News Kashmir Magazine

The vacation of army land has always been a burning issue in Kashmir now with  Prime Minister Narendra Modi approving a Jammu and Kashmir government’s proposal for vacating nearly 458 Kanal of land in army’s possession for expansion of Kashmir University campus in Anantnag is seen as a historic step.

In this regard, Highly-placed sources said the prime minister, after his return from the five-nation tour, had called a meeting on Kashmir during which he asked the Defence Ministry to hand over the ‘high ground’ in Anantnag to the state at the earliest so that the expansion plan of south campus of Kashmir University can be carried out.

It is worth mentioning out here that during the meeting, the prime minister said the Centre is committed to all-round improvement of education in the state, official sources said.

One cannot miss out the fact that the army had in-principle been agreeable to vacating the land for quite some time but a decision by its headquarters got delayed.

Pertinently, the land that  is vacated s adjacent to south campus in Fatehgarh area near an army camp. It was being used by the army for landing helicopters despite the force having a similar facility at Khanabal, a few kilometres from there.

346.7 Kanals of land, which was earlier in the army’s possession, was transferred to the university in 2004.

Political watchers see this step of vacating army land for campus as historic.

Kashmir valley is known as paradise of earth on account of its unmatchable natural beauty .The lush green meadows, gorgeous mountains, streams, rivers in full flow and beautiful gardens define the great beauty of Kashmir. But, Kashmir is also a disaster- prone zone owing to its tough geographical terrain and unique topography.

What is worrying is that considering the ground level preparedness we do not seem to have desired level of efficiency in dealing with natural disasters both in terms of infrastructure and trained human resource.

Recently, Scientists have found that the Reasi fault near Jammu has been building up pressure for some time, suggesting that when it does release or “slip”, the resulting earthquake may be large — as much as magnitude 8.0 or greater.

 

Scientists started looking at this fault more closely following the 7.6-magnitude earthquake in 2005 on the nearby Balakot-Bagh fault in the Pakistan side of Kashmir, which was not considered particularly dangerous because it wasn’t on the plate boundary. The 2005 Kashmir earthquake killed about 80,000 people in Pakistan and India.

On the otherhand, our disaster management preparedness was also taken off guard in the 2014 floods and we were just saved by matter of luck.

The onus is on new government to look into this all important aspect and give full thrust on capacity building with reference to effective disaster management.

In what can be described  as a major shift in its Kashmir policy, the Narendra Modi government has said that the Hurriyat Conference (separatist) leaders are free to meet the representatives of any country in India.

Pertinently, the  Indian government had earlier cancelled the Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan when the Pakistan’s High Commissioner, Abdul Basit, met Kashmiri separatist leaders.

At national level, Narendra Modi government’s approach towards Pakistan in ensuring better ties has invited sharp criticism from opposition parties in the country but praise from the world leaders.

Experts are it as a major  shift in its ‘Pakistan Policy’, of the government which has now decided to ‘compromise’ on its ‘most controversial’ point on Islamabad holding meetings with Hurriyat leaders.

In kashmir it has been widely welcomed, PDP Senior Leader and Spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir has said that PDP warmly welcomes the initiative taken by union government to allow Hurriyat to hold talks with Pakistan. Mir said that “we laud this confidence building measure by the government after sincere efforts of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, this step will be a defining moment in the Indo-Pak relations.

Former Chief Minister and Senior Leader of National Conference Omer Abdullah has welcomed the government decision to allow Hurriyat leaders to meet Pakistani leadership.

The whole Kashmir valley was on edge few days back as after allegations of molestation of girl by army five civilians lost their precious lives in firing by security forces. Now to cool the tempers  bulldozers tore down four  army bunkers on Tuesday 19 April at Kashmir’s Handwara town, a week after a young cricketer and two others were killed in firing by security forces.

Pertinently, these  four bunkers set up 23 years ago in the north Kashmir town were razed by the administration. The army, which had refused to move out of the town, relented after “negotiations with the administration and the an intervention at the highest level at the state government and army command,” sources say.

It is worth mentioning here that as the main bunker came down in the heart of the town, locals immediately put up a banner naming the square after Nayeem Bhat, a 19-year-old cricketer who was killed in the firing last Tuesday.
It is a known veracity that locals in Kashmir have been long demanding the demilitarization of Kashmir as a tiny Kashmir valley cannot afford to much security forces. Many have stated that demilitarization of Kashmir completely  logically is not possible but to some extent it should be done.

