Category: Union Territory

President says the most encouraging feature of the policy is that it adheres to cultural ethos of each region

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said the National Education Policy (NEP) would help Jammu and Kashmir youth “to realise their true potential and make their dreams come true.”

“My dream is to see Jammu and Kashmir emerge as a centre of knowledge, enterprise, innovation and skill development. In the field of education and scholarly pursuits, the region has set unmatchable milestones. Many of the core ideas and concepts that have shaped the Indian mind over the centuries have emanated from this region,” President Kovind said in his address during a conference on the implementation of the NEP in the region.

3-language formula

He said the most encouraging feature of the policy was that it adhered to the cultural ethos of each region. “The three-language formula which is envisioned in this policy is of immense significance and can promote multilingualism as well as national unity. However, there will be greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any State or union territory,” he said.

The President said Jammu and Kashmir was a reservoir of extremely intelligent, talented and innovative children. “The implementation of the education policy will produce students with ‘ignited minds’, if I borrow the phrase of my illustrious predecessor Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The unfolding of India’s growth story rests on the talent and energy of its youth. In this regard, the NEP will prove to be a milestone,” Mr. Kovind said.

Referring to the Kashmiri historian, scholar and poet Kalhana, Mr. Kovind said, “From Hinduism to Buddhism to Sufi Islam, all faiths and beliefs have found home in the cultural ethos of this land. This peaceful and shared coexistence manifests in the lives of its people. We should always remember that education brings people together; it is ignorance that divides,” he added.

“Today, when we are seeing a new dawn in Jammu and Kashmir, we want the youth of this land to be the harbinger of change by excelling in their respective fields,” the President said.

With inputs from The Hindu

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

In ‘trami’, four guests join in simultaneously to have their portion of food from around a circular 2X2 ft decorated copper plate.

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which is wreaking havoc the world over, has hit the Kashmir Valley’s centuries-old culinary tradition of ‘trami’ — eating together from one plate during weddings. But Kashmiris have learnt to adapt to the situation, understanding what social distancing means.

Changing times: People eating from separate vessels at a wedding in Srinagar | Photo Credit: Peerzada Ashiq (TH)

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which is wreaking havoc the world over, has hit the Kashmir Valley’s centuries-old culinary tradition of ‘trami’ — eating together from one plate during weddings. But Kashmiris have learnt to adapt to the situation, understanding what social distancing means.

In ‘trami’, four guests join in simultaneously to have their portion of food from around a circular 2X2 ft decorated copper plate.

Zahoor Zargar, a resident of Srinagar’s Lal Bazaar area, was in a fix about his daughter’s wedding in August as COVID-19 cases peaked in the Valley.

“I had already postponed the marriage twice since August last year due to the tumultuous situation. This time, the challenge was COVID-19. We decided to go ahead and ensure that the guests maintain social distancing,” he said.

And replacing ‘trami’ with individual copper utensils was the only option, he noted. “It was praised by the guests as it reduced their close contact with each other,” he added.

The trend seems to be picking up fast.

Nazeer Shah, a resident of Peerbagh, ensured that the invitation card of his son’s wedding had a line on serving the lunch: “No ‘trami’, the lunch will be served separately on copper plates,” it said.

“There were instances where guests would enquire about how the food will be served. If it was a ‘trami’, people would avoid the function for obvious reasons,” Mr. Shah said.

Azi Aziza, a college student, finds the new trend more comfortable. “A guest is bound by the ‘trami’ culture to start at a particular time. Anyone who misses a ‘trami’ is supposed to wait. However, the copper utensil gives flexibility. In COVID-19 crisis, it is a healthy alternative too,” Ms. Aziza said.

Rare scenes

In rare scenes in Kashmiri weddings this year, the ‘dastarkhan’ (long cloth spread on the floor), saw guests with face-shields and masks holding their own copper utensils around three metres away, as seven dishes were served by ‘Wazas’ (chef) from one utensil to another.

Many feel the new culture forced by the pandemic poses a threat to the ancient ‘Trami’.

“Affluence attained by locals during the Sultan period, especially during eighth Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin, between 1418 and 1470, saw popularization of ‘Trami’. Since then, it has become central to weddings, with very minor changes in the sequencing of dishes over the centuries,” Zareef Ahmad Zareef, 73, the Valley’s well-known poet and writer, told The Hindu.

Serving of ‘Wazwan’ (array of meat dishes) on ‘Trami’ during weddings was adopted increasingly by the local population during the Sultan period in the 14th century and it became a unique feature.

Mr. Zareef fears that the pandemic may wipe off this slice of culture from Kashmir.

“During the Afghan rule, people of Kashmir saw Muslims switching from daytime weddings to late-night weddings to escape raids by the unbridled sepoys of the rulers. Eventually, weddings became a silent late-night affair. This pandemic is now threatening to take off ‘Trami’ from the ‘dastarkhan’,’’ he said.

“This prolonged pandemic in fact has threatened cultural moorings across the globe and Kashmir is not immune,” he pointed out.

