SRINAGAR: National Conference Tuesday expelled former MLA Ganderbal Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar from basic membership of the party for six years over his anti-party activities.
Ishfaq Jabbar was an MLA from Ganderbal and was also the partie district president for Ganderbal.
JKNC on its official Twitter handle informed that the order was issued by party general secretary.
In a tweet, it said, “Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar, Ex MLA R/O Ganderbal has been removed from the basic membership of JKNC for 6 years in view of his anti-Party activities and causing indiscipline. The order has been issued by the General Secretary JKNC,” JKNC tweeted.
Earlier in the day, NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah had said that there is no space for leaders in the party who are involved in anti party activitie and cause indiscipline in the party.
SRINAGAR: A domestic help was found hanging in Tulsi Bagh area of Srinagar uptown on Tuesday.
Police have taken cognizance of the case and taken up the investigation.
Police sources said that a man who hails from Uri Baramulla and was working as a domestic help in the house of a lawyer was found hanging in a government quarter room.
The reason for taking this extreme step from him is being investigated. [KNT]
SRINAGAR: J&K Bank today received an award from Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO) for its outstanding contribution towards housing sector of the country under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) – Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) through various innovative initiatives.
The Bank’s General Manager (C&CB) Narjay Gupta received the award at the hands of Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manoj Joshi in presence of Chairman & Managing Director (HUDCO) Kuldip Narayan, Bank’s Zonal Head (Delhi) Rakesh Magotra, HUDCO’s board of directors and other dignitaries during HUDCO’s 53rd Foundation Day Celebrations held today in New Delhi.
The function was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas Hardeep S. Puri.
Commenting upon the felicitation, MD & CEO, Baldev Prakash said, “It is an honour for the entire J&K Bank Family to be felicitated at such a prestigious national platform for our contribution towards country’s housing sector under Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY)-U that envisaged ease-of-living through a pucca house to all urban dwellers.”
“Such an acknowledgement will further boost our efforts as we continue to serve the weaker and vulnerable sections of society through more such effective financial interventions”, he added.
Earlier, in a communication to Bank, Chairman & MD (HUDCO) Kuldip Narayan expressed his deep appreciation for J&K Bank’s outstanding contribution towards housing sector under PMAY-CLSS through its different innovative initiatives.
SRINAGAR: The University of Kashmir has opened online applications for its PhD programmes in 34 different disciplines for the academic year 2023. Interested candidates can access the application form on the university’s website from April 27, 2023. The deadline to submit the form is May 20, 2023.
Candidates must have a Master’s degree in the relevant field with at least 55% marks or equivalent grade “B” in the UGC 7-point scale or grade in a point-to-point marking system, excluding relaxation of marks, if any, to be eligible for admission. However, there is a relaxation of 5% marks or equivalent relaxation of grade for candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/PWDs and other categories approved by the university.
Candidates who have completed an M.Phil degree with a grade ‘A’ or ‘B’ from the University of Kashmir or any other recognized university are eligible for admission to the Ph.D. programme. Relaxation of 5% marks from 55% to 50% or equivalent relaxation of grade is allowed for the M.Phil pass-out candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/PWDs and other categories approved by the university.
The university has urged candidates to visit its website for more details and to keep a copy of the application form and fee payment receipt for future reference.
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday said it had busted a sex racket in the Handwara area of the north Kashmir Kupwara district and arrested five persons, including a house owner and his wife.
In a statement, a spokesperson said that information was received from reliable sources about a racket of immoral activities operating from the house of an individual in Reshipora.
The statement reads, “Accordingly, a search party conducted a raid in the house of Shabir Ahmad War, S/o Ghulam Ahmad War of Reshipora, where a sex racket was busted. Five persons were arrested from the spot, including the house owner and his wife, one sex worker and two customers. Cash amounting to Rs 47,800 was also recovered from the spot.”
Those who have been arrested include Rayees Ah Lone, s/o Khazir Mohd Lone of Dangerpora, Rafiabad, Bilal Ahmad Sheikh, s/o Abdul Rehman Sheikh of Binner, Baramulla, a female sex worker (name withheld), Shabir Ahmad War (house owner) s/o Gh Ahmad War of Rishipora, and wife of the house owner (name withheld).
It added that a case FIR No. 37/2023 under relevant sections of the law has been registered at PS Kralgund, and an investigation has been initiated. (KNO)
SRINAGAR:National Investigation Agency Court Pulwama on Tuesday issued Proclamation order under section 82 CRPC in respect of a designated militant and an active militant in various militant activities.
In a handout, the police said that proclamation has been issued in respect of designated militant Ashiq Ah Negroo, who is involved in various terrorist activities including Case FIR No. 42/2022 under section 20, 38 UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) of Police Station Rajpora and in respect of active militant Reyaz Ah Dar involved in case FIR No 239/2022 under section 307 IPC, 16, 18, 20, 23, 38 UAPA of Police Station Pulwama. Court has given them 30 days to surrender before the competent authority.
