Monday, 31 October 2022

Driving Nuts

Water chestnuts harvested from Wullar lake have helped Kashmir survive the worst days in the last 250 years. Considered the best food for diabetics, these nuts, unlike apple and saffron, have not been branded. This has resulted in traders making the best of it at the cost of harvesters. Mohammad Fazil Buchh spent days in the belt and argues for an intervention that must start with improving the lake first

It has multiple names. Locally known as Gaer, it is botanically called Trapa and water chestnuts by English. In Kashmir’s history, it has survived as Singhara, a nut that has always been associated with Vale’s misery. Till 1947, it was a despot’s currency and perhaps the only cheap food for a vast population including Srinagar’s Shawl-weavers. Once the situation improved, it represents the economic crisis in which tens of thousands of families living on Wullar Lake’s shoreline find themselves.

Fall in its growth notwithstanding, the water chestnuts continue to be the most accessible profession for a lot of fishermen people whose families spend most of the year harvesting, steaming, peeling, baking, crushing, winnowing, and then marketing them. A conservative estimation suggests around 50 per cent of the total vegetation around the Wular Lake, Kashmir’s first Ramsar Site, comprises water chestnuts.

Net Nut Business

Baniyar, Lankreshpora, Kanibathy, Ashtangoo and Zurmanz are the main villages which make Bandipora the largest producer of Kashmir chestnuts. These areas inhabiting the lake shoreline are licensed to harvest water chestnuts. Official estimates suggest that around 90 per cent of the total water chestnuts in Kashmir amount to around four metric tons of nuts every year.

Residents said around 80 per cent of inhabitants living around the Lake are involved in extracting chestnuts. Around 32000 families of 30 odd villages depend on Wular Lake for their livelihood. The socio-economic condition of most of these villages is quite distressing.

Baniyar village, which exclusively depends upon water chestnuts, is situated on the banks of river Jhelum. The village presents a grim picture of people living in sheds or Kutcha houses, some of them thatch-roofed. The sight of women washing clothes along river banks and children bathing in the river is a common sight.

The chestnut trade is a major source of income for many families in villages located along the lake including Lankrishipora, Kunzpora, Kulhama, Garoora, Saderkoot, Banyari, Bakhchibal, Laharwalpora, Kanibathi, Kehnusa, Ashtangu, Kema and Zurimanz. This group is on their way home after spending the day harvesting the chestnut. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

The roads leading to Baniyar are dilapidated with heavy boulders and sharp-edged stones acting as a deterrent for vehicles to ply. However, there are a few Chestnut crushing units donning the sides around which women and children are seen carrying big-wooden baskets of dried chestnuts on their heads.

“The village comprises three mohallas; Watalpora, Bakerpora and Jadalpora, with 800 households – all relying on chestnuts,” Khadeeja Begum, Sarpanch of Baniyar, said. “The area is poverty stricken due to which our children have to drop out of schools. They help families in the chestnut business which fetches them a few pennies. The genuine rate we should receive is Rs 20,000 per quintal but we get only Rs 6000 to Rs 8000.”

She insists that the production has fallen. “Earlier, this village used to fetch around 600 kilograms per day. Our production was so surplus that we used to save some stock for next year,” Begum said. “Now the whole village is only able to collect 1000 quintals in the entire season.”

Mohammad Sultan is harvesting chestnuts for over 40 years.“There are around 50,000 fishermen who depend on the lake for their livelihood. Around 30,000 of them deal exclusively with chestnut while others are involved in fishing,” Sultan said. “We extract chestnuts in summers from July to September in which green chestnuts are plucked and then in winters from November to March in which fallen chestnuts are collected using nets.”

Residents demand that the entire area from Watlab to Lankreshpora should not require a license for harvesting as was done by former Prime Bakshi Minister Ghulam Mohammad. The license-free areas are locally known as Dharam. Those areas required to pay annually to the government for a license are called Yampar.

Sultan believes that a fisherman earns around Rs 10,000 from the chestnut business in a month. “Families having more manpower earn better,” he said, insisting the harvesting is labour-intensive. The more people in the lake the more nuts they extract. “We sell green chestnuts to the local customers who like them more. These are also costlier than the winter chestnuts, the Kame Gaer.” Kame Gaer is produced in bulk, are in demand in dried form during winters outside Kashmir.

“We sell our harvest to local traders who supply it to outside markets,” Sultan said. “It is the traders who get a good return and not the harvester. We still thank God  for providing us with this treasure which at least helps us survive.”

Baniyar resident, Abdul Razaq, 60, has shifted from being a water chestnut harvester to a water chestnut trader after 30  years due the lucrative nature of the latter. He purchases around 400 quintals of chestnuts each season and then sells them to the chestnut dealers in Hajin. The dealers then supply the produce to other states in  India. Along with Razaq, there are five traders in Baniyar while the rest of the 600 households are engaged in extraction.

Water chestnut biscuits are healthy and useful for diabetics.

The Chest nut rates are higher during the Hindu festivals of Navratri and Shivratri. “They (Hindus) make Puris from the chestnut flour, use it in Pakoras and also consume it in dried form,” one trader said. “Dried chestnuts aren’t preferred in Kashmir. Apart from cart vendors, nobody sells dried chestnuts here. A minuscule number of diabetic people  consume dried chestnuts in Kashmir.”

Trading chestnuts have an element of risk. “If the prices fall, we bear the brunt,” Razak said. “IF the prices are better, we earn ten times that of the harvester.”

Women on Forefront

The winter chestnuts, collected from October to February, are mainly collected by the men folk. Women are the main labour force behind the processing of the final product. Chestnuts are collected using a Kashop (net), which is thrown into the bottom of the lake, dragged around and then brought up.

“During Chillai Kalan, our men leave just after pre-dawn Fajr prayers to collect water chestnuts using nets,” Mohammadi Begum, an elderly Baniyar lady, said. “They row boats in frozen waters amid bone-chilling cold and winds. The process of collecting water chestnuts in winter from the base of Wular takes a few months. By the end of the harvesting season, the produce  is brought home and processed.”

The chestnuts collected in winter are mainly of two types. The peeled water chestnuts (Gaer Goji) and crushed nuts (Gaer). Women wear a thumb ring along with a traditional wooden knife to peel the extract.

Kashmiri village women collect water chestnuts on their boats from the waters of Wular Lake at Bandipora, north of Srinagar on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. Water chestnuts are locally known as “singara” and are eaten raw, boiled or grounded into flour after being sun-dried.

Another dried chestnut, known as Singhara in Hindi, often causes injuries to women workers because of its thorns resembling a buffalo’s horn.

These peeled chestnuts are then directly sold in the main markets of Bandipora where women sit along roadsides and mosques. A kilogram of nuts fetches them around Rs 100.

Traditionally, the chestnuts, after smoking, are grounded into pieces to form Gaer. It required a traditional crusher Indermohul, which was operated by three people. Indermohul has now been taken over by a mechanical crusher. Women take crushed nuts home for the winnowing process (Gaer Tchathin). The shells collected from the winnowing process are then stored for use in Kangris (fire pots) as fuel.

The processing takes a toll on the health of the women involved in the activity. “Our health deteriorates. We develop blisters on fingers and our legs are severely bruised,” Mohammadi Begum said. “Due to the winnowing process, our faces and clothes turn black because of the smoke. Only God knows how much money would be needed for our treatment if we go to a doctor someday.”

Begum said they lack an alternative. “I have spent my entire life fetching and processing water chestnuts and even today, when I am old, I do not have time to rest,” she said.

A Grilling Routine

Aisha, 45, a resident of Kanibathy, starts her day at Fajr time. She prepares breakfast for her family while her two daughters pack lunch for their parents. Aisha, with her husband, then leaves for the lake. At the lake, the husband and wife sail in two separate boats. She collects Athe Gaer while he goes fishing.

