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July 25 | 2013 | 15 Ramzan 1434 Ah | PAGES 12 |
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VOL NO: 3 | ISSuE NO: 180 | RS: 2/- (AIR SuRChARGE FOR JAMMu /DELhI/LEh 50 PAISA)
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Largely Circulated, No. 1 Bilingual Daily of J&K
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http://www.zabarwantimes.com
Schools reopen after summer vacations Srinagar, July 24: Putting an end to speculations about the extension in summer vacations, the government on Wednesday said all the schools in Kashmir Valley will reopen after 10-day break on Thursday. “Summer vacations are over and schools will reopen tomorrow (Thursday),” Education Minster Tara Chand told KNS. “Government is not going to extend summer vacations as students have already lost a lot of time due to strikes during this year,” he added. Sources told KNS that Director School Education, Mir Tariq, had sent a proposal to the government for the extension of summer vacations by this weekend but has been rejected by the Education Minster. The government announced summer vacations in all institutions including recognized private schools up to higher secondary level in Kashmir Division from July 15 to July 24.
Car set ablaze in Baramulla Srinagar July 24: Some unknown persons set ablaze a parked Alto car bearing registration number Jk09/9002 on link road at Kralpora, Baramulla, in the jurisdiction of Police station Baramulla, resulting in damage to the car. Baramulla Police has registered a case and investigation is on.
Baby dies, house damaged in fire Srinagar July 24: Fire broke out in the residential house of Ghulam Ahmad Rather son of Abdul Khaliq resident of Bon, Mohallah Chenner, in the jurisdiction of Police station Kangan, resulting in complete damage to the house. However, a three years old Muntaza daughter of Mushtaq Ahmad Ganie resident of Arhama, Ganderbal died due to burn injuries in the incident. Fire was brought under control with the help of fire tenders and local of the area.
Man injured in bear attack Srinagar July 24: A bear attacked and injured a 25 years old Altaf Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Akbar Dar resident of Bongam, Handwara in his native village. The injured was shifted to hospital for treatment.
3 injured in road mishaps Srinagar July 24, 2013: A Tata Safari bearing registration number Jk19/1915 hit and injured 65 years old Abdul Aziz son of Ghulam Qadir resident of Anzwala, Anchidora near JK Bank ATM at Gangiwara, in the jurisdiction of Police station Anantnag. The injured was shifted to hospital for treatment. Anantnag Police has registered a case in this regard. Meanwhile, a Load carrier bearing registration number Jk09/6150 and a Maruti car bearing registration number Jk0C/2738 collided near Gantamulla crossing, in the jurisdiction of Police station Sheeri, Baramulla, resulting in injuries to load Carrier driver and another person. Both the injured were shifted to hospital for treatment. Sheeri Police has registered a case in this regard.
2 injured in house collapse in Anantnag Srinagar July 24: A residential house of late Ghulam Rasool Waza resident of Khaki Mohallah, Bijbehara collapsed last evening. Police Bijbehara launched rescue efforts and rescued all family members. However, a lady Sheema Parveen daughter of Mohammad Shazad resident of Bijnoor, U.P and See Injured on Pg. 11
Restrictions in Budgam after fresh group clashes Over 100 persons taken into preventive custody
Srinagar, July 24: Government on Wednesday imposed strict restrictions in central Kashmir’s Budgam district following a group clashes and to prevent situation from further deterioration. Official sources told KNS that restrictions have been imposed in some parts of the district on the last night and authorities deployed hundreds of paramilitary CRPF troopers and policemen wearing riot gear in major and small lanes and by-lanes of Budgam. Senior Police official told KNS that curfew was imposed to bring the situation under control and prevent the clashes from spreading to nearby areas, sources said. “Although no fresh clashes have taken place
in the curfew bound areas today, tension continues to prevail which has left the authorities with no option but to clamp the restrictions,” official said. The bunker vehicles were parked at major junctions while concertina wires were laid to stop the movement of people on the roads and entry points. Sources said that so far scores of people have been injured in the clashes and properties torched by violent mobs following sectarian clashes in the area. They said at least a dozen houses were set on fire, resulting in extensive damage to the property. Violence broke out in Sabdan, Galwanpora and Reshipora villages of Budgam on Friday night following dispute between two sects over
construction of a village road. Police had roped in community and religious leaders and prominent political activists to defuse the tension which prevailed in the area after sectarian clashes. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Shailender Kumar and DC Budgam leade a team of officials visited the violence-hit areas to ascertain the situation. Talking to KNS, DC Budgam Khursheed Ahmad Shah said that the high-level team visited areas of Sahahpora, Solipora, Gandoosa, Paimus, Alipora and Khomani Chowk. “Earlier in the day, we also held a meeting with army, police, and members of civil society participated besides the local prominent and respected persons of the society.”
Owaisi tells Govt not to repeat its history ‘Make Gool inquiry report public’
Hyderabad, July 24: Urging upon Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to curb the activities of Government Forces deployed in Kashmir Valley, All India Majlise-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Member Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi Wednesday said that BSF personnel responsible for innocent killings in Gool Ramban and desecration of Holy Quran should be severely punished. “There should time
bound inquiry and all the recommendations of the inquiry commit-
tee should be made public. Government should not repeat its history by shielding culprits this
BOPEE under Scanner
Govt orders inquiry in leakage gate Srinagar, July 24: The Government today appointed M. A. Bukhari, Secretary Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department as an inquiry officer to look into various aspects related to the conduct of common entrance test 2013 by the Board of professional Entrance Examination on 22nd and 23rd June, 2013 which was however cancelled by the Government and Board asked to conduct fresh test in all the
papers. In this regard, comments/views/suggestions have been invited from the general public for purposes of facilitating the inquiry and for arriving at logical and reasonable conclusions. Any person (s) in possession of any information or willing to provide any comments/suggestions/ views may either furnish the same in person or through email (ashcommsecy@ gmail.com) upto 2nd August, 2013.
time,” he told new gathering agency CNS adding that it is the job of Chief Minister to press for the punishment of guilty. Asaduddin Owaisi while condemning the killings of innocent persons in Gool town of Ramban lamented that all the inquires done so far into the killings of Kashmiri people were never made public and all these inquiries proved as mere eye-wash. “The inquiry commission constituted to probe the Gool See Owaisi on Pg. 11
Keeping up with the tradition, the APHC today said that the incoming Jumait-ul-vida will be observed as Youm-e-Qudus and Youm-e-Kashmir in both the parts of divided Kashmir. The decision was taken during an executive council member meeting convened by the party chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The participants resolved that the biggest gathering in connection with the Youm-e-Kashmir would be led by Mir-
waiz at historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar. The APHC Chairman would throw light on the current political struggle of Kashmiris and would also present a memorandum for the public approval. The Hurriyat expressed its serious concern over the nocturnal raids and brutal force used by the police and Indian troops to detain and interrogate the Kashmiri youth. APHC said that such state aggression would only complicate the problem instead of solving it. He said the state
Stresses that Govt changes the policy of oppression Srinagar, July 24: Holding ruling National Conference responsible for “prevailing uncertainty” in Jammu and Kashmir, opposition Peoples Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday warned government of serious consequences if “policy of oppression” continues in the state. Talking to KNS, Mehbooba Mufti accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of having failed to change the mindset of New Delhi over Kashmir. “Government of India has a particular mindset regarding Jammu and Kashmir and it’s the duty of the Chief Minister to convince New Delhi to change it for the betterment of Kashmir but the present government has completely failed.” She also questioned the “policy of oppression” by the ruling alliance in the aftermath of the recent killings in the state. “Rubbing salt into the wound has remained the approach of this government,”
Srinagar, July 24: The Government today ordered following transfers and postings in the civil administration with immediate effect: Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, KAS, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Sonamarg, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, vice Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Dar. Ravi Kanth, KAS, Secretary, J&K State Electricity Regulatory Commission with additional charge of Secretary, J&K Water Resources Regulatory Au-
sponsored terrorism would enrage the people more, and government would be itself responsible if situation takes an ugly turn. Coming down heavily on National conference, the APHC said that this party was dividing Kashmiris for its own electoral benefits. NC has always demonstrated double standards, on the one hand it advocates solving Kashmir issue by joining hands with the pro freedom leadership, but on the other their government See Mirwaiz on Pg. 11
Mehbooba said, questioning government over large sale arrests of youth, slapping Public Safety Act against them and subjecting them to different types of punishment for raising voice against “atrocities.” “In 2010, 120 persons were killed and those who raised voice against the killings continue to be either be-
hind bars or fighting their cases in various courts,” she said, adding, “Peaceful protests is a universal right, but in our state it invariably evokes brutal response from the state which has squeezed the space for political dissent and right to expression resulting in the hatred and anger against the entire system.”