According to police spokesman, before issuing proclamation, NIA Court has already issued NBW (Non-Bailable warrant) open ended warrant. Proclamation order was pasted in their native places and also on the conspicuous places of the villages along with the concerned police, reads the statement.
Buffalo herdsmen convert milk into sundried cheese that is stored, cooked and sold as a speciality, explainsMJ Aslam
Maeshi’ Kraaji, the famous milk bread, and Nadur make a great preparation. Photo: Shahnawaz Taing
Unlike Kashmir plains, the hills of the valley have always been buffalo-abundant. Between Baramulla and Jammu, the pasturage-rich temperature on both sides of the mountains is higher than the plains and suits the production of milk, ghee and butter.
Buffalos comprise the main wealth of Gujar, who live in hill log houses over the mountains from Poonch to Udhampur. Buffalos love to be in moist climates and they need to be immersed in water daily.
Given the fact that the buffalos were the main livelihoods of a huge hill population, the Dogra despots had imposed a tax on milch buffaloes and cows. Named Shakh Shoomaree, the tax was collected at Re 1 and 8 annas per buffalo and 12 annas per cow. However, if a buffalo gave birth to a calf, it was exempt like that of a barren buffalo, Phundir.
Traditional Herdsmen
The owners took their buffalo herds to mountain pastures for grazing in the summers. They lived by making and selling ghee, butter and cheese from the milk. Though buffalo are not indigenous to Kashmir, a number of Gujjars do possess and rare the animal. Unlike Gujjar, the Bakarwals prefer rearing goats. Given the fact that the Gujjars in Kashmir lived far away from the markets, they could not quickly take their produce for sale, they have been producing a rare milk product, the Maeshi Kraj (Mounsheh Kreaj). It is sort of a cheese produced from buffalo milk.
Technically, it is a cake made of dried buffalo milk. Dogras call it Kalari. Normally, the Gujjars living uphill bring this “bread” to the market across Jammu and Kashmir.
In Gujjar ecosystem, buffalo are basic. They are basically cattle graziers and not cultivators. However, they do grow maize around their hill kothas and the grain goes into the use of cattle as well as the people. They used to follow the Arab farmer’s custom of contributing Friday’s milk production to charity. It may not be around now but certain families make charities-in-kind on Friday. Cattle are so vital to this socio-economic ecosystem that the death of an animal triggers routine mourning.
Milk Bread
In Kashmir, buffalos are less visible even in hilly areas. However, the markets like Shopian, Kupwara, and Baramulla do get some supply of Maeshi Kraji almost on a daily basis. Usually, it is barely a fraction of the demand that the supply meets. Foreigners call it milk bread.
Based on buffalo milk, it is made by churning it with sour milk or curd. The fat cheese appears at the surface which is separated from the leftovers and then pressed into a cloth. The paste is made into cakes or balls of cheese. Before sale and use, these cakes are allowed to dry up in sunlight.
Maeshi Kreji are very tasty with a pungent smell and sour taste. It is harder, however than cow cheese. Even though it has gone missing from most of the Kashmir markets, Maeshi Krej remains available throughout the year in Jammu at Samroli, Udhampur and Pahalwan Di Hati.
In South Kashmir, people cook sun-dried Maeshi Kraji with Nadru (lotus stems) during summer. The sun-dried Maeshi Kraji with Nadru is ground with onion in a stone mortar (Vokhul] with a pestle (Kajve or Choteh). The spices are added to the paste, which is cooked with milk or water to avoid stanching the cheese. It is allowed to boil for some time, till it thickens and then it is eaten either at lunch or dinner with cooked rice or roti.
Not In Kashmir Alone
In Italy, Buffalo milk cheese is mozzarella; in India, Khoya cheese is mostly buffalo milk. Afghan nomads and peasants used to make ghee, butter, curd and also a kind of cheese of cow and buffalo milk called Quroot which is still a living culinary tradition of the Taliban territory.
The milk was boiled with the dried fruit of a solanaceous plant. The cheese was freed from water by pressing in a cloth just as the Maeshi Karji are prepared. After adding salt to it, handfuls are made into small balls, dried hard as stone in the sun and kept for any length of time for consumption. It is reduced into a paste in a wooden bowl called Quroot Mal. It was fried in a quantity of ghee and eaten with bread, meat and vegetables. In the past, it was the national dish of Afghans. However, more refined Persians disliked this food and ridiculed Afghans, parodying the Arabic anathema into the words, La houla wa la illah Quroota Khuri. (God protect us from Quroot-eating-Afghans).
