News Kashmir Magazine

JKHMPC apple juice plant in Sopore lies half-functioning
Danish Tariq

Established in 1985, the apple juice concentrate plant in Doabgah area of Sopore in Baramulla district is lying idle from last five years owing to negligence of Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (JKHMPC) officials, locals and fruit growers are in loss as the juice plant was better revenue option for locals, juice plant has capacity of producing 10,000 metric tons juice a year, which has a market value around 40 Crore.

Mohammad Umar, local resident said, the officials have turned blind eye toward the juice plant as it has been lying functionless since 2013 even as machinery including filtration unit worth crores “before 2013 juice plant was operating smoothly and was producing tons of apple juice every year, with earning crores of rupees,” he added It would function 24 hours during season but now the juice plant is lying defunct due to official negligence

Mohammad Ayub, Fruit grower said, every year we throw away the leftover apples from our orchards as the juice plant has remained non-functional “we were used to supply those leftover apples to this concentrate plant for juice production now we throw them away as the plant lying non-functional,” he added the corporation was making good profits and we would also get our shares but the juice plant is not functioning that is loss for both.

In the initial years the plant was running successfully and producing apple juice of fine quality in an affordable price, the juice plant was run by Cadbury India but later the juice plant was taken over by Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (JKHMPC)

Nisar Andrabi, Deputy Managing Director JKHMPC, due to lack of funds the juice plant was not functioning properly from last few years, now from this year hopefully the juice plant will be made functional in full capacity, officials have given top priority to make juice plant functional there was on going some upgradation of plant in the next two months and once upgradation work will be completed it will be made functional.

11 years on, PHC at Dangarpora Sopore still lying Non-functional
Danish Tariq

The residents of north Kashmir’s Dangerpora village are facing immense hardships as the only Primary Health Centre (PHC) has not been made functional even after a decade has passed and local helpless patients had to visit sub-district hospital Sopore for all kinds of medical facilities.
The foundation stone of PHC was laid in 2007 by then Congress government.

Manzoor Ahmad, local resident said, “Although a decade has passed since then but construction work of PHC was going on at snail pace due to the poor response of authorities now the building is complete and some minor work is pending which can be completed in few days but the work has not been started yet. He added building acts as an open place for youth to do illegal activities”, we have no means of medical facility in area if the PHC would made functional it would ease our medical troubles.

Ghulam Rasool, another local resident said, it was a beneficial step taken by government to establish PHC in our village to provide basic medical facilities to locals but government has failed to made functional PHC on every side “the interior of building is now damaged, firstly they have to renovate it now and it will take extra time and expenditures to complete the building, still no proper fencing is constructed around the PHC”, he added : my son fell ill before few days I had to take him to sub-district hospital which is 6 kms away from our village, sopore for the treatment.

Nazir Ahmad Khan, who owns the land on which PHC has been constructed said, “I have provided land measuring 2.7 Kanal for PHC at a cost of 16 lacs 21 thousand and total compensation I have received till now 11 lacs I am urging to the authorities to release my pending compensation.

When contacted Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Baramulla, Bashir Ahmad Chalkoo said, “Due to paucity of funds the construction work on PHC was going at snail pace but building is almost complete some further work need to be done so we have handed over the project to R&B Department to complete it, he further added by the end of the year we are hopeful the PHC would be made functional.

Pertinently, the cost for the construction of PHC at Dangarpora has been estimated as 1 crore 68 lacs.

Danish Tariq

Cariappa Park, one of the oldest park in the Baramulla town is in shambles and lying in a state of neglect. The dilapidated condition of ‘Cariappa Park’ has continuously irked the local residents and visitors. In 2018 District Floriculture Department demolished the park for renovation process but park is not renovated yet. Park is located at Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway.

Ishfaq Naikoo, local resident said, “Cariappa park is famous and oldest in the town it is being used as resting place by locals and as well as passenger, visitors but in 2018 the park was demolished on the name of renovation which is not yet renovated as it’s only park here, he added commuters suffer a lot due to negligence of authorities before demolition we in park were able to sit after demolition park is desolated.

