RAJOURI
NC leader Devendra Singh Rana led a grand delegation to Kesar Gala to mourn the assassination of its Kalakote activist Ishtiyaq by a VDC member. He had barely concluded when VDC struck again, killing a mother-son duo. For all these years, strong voices have been around for disarming VDCs as it has outlived its utility. Every time, however, the government has been strongly protective of retaining this Hindu dominated extra-judicial force. This time, BJP is in power and VDC has been its support base. This was primarily why Dy CM has come in support of VDC. What next? Somebody ask Fairview.
UDHAMPUR
The residue has started to cost even beyond Banihal Tunnel. Bola Ram’s three sons – Vikas (15), Deepu (10) and Meheshu (7) – were helping their poor father to manage the family expenses by rag-picking somewhere in Ramban periphery. All the three were bumped off in a blast at Birma bridge while unwittingly fiddling with an abandoned mortar shell. The powerful blast threw them away from the spot. The tragic incident was widely mourned. The government was swift in offering a compensation of Rs 4.50 lakh to Bola Ram. But the question is who had left a live shell around. By the way, does anybody know how many people have lost their lives in similar incidents in last 30 years?
UDHAMPUR
The residue has started to cost even beyond Banihal Tunnel. Bola Ram’s three sons – Vikas (15), Deepu (10) and Meheshu (7) – were helping their poor father to manage the family expenses by rag-picking somewhere in Ramban periphery. All the three were bumped off in a blast at Birma bridge while unwittingly fiddling with an abandoned mortar shell. The powerful blast threw them away from the spot. The tragic incident was widely mourned. The government was swift in offering a compensation of Rs 4.50 lakh to Bola Ram. But the question is who had left a live shell around. By the way, does anybody know how many people have lost their lives in similar incidents in last 30 years?
DOORU
Ahead of the local body polls announcement by the government, there has been a major development. The Panchayat Ghar in Hillar has been sealed and the poultry farm that was operating in it was closed. Interestingly, the Panchayat Ghar was rented out to a Rural Development Department employee Maqsood Beig for Rs 150 a month for rearing birds! It was happening for a few months. But after media broke the story, the BDO felt compelled to ban the business.
JAMMU
History moves in circles. Recently, state GAD moved a plan to extend the services of its standing counsel Feroz Ahmad by one year after getting two years extension post-retirement. Reason: law ministry felt the state may not run without him! In fact, the plan had been drafted in such a way that minister Basharat Bukhari seemingly felt that it was another advocate general in making. So he took recourse to what Maharja Hari Singh had once written when the finance ministry official retired and a strong demand was made to retain him. “State can run without Tata Ram,” Maharaja had written. In 2015, Bukhari used the same line to dispose off the file!
PATTAN
After his carpenter father couldn’t buy him a bicycle, the innovative Mudasir A Chinga collected old refills, thrown away aluminium and copper wires. He assembled them to form a cycle and finally placed a Miranda cold drink bottle as the seat. When Chinga, a Class 7 Govt school student, got his ‘self-made’ bi-cycle to school, all his mates were seen running in joy to get a ride. Now, that’s call a fun ride.
SRINAGAR
CM is not well! The news made rounds after he was flown to AIIMS in Union capital of India in the state aircraft. In an exercise of being a different CM, Sayeed spent last Tuesday touring Srinagar city. He started with reviewing the arrangements with “Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi” (SAW) and went into the interiors of the Old City, where he faced resenting youth. Hours after facing dislike, the 79-year-old Sayeed complained of uneasiness. But well before the rumour mills could go gunning, Sayeed is fit again.