Wullar Lake is just not the Asia’s largest fresh water lake or a Ramsar site alone. It offers livlihood to tens of thousands of people living on its shores. These women are home bound after collecting the waternuts, a major small econmy of the area. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

Even after toiling work, Aisha’s family fails to make ends meet. “We work three-quarters of a day in the scorching heat only to collect two baskets of chestnuts. We earn only Rs 6000 for one quintal of chestnuts which is very less given the hard work we put in,” Aisha said. “It takes a heavy toll on our health as we have to sit still in one position for long hours in a boat. We suffer from severe pain in the back and legs.”

Shama, 46, a widow from Baniyar took it upon herself to collect and process the chestnuts after losing her husband five years ago. She now takes care of her two daughters and a son and earns for them.

Until a few years ago, she was able to fetch a good quantity of chestnuts to fulfil her needs. Now, she says that quantity has significantly gone down forcing her son to drop out of school. Her two daughters never went to school. The children help her mother in collecting and sell the produce in the market.

“This year we were able to fetch only a few kilograms of chestnuts after working for long hours in the scorching heat. This will earn us a meagre amount of money not sufficient to cater to even our basic requirements,” she asserted.

Pollution Anxieties

The pollution in the Lake is making the chestnut collectors anxious as their production is dwindling. The lake’s large catchment area has added to its woes as the plastic waste is drained by Jhelum into the lake. It has badly impacted the quality of chestnuts. The colour and texture of nuts have changed. The significant decrease in the water level is also a reason for the low yield of chestnuts. The floating plastic bottles, diapers and polythenes are a common sight in the lake leading inhabitants to desist from getting involved in the chestnut business.

Men transporting harvested chestnuts from Shikaras to sell them to local traders in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. It is normally a pre-dusk exercise. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

“This lake is our home. We drink water from it, wash clothes in it, bathe in it and most importantly earn from it. We demand the government preserve the lake for future generations. We want the pollution influx to stop. A large portion of the lake is already destroyed,” Abdul Ahad, 55, said in Kanibathy. “The maximum depth of Wular used to be 25 feet but now it is hardly 5 feet. Wular is dying and with this fish and Singhara are also decreasing. We used to collect Nadru in abundance until a few years ago but now it has vanished from the lake.”

Locals claim that the sand mining in Jhelum has also decreased the water level of Wular. They claim that the increase in depth of the Jhelum in the outflow channel leads to a quick discharge of the lake.

“Recently two new machines have been employed near Sopore for sand extraction,” Ali Mohammad, a fisherman revealed. “This exercise has destroyed Wular. Wular project near Suderkote has helped in the restoration of the lake but attention should be paid towards the catchment areas near Baramulla and Sopore where fear of water loss of the lake is more.”

Ali said they have heard a lot from the government about dredging and stopping the plastic inflow into the lake. “Nothing concrete has been done so far. Nobody pays heed to our issues. We are poor people who rely on this lake for livelihood. If it dies, we will die.”

One of the main contributors to the pollution of the lake is the vast plantation. As per a report,  27 sq km of willow plantation in the lake has heavily silted it. The waste of the willow has also settled in the lake leading to shrinkage. Another pollutant is the lake being turned into a dumping site, which is now being cleared by the government to reclaim the lake’s area. The level of nitrogen and phosphorous in the lake has also increased due to plastic waste.

The Conservation Project

Dr Ather Masoodi, an independent Consulting Wetland Ecologist said that since most of Kashmir is settled on the banks of river Jhelum and most of the solid waste, carcasses and plastic are ultimately dumped into the river which drains into the lake.

This, he said, has resulted in a decrease in the expanse of the lake along with the decline in its water-holding capacity. “This has a negative impact on the functioning of the Lake and the services this eco-system provides. There is an urgent need to prevent the solid waste from flowing into the lake.”

Another major reason for the deterioration of the Wular is siltation which has been going on for over a century now. Wular management authorities have been trying to address the issue of plantation in the lake.

Dr Masoodi said that under a Ministry of Environment study they were asked whether removing 2.1 million trees in the Wular would  be an economically viable decision.“In our report, we strongly recommended that the willow plantation in the lake must be removed. We have provided numbers which suggest its economic viability. It will increase the water holding capacity in the lake as well.”

The Wular Conservation Project was started a few years ago but the wetland experts opine that effective monitoring is pivotal for its success.

Women residents from a village, located on the shores of Wullar Lake (in background) spend most of their day, for almost half a year, harvesting the water chestnuts. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

“Whenever we try to make interventions in an ecosystem, monitoring is very important. There is a need to involve wetland experts. Wetland management is a specialized science. It is challenging for the forest people to understand the lake ecosystem unless they involve the people who have been studying the ecology of this lake,” Dr Masoodi asserts. “Taking local people and all the stakeholders into confidence is essential. There should be a holistic approach. It will enable authorities to achieve better results as far as the restoration of the lake is concerned.”

The government has been desilting catchment areas of the lake. To date, 4.7 km have been restored. As per government figures, around one lakh, willow trees have been axed which is just a minuscule of the tall order they have.

No Chestnuts

The compromised economy is impacting the new generation. The literacy rate in the areas is very low owing to the students dropping out of school to help their poverty-stricken families in the chestnut business. There are schools from primary to high school level in the villages. The total enrolled students in all the schools are around 800. Students do not go to school punctually during the chestnut harvesting season.

Mohammad Ashraf, a local school teacher from Bakerpora informed they conducted a survey in April this year, in which 50 students have dropped out from two local schools in the last few years.

“When we approached these students to motivate them to continue their education, we got to know that they have already got into the chestnut business chain at some level. Some have even become sand mining labourers. The poor economic condition of the families doesn’t allow the children to continue their studies,” Ashraf said.

These women are literally in a mint, they can pick as many as they can. But harvesting water chestnuts is a tedious process. KL Image: BIlal Bahadur

The boy versus girl student ratio in the areas is also low with girls being enrolled in lesser numbers.

“Last year a middle school in a nearby village was upgraded to a high school in which the first matriculation examination was held. All the 20 local students who appeared qualified. However, sadly, only a few of them pursued further studies,” the teacher said.

There are more than 20 graduates and a few post-graduates in the area. But they too have picked up chestnut extraction or sand mining because of the unemployment.

“New generation is hesitant in extracting chestnuts. They instead prefer to work as sand mining labourers. If provided a fair chance, they can really prove their mettle in the field of education. Four years ago, a boy namely Waseem qualified medical entrance test from the area. He was the first from the area and is currently pursuing MBBS from the Government Medical College in Srinagar. It was a proud moment for the whole area,” Ashraf said with hope for the younger generations of these areas to throng schools.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/BD6KRMU
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Listed Among World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims

SRINAGAR: Incarcerated Hurriyat Chairman and Islamic scholar Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is listed among the 500 most influential Muslims globally. Royal islamic Strategic Studies Centre based in Amman Jordan in collaboration with Georgetown University published the annual list.

File Image of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq 

Mirwaiz is listed among global personalities such as the King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and King Abdullah of Jordan.

On Mirwaiz, RISSC Jordan according to statement said, “He has been advocating dialogue with both India and Pakistan so that the aspirations of the Kashmiri people may be realised.” Specifically mentioning Mirwaiz’s arrest, it stated that he has been under house arrest since August 2019.