Rifat wani, local passenger said, as the season of planting flowers, trees getting over soon but concerned authorities had not planted a single flower in Cariappa Park it shows the poor response of administration towards the development, she added further if the park is renovated it will ease the sufferings of old aged passengers and add the beautification to the Baramulla town so authorities should take necessary action to repair the park.

A group of people appealed to the concerned authorities to renovate the ‘Cariappa Park’ so the locals and visitors would not suffer.

After the demolition renovation was started in the park but the only work has been done in the park was soil filling, the other works like planting flowers, fountain, seating arrangement, wall, fencing and other necessary works are still pending.

When contacted District Floriculture officer Baramulla, He didn’t responded the repeated calls of News Kashmir Reporter.

Rameez Makhdoomi

Baramulla Lok Sabha seat witnessed an impressive voting in number of areas with strong areas of boycott as well.
At Sonwari Assembly segment long lines of voters were lined up in pooling booths from Shadipora to Safapora belt, with male voters exceeding the female voters.
Bandipora too witnessed festive voting, with entire Kupwara district barring few areas witnessing good voting.
Reports of good voting poured in from Uri, Gurez and Karnah.
Pattan too had people voting in impressive numbers.
Even within few hours Safapora in Sonawari constituency witnessed good voting.
News Kashmir Ground Report
At 10 :40 am the situation of election for Baramulla constituency was:
[758 votes total at Safapora E 115 polled, male 79 polled female 36 .Male votes are 382 female are 376 votes .
Bandipora.
Safapora F total votes 676 polled 57 , male 50 , female 7 .(Male 353 female 323 .)

Safapora Bandipora H. Total 964 votes 61 Votes polled. 55 cast by Male, 6 by female (Male 493 female 471 .)
Total votes 999 at Safapora .Total 98 cast male polled 71 female 27.(male 511 female 488 ).

Strong boycott was witnessed in Baramulla town, Sopore and few villages of Langate and Handwara.
At 1:30 pm out of Total 598 votes (male 287 female 11) total eight votes were cast in almustafa colony o90.
2 votes were cast out of 1016 ( male 518 female 498 ).islami baghibaramulla.
One vote cast out of 847 (male 400 447 female. Polling Syed Karim b Baramulla.

People stated that they were voting to get their basic issues addressed and end harassment culture.
Shafat Ahmad,a contractor by profession at Safapora stated ” The vote is to change the dismal picture with reference to the development of the people .We are voting to get better facilities and good standards of life .”

The contest looked three-way between the National Conference leader Akbar Lone and People’s Conference Raja Aijaz Ali and Independent Engineer Rashid.

Pic by Danish Tariq.

DANISH TARIQ

The rapidly increasing number of commercial establishments in the Baramulla town, many of which have no parking facility, have become the primary cause for traffic menace as a result the commuters from adjacent areas on visiting town gets no space for park their vehicles. Earlier this year district administration has identified the land for parking but no further work has been done.

Atif Rashid, College student said, The Baramulla town lacks basic facility of vehicle parking “Anybody planning to visit the market, DC office or Main chowk area has to think twice if he should his car along as there is no parking space. The problem has increased due to non-availability of proper parking space. He added we have to reach college at 10AM but we reach always late because of vehicles which are being parked on roadside leads to frequent traffic jam.

Imtiyaz Ahmad, local resident said, “The need of the hour is to establish proper parking facility in town to streamline the traffic jams. The growth of street vendors, wrong parking and parking of commercial vehicles like sumos on Tehsil road and at the Cement Bridge indicate that district administration is not serious to address the issue pertaining to common people” he added Surprisingly, the Cement Bridge which connects Baramulla uptown with the old town and is also the main link connecting Rafiabad and district Kupwara with Baramulla has been converted into Sumo Stand and parking space.

Earlier this year the district administration has identified land for establishment of parking facility at “land belonging to R&B Department, Re-location of Fire & Emergency services, Re-location of veterinary hospital to ease the problem of locals and visitors despite no further action has been taken up yet.

According to Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, G.N Itoo“I have formed a committee to take further action and to provide parking facility to the town . I have advised them to identify the land for parking which has no encroachment besides the land was identified earlier at some government offices if needed to give them space in exchange we will do that” he further added because of elections it was delayed soon the upcoming election will end the first priority will be given to parking facility.

