SRINAGAR: An ailing Central Reserve Police Force trooper died of a cardiac arrest in Vessu area of Qazigund in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday morning.
Quoting an official the news agency KNO reported that the trooper of 48/F Coy deployed at KP Colony Vessu was ill for the last few days and today morning he suffered a cardiac arrest.
He said he was rushed to GMC hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. “The apparent cause of death seems due to the cardiac arrest,” he said.
The trooper has been identified as Pyare Lal Yadav of UP and was poster as sub inspector in CRPF.
Till the early twentieth century, the entire healthcare system was run by the Unani system of medicine with Hakeem’s at the apex of the unique pyramid. Kashmir excelled in making some of the best healthcare givers from the medieval Sultanate era, MJ Aslam writes
Family Tree of Hakeems
Centuries before the arrival of the European allopathic healthcare system, there was a well-established medieval regime of Unani medicine prevalent in Kashmir. Shiv Bhatta [not Shri Bhatta] was Shah i Tabib (chief physician) of Sultan Zainulabidin, the Budshah. He lived in Sultan’s Rajdhani at Nawshehra, Srinagar.
The Sultan was immensely impressed by Bhatta’s curing skills and honoured him with the title of Afsar ul Tib. Bhatta died without writing anything on Tib for posterity. On record, however, it was during the Mughal era when Ilmi Tib and Unani (Yunani) system of medicine appeared in Kashmir and touched the summit of excellence in successive reigns of Mughal Emperors and their Subedars.
In Successive Regimes
The first Kashmiri Hakeem who rose to prominence was Hakeem Abdullah Gazi in the reign of Emperor Akbar (1586-1606). Gazi was educated and trained in Ilmi Tib in Delhi. His pupil Rashid Baba Majnoon Narwadi was also an efficient Hakeem of his time. In Shah Jahan’s reign, Majnoon’s three disciples, Mohammad Sharief Ganayi, Abdul Rashid Ashai and Abdul Qadir Ganayi were Kashmir’s famous Hakeem’s. The son of Hakeem Abdul Qadir Ganayi was Hakeem Inyatullah who had such an ability, it is said, that he diagnosed the disease from a mere glance at the patient’s face. He lived during Emperor Aurangzeb’s reign.
Hakeem Mohammad Azam Kashmiri was a well-known physician in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s court in Lahore. In Sikh Period, Hakeem Dindar Shah, Hakeem Maqbool Shah and Hakeem Mustaffa Shah were well-known Unani doctors living in Kashmir. Hakeem Ali Naqvi, Hakeem Noorudddin, Hakeem Ghulam Rasool, Hakeem Baqaullah and Hakeem Yousuf were famous Unani physicians in the eighteenth century. Hakeem Ghulam Rasool died in Delhi. He was a prodigious scholar and an eloquent orator. He spent his life in luxury due to his companionship with Nawab Ghazi al-Din Ferozjang III (1736-1800).
An undated photograph shows Christain missionaries treating people in an open dispensary in Baramulla. The people were injured in an earthquake.
Hakeem Mohammad Jawad was an eminent doctor in the Afghan period. Hakeem Naqi, Hakeem Noor ud Din, Hakeem Namdar Khan and Hakeem Kandar Khan were other well-known Hakeems in the Durani era of Kashmir. The last two migrated to Delhi for treatment of the sick. Hakeem Deendar Shah was the personal physician of Nazim Sheikh Ghulam Mohiuddin (1842-1846), the last of the Sikh rule governor’s in Kashmir.
Hakeem Mohammad Baqir was another famous Hakeem. In Maharaja Ranbir Singh’s reign (1857-1885), Baqir was conferred the title of Afsar ul Tib by the Maharaja. Towards the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, there were many Hakeems all over Kashmir. Most prominent were: Hakeem Ahmad Ullah alias Ame Hakeem of Zaina Kadal; Hakeem Ghulam Mohi Ud Din of Naidyar Rainawari; Hakeem Daidar of Baghwanpora Lal Bazar; Maqbool Shah of Rainawari; Hakeem Salam ud Din of Hazratbal (all from Srinagar); Hakeem Habibullah of Baramulla; Hakeem Ahsan Sheikh of Nowgam; and Hakeem Abdul Aziz Kozgar of Budgam.
