Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Sept 22:Minister for Education, SyedMohammad Altaf Bukhari todayinaugurated the first ArchitectureSchool in Kashmir at Abdul AhadAzad Memorial Degree College,Bemina.

MLA Batamalloo, NoorMohammad Sheikh, PrincipalSecretary Higher Education, DrAsgar Hassan Samoon andPrincipal Abdul Ahad AzadMemorial Degree College, DrYasmin Kawoosa were present onthe occasion.

The Minister also announcedan auditorium for the DegreeCollege and macadamization ofroads in college.

On the occasion, the Ministerinteracted with the first batch of40 students who secured admis-sion in the architecture course. Heasked students to avail all theopportunities available in the insti-tution and make name for them-selves in the field of architecture.

Bukhari said that it was thedream of former Chief Minister,Mufti Mohammad Sayeed toestablish architectural institutionin Kashmir. "Mufti Sayeed waskeen to revive local architecture inprivate and Government sector.He believed that establishment ofArchitecture Schools in valley

would lead to the revival of her-itage architecture," Bukhari said.

Earlier, the Minister inaugurat-ed College of Nursing atGovernment College of Women,M.A Road, which was establishedat an estimated cost of Rs 3.39crore.

He inaugurated the College inpresence of Minister of State for

Education, Priya Sethi, PrincipalSecretary Higher Education, DrAsgar Hassan Samoon andPrincipal Gover-nment Collegefor Women, Prof Shaheen Altaf.

The Minister said that nursingis usually pursued by the studentsfrom South and North Kashmirand we want that students ofSrinagar too opt for nursing cours-es.

He said that nursing is a nobleprofession and it has globaldemand. The students have a greatfuture in this profession and thereare lot of jobs in this profession,he added.

It was informed that the firstbatch of 60 meritorious studentshave already secured admission inthe college.

The Minister also announcedthe macadamization of roads incollege and also released collegemagazine "The Pamposh".

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Sept 22:Expressing alarm over the decreas-ing green cover in Srinagar city,Minister for Public Works NaeemAkhtar today said the Governmentis taking up eco-restoration roadsin the capital city in a missionmode with plantation and develop-ment of green spaces.

The Minister was speaking at ameeting to review the implementa-tion of eco-restoration plan forroads. The meeting was attendedby CEO Srinagar Smart CityProject, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone,Chief Engineer R&B, Abdul

Hamid, Commissioner SMC, DrShafkat Khan, MD JKPCC,Dileep Thussu, Director ERA,Satish Razdan, INTACH state con-vener Saleem Beigh and other offi-cials.

The Minister said over theyears, the green cover has reducedconsiderably in the city and thetrend needs to be reversed bydeveloping road sides. He directedthe officials to take help of expertsand start eco-restoration plan at theearliest. Calling for taking inspira-tion from world's beautiful capitalcities, the Minister said that oneshould treat city as a living spaceand it needs parks, flowers, trees,aesthetically designed places toprosper.

"Cities like Tokyo andWashington DC are known fortheir cherry blossom, Amsterdamfor river front, Paris for heritagebuildings and so on. Fortunatelywe have everything but onlydevelopment and maintenance isneeded," said Akhtar.

The meeting was informed thatexperts of R&B, horticulture, flori-culture and other departments willshortlist plants that will be plantedon roadside, parks and river frontto turn Srinagar into a green city.

The Minister also directed theofficials to keep a provision of acertain percentage of funds inevery road project for beautifica-tion and aesthetically designing theroad.

Taking strong note of lack ofmaintenance of plant material andfootpath on the roads, the Ministersaid that water tight mechanismlike outsourcing of maintenance toprivate players will be explored toensure every plant that is plantedlives to bloom.

The Minister also took note ofthe development of area underJehangir Chowk-Rambagh fly-over. He directed the officials toutilize the space available in a sci-entific manner, develop the adjoin-ing heritage buildings, erect boardgiving history of the areas like HaftChinar (Seven Chinars). He alsocalled for taking steps for facadeplanning of the entire stretch adja-cent to the flyover.