Mehbooba, daughter of PDP patron Mufti Sayeed said that as a result of this policy, youth are again picking up the gun. “If government does to end this policy forthwith, it will have dangerous consequences in future,” she said. Referring to recent killing of four persons in Gool area of Ramban district, Mehbooba said, “The protest of people was natural given the desecration of Holy Quran but instead of taking action against responsible, bullets were showered on protesters, as a result of which four innocent persons got killed and dozens others injured.” Stating that Omar has failed in discharging his duties as far as protecting the life, honour and dignity of people of Jammu and Kashmir was concerned, she said, “He has no moral or constitutional right to continue.” Mehbooba termed as customary the Omar’s announcement of probes and appointment of Commission of Inquiries into tragic See Mehbooba on Pg. 11
2 children of Imam found dead, wife battling for life
Needle of suspicion on some persons including Imam: IGP Srinagar, July 24: Two children of a cleric (Imam) were found butchered and his wife injured with throat slit in outskirts here on Wednesday, sending shock waves across the Kashmir Valley. Sources told KNS, that Imam of Iqbalabad (Batamaloo) mosque Iftikhar Ahmad found his wife, son and daughter in pool of blood with slit throats when he reached home after leading the morning prayers. The imam raised the alarm,
attracting the attention of locals who reached the spot and evacuated the trio to
Transfers and Postings in civil administration
Jumait-ul-vida to be observed as Youm-e-Qudus: Mirwaiz Srinagar, July 24:
Divisional commissioner Kashmir Shailender Kumar told KNS that restrictions have been imposed to prevent clashes and said that situation is under control and no fresh clashes have taken place in the district. “We are expecting the situation to return to normal in next couple of days,” he said. The fresh group clashes broke last night at several places where structures set on ablaze and property worth lacs of rupeer as destroyed. It may not be out of place to mention that despite timely action by the administration, group clashes did not stop as tempers ran high among the two communities particularly youths who are being misled by certain vested interests from both the sides. See Restrictions on Pg. 11
Omar has failed to change mindset of New Delhi: Mehbooba
thority, has been posted as Secretary, J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority, on full time basis. Javed Iqbal Balwan, KAS, Special Officer, Auqaf, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary to Government, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department. Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, KAS, Joint Director, Industries and Commerce (S&M), Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as Joint Director, Industries and Commerce (Development), Kashmir, against an available vacancy. Nisar Ahmad Wani, KAS, OSD with the Hon’ble Min-
ister of State for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, under orders of transfer as Additional Secretary to Government, School Education Department, has been posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Revenue Department. Ali Afsar Khan, KAS, Additional Secretary to Government, Home Department, has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Industries and Commerce Department. Ravi Shanker Sharma, KAS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, has been transferred and See Transfers on Pg. 11
the SMHS hospital. The doctors who attended upon them declared the
children—2-years-old Mohammed Hashim and 3-year-old Aliya as brought dead. Wife of Imam, Naseema was admitted in critical condition. “She has been operated upon and her condition is stable now,” Dr N A Chaudary, Medical Superintendent of the SMHS hospital, told KNS. However, he said, she was not in a condition to speak right now. “We are continuously monitoring her situation,” he added. See Children on Pg. 11
Cabinet approves appointment of Patwaries Srinagar, July 24: The State Cabinet which met here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah approved appointment of Patwaries against the available vacancies, out of the candidates selected through written examination for undergoing Patwar training and who have successfully qualified from the respective Government Revenue Training Institutes. It was also decided that the Patwar trainees who do not qualify the Revenue Training in the first attempt shall be given a second chance to qualify and upon doing so shall be appointed as Pat-
waries. The Cabinet also constituted a Cabinet Sub Committee to be headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Tara Chand in order to examine the modalities for the implementation of the Mushtaq Ganaie Committee Report regarding the demands for the creation of new administrative units and to take on board any fresh demand on this account. The other Members of the Sub Committee include Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Minister for Agricultural Production, Minister for Higher See Cabinet on Pg. 11
Poor sanitation at children’s hospital irks patients
Lal Ded hospital also not different Srinagar, July 24:
Patients visiting Valley’s sole Children’s Hospital (GB Panth Hospital) Sonwar face serious health problems due to poor sanitation Scores of patients who talked to KNS on Wednes-
day said that there was need for quick intervention to change the situation to prevent them from acquiring hospital borne infections. “Such situation can cause a serious infection to the patients with open wounds,” said an attendant namely Ishtiyaq Drabu who was accompanied with his children for treatment. The Post Operative Wards, corridors and toilets at the hospital are clogged with filth causing immense inconvenience
to the patients and their attendants. The poor sanitation at this key hospital that serves a huge population of nearly 10 districts has evoked strong resentment among the patients and the attendants. Nazir ahmad Dar from Palpora who accompanied his daughter for treatment, said that the poor sanitation at the hospital was exacerbated by filthy toilets. “Situation is worse with the flush toilet which is
always blocked due to lack of water. It is terrible to be here. One can contract dangerous diseases on visiting here for a minor treatment,” he said. A patient from Bemina Srinagar claimed that each time he visits the toilet he vomits because of the heavy stench emanating from human feces. Sheemema, who is attending to her daughter, is worried that her daughter may acquire an infection due to poor hygiene at the See Sanitation on Pg. 11
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11 Thursday, 25 July 2013 From Front Page........
Restrictions..........
Meanwhile according to JKLF spokesman Chairman (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik led a peaceful March in Budgam district on Wednesday and urged people to maintain calm.
Mehbooba..........
incidents in the Valley. “Countless inquiries and Commissions were ordered by Omar Abdullah during his tenure but not a single security or police personnel has been punished.” She also questioned the “failure” of Omar-led government in convincing the Congress in centre to engage with the separatists. “When Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was successful in engaging separatist during BJP-led coalition in power, why has Omar failed in such an endeavor when congress led UPA is in power in centre?”
Owaisi.........
incident should not submit its report on ‘dooms day’ but the probe should be time bound and culprits should not be shielded under any pressure,” he said. He said Kashmir is the only part of in the country where inquiry reports are not being made to public. “We have seen in the past all the inquiry reports were thrown into dust bins and culprits were never punished. First of all probe never gets completed and if it anyway does, the report is being concealed, put into cold storage to shield culprit,” Owaisi told CNS. “Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is the head of the State and elected one. If he could not curb Government Forces then who is going to control them? It is his job to be in command of affairs and relieve people from all the miseries and restore confidence among them,” he said.
Children.........
A pall of gloom fell on the area as soon as the new spread. Scores of people gathered near imam’s residence and express their anger and grief over the incident. Meanwhile, police reached the spot said and immediately took the Imam, a resident of Achura Gurez in Bandipora district of north Kashmir, into custody for questioning along with some other people. Inspector General of Police Abdul Gani Mir told KNS that investigations are going on. “We are working on clues,” he said, adding, “Preliminary investigations into the case pinpoints to involvement of Imam,” he said. Earlier, soon after the incident, police registered a case (FIR No 68/ 2013 under section 302 and 307 of RPC. Bodies of both the children were shifted to Pantha Chowk hospital for post-mortem, a police spokesman said. A team of forensic team also inspected the place of occurrence, the police added.
Transfers...........
posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Public Works (R&B) Department. Ghulam Mohammad Dar, KAS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, against an available vacancy. Bhawani Rakwal, KAS, Additional Secretary to Government, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department, has been transferred and posted as Joint Director, Industries and Commerce (Development), Jammu, against an available vacancy. Ashok Kumar Pandita, KAS, Joint Registrar, Cooperatives (Hqr), Jammu, has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Surinsar-Mansar, against an available vacancy. Mohammad Yousuf Mir, KAS, Additional Secretary to Government, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, under orders of transfer as Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Baramulla, has been transferred and posted as Joint Registrar, Cooperatives (Hqr), Srinagar, against an available vacancy. Surat Singh, KAS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, has been transferred and posted as Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Doda, against an available vacancy. Vikas Sharma, KAS, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, vice Mr. Surat Singh. Rajesh Kumar Shavan, KAS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Samba, against an available vacancy. Abdul Hafiz Shah, KAS, Deputy Director, Information (Central), has been transferred and posted as Joint Director, Industries and Commerce (S&M), Kashmir, vice Mr. Ajaz Ahmad Bhat. Dara Singh Kotwal, KAS, Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Udhampur, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Commercial Taxes (Stamps), Jammu, against an available vacancy. Nazir Ahmad Khwaja, KAS, Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Anantnag, has been transferred and posted as Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Baramulla, against an available vacancy. Shafqat Iqbal, KAS, Deputy Director, Information, Kashmir, with additional charge of Joint Director, Information, Kashmir, has been posted as Joint Director, Information, Kashmir, on full time basis. Om Parkash, KAS, Deputy Secretary in the Governor’s Secretariat, is posted as Additional Secretary in the Governor’s Secretariat. Imam Din, KAS, Deputy Secretary to Government, Rural Development Department (HRM Branch) has been posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Rural Development Department (HRM) Branch). Mohammad Qasim Wani, KAS, Deputy Director, District Employment and Counselling Centre, Kupwara, has been transferred and posted as Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Kupwara, against an available vacancy. Moses Kunzang, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Development, Leh, has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Zanskar, against an available vacancy. Ramesh Chander, KAS, Collector, J&K Housing Board, has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution
Daily
Department. Suraiya Jabeen, KAS, Deputy Secretary in the office of Principal Resident Commissioner, J&K Government, New Delhi, has been transferred and posted as Joint Registrar, Cooperatives (Hqr), Jammu, vice Mr. Ashok Kumar Pandita. Reyaz Ahmad Sofi, KAS, Deputy Director, District Employment and Counselling Centre, Budgam, has been transferred and posted as Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Anantnag, vice Mr. Nazir Ahmad Khwaja. Bashir Ahmad Wani, KAS, Deputy Director, Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as Joint Director, Handlooms, Kashmir, against an available vacancy. Ram Savak, KAS, Deputy Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, has been posted as Additional Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. Raj Kumar Katoch, KAS, Deputy Secretary to Government, Transport Department, has been posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Transport Department. Nazir Ahmad Baba, KAS, Deputy Director in the Directorate of Rural Development Department, Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bandipore, against an available vacancy. Musheer Ahmad, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Development, Rajouri, has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Rajouri, against an available vacancy. Riffat Kohli, KAS, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department, has been transferred and posted as Joint Director, Industries and Commerce (S&M), Jammu, against an available vacancy. Kalyan Singh, KAS, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department, has been posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, vice Mr. Ravi Shankar Sharma. Nawab Din, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Reasi, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, against an available vacancy. Mohammad Nazir Sheikh, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Development, Poonch, has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Kishtwar, against an available vacancy. Ajesh Kumar, KAS, Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Doda-Kishtwar range with hqr at Kishtwar, has been transferred and posted as Joint Registrar, Cooperatives (Banking and Finance), against an available vacancy. Mohammad Saleem, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Development, Ramban, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, against an available vacancy. Choudhary Mohammad Rashid, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Development, Anantnag, has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department. Mohammad Mumtaz Ali, KAS, Deputy Secretary to Government, Forest Department, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, against an available vacancy. Mohammad Hanief Malik, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Poonch, has been transferred and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, vice Mr. Rakesh Kumar Shavan. Sudershan Kumar, KAS, Chief Executive Officer, Katra Development Authority, has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Home Department. Abdul Hamid, KAS, General Manager, DIC, Poonch, has been transferred and posted as Secretary, J&K State Electricity Regulatory Commission, vice Mr. Ravi Kanth. Bharat Bushan, KAS, Deputy Secreatry to Government, Industries and Commerce Department, has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, LakhanpurSarthal, against an available vacancy. Nirupa Rai, KAS, Deputy Director, Information, Jammu, has been transferred and posted as Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Udhampur, vice Mr. Dara Singh Kotwal. Ashok Kumar, KAS, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department, has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Poonch, against an available vacancy. Rakesh Kumar Sarangal, KAS, Deputy Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, has been posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department. Mohammad Shahid Saleem Dar, KAS, Special Assistant to Minister for Roads & Building and Mechanical Engineering, has been posted as OSD with Hon’ble Minister for Roads & Building and Mechanical Engineering. Babu Ram, KAS, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Kishtwar, has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department. Pritam Lal Atri, KAS, Deputy Secretary to Government, Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports Department, has been posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports Department. Naseem Javid Chowdhary, KAS, Deputy Secretary to Government, Health and Medical Education Department, has been posted as Additional Secretary to Government, Health and Medical Education Department. Harvinder Kour, Registrar, Sales Tax Tribunal, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Relief Organization (Migrants), against an available vacancy. Purnima Mittal, KAS, Secretary, Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, has been transferred and posted as Programme Officer, ICDS Project, Budgam, against an available vacancy. Abdul Sattar, KAS, Special Assistant to Hon’ble
Minister of State for Science & Technology and Information Technology, has been transferred and posted as Special Officer, Auqaf, vice Mr. Javed Iqbal Balwan. Pankaj Gupta, KAS, presently on deputation to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, has been posted as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. He shall report to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board on completion of Shri Amarnathji Yatra i.e. on 25.8.2013.
