State of the art IT park to be set up at Ompora

* ‘IT park is expected to generate 25000 jobs’

SA SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Mar 26: With an aim to attract multinational companies (MNCs) to set up their units in Kashmir, the state government is mulling over an idea of setting up information technology parks (ITP) in Kashmir.

A state-of-the-art information technology park will be set up at Ompora Budgam, which would be ready by the end of this year.

Speaking to Kashmir Times, minister for information technology, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, said that his department is expecting to generate 20000 to 25000 jobs through the MNCs expected to set up their units at ITP.

“We are expecting companies like Raheja, Panchsheel, Tata Consultancy et al to set up their franchises by the year end,” he said.

The minister had convened a meeting of officers of departments of Information Technology, Industries and Commerce and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) at his civil secretariat office in Jammu today.

Ruhullah said that around 200 kanals of land at Ompora have already been earmarked for the establishment of ITP.

“I have also directed the officers of Industries and Commerce to identify more 200 kanals of land at Ompora for the purpose,” he told Kashmir Times. “We are planning to set up IT parks across Kashmir valley and Jammu to make Jammu and Kashmir IT-friendly state.”

The minister said that he has also asked the STPI to survey the area and submit concrete Detailed Project Report (DPR).

He said that the government was also contemplating to launch SWAN (state-wide area network) in the state.

“All block, tehsil, district level government offices will be connected through SWAN,” he said. “SWAN will facilitate the working in offices. The applicant will not have to move from one office to another, and any kind of record can be retrieved at any office.”

Celebrating Navroz!

S.A. SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Mar 21: Zehra has prepared some special dishes for her guests. The sweet aroma fills her kitchen as she gets ready to host her guests. After spreading the dastarkhwan (ceremonial dining spread) with elaborate dishes, she is eagerly waiting for her guests to arrive. “Today is a day for celebrations,” she says.

Navroz-e-Alam is celebrated with great fervour in Kashmir. Varieties of dishes are prepared according to the traditions and served to family members. Spinach and Nadroo (Lotus stem) are hot favourites and you would hardly find a single household which has not prepared Spinach and Nadroo dishes.

Youngsters wear new clothes and visit their relatives’ home and greet them. In return, they are paid cash as eidi (gifts) by their elders.

The exchange of greetings is not confined to youngsters only, but elders also visit their relatives’ home or neighbours’ home to greet each other.

Navroz is essentially a traditional ancient new year festival of Iran. It is also referred to as Persian New Year. Thanks to the cultural and traditional alliance between Kashmir and Persia, this festival has been celebrated in Kashmir also from pre-Islamic times.

Iranian’s believe that it was on the day of Navroz that the universe came into being, sun shone for the first time, Adam was bestowed with the soul, Noah’s Ark got rescued, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) summoned his last sermon to the mankind, and Ali got married to Bibi Fatima. The day also marks the beginning of blossoming spring and end of winter.

Pertinently, the day has no religious significance, it is purely cultural. It is largely due to the cultural influence of Perisa (nowadays Iran) on Kashmir, also referred to as Iran-e Sagheer, that March 21 is celebrated as Navroz every year.

Kashmiri Pandits also celebrate Navroz (or Navreh) on a date around the ‘vernal equinox’, between mid-March and mid-April.

Similar to the Iranian tradition of Haft Sin (seven dishes), Thal Bharun (meaning 'filling the platter') is a major Pandit Navroz tradition. The items on the tray generally include rice, wheat, a sweet pudding made from milk, and cereal, fruits, walnuts, rosewater, a coin, a pen, an ink-holder, a mirror, and a lit diya or clay lamp.

Official website of Budgam distt is poorly maintained

*No mention of Shamsud-ud-Din Iraqi tomb, Budgam shrine

SAS

SRINAGAR, Mar 23: Welcome to the official website of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, a website that rarely gets updated. The website of Budgam, which happens to be the home district of minister for information technology, is poorly maintained and lacks some vital information about the district. Pertinently, the district websites are supposedly designed with an aim of e-governance so that people can get quick information, make quick contacts and quick decisions.

Missing tombs and shrines!
The website has no mention of some of the revered shrines in the district, including that of the tomb of Hazrat Mir Shams-ud-Din Iraqi at Chadoora and Budgam Astan (shrine), where Ayatollah Aga Syed Mehdi and Ayatollah Aga Syed Yousuf and many other venerated saints are buried.

