Srinagar: Fear of being bitten by the stray dogs has gripped the students, staff and faculty members of Kashmir University, where large number of dogs have taken over the campus, roaming in groups and attacking anyone, whosoever comes in their way.

According to reports received by CNS from the campus, these stray dogs have so far bitten many students, due to which students and staff of the University are living under continuous fear. The groups of dogs are seen marching the campus, right from entry gates to every nook and corner, making it impossible for the students and staff to reach to their respective departments.Students told CNS reporter that these stray dogs usually attack female students, which has terrorized them and they fear even in entering the campus gate.

They said, “University authorities should look into the matter on priority basis as the presence of huge number of stray dogs is posing a great threat to student and teacher community.”

They said particularly during the evening hours, after the sunset, these stray dogs occupy every area of the University campus, including the hostel area and attack everyone, who ventures out, which has made it impossible for them to move in the campus.

They further said, “Despite requesting University authorities a number of times to make arrangements for getting rid of these canines, who are ruling the campus, nothing has been done so far to rescue us from dog menace.”They requested University administration to resolve the issue of the menace of the stray dogs in the campus and save them from the threat of being bitten by them and infected by rabies. (CNS)

Srinagar: With summer just about to begin the people in summer capital Srinagar are already anguished with routine water scarcity.

A source inside Public Health Engineering (PHE) department Rajbagh said that for the last more than two months, more than two lakh people are without water supply as government has failed to fix the breach in Malshai Bagh canal in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

He added that Malshai Bagh canal, which supplies water to three treatment plants– Rangil, Shuhama and Alasteng — caters to over two lakh people in the Srinagar outskirts. “The water canal developed breach in the first week of December. Two months passed, breach is yet to be fixed.”

Inhabitants of various city areas complained of water scarcity. The areas facing water shortage include Soura, Anchar, Elahi Bagh, Gulab Bagh, Nowshera, Lal Bazar, Alasteng, Shuhama, Habak, Zukra, Batpora, Hazratbal, Saderbal, Saida Kadal, Kashmir University, National Institute of Technology (NIT), and more.

Pertinently, last month, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan also directed concerned engineers to speed up restoration work on Malshahi- Bagh canal before February 15. However, the given deadline is already over.

Wazeera Banoo, a local of Saida Kadal told Kashmir News Trust that people in the area have to fetch water from one kilometer to get a drinking water. “During harsh winter, it was very difficult to fetch drinking water from nearby area which is a kilometer away from our house,” she said.

Begum added women of the area face countless problems and government has “failed to resolve their water issues”.

Another local Tasleema Jan, a resident of Elahi Bagh Soura said severe shortage of drinking water during peak of winter season has forced them to drink polluted water.

“We often used to collect snow in buckets and wait for it to melt and then use water. Often we were consuming polluted water for other purposes, due to which diseases have increased in the area. Dozens of people are suffering from cough, common cold and fever,” she said.

Jan said people are concerned with the health conditions in the area, and the government’s negligence has made them vulnerable to various diseases.

People also lamented, despite they have made repeated pleas to the authorities but “things remained unchanged on the ground.”

“We knocked doors of PHE department. They assured to resolve the problem soon but nothing happened,” they said.

Adding although officials assured special water tankers for the areas but authorities rarely visit these areas.

“How can one tanker of water be sufficient for seven hundred households,” locals questioned.

They now demand concerned authorities for speedy restoration of the work so that they will not suffer any more.

A senior official at the Public Health Engineering Department (PHE) office in Raj Bagh noted that the breach portion has been fixed, but the water flow is inadequate yet to meet the demand of people. “Department has almost placed four pipes to bypass the breach but still the water supply and demand does not meet yet,” he said.

It is not the first time that water canals in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal have suffered breach. In 2018 the residents of Beehama and Malshia  Bagh complained of living in panic after embankment of Beehama canal turned weak.

Sources said the canal supplies water to Rangil water treatment plant. The treatment plant supplies portable water to Srinagar and breach in any canal has affected water supply to Srinagar and leading to portable water crisis in Srinagar city.(KNT)

Pulwama : Geology and Mining Department has miserably failed to check self-styled contractors who loot sand diggers to their content. Ironically, the department has not given any rights to these contractors and yet they demand royalty from sand diggers.

The sand diggers from Samboora, Kanahbal and Behibagh areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district told Kashmir News Trust that some self-styled contractors demand royalty from them, though Department of Geology and Mining has not invited tenders yet. “We collect sand from different block of river Jehlum and for 100 feet sand, the self-styled contractors who claim to be having block-rights charge Rs 700 from us. It is injustice towards us as we have already suffered a lot,” they said.

They said that neither Geology and Mining Department has invited tenders nor it has given rights to any contractor and yet some self styled contractors in connivance with the department employees resort to loot and charge royalty from poor sand diggers.

When contacted, Geology and Mining Officer, Pulwama, Suhail Ahmed told KNT that though they have invited tenders for different blocks of river Jehlum but has not given rights to any contractor to collect royalty from sand diggers. “If some people demand or collect royalty then it is illegal and they are liable for punishment,” he said.

The official added a rate list will be made public shortly and nobody will be allowed to loot any sand digger.

Meanwhile, Jammu Kashmir Central Contractors Coordination Committee led by Farooq Ahmed Dar staged protest against Geology and Mining Department for not allowing sand diggers to extract sand from the river. They alleged that the department frequently detains tucks loaded with sand as a result contractors suffer a lot. They appealed the Department to fix the rate of royalty and stop harassing sand diggers. (KNT)

Jammu: Thousands of workers of Jammu and Kashmir’s public health engineering (PHE) department clashed with police on Wednesday as their march to Raj Bhawan here to demand pending wages was stopped midway.

The workers, including casual labourers and daily wagers, began the march from the chief engineer’s office.

A large contingent of police had closed the route at BC road and did not allow the protesters to proceed towards Raj Bhawan, triggering a clash between the demonstrators and police personnel, officials said.

The PHE workers continued to protest at the spot for over two hours, raising anti-administration slogans and resulting in a road blockade, they said.

A leader of the protesters said, “We urge Lieutenant Governor G S Murmu to look into the issues pertaining to regularisation (of our jobs) and release of wages to daily rated workers.”

These workers have been working sincerely for the department for the past many years, but unfortunately they have been neglected, he said.

The PHE workers have been on a strike since February 7.

Besides release of pending wages, they have been demanding regularisation of their jobs, filling up of vacant posts, repair and maintenance of faulty pumping houses and water stations, and basic facilities at water stations for the staff.

The strike has impacted utility services, leading to a drinking water crisis in most parts of Jammu and Srinagar.