One Hakeem of the early twentieth century needs a special mention – Hakeem Aziz Ullah of Muslim Pir Sopore. He had earned the name of the most reputed Unani physician and treated patients at his residence from north Kashmir, Muzaffarabad and Srinagar. Once he was called specially to Srinagar by the family members of a rich man, Qazi Ghulam Mustaffa of Maharajgunj, for treatment. A God-fearing man, Aziz Ullah built Sopore’s Muslim Pir Masjid. After his death in 1926, his son, Hakeem Sanaullah (b1902), started treating patients for free.
Hakeem Families
There were three famous families of Hakeems in Srinagar in the last century. Hakeem Ali Mohammad alias Ali Hakeem (1906-1988) of Zaina Kadal. Later, he shifted to Gojwara where he treated patients at a new clinic cum residence. He was President of the Jammu and Kashmir Tibiyya Conference, a chapter of All India Tibbiya Conference. He died in 1988.
Another family hailed from Naidyar Rainawari. Their house is still famous as Hakeem Manzil. Hakeem Shyam Lal aliasShyam e Bhatte (1900-1984), a Kashmiri Pandit, was an Unani physician of great fame who belonged to a family of Kashmir’s hereditary Hakeems. His residence cum clinic at Shalyar Habba Kadal Srinagar was always thronged by patients. Despite the fact that he changed his residence to Karan Nagar, Srinagar, he continued to see and treat patients at Shalyar. He was also President of the Jammu and Kashmir Tibiyya Conference in 1966-67. He was considered an expert in the treatment of kidney stones. The patients were prescribed special sheera by him on daily basis for a few months till kidney stones would pass out with urine.
During the first half of the twentieth century, it is said that fifteen Hakeems of Srinagar were on the payrolls of Maharaja. In Srinagar, there is Unani Sageer, a Mohalla near Nigeen, which is known as Hakeem Mohalla as most of the famous Hakeems since Emperor Akbar’s time lived in this locality. Their ancestor, it is claimed, was Hakeem Ali Humayun who had attended and treated Emperor Akbar when he fell ill during one of his Kashmir visits. Hakeem Mehdi, Hakeem Masood and Hakeem Altaf are said to be the descendants of Hakeem Ali Humayun. They all belong to this locality. There are some other city localities or villages with the prefix Hakeem to their names indicating the areas might have had some connection with this class of physicians of yore.
Unani Medicine
Unani medicine or Hikmat is an Arabic-Persian term that was introduced by the Mughals in the Indian subcontinent in the thirteenth century. The families of eminent Hakeems of Persia and Arabia came to India and introduced the Unani system during the Mughal rule, considered as the golden age of Greco-Arabic medicine in India.
Hakeems were mostly Muslims who were learned men, also called tabibs. Many Hindus too were Hakeems of eminence. Hakeems followed the Unani (Greek, Grecian school of medicine) or the Misri (Egyptian school of medicine). While Muslim Hakeems followed the Unani School, generally most of the Hindu physicians, called Vaids, followed the Misri School.
Fascimile of a manuscript showing some anatomy-related writtings and drawings for Kashmir Maharaja from early twentieth century, drwan by a Hakim. Pic Hakim SameerHamadani
The most reputed Hakeems in India were in Emperor Akbar’s time. Hakeem Alavi Khan, Hakeem Muhammad Ashraf Kashmiri and Abdul Karim Kashmiri were well-known Kashmiri Hakeems in the Mughal Court. Many Kashmiri families of Hakeem’s moved to Delhi, Deccan, and other places of Mughal India to practice medicine. In history, Kashmiri Hakeems contributed immensely to the development of Unani medicine in the Mughal Era and thereafter in India. Many of the eminent Hakeems of Mughal India had Kashmiri ancestry.
