SRINAGAR
Strictly following the example that it set for the “rescue” during September 2014 floods, the army is going for “rehabilitation” now. It has contributed items worth Rs 25 lakh including 25 computers, two buses, laboratory items, furnishing of a hostel building, 2500 blankets, 100 camping tents, luggage bags and some furniture to the University of Kashmir, an institution that was not even remotely touched by floods. Ignoring the debate that should the University of Kashmir have resorted to this begging when Kashmir had many institutions literally decimated by the floods, the real issue is that if army’s 2014 “rescue” cost J&K Rs 500 crore, how much the 2015 “rehabilitation” could cost?
JAMMU
Summer capital is waiting for its new star: Mohit Dutta, a young man whom destiny helped from being Mithun Chakrabortys fan to an actor in the Chakraborty Productions film Ishqedarriyaan. Playing a singer Arjun’s role, he has already sung a number Das ve Rabba das bi in the film. Dutta has studied acting from Anupam Kher Institute of Film and Drama in Mumbai. Mahaakshay Chakraborty and Evelyn Sharma are other actors of the film. Dutta has earlier acted in Apoorva Lakhia’s Hide & Seek, besides, some advertisements of OCM, Airtel, Canon, Eno, Colgate, Link Locks, and Hercules Cycle. Interestingly his family in Jammu has requested people to turn up in good numbers to watch their ward become Jammu’s new star.
DODA
Last week the residents in Paneen village were enraged after Mohammed Javed was accused of raping a seventh standard girl. Father refused to go to police and instead asked the local Panchayat to get him justice. Local Panchayat offered him two options: pay Rs 5 lakh to the family or get ready for the punishment. Javed opted for the latter. So the Panchayat dragged him out of his home, shaved his head off and took him out on a donkey and paraded him in the entire tehsil of Bagwah wearing a garland of sandals and shoes. People spit on him and humiliated him for his crime. Finally, Panchayat married him to the victim. Javed has already married twice and his second wife has deserted him. Did the Panchayat deliver justice or committed another crime?
DESSA
Amid the fierce debate over the teacher-student ratio and the rented, owned premises of schools in Jammu and Srinagar, there is a tad shocker. The school in Gai village of Doda’s Dessa established in 1970s has teachers and students but no space. For the last 10 years, it operates in open which makes it weather dependent. It has five teachers 135 students and sixty percent of them, girl students. Interesting part is the District Education Officer operating from 35 kms from Dessa is unaware of it. Does Naeem Akhter know?
MUMBAI
Reel life starts have compulsions to stay away from their fans, especially in Kashmir. But there are small crowds they oblige. Salman Khan did many things in Kashmir to stay in news. And Kareena Kapoor who later joined him on the sets of Bajrangi Baijaan could not stay away. During shooting, some Bollywood-special sites reported, when the lead actress was informed that a group of girls have bunked their classes and wanted to see her, she took some time off and invited them to her vanity van. They saw her wardrobe and were excited. It was to this group of unknown college goers, the actress has promised to “gift” (and not donate as earlier reported) her official dresses in the film.
URI
Shabir Ahmad lives in Chukar village in the other Kashmir and he came driving to Uri to meet his cousins in Uri. After spending many days in the town, he finally decided to visit Atta Mohammad Chalko in Silikote, an Uri village that lives between LoC and the fence. As Shabir’s family reached the gate of the fence, they were sent back. Reason: No guest can get into the fenced villages without prior clearance. Police say they will settle the issue and Shabir cannot go home without meeting his relatives, one and all!
LEH
Come spring and Leh gets ambitious. Tourism apart, the new target that Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) has set for itself is a Ladakhi women Army battalion. The argument is that area is strategic and women of the area are sturdy, well adapted to the harshness of the high-altitude environs and will follow the Ladakh Scouts in defending the region’s border with China and Pakistan. They made a formal demand before India’s defence minister saying it will address region’s unemployment issues. Leh is home to a special core that came up after 1999 Kargil war.
J&K’s education ministry has served mid-day meal to school children on 153 days a year against the approval of 176 days. Where has the rest of it gone?
In the 10th standard results, Kashmir recorded a pass percentage of 71.85% as compared to 62.27% in Jammu. Of Kashmir’s 50535 students and Jammu’s 51442, only 36308 and 27626 passed, respectively