The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre is an independent research entity affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic thought, an international Islamic non-governmental, institute headquartered in Amman, the capital of Jordan.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/Pqy8xJ7
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Abdul Rashid Malik Appointed As Senior Advocate General In Srinagar Wing Of J&K High Court

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday appointed Abdul Rashid Malik, Ex-District and Sessions Judge, as Senior Additional Advocate General in the Srinagar wing of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Abdul Rashid Malik Appointed As Senior Advocate General In Srinagar Wing Of J&K High Court

According to Government Order No. 9454- JK(LD) of 2022, the sanction is hereby accorded to the appointment of Abdul Rashid Malik, Ex-District and Sessions Judge as Senior Additional Advocate General in the Srinagar wing of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

“The above-said appointment shall be governed by the terms and conditions as envisaged in Government Order No. 1906-LD(A)) of 2015 dated 22- 06-2015, Government Order No 2327-LD(A) of 2017 dated 16-06-2017, Government Order No 2328-LD(A) of 2017 dated 16-06-2017 and Government Order No 3378-LD(A) of 2019 dated 16-09-2019 and other orders in this behalf,” reads the order.

“For a period of one year which shall be extended subject to satisfactory performance of the Advocate,” it reads.

“Shall be subject to orders passed in WP(C) PIL No 6 of 2021, titled Sushil Chandel Vs Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and others,” it added.

“In terms of Administrative Council Decision No. 35/4/2021 dated 10-03-2021 read with Government Order No.1678-JK(LD) of 2021 dated 24-03-2021, the Law Officer shall submit the information of cases on daily basis through Director Litigation Kashmir and fortnightly to the Department of Law Justice and P.A. on a devised wise proforma GC-I and GC-lI and shall also furnish weekly/Department advance list of cases on each Friday or Saturday as the case may be on a devised proforma GC-III,” reads the order issued by government.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/oPkdF28
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

DIG Jammu Among 4 J&K Officers Awarded Home Minister’s Special Medal 2022

SRINAGAR: Four police officers from Jammu and Kashmir are among those awarded with Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal for the year 2022.

According to a list, DIG Jammu, Vivek Gupta, SSP Jammu, Chandan Kohli, SDPO Gandhi Nagar Sachit Sharma and SGCT Vicky Kumar were among those who were awarded with the medal, news agency KNO reported.

“These medals were conferred for special operations with regard to managing terrorism, border disputes, arms and narcotics,” it reads.

The Ministry of Home Affairs declares ‘Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal-2022’ for four special operations conducted by security forces in the areas of terrorism, border action, arms control, prevention of narcotics smuggling and rescue operations.

The list includes 13 awardees from Telangana, 16 from Punjab, 19 from Delhi, 4 from Jammu and Kashmir and 11 from Maharashtra.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/6jVh5Zc
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Scooty Rider Dies In Road Accident

SRINAGAR: A scooty rider died after he was injured in a road accident in Kiloora area of Shopian district on Monday.

Quoting an official the news agency KNO reported that an accident took place in Killora area between auto rickshaw and a scooty today.

He said that in the incident scooty rider identified   as Mohammad Yousuf Dar of Kiloora received critical injuries and he was rushed to district hospital Shopian, where succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident and started investigation.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/jKqN08c
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Sunday, 30 October 2022

Two LeT Militant Associates Arrested, Arms And Ammunition Recovered:Police

SRINAGAR: Police on Monday claimed to have arrested two militant associates affliated with Lashkar-i-Toiba oufit in Kellar area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

Quoting a senior police officer news agency GNS reported that on a specific input a joint team of Police, army and CRPF during searches arrested two LeT militant associates.

They have been identified as Gowhar Manzoor Bhat and Abid Hussain Nanda both resident of Drabgam Pulwama. From their possession one pistol, a grenade, 10 rounds and Rs 60000 have been recovered, the officer said.

An FIR has been registered in Police station Kellar in this regard and investigation have been takenup, the officer added.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/7ISG90a
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

J&K’s Longest Flyover Ready, Waits For Inauguration

SRINAGAR: The construction of the longest flyover in Jammu and Kashmir has been completed and is awaiting a formal inauguration.

This 4.6 km-long flyover is built on the Jammu-Akhnoor road and connects Kanal Head to Ganesh Vihar Mithi near the Directorate of School Education, Jammu. Although it is complete, it has not been officially dedicated to the people.

The construction agency is waiting for a dignitary from the Centre to formally inaugurate it.

A company named Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited under the Union Ministry of Roads and Highways is working on the road-widening project which has a total cost of Rs 1,345 crore and has been divided into four packages.

The flyover has been constructed under Package II, while under Package III, 60 per cent of the work has been completed.

General Manager of Project Monitoring Unit Jammu-Akhnoor SP Sangwan told media that the Tagnesh Vihar Mithi flyover, the longest canal head in Jammu and Kashmir, has been completed quickly and there has not been a single accident on it.

The construction work started in November 2018, which was paralysed for almost two years as people from a few villages in Palura moved the high court. The land of the flyover was transferred in January 2021. Despite shortage of manpower and material, oxygen cylinders for welding due to the covid pandemic, the company completed the work by September 15, 2022.

During this time, demolition of structures, relocation of water supply line, shifting of cabling of underground 11 and 33 kV VHT line were important works. The work was allotted to M/S Singhala Construction Company, which constructed the 4.6 km-long flyover consisting of eight lanes, including four service lanes at a cost of Rs 274 crore. IANS



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/DVE18XO
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

40 Foreign Militants Killed This Year, All Outfits Facing Leadership Crisis: DGP Dilbag Singh

SRINAGAR: J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh Thursday said that police had specially focussed on wiping out foreign militants in Kashmir this year and 40 of them were killed with the result local militant recruitment also dropped significantly.

“This year, our special focus was to eliminate foreign militants of various outfits operating in the Valley. They were instrumental in provoking and luring our youth into militancy,” the DGP told reporters on the sidelines of Kashmir Marathaon-2022 organised by the J&K police in Srinagar, as per news agency KNO.

He said that this year 40 foreign militants were killed in various operations while a few are still at large. “Those active are on the radar of police and security forces. They will also be killed soon,” he said. “Today, all outfits are facing a leadership crisis as their infrastructure stands dismantled to a great extent.”

He added that with the killing of foreign militants, the local militant recruitment has dropped significantly. To query about a dip in stone pelting and street protests, the DGP Singh said that the credit goes to the people and the youth who choose to stay away from violence. “The youth preferred to shape their careers in various fields. Stone pelting has come to an end in the past three years and local militant recruitment too has dropped to almost zero,” the J&K police chief said.

About IED attacks in J&K, the DGP said that readymade IEDs are low cost for militants and in fact a new strategy aimed at  inflicting maximum damage to forces and less to militants. “This is a new strategy by militants. Such consignments were seized in Jammu that were airdropped through drones. Unfortunately, some IED explosions were reported in Udhampur in which a few people lost their lives,” Singh said.

On infiltration, the DGP said that compared to previous years, this year infiltration has shown a fall while a few successful attempts were reported. “Since weather is changing and winter is round the corner, militants may be pushed into this side before snow blocks passes on the LoC,” he said.

To a query about target killings, the DGP said that such acts are being carried out to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the Valley and to damage the age-old fabric of communal harmony. “A major aim of such acts is to provoke people across India to target Kashmiris working in many Indian states. I am grateful to Indian citizens for behaving maturely and not falling into the trap laid by the agencies supporting militancy,” he said.

The DGP said that police are organizing the marathon 2022 in which people of all ages participated including physically abled children and elderly. “More events are on cards especially the football event under civic action program of the police,” he said



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/Y3lFVgD
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Meet Kashmiri Brothers Who Got Google Fined For Rs 1,338 Cr

SRINAGAR: The fine on tech giant Google of Rs 1,338 crore, from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) was based on the information submitted by the three young digital economy experts among which Umar Javeed and Aquib Javeed are from Kashmir valley.

