Nadia writes about her unique experiences at a camp in Abu Dhabi
(Ms. Nida Rafiq Shiekh, 22, was born in Srinagar. She passed her Matriculation from the Presentation Convent High School and completed her 12th grade from the Mallinson Girls High School, both with distinction. She graduated from the Women's College, Srinagar, in 2007 and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in mass communications from the Media Education Research Centre (MERC) of the University of Kashmir. She is a free lance writer who likes writing about the Kashmir issue and other topics like communal violence that have torn apart the Kashmiri society with tragic consequences. She loves writing and reading, and hopes to become a serious journalist and a documentary film maker some day.)
GENERATIONS FOR PEACE
"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it." (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
There were people with different faiths, different colors, different accents, different languages and different cultures yet there was a commonality and that was that we had all assembled there to work for peace. It was at times difficult to understand each other, but we managed to communicate in different forms. Sometimes singing, sometimes playing and sometimes by just some words. We shared our ideologies, our stories, our sufferings and our experiences.
Generations for Peace launched by HRH Prince Feisal of Jordan in 2007, organized its camp in Abu Dhabi this year and I was selected for it as a delegate.
The program brings together leaders of youth from divided communities and trains them in sport to unite the young. This year sixty delegates from 10 countries attended this peace camp. And I chose to be a part of this camp because who better than Kashmiris can understand the value of peace.
HRH Prince Feisal in his inaugural speech said, "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our great humanitarian, founding partner, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan for his invitation to hold our third camp in Abu Dhabi. As a result of our previous two camps nearly 150 graduates have returned to 16 countries to cascade their new knowledge and skills to thousands of young people. We are looking forward to these numbers accelerating further and into new territories after this first camp of 2009 and have HH Sheikh Hamdan for making this possible".
This camp was a great learning experience because it gave me the opportunity to meet people from different conflict zones. We tried to understand each others conflicts. Delegates from Nigeria, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon have taken part in the earlier program also, but for the first time there were delegates from India, Yemen, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, as well as the host country. This camp widened my outlook about not only the political affairs across the world but also about the diversity of different cultures.
The camp started on 1st March, 2009 and in the first classroom session delegates were supposed to tell their stories. It was a very emotional session and the heart- wrenching tales of the sufferings of people from different conflict zones made the atmosphere of the conference hall very grave. Hearing the stories from the horses’ mouth for the first time, I realized that there is a lot of suffering across the world and it’s high time that the young people from across the globe should come together and have one voice in promoting peace.
The entire concept of bringing together people of such diverse backgrounds together was very pioneering. The contemporary world is changing at a fast pace. Rapid technological innovations and industrialization have ushered in an age of materialism and consumerism whose primary objective is money and profit-making. While a part of the world is experiencing rapid development, the major part of the world is still striving to acquire its basic necessities of life.
While we talk of globalization and global citizenship, we cannot overcome the narrow limits of national, regional and cultural differences. We talk of the necessity of peace when we allot a substantial part of our national budget for acquiring arms and ammunition. We talk of secularism, liberty and fraternity yet we fail to respect the religious feelings of others. These contradictory pulls and pressures have made the world and its residents increasingly violent and arrogant. The generation that is coming up to take the responsibility of the future world is a generation with dwindling values and emotions. In such a situation, scholars have increasingly stressed on the necessity of spreading the culture of peace among the younger generation so that this world becomes a better place to live in. And this is what Generations for Peace is working for.
We had interactive classroom sessions combined with practical sports covering rules and skills in four sports - basketball, football, softball and volleyball. The curriculum stressed on peace building, focusing on the need to build tolerance and understanding so that youth from communities in conflict can find common grounds rather than be divided by differences.
We also had a full fledged session on dealing with Media in the conflict zones because the organizers believed that the key to spreading the global message of Generations for Peace is to build strong relationships with the media. And the intensive classroom sessions to address conflict resolution were combined with practical sporting sessions conducted by professional coaches; we learned the value of the media in spreading the seeds of peace. We were taught by media professionals how to work with the media and to better understand the journalists’ needs, no matter which type of media they may represent.
We had to prepare presentations in groups comprising of people from different regions and this helped us to understand each other better. All this bond us into new friendships and we pledged to work collectively for World Peace to the best of our capabilities.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) also supported the Peace Camp 09 by providing coaching and curriculum support. NBA All-Star Rolando Blackman and Olympic Gold Medallist Jennifer Azzi were there lending basketball instruction to the camp delegates. We also had world class Football coaches like Jacob Naish and Charlie Oatway, basketball coach Greg McGraw and volleyball coach Zohair.
Generations for Peace works for bringing together like-minded individuals and partners who believe that commonalities outweigh differences and that planting the seeds of peace is a shared responsibility for all. The cascade programme has resulted in growing numbers of Generations for Peace projects being instigated in the countries to where graduates have returned after their training. The Camp also taught participants how to train other trainers, who can then plan and implement sporting programmes with children through a series of workshops, interactive seminars, presentations, debates, role-play and sporting sessions.
Topics cover leadership, teamwork, building dialogue, tolerance and respect, anger management, conflict transformation, peace education, working with children and youth, self confidence, sport, religion and politics. Peace Pioneers are expected to train at least 20 trainers every year; work with at least 100-200 children annually; be an advocate for peace and to promote Generations for Peace; and to support other Peace Pioneers.
It was an experience of a lifetime and I hope I can make a difference for the people of my place with what I have learned there and in the words of Generations for Peace slogan am able to “Pass it on”.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
God Helps Those (Especially) Who Help Themselves
Faisal says fate does not mean that one does nothing and we leave all to God
(Dr. Shah Faisal, 26, was born in Sogam village of District Kupwara. He studied at his village schools until the 10th grade and then transferred to the Tyndale Biscoe School Srinagar. Through an open merit system, he was selected for a seat in the medical college and finished his medical degree (MBBS) from the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar. His hobbies are reading literature (English, Urdu, Persian and Kashmiri), writing articles and plays, peace activism, and is currently involved in grass-roots advocacy for implentation of the Right to Information (RTI) in J&K state. He is also preparing for the civil services examinations.)
Divine Providence and Human Endeavour
It is very important for a true believer to understand the real meaning of "God, the Sustainer". In our daily matters of life the temptation of "leaving it to God" is often over-ruled by a tendency to "do it ourselves" and vice versa. Faith, fatalism and the fear of failure move near to and even intersect one another. Incidents that uphold both utility and futility of human endeavour come to the mind. But then, God has His own ways of doing things and man his own. God keeps him alive, and man thinks it is because he struggles to keep the death away. A creation once habituated to Manna from the heaven gets doubtful of God's mercy and omnipotence, once the Manna ceases to descend? The issue is serious.
Maulana Mohammad Zakaria has dealt with this subject in very philosophical terms and illustrated the concept lucidly. He records the story of a Kurd thief who used to plunder the nearby city along with his gang every now and then. But one day, after returning with the spoils, they decided to halt near a date tree that had no foliage or fruit left over it. While leaning against the tree, the Kurd thief was surprised to see a little bird fluttering again and again over the tree-top, although there was nothing that could have been of any use to that bird. The man grew curious and being the chieftain ordered one of his companions to climb up the tree and see what was happening. On this dead tree, there was in fact a blind serpent and the bird had been bringing small insects in his beak and feeding him. The thieves were dumb-founded. The Kurd chieftain at once realized that if God could nurture a blind serpent, why should he indulge in evil actions for the sake of survival? He became a believer, at once.
However, this story, as narrated by Maulana Zakaria, solves the problem in part only. It reinforces our faith in divine providence and the omnipotence of God. But it does not address the issue of human effort. The question remains; what is then the essence of human struggle for existence?
It thus becomes necessary to refer to Bostan, the Persian classic by Sheikh Sa'di Shirazi. Again, a story with strong philosophical and spiritual message catches our eye. Sheikh Sa'di narrates that one day someone saw a fox that could not walk. He wondered how the poor animal managed to live in that condition. Suddenly, a tiger passed by with a jackal in his claws. The tiger ate the jackal and fox scavenged the left-over. Next day also the God Omnipotent sent the fox a hearty meal. But seeing this, the man thought that strength and firmness of body had nothing to do with being alive and God was there to take care. So he sat in silence like an ant, waiting for his daily food to come from the invisible. Days passed and no one heeded him. When at last starvation threatened his life, a voice came out from the wall of a mosque. It said, "Go, O false one! Be the rending tiger and pose not as a paralysed fox. Exert yourself like a tiger so that something may remain from the spoil. Why like the fox appease your hunger with leavings? Eat of the fruit of your own endeavours. Strive like a man." Hearing this, he set out to work and search for his food.
