Kashmiri Pandit boy’s disappearance

Sage cashmeriana: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Srinagar, 29 April:  Five weeks on, there is no word about 21-year-old Kashmiri Pandit boy who went missing from his native village Chandrigam in South Kashmir’s Aishmuqam town.  Such instances are not new to Kashmir but Sushil Kumar’s disappearance is significant for two reasons. For one he is a non-Muslim Kashmiri Pandit. Two, his family is among hundreds of other Pandit families that chose to stay put when other Pandit citizens left Valley in 1990, due to mounting violence and a series of murders.

For years now disappearance of Kashmiri youth has been a global concern. Thousands of Kashmiris have gone missing, either in mysterious circumstances or in state custody. Even though the figures projected by state and local human rights bodies are contradictory safe estimates put the number of those missing around seven thousand. By this estimation more than hundred thousand people who are related to these disappeared persons are suffering the trauma. 

The suffering of ‘half-widows’ is a tragic aspect of this issue because the women whose husbands have gone missing are living an uncertain life, their children growing with a huge sense of insecurity.  There has been lot of international focus on this issue with global institutions supporting campaigns in Kashmir. Amidst such complex situation the disappearance of a Pandit boy should have evoked widespread concern among Kashmiri stakeholders. The nature of Sushil’s disappearance may or may not be like other disappearances yet it demanded a sharper response from the government as well as the separatist groups. But, unfortunately, both ignored this issue, triggering further alienation of the non-migrant Pandits. It took a month for main opposition Peoples Democratic Party to react and slam state government over the issue. At a time when mass graves have exposed the reality behind government denials about custodial disappearances and separatist forces too are being blamed for hatching conspiracies against colleagues, it is the moral duty of both mainstream and separatist leaders that they launch a joint effort to trace Sushil Kumar. 

The state government has big stakes in tracing this boy as it is spending huge money to woo back Pandits putting up in Jammu and elsewhere. If the state fails to trace him it will instil a sense of insecurity not just among those willing to return but among those eight thousand who have been living through all sorts of difficulties alongside their Muslim brethren. On the other hand, separatist leaders have taken upon themselves the arduous task of ‘protecting’ the minority community. Notwithstanding the question how can separatists protect minorities in a vicious conflict that is dotted with political massacres and murders, the separatists should side the victim family. 

Investigate the disappearance of Kashmiri Pandit youth: APDP

Srinagar, Apr 28: Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) demanded an investigation into the case of a youth, who has been missing since April 4, from south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

"When it comes to high profile political murders (like the one of Moulvi Showkat Ahmad Shah recently), police swiftly comes out with a chargesheet against some persons without even providing a shred of evidence, but when there are cases like Susheel no one seems to be interested in investigating," APDP said in a statement.

Susheel Raina, 21, of Chandergam village of Anantnag district had left his home to collect his marksheet from college but has not returned since. "Susheel's disappearance is an indicator of the continued phenomenon of people disappearing in Jammu and Kashmir," the APDP said.

APDP, which is an association of the relatives of youths who disappeared over the last 20 years, also held a protest at the Sher-e-Kashmir park in Srinagar demanding "independent and impartial" investigations into the phenomenon of "enforced disappearances".

Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) fear fresh migration, accuse Kashmir govt of callousness

SRINAGAR, Apr 27 :Accusing the state government of failing to trace the missing Pandit youth from Aishmuqam area All Parties Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) today said this scenario might lead to fresh migration among their community members, who are permanently residing in the valley or have recently returned, reports Kashmir Times.

A youth Sushil Raina of Chandigam Aishmuqam went missing on April 4  after he left his home for college to collect the marks sheet. Addressing media persons at missing youths residence at the  Chandrigam village, chairman of coordination committee Vinod Pandit said, "Nearly a month has passed since the Pandit boy went missing but unfortunately the government has been showing callous approach in tracing him."

He said  on one hand the government claims to rehabilitate the migrant KPs if they return to valley but on the other hand the government has failed to provide security to those Pandits who had preferred to stay back or have recently returned to join their duties in the valley.

"If the chief minister was really serious in the return and rehabilitation of  Pandits he would have then visited the family of missing youth and expressed a word of sympathy with them," Vinod said.

He viewed that if any thing bad happens to the missing youth it will create fear psychosis among the Pandit community and might result in fresh migration.

Warning the government of serious repercussions if it fails to trace out the youth, Vinod said, "The APMCC will initiate strong agitation if government does not give a time frame and traces out the missing youth in the given time frame."

He demanded setting up of Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a DIG rank police officer for tracing  the youth. However he hailed the efforts of the local Muslims in trying to look out for the missing youth.

Annual drug consumption in JK Rs 600 Cr

Lavatera cashmeriana : http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Srinagar, April 27: Warning pharmacists and chemists against Over The Counter (OTC) drug purchase, the Divisional Commissioner, Dr Asghar Samoon Tuesday said annual drug consumption in the State is Rs 600 Crores, reports Rissing  Kashmir.

He convened a high level meeting to discuss and review various drug control methods in the valley. “Rs. 600 crore of medicines are being consumed in the Jammu & Kashmir of which Rs. 400 crore in the Kashmir valley only,” Samoon said.

Expressing serious concern over the rising consumption of drugs, the Divisional Commissioner said the rising drug problem is one of the serious challenges we are facing today.  “No medicines, without prescription of the doctor, should be sold to patients,” he said and warned chemists and pharmacists against OVT.

Directing the Health and education sector to work in tandem to create mass awareness, particularly, among the youth in schools and colleges about the hazardous effects of drug use, he suggested Health Department to come up with the de-addiction centres and provide information on their websites on dos and don’ts for the people suffering from addiction.

Samoon directed the Pharmacists, Chemists and doctors to work with ethics while doing their work.  “Standard treatment protocols need to be followed so that patients don’t develop drug resistance and that there is no misuse of drugs.”

He suggested that a crackdown should be made on malpractices by pharmacists and doctors that no medical representatives should be allowed in OPDs and Casualties.

The Divisional Commissioner also stressed on the need to develop Private Sector in health so as to meet the requirements of the patients. He also stressed on exploring and encouraging other systems of medicine like Homeopathy and Allopathy.

Deputy Controller of Drug and Food Control Organisation, presented a Power Point presentation to highlight the efforts of the department. “The department, for the last year, conducted 8185 inspections out of which 645 samples were lifted from the government and private market and only six were found of standard quality. In addition 13 licenses were cancelled and 28 suspended for violating various provisions of drugs and cosmetics act. The food wing has conducted 16600 inspections and launched   prosecution almost 17 cases. In addition, Rs. 5600 was recovered as fine from 480 persons for smoking at public places,” he said.

The meeting also suggested that requisite training should be provided to those working in the medical and diagnostic field.

Samoon stressed that the Private diagnostic centres have to follow proper norms in space and facilities which should “preferably” be located on the ground floor.

The meeting, besides Principal Government Medical College, Dr. Shahida Mir, Director Health Services, Salim-ur-Rehman, Deputy Director Nazir Ahmed, was attended by Satish Gupta from Drug Control, Director ISM, Dr. Kabir and President of Chemists and Drug Association among other officials.