Kashmiri Pandits neglected, suffer in rehab colony at Veerwan

DANISH TARIQ

Under the Prime Ministers Special Package of Employment for Kashmiri Pandits (PMSPEKP), established a colony for Kashmiri Pandit migrants in 2010 at Veerwan area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district which is 05kms away from main town, the colony is in shambles as it lacks all basic facilities, where 150 families are residing on shared basis and some living on rent basis outside colony.

The Veerwan Pandit Colony lacks all the basic amenities which was supposed to be here for these migrants who were accommodated here under the Prime Minister Special Package of Employment.

Avtar Krishan Bhat, Colony President said, we don’t have basic facilities like water,electricity, proper accommodation in the colony premises we have to travel at least 1km by foot to fetch the drinking water from nearby stream “quarters in which we are residing not constructed properly these are made up of sheets instead of concrete which create problem for us in all weather conditions” he added I have filed complain against every department PHE, Health, PDD in grievance cell but till now not any one of complaint has been redressal yet we are living in miserable conditions and left at the mercy of God.

Chaman Lal, Colony resident said, the colony has been neglected by government from every side “before 8years a step was taken by government to construct drinking water tank unfortunately the half work on tank is not completed yet, besides backside boundary fencing is not properly constructed. He further added we don’t have medical dispensary here for the inhabitants, no availability of ration depot and shops in the colony premises we go to the market to purchase the daily usage items, main town is 05kms away from the colony”.

A group of inhabitants said, we don’t have systematic process for garbage collection and no proper drainage system that leads to the hardship, sufferings during the rainy and winter season. They added there is no park or ground for children to play we suffer a lot due to electricity feeder cuts whileas the street lights of the colony are not working properly, we cannot roam freely across the colony after evening time.

We have already submitted complaints to the concerned administration but no positive response had seen from authorities we are living in miserable conditions we appeal to the authorities kindly provide us basic facilities so we don’t have to suffer in coming time we could feel safe and secure like other communities, said members of Veerwan Pandit Colony Committee (VPCC).

DANISH TARIQ

MeerasMahal, the first of its kind,a museum of rare artifacts founded in 2001 by a well know personality in education field Late Atiqa Bano is located in Chinkipora area of Sopore town. The museum has collection of rich, diverse and artistic heritage of Kashmir which became the attractive place to discover the rare culture of Kashmir. After retiring from education department in 2010 she devote most of her time in visiting the villages of Kashmir to collect rare artifacts.

The artifacts in Meeras Mahal has been collected almost from entire Kashmir and these are immensely rare “with the team of four to five members including late Atiqa Banoji we were supposed to travel different areas of Kashmir and stay there for almost a week to collect things sometimes people are willing to donate artifacts and sometimes we have to pay or give something in exchange to get that artifact. On the other side museum has no revenue generating source the expenditure of museum was she spending from her own pocket” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, Manager Meeras Mahal.

According to Clerk Mumtaza, Late AtiqaBano has established museum to preserve the culture of Kashmir, the basic need of museum is space which we lack she had vacated a personal building and shaped it as museum many times. We have sent proposal to government for help but every time they rejected so many officials have visited to the museum but nothing is done we invite schools and colleges to visit and get knowledge about the rare culture of Kashmir”.

The Meeras Mahal displays a rich and impressive collection of artifacts and objects collected personally by Late Atiqa Bano. More than 3000 artifacts are housed in Meeras Mahal it includes old ornaments, paper machie objects, coins, traditional dresses and traditional utensils. The museum also preserves a treasure of manuscripts books Quran written in Persian, Sanskrit Kashmiri and urdu.

Recently we have made a new proposal for establishment of proper museum we have submitted the proposal to Director SPS museum Srinagar and shortly will be presented to Ministry of culture, government of India. So the rich and heritage culture of Kashmir will be preserved “we are appealing to the government take necessary action for establishment of museum”.