Villagers protest as accident victimdies due to non-availability of doctor

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Sept 22:Following death of an accidentvictim allegedly due to notimely treatment because ofnon-availability of doctors innearby Health Centres, vil-lagers of Panara in Majaltatehsil held a strong protestdemonstration against theHealth Department.

The protesting villagersblocked the National Highwayand demanded stern actionagainst the erring doctors. Theyalso raised slogans against theHealth Department and districtadministration.

10 year old DivyanshiGupta, a student of 4th standardand daughter of Sandeep Guptaof Panara was hit by a speedingbus JK14B-3171 when she wascrossing the road. The victimwas immediately rushed to PHCPanara and then to CHC Majaltabut due to non-availability ofdoctors at both the Health

Centres, she could not be pro-vided the required medical aid.Thereafter, the family membersshifted her to Military Hospital,Udhampur but due to excessbleeding, she succumbed to herinjuries after some time.

Agitated over death of theminor girl due to non availabili-ty of doctors at the HealthCentres, the villagers and familymembers of the deceased held astrong protest demonstration.They also accused the adminis-tration of no action despiterepeated demand of a speedbreaker at the site, where themishap had taken place.

Later, Tehsildar Majalta VedParkash and SHO, MajaltaSajjad Haider reached theprotesting villagers and pacifiedthem by assuring to take up theirissues with the concernedauthorities.

On their assurance, the pro-testers dispersed off and vehicu-lar movement was restored onthe National Highway.

Autonomous regional councilsto avert trifurcation: Rana

Excelsior Correspondent

NAGROTA, Sept 22:Saying that elected autonomousregional councils for Jammu,Kashmir and Ladakh under theoverall ambit of the State willbe appropriate rebuff to voicesof trifurcation, ProvincialPresident Devender Singh Ranatoday sought a serious consider-ation on the well-conceivedRegional Autonomy Report for-mulated by NationalConference.

"The Regional AutonomyReport was formulated afterthorough deliberations and con-sultations at various levels dur-ing the tenure of Dr FarooqAbdullah in late nineties", Ranasaid while inauguratingNational Conference BlockOffice along National Highwayin Nagrota during the day-longYouth Convention this morn-ing.

He said that the threeregions of the State have dis-tinct urges and aspirationswhich can be tackled by consti-tution of regional councils.

The Provincial Presidentlambasted the BJP for creatinghysteria over discrimination fornearly six decades and said thatwhen it came to reckoning theybetrayed the people soon aftertaking over the reins ofGovernment. He said the 2014euphoria is terribly missing withdisillusionment growing amongpeople due to policy paralysis ofthe BJP partnered Government,which is struggling to put its acttogether after plunging the Stateinto unprecedented political andadministrative crisis. He saidthe people of Jammu were par-ticularly feeling let down andbetrayed, as their problems areaccumulating with each passingday.

The MLA Nagrota said thatmisgovernance has distanced theBJP from its core constituency,

which is hugely realizing themistake of putting a bunch ofagitators into the cradle ofadministrators.

Referring to erratic powerand water supply, dilapidatedcondition of main and interiorroads, scarcity of rations,deplorable hygienic conditionsand fast crumbling administra-tive apparatus, Rana asked,"Where has the love of the self-proclaimed Messiahs of Jammugone". He said the tall claims of'Ache Din' is turning out as anunending nightmare with prob-lems of people increasing everypassing day.

Blaming the BJP for playingpolitics of divide and sowingseeds of mistrust, Rana cau-tioned against testing the spiritof inclusiveness of the people,saying those believing in unityin diversity will foil all theirmachinations by maintainingtime tested unity and amity.

The MLA said as long thepeople will remain united,nobody can weaken theirresolve. He recalled the enor-mous role of NationalConference during most testingtimes in keeping the flag ofHindu, Muslim, Sikh unityaloft.