ZABARWAN TIMES Sakina addresses mammoth gathering at Damhal Hanjipora
Cabinet.........
Education, Minister for Planning and Development and Labour and Employment, and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. The Cabinet also accorded sanction to the Promulgation of Jammu and Kashmir Para-Medical Council Ordinance 2013 regarding the training institute of Paramedics. The Cabinet approved regularization of Dr. J.P.Sharma w.e.f from 2.6.200931.1.2010, Dr. R.L.Kher w.e.f 2.6.2009-31.1.2011, Dr. M.L. Sharma w.e.f 29.1.2010-30.6.2010, Dr. Bashir Ahmed War w.e.f 1.2.2010-30.11.2010, Dr. G.S. Sudan w.e.f 1.7.2010-30.4.2012, Dr. B.R. Kotwal w.e.f 1.2.2011-31.1.2012, and Dr.A.K. Koul w.e.f 1.2.201231.7.2012 as Directors Sheep Husbandry Department Jammu and Kashmir and Managing Directors Sheep and Sheep Products Development Board. The Cabinet also approved placement of incharge Superintending Engineers (Electric) as incharge Chief Engineers (Electric) in PDD. These are Mrs. Girja Koul, Mr. Manmohan Singh, Mr. Ravi Kumar Chanyal, Mr. Khurshid Ahmed Budoo, Mr. B.A.Khan and Mr.Subash Chander.
Mirwaiz...........
has unleashed a reign of oppression and suppression on poor Kashmiri. Day in and day out Kashmiri youth are being detained and tortured and when the people stand up against state aggression they are arrested and detained in nocturnal raids. The APHC said that NC was involved in the worst form of political retribution in Kashmir and has always put restrictions and curbs on Hurriyats political and religious activities. During the meeting it was observed that Kashmiris were wary of pro-indian parties whose politics is based on hypocrisy and deceit. They said that people would never get lured by those forces who have politically exploited Kashmiris since 1947. The Hurriyat has appealed people to the people of Kashmir in general and to the people of Budgam district particular to maintain unity at all costs and be vigilant of those forces who are trying to divide kashmiri on sectarian lines.
Sanitation..........
hospital. “Service delivery at the hospital is poor. It takes hours for a patient to be attended by doctors . “I spent almost hour with my daughter at night in the emergency ward as there was only one doctor who was attending the patient. It is indeed heart breaking that cries of patients have for long gone unanswered," she said. Despite several attempts, the hospital authorities could not be contacted for comments. The condition of Lal Ded hospital is not also improving despite that enough funds have been made available and several steps have been taken by the State Government. Patients are consistently complaining of the worsening situation in this hospital but government is yet to take affirm action in this regard.
Injured...........
a police constable Zorawar Singh number 1371/a received injuries. Both the injured were shifted to hospital for treatment. Both the injured were living in the house as tenants.
Kulgam, July 24: Addressing performance of the present a mammoth public gathering dispensation under the at Damhal Hanjipora, the dynamic leadership of Mr Minister for Social Welfare, Omar Abdullah adding that Ms Sakina Itoo said that all uncovered areas without present dispensation is very road connectivity have been much committed to give flip now covered under PMGSY to the development needs of and have been connected far flung and remote areas with towns and cities. She with special focus on the said scores of new schools construction of basic have been opened and infrastructure in these areas, upgradated in the areas so that the people of these besides a degree college has areas are able to get all the also been established at basic requirements at their D a m h a l H a n j i p o r a t o door step. provide higher education to The Minister said that since students of this area. Ms Omar Abdullah took the Sakina asked people for r e i n s o f t h e p r e s e n t strengthening the hands of Government, a new era of the Omar Abdullah reiteratdevelopment started in the ing that under his leaderState and focus was given on ship, Jammu and Kashmir basic fundamental sectors has witnessed a new era of like road connectivity, health development. She said for care, public health engineer- s p e e d y d e l i v e r y o f ing, education, power adding services with transparthat these sectors were give ency, number of historic top priority and in this legislations was enacted direction substantial steps b y t h e p r e s e n t have been taken by the Government including Government. She said the PSGA, RTI, Accountability present Government is Commission, Vigilance making every effort to Commission etc. provide facilities to the Lashing out at the opposicommon people and remove tion, the Minister described the difference between the them as parties without any rural and urban areas. She constructive agenda and said that the people of the asked the people to remain Noorabad Constituency are vigilant in the wake of their best judges to ascertain the false propaganda.
Traphoo Achabal lacks basic facilities Shahid Wani
line from grid station to our village said Nazir Ahmad a People of Traphoo Achabal local resident of the village. Anantnag told Zabarwan Regarding ration supply Times that the pipe line people said that from last two which has been laid before months no ration has been 50 years is as it is, no new distributed among the ration project is being sanctioned card holders of the village. from then. Moreover people Meanwhile Tariq Ahmad of said that we are only one (1 Chittergul Mattan told us km) away from grid station that a hospital building has but if 10 km away any error been constructed before 5 occurs in any electric line our years in the village but from power supply gets disturbed, then the hospital is yet to start we want a separate electric functioning.
Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir
Office of the Executive Engineer W/s Master Plan Division Srinagar
GIST of N.I.T WSMP No: 08 of 07/2013 issued under No: 2762-82 Dated: 18-07-2013
For and on behalf of Governor of Jammu & Kashmir State, Sealed Tenders affixed with Six Rupee revenue stamps are invited from registered PWD Contractors whose registration cards stands renewed for the current financial year (2013-2014) for the below mentioned works. Position of Funds: Demanded S. No. 1. 2.
3.
4. 5. 6. 7.
Name of Work Extension of service line by way of laying and fitting of 25mm/20mm dia G.I. pipe for UmerAbad lane 1st. and Drasgah lane Umer-Abad Providing water Supply facilities to Newly Constructed /Shifted Govt. Middle School Muji Gund, Check Mujigund Extension of service line by Way of laying and fitting of 40mm dia/25mm dia G.I line for Sidiqi Colony Qamarabad Behind State Motor Garage Extension of service line by way of laying and fitting of 25mm dia. G.I line for Rehmat Abad near Qamar Abad Bund Sgr. Laying and fitting of 40mm dia /25mm dia G.I Shunt line for Hamdania colony Sector-J Bemina Sgr. Extension of Service line by way of laying and fitting of 40mm and 25mm dia G.I pipe line at Fruit Mandi Parimpora Sgr. Providing of drinking water supply to extended colony of Umerabad lane No:-2 Tawheed Abad Masjid Al Ahsan.
Approx. Cost (Rs. In Lacs)
E.M. (Rupees)
Class of Contractor
Time of Completion
Head of Account
Cost of tender Documents
0.14
280/-
DEE
08 Days
4215-plan MP-II
Rs. 20/-
0.27
540/-
DEE
10 Days
4215-plan MP-II
Rs. 30/-
0.32
640/-
DEE
10 Days
4215-plan MP-II
Rs. 40/-
0.20
400/-
DEE
08 Days
4215-plan MP-II
Rs. 20/-
0.16
320/-
DEE
07 Days
4215-plan MP-II
Rs. 20/-
0.24
480/-
DEE
08 Days
Deposit Contributi on
Rs. 30/-
0.15
300/-
DEE
08 Days
4215-plan MP-II
Rs. 20/-
The tenders should reach the office of the undersigned on or before 05-08-2013 Upto 2:00 P.M and shall be opened on the same date/day or any other subsequent date/ day convenient to the undersigned. The tender document of the work can be had from the office of the undersigned against cash payments shown above from 01-08-2013 to 03-08-2013 upto 4 P.M. All other terms and conditions shall remain the same as laid down in the detailed Master NIT and also PWD form No, 25- Double. DIPJK: 5013 Sd/- Executive Engineer
Owner, Printer, Publisher & Editor-n-Chief: Suhail Malik, RNI No: JKBIL/2011/39764, Email: zabarwantimes@gmail.com Published from: Govt. Quarters (M-13) Magarmal Bagh Srinagar -190001, J&K, Printed at: Sangarmal Offset Press Humhama Sheikhpora Tele/Fax: 2478370 Cell No: 09999964750, 9796787844
NEWS
Daily ZABARWAN TIMES
Srinagar |thurSday
Vikar for speeding up work on polytechnics, ITIs SRINAGAR, JULY 24The Minister of State for Technical Education, Power Vikar Rasool has said that keeping pace with modern
menting the infrastructure of technical education Secretary Technical Education Parvez Malik, Director Technical Education, J P Singh, Chief Engineers
trends, the State Government has Jammu/Kashmir, Tahseen Mustafa, Mushtaq Lone and other senior oftaken up a massive project of constructing polytechnics in length and ficers of the department and JKPCC breadth of the State to make the youth were present in the meeting. The meeting was told that an of the State skilled professionals. amount of Rs. 135.48 crore has been The Minister was addressing officers during a review meeting con- released by the Central Government for constructing 18 polytechnics in vened to discuss the status of ongoing work on various new polytechnics the State. The Minister directed the offibeing constructed across the State. cers to work in close coordination He asked the officers to speed up the and synergize their efforts for comwork on under construction polytechpleting the work on these polytechnics so that the work is completed nics as soon as possible so thatKhan the within shortest possibleLone time for aug-Agency News Kangan
students living in rural and far-flung areas get the requisite technical/vocational trainings. Vikar said that imparting the technical skills to the students, the
menace of unemployment can also be tackled as these trained youth can effectively set up their own entrepreneurial units and contribute their bit in the socio-economic upliftment of their respective areas. The Minister said that the government has identified certain sectors as vital sectors in which education forms one of the important unit and every effort is being made to augment it by creating quality infrastructure and providing better educational facilities both regular as well as vocational. News Agency Ganderbal
Zabarwan Times is available at
Gulzar News Agency Soura Zahid Book Depot Chadoora Tariq News Agency Hawal Bashir News Agency Nowhatta Muzaffar Ali News Agency Alamgari Bazar Budshah News Agency Lal Chowk Abdullah News Agency Lal Chowk Sikendar News Agency Lal Chowk Gupkari News Agency Lal Chowk Raina News Agency Gund Kangan Khan News Agency Regal Chowk Rashid News Agency Dalgate Sheikh News Agency Hyderpora Hilal News Agency Budgam Lone News Agency Tangmarg Bhat News Agency Chadoora Bhat News Agency Magam Zargar News Agency Kunzar KUPWARA, JULY 24: According to the Principal District and GUREZ, JULY 24: Darthe News Agency Beerwah Bashir News Agency Sumbal Sessions Judge, Kupwara, interview and viva-voice of the candidates who have applied for direct recruitment to the post Reshi News Agency Safapora Saleem Pattan and Minister News of StateAgency for PHE, Irrigation of Orderlies in district Kupwara shall be conducted on August 17, Flood Control Nazir AhmadPampore Gurezi today Basharat News Agency Bandipora Reyaz News Agency 18 and 19, 2013 from S. No. 1 to 400 on August 17, 2013, from S. visited various areas of Gurez which inAltaf News Agency Pulwama Javaid News Agency Qazigund No. 401 to 821 on August 18, 2013 and from S. No. 822 to 1221 on cluded Kanzalwan, Mastan, Dawar and August 19, 2013 respectively at 10 a.m. Agency Baramulla Jeelani News G.M News Sopore Budogam TulailAgency of tehsil Gurez and took All the concerned been directedKupwara to collect their inShahhave News Agency Sultan News Agencyworks Handwara stock of developmental under terview and Roll No. Slips from the office of Principal District and execution in these areas. He also visYounis News Agency Langate Sheikh News Agency Islamabad Sessions Judge, Kupwara well before the interview date. ited Sub-District Hospital Gurez and inReshi News Agency Three Way News Agency Tral However, the candidates belongingIslamabad to Tehsil Karnah spected various sections including OPD shall collect the requisite information from Munsiff Turray News Agency Tral and Judicial Badru News Agency Bijbehara Unit, Registration, Laboratory, Minor Magistrate Tangdhar. Rahi News Agency Kulgam Operation Theatre, ECG and X-Ray and Malik News Agency Arwani The candidates have been asked to produce the reqDental Section besides Block Medical Rah News Byepass Shaheen News Agency Kargil uisite testimonials in original beforeAgency the interview committee on
Interview for Orderlies on August 17, 18 & 19 at Kup
August 17, 18 and 19, 2013.