One of the most important physicians of Jahangir’s Era was Hakeem Sadra Zaman whose father was Akbar’s royal physician. In the early Mughal Era, the famous Hakeems came to Kashmir to treat people. Zaman accompanied Emperor Jahangir in 1620. He treated Emperor Shah Jahan and his daughter, princess Jahan Ara successfully. After resigning from duty, he performed Hajj and died in Kashmir in 1650 and is buried in Srinagar. He was greatly respected by Mughal Emperors. His pupils were among Kashmir’s pioneer Hakeems.
Then, Hakeem was considered a doctor of philosophy, a doctor of medicine, and a learned man. Though Muslims were associated with Unani Tib, the Brahman Vaid was usually “a physician purist”. Unani system of medical care is based on the established knowledge of thousands of years. Hakeem uses herbal, mineral and animal-based drugs for curing the sick.
The Eco System
In Kashmir, Hakeem’s used to treat the sick in Hakeemwan or Hakeemkhana, which were the earlier avatar of clinics and dispensaries. The shops selling herbal medicine were called Bohir-wan. A Bohur (pharmacist of today) is the “vendor of drugs, spices, herbs, groceries; a druggist, spicer, grocer”. There were and are certain well-known localities of Srinagar like Nowhatta, Jamia Masjid, Saraf Kadal, and Maharaji Bazaar, where one would still see flourishing Bohir-wans. Now, they are called Unani or Hamdard medicine shops.
Hakeem’s were also “compounding medicines” themselves for selling to the patients. The practice or profession of a Hakeem which was as a rule hereditary in character was called Hakeemi in common parlance. The Hakeem’s are and were addressed with an added honorific to their name as Hakeem Saib. This was a practice followed throughout India as today we have Doctor Sahab or had Vaid Ji of the past. Hakeems used only natural herbal plants, their leaves and roots as medicine for the treatment of the sick. It is said that the shepherds during summers collected herbs from mountains and jungles for the Hakeems of Kashmir. The medicinal herbs were made available for patients either at the clinic of the Hakeem or at the Bohir-wans. Some herbs of medicinal value were imported from outside.
Bone Setters
Apart from Hakeems, there were non-invasive surgical practitioners such as bone-setters (watan-gir) and leech-appliers (dirki-gir) in Kashmir. Watan-gur was one who was setting broken, dislocated limbs or bones or strained muscles by massaging with oil or turmeric powder and by straightening dislocation by pulls or pushes. Some watan-girs set up their shops for the treatment of orthopaedic trauma at famous shrines of Srinagar and Budgam Kashmir on Thursdays and Fridays.
Some famous bone-setters practised the profession at their homes like Sid e Baing, Wali Baing and their disciples of Teilbal, and Ghulam Mohammad Qalinbaf and Ali Mohammad of Fateh Kadal Srinagar. Bone-setters also practised at Bandipora. It is said that bone-setters were reciting kilmaat (verses) while treating a patient. Dirki (leeches) were much used by Dirkigur of old Kashmir. Leech appliers were prescribed by Hakeems for a patient. They generally believed that the cause of skin diseases including persistent shuh (frostbites) of feet, hands, ear-helix and phephir [boils with abscess] was the blood infection. Thus, the infected or impure blood was drained away through the services of a Dirkigur who applied leeches on a body part to suck the impure blood from the patient’s body.
Till the twentieth century, leech appliers worked in Kashmir. There were also female leech appliers, Dirkigirin, as well. Generally, it was the Naid or barbers’ families that were associated with the leech-appliers’ profession in Kashmir. The leeches would swell up after draining the blood of the patient and automatically fall down on the floor. The leech-applier squeezed all blood from his leeches before putting them back in his container, Dirki’weir.
The barbers were also called in by Hakeems to cut and bleed the patient from the vein “marked” by Hakeem for draining out impure blood. As this was the “only knowledge of surgery” Hakeem’s possessed, Maharaja in the epidemic of 1872 had to issue orders that “the Hakeems were not to bleed for cholera as they had been in the habit of doing”. The native Hakeems regard a pedilavium of the leaves as very efficacious in cholera.
