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Boom time for private security agencies
Jammu, December 2 Industry in general and hospitality sector in particular has turned to private security agencies that are already in great demand in the terrorism hit state. Managing director of a leading security agency Uttam Singh Sambyal said, “We are receiving calls from leading and middle scale hotels, expensive show rooms and shopping malls inquiring about the security being provided by us. There are inquiries related to cost of hiring round the clock security watch and quality of service.” With a view to safeguard commercial interests from probable militant attacks, thefts and violence, the concept of private security concerns had germinated nearly a decade and a half ago. It received a big boost with the arrival of manufacturing houses availing tax holidays offered by the state government. Sambyal said the local industry has been curtailing expenditure after taking cue from recent recession in the international market. Expenditure on security was the biggest casualty. However, it seemed that the industrialists have refrained from withdrawing security men. Opening up of private security firms has come a long way as the city now boasts off about 15 of them. Roughly, it employs about 10,000 people. Private security guards have been employed for the protection of industrial manufacturing centres located in Jammu’s periphery, Bari Brahmana and Samba, towers of private telecommunication companies, warehouses and infrastructure companies. Apart from these, guards have been deployed on major roads and railway projects initiated by the government agencies. Owner of a security agency Rajinder Singh Jamwal said able-bodied youth, the former army and paramilitary men form major chunk of these guards. However, there is hardly any private security agency that owns a training institute. According to the central government’s notification these agencies must have their own training schools. In response to a question security guard Harbans Singh manning the entrance of a private bank here said he was trained in firearms for virtue of his previous stint with the army and later he had undergone re-orientation. “Re-orientation programme was extremely important for even experienced security personnel,” said Aditya, another security agency owner of the city.
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Jammu school a victim of neglect
Jammu, December 2 Though the state government wasted no time in declaring it a heritage monument, the walls of its four monumental buildings consisting of 45 classrooms have been caving in. A look at the dilapidated condition of the buildings bring to fore the callousness of the authorities. After repeated requests, the roads and buildings department has released a paltry sum of Rs 9 lakh for its renovation, said principal of the school N.R. Dingra. Irony of the fact has been that instead of handing over the building to a proper agency for its protection and maintenance as a heritage monument, a urinal has been constructed adjacent to the main entrance of the school that scares away all the passersby due to the foul smell that emanates out of it. This urinal has been a constant cause of concern for the students and the teaching faculty, who time and again requested the Jammu Municipal Corporation for relocating this urinal but their pleas have not paid desired results so far. Dingra said, “I have appealed many a times to the commissioner of Jammu Municipal Corporation regarding this problem and even dashed-off written complaints but hitherto corporation has done nothing”. Airing similar views vice-principal Jagdeep Padha said, “Exactly on the other side of these urinals inside school premises, we have chemistry and biology laboratories. The foul smell emanating from these urinals makes it difficult for the students to conduct day to day practical classes”. Apart from dilapidated condition of the school that has a history of producing many luminaries, today it sans adequate teaching faculty. Once considered to be a hub of academic excellence, there are only 96 teachers for around 3,700 students. On the other hand, there should be one teacher for every 30 students as per the government rules. The school had engaged teachers on attachment basis but still there has been shortage of lecturers in subjects like English, environmental science, computer science and physical
education.
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First woman to contest from militancy-hit area
Sungli (Reasi), December 2 Although political parties have promised to give quota to women, however, their assurances have remained on papers only. But there are some brave women who have voluntarily come forward to face this challenge. One such woman, Mumtaz Kousar, a student of Jammu University, who is fighting electoral battle in the conflict zone of Gulabgarh segment. It is not the question whether she would lose or emerge as victorious in the ongoing electoral battle but she has already been acclaimed as trendsetter in backward mountainous belt of Reasi district. She has launched aggressive campaign in the areas- widely considered as hinterland of militants. For contesting elections from the Gulabgarh assembly segment, where militants still have domination in some pockets, one needs a brave heart. Kousar, who is doing her doctorate from Jammu University, has exhibited courage and jumped into the electoral battle from a constituency where even men think twice to participate in the democratic process due to terrorist threat. Mumtaz Kousar has broken the jinx as she is the first woman candidate from this pre-dominated Muslim constituency. Unlike other women contesting elections from different parts of the state, Mumtaz Kousar does not belong to the family having political background. Daughter of a schoolteacher, she belongs to an orthodox middle class family where girls even hesitate to come forward to cast their votes. She has been battling on two fronts,fighting electoral battle with political stalwarts and confronting social stigma of the male dominated society. "For a woman contesting
elections is not an easy task. It was really a challenge and I took it seriously", says overenthusiastic Mumtaz, who has already covered the whole constituency twice. Giving reasons for her joining politics, Mumtaz said it is all due to the pathetic condition of her area that she has decided to join the electoral battle. Optimistic Mumtaz, who is contesting election on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claimed that instead of raking up ethnic divide she is concentrating more on development issues. She pointed out that successive elected representatives in this belt have exploited innocent people in the name of caste and creed. The stalwarts have always represented the Gulabgarh assembly segment and a novice like Mumtaz Kousar could never think of joining fray from this constituency. But Kousar took it as a challenge. Mohammad Ayub Khan had remained MLA of this segment from 1957 to 1972. And another stalwart Haji Buland Khan, who represented this segment in 1977, 1983 and 1987, dislodged him.