So from Bostan-e-Sa'di we get a better picture of things. Also, when we cross over from philosophical view point to Quranic perspective, the confusion is lessened even further. The message in Quran is unambiguous. God helps those who help themselves. Allah says," there is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance dependeth on Allah. He knoweth the time of its definite abode and its temporary deposit. All is in a clear record (Surat Hud,11:6). Maulana Mohammad Shafi has noted in the commentary to above mentioned verse that even Prophet Moses(AS) hesitated for a while when asked to leave everything to God, not to speak of ordinary human beings. He narrates that when Allah commanded Prophet Moses (AS) to leave for Egypt during their conversation on the Mount Tur, Moses (AS) replied humbly that there was no one to care for his spouse back home. In return, Allah (SWT) ordered him to strike with his staff on a huge stone. As Prophet Moses struck, the stone broke into two and Allah commanded again to strike. Prophet Moses struck again and the stone split into two again. He was asked to do it as many times. Towards the end, Prophet Moses was surprised to see a small bird holding a green leaf in its beak coming out of the last piece of stone that had been struck. At this Allah told Prophet Moses that if He can sustain that bird inside a dead rock then why not his wife. Seeing this, Prophet Moses left for Egypt.
All this means that although human effort is not central to his survival, it is desirable. Secondly, assurance of divine succour applies more to those "who cannot make an effort", and not to them "who do not want to make an effort". Lastly, it can be safely deduced that what applies to an individual is true for the collectivity of people. Ironically, we either leave everything to God or keep everything to ourselves.
Let's take lessons from that fox or that thief or from the ennobling experience of Prophet Moses. We must recharge the fountain of our faith and be believers in real sense.
(Dr. Shah Faisal, 26, was born in Sogam village of District Kupwara. He studied at his village schools until the 10th grade and then transferred to the Tyndale Biscoe School Srinagar. Through an open merit system, he was selected for a seat in the medical college and finished his medical degree (MBBS) from the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar. His hobbies are reading literature (English, Urdu, Persian and Kashmiri), writing articles and plays, peace activism, and is currently involved in grass-roots advocacy for implentation of the Right to Information (RTI) in J&K state. He is also preparing for the civil services examinations.)
Divine Providence and Human Endeavour
It is very important for a true believer to understand the real meaning of "God, the Sustainer". In our daily matters of life the temptation of "leaving it to God" is often over-ruled by a tendency to "do it ourselves" and vice versa. Faith, fatalism and the fear of failure move near to and even intersect one another. Incidents that uphold both utility and futility of human endeavour come to the mind. But then, God has His own ways of doing things and man his own. God keeps him alive, and man thinks it is because he struggles to keep the death away. A creation once habituated to Manna from the heaven gets doubtful of God's mercy and omnipotence, once the Manna ceases to descend? The issue is serious.
Maulana Mohammad Zakaria has dealt with this subject in very philosophical terms and illustrated the concept lucidly. He records the story of a Kurd thief who used to plunder the nearby city along with his gang every now and then. But one day, after returning with the spoils, they decided to halt near a date tree that had no foliage or fruit left over it. While leaning against the tree, the Kurd thief was surprised to see a little bird fluttering again and again over the tree-top, although there was nothing that could have been of any use to that bird. The man grew curious and being the chieftain ordered one of his companions to climb up the tree and see what was happening. On this dead tree, there was in fact a blind serpent and the bird had been bringing small insects in his beak and feeding him. The thieves were dumb-founded. The Kurd chieftain at once realized that if God could nurture a blind serpent, why should he indulge in evil actions for the sake of survival? He became a believer, at once.
However, this story, as narrated by Maulana Zakaria, solves the problem in part only. It reinforces our faith in divine providence and the omnipotence of God. But it does not address the issue of human effort. The question remains; what is then the essence of human struggle for existence?
It thus becomes necessary to refer to Bostan, the Persian classic by Sheikh Sa'di Shirazi. Again, a story with strong philosophical and spiritual message catches our eye. Sheikh Sa'di narrates that one day someone saw a fox that could not walk. He wondered how the poor animal managed to live in that condition. Suddenly, a tiger passed by with a jackal in his claws. The tiger ate the jackal and fox scavenged the left-over. Next day also the God Omnipotent sent the fox a hearty meal. But seeing this, the man thought that strength and firmness of body had nothing to do with being alive and God was there to take care. So he sat in silence like an ant, waiting for his daily food to come from the invisible. Days passed and no one heeded him. When at last starvation threatened his life, a voice came out from the wall of a mosque. It said, "Go, O false one! Be the rending tiger and pose not as a paralysed fox. Exert yourself like a tiger so that something may remain from the spoil. Why like the fox appease your hunger with leavings? Eat of the fruit of your own endeavours. Strive like a man." Hearing this, he set out to work and search for his food.
So from Bostan-e-Sa'di we get a better picture of things. Also, when we cross over from philosophical view point to Quranic perspective, the confusion is lessened even further. The message in Quran is unambiguous. God helps those who help themselves. Allah says," there is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance dependeth on Allah. He knoweth the time of its definite abode and its temporary deposit. All is in a clear record (Surat Hud,11:6). Maulana Mohammad Shafi has noted in the commentary to above mentioned verse that even Prophet Moses(AS) hesitated for a while when asked to leave everything to God, not to speak of ordinary human beings. He narrates that when Allah commanded Prophet Moses (AS) to leave for Egypt during their conversation on the Mount Tur, Moses (AS) replied humbly that there was no one to care for his spouse back home. In return, Allah (SWT) ordered him to strike with his staff on a huge stone. As Prophet Moses struck, the stone broke into two and Allah commanded again to strike. Prophet Moses struck again and the stone split into two again. He was asked to do it as many times. Towards the end, Prophet Moses was surprised to see a small bird holding a green leaf in its beak coming out of the last piece of stone that had been struck. At this Allah told Prophet Moses that if He can sustain that bird inside a dead rock then why not his wife. Seeing this, Prophet Moses left for Egypt.
All this means that although human effort is not central to his survival, it is desirable. Secondly, assurance of divine succour applies more to those "who cannot make an effort", and not to them "who do not want to make an effort". Lastly, it can be safely deduced that what applies to an individual is true for the collectivity of people. Ironically, we either leave everything to God or keep everything to ourselves.
Let's take lessons from that fox or that thief or from the ennobling experience of Prophet Moses. We must recharge the fountain of our faith and be believers in real sense.
The Most Endangered Heritage of Kashmir
Saleem laments how Kashmir's glorious colonial architecture is fast disappearing
(Mr. Mohammad Saleem Beg, 58, was born and raised in Srinagar. He was educated at the S.P. College and the Gandhi Memorial College, receiving his Bachelor's degree from the latter. He was awarded a EEC fellowship in 1998 which allowed him to attend study courses at Universities of Luven, Belgium, and Trinity College, Dublin. Mr. Beg entered the State government service in 1975 and retired in 2006 as the Director General of Tourism. In the 31 years of public service (which included two deputation assignments in New Delhi), Mr. Beg promoted local arts and crafts, and raised public awareness of Kashmir's rich heritage and architecture. He was a leading figure in getting Srinagar listed as one of the 100 most threatened heritage cities by the World Monument Fund in 2008. Mr. Beg has traveled extensively and has attended numerous conferences, including the 1997 UN Special Session on Environment in New York, and the 1997 Kyoto Convention on Climate Change in Japan. His articles and essays have been published in various publications. Since retirement, he has remained active as the Convener of the J&K Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage - INTACH.)
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
‘Kashmir is the cradle of Asiatic civilization’. This observation was made by Kapila Vatsayen, the doyen of Indian art and culture on 28th February 2009 at a seminar in Delhi.
It is the vibrancy and inherent strength of Kashmir society that it was able to absorb cross cultural influences in art, language and architecture. This gave birth to some unique inclusive streams of culture and heritage. Architecture is one such form where these influences are layered and can be identified with such external influences.
During the more secure and settled phase of British rule in 19th century, a distinct stream of architecture known as colonial architecture dominated the sky line of various regions in India. This stream owed its origin to the Indo-Saracenic architecture which had combined the features of Hindu, Islamic and western elements.
This architectural style assumed and imbibed local traditions expressed through building crafts and other construction practices. During this period Kashmir was under Dogra rule. Dogra rulers also adopted this architectural form, with generous use of Kashmir crafts and building practices. The craft traditions of Kashmir traveled to Jammu as well and were used in almost all buildings of that period. The papier mache and painted walls and ceiling at Mubarak Mandi is a testimony to use of these craft forms. A large number of public buildings like offices, palaces, educational institutions and other secular buildings were built based on this architecture. Many private residences also dotted the built landscape of city and major towns.. Till very recent past Srinagar boasted of many such buildings.
Unfortunately we are fast losing this architectural distinctiveness to insensitivity of the public and private owners. This write up can not fully accommodate the vandalism inflicted on this architecture. However the story has to be told and let us take demolition of one such excellent building as a case in point. This demolition speaks of the callousness, corruption and misuse of authority by some state Government officers at the behest of a broker who wants to construct a shopping complex at the sight.