In 1895, Sir Lawrence recorded there were “300 Hakeems or doctors in Kashmir and as a rule, the profession” was “hereditary. …… and I have known cases in which some of my subordinates have derived great benefit from the skill of the Kashmiri Hakeem…….. Hakeem never attends midwifery cases”. The skilled elderly women midwives, locally known as Warin, were called to assist the delivery cases and perform the gynaecological operation at the patient’s home.
Parhaiz Culture
Hakeem’s were very strict about the diet of their patients. They prescribed strict dietary restrictions (Parhaiz) with herbal medicine for the patient. To date, Parhaiz Si’un, which meant the strictly prescribed diet by Hakeems in the past, is a very much relevant phrase being used in Kashmir society to convey that someone is following a doctor’s dietary advice. Hakeem’s sometimes allowed only simple rice water and dandelion leaves (hund in Kashmiri) to a patient suffering fever over weeks.
Such a strict dietary disciplinarian attitude of Hakeem’s gave birth to certain idioms in the spoken Kashmiri language. For example, Hukm i Hakeem o Hakeem, Chuh Margi Mufajaat (the ruler’s and doctor’s orders are like sudden death as they are to be followed); Hakeemas Te Hakeemas, Nishi Bachavtam Khudayo (O, God, protect me against orders of Ruler and Doctor) and Yi Hakeemas Dizhi Ti Koneh Dizhi Bemaras (why can’t that be given to the sick what is given to the doctor), and Neem Hakeem, KhatriJan (a half-baked hakeem can be life-threatening).
Treatment Regime
The whole diagnosis of Hakeem centres around the equilibrium of Akhlat (humours, Mizaj) of the body, classified into four kinds: hot, cold, dry and wet. Hakeems used medicines to undo imbalance in any of these situations within the body. Some herbs are thought to be cold and good for hot humour; some are hot and good for cold humour; some are damp and beneficial for a dry state of humour, while some dry herbs are said to be beneficial for a damp and wet state of humour.
The most common herbal prescriptions included Sheera, Sharbat, liquorice root (shangir in Kashmiri), lasora/lasoda (sebestan), and arnebia benthamii (Kahzaban). One imported herb used as the ultimate drug or medicine for serious cases including protracted fever was Chob-Cheeni, Smilax China. It grows abundantly in China in wild from where it was exported to Punjab, Calcutta, Bombay and Kashmir via Leh. A mere prescription of this would indicate the patient was seriously unwell. Kashmiri saying, Zan Chus Chob-Cheeni Logmut conveys a feeling of seeing a person in a robust state of health after having taken any kind of diet or special food.
In case of recurring pains, and stomach ailments, Hakeems prescribed the use of powder or malish (massage) of Zahar-Mohr on the troubled part of the body. It is a bezoar and is used as an antidote to poison and a pain reliever for the sick.
Though fundamentally using herbs, they also used certain stones, gems and specific things taken from animals. Zahar-Mohr was obtained from Ladakh and Tibet and imported to Punjab and Kashmir via Leh. In Punjab, it was applied in snake-bite cases. This costly bezoar was also cut into the making cups, bowls, plates, and so on of a tea set and it was generally believed that cups, bowls, etc, would split if poison was put in them. Genuine Zahr Mohr tea sets fetch good prices. They are still considered items of luxurious choice in household crockery items.
Hakeem’s believes Zahr Mohr was formed by the spittle of the Markhor goat (Capra megaceros) falling on stones. Markhor is the wild goat of Hazara and the NW Himalaya and exists in Kashmir also. It is called Markhor, owing to the fable that the animal killed snakes by looking at them. Yet another fable was that when Markhor’s foam falls on certain stones it turns them to Zahar-Mohr, precious stones of serpentine. Unlike Bohr-wans, Zahr Mohr would be sold by Moharkans who dealt with precious stones.
Kashmiris had great confidence in their Hakeems and they mostly consulted them for ordinary ailments. With the emergence of allopathic medical care towards the end of the nineteenth century in Kashmir, the local Hakeems lost much of their influence. Unani medicine lacks a remedy for emergency cases like cardiac arrest, accidental trauma and so on. Despite the progress of modern medical science, Hakeem’s, bone-setters, and leech appliers still exist and they still have a small clientele.