Aaqib Javeed and Umar Javeed

The fine was leveled on Google for abusing its dominant position in multiple markets with its Android mobile operating system, The Print reported.

The information was filed by the trio in 2018 on which CCI passed the verdict earlier this month. Umar Javeed and Sukarma Thapar, both 27-years-old at the time were working as research associates at the CCI, and Umar’s younger brother Aaqib, who was 24 at the time and a law student at the University of Kashmir.

The three young informants are all lawyers now, with Umar working at a public sector undertaking, Aaqib a practicing advocate in Delhi and Sukarma an independent consultant for law and policy.

The CCI — the national competition regulator — is responsible for promoting competition and preventing activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on market competition in India.

The CCI while imposing the fine asked Google not to force Android device makers to pre-install its services and also not restrict users from uninstalling of Google’s pre-installed apps.

After considering this information submitted by the trio, the CCI launched an investigation in April 2019 into Google’s conduct in the Android mobile device ecosystem, which eventually resulted in the 20 October CCI judgment and fine.

In its response, Google had said it would review the competition watchdog’s decision.  “CCI’s decision is a major setback for Indian consumers and businesses, opening serious security risks for Indians and raising the cost of mobile devices for Indians,” it said.

Aaqib said that the three of them were already interested in how the digital market was shaping up in India and how the policies and laws governing technology were influencing consumers and tech companies.

Then, events related to Google in Europe caught the trio’s attention. “In July 2018, the European Commission [the EU’s competition watchdog] imposed one of its largest fines on Google of 4.34 billion Euros for violating EU antitrust rules,” Umar said.

“There were many late nights and early mornings where we would just work throughout the night,” Aaqib said. “I was still a law student then and helping these guys meant I was juggling research along with studying for exams and assignments.”

Umar said this made compiling evidence a tough task because they only had access to consumer-facing information to support their cause.

“We can look at an Android phone and say there are some Google-owned apps that cannot be deleted even if we wanted to, but besides that, as consumers, we have little information on how exactly Android smartphone manufacturers and app developers are affected by the role Google plays in the Android ecosystem,” he explained.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/DKBCPJA
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

All SSB Exams Cancelled Earlier To Be Held Afresh In November: LG Sinha

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Sunday said that exams conducted by the Service Selection Board (SSB) that were cancelled by the government and will be now held afresh in the month of November and selection will purely be based on merit.

Addressing a function at SKICC here, Sinha as per news agency KNO, said that gone are the days when jobs were sold on roads and streets of Kashmir and Jammu. “We cancelled the exams conducted by the SSB after allegations of irregularities and ordered a CBI inquiry. Some arrests were made and more are likely to be made,” he said. “All the cancelled exams will now be held afresh in November.” He said that all three exams cancelled will be held in November.

LG Sinha said gone are the days, when jobs were sold on roads and streets. “Now only merit will speak,” the LG Sinha said, adding that in the past three years, 30,000 youth got jobs.

He said, there is no denying the fact that every one can’t get a government job and that’s why the administration started self-employment schemes. “In the past three years, over 5 lakh youth were provided a chance of self-employment,” he said.

He added that the government is conducting the B2V programs under mission youth and providing a chance to 20 youth in every program to learn the skill development. The LG said that J&K is witnessing a change and every individual has to play a part. He said that some people who ruined the lives of thousands of people in J&K in the past 30 years never saw their own children suffer in any way.

“Peace is a must for development. People have to support the government in establishing peace. Security Forces can’t  do it alone,” he said. He said some people try to disrupt the peace by killing innocent people to give the impression that whatever was happening in the past 30 years was the way forward. “Let me put it on record violence leads to nowhere. Kashmir is changing and tourists are coming in large numbers while a record number of flights are flying from both Kashmir and Jammu airports,” he said.

He said anti-peace elements always try to destabilise peace by killing innocents and some try to do it by “making unjustified statements” which leads to disruption of the peaceful atmosphere. “Law will take strict action against those making statements that vitiate peaceful atmosphere,” he said.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/6PCMT91
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Time To Leave Old Challenges, Take Advantage Of New Possibilities: PM Modi To JK Youth

SRINAGAR: Stating that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have always emphasised on transparency, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that time has come to leave the old challenges and take advantage of the new possibilities.

As per news agency KNO, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was addressing Jammu & Kashmir Rozgar Mela via video message where 3000 appointment letters to work in the various government departments were handed over to youth across 20 different places in union territory.

Congratulating all three recipients of appointment letters, he informed that these youth will get opportunities to serve in various departments and preparations are in full swing to hand out more than 700 appointment letters in other departments in the coming days.

Throwing light on the significance of this decade of the 21st century in the history of Jammu & Kashmir, the Prime Minister said, “Now is the time to leave the old challenges behind, and take full advantage of the new possibilities. I am happy that the youth are coming forward in large numbers for the development of their state and the people.”

PM Modi underlined that youth will write a new story of development in Jammu & Kashmir.

“For fast pace of development, we have to work with a new approach, with new thinking,” the PM said and informed that about thirty thousand government posts recruitments have been done since 2019,  out of which, twenty thousand jobs have been handed out in the last one and a half years.The Prime Minister appreciated the work done by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha and the state administration. “The mantra of ‘Employment through competence’ is instilling new confidence in the youth of the state,” Modi added.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the steps taken by the central government in the last 8 years to promote employment and self-employment.

He informed that the government has expanded the scope of the business environment in the state to boost employment.

The Prime Minister further added that the new Industrial Policy and Business Reforms Action Plan has paved the way for Ease of Doing Business which has given a tremendous impetus to investment here.

“The pace at which work is being done on development-related projects will transform the entire economy here,” the Prime Minister added.

He gave examples of projects that boost connectivity to Kashmir from trains to international flights. The Prime Minister pointed out that international flights from Srinagar to Sharjah have already begun. He further added that farmers here have also benefited a great deal from increased connectivity as it is now easier for the apple farmers of Jammu & Kashmir to send their produce outside the state.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that the government is working towards promoting transport through drones.

Throwing light on the record increase in the number of tourists witnessed by Jammu & Kashmir, the Prime Minister noted that the tourism sector in the state received a boost due to the infrastructural developments and increased connectivity. “It is our endeavour that the benefits of government schemes reach every section of society without any discrimination,” the Prime Minister remarked.

He said that the government is committed to taking equal benefits of development to all sections and citizens. The Prime Minister also informed that efforts are on to strengthen the health and education infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir with the opening of 2 new AIIMS, 7 new medical colleges, 2 state cancer institutes and 15 nursing colleges.

Speaking on how the people of Jammu and Kashmir have always emphasised and appreciated transparency, the Prime Minister urged the youth who are coming into government services to make it a priority. The Prime Minister recalled, “Whenever I used to meet the people of Jammu & Kashmir earlier, I always felt their pain. It was the pain of corruption in the system. People of J&K hate corruption.” The Prime Minister further praised the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha and his team for the remarkable work done to uproot the evils of corruption.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister remarked with assurance that the youth who are getting the appointment letter today will fulfil their responsibilities with full devotion and dedication. “Jammu & Kashmir is the pride of every Indian. Together we have to take Jammu & Kashmir to new heights. We also have a huge goal of a developed India of 2047 and to fulfil it we have to engage in nation-building with strong determination,” the Prime Minister concluded.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/5fnw6se
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Saturday, 29 October 2022

MeT Predicts Snowfall From November 1

SRINAGAR: Weather was dry in J&K during the last 24 hours as the Meteorological (MeT) office on Sunday forecast inclement weather during the first week of November.

“During the 1st week of November from 1st to 6th, the weather is most likely to remain generally cloudy with possibility of light to moderate rain/snowfall over middle and higher reaches of J&K at scattered places of J&K (forecast confidence >75 per cent).