Many voices are stating that removing of army bunkers in Handwara was a “good sign” and that the process needs to be extended to other parts of Kashmir too.

In a big blow to hopes of people of Kashmir men in uniform have once again resorted to civilian killings. A few days back as the events unfolded in North Kashmir Township of Handwara after the allegations of molestation  on the security forces lead to heavy protests and in action of security forces three precious lives were lost.

As the pro-freedom groups announced strike call the very next day one more precious lives was lost in Kupwara.

These killings are a setback to recently sworn in Government of first ever women  Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti.She too seems to be upset over all this.

 

Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, met the Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, at Delhi and discussed with him the unfortunate firing incident at Handwara yesterday in which three civilians, including a woman, were killed.

 

During the meeting, the Chief Minister called for a time-bound enquiry into the incident so that those responsible for the deaths are handed exemplary punishment. This, she said, will act as a deterrent against such incidents in future.

Mehbooba Mufti said such incidents shake the confidence of the people and adversely impact the efforts of the State government in consolidating peace dividends.

She said the loss of lives of the innocent civilians cannot be compensated by whatsoever means.

 

However, she urged the Defence Minister to announce adequate compensation to the families of the victims, who have suffered such an irreparable loss.

The Defence Minister assured the Chief Minister of a detailed time-bound probe to fix the responsibility in the firing incident at Handwara. The Chief Minister also discussed several other wide-ranging issues with Manohar Parrikar.

Pertinently, the Defense Minister assured Mehbooba Mufti, as regards the issues raised, early positive consideration by his Ministry.  One hopes a tough action is taken against those responsible for these innocent killings and these killings are stopped immediately.

Poison has been sold in name of food items in Kashmir. Once again the Khyber corporate house of Kashmir has bought the corporate of Kashmir shame by being convicted of selling unsafe milk products.
In this regard, Court declared Khyber milk unsafe, imposed fine and convicted nominated person of the company.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate Budgam on Monday held M/S Khyber Agro Farms Pvt Ltd guilty for selling substandard and unsafe milk. The court has imposed a fine of Rs 9 laks on the company and besides it has ordered six months imprisonment to the In-Charge Operations nominated by the said company. The court has also declared Food Analyst Kashmir either incapable or dishonest and has ordered for his immediate removal.

The court passed these directions in the case of State through Zeenat Ayoub Food Safety Officer area Budgam (complainant) V/s Incharge Operations nominated person for M/S Khyber Agro Farms Pvt Ltd, Muhammad Shafi Ganaie, son of late Ghulam Muhammad, resident of Repora Lar, Ganderbal and Ghulam Ali Khan, son of Ghulam Muhamamd, a resident of Wahdatpora Budgam, proprietor M/S Yaseem Provision Store main chowk Budgam.
It is high time all such corporate companies compromising with human health get the harshest possible punishment.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate Budgam Imtiaz Ahmed Lone in its judgement said: “this is not first case where it has come to the surface that the milk product manufactured by the accused company contains detergent, urea and other dangerous chemicals not only in milk but other edible products and in this behalf prosecution has been launched against the accused company and others. The accused company is facing similar cases before various courts,therefore, the presumption of innocence in favour of the accused company is ruled out. The apex court of the state has also taken cognizance suo moto against the product in question and the product is presently before the Honorable Supreme Court of the country, for the same offence.

One hopes the corporate of Kashmir maintains the desired principles and standards.

 

Life is a priceless gift from God.   Even when a human being has no material belongings, life will still be possessed.   In light of these observations, it is very rational and principled to believe committing suicide is dreadful because you are always better off than someone else out there. Why would you want to throw your life away?

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. Unfortunately, despite being the greatest vice, the suicide rate has increased alarmingly over the past few years in the Kashmir Valley. Just a few decades back, Kashmir was among few places across the globe with very low suicide rates. Paradoxically, over the past two decades the graph of suicides has run north. With the growing depression among masses owing to conflict and changing times the suicide rate has risen in Kashmir considerably enough. Many voices believe that the breakdown of institution of parenting being the single largest reason behind rising suicides

The other factors responsible for most of the suicides in the valley are unsuccessful love affairs, failure of students to meet the expectation of their parents.