Altaf inaugurates School ofArchitecture, College of Nursing

NC Provincial President, Devender Singh Rana addressing a gathering in Nagrota constituency on Friday.

Minister for Education, Altaf Bukhari inaugurating Schoolof Architecture at Abdul Ahad Azad Memorial Degree College,Bemina on Friday.

28 fresh dengue casesreported in Jammu region

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 22: The num-ber of dengue cases is risingsharply in Jammu region, with 28fresh cases reported today, takingthe number of people affected sofar with this vector-borne diseasein Jammu region to 116.

According to official sourcesas on today, a total of 850 patientswere tested for dengue out ofwhich 116 cases were found to bepositive and reports of 509 werefound negative while result of225 samples are still awaited."No death has been reported dueto Dengue so far", they added.

Elaborating more, sourcessaid that out of 116 Dengue cases,maximum 105 have been report-ed in Jammu district, two each inSamba, Kathua, Rajouri andUdhampur districts and one eachin Poonch, Kishtwar and Dodadistricts. They said that all 28fresh cases which were reportedtoday are from Jammu district.

They further revealed that outof these 88 dengue patients, 80were adults (46 males and 34females) and 36 were children(21 males and 15 females).

They said that so far Denguehas not claimed any life inJammu region and most of thepatients affected with the disease

have returned to their home aftersuccessful treatment in varioushospitals.

The sources said that Healthdepartment is taking all necessarymeasures to prevent the spread ofDengue. "The main cause ofDengue is stagnant water and thedepartment is spreading aware-ness among the masses to preventstagnation of water. The depart-ment has also sensitized its staffand Asha workers to combat thedisease", they added.

Chaman for probe into Rohingyas influx in JammuExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 22: Welcom-ing the Central move for tack-ling the Rohingyas problem, theformer Union Minister, ProfChaman Lal Gupta has empha-sized the need for deep probingthat who had been instrumentalto bring these controversial ele-ments hundreds of kilometreaway to this border State andmade their stay in sensitive areasin and around this city ofJammu, What was their designand who had opened Madarassasfor them to radicalize these for-eigners and also their sources offunding.

Prof Gupta said that this is aserious matter that these unau-thorized immigrants have beenprovided ration cards, electionvoter cards and even Aadhaarcards as also electricity connec-tions whereas large a number oflocal people are still longing forsuch basic documents.Moreover how and who hadmanaged the marriages of theseforeigners with the local people,he added.

He said that most of theseforeigners had come to Jammuduring the coalition of theNational Conference andCongress both in State as also atthe Center and no check wasmade even after the issue wasraised by him in and outside theAssembly.

Prof Gupta has voiced a noteof caution over the manner inwhich the issue of these unau-thorized foreigners is being min-gled with the coming of Tibetanrefugees as also those of Hindusfrom Pakistan and Bangladeshand attempts are being made tocommunalize the problem whichclearly indicates that designsworking behind this.

He also demanded a probethat how thousands of unautho-rized constructions have comeup around Jammu city especiallyalong the Tawi and other areas.According to an estimate about5000 unauthorized structureshave come up in the recentyears, mostly on the encroachedforest and other land. How allthis has come should be deeplylooked into, he added.

Minister for Public Works Naeem Akhtar chairing a meeting atSrinagar on Friday.

Naeem for eco-restorationof roads in mission mode

NIA again summonsGeelani’s son

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Sept 22 : Nati-onal Investigation Agency (NIA)has again summoned SyedNaseem Geelani to its headquar-ters in New Delhi for question-ing.

"He has been called again onSeptember 25 to NIA headquar-ters, New Delhi," a sources said.

Naseem, was first summonedand questioned by NIA fromAugust 8 to 11. His second roundof questioning was done fromAugust 24 to 30.

NIA is investigating analleged funding case registeredon May 30 this year.

DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2017 (PAGE 9)