This building was till recently housing a school by the name of Lal Ded Memorial School, located on right bank of river Jehlum at Badyar Bala, Gaw Kadal, opposite the magnificent old Secretariat building complex. This complex is itself in the danger of falling prey to the official apathy but that we will deal with separately. The Lal Ded school building was built in the colonial form with extensive use of local techniques especially Kashmir wooden crafts.
The architectural features of this colonial structure included its intricate wood work, papier mache ceiling, ornate doors and windows. The main entry of the building was from the side of river ideal for a river side museum. On the basis of its architectural and historical significance this 120 years old building has been registered as a Grade I, historical property and has been described in INTACH’s National Register as;
“…The main building façade is dominated by an impressive arcade of window openings surrounded by triangular and circular pediments and pilasters, reminiscent of the prevailing colonial influences of the 19th century. The overall building appearance shows deep traces of classical Western European architecture. A portion of the building still retains its original earth and birch roofing.”
After the old secretariat building it was the second largest colonial structure built during Dogra period on the Jehlum river front. This river front is one of the last surviving heritage river fronts of sub continent and gives a distinct cultural identity to Srinagar. INTACH has in its cultural resource mapping identified this river front as a separate heritage zone.
The history of this school building is by itself unique. It was built by a Jammu Rajput in1880s whose sons, Rattan Singh, Narinder Singh and others reside at Panjtirthi Jammu. The building was in the process of being converted in heritage museum by the Tourism Department on the persuasion of some concerned citizens. INTACH prepared a project out line for restoration of this building and its subsequent conversion into a museum of vernacular arts.
However this was not to happen thanks to the officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation who, in collusion with senior officers of Revenue, public works and even Archives Department became actors in the conspiracy to facilitate demolition of this heritage property.
The story goes like this. A broker of Tankipora approached the Divisional Commissioned that he plans to purchase this property, naming it a migrant property comprising three story house spread over 1 kanal 11marlas of land at Badyar Bala. Div Com issued sanction for alienation of this property in 2006 using the powers vested in him under “preservation, protection and restraint on distress sale Act 1997” Once this order was obtained from the Divisional Commissioner, suddenly additional district Magistrate Srinagar found that this building is a grave danger to the life and property of the public in general and inhabitants of the locality in particular. This Revenue officer also sent an advice to Director School Education to get the school vacated as the building is unsafe.
Another interesting dimension to the whole conspiracy was given by the Department of archives. They issued a certificate that this building does not fall in the monumental category. So much about a Department charged with the solemn duty to protect the built heritage of Kashmir.
Armed with such advice and information, the joint Commissioner works, Srinagar Municipal Corporation issued demolition orders for the building in January 2008. When in INTACH, we got to know of this sordid drama being enacted by a group of officers certainly on extraneously considerations, we wrote to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir on 26th April 2008 that this building has been classified as Grade one heritage building on the National Register for heritage protection Program. It was brought to the notice of Div Com that this building is one of the last few structures built on classical European style. As the case for demolition was built on the false premise of the building being unsafe, it was certified by INTACH that this building is safe and should not be demolished. We also knew that many officials bave been motivated to declare the building unsafe. We therefore approached National Centre for Disaster Preparedness, Ahmedabad for examining the structure. Accordingly Mr. Rajen Desai, MS Structures-USA, the Jt director of the Ahmedabad centre examined the structure and opined that the building is safe and should not be demolished.
While this was happening, The Tourism department wrote to Deputy Commissioner Srinagar that this building be acquired for public purposes for housing the heritage museum. We were very hopeful that we have done all that is needed to be done to secure this magnificent representation of our architectural glory. Alas during the run up to assembly elections when Srinagar remained in turmoil, the building was demolished with active connivance of the Srinagar Municipal corporation officers in Nov 2008. While all this requires a formal investigation how long shall we wait to enact a legislation to give protection to our built heritage. This legislation has been adopted by many heritage cities in the country. The city of Srinagar, Jammu and Leh eminently deserve this protection.
(Mr. Mohammad Saleem Beg, 58, was born and raised in Srinagar. He was educated at the S.P. College and the Gandhi Memorial College, receiving his Bachelor's degree from the latter. He was awarded a EEC fellowship in 1998 which allowed him to attend study courses at Universities of Luven, Belgium, and Trinity College, Dublin. Mr. Beg entered the State government service in 1975 and retired in 2006 as the Director General of Tourism. In the 31 years of public service (which included two deputation assignments in New Delhi), Mr. Beg promoted local arts and crafts, and raised public awareness of Kashmir's rich heritage and architecture. He was a leading figure in getting Srinagar listed as one of the 100 most threatened heritage cities by the World Monument Fund in 2008. Mr. Beg has traveled extensively and has attended numerous conferences, including the 1997 UN Special Session on Environment in New York, and the 1997 Kyoto Convention on Climate Change in Japan. His articles and essays have been published in various publications. Since retirement, he has remained active as the Convener of the J&K Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage - INTACH.)
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
‘Kashmir is the cradle of Asiatic civilization’. This observation was made by Kapila Vatsayen, the doyen of Indian art and culture on 28th February 2009 at a seminar in Delhi.
It is the vibrancy and inherent strength of Kashmir society that it was able to absorb cross cultural influences in art, language and architecture. This gave birth to some unique inclusive streams of culture and heritage. Architecture is one such form where these influences are layered and can be identified with such external influences.
During the more secure and settled phase of British rule in 19th century, a distinct stream of architecture known as colonial architecture dominated the sky line of various regions in India. This stream owed its origin to the Indo-Saracenic architecture which had combined the features of Hindu, Islamic and western elements.
This architectural style assumed and imbibed local traditions expressed through building crafts and other construction practices. During this period Kashmir was under Dogra rule. Dogra rulers also adopted this architectural form, with generous use of Kashmir crafts and building practices. The craft traditions of Kashmir traveled to Jammu as well and were used in almost all buildings of that period. The papier mache and painted walls and ceiling at Mubarak Mandi is a testimony to use of these craft forms. A large number of public buildings like offices, palaces, educational institutions and other secular buildings were built based on this architecture. Many private residences also dotted the built landscape of city and major towns.. Till very recent past Srinagar boasted of many such buildings.
Unfortunately we are fast losing this architectural distinctiveness to insensitivity of the public and private owners. This write up can not fully accommodate the vandalism inflicted on this architecture. However the story has to be told and let us take demolition of one such excellent building as a case in point. This demolition speaks of the callousness, corruption and misuse of authority by some state Government officers at the behest of a broker who wants to construct a shopping complex at the sight.
This building was till recently housing a school by the name of Lal Ded Memorial School, located on right bank of river Jehlum at Badyar Bala, Gaw Kadal, opposite the magnificent old Secretariat building complex. This complex is itself in the danger of falling prey to the official apathy but that we will deal with separately. The Lal Ded school building was built in the colonial form with extensive use of local techniques especially Kashmir wooden crafts.
The architectural features of this colonial structure included its intricate wood work, papier mache ceiling, ornate doors and windows. The main entry of the building was from the side of river ideal for a river side museum. On the basis of its architectural and historical significance this 120 years old building has been registered as a Grade I, historical property and has been described in INTACH’s National Register as;
“…The main building façade is dominated by an impressive arcade of window openings surrounded by triangular and circular pediments and pilasters, reminiscent of the prevailing colonial influences of the 19th century. The overall building appearance shows deep traces of classical Western European architecture. A portion of the building still retains its original earth and birch roofing.”
After the old secretariat building it was the second largest colonial structure built during Dogra period on the Jehlum river front. This river front is one of the last surviving heritage river fronts of sub continent and gives a distinct cultural identity to Srinagar. INTACH has in its cultural resource mapping identified this river front as a separate heritage zone.
The history of this school building is by itself unique. It was built by a Jammu Rajput in1880s whose sons, Rattan Singh, Narinder Singh and others reside at Panjtirthi Jammu. The building was in the process of being converted in heritage museum by the Tourism Department on the persuasion of some concerned citizens. INTACH prepared a project out line for restoration of this building and its subsequent conversion into a museum of vernacular arts.
However this was not to happen thanks to the officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation who, in collusion with senior officers of Revenue, public works and even Archives Department became actors in the conspiracy to facilitate demolition of this heritage property.
The story goes like this. A broker of Tankipora approached the Divisional Commissioned that he plans to purchase this property, naming it a migrant property comprising three story house spread over 1 kanal 11marlas of land at Badyar Bala. Div Com issued sanction for alienation of this property in 2006 using the powers vested in him under “preservation, protection and restraint on distress sale Act 1997” Once this order was obtained from the Divisional Commissioner, suddenly additional district Magistrate Srinagar found that this building is a grave danger to the life and property of the public in general and inhabitants of the locality in particular. This Revenue officer also sent an advice to Director School Education to get the school vacated as the building is unsafe.