Lok Adalat to be held on July 31 at Anantnag ANANTNAG, JULY 24: According to the District Legal Services Authority, Anantnag, a Lok Adalat is to be held on July 31, 2013 at District Mediation Centre, Anantnag for amicable settlement of cases. All those interested including the public in general and litigants in particular are informed that the cases of different nature shall be taken up in the said Lok Adalat. The litigants interested to settle their cases amicably shall apply the District Legal Services Authority before schedule date.
High Level Committee gives Concurrence to setting up of State Council for Promotion of Urdu Language SRINAGAR JULY 24: The High Level Committee for the promotion of Urdu language headed by Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khanday Wednesday gave its concurrence to the proposal of the Sub Committee regarding setting up of J&K Urdu Promotion Council for the holistic and comprehensive development and promotion of States official language. The Sub Committee under Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture Constituted to look into the issue of setting up of Urdu Academy proposed instead a State Council for Promotion of Urdu Language. The Said Council as per the Proposal will be an autonomous organisation headed by the Chief Minister as its Chairman and other members of proven literary Calibre besides Minister for Culture, etc. The High Level Committee also gave its concurrence to yet another proposal aimed at incorporating necessary provisions in the recruitment rules for direct entry posts in various departments where Knowledge of Urdu language is required to ensure proper and effective service delivery.While reviewing the report, submitted by one of the Sub-Committees regarding requirement of Urdu, Dogri and Kashmiri language teachers in schools, the High Level Committee gave further one months’ time to the Sub Committee for finalising the actual number of Urdu, Dogri and Kashmiri teachers required in the Government schools. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary also asked the Sub Committees for formulating the reports in both Urdu and English languages.
Gurezi inspects various dev works in Gurez
Officer’s office and enquired about the medicare facilities being extended to the patients besides took stock of availability of medicines and other necessities in the Hospital. The Minister interacted with the patients, attendants and the staff members and enquired about availability of modern equipments for use in Operation Theatre and residential accommodation for doctors and para-medics. . He announced Rs 1.20 lakh out of his Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for purchase of Bio-Chemistry Analyser. Earlier, the Minister convened a meeting with the Tehsil level officers and reviewed the overall pace of progress of works under execution.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate Gurez briefed the Minister about the developmental activities apace in the tehsil. While, taking review of PHE, Irrigation, Flood Control and R&B departments, the Minister directed the concerned officers to gear up their field functionaries, conduct survey of the areas and identify the uncovered areas who were not been provided adequate drinking water facility and road connectivity till date. He asked them to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) in this regard and submit the same for accord of necessary sanction. Gurezi also directed them to involve local people while framing DPRs for any project. With regard to the agriculture sector, it was informed in the meeting that under Seed Scheme, 501 qtls potato seed tubers, 90 qtls under contingency plan were distributed free of cost, 21 qtls peas under contingency plan and cluster and 2 qtls of maize were distributed among the farmers of the Gurez tehsil during the current year.It was also informed that under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) vegetable hybrid seed worth Rs 5 lakh were distributed free of cost among the farmers.
7.5 lakh saplings to be planted during current fiscal under afforestation drive in Anantnag ANANTNAG, JULY 24: More than 7,50,000 saplings shall be planted by Forests, Soil Conservation and Social Forestry departments in Anantnag district. This was revealed in a meeting chaired by District Development Commissioner, Anantnag, Dr. Farooq Ahmad Lone here today.The meeting was attended by Additional District Develop-
ment Commissioner, Chief Planning Officer, Divisional Forest Officers of Forests, Social Forestry, Lidder Division and Soil Conservation Anantnag.The meeting was convened to review the performance of these departments in making the district self sufficient in forest resources. It was revealed by Divisional Forest Officer Forests that for aforestation in the district two types of plants have been
adopted, one is broad leaved plants and the other is conifers. However, emphasis is given for increased percenatge of conifer plants.The Forest department has selected 25 hectares of land at Gurinar where 9,000 conifer and 4,500 broad leaved plants are proposed to be planted this year. Besides one checkpost at Umoh is also proposed to be constructed during the current financial year.It was also given out that 1.50 lakh cfts of timber is being provided during the current fiscal, out of which 35 percent of timber has already been dumped. Similarly, in the Lidder division, 25 hectares of land has been earmarked for plantation of 13,933 broad leaved.
Government of Jammu and Kashmir
OffIcE Of tHE ASSIStAnt ExEcutIvE EnGInEEr mEcHnIcAL IrrIGAtIOn Sub DIvISIOn, SHADIPOrA
NOTICE INVITING SHORT TERM TENDERS NO... OF 2013-14 DATED:....
Niaz chairs PUC meeting SRINAGAR, JULY 24: The Committee on Public Undertakings (PUC) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly headed by MLA Mohammad Sharief Niaz today examined the CAG’s audit para regarding misappropriation of funds in absence of monitoring mechanism. The Committee directed the department to conduct enquiry departmentally and furnish report to the Committee. The legislators, G. N. Monga, Ali Mohammad Dar, Abdul Gaffar Sofi, Syed Basharat Ahmad Bukhari, Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani and Peer Aafaq Ahmad gave their valuable suggestions for further improvement in the department. Later, the Principal Accountant General, J&K AG’s office Dr. S. C. Panday gave power point presentation with regard to working of Public Undertakings and Public Accounts Committees, the auditing pattern, the mandate of audit and the communication of audit agencies with the different departments with regard to the audit paras.
Blood donation camp organized at SKIMS Soura SRINAGAR, JULY 24: To promote communal harmony, amity and brotherhood besides hospitality of the people of Kashmir, Blood Donation Camp was organized to save the precious lives of Shri Amarnathji Yatries who were injured in a road accident. The Blood Donation Camp was jointly organized by district administration, Srinagar and SKIMS, Soura at Auditorium Hall here today. A large number of volunteers donated blood on the occasion. Among others, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Shah and Director SKIMS, Dr. Showkat Ali Zargar besides Faculty Members and para medicos of the Institute attended the camp. Shah speaking on the occasion lauded the volunteers for donating the blood to save the lives of those injured in accidents. He also urged to keep up the values of brotherhood for which the people of Kashmir are known for centuries all over the world.
Government of Jammu& Kashmir Office of the Executive Engineer PHE Ground Water Division Srinagar GIST OF FRESH e-Tender NOTICE No: 44/PHE/ GWDS/ of 7/2013 Dated 16 -07-2013
For and on behalf of Governor of Jammu and Kashmir state, e-tenders are invited on item rate basis in two cover system from contractors having sufficient experience in the field of construction of production wells not less than 550/500 mm dia bore up to a depth of 120 meters and being registered from competent authority under j & k state water regulatory Act 2010 for drilling of productions Tube wells for each of the works mentioned below:S No
Name of Work Construction of gravel pack production tube well at following locations:-
1
Construction of gravel packed production tube well at Bomai Sopore District Baramulla.
Est Cost in Rs
2000000.00
Cost of Tender Doc. (Non refundable) in Rs
E/Money in Rs
Time of completion
1500.00
40000.00
45 Days
Position of AA/TS:-Submitted .Position of funds:-Demanded 1. The NIT consisting of qualifying information ,eligibility criteria ,specifications ,Bill of quantities (B.O.Q),terms and conditions of contract and other details can be seen/downloaded from the departmental web site www.jktenders.gov.in as per schedule of dates given below:S no
Particulars
Dates
1
Date of publishing of tender notice
17-07-2013
2
Period of Downloading of Bidder Documents
18 -07-2013 to 27-07-2013
3
Bid submission start date
18-07-2013 (9.00am)
4
Bid submission end date
29-07-2013 (6.00pm)
5
Last date for receiving hard copy (original D/EMD/relevant documents etc)
30 -07-2013 (4.00 PM) in the office of Executive Engineer PHE Ground Water Division Srinagar
6
Date and time of opening of bid (online)
1-08-2013 (12.00 Noon) in the office of Executive Engineer PHE Ground Water Division Srinagar
DIPK: 5000
Xen PHE Gund Water Division Srinagar
25 .7.2013
HOROSCOPE Aries
March 21-April 19 The energy of the day is erratic, and you will probably be hopping all over the place, Aries. Don’t worry about trying to firm up any plans at this time. You may feel like you’re trying to grab a slippery fish with greased hands. If so, don’t worry about it. Let the fish swim away for now. Relax. You can always catch another one later if you need to.