For Mr. Zareef, ‘Trami’ epitomised a unique space, which brought down the walls of class and caste divide in society.

“In a wedding, ‘Trami’ sees people sitting around and eating from one plate irrespective of their class and caste. It symbolised brotherhood and sharing. It also created intimate spaces where people discussed politics, social issues and religion as the ‘Waza’ served the elaborate dishes,” Mr. Zareef said.

With inputs from The Hindu

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president and MP Srinagar Dr. Farooq Abdullah protests in front of Gandhi statue at the foreground of the Parliament house along with MP Anantnag Hasnain Masoodi against fake encounters and custodial killings in Kashmir.

According to statement issued to KNS said, both Dr. Farooq, Masoodi held placards depicting the pictures of the slain men who were killed in the Shopian fake encounter and alleged Sopore custodial killing.

They said that the magisterial inquiries announced by J&K government into the circumstances leading to the killing of Irfan Ahmed Dar of Sopore and Kaunsar Reyaz of Batamaloo is mere eyewash and demanded a thorough probe into the killings to establish the facts. The protesting MPs demanded filling of cases into the incidents as per the law of the land.

The Party has expressed outrage against the fake encounter and custodial killings in Kashmir and raised the issue inside and outside the parliament. The Party has unequivocally asserted that such incidents would not help the situation to improve and bridge the widening gap of mistrust between the government and the people. Party MPs headed by Party President Dr. Farooq Abdullah had also called on the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and urged him to allow discussion on J&K in the Parliament.

The party MPs also moved calling attention motion in the Lok Sabha urging the Defense ministry to update the house on the status of the inquiry into the Shopian fake encounter. Party MPs also moved adjournment motion against the incidents besides raising the issue during the zero hour of the parliamentary proceedings.(KNS)

Two semesters fee being collected within a period of 04 months

Amid the fact that we had submitted and paid our semester fee in the month of June only, authorities at Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora came with another new Notification asking students to submit Semester Registration form along with the fee for the semester alleged a group of students.

Speaking with Kashmir Today, a group of students said that “The financial conditions at our homes aren’t good at all, since 5th August 2019 all the business establishments of valley are suffering. Hardly we are able to suffice to our day to day needs and just in the month June we asked for our university fee from our parents and now again university has published notification asking for fee but due to the financial hardship being faced due to post August 5, lockdown and COVID-19 we are not in a position to make payment of fee.”

They requested the University administration to look into the matter and in view of the prevailing extraordinary difficult circumstances to consider the matter regarding payment of annual/semester fee, tuition fee, examination fee, etc. sympathetically and if feasible, may consider offering alternative payment options to students till the situation returns to normal.”

A candidate part of the delegation, wishing anonymity, maintained that they had made several requests to the administration for ‘Fee Waiver’. However, according to the candidate, they are yet to see any significant follow-up from the varsity authorities.

“We had requested for fee-waiver on the grounds that no classes were held and no subsidiary charges incurred on the Varsity for the facilities it would have to provide us in normal circumstances, however that request too seems to have gone to the bin”, another student remarked.

“Even when Central University offered a 20% refund for regular cases and 50% for special cases, our Varsity stands an exception”, he said.

It may be noted that Earlier Higher education sector regulator UGC has already asked universities and colleges to not compel students into paying fees immediately and look into individual cases sympathetically.

Srinagar: Amid growing clamour for the restoration of high speed internet services for students of Jammu and Kashmir, the government is mulling to launch a new 2G application to cope with the low speed internet problem for online classes among the student community.

The government has said that it will launch a 2G app that will cater to the problems being faced by the students perusing the online classes.

The news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) has learnt that in a recent meeting held by the Principal Secretary to Government for School Education Department Asgar Samoon said, “New 2G App to cope with present low speed internet problem for online classes among the student community, shortly be launched across the Union Territory (UT) of JK.”

He directed the Directors of School Education of both Jammu and Kashmir regions and Chief Education Officers (CEO’s) to remain prepared for the wider publicity of the application.

Samoon said this during a meeting held on September-15 to review status of commitments made and direction issued during Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting 2020-21 of Samagra Shiksha and Mid Day Meal schemes.

Meanwhile, the students here have been demanding for the restoration of high speed internet services.

One of the students said, “In the name of education, the government has made mockery of education in Jammu and Kashmir and instead of restoring high speed internet they just resorting to different excuses.”

Another student said. “Earlier this year the government have adopted many tactics to streamline the online education system during COVID-19, however, a least of students were attending the online classes due to low speed internet.”

Pertinently, the government in the meeting also said that the schools in Jammu and Kashmir re-open from September-21 for higher classes (9th to 12th) and schools may allow students to join the classes only after obtaining the consent of parents strictly as per the guidelines of GoI and Project Director Samargra Shiksha shall put up necessary mechanism in place—(KNO)

PTI

Banihal: At least 28 shops and a house were gutted in a fire in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

The fire erupted in the main market in Khari, 16 km from Banihal town, at around 10.45 pm on Friday, tehsildar (Khari) Ashok Chakravorty told PTI.