Another interesting dimension to the whole conspiracy was given by the Department of archives. They issued a certificate that this building does not fall in the monumental category. So much about a Department charged with the solemn duty to protect the built heritage of Kashmir.
Armed with such advice and information, the joint Commissioner works, Srinagar Municipal Corporation issued demolition orders for the building in January 2008. When in INTACH, we got to know of this sordid drama being enacted by a group of officers certainly on extraneously considerations, we wrote to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir on 26th April 2008 that this building has been classified as Grade one heritage building on the National Register for heritage protection Program. It was brought to the notice of Div Com that this building is one of the last few structures built on classical European style. As the case for demolition was built on the false premise of the building being unsafe, it was certified by INTACH that this building is safe and should not be demolished. We also knew that many officials bave been motivated to declare the building unsafe. We therefore approached National Centre for Disaster Preparedness, Ahmedabad for examining the structure. Accordingly Mr. Rajen Desai, MS Structures-USA, the Jt director of the Ahmedabad centre examined the structure and opined that the building is safe and should not be demolished.
While this was happening, The Tourism department wrote to Deputy Commissioner Srinagar that this building be acquired for public purposes for housing the heritage museum. We were very hopeful that we have done all that is needed to be done to secure this magnificent representation of our architectural glory. Alas during the run up to assembly elections when Srinagar remained in turmoil, the building was demolished with active connivance of the Srinagar Municipal corporation officers in Nov 2008. While all this requires a formal investigation how long shall we wait to enact a legislation to give protection to our built heritage. This legislation has been adopted by many heritage cities in the country. The city of Srinagar, Jammu and Leh eminently deserve this protection.
Announcing New Schools Without Plans to Build Schools is all too Common in Kashmir
Basharat points to an irony that is all too frequent in Kashmir
(Mr. Syed Basharat, 29, was born in Kreeri, Baramulla, and did his schooling in Kreeri, and later in Uri and Sopore. He graduated from the Degree College in Baramulla and completed his Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the Kashmir University in 2005. He has been a reporter for Kashmir Images, a Srinagar based daily, London based website Gaashonline.Com, and a Srinagar based journal, Globe. Currently, he is working as a special correspondent with Jammu based daily newspaper, The Kashmir Times.)
Schools on rise, not the buildings to house them
SRINAGAR: Though the number of government run schools is on the rise, the infrastructure and a proper educational atmosphere is severely lacking. Leave alone libraries, laboratories and other facilities, many schools do not even have proper buildings.
According to Mohammad Rafi Ahmad Joint Director secondary school education, there are 3923 schools including 1581 Education Guarantee Scheme Centers, 7 Higher Secondary schools, 67 High Schools, 370 middle schools, and 1898 primary schools in Kashmir division alone which are run by the government in rented buildings.
It is true these buildings do not possess proper and adequate accommodation, he observed. The joint Director added that are 326 primary schools and 48 middle schools in Kashmir division alone for which the government land is not available hence their construction remains pending. When it comes to donating land to the government run schools, in most of the cases the people do not cooperate. However, they fully lend a hand in case of a private commercial school, Mohammad Rafi added further.
In Baramulla district the department of education runs its 468 schools including 342 SSA primary schools, a few offices and some middle schools in hired buildings for which the department pays an annual rent of Rs 23.208 Lakh rupees, said Chief Education Officer District Baramulla Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Sheikh.
Similarly in Kupwara, the department runs 498 schools including 471 primary schools 23 middle school and 4 high schools in rented buildings said Section Officer Planning department of education Sanaullah Mir. He added, out of 400 SSA primary schools the department has completed construction of 165 schools only and the rest are pending because of non availability of land.
A large number of schools still continue to function in thatched huts and kuchcha buildings or even in open space in spite of the norms regarding school buildings laid down for recognition or affiliation by different agencies.
It is pertinent to mention here that in recent assembly session on March 3, admitting that poor infrastructure and manpower in the newly created and upgraded schools and colleges was marring the growth of these institutions, the minister for education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed promised to rejuvenate the educational sector.
The question was raised by CPI (M) State secretary, MLA Kulgam M. Y. Tarigami and MLA Rafiabad Javed Ahmed Dar which attracted many supplementary questions from Harsh Dev Singh, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, Sakina Ittoo, Sajjad Kitchloo, Nasir Aslam Wani and many others, expressing concern at the poor infrastructure and manpower in these schools and colleges.
Despite the mid term appraisal report of 10th Five Year Plan conducted by the Planning Commission which had called for a major initiative for expansion and improvement in the infrastructure of school education sector, the infrastructure deficiencies at both elementary and secondary education levels continue to paint a gloomy picture and remain an area of serious concern in the State.
According to government’s financial year 2007-08 report, a total of 4822 primary, upper middle, high and higher secondary schools continue to be without own buildings across the State while 1474 existing buildings remain in dilapidated conditions.
(Mr. Syed Basharat, 29, was born in Kreeri, Baramulla, and did his schooling in Kreeri, and later in Uri and Sopore. He graduated from the Degree College in Baramulla and completed his Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the Kashmir University in 2005. He has been a reporter for Kashmir Images, a Srinagar based daily, London based website Gaashonline.Com, and a Srinagar based journal, Globe. Currently, he is working as a special correspondent with Jammu based daily newspaper, The Kashmir Times.)
Schools on rise, not the buildings to house them
SRINAGAR: Though the number of government run schools is on the rise, the infrastructure and a proper educational atmosphere is severely lacking. Leave alone libraries, laboratories and other facilities, many schools do not even have proper buildings.
According to Mohammad Rafi Ahmad Joint Director secondary school education, there are 3923 schools including 1581 Education Guarantee Scheme Centers, 7 Higher Secondary schools, 67 High Schools, 370 middle schools, and 1898 primary schools in Kashmir division alone which are run by the government in rented buildings.
It is true these buildings do not possess proper and adequate accommodation, he observed. The joint Director added that are 326 primary schools and 48 middle schools in Kashmir division alone for which the government land is not available hence their construction remains pending. When it comes to donating land to the government run schools, in most of the cases the people do not cooperate. However, they fully lend a hand in case of a private commercial school, Mohammad Rafi added further.
In Baramulla district the department of education runs its 468 schools including 342 SSA primary schools, a few offices and some middle schools in hired buildings for which the department pays an annual rent of Rs 23.208 Lakh rupees, said Chief Education Officer District Baramulla Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Sheikh.
Similarly in Kupwara, the department runs 498 schools including 471 primary schools 23 middle school and 4 high schools in rented buildings said Section Officer Planning department of education Sanaullah Mir. He added, out of 400 SSA primary schools the department has completed construction of 165 schools only and the rest are pending because of non availability of land.
A large number of schools still continue to function in thatched huts and kuchcha buildings or even in open space in spite of the norms regarding school buildings laid down for recognition or affiliation by different agencies.
It is pertinent to mention here that in recent assembly session on March 3, admitting that poor infrastructure and manpower in the newly created and upgraded schools and colleges was marring the growth of these institutions, the minister for education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed promised to rejuvenate the educational sector.
The question was raised by CPI (M) State secretary, MLA Kulgam M. Y. Tarigami and MLA Rafiabad Javed Ahmed Dar which attracted many supplementary questions from Harsh Dev Singh, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, Sakina Ittoo, Sajjad Kitchloo, Nasir Aslam Wani and many others, expressing concern at the poor infrastructure and manpower in these schools and colleges.
Despite the mid term appraisal report of 10th Five Year Plan conducted by the Planning Commission which had called for a major initiative for expansion and improvement in the infrastructure of school education sector, the infrastructure deficiencies at both elementary and secondary education levels continue to paint a gloomy picture and remain an area of serious concern in the State.
According to government’s financial year 2007-08 report, a total of 4822 primary, upper middle, high and higher secondary schools continue to be without own buildings across the State while 1474 existing buildings remain in dilapidated conditions.
Even a Small Disruption is Sometimes Too Large to Overcome
Javaid believes wrong policies of the government towards fishermen have brought havoc to social fabric of this community
Uprooting a Community
Javaid Rashid
Pygmalion, a Greek mythologist, was so enticed by a self-made woman-statute's beauty that he wished she could speak and be alive. And myth has it that she did so. It incited in the people's minds the concept of the power of a person's expectations. This self-fulfilling wish of Pygmalion gets reminded in the present times too. In our valley, where mysticism is its heritage, the Pygmalion effect finds its dominant place when we talk of the relation of power-corridors and general masses. The people at power mould so masterly their political behaviour, bureaucratic policy and social responsibility that their sway induces and creates 'expected expectations' in the people who are ruled. Thus, the people at power regulate the behaviour of the people governed.