“During the above period there will be a drastic fall in day temperature. Snowfall and low temperature may lead to temporary disruption of surface transportation, mainly over Zojila, Mughal Road, Sadnatop, etc.”

“Farmers are advised to harvest their agriculture produces, fruits, etc. which are prone to snowfall and low temperature,” the MeT department statement said.

Srinagar had 4.2, Pahalgam minus 0.4 and Gulmarg 1.6 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.

Drass in Ladakh region had minus 4.9, Kargil minus 2 and Leh minus 3 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu had 16.1, Katra 14.3, Batote 7.5, Banihal 4.2 and Bhaderwah 5 as the minimum temperature. (IANS)



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/IKpU9Jm
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Lt Governor Inaugurates 31st Senior National Wushu Championship

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday inaugurated the 31st Senior National Wushu Championship in Srinagar. As many as 1500 athletes from 45 associations across the country are participating in this aspirational mega sporting event.

Lt Governor inaugurates 31st Senior National Wushu Championship in Srinagar on Saturday October 29, 2022

The Lt Governor also dedicated the newly constructed Wushu Academy to the talented youth of J&K on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Lt Governor said the Wushu National Championship being held at Srinagar reflects the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat and provides a great opportunity for people to showcase and share the culture and heritage of J&K.

“J&K has now emerged as one of the top sporting UTs in India and many talented Wushu players have established themselves as a powerful contender at the world stage”, the Lt Governor added.

Emphasizing that Sports is the powerful instrument of hope, unity and symbol of a vibrant and progressive society, the Lt Governor said it gives a new aim, new hope to the society and nurtures aspirations of the young generation.

Sports contribute to social change and create new heroes. J&K is witnessing exceptional transformation and extraordinary efforts of sportspersons, coaches full of promise and possibilities, he added.

Under the guidance of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the country’s sports infrastructure has been strengthened. Our athletes are proving their mettle with renewed energy and zeal. Mass movements like Fit India, Khelo India have channelized youth energy towards nation building, observed the Lt Governor

The Lt Governor said, J&K is now continuously hosting National & International Championships in different disciplines of sports. The Sports Council selects new talents in a transparent manner and gives emphasis to their training and coaching. Today Sports is the priority of the government, he added.

Access to play, opportunity to hone one’s skills and energy is what builds the talent of the future and it is our commitment to support deserving talents, the Lt Governor further said.

The National event will be another big step for the promotion of sports in the region. It will improve the performance of the Wushu players of Jammu and Kashmir and will certainly offer new opportunities to realise their true potential, he added.

A new sports movement has been initiated in Jammu Kashmir after August 2019 which is visible not only in Srinagar and Jammu but across the UT, the Lt Governor said.

“It is our endeavor that J&K UT figures in the list of prominent sports capitals of the country in the near future,” the Lt Governor added.

The Lt Governor lauded young talents like Munazah Gazi and Sadia Tariq who brought laurels to the nation and complimented Abhishek Singh Jamwal, Abhijit Singh, Pankaj Raina, Ishant Singh, Owais, Pratham Singh and Dronacharya Awardee Coach Kuldeep Handoo for winning 6 medals in Wushu for Jammu and Kashmir in the National Games held in Gujarat.

The Lt Governor also mentioned about the My Youth My Pride campaign being run by the J&K Sports council with the collaboration of local community for providing a host of sporting opportunities to the youth.

Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor, speaking on the occasion said it is a matter of immense pride that J&K has got the opportunity to host the national Wushu Championship.

Bhupendra Singh Bajwa, President of the Wushu Association of India, highlighted the significant role of J&K in promoting and taking Wushu to new heights in India by winning medals at National International platforms. He expressed his gratitude to the LG led UT administration for making best arrangements for the championship.

Nuzhat Gul, Secretary, J&K Sports Council in her welcome address expressed gratitude to the UT administration and the Union Government for providing continuous support and assistance for promoting sports in J&K.

40000 sportspersons are being trained in the discipline of Wushu in J&K, it was informed.

Teams of AIPG, Army, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Assam Rifles, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, CRPF, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, ITBP, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim, SAI, SSB, Services, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir conducted the march past on the occasion.

Demonstration of Wushu by sports persons of Wushu Association of India and a cultural performance was also performed during the opening ceremony of the Championship.

Sarmad Hafeez, Administrative Secretary Youth Services and Sports; P K Pole, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Vijay Saraf President, Wushu Association of J&K, Arjuna awardees, Dronacharya Awardees, Coaches, officials, athletes and sportspersons were present at the Indoor Stadium.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/0mo7fsG
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Playing Cricket In Sopore

Notwithstanding the absence of basic infrastructure, the cricketers in Sopore have been pooling funds to improve the rundown College Stadium so that game survives politics and turmoil, Daanish Bin Nabi reports

The begining of teh game in Sopore: Teams in a tourney busy in teh toss.

Even Sopore, Kashmir’s apple town, plays cricket. Town’s tryst with cricket started in the early 1960s when two known cricketing clubs – United Cricket Club (UCC) and Muslim Cricket Club (MCC) were functional.

Even today, Sopore knows the names of Muhammad Ramzan Baba, Abdul Rashid Sumji, Muhammad Akbar Pandit, and Muhammad Sultan Dar. There were Nisar Pandit, Shafqat Sofi, Farooq Untoo, Bashir Gadoo from UCC and Muhammad Akbar Ganai and Ghulam Nabi Ganai (nicknamed after Australian fast bowler Douglas Robert) of MCC.

“They are our idols. We learnt cricket from them,” Majid Malik, one of the town’s best batsmen said. “They used to play with Chaturvedi bats and without batting pads and sometimes even without shoes.”

Malik, started his career in the early 1990s, at Sopore Coaching Centre Club. It was the time when UCC and MCC started fading away thus giving rise to the Sopore Sports Club (SSC) literally from the ruins of UCC. “UCC and MCC somehow managed to sustain till 2010 but later, they stopped altogether,” Sopore Cricket Association President Bashir Ahmad Bhat, who is playing cricket since 1972 from Sopore College Team, said.

Senior players from the belt remember the period from the 1960s to 1980s as the ‘golden period’ for cricketing activities in north Kashmir. However, with the onset of militancy, cricket lost the toss, especially in the town.

The Sopore College Ground, known now as the Subhan Stadium, had remained the main sporting venue of the town. With the rise of militancy, it was converted into a garrison.

Cricket made desperate attempts to survive. As militancy and counter-insurgency dominated Sopore, players moved to venues in Srinagar, Singhpora and Handwara for matches.

“During the early 1990s, it was a nightmare for the players,” Chief Organiser of Sopore Cup, Raouf Ahmad Chalkoo, who is playing the game since 1991, said. “We were all stressed and disturbed by the happenings around us. There was a heavy presence of security forces inside the College Grounds. It took us many years to realise what we lost.”

The Sopore Cup

It was the Highland Cup, organised by Freddie Nedou, Farooq Abdulla’s maternal uncle, that helped to revive cricketing activities in north Kashmir. A number of players joined their heads to revive the game and reverse the upsetting era by engaging crickets and coaching them. Muhammad Yousuf Gabru, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, Firdous Ahmad Ganai, Majid Malik; Firdous Ganai, and Tariq Tantray contributed to the effort.

Cricketers from two teams in a line before they started playing for the Sopore Cup.

These efforts led the town’s retired cricketers to float the Sopore Cricket Association in 2018. They have been conducting the Sopore Cup, every year. Bashir Ahmad Bhat is currently heading the association.