SRINAGAR: The Meteorological office on Wednesday predicted light to moderate rain/snow in Valley and cloudy sky with chances of light rain in Jammu division during the next 24 hours.
“Light to moderate rain/snow is expected to continue in Valley and cloudy sky with chances of light rain in Jammu division during the next 24 hours,” MeT department official said.
Srinagar recorded zero degree Celsius, Pahalgam minus 2.6 and Gulmarg minus 4.6 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.
In Ladakh region, Kargil registered minus 9.5 and Leh minus 11.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.
Jammu had 8.5, Katra 7.2, Batote 1.5, Banihal 0.3 and Bhaderwah 0.8 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.
Rain, snow lashed J&K during the last 24 hours.( IANS)
SRINAGAR: A truck driver was killed and two persons were injured after shooting stones hit their vehicles on Srinagar-Jammu highway at Magarkot are of Ramban.
“Boulders rolled down at magarkot,hit a tanker and truck.On spot death of truck driver,few injured.Shifted to hospital.Rescue op on.NH blocked,” SSP National Highway Mohita Sharma said in a tweet.
“The deceased has been identified as Muneeb Tak, a resident of Supat Kulgam. She also identified the two persons who were injured as- Gopal, a resident of Peera Ramban and Rajinder Kumar, a resident of Batote Ramban,” said SSP in a tweet.
She said that the injured were shifted to hospital and the rescue operation is going on.
She added that the highway is blocked for traffic.
JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta on Tuesday chaired a meeting to review the status of development of different roads and Highways connecting different parts of the UT.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, PWD; Secretary, Transport; Deputy Commissioner, Ramban; Transport Commissioner, Representatives from NHAI and other concerned officers.
Dr Mehta impressed upon the officers to ensure that there is smooth movement of traffic on the National Highway during these winters. He asked them to be ever ready with requisite men and machinery to deal with the weather vagaries. He stressed on minimising disruptions and ensuring that traffic movement remains uninterrupted throughout the year. He reiterated that traffic on this National Highway should move in both ways after 15th March as much of the bridges and tunnels being constructed would get completed by then.
He enjoined upon the officers focus on the difficult stretches between Banihal and Ramban. He urged them to take instant measures in case of inclement weather. He took note of the under construction bridges at Maitra, Ramban and one at Jaiswal. He passed on directions to the concerned to accelerate the pace of work so that these vital connections are completed soon.
The Chief Secretary stressed on developing roads leading to the tourist spots of Mantalai and Sanasar. He maintained that the better road links to these places would give boost to the tourism there as these places have great potential as tourist destinations.
He also reviewed the status of roads developed under Bharat Mala programme and its allied infrastructure. He enquired about different roads and bridges taken up by the PWD for construction in the length and breadth of the UT.
The Chief Secretary stressed on developing the internal roads in both the cities. He remarked that the face of any region are its roads. He made out that road networks facilitate development of whole regions besides adding to the beauty and aesthetics of the city. He urged the concerned Departments not only to just maintain city roads but develop them on modern lines too.
He directed face lift of the entry point of UT at Lakhanpur in district Kathua. He remarked that it should be attractive befitting the pace of progress and development.
Dr Mehta directed the traffic police to strictly maintain lane discipline on the road and take all the steps against the violators including e-Challaning. He asked them to act tough on those resort to road side parking and disrupt others.
The meeting was informed that this winter the Sgr-Jmu National Highway remained closed for just 8 hours in total as against 220 hours in previous winter. No full day was lost in last two years due to closure of NH. It was further given out that in order to ensure movement of traffic on both the sides of the Highway the T5 tunnel would be dedicated to public on 15th of March and Jaiswal bridge on 15th of February this year.
Moreover it was said that the pace on other road projects is smooth and would be completed oin a given time frame.
JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta on Tuesday chaired the 22nd meeting of the Steering Committee of J&K Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to review the implementation of Annual Plan of Operations (APOs) for FY 2022-23 and to consider the APOs for FY 2023-24.