Epitomizing the above sway of power, a community known as the Fisherman Colony, has people who are lost in their own world of complacencies. When one enters there one could see older-men stitching old fishing-nets, as if stitching the future of their children; one could see children playing with worn-out tyres, as if driving their present into an unknown future; one could see the young and adolescent girls busy with Pashmina work , as if designing and decorating their lives with self-created luxuries; one could see young and middle-aged men sitting idle at the corners of the community, as if regretting their past, present and future. But what one won't see are the married and older women who by that time would be busy in the markets motivating their customers! Yes, it is the fisherman community. A journey of 3km from Hazratbal mosque, along the banks of Dal-lake, will take you into the fishermen colony. In 2000 the community was resettled in this area of Dughh Mohalla, after their enforced migration from the interiors of Dal. The move was a part of the Dal Conservation Project initiated by Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA). A plot of 32'/47' was given per household at the cost of Rs. 4500. Besides, a sum of Rs. 35,000 was given to each household in return to the land from which they were forced to migrate. The community is small, with well defined boundaries. Only fishermen inhabit the colony, with 46 households and total population of about 350.
The 'enforced migration' of a culturally, economically and socially sensitive community like the fishermen is not as simple as the authorities 'want' and 'expect' it to be! The transfer of the Fisherman Community only added threats, and vulnerabilities to their cultural, occupational and social fitness. Though their access to the basic facilities of life, like water, electricity, health care and education enhanced, but the multiple damages done to their originality, occupational security and psychological identity is irreparable.
Migration and disintegration:
When we focus on any community, contradiction pops out to eye. In any community, occupation and status, class and caste, cultural and traditional identity, are seen as the binding and integrating forces. They reinforce the integrity and coherence within a group. But all these theories prove faulty here. In spite of having the same occupation, same income, same cultural and traditional fabric, same value and norm based social life, same class and caste, the community is still disintegrated. These divisions and differences dampen any developmental initiative. For instance, the community some years back had registered a co-operative--- a Fish Co-operative. A local teacher, the only graduate of the community had initiated the process. Consequently, the community had proposed to the Department of Fisheries, J&K Governemnt to convert the settling basin into a multi-purpose project. Settling Basin--- a sedimentation unit, is just a kilometre away from the colony. The proposal emphasized the establishing of a fish production unit in Settlig Basin. Unfortunately, due to some intra-community conflict and rivalries, the proposal was ultimately rejected by the Department of Fisheries.
When the proposal was discussed with the community-teacher, he masterly deliberated on it. Had the production unit been set-up, it could have empowered the population. But some members from the same community created hurdles and the proposal was shelved. This gives the idea of the magnitude of divisions in the community. In spite of having same problems, issues and interests, the community is still diseased with disempowering rivalries and divisions, both socially and politically. The 'incoherence in the homogeneity' and the 'diversity in unity' make it a community of contradictions and controversies.
The prevailing disintegration and incoherence in the community was not present earlier. When it lived in the interiors of Dal, its original habitat. It was a closely-knit community strengthened within by cooperation, coherence and altruism. The community was known for its we-feeling and unity. But when it was forced to migrate from the Dal to the present location, it became a socially disorganized community, where-in incoherence, dysfunctional relationships and rivalries prevail. The transformation of a 'closely-knit' community into a disintegrated one was catastrophic for the community. The so called 'rehabilitation' became the deadly means of their' social destruction'. Every social aspect got so diseased that it lost its pristine characteristics; its unity and organization. Social relationships and interactional got shattered to the extent that individuals and families lived to themselves and contributed nothing to the cause of the community. Instead, the rivalries and divisions within the community changed the scenario from bad to worse.
When this hard reality was discussed with one of the oldest members of the community, he regarded 'enforced migration' and 'dysfunctional rehabilitation policy' of Government as the major cause of worsening their plight. He opined that government gives them land, house, water, electricity, but it doesn't give them that environment and culture with which they had shared their childhood and youth, which had become an integral part of their lives. The fishermen community was uprooted from original setting and placed in quagmire.
Interestingly, one of the dysfunctions of the illogical rehabilitation policy is reflected by the fact that the elderly ones hate the housing pattern in their new colony. In their original locality, they had random housing-design. A strong social interaction was inbuilt in that sound neighbourhood. Now they have houses in a 'definite order and pattern', much to the dislike of the elderly people. The regularity and pattern of housing minimized their occupational and household interaction, which proved detrimental to its integration and unity. The shift from originality to artificiality disturbed the whole scheme of life for this community.
In reality the Government lacks any comprehensive rehabilitation policy for the Dal-dwellers. The victims of this state-sponsored catastrophe have got exposed to diverse pathologies and vulnerabilities, endangering their occupational, cultural and social identities. Once a community of integrity and coherence has got transformed into a community of disintegration, altruism changed to self-centrism; cooperation to conflict; unity to divisions. Thus, the wrong rehabilitation policy of Government needs a fresh assessment and consequent redrawing. Due regard to the paramountcy of social scientists in planning and policy is indispensable, particularly when the 'world-forces' talk of social development goals and sustainable development. Hence, an anthropocentric approach must be adopted at all levels of policy formulation and policy implementation, keeping in view all the dimensions of social empowerment and development.
Uprooting a Community
Javaid Rashid
Pygmalion, a Greek mythologist, was so enticed by a self-made woman-statute's beauty that he wished she could speak and be alive. And myth has it that she did so. It incited in the people's minds the concept of the power of a person's expectations. This self-fulfilling wish of Pygmalion gets reminded in the present times too. In our valley, where mysticism is its heritage, the Pygmalion effect finds its dominant place when we talk of the relation of power-corridors and general masses. The people at power mould so masterly their political behaviour, bureaucratic policy and social responsibility that their sway induces and creates 'expected expectations' in the people who are ruled. Thus, the people at power regulate the behaviour of the people governed.
Epitomizing the above sway of power, a community known as the Fisherman Colony, has people who are lost in their own world of complacencies. When one enters there one could see older-men stitching old fishing-nets, as if stitching the future of their children; one could see children playing with worn-out tyres, as if driving their present into an unknown future; one could see the young and adolescent girls busy with Pashmina work , as if designing and decorating their lives with self-created luxuries; one could see young and middle-aged men sitting idle at the corners of the community, as if regretting their past, present and future. But what one won't see are the married and older women who by that time would be busy in the markets motivating their customers! Yes, it is the fisherman community. A journey of 3km from Hazratbal mosque, along the banks of Dal-lake, will take you into the fishermen colony. In 2000 the community was resettled in this area of Dughh Mohalla, after their enforced migration from the interiors of Dal. The move was a part of the Dal Conservation Project initiated by Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA). A plot of 32'/47' was given per household at the cost of Rs. 4500. Besides, a sum of Rs. 35,000 was given to each household in return to the land from which they were forced to migrate. The community is small, with well defined boundaries. Only fishermen inhabit the colony, with 46 households and total population of about 350.
The 'enforced migration' of a culturally, economically and socially sensitive community like the fishermen is not as simple as the authorities 'want' and 'expect' it to be! The transfer of the Fisherman Community only added threats, and vulnerabilities to their cultural, occupational and social fitness. Though their access to the basic facilities of life, like water, electricity, health care and education enhanced, but the multiple damages done to their originality, occupational security and psychological identity is irreparable.
Migration and disintegration:
When we focus on any community, contradiction pops out to eye. In any community, occupation and status, class and caste, cultural and traditional identity, are seen as the binding and integrating forces. They reinforce the integrity and coherence within a group. But all these theories prove faulty here. In spite of having the same occupation, same income, same cultural and traditional fabric, same value and norm based social life, same class and caste, the community is still disintegrated. These divisions and differences dampen any developmental initiative. For instance, the community some years back had registered a co-operative--- a Fish Co-operative. A local teacher, the only graduate of the community had initiated the process. Consequently, the community had proposed to the Department of Fisheries, J&K Governemnt to convert the settling basin into a multi-purpose project. Settling Basin--- a sedimentation unit, is just a kilometre away from the colony. The proposal emphasized the establishing of a fish production unit in Settlig Basin. Unfortunately, due to some intra-community conflict and rivalries, the proposal was ultimately rejected by the Department of Fisheries.
When the proposal was discussed with the community-teacher, he masterly deliberated on it. Had the production unit been set-up, it could have empowered the population. But some members from the same community created hurdles and the proposal was shelved. This gives the idea of the magnitude of divisions in the community. In spite of having same problems, issues and interests, the community is still diseased with disempowering rivalries and divisions, both socially and politically. The 'incoherence in the homogeneity' and the 'diversity in unity' make it a community of contradictions and controversies.
The prevailing disintegration and incoherence in the community was not present earlier. When it lived in the interiors of Dal, its original habitat. It was a closely-knit community strengthened within by cooperation, coherence and altruism. The community was known for its we-feeling and unity. But when it was forced to migrate from the Dal to the present location, it became a socially disorganized community, where-in incoherence, dysfunctional relationships and rivalries prevail. The transformation of a 'closely-knit' community into a disintegrated one was catastrophic for the community. The so called 'rehabilitation' became the deadly means of their' social destruction'. Every social aspect got so diseased that it lost its pristine characteristics; its unity and organization. Social relationships and interactional got shattered to the extent that individuals and families lived to themselves and contributed nothing to the cause of the community. Instead, the rivalries and divisions within the community changed the scenario from bad to worse.