The Sopore Cup has successfully concluded two major tournaments so far. The 2021 edition was participated by 32 teams. The response to the inaugural tournament was amazing. Almost everybody had come to Subhan Cricket Stadium to watch the final match on October 10, 2021, when the final match of ‘Sopore Cup’ was held at. “I have never witnessed anything like it. It was after the 1980s, that Sopore stadium witnessed such a massive crowd,” Majid Malik said.

In its second edition currently going on, 48 teams are participating. All Sopore Cup matches are being webcast live and a local channel has got exclusive rights for its coverage. Besides, the Association has developed a mobile app (Prism Live Streamer) for cricket enthusiasts to watch the scores live over cell phones.

“After Srinagar, Sopore has been a hub of sports activities but the political situation changed all these equations,” Chalkoo said. “Now we are trying our best to revive our golden days.”

The tournament is being managed professionally. Sponsored by various business houses, they charge a Rs 7000 entry fee against which lunch is being served to 24 players; 2 umpires; 2 groundsmen; a scorer and 1 venue in charge each. “If any team is travelling with their managers, we ensure we provide them best of facilities under our limited budget,” Chalkoo added.

Helping the game revive fast is being credited to Bashir Ahmad Bhat. “He is surely in top 10 players till date from north Kashmir,” Nisar Khanday, who is the first player from north Kashmir to play Ranji Trophy, said.

Notable Players

Despite the challenging situation, a number of cricketers made it to the Ranji Trophy. These include Nisar Khanday (Sopore), Raja Saleem (Bandipora), Arif Nabi (Sheeri, Baramulla).

Ranjot Singh, a resident of Main Chowk, Sopore, is also performing better in the ongoing Under 19 Vino Mankad One Day Trophy, where he took eight wickets for 25 runs against Kerala in Dehradun. Muhammad Manzar played from Jammu and Kashmir Team for the Under 19 is from the New Colony area of Sopore.

“Many players of the 1990s could not make it big because of the turmoil,” Khanday said. “They were fit and the best but nobody cared about them. We have been neglected always and for a long time now.”

A 1976 photograph showing the members of United Cricket Club Sopore

Khanday, the JK Team manager in 1999, regrets that the Jammu Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) has completely ignored the talent from the belt. “We have players like Basit Pandit, Muhammad Haziq Bhat, Manzar and Asif Nabi. JKCA did not gave them any chance to play at the higher levels,” Khanday alleged. “There is corruption and money involved in JKCA that is why our talent does not get any recognition.”

Inadequate Infra

The Subhan Stadium, the town’s main cricket pitch spread over around 40 kanals of land is in shambles. There is no proper staff to manage it.

Although a new stadium, Khushal Stadium has been built on Sopore Bypass road, it lacks the basic facilities. There are no washrooms and restrooms for the players or a sitting place for the spectators.

“The administration did install flood lights but there are no basic facilities at the ground for the players,” Khanday said. “The Khushal Stadium is run by the bureaucracy and not by the sports personalities. The administration must give it to sports people so that they run it professionally.” Interestingly, the new stadium came up without a pitch roller and no turf. This has led the players to tighten their embrace around the worn-out Subhan Stadium.

What is interesting is that the Sopore Cricket Association spends its own kitty for the improvement of Subhan Stadium. Its managers said the expenditure they book on dewatering, de-weeding and levelling the ground goes up to Rs 40,000, every season. This is contrary to the footballers who use the stadium but allegedly avoid contributing anything to the upkeep of the facility that is owned by the college.

“We are diverting the young minds from drugs,” a cricketer said. “Ideally, the government should have come forward and contributed in improving the run-down infra.”

Bhat regretted that Subhan Stadium also lack washrooms and change rooms. For the last three years, the government is busy constructing the Indoor Stadium but it is far from getting ready.

On the infra front, Khanday said the crisis exists across Kashmir. “JKCA got affiliated with BCCI in 1957. Still, Jammu and Kashmir lack an international level ground,” Khnday said. “Himachal Pradesh got affiliated with BCCI in 1984 and it has six international grounds. BCCI gives the same amount of money to both states.”



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/2SaAw4l
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

KMTTMI Is Hiring: Check Vacancy Details Here

SRINAGAR: KM Technical Training & Management Institute (KMTTMI) Srinagar is inviting applications for the post of Principal for the technical training college.

Recently retired candidates with rich experience shall be given preference.

The tenure of the office will be three years, extendable for another term of three years on the basis of performance assessment by a Committee appointed.

To apply click HERE



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/dXoS9BQ
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

School Van Seized For Overcrowding Children: Police

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday seized a school van for overcrowding as well as posing safety threat to the school children in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

School Van Seized For Overcrowding Children: Police

A police spokesman in a statement said that today morning,  a MARUTI omni (Van) bearing registration number JK01P-4582 overcrowded with school children was intercepted at IG road near Peerbagh by police and it was found that though the seating capacity of the vehicle was seven only but the same was packed with 13 school children hence posing serious threat to them.

The spokesman said that the vehicle was seized under relevant provisions of M.V. Act and the school children were dropped at school (Al-Mustaqeem Islamic School Hyderpora) in an alternate vehicle.

SSP Budgam requests for active participation of school authorities, parents and general public to abide by the law and make our roads safer for school children and general public,” said police spokesman in a statement.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/5xLOXc4
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

ITBP Is Hiring, Apply

SRINAGAR: Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force or ITBP has invited online applications from eligible male Indian citizens for the recruitment of 186 Constable and Head Constable (Motor Mechanic) posts.

For the post of Head Constable (MM), candidates should have passed Class 12 and have a certificate in Motor Mechanics from a recognized institution or training institute with 3 years of practical experience in the trade in a reputed workshop.

Candidates who have done a 3-year diploma in Automobile Engineering can also apply.

For the post of a Constable (MM), Candidates should have passed Class 10 with an industrial training certificate in the respective trade from a recognized institution or 3 years of experience in the respective trade.

Candidates should be between 18-25 years of age on November 27, 2022.

Interested and eligible candidates can apply for these vacancies from October 29 to November 27 through the website of ITBP. Click HERE.

 



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/si5UyIh
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

India Logs 1,574 New Covid Cases, 9 Deaths

SRINAGAR: In the last 24 hours, India reported 1,574 new Covid-19 cases and nine deaths, the Union Health Ministry announced on Saturday.

The new fatalities increased the nationwide death toll to 5,29,008 as per the report.

The active caseload at 18,802 accounted for 0.04 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.

The recovery of 2,161 patients in the last 24 hours took the cumulative tally to 4,41,02,852. Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.77 per cent.

Meanwhile, the daily and weekly positivity rates stood at 0.95 per cent and 1.11 per cent, respectively.

Also in the same period, a total of 1,65,901 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the overall tally to over 90.07 crore.

As of Saturday morning, India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 219.62 crore. (IANS)



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/3usegOR
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Friday, 28 October 2022

MeT Predicts Dry Weather In J&K During Next 24 Hours

SRINAGAR: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Thursday forecast mainly dry weather with chances of light rain in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.

“Weather is likely to remain mainly dry in J&K during the next 24 hours with chances of light rain”, an office of the MeT department said.

Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded 14.4 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 7.2 and Gulmarg 5 degrees as the minimum temperature this morning.

Drass in Ladakh region clocked 5 degrees, Kargil 9.6 and Leh 5.6 degrees.

Jammu registered 22.8 degrees, Katra 20.5, Batote 14.8, Banihal 10.2 and Bhaderwah 12.5 degrees. (IANS)



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/kSG7npK
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

A Minor Orphan’s Challenging Struggle To Feed His Family

SRINAGAR: A small narrow lane leads to the four-room Kacha house of this 10-year-old Rafqat Ali at Badamwari area of Hawal in Srinagar. The little kid lost his father to a fatal disease a few years ago after which the wheel of fate catapulted for him and brought worse for the entire family.