He said fire and emergency services personnel put out the blaze after hectic efforts of over one-and-a-half-hour. Army personnel from the nearby camp and local residents also joined the fire fighting operation.

The fire consumed 28 shops and a residential house, destroying property worth crores of rupees, the official said, adding the final report about the loss is being prepared.

He said the fire broke out in a shop apparently due to a short circuit and within no time engulfed other shops in the market. A case has been registered and further investigation is on, the official said.

A large group of people assembled at the scene on Saturday morning and staged a demonstration against the administration for its alleged failure to provide a fire station in the Tehsil.

It is our long pending demand to have a fire and emergency station in our Tehsil. The fire tenders were rushed from Banihal and it took them nearly half-an-hour to reach the spot, causing a little delay in the fire fighting operation, one of the protesters said.

Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully after the local tehsildar’s assurance that their demand would be brought to the notice of appropriate quarters. (PTI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

PTI

Jammu: Three suspected militants were arrested on Saturday in a counter-insurgency operation in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects, they said.

They said those arrested are residents of south Kashmir and in the 19-25 age group.

With inputs from PTI

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

PTI

Srinagar: Two associates of militants were arrested in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir and incriminating material was seized from their possession, police said on Saturday.

The two were arrested from Awantipora and Khrew areas of the south Kashmir district, a police spokesman said, without disclosing their names.

He said incriminating material of outfits Hizb-ul-Mujahdeen and Al-Badr was seized from the possession of the militant associates.

Cases have been registered and investigations initiated, the spokesman said. (PTI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar: Former Union minister and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abduallah on Saturday said if we are holding talks with China for disengagement of troops on the LAC, we should also hold talks with Pakistan to resolve issues that are pending between the two countries.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Farooq Abdullah as per news agency KDC said, “Today, India is planning to hold talks with China for disengagement. We should also start talks with Pakistan to resolve pending issues.”

The National Conference (NC) president was speaking in Parliament for the first time since his release from detention.

“Border skirmishes have been rising and people are dying. A way has to be found to deal with this. Except for talks…As you are talking to China to attempt that it withdraws (from Ladakh border), we should also talk to our (other) neighbour to find a way to get out of this situation,” Abdullah said in his speech amid protests from treasury benches.

Farooq Abdulla also expressed his happiness at the findings of an Army inquiry into the killings of three men from Rajouri in Amshipora Shopian in an encounter.

“I am happy that the Army has admitted that three Shopian men were killed mistakenly. I hope the government gives a hefty compensation,” he said. (KDC)

Srinagar: Authorities at Horticulture Department Kashmir may be making tall claims they were working for development of this vital sector but the ground situation tells a different story with farmers unhappy over the functioning of the department.

Every day authorities have been issuing statements that they were providing all possible help to farmers. Take instance, authorities recently said that steps are underway for ensuring increase in horticultural produce of Jammu and Kashmir so that the quantum of fruit produce gets increased resulting in enhanced income of horticulturalists. They also reviewed Apple High density Programme.
Advisor to Lt. Governor, KK Sharma stressed to cover all the feasible areas under High Density Programme.

He said that “we have to ensure the successful implementation of the scheme so that all areas of Jammu and Kashmir are covered having potential of producing apples”.

However, farmers from different parts of Kashmir said they did not get any benefit under the scheme.

The Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) visited various parts of Kashmir to know whether they have got any benefit by various schemes of the Horticulture Department.
Shabir Ahmad Khan, a resident of Gopalpora Mattan Anantnag said the Horticulture Department did not provide them with any varieties of hybrid plants.

“The Horticulture Department is only misleading the common masses. They give benefit only to their relatives,” Khan told KINS.
He said not a single official came to the area to review the losses due to deficit rainfall and scab disease.

The farmers are worried as rainfall deficit and scab infection have damaged crops in Kashmir.
Kashmir produces over 18 lakh metric tones of apples every year.

Farmers however said they fear over 50 percent damage to apples due to dry weather and scab disease.

“Reason for scab infection is substandard pesticides. There is no check on pesticides by the authorities,” another farmer Firdous Ahmad from Shopian said.

Tauqeer Ahmad, a resident of Gopalpora Mattan Anantnag too shared similar grievances.

“Horticulture Department did not provide any relief to this village and surrounding areas. No one is checking what kind of chemicals we are using. We are facing heavy losses but officials from the Horticulture Department are not concerned,” he added.

Residents from scores of villages like Brenti Dialgam, Kambad, Kabamarg, Sagam, Kokernag, Kheribil from South Kashmir made similar grievances who said the Horticulture Department failed farmers in Kashmir and are only spending money on publicity.

Many farmers also said the department provided plant saplings to people but that too were poor quality. “Under a scheme, Department had to provide better quality saplings. But they only give saplings with poor quality saplings and have been procured from blue eyed persons at higher rates,” farmers claim.

Horticulture Officer Anantnag said people should visit his office to get benefit of various schemes.

“Once people approach us, we see the land feasibility whether high density plants can grow there and help farmers accordingly,” he added.(KINS)