When this hard reality was discussed with one of the oldest members of the community, he regarded 'enforced migration' and 'dysfunctional rehabilitation policy' of Government as the major cause of worsening their plight. He opined that government gives them land, house, water, electricity, but it doesn't give them that environment and culture with which they had shared their childhood and youth, which had become an integral part of their lives. The fishermen community was uprooted from original setting and placed in quagmire.
Interestingly, one of the dysfunctions of the illogical rehabilitation policy is reflected by the fact that the elderly ones hate the housing pattern in their new colony. In their original locality, they had random housing-design. A strong social interaction was inbuilt in that sound neighbourhood. Now they have houses in a 'definite order and pattern', much to the dislike of the elderly people. The regularity and pattern of housing minimized their occupational and household interaction, which proved detrimental to its integration and unity. The shift from originality to artificiality disturbed the whole scheme of life for this community.
In reality the Government lacks any comprehensive rehabilitation policy for the Dal-dwellers. The victims of this state-sponsored catastrophe have got exposed to diverse pathologies and vulnerabilities, endangering their occupational, cultural and social identities. Once a community of integrity and coherence has got transformed into a community of disintegration, altruism changed to self-centrism; cooperation to conflict; unity to divisions. Thus, the wrong rehabilitation policy of Government needs a fresh assessment and consequent redrawing. Due regard to the paramountcy of social scientists in planning and policy is indispensable, particularly when the 'world-forces' talk of social development goals and sustainable development. Hence, an anthropocentric approach must be adopted at all levels of policy formulation and policy implementation, keeping in view all the dimensions of social empowerment and development.
NHRC Penalizes Indian Army for Fake Encounter in J&K
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) earns public trust with its independent investigation
NHRC raps Army for fake encounter, asks for compensation
New Delhi: Taking cognizance of Army excesses in an alleged fake encounter in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Human Rights Commission has asked Defence Ministry to pay Rs three lakh as compensation to the family of a youth, killed in the incident.
The Commission had taken suo motu cognizance of the killing nearly six years ago on the basis of a media report published on June 8, 2003.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry had failed to give its reply in connection with the killing.
In the incident, personnel of 119 Battalion of Assam Regiment were accused of killing of a Kashmiri youth, Javed Ahmed Magrey in a fake encounter, a charge which was later corroborated by a magistrate's inquiry and police probes as well.
The father of the deceased had also filed a case with Nowgam Police Station alleging that his son had been picked up by the Army and was later killed by them in a fake encounter.
While awarding the compensation, the NHRC noted that "the security forces are, no doubt, performing a very onerous duty in Jammu and Kashmir. They are operating in difficult terrain to fight terrorism at great risk to their lives.
"While their fight against terrorists deserves all support, the government has a duty to ensure that no harm is caused to innocent citizens."
NHRC raps Army for fake encounter, asks for compensation
New Delhi: Taking cognizance of Army excesses in an alleged fake encounter in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Human Rights Commission has asked Defence Ministry to pay Rs three lakh as compensation to the family of a youth, killed in the incident.
The Commission had taken suo motu cognizance of the killing nearly six years ago on the basis of a media report published on June 8, 2003.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry had failed to give its reply in connection with the killing.
In the incident, personnel of 119 Battalion of Assam Regiment were accused of killing of a Kashmiri youth, Javed Ahmed Magrey in a fake encounter, a charge which was later corroborated by a magistrate's inquiry and police probes as well.
The father of the deceased had also filed a case with Nowgam Police Station alleging that his son had been picked up by the Army and was later killed by them in a fake encounter.
While awarding the compensation, the NHRC noted that "the security forces are, no doubt, performing a very onerous duty in Jammu and Kashmir. They are operating in difficult terrain to fight terrorism at great risk to their lives.
"While their fight against terrorists deserves all support, the government has a duty to ensure that no harm is caused to innocent citizens."
Delhi Government Adds Another Rs. 288 Cr to J&K Lake Conservation Program
Budget for conservation has always been plentiful but, as before, greedy people with myopic vision will squander the money for personal gains
GoI’s NLCP skips Anchar Lake in Rs 386 Cr plan
Abid Bashir (Rising Kashmir)
Srinagar: In a major move to conserve wetlands and lakes in Kashmir, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India has sanctioned a project under National Lake Conservation Program and released the first installment of Rs 298 crore. However the Anchar Lake, which is on the verge of extinction due to encroachments and pollution, is not mentioned in the program.
Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Tara Chand said a comprehensive project report on the conservation of Kashmiri wetlands and lakes was submitted to the Government of India.
Tara Chand said that the project had been sanctioned by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, GoI under NLCP. The Ministry has provided Rs 298 crore as initial assistance. The work under the program has already started, the minister said.
He said that the first phase of work involves sewerage system around the Dal Lake hydraulic works, removal of encroachments, cleaning of channels, solid waste management, afforestation and conservation works in the catchment area of Dal Lake.
The project involves acquisition of land and structures owned by the people within Dal and Nigeen Lakes.
Around 10,000 resident families have been identified for rehabilitation. The state government will monitor the project itself, the Deputy CM said. More than 1295 families have been shifted and rehabilitated from the Dal Lake.
The minister said 500 kanal of land had been acquired to rehabilitate the families living inside Dal Lake.
The rehabilitation program includes shifting of 13 hotels which exist inside the lake, he said.
About the conservation of Wular Lake, the government has involved Wildlife department and formulated a comprehensive Management Action Plan through a consultant.
The plan involves Rs 386.39 crore and has been submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, the Deputy CM said.
For Manasbal Lake, the encroachments on the peripheries especially in the areas like
Gratabla, Kondabal and Qazibagh have been removed and the areas have been fenced to avoid further encroachment, he said. A separate Development Authority has been set up for conservation and development of Wular and Manasbal lakes.
About the Brari Nambal, the minister said it is a lagoon in the heart of Srinagar which was fed by Dal through Nalamar channel. In early 80s the Nalamar channel was converted into a road. This lagoon now gets water only through Nowpora channel. A machine has been installed between this lagoon and the River Jhelum to flush out this lagoon.
For checking the pollution and encroachments on River Jehlum, the people living in sheds or in boats have been removed and rehabilitated at Bemina and Noorbagh, the Deputy CM said. So far 1344 families have been shifted from River Jehlum and rehabilitated in various colonies.
GoI’s NLCP skips Anchar Lake in Rs 386 Cr plan
Abid Bashir (Rising Kashmir)
Srinagar: In a major move to conserve wetlands and lakes in Kashmir, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India has sanctioned a project under National Lake Conservation Program and released the first installment of Rs 298 crore. However the Anchar Lake, which is on the verge of extinction due to encroachments and pollution, is not mentioned in the program.
Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Tara Chand said a comprehensive project report on the conservation of Kashmiri wetlands and lakes was submitted to the Government of India.
Tara Chand said that the project had been sanctioned by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, GoI under NLCP. The Ministry has provided Rs 298 crore as initial assistance. The work under the program has already started, the minister said.
He said that the first phase of work involves sewerage system around the Dal Lake hydraulic works, removal of encroachments, cleaning of channels, solid waste management, afforestation and conservation works in the catchment area of Dal Lake.
The project involves acquisition of land and structures owned by the people within Dal and Nigeen Lakes.
Around 10,000 resident families have been identified for rehabilitation. The state government will monitor the project itself, the Deputy CM said. More than 1295 families have been shifted and rehabilitated from the Dal Lake.
The minister said 500 kanal of land had been acquired to rehabilitate the families living inside Dal Lake.
The rehabilitation program includes shifting of 13 hotels which exist inside the lake, he said.
About the conservation of Wular Lake, the government has involved Wildlife department and formulated a comprehensive Management Action Plan through a consultant.
The plan involves Rs 386.39 crore and has been submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, the Deputy CM said.
For Manasbal Lake, the encroachments on the peripheries especially in the areas like
Gratabla, Kondabal and Qazibagh have been removed and the areas have been fenced to avoid further encroachment, he said. A separate Development Authority has been set up for conservation and development of Wular and Manasbal lakes.
About the Brari Nambal, the minister said it is a lagoon in the heart of Srinagar which was fed by Dal through Nalamar channel. In early 80s the Nalamar channel was converted into a road. This lagoon now gets water only through Nowpora channel. A machine has been installed between this lagoon and the River Jhelum to flush out this lagoon.
For checking the pollution and encroachments on River Jehlum, the people living in sheds or in boats have been removed and rehabilitated at Bemina and Noorbagh, the Deputy CM said. So far 1344 families have been shifted from River Jehlum and rehabilitated in various colonies.