Administrative Secretaries of Departments of Forests; Rural Development & Panchayati Raj; Revenue; Tribal Affairs; Planning; Secretary in Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare participated besides many senior officers and HoDs from the Forest Department.
Some of the officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
The Chief Secretary directed the Forest Department to complete digitalization of boundaries of all forests of Jammu & Kashmir within a year. He directed constitution of joint teams comprising officers from Revenue, Forest, Tourism, RDD, PRI representatives and other stakeholders concerned to facilitate this process.
He enjoined upon them to utilize the latest technology like CORS and GIS in culminating the process scientifically in a time-bound manner. He also underscored the need of fixing boundary pillars demarcating the forest land in the shortest possible time to ensure protection of forest land from encroachment.
Dr Mehta also came up with a concept for utilization of biomass from forests, like lantana and pine needles with the involvement of Self Help Groups. While creating sustainable livelihood for communities living around forests, it will also be helpful in removal of potential fire hazards like pine needles and other inflammatory materials.
The Chief Secretary stressed on involvement of Panchayats in all afforestation works. Meeting the demands of the forest dependent communities for water, fodder and non-timber forest produce should be main objective of all afforestation works. This will ensure that they become willing partner in protection and conservation of forests, he added.
While reviewing the work proposals relating to Gharana Wetland reserve, the Chief Secretary directed the Wildlife Protection Department to make it one of the most important tourist attractions of Jammu. He directed that a comprehensive study should be carried out about the habitat and avifauna of Gharana Wetland for its better protection and development. He also emphasized on making arrangements for dissemination of information with visitors and nature lovers so that the visits happen to be a source of infotainment. He told them to look into the potential of developing as a cluster with Border village of Schetgarh so that both are offered as package to the visitors.
PCCF (HoFF), Dr. Mohit Gera apprised the Committee about the main activities of the Department. Under “Green Jammu and Kashmir Drive”, a record number of plants are being planted with the people’s participation under the campaign “Har Gaon Hariyali”. In the current year, against the target of 1.35 crore, department is making all efforts to plant 1.50 crore, of which about 0.90 crore plants have already been planted. He also informed about the initiatives taken to protect the forest areas through digitalization of boundaries involving Forest (Territorial) and Settlement and Demarcation Divisions and preparation of digital maps.
CEO, J&K CAMPA, Sarvesh Rai made a detailed presentation covering actions taken on the decisions of the Committee in its last meeting, progress of implementation of the approved APO of 2022-23 and proposed APOs for the financial year 2023-24. He informed that against the current year’s target of rehabilitation of degraded forests of 15000 ha area, 8108 ha with planting of 59.70 Lakh plants have already been covered. Winter planting in temperate zone is in progress and targets for the year are likely to be achieved in full.
The meeting was informed that the APOs of FY 2023-24 envisage afforestation of 13,719 ha area through assisted natural and artificial regeneration with planting of about 90.00 lakh plants. APOs also include proposals for eco-restoration of ecologically sensitive areas like Patnitop-Nathatop and areas with southern slopes etc.
Later on the Chief Secretary released publications titled “Har Gaon Hariyali under Green Jammu & Kashmir Drive” and “Digitization of Forests: Strengthening of Forest Protection and Management” by Forest Department, “Pollinators: Nature’s Miracle Workers” by J&K Biodiversity Council, and “Key Wildlife Species: Kishtwar High Altitude National Park” by Wildlife Protection Department.
After detailed deliberations on all aspects of the proposals, the Committee approved APOs for next financial year 2023-24 with an outlay of Rs274.00 Cr for its submission to the National Authority, (MoEF&CC), Government of India for their final approval.
SRINAGAR: Beating all the odds, Muskan Sawhny cracked Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) examination in her first attempt. The daughter of an auto-rickshaw driver, Sawhny Jr managed to crack the examination without any coaching and with the help of the internet. She secured 1016.50 marks.