‘Page cannot be found’
The photographs on the website are very old and outdated. Most of the photographs, it appears, were uploaded over six years ago. There is a ‘contact us’ link on website, which fails to connect to the webmaster.

Another link called ‘Development scenario’ was supposed to list the latest development work going on in the district for information of general public. The ‘latest information’ on this link says, “Page cannot be found’.

There is also a ‘Grievance’ link, which also fails to submit information.

The much-talked-about ‘News Line’ link of the website also fails to open. ‘The page can not be found’ is what will appear on your computer screen once you click on it.

Day 4: Driver who killed 9-yr-old boy still at large

*SP sahib, Khomeini chowk falls well within municipal limits

SAS

BEMINA, Mar 20: Four days after a rashly driven tipper mowed down a Kindergarten boy, Iqbal Malik, at Bemina, police have failed to arrest the culprit driver of the tipper.

The residents have threatened to launch a stir if the driver was not arrested and brought to book.

The mishap:
A nine-year old boy –on his way to Madrasa (religious school) - had died Wednesday morning when a rashly driven tipper, bearing registration number JK01F/0904, ran over him. The boy was shifted to SKIMS Soura where he succumbed to his injuries. A case under FIR no 659/010 was registered at police post Bemina.

Wail of a mother!
Iqbal, the only male child of his parents, was a student of Shah-e Hamadan School Bemina. Living in a makeshift tin shed with his parents and three sisters, Iqbal’s father wanted his son to earn a name for himself. He did earn a name…. after death!

His mother has not stopped lamenting ever since she saw her son’s body lying in a pool of blood. Her tears have dried up, her voice has disappeared, her arms have got tired, but her eyes are pinned on the door, hoping for her son’s return. Hoping against hope! She has only one wish: “Bring back my son”.

Deadly stretch!
Over 1500 tippers ply on Bemina-Mirgund road round the clock. Given the traffic flow and width of the road, this five kilometer stretch is considered accident prone.

The road has claimed several precious lives and half a dozen have been maimed for life, but no substantial measure has been taken by the concerned authorities to save human lives. There is hardly a speed breaker on the road, which makes the road more vulnerable. The authorities have not deemed it necessary to construct a speed-breaker even near schools.

Restrictions & Ill-informed officer:
All areas falling within the Municipality limit were declared ‘no entry’ zones for heavy loaded tippers and trucks during day hours. The order, unfortunately, is partly implemented. Superintendent of police (Traffic), Showkat Hussain Shah, Friday claimed that entry of heavy vehicles were banned in city municipal limits during daytime, and that the Wedneday’s fatal accident had occurred outside the Municipal limits.

Ironically, Bemina, up to Khumeini Chowk, falls under the jurisdiction of SMC. The mishap occurred at Yousuf Abad, which falls well within the Municipal limits.

I’ll miss you uncle

SAS

It has been 20 days since you left us for heavenly abode. We are unable to come to terms with your sudden death. Our tears have dried up. We feel our heart sink to the depth of hell. The silence of your absence is deafening. How we long to see your radiant face again!

It’s hard to make ourselves believe that you will never come back from the heavens. You were a wonderful father, a dutiful son, a loving brother and of course a caring uncle. Your loss has left us completely shattered and devastated.

I still remember my school days when you would walk a distance of four kilometers everyday to bring us tiffin from home.

You were a guide, a mentor and a source of inspiration for us all in terms of piety and righteousness.

I will never forget those five days I spent with you in Ward no 11 of SMHS hospital. I am sorry for not having been able to fulfill your last wish of getting you a hookah, you were virtually married to!

It’s hard to forget the conversation we had en route back home after discharged from the hospital. I still feel your presence whenever I sit in the car.

It’s hard to forget the pain you endured at the fag end of your life. We did our best to alleviate your pain, but all in vain. They say, death is the best healer. Indeed, it is. In death you found the eternal solace.

I salute your tolerance. You never complained about the pain. Even during the last days of your life, when you were going through terrible pain, you preferred not to tell us; instead you would bite your dry lips and rub your abdomen to ease away your pain.

We all miss you. I am sure you are looking down on us from the heavens. I wonder what it is like up there, but I know in my heart of hearts that you are doing good! I want you to know that I love you.

End slice:
“The dead they sleep a long, long sleep;
The dead they rest, and their rest is deep;
The dead have peace, but the living weep.” Samuel Hoffenstein

PS: I want to thank all those who stood by us in our hour of grief.