under the ambit of corruption, it goes to show how shamelessly demanding we have become. Not only do people ask for ‘Chai’ and ‘pani’ without any shame whatsoever, they do it with an air of confidence about themselves.
Chai , ironically never means a Chai only but ‘kantis’ and ‘kababas’ and ‘naans’ and ‘goshtabas’. Lamaji from Leh learnt it the hard way. When his clerk asked him for a Chai, Lamaji agreed outright. “Very well,” said Lamaji, “let’s go to a restraunt.” Little did poor Lamaji know that the clerk had been asking for a paper-Chai and not the liquid-Chai. The clerk however could not be fooled. For that matter, they never can be. Lamaji ordered Chai for himself. The clerk knew better; he ordered something better for himself. When the clerk was served his food; Lamaji understood – in the cruel world of bread and butter a Chai is not just a stutter.
Speaking of Lamaji, I still remember when he was lured to Srinagar. He had been promised a speedy follow up of his promotion case. Little did he know that less than a month into his arrival he would have bribed the official with almost everything he had brought with himself. Little did he know that even the clothes he had put on would come in the line of fire. A little over two months pass, Lamaji returns to Leh; with no promotion of course, but with no luggage and clothes either.
When a place gets soaked in corruption in a manner we have, its effects are bound to get reflected through many ways. And how have we been affected? When I visited a bakery shop sometime ago, they sold cakes at the rate of twenty four rupees. The next time, after a space of one night, they thought it right to sell them at thirty rupees apiece. In downtown they sell oranges at fifty rupees a dozen. At Soura bus stop, the same oranges, notwithstanding the quality, are sold at sixty rupees per dozen. However a more clever vendor at Ellahibagh takes pride in selling the same wilted ones at nothing less than ninety rupees a dozen! One morning your coffee and your snacks consume one note. The other morning they consume two more. I am sure there does exist a regulatory body somewhere which shoulders the responsibility of stopping prices from getting blown out of proportion. I am sure they get paid handsomely as well. They were just round the corner when our ‘Kandar-folk’ tried to hammer their share of nails into our inflation Chained coffin. So where have our regulatory bodies disappeared overnight, when the most basic amenities are sold at the rates of gold and silver? Beyond a smidgen of doubt it is ‘Chai-pani’ only that has conspired to keep them at bay. Indeed one note is enough to kill our conscience a hundred times over.
This undue shooting up of prices is just one single issue out of a huge load of miseries. When our brothers working in whatever capacity get corrupted it tells on the public in hundreds of ways. So much so that most of our current miseries, in one way or another, have their roots hidden deep inside the very soil of corruption. There is no doubt that corruption has taken hold of our state by the scruff of its neck. As suggested by our standings for the last two years it is evident that we have not been able to peg the ease with which we make foul money. The kind of apparent inaction towards this rampant corruption makes the matter all the more mysterious. Mysterious indeed is the fact that what demands action on a war footing basis seems to be silently, and at times obtusely, met with inexplicable indifference.
Certainly, being corrupt by no means adds any feathers to our cap. Why then is it not met with the response it demands? What are we waiting for? When was the last time you heard someone actively waging a war against it? When was the last time you witnessed an honest official being adulated? When was the last time you came across a guileful beast being booked for his infractions? As far as I remember, never in the last hundred years!
(Mr. Basim Amin Bazaz, 27, was born in Srinagar. He attended the Tyndale Biscoe Memorial School and completed an engineering degree in Electronics and Communications from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar. He has worked at BQE Software and Satyam Computer Services as a software developer. He is currently employed by the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department as a Junior Engineer. In his leisure time Basim loves to write and design websites. He is also passionate about cricket and table tennis.)
CORRUPTION PARADOX
When Jammu and Kashmir featured in the list of most corrupt states this year, it was twice in succession that the state had managed to hold on to its number two spot. While it spells abysmal trouble for the state, I say we have done wonderfully well – for a moment it seemed that we would be crowned the undisputed champions.
Our society today has taken corruption shamelessly into its stride. Unfortunately it is no longer seen as disgraceful. It no longer invokes any trouble. What begs to be seen as shameful is met with reverence and awe. Bribes have become the only logic that works. What efforts and patience and pleading cannot do, bribes do in a jiffy. There was a time when the dishonest needed to hide their faces and did their business under the table. Today, however, it is the honest who need tables to hide under. Wealth, notwithstanding the source, is the true yard-stick of reputation; wealthy, however putrid, the true bearers of the torch. It seems that most people have lost their sense of reason; perhaps their conscience too. Regardless of what is right, we do what our neighbours do. We have become zombies who are hypnotised by an infernal potion called corruption and barely have discretion of our own.
Sometimes I think we suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder. One moment we are, “I the most honest and the wisest,” and the next moment we become, “Who cares? Let me take home some quick bucks.” We talk big– oh yes – we love to talk big. We talk morals and righteousness all the time, but what do we do? Soon after we finish talking, we do filth that even devils will be ashamed of. We cry all the hoarse about corruption one moment and the next moment we are found demanding bribes. So much so that if I am writing this piece right now, censuring corruption so harshly, I may well be the most corrupt person around!