Muskan is from Jammu proper and has completed her initial studies at Activity Public Higher Secondary School. She pursued her higher education in Science at Government Higher Secondary, Mubarak Mandi. She graduated in non-medical with Geology and Geography as optional subjects. She has been the district topper in National Youth Parliament- 2019. She gives tuition and works as a presenter at All India Radio to generate extra income for her and her family.
“I have not prepared for a long time. I started preparation after my graduation,” Muskan said. She focused more on learning from people. “When JKPSC advertised these posts in 2021, I knew I had to do it, but I had not started preparations yet.”
With self-study, she appeared for the examination with the belief that the civil services exams do not need you to know everything, but to understand the basics. Given the first attempt, she was not sure about the success.
“I studied religiously during exams as I had very less time,” she said. She did the smart study and hard work.
The major factor that helped her to stay focused was the financial conditions of her family. This was the key factor that prevented her from getting into any coaching centre. She said she chose to study with the help of a few books and the internet only. “I had no proper guidance about books, so I selected a few compact ones and the internet helped me a lot,” she asserted.
Muskan Sawhny JKAS
Muskan said she studied usually during the night hours to stay focused without distractions. Being a debater, she is well aware of the current affairs that helped her achieve this feat. One of the major tricks that have helped her to qualify for the exam is ‘managing time’.
“I did not share with anyone that I am planning for JKAS except my family and some close friends and teachers,” she said. She has been supported emotionally by her family and her friends even in her studies. The struggle to make a living with her father and uncle has inspired her to achieve success. She considers her parents as her role model.
Her life motto is ‘this too shall pass,’ and she believes this helps her face every hardship. While suggesting aspirants she said, “optimism and faith can help you find God, let alone pass an examination.” She aims to go for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in the future.
SRINAGAR: The Department of Handicrafts and Handloom has submitted the dossier for registration of Kashmir Tweed to Intellectual Property India, Chennai, an apex-level organization for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India.
The Director, Handicrafts and Handloom, (H&H) Kashmir, while commenting on the downswing of the centuries old craft of Weaving of Tweed said that the GI certification of Kashmir Tweed, will give a fresh impetus to the craft. The primary goal of registering it is to seek protection for Tweed of Kashmir, which further promotes and pushes it to grow on a global scale.
“The department felt it necessary to get Kashmir Tweed recognized on National and International markets owing to its uniqueness of having 100 per cent wool unlike the one produced in the rest of the country where it has also the blend of viscose, said Director H&H adding that Tweed cloth is available across the globe, in Kashmir, it has been in the market for centuries.
Initially produced in parts of south Kashmir, mostly in the Pulwama district, a number of areas in Kashmir periphery adopted this art to manage the requirements of the UT. Tweed is being produced in parts of north and central Kashmir like Bandipore and Budgam as well. “There is not much difference between the famous Harris Tweed and the Kashmir Tweed, however Kashmir Tweed could not have much presence in the global markets because of processing deficiencies and branding”, said Director H&H. By registering Kashmir Tweed for GI it is expected that all the stakeholders involved shall get benefitted, he added.
UT of J&K already has two major facilities for processing of the wool, one at UNDP under the ambit of Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir and another facility at JKI which has been at fore front in ensuring a sustained supply of raw material as well as manufacturing of Tweed in the valley.
The Handicrafts and Handloom Department has been facilitating the promotion of GI-tagged products symbolizing the empowerment of the artisans. These initiatives are aimed to help recognize and promote age-old crafts and methods that are otherwise in danger of being lost due to urbanization and industrialization.
So far seven major crafts from Kashmir namely Kani Shawl, Pashmina, Sozni, Paper-Machie, Walnut Wood Carving, Khatamband, and Hand Knotted Carpets have already been GI certified. Besides, the process of GI registration of seven more crafts viz., Kashmir Namda, Wagguv, Shikara, Gabba, Kashmir Willow Bat, Crewel and Chain Stitch is already under process and the dossier for GI certification of all these crafts has been submitted with the GI authorities in Chennai.