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Winged guests add to reserve’s beauty
Srinagar, December 2 Since ages this world famous wetland reserve, which has been reduced to seven sq km from 14 sq km, has been attracting avian guests from distant lands as far as Siberia, Europe, South and South East Asia, during winter season. As winter has already set in, migratory visitors are here. More avian guests are expected this season due to early snowfall and favourable temperature. “Inward migration starts after October 20 and outward migration in first week of March,” says Mohammad Maqbool Baba, wildlife warden, Hokersar Wetland Reserve, adding that wetlands have been kept ready before hand as more birds are expected. It is just blissful nowadays to witness crack of dawn amidst chirping of migratory birds in the wetland reserve. In mornings, sky can be seen full of birds, soaring higher and higher. Afternoons are somewhat relaxed, as most of avian guests are busy preying upon fish and insects in the shrinking wetland area. However, few hours spent over here depict despicable apathy and neglect with which the government is treating this wonderful reserve. “Encroachments are very old and sub-judice," says Baba. Quietness at wetland is occasionally broken by en masse flight of the guests when they are suddenly disturbed. Four to five lakh migratory birds are reported in Hokersar wetland and two to three lakh in Shalabugh. The avian guests include different species of Egret, Gadwall, Pintail, Malard, Brahmny Duck (an endangered specie), Shoveller, Star Limbs and many more. The highest congregation of Malard in North India is reportedly noted in Hokersar. “Breeding of Malard, Water Rail (comes in April-May) and Little Egrets, in rare quantity, take place here. It can be improved by protection and halting biotic interference,” says Baba. Two Common Shell ducks have been reported for the first time here. Birds like Cotton Teal and Feezen Tail Jacana are not cited in wetland now. "It is a biological and natural change," says Baba. No case of bird flu has been reported here so far. "Birds are constantly monitored. We are equipped with mechanism to check bird flu, if detected,” the warden says. “We make all efforts to avoid poaching. Little water that gets collected in nearby paddy fields attracts birds, which increase chances of poaching.” He says six cases of poaching were referred to court last year. "For anti-poaching we should be supported by the police and judiciary,” says Baba.
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Ayurvedic dispensaries get stepmotherly treatment
Jammu, December 2 About 245 ayurvedic dispensaries spread across the Jammu region have been grappling with various shortcomings, including staff shortage, inadequate supply of medicines etc. One such dispensary is located in Nai Basti. The government has deputed only one doctor here, who visits the dispensary only twice a week. Running from the premises of a temple, it is operating with the help of a trust, which has employed some retired doctors, besides arranging for medicines. However, the same is not the case with dispensaries located in the far-flung areas of the state. Let alone facilities, a number of dispensaries do not even have display boards making it difficult for patients to
locate them. As many as 45 health centres were converted to ayurvedic dispensaries about 25 years ago. A practitioner said these dispensaries had been functioning with a sole functionary in the form of medical officer. “The medical officer has to perform multiple jobs, including those of peon and helper,” he said, adding that the government did not bother to look into the functioning of these dispensaries after their formation. “Allopathic doctors were reluctant to join dispensaries located in the remote areas. Hence, ayurvedic practitioners were recruited but they were not given the supporting staff to smoothly run the affairs," he added. He also said staff was deputed through a stopgap arrangement for nearly 60 dispensaries, which were opened during the past five to eight years.
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“Licence” to break traffic rules
Jammu, December 2 The drivers of these privileged vehicles of babus and netas give a damn to traffic rules in the absence of their masters, posing a threat to the safety of commoners. Such vehicles have virtually become a nuisance for the people, especially girls who go to schools and colleges on two- wheelers, said a Jammu University student on the condition of anonymity. "At times, drivers of such vehicles in absence of the master, cause harassment to girls. They deliberately do not give passage to girls riding two- wheelers," she added. If this had been a girl's grievance, then on several occasions it had been found that kith and kin of bureaucrats use these vehicles for their convenience. A shopkeeper, who runs a showroom of branded apparels at the Apsara Road, said families of such officials seldom care about traffic rules and park their vehicles in the middle of the road much to the chagrin of poor traffic constable, who feels hapless. Echoing similar views another shopkeeper in the Raghunath bazar said in this market it has become a routine affair. Officials from the civil administration and the security forces frequently come to the Raghunath Temple along with their families and their vehicles remain parked right in front of the temple causing traffic snarls for hours. Bizarre as it may sound, but in restive Jammu and Kashmir, even office bearers of the different political parties and retired officials carry red lights atop their private vehicles. Commenting on this a police officer said with no serious check on misuse of beacon lights, the office bearers of political parties continue to flout laws with impunity. It appears that using beacon lights in the state had become a status symbol, he added. Official sources told The Tribune that the general administration department had issued an order on beacon lights. It had been stated that to economise on manpower and resources and to reduce inconvenience to general public, red lights would be used only on vehicles of ministers and chief secretaries, while others would be removed.
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Letter
While the number of vehicles on the roads of the winter capital is increasing rapidly, the traffic management has gone from bad to worse. Mini-buses and matadors, the most utilised means of public transport, are the real “trouble makers”. Their drivers don’t care two hoots about the traffic norms. They drive the vehicles rashly, putting to risk the lives of the passengers as well as road users. They would pick up and drop the passengers by halting their vehicles right in the middle of the road, which often leads to traffic jams on the already congested city roads. The Darbar Move and the ongoing election campaign have further added to the commuters' woes. On the other hand, the traffic police, though short of hands, seems least bothered to regulate the traffic. The traffic cops instead of regulating the traffic flow stand on the roadsides waiting for some commuters to violate norms so that they could challan them.
Deepak Sharma,
Jammu
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Letters, J&K Plus, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030.
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