The need of the time is to provide  strong counseling to depressed people to fight the pain and challenges of life. We have to understand that Pain is for the living, souls do not feel earthly pain as that is an experience that is reserved for when we are in our physical bodies, now, heartbreak is ruled by our emotional selves and the emotions primarily manifest on the astral plane, we need to recognize the loveliness of life and fight boldly with unfavorable situation rather than taking foolish and immoral step of ending our life. Life is a precious gift of Allah and we need to value it.

 

Wild life is a very notable ingredient of our ecology and our ecological balance   depends upon a healthy and varied wild life. We cannot in any manner chip away at the significance of wild life. When Compared to plants, animals although make up only a small part of the total mass of living matter on earth. Despite this, they play a important part in shaping and maintaining our natural environments

 

Many environments are directly influenced by the way animals live. Grasslands, for example, exist partly because grasses and grazing animals have evolved a close partnership, which prevents other plants from taking hold. Tropical forests also owe their existence to animals, because a large amount of their trees rely on animals to distribute their pollen and seeds. Soil is partly the result of animal activity, because earthworms and other invertebrates help to break down dead remains and recycle the nutrients that they contain. Without its animal life, the soil would soon become compacted and infertile.

 

But as a matter of great distress, the world’s wild life has declined to one third over the last 40 years. Pertinently, the massive plummet in wild life was figured in the  edition of land mark research conducted by WWF some years back.

 

 

Pertinently, The estimated losses of wildlife cross 50 percent in the tropics while in tropical freshwater ecosystems alone the average loss is as big as 70 percent as per the 2012 edition of the Living Planet Report. In a hurting note, it is learnt that the freshwater dolphin from China’s Yangtze River seems to have become extinct now and the wild tigers face 70 percent decline in their population.

Even in our beautiful valley of Kashmir we are witness to great loss in terms of wildlife on account of havoc caused to their natural habitats. If we continue to lose wildlife at this pace our natural environment is slated to face more catastrophic dimensions.

Kashmir has seen brutal vandalization of its green gold. Forests have been mercilessly cut and as a result abnormal climate patterns have become norm. “Global warming” appears to have taken a toll on the climate patterns in Kashmir valley which has been experiencing a decline in snowfall and rise in temperature, a reality which even weather scientists have also found.

Pertinently, while analyzing the snow accumulation and ablation patterns in Pir Panjal and Shamshawari regions of the valley during the winters of 2004-05 to 2006-07, scientists have shown that the seasonal snow cover has reduced while the maximum temperature was increasing steadily. The climatic patterns are abnormal as dry spells are prolonged and rains are very harsh. As it is an established fact that forests play an important role in maintain the normal climatic patterns of any concerned area; the decline in forest cover has made the climatic spells highly abnormal in Kashmir and the paradise on earth-Kashmir is losing its great attractiveness on account of brutal cutting of forests.

As a matter of fact , over the last 2-3 decades have seen tremendous destruction of forests in almost every country, apart from for a few exceptions, mainly in the continent of Europe. Now, there are two kinds of countries: one, that have reversed the trend of deforestation, and, second, that be in this world with the sorry reality of declining forest cover. Sadly, we belong to the second category. The adverse  impact of deforestation is visible in urban areas too. Besides the fast increasing number of hotels and residential places around some of the lakes, silt washed from the mountains during the rains is described as the main reason for shrinking of the lakes and also disturbing forest cover .

We should as a nation take steps to stop deforestation.

Nursing system forms an significant part of any concerned health sector. unquestionably, there is a shortage of nurses in our state, especially in the Valley of Kashmir and this has grave consequences on the provision of health services in our part of the world.

As a matter of fact, shortage of nurses leads to long queues at clinics and hospitals, long waiting periods before patients can be attended to. This leads to the slowing down of procedures at clinics and hospitals and increase adverse events for patients and more stressful work environment.

As the shortage of nurses’ increases, there is increased pressure on our health system to start depending on unqualified and unregulated health workers to meet demands for basic nursing care within clinics and hospitals.
We need to take a series of steps to not only increase the nursing staff in our hospitals but also needs to have a good number of quality nurses. One cannot claim to have respect for human rights or to uphold the sanctity of life if there is no provision for minimum health care for all. And there is no future development without healthy citizens. It is said that caring for the sick is a calling from God of a special dignity and importance, not just another job.
We definitely need to have development of nursing as our top priority.