10-Year-old orphan boy identified as Rafqat Ali resident of Badamwari area of Hawal in Srinagar sells Kangris (firepots) to support his family

Rafaqat has two sisters, mother, and an elder brother. The family has somehow managed the roof of their one-storey house. As poverty struck this ill-fated family, this little kid didn’t look at this age and decided to help his family, especially his mother and sisters. His neighbor came as an angel for him and provided him with the stock of kangris (firepots). “He (neighbor) told me to just sell the stuff and keep the profit. I want to help my family in whatever way I can,” news agency KNO quoted Rafaqat as having said.

After losing father, Rafaqats’ elder brother is a labourer and a helping hand to a person doing shuttering business. However, he doesn’t earn much. “I think by selling fire pots, I can save some money and buy rice and other grocery items. At times, we sleep empty stomach as we have no food to eat,” the little boy said amid a gentle smile. Rafaqat studies in class 5 at Government Middle School, Alamgari Bazar, Srinagar. He doesn’t want to quit studies.

“I want to continue my studies and side by side do some little business to support my family,” he said. “After my father was diagnosed with a fatal disease, we didn’t even have money for his medicine. After losing my father, my elder sister had to quit studies and my brother had to earn a living too. Now another sister wants to quit her studies too due to financial constraints,” the boy said.  His mother is working as a peon at a school and the entire family is struggling to make ends meet. Inflation is taking a toll on this poor family as they hardly afford edibles and other grocery items.

Rafaqat leaves home soon after finishing his school along with the load of fire pots on his little shoulders. Thank God, he sells most of the stuff by evening. “I sell kangris of different rates. Since temperature has started falling in Kashmir, there is a huge demand for kangris. I am happy to help my family, especially my sisters and mother,” he said.

Rafaqat’s sister (name withheld) said her father died of blood cancer a few years ago. “I studied till class 10 and left studies mid-way due to financial problems. I used to cook food for my sister, brothers and mother,” said. “My heart cries with pain when I see my little brother leaving home to sell kangris, but I am helpless…”



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/MGoHFJt
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Two More Die Of Dengue

SRINAGAR: With two more persons succumbing to dengue fever in Jammu and Kashmir, death toll due to the vector-borne disease in this season has reached to nine while as 15,679 people have been found positive for this dreaded disease till date.

Giving information about the recent two deaths, quoting official sources newspaper Daily Excelsior reported that a 26-year-old female belonging to Nai Basti (Gajansoo, Jammu) succumbed to dengue fever late last night while a 50-year-old man living in Janipur area died due to dengue virus, early this morning. “Both the deceased persons were undergoing treatment in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu,” they added.

Sources further informed that as on date, tests of 15,679 people have been conducted for dengue virus, of which 4870 turned out positive for the virus. They said that 3,894 cases (around 80% of total cases registered in J&K) have been reported alone from Jammu district, followed by 404 from Udhampur, 167 from Samba, 116 from Doda, 86 from Reasi, 73 from Kathua, 47 from Rajouri, 31 from Ramban, 22 from Poonch and 13 from Kishtwar district.

In Kashmir region, they said only 6 positive cases have been reported so far while 11 cases of locals were reported from other States/UTs. Sources further informed that a total of 220 tests for Dengue were conducted today in the Union Territory and out of these 57 were found positive with 46 cases reported from Jammu district, 6 from Kathua, 3 from Samba and 2 from Udhampur district.

Giving figures of dengue cases reported from the UT in last 7 days, sources said 203 people were found positive for dengue on October 21, 263 on October 22, 206 on October 23, 91 on October 24, 37 on October 25 and 164 on October 26.

Meanwhile, an official of Health Department said that all measures are being taken by the Health Department in collaboration with Jammu Municipal Corporation to control the increasing trend of Dengue cases. He advised the citizens not to allow water to stagnate inside and outside their houses and change water in flower pots/money plant pots after every 7 days and does not allow stagnation of water in scrap materials such as old tyres and cans on their roof top or neighbourhood.

“People should also prevent themselves from mosquito bites and for this they should use mosquito repellents and wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants,” newspaper Daily Excelsior quoted the official as having said.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/qmh0zJ6
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Jobs At Amazon, Apply

SRINAGAR: Amazon  India is inviting applications for the posts of Senior Migration Architect (App/Infra)., Sr. Catalog Associate, French,  Software Dev Engineer II, Enterprise and Industrial IoT,  Software Development Engineer II, Software Development Engineer Associate – Digital Process, Digital IRIS-DCCS , Vendor Consultant – French.

For the post of senior Migration Architect, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree.

For the post of sr. catalog associate, French, candidates must possess a graduation in any stream with 2 years of work experience as QA. Along with experience in quality management, knowledge of MS office package especially Office and Excel, 7 QC tools etc.

For the post of Software Dev Engineer II, (Enterprise and Industrial IoT), candidates should possess Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field with 12+ years of experience building successful production software systems.

For the post of Software Development Engineer II, candidates must possess Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field, or experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree based on three or more years of work experience for every one year of education.

For the post of Software Development Engineer, candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Computer Science or a related discipline.

For the post of Associate – Digital Process, Digital IRIS-DCCS, candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher is required.

Working knowledge of computers (Basic MS Office related skills) Basic Analytical and Logical Reasoning Skills. Proficient in English.

For the post of Vendor Consultant – French, candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree with minimum 2 years of relevant experience in Vendor Management, Sales, E-Commerce, Account Management, Business Development, B2B services, Logistics or In-Stock.

To apply click HERE



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/Ekhuq2N
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Reports Details Of Accounts Resembling 10 Designated Terrorists, RBI Tells Banks

SRINAGAR: After the designation of 10 individuals as terrorists by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)  has asked banks and other financial institutions to report to the government details about accounts resembling the identified individuals.

In a communication released on Thursday addressing chairpersons/CEOs of all the Regulated Entities, the Central Bank advised to refer to the Gazette notifications dated October 4, 2022, of the MHA in respect of 10 individuals who have been declared “terrorists” and have been listed in the schedule IV of the UAPA 1967, under section 35(1) (a) of UAPA 1967.

“Regulated Entities (REs) are advised to take note of the aforementioned Gazette notifications issued by MHA for necessary compliance. REs shall also take note of any future amendments to Schedule IV of the UAPA, 1967, for immediate necessary compliance,” the RBI said in a notification signed by Chief General Manager Santosh Kumar Panigrahy.

Pertinent to mention that as per the RBI’s master direction on know your customer: “Details of accounts resembling any of the individuals/entities in the lists shall be reported to FIU-IND apart from advising the Ministry of Home Affairs”. The master directions were initially issued on February 25, 2016, and were later amended on May 10, 2021.

The Reserve Bank’s REs include banks, all-India financial institutions (viz.Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB, SIDBI, and NaBFID), and NBFCs.

Earlier on October 4, the MHA designated a total of 10 members of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and other proscribed outfits as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Those designated as terrorists include Habibullah Malik alias Sajid Jutt, a Pakistani national, Basit Ahmad Reshi, who hails from north Kashmir’s district Baramulla but is currently based in Pakistan, Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo alias Sajad,  from Sopore but now lives in Pakistan, Zafar Iqbal alias Salim, who is from Poonch but presently residing in Pakistan, and Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman alias Sheikh Sahab, who hails from Pulwama.

The others are Bilal Ahmad Beigh alias Babar from Srinagar, currently based in Pakistan, Rafiq Nai alias Sultan of Poonch, Irshad Ahmad alias Idrees from Doda, Bashir Ahmad Peer alias lmtiyaz of Kupwara and Showkat Ahmad Sheikh alias Showkat Mochi of Baramulla, currently based in Pakistan.