Taurus April 20-May 20
Get up and get going today, Taurus. You have no time to lose. Your mind will be busy tackling many tasks, but this suits you just fine. You’re well equipped to deal with the many frantic situations that are likely to come up. There’s a great deal of strength to your emotions that you can use to connect with others and communicate your thoughts in a healthy manner.
Gemini May 21-June 21
Your heart could experience some wild fluctuations today, Gemini. It may seem as if your emotions are on a derailing train. The best thing to do if this is the case is sit by yourself and write them down. Compose a letter, song, or journal entry. You’re much less confused than you think. When in doubt, consult someone you love and trust. Go with your instincts.
Cancer June 22-July 22
Suddenly things are coming to a head for you, Cancer. The drama is escalating and you aren’t sure if you can remember all your lines. Take things one step at a time. Deal with the issues as they come. If you get ahead of yourself, you might be overwhelmed by the fear that the situation will be more than you can handle. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Leo
July 23-August 22 Your focus will center on your emotions today, Leo, although being centered in itself will be quite a challenge. You may feel like a yo-yo in someone else’s hand. Don’t fall prey to victimization. Stand up for yourself even if it means that others get upset. You’re responsible for your feelings and no one else’s.
Virgo
August 23-September 22
Maintaining equilibrium may not be the easiest task today, but if anyone can do it, you can, Virgo. Strong opinions from others could crop up to challenge you. You have a great deal of ammunition in your arsenal. You can learn quite a bit by accepting this challenge and engaging in a heated debate. Have faith in yourself.
Libra
September 23-October 23 Desire is the name of the game today, Libra. If you want it, you can get it, but it won’t come easily. The prize will go to the person who desires it the most. Show the people around you how much you can accomplish. You will impress others with your incredible drive and determination. Don’t fall victim to the wasp that could sting you.
Scorpio
October 24-November 21 Today is like playing a game on your home field, Scorpio. You have fans supporting you and you know the territory. Take advantage of the little things that you have going for you. There is a dramatic force at work that is erratic but extremely powerful as long as you maintain control. Stay focused on your goals. True happiness is only a small step away.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
Enlist the help of others today, Sagittarius. Information exchange is key to putting the last few puzzle pieces into place. Doing things on your own is important and necessary, but at some point you need to realize that the next major step requires a certain amount of input from others. Gather data and apply it to your situation. Don’t become a leech or burden to others.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
This is an excellent day for you, Capricorn. Celebrate. Your ego is strong. Beautiful things are flowing your way. You should enjoy a good mood that will attract favorable people and situations to you. There’s virtually no limit to the expansiveness of this day. One thing to watch out for is arrogance. Be proud but not obnoxious.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
Your emotions may be a bit erratic. It may be hard for you to focus on anything today, Aquarius. Things continue to shift from one topic to the next with little resolution. Others aren’t apt to be very sympathetic to your feelings, so don’t expect it. You will only set yourself up for disappointment. It’s a better day to focus on your head rather than your heart.
Pisces
February 19-March 20 There’s an extra blast of wind ready to fill your sails today, Pisces, so make sure you have both hands on the tiller. Whichever way your rudder is pointed is the direction you will go. Once you get on course, it will be difficult for you to readjust your position, so make sure your compass is properly set. Continue with your journey, full speed ahead.
Editorial/Opinion Zabarwan Times Thursday, 25 July 2013
T
he Holy month of Ramadan, the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar, is a multi-faceted period of twenty-nine or thirty days, aimed to purify the human body and soul. It helps not only in controlling ones greed, endless desire and ravenous but also provides a chance to a human being to pray before his creator asking for mercy for his sins and enlightenment which leads to spiritual solace attainment and pacification. This month teaches practicality of the life by imposition of certain curbs on overall activities of humans which include fasting for generating the spirit of charity, kindness and overwhelming help to be extended to the society particular the poor, down-trodden and orphans. This month has the distinction of revelation of Holy Quran which is amongst the most respected, sacred and divine books of the world. Quran is a way of life, it teaches everything the man goes through from his birth to death, as also it leads him to the path of rightness, truth and abidance of the orders of God Almighty. This sacred book and the holy month are in fact the gist, aim and conclusion of the life which was created with a purpose of service to humanity and not only for prayers as according to Iqbal there were enough angles for that purpose. He says, I quote,
But what do we do today? Keeping fast by not taking food for the day serves no purpose unless our intentions, actions and attitude matches with the spirit of Ramadan. If we cannot spread affection, kindness, brotherhood, communal amity besides engaging over selves totally in the service of humanity, we have no right to call ourselves true Muslims. The month of fast should not be treated and followed as a ritual, show off or to brow beat and impress others, but should instead become a month which will revolutionize and purify our lives, our thinking, our day today behavior and should pave way for a change over from evil to truthfulness of the society. It is very unfortunate that from Egypt to Somalia, from Sudan to Lebanon, from Palestine to Syria, from Iraq to Afghanistan and from Pakistan to Kashmir, everyday hundreds of innocent people loose their live in frenzied violence. How unfortunate is the state of affairs in Muslim dominated areas where the whole community is in total disarray and engulfed with all kinds of unfortunate vices. When we are in such a lucid situation, what message do we convey to other communities of the world amongst whom we are not placed well according to our worth and qualities. Now if at this crucial juncture, we do not understand the gravity of the situation, if we do not realize our overall moral and ethical degradation, and if we do not introspect, with firm resolution, to save our very existence, it will be too late to mend over selves. I quote this famous couplet of poet and philosopher Dr. Sir Mohammad Iqbal who has expressed his sentiment decades back in the similar circumstance when communal passions ran very high in the country.
ZABARWAN TIMES 9
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Empowering Mentally Ill to Live with Dignity
The Daily
Ramadan – A Month of Introspection
Daily
M
ental health represents a critical indicator of human development, serves as a key determinant of wellbeing, quality of life and is the basis for social stability. Social and economic impact of poor mental health is pervasive and far reaching, leading to poverty, high unemployment rates, poor educational and health outcomes, among others. There is a need for a wider recognition of mental and emotional well-being as a core indicator of human development, and it is necessary to integrate a mental health and psychosocial perspective into all development and humanitarian policies, programmes. Persons with mental and psychosocial disabilities represent a significant proportion of the world’s population. One in four people globally experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. Almost one million people die due to suicide every year and depression is ranked third in the global burden of disease, and is projected to rank first in 2030. In India prevalence of mental disorders is 6-7% for common mental disorders and 1-2% for severe mental disorders. Treatment gap for severe mental disorders is approximately 50% and in case of Common mental Disorders it is over 90%.With such a magnitude of mental disorders it becomes necessary to promote mental health services for the well being of general population, in addition to provide treatment for mental illnesses. Persons with mental and psychosocial disabilities often face stigma and discrimination due to widely held misconceptions about the causes and nature of mental health conditions. Persons with mental and psychosocial disabilities also experience high levels of physical abuse. They encounter restrictions in their exercise of socio-politico-economic rights in the majority of countries, largely due to the false assumption that they are not able to carry out their responsibilities, manage their own affairs and make decisions about their lives. Though mental health conditions are one of the leading causes of disability, persons with mental and psychosocial disabilities often lack resources to maintain basic living standards. Furthermore, they are one of the most neglected and discriminated groups in development policies and programmes. Integration of mental health into development efforts is a cost effective pro-poor
strategy. There are cost effective treat- includes; School Mental Health services; The proposed Mental Health Care bill is ments available for most mental illnesses, College Counselling services; work place significant in terms of Rights’ Approach and effective treatment is associated with stress management and suicide prevention that is being adopted to give pre-eminence reductions in overall health-care costs. services. Efforts are being made to to the preferences and opinion of the Child development, education, health, improve human resource availability in mentally ill person to a major extent. social welfare policies and programmes mental health sector so that mentally ill Provisions like ‘Advance Directive’ must integrate mental and psychosocial gets required attention and persons having empowers every person to make directive aspects. In India, National Mental Health a predilection for mentally illness can get on how he wishes to be cared and treated Programme (NMHP) was started in 1982 good advice, counselling at the initial stages for mental illness or not. Other salient provisions are; with the objectives to ensure availability itself. and accessibility of minimum mental Components of NHMP are being brought · A mentally ill person admitted to a mental health care for all, to encourage mental under the overall umbrella of National health establishment shall have a right to health knowledge and skills and to Rural Health Mission so that the States are receive or refuse visitors, phone calls, promote community participation in able to plan requirements concerning mail, etc · A mentally ill person has a right to have treatment in his locality / residence and can In India prevalence of mental disorders is prefer only minimum treatment/care at mental health establishments. This is to ensure that the patient is allowed to live in, 6-7% for common mental disorders and be part of and not be segregated from society to the extent possible 1-2% for severe mental disorders. · Every patient has a right to protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading Treatment gap for severe mental disorders treatment and the mental health establishment shall be safe, clean with facilities for education, recreation, religious practices. · is approximately 50% and in case of No patient shall be forced to undertake work and subject to compulsory shaving of Common mental Disorders it is over head and wearing of uniforms. · Mental illness may be made eligible for medical insurance coverage. 90%.With such a magnitude of mental · Government is duty-bound to plan, implement mental health programmes and disorders it becomes necessary to promote create awareness about mental health and illness to reduce the associated with mental health services for the well being of mental illness · Every person will have access to mental general population, in addition to provide health care and treatment at affordable cost, of good quality and of requisite quantity, accusable to the report, their treatment for mental illnesses. families and care givers · Government should interpret mental mental health service development and to Mental Health services as part of the health services into general health care stimulate self-help in the community. respective project plans. Rs.623.45 crore services at all levels in all health Gradually, the approach of mental health has been approved as XI plan outlay (upto programmes. care services has shifted from hospital based 2012) for the National Mental Health · Government shall arrange good quality care (institutional) to community based Programme. However, recognizing the care and treatment in hospitals funded by mental health care, as majority of mental difficulties/stigma faced by mentally ill government and in case of non availability disorders do not require hospitalization and persons the Government is in the process in nearby place; refund the costs of can be managed at community level. of providing a humane, patient centric treatment to the patient. During IX five year plan, District Mental legal framework for mentally ill patients. To conclude, a mentally well person means Health Programme was initiated (1996) and The proposed Mental Health Care bill can a healthy society and developed nation. It at present DMHP is covering 123 districts in be a ‘Game changer’ in the life of millions is not enough if we have best health care 30 States and UTs. In addition to early of mentally ill persons who were often services, protective legislation unless the identification and treatment of mentally ill, victims of inhuman and degrading stigma, discrimination and widely held District Mental Health Programme has now treatment, abuse and ridicule, both at the misconceptions attached to mental illness incorporated promotive and preventive community level and at health care are weeded out and community becomes more empathetic towards such persons. activities for positive mental health which delivery establishments.