The Department of Handicrafts and Handloom from last 2 years has been continuously upgrading the testing and labelling facilities for GI certification of different crafts and because of the aggressive promotion of GI certification of different crafts by the Department, a huge number of manufacturers and exporters are approaching the department for testing and labelling of the GI certified products.
The Department is also in process of launching the QR-Code-based GI labelling of 6 crafts as QR-Code-GI labelling for Carpets was already initiated, and additionally, non-GI crafts will also be brought under the ambit of QR code Labeling, said Director H&H.
Moreover, the visitors have also shown much interest in purchasing exclusive GI-certified crafts post these efforts of promoting Geographical Indication throughout the country and away.
JAMMU: The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha gave its approval to Lieutenant Governor’s Rolling Cultural and Sports Trophies for government employees.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor and Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K attended the meeting.
This initiative is part of the overall policy of Government to promote sporting activities, on one hand, and HR welfare policy of the Government, on the other hand. The sports events are expected to inculcate values like competition, discipline, teamwork and will lead to overall personality development of the employees. As part of the initiative, exclusive teams shall be formed for female employees to encourage them also. It will also act as an vent to the employees who work in taxing environment besides improving skills to tackle challenging jobs in hand.
Under the initiative, the Culture Department, in association with the General Administration Department, shall also organize cultural activities viz. debates, poetry, quiz and painting competitions etc. spanning across a calendar year to promote creativity among the employees, on the one hand, and local culture, on the other hand.
The AC approved the proposal of participation of employees in scores of sporting disciplines viz. cricket, football, volleyball, table tennis, hockey etc. which shall be organised in close association of the General Administration Department and the Youth Services and Sports Department (J&K Sports Council).
SRINAGAR: The recasting and re-modelling of British era Polo View market has led the 35-odd traders to book losses in 2022. The project is part of the Smart City Srinagar project.
The exquisite flower shops, magnificent shawl outlets, the shops donning papier machie items, restaurants, and many other stores are all bearing the brunt of the market’s redevelopment, which is going on to turn the roadway into a concrete sitting space.
Earlier, the market had its own parking space to provide a hassle-free experience to commuters and visitors.
As per the Smart City Mission, the market would be decorated by installing benches on the stretch, which has been made a no-vehicle zone. The market would come up as a model for the redevelopment of other such markets in the city. The government has already spent Rs 5 crore.
The traders are unsure if the market’s mighty Chinars would survive.
Chinar Development Officer, Tariq ul Habib, said the laid guidelines suggest that no construction work can undertaken at a place nearby a Chinar.
“There has to be a 40 feet demarcation at a place beholding Chinar where construction work has to be taken up,” he said.
A shop owner said, “Customers are unable to park their cars. They have to park their cars somewhere else and walk to shop here which creates a problem for them. It is causing loss to our business.”
A parking space on one side of the market’s shops has now been turned into a road. Earlier, the shoppers as well as the owners used to park their vehicles in that space to access the market.
With the parking gone, the footfall to the market has significantly nosedived. The lack of parking space is adding to the mess. If the customers park cars nearby, they attract fines.
Mohammad Amin, a shop owner at Polo-View Lane said, “Since the Smart City initiative began, we have undergone significant losses. We have met with the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Srinagar and other relevant authorities multiple times during the past year.”
The deadline for completion of the Polo-View market is the end of February 2023.
Chief Engineer Smart City Mission Iftikhar Kakroo said that they area aware of the issues the traders have flagged. “The traffic that was passing through the Polo View is now diverted from a new road behind the same market,” he said. “Power distribution lines that were over ground have gone underground.”
In terms of reports of the slow speed of work, Kakroo said that the endeavour is at its finishing phase, as the path tiles are being laid. “For this venture, we were able to arrange for the activity to be done without hindering traffic movement,” he said, noting that the work will be concluded by the end of February.
Kakroo asserted that the store owners are supporting us and to their advantage each advancement is being monitored vigilantly in order to forestall any complications.
Regarding the parking conditions, he declared that a detailed parking plan is established throughout the region. “Chosen spots have been pinpointed to circumvent the parking dilemma for the retailers,” he continued, affirming that in the past the path was utilised there for parking objectives.