DANISH TARIQ

Football is considered as famous game around the world, Kashmir valley has thousands of football enthusiasts playing at state and national levels but lack of football grounds and academies always disappointed the football players. In September 2013 major step was taken to establish football academy in Ushkuraarea of north Kashmir’s Baramulla town which is not completed yet. The foundation stone of the academy was laid by the than Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The academy was set up at a cost of Rs 10 crore by the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation(JKSPDC)

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“We are in dire need of football academy in the town because our football players are participating on state and national levels, but they don’t have any ground or academy for practice. In 2013 70 Kanals of land was figured out for the establishment of football academy unfortunately after the foundation stone was laid no further work started on the academy,” said Manager Sabar United Football Club, Showkat Hussain. He further added recently in 2018 former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed the officials to start work on completion of football academy but no heed was paid to directions it will be “dream come true” if football academy will be established here.

Mohammad Asif, under 17 national football player said, “Baramulla is renowned for producing quality football players, unfortunately we don’t have any ground where we can play football tournaments, Once the government had allotted the piece of land to establish football academy now we lost every hope that piece of land will be turned into any football academy because the project has been delayed since from last six years.” He added if a football academy will be constructed there it will be a future changing step for the football players, Doctors and engineers will not come from every home also sportspersons will come out.

We are appealing to the concerned officials and governor to take a necessary step to complete this football academy as soon as possible it will be extremely beneficial and will add brightness to the future of youths.“If JKSPDC could not handle the said project it should be handed over to JK Sports council or R&B Department Kashmir” they suggested

“The project was delayed because contractors have not negotiated at the allotted estimate after that the contracts were cancelled now fresh tenders will be issued shortly, we have sent proposal to J&K sports council for their opinion they have advised some major changes in the project which is forwarded by Chief Engineer CI&D wing Power Development Corporation to MD Jammu Kashmir State Power Development corporation (JKSPDC) and the approval is awaited, once we will get approval the fresh tenders will be issued and project will be completed with no further delay”. Said Executive Engineer PDC division Gantamulla, Baramulla.

DANISH TARIQ

Drug addiction is not moral failure or lack of willpower it’s complex disease that deserves long-term, extensive treatment just like any other chronic disease, in a welcoming development to fight against drug addiction J&K Police has established one of its Drug De-addiction centre here in north Kashmir Baramulla district.
“The unrest and uncertain environment in the state has created various immense hardships for the people of Kashmir unemployment, psychological trauma, frequent shutdowns, internet ban etc. Because of this environment the system has been fed up it’s a root cause that drug addiction rate is increasing rapidly not only in youth but in all group of ages, because the people are in stress. now state police and some NGO’s have taken the initiative against drug menace Drug De-addiction centres have been established to fight against this social evil. Many drug addicts were admitted in these drug de-addiction centers to get rid from the drugs, in present time they are living a peaceful life. Every dispute should be solved in a peaceful manner which is good for everyone”, Said Tariq Ahmad Magloo, general secretary Traders federation Baramulla.

“I started taking drugs 6 months ago because of some family issue. During this time of span I used various drugs from brown sugar to heroin, I was thinking that these things are taking out me from the family mess which is absolutely wrong, in locality everyone was carrying my bad image in their eyes, mind and heart which was horrible time of my life and I don’t want that to perceive again, said Hanan 22 (Name Changed),Once I have taken excess amount of drugs and my family came to know that I am drug addict. They admitted me in Police Drug-De Addiction centre Baramulla where my treatment started for 10 days and monthly routine checkups and I was counseled there that these drugs will kill me, with extra care and strong efforts of doctors now from past 2 months I am free from this drug menace, my identity was not revealed to anyone in the centre. I appeal to those who are stuck in this vice of drug addiction visit Police Drug-de addiction centre Baramulla and live a beautiful life which is offered once” he added

According to Mohammad Ashraf, Counselor Police Drug De-addiction centre Baramulla, there are various symptoms of drug addiction it can be family issues, parents misguidance, financial trouble etc. In recent survey we found that Jammu and Kashmir has high drug addiction rate as compared to other states of country, this is alarming situation which we need to handle with proper care and guidance we need co-operation of public masses so it can be controlled. He further added every year at least 200 to 250 patients were admitted in our centre. We counsel them, examine, extra care and proper treatment given to them so that they will get free from these drug addiction, also there is need of public awareness camps which we hold in schools, colleges and in public places, we are requesting to the parents, civil society members, individuals bring these drug addicts to our centre we assure them they will get rid from this drug menace.