Enforcement and Awareness Help Beed Improve Child Sex Ratio
T
wo years ago, Beed in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region made news nationwide on account of heinous crime of female foeticide, leading to a serious crackdown on several medical practitioners. According to 2011 census, Beed recorded a Child Sex Ratio of 796 girls per 1000 boys, much worse than the Child Sex Ratio of 894 for Maharashtra and the all India figure of 914. Child Sex Ratio is defined as the number of females per 1000 males in the 0 - 6 age group. This ratio, on its own may not be able to present a correct picture of sex ratio as there are instances of under reporting of girls. Therefore, the Sex Ratio at Birth, defined as the number of girls born for every 1000 boys, is considered a more accurate and a refined indicator. While unplanned pregnancy is generally the reason behind abortions, female foeticide is a far more heinous crime than the age old practice of killing the unwanted child after it was born. Selective elimination of the girl child in the womb itself is done after the determination of child’s gender through the medical means. This is usually done under family pressure from the husband or in-laws or even women’s parents. Sadly a majority of female foeticide cases involve an enthusiastic participation of women - both old and young. Like many societies around the world, India too is patriarchal in nature. Right from the ancient scriptures, one finds instances were men are glowingly praised as the key to continue family lineage.
This results in a fanatic obsession for a male progeny. A Wake Up Call Alarm bells began to ring when the rampant practice of pre natal sex selection came to light with the connivance of several reputed medical practitioners in Beed. The Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prevention of Sex Determination) Act, enacted by Parliament of India in 1994, bans use of sex selection techniques before or after conception and prevents the misuse of prenatal diagnostic technique for sex selective abortion. However, due to laxity in enforcement, the there was no let up in discrimination against the girl child. The state government woke up to the challenge and announced a slew of measures to stop female foeticide and catch its perpetrators. Teams were formed to crack down on illegal ultrasound centres indulging in sex determination tests. Food & Drug Administration kept a watch on the sale of drugs and medicines required for medical termination of pregnancy. Action was taken against 12 chemists in Beed district who failed to provide satisfactory replies to the show cause notices served upon them. Awareness is the Key To supplement the enforcement programme, a massive awareness drive was initiated to drive home the importance of girl child. Besides the public service advertisements broadcast over television and radio, Amir Khan’s TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ also helped raise the level of awareness about female foeticide. Voluntary Organizations (NGOs) came
forward to supplement government’s efforts in this girl child mission. In Beed, organizations like ‘Tee Foundation’ and ‘Marathwada Lok Vikas Manch’ came forward to adopt talukas, in a bid to improve child sex ratio. These Voluntary Organizations adopted Shirur-Kasar taluka for a comprehensive survey and provision of necessary support services. “It was a grim scenario when we began our survey in 2011; Beed had a low sex ratio of 733 and it was even worse in Shirur- Kasar taluka, where child sex ratio was only 669” says Dr. Bharati Lavekar of the Tee foundation . The Voluntary Organizations conducted house to house surveys and listed out the reasons for adverse sex ratio. “After studying the mind-set and the behavioural pattern of villagers, we became convinced that the situation can not be improved merely by enacting laws or conducting television sting operations. We needed to get to the root of the problem and change people’s mindset” adds Dr.Lavekar. While the government supervised strict enforcement of the PCPNDT Act, holistic health services were made available to pregnant women through regular health check up, vitamin administration and nutrition supplement under the National Rural Health Mission, NRHM. Special training programmes were held for ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) volunteers and Anganwadi Sevikas for skill upgradation. Voluntary Organizations played a key role in interpersonal communication, by reaching out to women during their free time.
To motivate people to raise girl child a fixed deposit scheme under the Balika Suraksha Yojana was introduced. Under this scheme Rs 5000 would be deposited in the name of every girl child born after August 15, 2011 to be held as Fixed Deposit with State Bank of Hyderabad for a term of 18 years. The lump sum money would be payable to the girl on becoming a major, subject to attaining certain minimum educational qualifications. Surprise Results Sincere efforts of government, voluntary organizations and citizen activists began to show results. A report prepared by the State Health System Resource Centre based on District Health Information System – an online portal for calculating sex ration at birth, had a surprise for everyone associated with the project. Beed district recorded an impressive 159 points jump in sex ratio during 2012 as compared to 2011. According to the NRHM Mission Director for Maharashtra, Vikas Kharge, “awareness drives, stringent enforcement of law, initiation of technology like mother and child tracking system, routine inspection and crackdown on ultra-sound / sonography centres have all resulted in improving the state’s sex ratio at birth. Along with Beed, Parabhani and Aurangabad have also shown improvement.” At 906 girls per 1000 boys, Beeds sex ratio at birth is now on par, or rather a shade better than the state average. However, activists say there is still a long way to go to catch up with the ideal sex ratio of 951.
Disclaimer : The contents and comments appearing in any article published in this paper are purely the personal opinion of the writer.
HE A L+H 58
ZABARWANTIMES ZABARWAN TIMES THURSDAY | 25 JULY 2013
You can style your wet hair
Styling wet hair after a shower can be quite an arduous task. We suggest ways you can style your mane, no matter what the length is In case you are running late for work, give your heated styling tools a miss. Styling wet hair can be easily done at home and does not require much time. Says Sylvia Chen, a stylist, "The
key to achieving the desired wethair look is to ensure that you use the right styling products. Make sure you have shampooed and conditioned your hair, to get the ultimate wet-hair look. Use a leave-in serum to avoid the frizz."Style according to your hair type For naturally wavy to curly hair:
Those with waves or curls, tip your hair upside down. Then spritz beach texture spray on your hair from the roots to the ends evenly, and scrunch. This will give volume to your mane, lending a beachy look. For straight, long hair: If you have long straight hair, apply some leave-in serum on towel-dried hair. Use a wide-toothed comb to detangle your hair and let it dry. Once it's dried, use a paddle brush from the roots to the end to smooth out your hair. For curly medium to long hair: Apply some serum or a curl-enhancing mousse on damp hair and comb through using a widetoothed comb to detangle your hair. Divide your hair into four sections — two at the front and two at the back. Twist the random strands of hair from your roots to the end.For short hair: Apply a texturising spray onto towel-dried hair after shampoo and conditioner. Style or part your hair in the way you want and comb it.
Tips - For those with long hair, braiding can be another option. After shampoo and conditioner, apply some smoothing serum on your hair, detangle using a small-toothed comb and then braid your hair. You can try doing a French braid or simply a normal one. If you have to attend a meeting at work, apply a leave-in cream onto wet hair to prevent flyaways. Detangle your hair using a wide-toothed comb and pull back your hair into a ponytail or a low chignon. - Apply a teaspoon of either an anti-frizz serum or conditioner to your hair and run it uniformly. Make sure it's not saturated or greasy or else your hair will end up looking oily and styling your mane will become difficult. If you are leaving your wet hair down, always twist it around your fingers to keep it from drying out flat or turning frizzy.
Adequate sleep key to weight loss Adequate sleep is important for person to lose weight, and it should be added to the recommended mix of diet and exercise, a new study suggests. Although calorie restriction and increased physical activity are recommended for weight loss, there is significant evidence that inadequate sleep is contributing to obesity. Lack of sleep increases the stimulus to consume more food and increases appetite-regulating hormones. "The solution [to weight loss] is not as simple as 'eat less, move more, sleep more'," Drs. Jean-Phillippe Chaput, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario and Angelo Tremblay, Laval University, Quebec, Quebec, wrote.
Exercises to boost your upper body
Forget botox, the new buzz word is "collagen", and this skin friendly protein that was being marketed in the form of supplements and as an important ingredient in creams and serums.The latest entrant in the anti aging arena, however, is the collagen drink that is apparently a huge hit already. This drink claims to bring about a dramatic reduction in lines and wrinkles in a matter of days, so much so that women are already queuing up for this magic potion.Collagen supplements have been around for a while and though these claim to erase fine lines, wrinkles, stretch marks and cellulite and improve hair and nails, it is the drink that is big news now. As you
drink it, the protein that gives the skin strength and elasticity, watch yourself grow younger, say those who swear by the power of collagen.According to reports many celebrities are opting for the collagen drink now, which also claims to be many times more effective than supplements when it comes to replacing the skin's protein stores, since it gets directly absorbed into the blood stream.So it is perhaps time to bid goodbye to collagen marshmallows, tablets and supplements, as the drink which promises to plump up wrinkles in three days and wipe out all the sallowness that comes with age, is in many stores internationally.
If your exercise regime is only running, cycling or playing sports, then you need to pay attention. Our fitness expert, Arnav Sarkar gives you important facts that you need to know about keeping fit through routines that only focus on your lower body. Arnav says, "Your sport may rely mostly on lower body power and endurance to help you win, but for overall health you need to work on your upper body too. Plus, it also helps with your performance to an extent." It is important that you get a full body workout, especially if you focus mostly on lower body fitness. Exercising your shoulders, back and arms can improve your posture, help you avoid injuries, strengthen abs and core muscles as well as tone and improve your body to engage in heavy exercises that requires you to use your legs. Hence, make sure to exercise different muscles of your body for fitness and strength. If you're an athlete your main focus is to tone and strengthen your legs, but working out the remaining muscles in your body can give you an edge to succeed. Common be-
lief is that added muscles can slow down the body, but lately this notion has changed. Muscle strength and endurance goes a long way in increasing athletic performance. When it comes to deciding which exercises to follow, Arnav Sarkar points out that you must 'focus on a few compound exercises that hit a lot of major muscle groups rather than do a lot of isolation moves that hit only one muscle.' He goes on to say that "This approach will save you time, as well as produce better results." Since your objective is balanced fitness that involves all body parts, your main objective is to work all body parts in equal doses. Arnav says, "Work equally on pulling as well as pushing muscles of the upper body. For eg, if you do push ups (pushing), then make sure that you also do some pulling exercise like barbell rows. Work for both endurance and strength development, instead of focusing only on one. For eg you can do some heavy overhead presses in the 5-10 reps range and along with that do some high repetition sets of bodyweight push ups, to get a
How to lose weight after pregnancy
If you step on the scale several days after you give birth, then you will likely have one of two reactions - disappointment or complete horror - as your weight loss is either not as much as you had hoped, or in some cases, your weight might not have changed much. Almost all women will want to lose the weight which they have gained over the course of their pregnancy as soon as possible. How long it takes you to return to your pre-pregnancy weight and shape largely depends on how
much weight you gained while pregnant; if you followed a regular exercise program, how healthy you ate and if you breastfeed or not. If you allow for a 3 month recovery period after giving birth, then you should easily be able to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight within 6-8 months. As a general rule, you should be aiming to lose no more than 2lb a week. It might not sound much, but that adds up to a weight loss of a stone in less than two months. If you exercised during
pregnancy and had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, it’s generally safe to begin light exercise within days of delivery — or as soon as you feel ready. If you had a C-section or a complicated birth, talk to your health care provider about when to start an exercise program. Many new moms find exercise the key to losing the baby weight, and studies support their experience. A 2007 Harvard University study of new moms found that women who walked 30 minutes each day had a 34 percent lower
chance of retaining a significant amount of weight (defined as 11 pounds or more) at their baby’s first birthday. Research also shows that exercise helps new moms preserve muscle mass—and thus appear more toned—than moms who drop weight just by dieting. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when mapping your post-pregnancy weight loss: Always check with a medical physician before beginning any fitness program Be sure to keep the water flowing. Aim to consume half of your body weight in ounces a day Take your time and start off slowlyDrink at least 10-12 glasses of water every day. Keep healthy snacks handy such as raisins, popcorn, wheat crackers, and nuts. Eat lean meats such as boneless chicken and the leanest cuts of beef. Eat whole grains (breads, cereals, pastas) instead of the “white” versions Don’t be fooled by foods that are labelled as nonfat. Most are loaded with calories and can have hydrogenated vegetable oils and/or high fructose corn syrup Resist the urge to indulge in a fast food meal.