In separate notifications, the MHA said “Habibullah Malik was the key handler of the terrorists who carried out an attack on Indian soldiers in Poonch and has been involved in air-dropping of arms and communication systems through drones in the Jammu region for terrorists based in Jammu and Kashmir.”



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/D0uQ4rL
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Govt Bans Three Doctors From Private Practice For Violating STGs

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Government on Thursday banned three doctors from private practice over violation of Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) issued by National Health Authority.

According to Government Order No:758 -JK(HME) of 2022, pending enquiry into the allegations, regarding violation of Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGS) issued by the National Health Authority (NHA), the following doctors are banned from doing any private practice across the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, with immediate effect: Dr Junaid Khursheed, District Hospital Budgam, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, SDH Sopore and Dr Yawar Nisar Super-Specialty Hospital, Srinagar.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/pYL2jhA
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Thursday, 27 October 2022

Police Files Chargesheet Against 4 Accused In Attacking Minorities

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday filed a chargesheet against four accused persons involved in the attack on minority community members in Budgam district, officials said.

A police spokesman in a statement said that on Thursday filed a charge sheet against four accused (three adults and a juvenile) in a case of a attack on minorities at Gopalpora Chadoora.

“The four accused persons are Altaf Farooq Rather, son of Farooq Ahmad Rather of Dharambugh Kralpora, Suhail Ahmad Malik, son of Abdul Hamid Malik of Panzan Chadoora, Faizan Khursheed Panjabi, son of Khursheed Ahmad of Dharambugh Kralpora, and a juvenile,” said the spokesman.

On August 15, a grenade attack took place on a minority family’s house at Gopalpora Chadoora in which Karan Kumar, son of Anil Kumar, was injured and taken to hospital.

“A case vide FIR No 147/2022 was registered at Police Station Chadoora and investigation taken up,” Polices said.

“During the investigation, offences under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 16, 18, 23, and 39 of ULPA were established against the four accused including the juvenile, and the chargesheet was produced before the competent court within 72 days after obtaining the sanction from the competent authority,” Police spokesman in a statement said.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/hMrYBoD
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Over 20 Houses Gutted In Midnight Blaze

SRINAGAR: Atleast 25 houses were gutted in a devastating fire in Gandhari Padder area of Kishtwar district of Jammu division on intervening night of Thursday-Friday.

Quoting SSP Kishtwar Shafqat Hussain Bhat news agency GNS reported that a joint team of Police, army and locals are on job to douse off the fire.

However in this incident no loss of life or injury has been reported so far. Cause of fire is being ascertained, the officer added.

Meanwhile several family have been rendered homeless due to fire.More details will follow.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/jIaLMYP
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Amar Singh Club Organises Symposium On ‘Healthy Ageing’

SRINAGAR: The Managing Committee of Amar Singh Club in a major reach-out to senior citizens organised a symposium on Healthy Ageing to discuss the challenges and needs of elders of the society.

The symposium was well attended by special invitee’s and senior Club members. Amongst those who participated were Zaffer A Shah, Senior Advocate, Rouf Punjabi, Ibrahim Shahdad, Dr Abdul Majid Siraj, Dr T S Sethi, Saleem Beig, Er M S Sethi, Er SRS Madni, Mohammed Amin Kathwari, Shiekh Mehmood Akhtar, Sheikh Hafeez Akhtar, Er Farooq Wani, Er Bashir A Bhat, A M Wattali, Abdul Majeed Mattoo, Abdul Hamid Punjabi and others.

Experts from the Health Department included Dr Zubair Saleem, Geriatric Counsellor and Dr Naveed Nazir, Pulmonologist. Noted satire artist Zareef Ahmad Zareef also participated.

Dr Zubair Saleem shared his experiences of working with senior citizens and underlined the physiological, psychological and societal challenges faced by them. He stated that a distinction was required to be drawn between ageing and illness as these were two different things and required different management. Dr Naveed Nazir threw light on the post-covid situation. Members posed questions about the complications and side effects of Covid and vaccinations.

Zaffer A Shah underlined the need for creation of facilities for the elderly which could tend exclusively to all their needs. He urged the participants that in view of most of them having discharged their responsibilities towards their families, it was perhaps time to collectively contribute towards the needs of the society.

Dr Abdul Majid Siraj welcomed the suggestion of Zaffer A Shah and stated that it was indeed the need of the hour. Dr Siraj informed the participants that he had already built one hospital/home for the elderly in London and would be more than happy to be part of any endeavour towards this in Srinagar.

Mohammed Ibrahim Shahdad gave a lecture on the importance of physical fitness and the need to be mentally strong in order to age healthily. He shared his life experiences with the participants and urged them to stay active and positive whatever the situation may be.

Saleem Beig thanked the management of Amar Singh Club for this reach out and said that the interaction had provided valuable inputs which could provide critical direction for assisting in healthy ageing.

Presenting the vote of thanks to the participants, Nasir Hamid Khan, Honorary Secretary of Amar Singh Club thanked the participants for sparing their time for this important subject and giving valuable suggestions on the subject. He stated that it is an accepted fact that people are now living longer. While we should be thankful for that and the opportunities it brings along, it also carries with it many challenges and issues which we tend to neglect. It is only when one of our loved one suffers from these issues that we sit up and take note. There is a slow and steady decline in the physical and mental faculties which is characterized by the emergence of several complex health states commonly called geriatric syndromes.

The objective of this event is to facilitate a meaningful interaction as the Club benefits from harnessing the vast wealth of knowledge, skills and experiences stored within the brilliant minds of our elders. In return, we shall be happy to assist in steps aimed at facilitating their improved quality of life.

Many factors influence healthy aging. Some of these, such as genetics, are not in our control. Others – like exercise, a healthy diet, going to the doctor regularly, and taking care of our mental health – are within our reach. Research has identified actions you can take to help manage your health, live as independently as possible and lead happy and productive lives.

Social interaction has proven to be critically beneficial for our seniors. It is important to meet like-minded people. Besides having the opportunity to live a higher quality of life, social interaction presents some important health benefits for senior citizens, including a reduced risk of dementia and controls and prevents an extensive range of physical and mental problems.

On behalf of the Managing Committee of Amar Singh Club, Khan assured the participants of full support and assistance. He also gave special thanks to Dr Mustaq A Rather, Director of Health Department Kashmir who had kindly provided experts and other support for the Symposium.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/cHMa0FO
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Several Injured After Minibus Skids Off Road

SRINAGAR: Several people were injured when a bus they were traveling in met with an accident near Tungi Morh area in Poonch district on Thursday.

Several injured after minibus skids off road near Tungi Morh area in Poonch district on Thursday October 27,2022

Quoting official sources news agency GNS reported that the bus (JK02AX-3893) skidded off the road and turned on side near Tungi Morh towards Chowki Choura. Several people were injured and shifted to hospital by rescuers including local volunteers and police.

A police officer confirmed it and said that apparently driver lost control over the vehicle. “Further investigations are underway,” he added.



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/K1gcx6H
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net

Dry Weather In J&K, Sub-Zero Temperature In Ladakh Areas

SRINAGAR: Dry weather continued in Jammu and Kashmir during the last 24 hours as the Meteorological (MeT) office said on Thursday that same weather is likely to continue.

“Dry weather with hazy morning is likely in J&K during the next 24 hours,” an official of the department said.

Srinagar had 4, Pahalgam 0.3 and Gulmarg 1 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.

Drass town in Ladakh region had minus 3.1, Kargil minus 1 and Leh minus 3 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu had 14.6, Katra 14, Batote 7.7, Banihal 4.6 and Bhaderwah 5.6 as the minimum temperature. (IANS)



from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/mdAelwZ
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net