With the passage of time, however, Quroot is still prepared and consumed within and outside Afghanistan. Quroot-like dairy products were also known to some Bedouin tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. They made it into lumps and cakes with their hands and dried it in the sunshine before use.
SRINAGAR: SIU-I Srinagar presented charge sheet before the Court of NIA Srinagar in case FIR No. 69/2022 of Police Station Chanapora against five accused persons including two militants and three associates.
In a statement SIU spokesperson said that in November 1st 2022, a case FIR No. 69/2022 under section 7/25 A Act, 13, 18, & 23 UA(P) Act stands registered in Police Station Chanapora Srinagar on receipt of a docket received from In-charge naka party (SHO P/S Chanapora) and the investigation was taken up by the then SDPO Sadder which was subsequently transferred to SIU-I Srinagar by the orders of PHQ J&K Jammu.
Pertinently, two grenades were recovered from the two suspects namely Amir Mushtaq Dar son of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar resident of Sozeith Lawaypora and Kabil Rashid Dar son of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar resident of HMT Srinagar who were intercepted by the Naka party at a checkpoint established at Harnambal near Sports Stadium Natipora Chanapora. Besides, their personal mobile phones with inbuilt SIM cards were also seized. Accordingly, a case was registered and investigation was initiated, he said.
During the course of investigation, another co-accused namely Aqib Jamal Bhat son of Mohd Jamal Bhat resident of Sozeith was apprehended and on his disclosure, one IED which was kept hidden by him in a pit at Rangreth near Railway track was recovered in presence of concerned Executive Magistrate. The said IED was got destroyed/blasted on spot by the Bomb Disposal Squad.
During further course of investigation, it established that the three arrested accused persons Amir Mushtaq Dar, Kabil Rashid Dar & Aqib Jamal Bhat working as terrorist associates for the terrorists viz, Momin Gulzar Mir and Basit Ahmad Dar under a well-knit criminal conspiracy were providing logistic support to them and procured hand grenades and IED for carrying out the terrorist activities.
On the strength of evidence collected (material/documentary & oral), the three arrested accused persons were found to be involved in the commission of offences punishable in terms of provision of Arms Act and UA(P) Act under sections 7/25 Arms Act, 13, 18, 23 & 39 UA(P) Act and the accused terrorists viz Momin Gulzar Mir and Basit Ahmad Dar are found to be involved in the commission of offences under sections 13, 18, 20 & 38 UA(P) Act, who are absconding and the proceedings under section 299 CrPC have been proposed to be initiated against them.
Accordingly, the sanction for launching prosecution against the accused persons was obtained from the Home Department and the charge sheet is presented before the Hon’ble Court of NIA Srinagar today in the instant case.
SRINAGAR: The ongoing Smart City project in Srinagar has raised serious concerns for CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who believes that key policy documents like the master plan and mobility plan have been ignored in its implementation. Tarigami is particularly worried about the impact of ongoing works such as the development of Moulana Azad Road and the redevelopment of Lal Chowk Prescient, which he believes are destroying the existing character of the cityscape instead of contributing to its development.
Despite the Smart Cities Mission Strategy’s focus on Greenfield development and the preservation of open spaces, essential public services like public transport, electricity, water supply, and other public utilities are still out of reach. The ongoing haphazard works have also increased the vulnerability of city dwellers, with excavation and shrinking roads reducing space for vehicular traffic and the city being defaced with construction and demolition waste.
Tarigami and the CPI(M) are calling for the Smart City Project to be implemented in accordance with the Master Plan 2035, a dynamic long-term statutory document that provides a conceptual layout for the city’s growth and development. The plan is essential to ensuring that the project achieves its core aim of providing citizens with a clean and sustainable environment and smart solutions to public issues.
SRINAGAR: The School Education Department Tuesday sought list of all private schools functioning from government land and ordered its management to compulsorily provide free education to children from weaker and disadvantaged sections.
Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK), in a communique has directed all the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of the region to implement the free and compulsory education to children from weaker and disadvantaged sections by private unaided schools under section 12 (1) C of RTE Act 2009.
DSEK said that RTE, Act Section 12 (1) C envisages that all private unaided schools have the responsibility to dispense and provide free education to children from weaker and disadvantaged sections and admit at least one-fourth that is 25 percent of the total strength of class-I or pre-school education.
It further said, “All those private schools which are functioning on state land shall compulsorily admit the 25 percent of students from weaker section of their catchment area by properly publicizing the admission.”
The director of the region in this regard has requested all the CEOs to immediately furnish the list of all Private Schools functioning on the state land immediately.
Pertinently, the section 12 (1) (c) of the RTE Act, 2009 fixes the responsibility of private unaided schools to provide free and compulsory education to children from weaker and disadvantaged sections by admitting at least one- fourth of the total strength of class I or pre-school education. (KNO)