more complete training effect." Follow any of these 6 upper body exercises that should be a staple for your upper body training: 1) Push ups: As Arnav puts it, push ups are "a great exercise that hits the pushing muscles as well as the core. You can do them with your bodyweight for high reps and also do some advanced versions like one hand push ups, etc for low rep strength development." Note: Here's how to do push ups: - Place yourself face down with the palms on the floor. Place the palms wider than the shoulder-width, arms extended, legs straight and feet together or slightly apart.- Keep the neck, back & hips aligned and abdominals contracted. Do not arch the back downwards or upwards. Keep it flat like a table top. - Bend the elbows outwards and bring the chest close to the floor. This is the initial position. - Push back upwards till the arms extend completely and feel the contraction in the chest muscles. 2. Military press: Good for building pushing strength, military presses are where you can focus on lift-
ing heavy and building strength. Note: Barbell is the most preferred equipment for military press, or you can also use dumbbells. - Raise the barbell to your chest with your hand shoulder width apart. This can be done by lifting the barbell straight from the floor or by lifting it off of a power rack. - Lock your legs and hips underneath you. Feet should be together. - Without using your lower body, lift the weight overhead. - Bring the weight back down to your chest in a controlled manner. 3. Parallel bar dips: These are not for the weak minded. Parallel bar dips are tough, yet extremely effective in building important upper body muscle groups. As Arnav suggests, this is "A great upper body pushing exercise that can be done with bodyweight or/ also with added weights." Note: While Parallel bar dips essentially strengthen your triceps and chest muscles, if you can do them to full capacity, they end up shaping your entire upper body - including core. Here are a few tips to perfect your dips -
"However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity. Sleep should be included as part of the lifestyle package that traditionally has focused on diet and physical activity," Chaput
said. The authors' recently published research found that total sleep time and quality of sleep predicted the loss of fat in people enrolled in a weight loss program. The Canadian Obesity Network has included adequate sleep in its new set of obesity management tools for physicians.
Are you getting enough fruits?
Fruits are delicious, juicy, fun to eat and healthy ingredients for great desserts; but are you getting enough fruits in your daily diet? We use a lot of skin care products that boast of properties and vitamins from fruits, but why do we still select creams over natural fruits? Let's take a look at how many fruits you need to eat every day before you can say that you are getting enough fruits in your daily diet. Based on a study in 2010 reported by the Dietary Guidelines of America, you need 1.5 - 2 cups of fruits daily, but 'the amount depends on the number of calories per day recommended for your healthy weight.' (Via) Also, it is recommended that you
eat five servings of fruits and veggies a day, but it depends on your age and gender: Women between the ages of 19-50 should eat 7-8 servings, while men should eat 8-10 servings. And for those above 50, men and women should consume seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day. All this preaching is in good spirit. Fruits help fight cancer, obesity and heart disease. Fruits provide nutritional vitamins. Certain fruits contain a good amount of natural sugar and fluids, which also keep us hydrated. Fruits are rich in fiber, and are great for bowel movement and weight loss. It is also advised that you consume fruits whole, instead of skinned or juiced.
Just dance and shed extra pounds Proud of her newly acquired chiselled midriff, insurance professional Anubhi Jain is all gungho about her new passion: dancercise. Having got bored of her monotonous workout routine, Jain had almost decided to abandon exercising, until she was introduced to this interesting new concept of staying fit. Dancercise is a perfect recipe for those who love dance as well as exercise. Choreographer-dancer Nirali Someshwar says, "Exercise and dance, if looked at individually, tend to get monotonous after a point. That's why this form has become popular. It is also good value for money as you learn two things at one time." So, what does dancercise include? Someshwar explains, "Basically it is a fusion of choreographed dance steps and exercises. The theory is based on individual exercise for every muscle. For example, isolated belly dance includes 20 minutes of abs and hip exercise, followed by 45 minutes of belly-dancing. The session keeps on evolving from start till the end, with each next step leading to the next one."
Bhangra aerobics incorporates bhangra and hiphop. Dancer Hrishikesh Pawar says, "We make these packages depending on what part of the body needs to be strengthened. For example, if contemporary dance is being fused with exercise, the areas of concentration are the legs since the dance form involves classical ballet. I usually start my classes with pilates and yoga as they increase flexibility." Aero-dance workshops that include cardio and floor exercises mixed with western jazz, hip-hop or Bollywood is the current favourite of
marketing professional Shraddha Patil. She quips, "It's a lot of fun as it does not feel like exercise at all. And since we dance on the latest Bollywood and Hollywood hits, I feel like a performer." But are dance styles altered for the purpose? Dancer Purvi Mundada answers, "At times, we simplify the steps. We have to keep in mind that the people opting for these packages do not want to get involved in the intricacies of the dance styles. The idea is not to deprive people of the pleasure of dance and also give them a good workout." Zumba
is another fitness routine that combines aerobics with the Latin-American salsa and meringue. Dance trainer Soonruta Kothadiya says, "This form is also popular in many gyms. As it includes the entire body movements, it helps in losing weight faster. " Not just dance styles, martial arts too are being merged with exercise. Dance trainer Sanjay Sawant who teaches aero-fitness, a mixed form of martial art stretches and jumps with Bollywood, jazz and funk, says, "It's a complete freestyle fusion devoid of any disciplined moves."
NATION
7 SRINAGAR Thursday, 25 July,2013
Kashmir Thunder Thursday 25 July2013
Twitterati, Modi hit out at Congress
MUMBAI: "A judge walks out of his chambers, laughing his head off. A colleague approaches him and asks why he is laughing. 'I just heard the funniest joke in the world!' 'Well, go ahead, tell me,' says the other judge. 'I can't , I just closed a guy's restaurant for it!'" The "judge" in this tweet, one of thousands under the hashtag #AditiRestaurant, was a self-styled one, the Congress , and the "joke" being referred to was the biting postscript on the Parel-based eatery's bill, which led to Congress workers forcing it to shut shop on Monday. Social media floodgates opened as Aditi res-
taurant's shutters downed. Twitter reacted swiftly with comments for and against the move, making the hashtag trend across the country. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi also tweeted, dubbing the shutdown the "height of intolerance". "Today's incident proves that Congress hates bills, whether it's the Lokpal bill or just a restaurant bill," said another tweet. Most spoke up about the ruling party intruding on citizens' freedom of expression , while others felt it was a ploy by rival parties to tarnish the Congress's image. Some took up the communal angle. It wouldn't have been attacked had it been an Italian or a "Muslim-owned restaurant serving 'secular' food" , said marketing manager Jayesh Dewana, adding that the reason it had been shut was that it served "Hindu , pure vegetarian" fare. Those like web manager Abid MG felt Aditi Restaurant's owner, Srinivas Shetty, had done nothing wrong. "It's about his freedom of speech, he is simply speaking the truth," said Abid. "A ruling party is supposed to protect the citizens. They need to be more sensitive." The internet, said comedian Utsav Chakraborty, is the most high-functioning form of democracy available today, which accommodates all kinds of dissent. "In a way, we are all media outlets, and each one of us has the potential to reach millions," he said. "So keeping this in mind, anything you say can be considered
slanderous. And frankly, we have bigger issues to deal with." That suppressing an opinion will only highlight it, as has happened with the restaurant , is something political parties are still struggling to understand, Chakraborty added. At the time of going to press, people were making plans to eat at Aditi, and sharing its menu online. There was also wry speculation that the otherwiseunassuming eatery would gain cult status among the city's "hipster" crowd. The Congress-led UPA government has been in power for close to a decade and Congress workers must learn to live with criticism. Service tax on eateries is a contentious issue - even high courts have passed orders on this subject - and it's expected that an individual will have something to say about it; more so if he is an eatery owner and the tax affects him directly. Similarly, one scam breaking after another during the UPA government's tenure is also something that will necessarily invite comment. Politicians must learn to take these things in their stride. Congress workers , particularly in Mumbai, have been better behaved than their Sena and MNS counterparts . So it's surprising the party leadership failed to rein in its workers. What is even more shocking is the police action ; booking the victim for defamation is outrageous.