A friend of mine needed to get an electric meter of his tested. When he approached the person who usually did the testing – a government servant who is duly paid for his work – the person had been taken over by his alter-ego (Remember he was a quintessential MPD friend). The other personality hidden inside him had come to the fore. It was busy castigating imaginary characters for their moral shortcomings. “Dishonest scumbags, how do they manage to sleep at night?” For a moment it seemed that indeed he was the only honest person alive on earth. My friend, pestered from his past experiences of having to pay extra money for his meter testing, could not believe his luck for he thought he had run into an honest man after all. However, as soon as he put forth the meter, the tester stood up. The honest alter-ego had suddenly fallen asleep and the other one had risen.
“What is this?” he fumed with anger. He looked angry (just as we look when we are asked to work). “Do you want me to test this meter?” His face turning red with blood. “Where is my Chai?” he demanded. “But ...But just now you proscribed bribes as a poison that is eating Kashmir,” asked my friend, full of surprise. “Oh forget that. This is no bribe. This is how things work here. After all I have a family to support as well.
Not too long ago, a young man at the Karan Nagar petrol pump asked me to pay him rupees ten extra for every hundred rupees of petrol he filled in my car. I was stunned. Not because it was Eid and even the people who I had never met were asking for ‘Eidiaan’, but because he was not asking, he was not pleading either; he was demanding, he was threatening. He even went to the lengths of saying that it was his right and that I should do better than denying him his bread and butter. Although the nature of his act does not strictly come under the ambit of corruption, it goes to show how shamelessly demanding we have become. Not only do people ask for ‘Chai’ and ‘pani’ without any shame whatsoever, they do it with an air of confidence about themselves.
Chai , ironically never means a Chai only but ‘kantis’ and ‘kababas’ and ‘naans’ and ‘goshtabas’. Lamaji from Leh learnt it the hard way. When his clerk asked him for a Chai, Lamaji agreed outright. “Very well,” said Lamaji, “let’s go to a restraunt.” Little did poor Lamaji know that the clerk had been asking for a paper-Chai and not the liquid-Chai. The clerk however could not be fooled. For that matter, they never can be. Lamaji ordered Chai for himself. The clerk knew better; he ordered something better for himself. When the clerk was served his food; Lamaji understood – in the cruel world of bread and butter a Chai is not just a stutter.
Speaking of Lamaji, I still remember when he was lured to Srinagar. He had been promised a speedy follow up of his promotion case. Little did he know that less than a month into his arrival he would have bribed the official with almost everything he had brought with himself. Little did he know that even the clothes he had put on would come in the line of fire. A little over two months pass, Lamaji returns to Leh; with no promotion of course, but with no luggage and clothes either.
When a place gets soaked in corruption in a manner we have, its effects are bound to get reflected through many ways. And how have we been affected? When I visited a bakery shop sometime ago, they sold cakes at the rate of twenty four rupees. The next time, after a space of one night, they thought it right to sell them at thirty rupees apiece. In downtown they sell oranges at fifty rupees a dozen. At Soura bus stop, the same oranges, notwithstanding the quality, are sold at sixty rupees per dozen. However a more clever vendor at Ellahibagh takes pride in selling the same wilted ones at nothing less than ninety rupees a dozen! One morning your coffee and your snacks consume one note. The other morning they consume two more. I am sure there does exist a regulatory body somewhere which shoulders the responsibility of stopping prices from getting blown out of proportion. I am sure they get paid handsomely as well. They were just round the corner when our ‘Kandar-folk’ tried to hammer their share of nails into our inflation Chained coffin. So where have our regulatory bodies disappeared overnight, when the most basic amenities are sold at the rates of gold and silver? Beyond a smidgen of doubt it is ‘Chai-pani’ only that has conspired to keep them at bay. Indeed one note is enough to kill our conscience a hundred times over.
This undue shooting up of prices is just one single issue out of a huge load of miseries. When our brothers working in whatever capacity get corrupted it tells on the public in hundreds of ways. So much so that most of our current miseries, in one way or another, have their roots hidden deep inside the very soil of corruption. There is no doubt that corruption has taken hold of our state by the scruff of its neck. As suggested by our standings for the last two years it is evident that we have not been able to peg the ease with which we make foul money. The kind of apparent inaction towards this rampant corruption makes the matter all the more mysterious. Mysterious indeed is the fact that what demands action on a war footing basis seems to be silently, and at times obtusely, met with inexplicable indifference.
Certainly, being corrupt by no means adds any feathers to our cap. Why then is it not met with the response it demands? What are we waiting for? When was the last time you heard someone actively waging a war against it? When was the last time you witnessed an honest official being adulated? When was the last time you came across a guileful beast being booked for his infractions? As far as I remember, never in the last hundred years!
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