Disaster Everywhere
An editorial in the Kashmir Observer repeats the obvious
Disaster In Dal
For the past many decades a tragedy of monumental proportions has been unfolding before the very eyes of Srinagar dwellers with every passing day. Quart by quart, the once pristine waters of the Dal Lake have been vitiated to unpardonable levels, and the lake itself has shrunk to a bare 11 square kilometers from its once majestic expanse, as human settlements, “reclaimed” land, and habitations of all forms ate into what should have been an inviolate realm. As the jewel of Srinagar is suffocated to death, hundreds of crores of rupees are being claimed to have been spent to save it, an expenditure - undertaken after constant goading - that seems to have gone totally down the drain.
Successive state governments since partition have been criminally remiss in ignoring the potent threat the growing “colonization” of the lake and its environs posed to its survival, and the policies the governments have pursued ever since the Dal’s sickness became starkly and unavoidably evident in the early eighties are both obtuse and opaque. Down the decades, the lake and its environs have been milked for all they are worth, both in terms of the so-called exploitation of their tourist potential, and using them as largess to dispense favours to politically sympathetic quarters. Traditional lake dwellers have been left to their deleterious devices without any let or hindrance as they represented a solid vote bank for the National Conference that did not impose any preventive restrictions on their activities in a bid to keep them in good humour. Further, the party, along with other political forces, has cultivated the valley’s money bags by permitting the construction of a number of hotels and shopping complexes on land girdling the lake that had wisely been kept out of bounds even by autocratic rulers.
The stretch from Dalgate to the Nehru Park along the Boulevard, chock-a-block with constructions inimical to the health of the lake, represents the politically-motivated profaning of the lake’s surroundings. True, the catchment area of the Dal beyond Nishat, Shalimar and Harwan, and stretching into the Zabarwan hills, was populated by villages, but a crassly mercenary political dispensation has transformed the rural character of the critical zones into a semi-urban slum by allowing the rich and the powerful to build luxurious retreats and residences, setting the tone for widespread defiling of the lake’s regenerative lungs. A scrupulously regulated and managed rural setting could have found answers to the inevitable fallout of human habitation – solid and liquid waste – in these areas, but mindless colonization has overtaken any remedial measures as the toxic effluents from the mushrooming settlements find their way directly into the Dal.
The fringes of the lake have become a squalid sight with countless inhabited constructions contributing to the pollution and decay of its waters. Lands offering a breathtaking view of the Dal, particularly in the vicinity of the Cheshma Shahi and the newly developed Royal Springs Golf Course, have been turned into prized real estate for the custodians of Kashmir’s heritage, its powerful politicians and bureaucrats, to live in secluded splendour. Such developments in the zone crucial for the lake’s survival have sounded its death knell, and no government appears to have the political will to reverse the decades of abuse.
The much-touted Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), instituted to give the Dal a new lease of life, has morphed into a money-guzzling corpus that moves only when the High Court cracks the whip. Instead of any real achievements to its credit, it has been in the news for fraud, irregularities and favouritism. Even its present drive to bring violating houseboat owners to book has come at the goading of the High Court. Left to itself, it has been able to achieve nothing except half-hearted experiments at various methods to rid the lake of unwanted weeds. Even this unproductive exercise has been chiefly motivated by pecuniary gains to be made out of ordering machinery of various sorts, equipment that eventually gathers rust out of unsuitability or misuse. For the long years it has been in existence, LAWDA has been unable to come up with any worthwhile ideas to prevent houseboat sewage from finding its way to the water, and today, with the High Court breathing down its neck, it begins to flex muscle by ordering non-complying houseboats to shut down.
The lakes plight has also engendered a host of NGOs that solicit massive funds ostensibly to work for the survival of the Dal, but what happens to the finances is as murky an affair as the waters of the dying lake.
So brazen is the financial exploitation of the Dal’s condition, that the LAWDA does not even bother about questions raised about its use of funds. The least it could have done all these years with the moneys in its kitty was to subsidize sewage collection and treatment facilities for the houseboats that have been facing a resource crunch over the past two decades. But, obviously, official loyalties lie in affairs transcending the fate of the Dal.
For all the breast-beating in the government, the failure to evacuate the thousands of troopers stationed in hotels in its periphery, another big source of pollution, is a real sign of its capabilities.
Disaster In Dal
For the past many decades a tragedy of monumental proportions has been unfolding before the very eyes of Srinagar dwellers with every passing day. Quart by quart, the once pristine waters of the Dal Lake have been vitiated to unpardonable levels, and the lake itself has shrunk to a bare 11 square kilometers from its once majestic expanse, as human settlements, “reclaimed” land, and habitations of all forms ate into what should have been an inviolate realm. As the jewel of Srinagar is suffocated to death, hundreds of crores of rupees are being claimed to have been spent to save it, an expenditure - undertaken after constant goading - that seems to have gone totally down the drain.
Successive state governments since partition have been criminally remiss in ignoring the potent threat the growing “colonization” of the lake and its environs posed to its survival, and the policies the governments have pursued ever since the Dal’s sickness became starkly and unavoidably evident in the early eighties are both obtuse and opaque. Down the decades, the lake and its environs have been milked for all they are worth, both in terms of the so-called exploitation of their tourist potential, and using them as largess to dispense favours to politically sympathetic quarters. Traditional lake dwellers have been left to their deleterious devices without any let or hindrance as they represented a solid vote bank for the National Conference that did not impose any preventive restrictions on their activities in a bid to keep them in good humour. Further, the party, along with other political forces, has cultivated the valley’s money bags by permitting the construction of a number of hotels and shopping complexes on land girdling the lake that had wisely been kept out of bounds even by autocratic rulers.
The stretch from Dalgate to the Nehru Park along the Boulevard, chock-a-block with constructions inimical to the health of the lake, represents the politically-motivated profaning of the lake’s surroundings. True, the catchment area of the Dal beyond Nishat, Shalimar and Harwan, and stretching into the Zabarwan hills, was populated by villages, but a crassly mercenary political dispensation has transformed the rural character of the critical zones into a semi-urban slum by allowing the rich and the powerful to build luxurious retreats and residences, setting the tone for widespread defiling of the lake’s regenerative lungs. A scrupulously regulated and managed rural setting could have found answers to the inevitable fallout of human habitation – solid and liquid waste – in these areas, but mindless colonization has overtaken any remedial measures as the toxic effluents from the mushrooming settlements find their way directly into the Dal.
The fringes of the lake have become a squalid sight with countless inhabited constructions contributing to the pollution and decay of its waters. Lands offering a breathtaking view of the Dal, particularly in the vicinity of the Cheshma Shahi and the newly developed Royal Springs Golf Course, have been turned into prized real estate for the custodians of Kashmir’s heritage, its powerful politicians and bureaucrats, to live in secluded splendour. Such developments in the zone crucial for the lake’s survival have sounded its death knell, and no government appears to have the political will to reverse the decades of abuse.
The much-touted Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), instituted to give the Dal a new lease of life, has morphed into a money-guzzling corpus that moves only when the High Court cracks the whip. Instead of any real achievements to its credit, it has been in the news for fraud, irregularities and favouritism. Even its present drive to bring violating houseboat owners to book has come at the goading of the High Court. Left to itself, it has been able to achieve nothing except half-hearted experiments at various methods to rid the lake of unwanted weeds. Even this unproductive exercise has been chiefly motivated by pecuniary gains to be made out of ordering machinery of various sorts, equipment that eventually gathers rust out of unsuitability or misuse. For the long years it has been in existence, LAWDA has been unable to come up with any worthwhile ideas to prevent houseboat sewage from finding its way to the water, and today, with the High Court breathing down its neck, it begins to flex muscle by ordering non-complying houseboats to shut down.
The lakes plight has also engendered a host of NGOs that solicit massive funds ostensibly to work for the survival of the Dal, but what happens to the finances is as murky an affair as the waters of the dying lake.
So brazen is the financial exploitation of the Dal’s condition, that the LAWDA does not even bother about questions raised about its use of funds. The least it could have done all these years with the moneys in its kitty was to subsidize sewage collection and treatment facilities for the houseboats that have been facing a resource crunch over the past two decades. But, obviously, official loyalties lie in affairs transcending the fate of the Dal.
For all the breast-beating in the government, the failure to evacuate the thousands of troopers stationed in hotels in its periphery, another big source of pollution, is a real sign of its capabilities.
J&K State Fails to Understand Tourism 101
Charging registered local tourist guides for accompanying visitors on gondolas in Gulmarg is a bad policy
Gulmarg Tourist Guides’ Appeal to Chief Minister
"We are a group of 25 local youth, earning our livelihood by working as tourist guides here at Gulmarg for past over six years. The previous government had accorded a concession to us that we were not charged any money by the Gulmarg Gondola. However, of late some people have been pressing the authorities at Gondola to charge Rs 300 in lieu of each ride from us. Given that we hardly manage to make Rs 300 a day while working as tourist guides, we are in no position to may this money. Those pressing for this measure are doing so with the sole aim of earning a bad name to your government by creating a wedge between the government and the unemployed people. We are therefore requesting you for a similar concession as was given by the previous government.