2G scam: DMK MP Kanimozhi moves SC for quashing of charges against her
New Delhi: DMK MP Kanimozhi on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of charges against her in the 2G spectrum scam. The charges against Kanimozhi include criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of public trust. Kanimozhi, who was in judicial custody for months in 2011, has been out on bail in the case since November 2011. In May 2013, a prosecution witness told a Delhi court that Kanimozhi had
'no role at all' in the Rs 200 crore transactions between Kalaignar TV (P) Ltd and Cineyug Films (P) Limited. The statement assumes significance as it contradicts the CBI theory according to which Kanimozhi was taking interest in the day-to-day affairs of the TV channel in which she was having 20 per cent shares. 2G: Kanimozhi moves SC for quashing of charges against her The charges against Kanimozhi include criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of public trust. Deposing as a prosecution witness, G Rajendran, General Manager (Finance) of Kalaignar TV (P) Ltd, said the DMK MP had no role in the investment matters between Kalaignar TV and Cineyug
Films (P) Ltd, whose Director Karim Morani is also facing trial in the case. "It is correct that in all the investment matters from Cineyug Films (P) Limited to Kalaignar TV (P) Limited and vice versa, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi had no role at all," he told Special CBI Judge O P Saini during his cross examination by senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, who appeared for the DMK MP. The CBI had chargesheeted Kanimozhi alleging that Rs 200 crore "illegal gratification" was routed from Dynamix Realty to Kalaignar TV through Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd and Cineyug Films Pvt Ltd. According to the CBI, Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, his daughter Kanimozhi and co-accused Sharad Kumar, Director of Kalaignar TV, have 60, 20 and 20 per cent shares of the TV channel respectively. The maximum punishment if convicted for criminal breach of trust is life term while the minimum punishment is seven years in prison.
Bhopal gas tragedy: Court orders issuance of summons to Dow Chem
A district court on Tuesday directed authorities concerned to send summons to the USbased Dow Chemicals, making it an accused in the Bhopal gas tragedy case. The move comes almost eight months after Madhya Pradesh High Court lifted its stay on the previous order on the same.Dow Chemicals is the owner of Union Carbide Corporation. The directive to issue summons came from Chief Judicial Magistrate Sanjay Pande in the light of a high court judgement last year. Last year's ruling had come on
petitions filed by CBI and NGOs fighting on behalf of the victims of one of the world's biggest industrial disasters.The summons should be sent along with the copy of that judgement, the court said. The court also directed CBI to inform it about the action taken by the agency in this regard and fixed August 21 as the date of next hearing in the case. The district court had ordered issuance of summons against Dow Chemicals on January 6, 2005, but the order was stayed by the high court before it lifted the same in October 2012.UCIL was 51 per cent owned by Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), which has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dow Chemicals since 2001. The rest of the stock in UCIL had then been held by Indian investors. The Bhopal disaster was a gas leak incident which occurred on the intervening night of December 2 3, 1984, at the pesticide plant of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), killing thousands and maiming scores of people. "The decision is a significant step towards establishing the criminal liability of Union Carbide," NGOs said reacting to the order.
cent in 2004-05 on account of increase in per capita consumption. Also, rural poverty has declined faster than urban poverty. "We challenge Congress leaders to live in 34 rupees a day in urban and 28 rupees in rural areas for just a day," he said. Last year, the commission had triggered a major controversy by saying anyone who spends more than Rs. 32 per day in urban areas is not poor. This criteria was criticised as being unrealistic and unmind-
Solar scam: High Court slams probe, opposition wants Oommen Chandy to go
The Congress-led United Democratic Front government, already facing the heat in the solar scam, today suffered another setback when the Kerala High Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the progress in the ongoing investigation. The state government faced some uncomfortable questions from the court over whether a probe was not required to find out if a Bangalorebased businessman was cheated with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy knowing about it. Kuruvilla, a Bangalore-based planter, had complained that two persons, one of them claiming to be a relative of Mr Chandy as well as member of his personal staff, cheated him of over Rs. one crore by offering to install solar panels.The court wanted to know where the money collected by the accused in solar panel cheating case had gone and whether those who lost the money
would get it back.Another bench, while hearing the bail plea of TV actress Shalu Menon, observed that the "investigation was not satisfactory". Saritha Nair, another accused in the case, had yesterday informed the Economic Offences Court that she wanted to give a written version of her statement to the magistrate. The judge asked if the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the scam was aware of this fact and what were the reasons for the non-disclosure of this to the Kothamangalam Magistrate Court.Following the court remarks, opposition leader V S Achuthanandan repeated his demand for Oommen Chandy's resignation. Calling the court remarks "very serious", the Left Democratic Front (LDF) leader said, "As long as Oommen Chandy continues as the Chief Minister, there cannot be any unbiased investigation.
CAG orders audit of flood control, drainage system in Delhi New Delhi: Comptroller and Auditor General Shashi Kant Sharma has ordered audit of the flood control measures and the drainage system in the capital on priority basis. The decision to audit the working of flood control mechanism in Delhi was taken in "view of the recent heavy rains which caused serious traffic jams besides flooding of residential areas and airport," sources in the CAG said. The CAG audit, which will cover the period ending March 2013, will look into different schemes implemented by the Delhi government for flood control and drainage system. The auditors, sources said, will also seek information on "internal control framework" in the government to deal with situation arising from rains. The CAG will look into the Delhi government's survey to identify vulnerable areas and corrective action taken to deal with the situation. Auditors will scrutinise the working
of response mechanism in the government to meet the unforeseen situation arising from floods and water logging, the sources added. In addition, the CAG will look into the mechanism to coordinate working of various departments like MCD, NDMC, Flood Control Department, PWD, DJB. According to sources, the audit will also report on the standard operating procedure adopted by the government and system of considering the meteorological department warning and preparedness of the city for facing the situation. It will also look into the system of alerting the public about the same. Recent heavy rains invariably cause
massive traffic jams in Delhi due to water logging, reflecting the civic bodies' lack of preparedness. In June this year, heavy downpour also led to water logging at IGI airport, causing inconvenience to passengers as they had to wade through knee deep water. The airport hadwitnessed similar incident of flooding in September 2011.
BJP cautions US against peace talks with Taliban
WASHINGTON: The BJP has cautioned the US against any peace talks with the Taliban arguing that the terrorist outfit is unlikely to change its behaviour and reconciliation effort would be a futile exercise. "The eagerness to engage with elements that want to return Afghanistan to the status of 'Islamic Emirates' in the hope that they would deliver, and in the process humiliating and weakening the democratic leadership, doesn't behove well for the region," BJP President Rajnath Singh said yesterday. He was speaking at a conference on Afghanistan at the Capitol Hill jointly organised by the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies, US India Political Action Committee and American Foreign Policy Council. "If this accommodation with the Taliban is pursued with cooperation of the Pakistani military, as seems to be the case, the situation will become even more fraught, as many would say that it is the strategic ambition of the Pakistan Army to control Afghanistan that is at the root of the conflict there," Singh said. The BJP president cautioned that any efforts to replace the present democratic arrangement with a totalitarian and sectarian Taliban regime would be
Not poor at Rs. 28 a day: plan panel's latest report New Delhi: As it preps for general elections, the Congress-led UPA government has got some brownie points from a planning commission report that said poverty, both in rural and urban India, had declined in the last eight years. But the panel continues to use controversial poverty benchmarks, in this report capped at Rs. 28 a day for rural India. In calculating poverty figures, the Planning Commission is still using the controversial Tendulkar method to determine the poor. It says that people whose consumption of goods exceeds 33 rupees in cities, and 27.20 rupees per day in villages are not considered poor. Last year, the commission had triggered a major controversy by saying anyone who spends more than Rs. 32 per day in urban areas is not poor The report said the number of people living below the poverty line has shrunk to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 from 37.2 per
DAILY ZABARWAN TIMES
ful of present day realities. The BJP's opposition to the latest figures could stem from results showing Congress states like Rajasthan beating Narendra Modi's Gujarat in poverty alleviation. The plan panel has listed Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as better performing states on alleviation of poverty. It said the poverty ratio was highest in Chhattisgarh, followed by Jharkhand, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar, which while showing a big decline in poverty, still remain among the poorest states. Among the union territories, the Dadra and Nagar Haveli was the highest, with 39.31 per cent people living below poverty line followed by Chandigarh at 21.81 per cent.Goa has the least percentage of people living below the poverty line at 5.09 per cent followed by Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.
detrimental not only to the people of Afghanistan or its immediate neighbourhood, but also to countries like India, Russia, China and even the US. "It is the experience of the whole world that terrorism knows no boundaries," he said. It is regrettable that once again an attempt is being made to make-believe that the real cause of the Afghan conflict is India-Pakistan rivalry there, Singh said in his speech in English. He said Taliban is unlikely to change its behaviour and reconciliation effort would be a futile ex-
ercise. "This is a travesty of facts; the creation of Taliban, its takeover of Afghanistan, the Taliban-Al Qaeda links, the presence of Osama bin Laden there, the attack on the Twin Towers traced to the Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, the subsequent US military intervention there, the presence of the Taliban leadership in Pakistan, the killing of NATO soldiers by the Haqqani group and others and the drone attacks against terrorist targets in Pakistan; none of them have anything to do with India," he said. Singh said India has supported reconciliation in Afghanistan that is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned. The sincere efforts in the first couple of years after 9/11 had led to the Loya Jirgah meeting in 2003-2004 and emergence of a democratic Islamic Republic of Afghanistan with a new Constitution. "The Government of Hamid Karzai was a product of that exercise," ] he said, adding that India extended full support to the initiative and has been actively involved in supporting the democratic regime through development aid. India's development aid to Afghanistan stands at USD 2 billion.
Modi visa row: 'MPs under pressure to backtrack on letter to Obama'
Arguing that "human rights are universal", secular Indian American groups have justified the letter written by 65 members of Parliament to US President Barack Obama urging him to maintain the current policy of denying visa to BJP leader Narendra Modi. who have been in the forefront of the anti-Modi campaign for more than eight years now and have been successful in convincing the US to deny an American visa, however, noted that some of the politicians who signed on to the letter to Obama against Modi last year, now have come under pressure to deny having signed it.One letter was signed by 25 Rajya Sabha members and the other by 40 Lok Sabha members written on November 26 and December 5, 2012 respectively and re-faxed to the White House on Sunday. Meanwhile, the MPs decision to write a letter to Obama on an internal issue, has been described by The Washington Post as, almost unthinkable. "It is almost unthinkable that Indian lawmakers would appeal to the United States to take a stand on an internal matter.
Most Indian politicians, many of whom still nurse a Cold War-era suspicion of Washington, would bristle at the very thought of it," The Washington Post reported. "It couldn't have been easy, then, for 65 members of India's Parliament to fax a letter to President Obama on Sunday requesting that his government not grant a visa to Narendra Modi, the chief minister of ujarat," the daily said.The group of Indian Americans, who worked for several years convincing MPs for such a move, have justified writing a letter to Obama."Human rights are universal. The victims of Gujarat riots have not received justice even after a decade while the person responsible might become the candidate for PM," said
Shaik Ubaid president of ImanNet and one of the founder of the Coalition Against Genocide."India took a moral stand in "internal affairs' of other countries, such as against apartheid in South Africa and even after riots against Indians in Fiji, so why cannot President Obama be involved. After all Mr Rajnath brought the issue to the US, coming with a begging bowl for visa and a laundry bag with Modi's dirty linen," he said.