It is also brought into your notice that Tourist Department had conducted our interviews some months back so as to regularize us as licensed guides. However, so far nothing seems to have moved in this regard. We, there, appeal you to kindly look into the matter personally so that we are given proper licenses to work as tourist guides.
Local Tourist Guide Association,
Gulmarg"
(Kashmir Images)
Gulmarg Tourist Guides’ Appeal to Chief Minister
"We are a group of 25 local youth, earning our livelihood by working as tourist guides here at Gulmarg for past over six years. The previous government had accorded a concession to us that we were not charged any money by the Gulmarg Gondola. However, of late some people have been pressing the authorities at Gondola to charge Rs 300 in lieu of each ride from us. Given that we hardly manage to make Rs 300 a day while working as tourist guides, we are in no position to may this money. Those pressing for this measure are doing so with the sole aim of earning a bad name to your government by creating a wedge between the government and the unemployed people. We are therefore requesting you for a similar concession as was given by the previous government.
It is also brought into your notice that Tourist Department had conducted our interviews some months back so as to regularize us as licensed guides. However, so far nothing seems to have moved in this regard. We, there, appeal you to kindly look into the matter personally so that we are given proper licenses to work as tourist guides.
Local Tourist Guide Association,
Gulmarg"
(Kashmir Images)
Jammu University's Improper Junket to China Exposed
CAG Report takes the University of Jammu to task for its sloppy management
JU delivers on disappointment not excellence
Srinagar: With Jammu University boasting of achieving academic excellence, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has punctured the tall claims by unearthing misappropriation of crores of rupees, and pointing out serious flaws in the administrative and academic functioning of the varsity.
The CAG report has held the university responsible for high incidence of revision of results consequent on revaluations and incompletion of research projects and non-submission of PhD thesis by the scholars even after the lapse of five year period.
Financial Mismanagement:
The University receives funds from the State government and grants from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to meet its requirements. It also receives funds from the Government of India (GoI) for specific schemes and projects. Scrutiny of records has revealed that local funds amounting to Rs 12.99 crore received by various departments had not been included in the internal receipts resulting in understatement of receipts and expenditure. “Out of this amount, Rs 1.91 crore was spent by the University on items which were not permissible to be spent from the local funds,” the CAG report reads.
Incomplete Researches:
Audit scrutiny of 16 projects taken up during 2002 and 2003 revealed that they were not completed by December 2007.
“Within this period Rs 1.01 crore was incurred. Besides, out of five research projects entrusted to the university, three projects had been left midway during 2003-2008,” the report reads.
Laxity in Program Implementation:
The university statutes require the scholars joining PhD program to submit research thesis within five years which are extendable to seven years.
However, it was seen that out of 554 scholars registered for pursuing PhD between April 1998 and October 2002, only 306 scholars had submitted their thesis upto January 2008.
“Out of the remaining 248 scholars, 241 had yet to submit their thesis, while registration of only seven scholars was cancelled. It was also seen that thesis of only 258 scholars out of 306 was accepted,” the report reads.
The status of 241 scholars was being ascertained, which indicated laxity in monitoring the research programs.
A tour to China was conducted for the students of Mass communication and Journalism in October 2007 on which an expenditure of Rs 8.70 lakh had been incurred.
“Scrutiny of records revealed that neither the members sent on tour to China were related to the subject nor was any student included in the tour, thus defeating the intended purpose,” the CAG report points out.
Astronomy Failure:
Scrutiny of records reveals that Rs 15 lakh was released in July 2001 by UGC for setting up a library, an observatory, a computer laboratory and a horoscope bank for the purpose.
“However, the university failed to set up the department. The Registrar stated that University Council did not approve setting up of the department. The university should have obtained the approval of its council before approaching the UGC for permission to set up the department,” the report says.
Late results:
There were delays of 11 to 274 days in declaration of results in respect of PG examinations. The University Statutes provide for declaration of results not later than six weeks of the respective dates of termination of examination.
“Delay in results reflects the inefficiency in the functioning of the University,” the report states.
Skill oriented approach missing:
The university has not adopted skill oriented approach to widen the knowledge base of students though the Registrar stated that the varsity had already laid emphasis on skill oriented education by opening new streams in post graduate departments besides courses in BCA and other streams which also fetch employment to the students.
Inventory Mismanagement:
For the upgradation of the computer centre, a non-recurring grant of Rs 12 lakh was approved in January 2007 by UGC.
“An amount of RS 9.60 lakh was released for utilization during 2007 to purchase the equipment. Scrutiny revealed that the amount was not utilized and as a result the university lost the opportunity to upgrade the computer centre as the grant was blocked. The delay in upgradation of the centre also incurred the interest of Rs 67 lakh per annum,” the report said.
Over-expenditure:
The records revealed that expenditure towards printing of study material for various correspondence courses had exceeded the budget provisions during the period 2003 to 2007 resulting in the accumulation of financial liability of Rs 1.03 crore despite availability of funds ranging between Rs 12.19 crore and Rs 22.72 crore.
The Registrar has, however, said the liability will be cleared from the internal resources of the varsity.
(Rising Kashmir)
JU delivers on disappointment not excellence
Srinagar: With Jammu University boasting of achieving academic excellence, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has punctured the tall claims by unearthing misappropriation of crores of rupees, and pointing out serious flaws in the administrative and academic functioning of the varsity.
The CAG report has held the university responsible for high incidence of revision of results consequent on revaluations and incompletion of research projects and non-submission of PhD thesis by the scholars even after the lapse of five year period.
Financial Mismanagement:
The University receives funds from the State government and grants from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to meet its requirements. It also receives funds from the Government of India (GoI) for specific schemes and projects. Scrutiny of records has revealed that local funds amounting to Rs 12.99 crore received by various departments had not been included in the internal receipts resulting in understatement of receipts and expenditure. “Out of this amount, Rs 1.91 crore was spent by the University on items which were not permissible to be spent from the local funds,” the CAG report reads.
Incomplete Researches:
Audit scrutiny of 16 projects taken up during 2002 and 2003 revealed that they were not completed by December 2007.
“Within this period Rs 1.01 crore was incurred. Besides, out of five research projects entrusted to the university, three projects had been left midway during 2003-2008,” the report reads.
Laxity in Program Implementation:
The university statutes require the scholars joining PhD program to submit research thesis within five years which are extendable to seven years.
However, it was seen that out of 554 scholars registered for pursuing PhD between April 1998 and October 2002, only 306 scholars had submitted their thesis upto January 2008.
“Out of the remaining 248 scholars, 241 had yet to submit their thesis, while registration of only seven scholars was cancelled. It was also seen that thesis of only 258 scholars out of 306 was accepted,” the report reads.
The status of 241 scholars was being ascertained, which indicated laxity in monitoring the research programs.
A tour to China was conducted for the students of Mass communication and Journalism in October 2007 on which an expenditure of Rs 8.70 lakh had been incurred.
“Scrutiny of records revealed that neither the members sent on tour to China were related to the subject nor was any student included in the tour, thus defeating the intended purpose,” the CAG report points out.
Astronomy Failure:
Scrutiny of records reveals that Rs 15 lakh was released in July 2001 by UGC for setting up a library, an observatory, a computer laboratory and a horoscope bank for the purpose.
“However, the university failed to set up the department. The Registrar stated that University Council did not approve setting up of the department. The university should have obtained the approval of its council before approaching the UGC for permission to set up the department,” the report says.
Late results:
There were delays of 11 to 274 days in declaration of results in respect of PG examinations. The University Statutes provide for declaration of results not later than six weeks of the respective dates of termination of examination.
“Delay in results reflects the inefficiency in the functioning of the University,” the report states.
Skill oriented approach missing:
The university has not adopted skill oriented approach to widen the knowledge base of students though the Registrar stated that the varsity had already laid emphasis on skill oriented education by opening new streams in post graduate departments besides courses in BCA and other streams which also fetch employment to the students.
Inventory Mismanagement:
For the upgradation of the computer centre, a non-recurring grant of Rs 12 lakh was approved in January 2007 by UGC.
“An amount of RS 9.60 lakh was released for utilization during 2007 to purchase the equipment. Scrutiny revealed that the amount was not utilized and as a result the university lost the opportunity to upgrade the computer centre as the grant was blocked. The delay in upgradation of the centre also incurred the interest of Rs 67 lakh per annum,” the report said.
Over-expenditure:
The records revealed that expenditure towards printing of study material for various correspondence courses had exceeded the budget provisions during the period 2003 to 2007 resulting in the accumulation of financial liability of Rs 1.03 crore despite availability of funds ranging between Rs 12.19 crore and Rs 22.72 crore.
The Registrar has, however, said the liability will be cleared from the internal resources of the varsity.
(Rising Kashmir)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
