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12 Greater KashmirSRINAGAR | December 01, 2014, Monday

Private transporters on poll duty become silent victims of official apathyLose life, properties; Get nothing in return

HAROON MIRANI

Srinagar, Nov 30: When bus driver Muhammed Ismail, 55, on the orders of police drove away his bus for cover from stone pelting, he hit an electricity pole. Ismail lost his life and his conduc-tor Manzoor Ahmad, 45, present in the bus was grievously injured. Both were on parliamentary election duty on that fateful day.

“I clearly remember it was April 25. I was standing on the door of the bus when stone pelting crowd came nearer to us,” Manzoor recalled.

“We were frightened. As our escape route was blocked by the protestors the bus dashed the utility-pole touching the high voltage transmission line. That is the last thing I remember before every-thing went dark.”

When Manzoor regained conscious-ness three days after the incident at the hospital, doctors told him that it was a miracle that he was alive.

“The electric current passed through my body before it burst out through my toe,” Manzoor said in a soft voice, adding that the impact of the current

was such that it damaged his entire toe and he still took medicines. “My blood count had dropped to mere 3.5,” he recalled.

The case of Ismail and Manzoor mir-rors the dangers the drivers and clean-ers are exposed to when put on elec-tion duty in Kashmir. “We get killed and maimed. Our buses are damaged,” Mohammed Sultan, General Secretary Western Bus Service said. “While all this happens, nobody cares for us,” he rued.

Manzoor spent over rupees one lakh for four months’ sustained treat-ment but “I did not get a single penny from the government or the election commission as compensation. Nobody bothered to see me. The accident has rendered me disabled to work properly and that is again an economic loss to me,” Manzoor whose family comprises his spouse, three children and his par-ents, remarked.

The case of Irshad Ahmad (35) of Nishat, here, is even more tragic. While being on poll duty during last parliamentary elections he was driving through Kulgam where he came under

stone pelting. “A stone hit the window pane of the vehicle he was driving and the glass splinters pierced his eyes,” Sultan said.

“He lost his eyesight and his posi-tion has become that of a beggar. How can he now support his extend-ed family comprising his spouse, a daughter, his old mother and three sisters?”

“Be it Election Commission or the administration, all are play-ing with our lives,” a visibly angry Sultan said.

These elections too have started on a bad note for the transporters. A bus which was sent by PCR Srinagar to Jammu in connection with elec-tion related work, met with accident on National Highway near Banihal. Three persons including its driver Abdul Rashid Pir of Kupwara died in the accident.

“The bus was totally damaged and is still lying in the Nallah. None has talked about the compensation,” Sultan said.

A few vehicles have been dam-aged during stone pelting incidents

in Baramulla too. During the last par-liamentary elections the transporters suffered damage to 110 buses. “The average loss for common buses was Rs 50,000 and for deluxe buses Rs 90,000,” Sultan said.

“Government says that we are insured but the reality is our insurance usually applies for passenger related

activity. We have to pay for our losses from our own pockets.”

During the present elections, gov-ernment has requisitioned for 275 buses for election duty. “All of us fear for safety of our buses and safety of driver and conductors,” Sultan said.

Meanwhile, the transporters demand that they be given security for

their persons and vehicles. “We appeal the Election Commission of India to come out with guidelines for our well-being and compensate our injured and deceased drivers and cleaners on prior-ity basis,” Sultan said.

An official of Election Commission of India snapped the telephone line when asked for comment.

Tourist flow to Kashmir on decline: Traders seek govt supportRaise issues with chief secretary

Petrol, diesel price cutPRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Nov 30: Petrol price is cut by 91 paise a litre, the sev-enth reduction since August, and diesel by 84 paise per litre, the third straight cut, as

international oil rates continued to slump, on Sunday.Petrol and diesel price reduction will be effective from

midnight tonight, Indian Oil Corp, the nation’s largest fuel retailer, announced.

In Delhi, petrol price will cost Rs 63.33 a litre as compared to Rs 64.24 per litre previously while in Mumbai the reduction will be 96 paise to Rs 70.95 per litre.

Diesel will cost Rs 52.51 a litre in Delhi from tomorrow as against Rs 53.35 currently while in Mumbai the price will be cut by 93 paise to Rs 60.11 per litre.

Rates differ from state to state due to differential local sales tax or VAT rates.

Lassipora unit holders demand fire stationSrinagar, Nov 30: Unit holders at industrial growth centre Lassipora in Pulwama today appealed the authorities to establish a fire station in the centre to safeguard the manu-facturing units.

The unit holders said that there have been frequent fire incidents in the centre during last one year. “In a fresh fire incident on Saturday, one more industrial unit –Hamsaffer cottage industry was gutted causing huge loss machinery, material and building,” they said.

“Earlier five other business units were also gutted in similar fire incidents which made the industrial unit asso-ciation to demand for fire station in the center,” the associa-tion in a statement said.

The unit holders said they had brought the matter in the notice of authorities including CM “but the demand was never met.”

MUDASIR YAQOOB

Srinagar, Nov 30: A joint delegation of Kashmir-based various tourism bodies Saturday raised var-ious industry related issues with Chief Secretary Iqbal Khanday.

Nisar Shah, Coordina-tor, Tourism Trade Bodies’ Coordination Committee (TTBCC) who was part of the delegation told Greater Kashmir that various issues relating to tourism industry were raised with the chief secretary.

He said after the recent floods, the tourist flow to Kashmir has sharply come down. “In a bid to revive and promote the tourism sector, we informed the chief secre-tary that government sup-port at this juncture in this regard was highly impor-tant,” Shah said.

He said the tourist infrastructure at Gul-marg, Pahalgam and some other world famous tourist resorts was not affected by the floods. “So the public-ity and promotional pro-grammes supported by the government can play a major role to attract large number of tourists to these

places in Kashmir,” he said. Exuding confidence that

authorities would promote the Valley tourism, he said that chief secretary assured them all kind of help in this regard.

“We demanded that authorities should ensure vigorous publicity cam-paign for the upcoming year. Publicity campaign should be carried in both print and electronic media,” he said.

He said the delegation demanded that government should fight the misinforma-tion campaign being promot-ed by some vested interests

vis-à-vis Kashmir tourism. “The government should make clear to all that all the tourist places in Kashmir are safe and were not hit by the floods,” he said.

“Our demands included that authorities should take initiatives to undo the damage being done by the so-called talk shows presenting a wrong picture of post-flood Kashmir tourism.”

He said the delegation demanded that government should sponsor road shows, trade fairs and travel marts across India and abroad. “It should also give a major face-lift to Chinar Bagh, Zabar-

wan Park, Clock Tower Park at Lal Chowk, etc.”

E x p r e s s i n g satisfaction over the meeting, he said that Chief Secretary gave a patient hearing to the delegation.

“He (the chief secretary) also confirmed that he would person-ally take part in the forthcoming SATTE (Travel Mart) in Delhi and will also organize

a road show where besides Travel Trade and press, the Ambassadors / High Com-missioners of various coun-tries will be invited,” Shah said.

The District Development Commissioner of Srinagar was also present in the meet-ing.

The delegation was led by Mushtaq Ahamd Chaya, Chairman, J&K Hoteliers Club. Representatives of CCIK, TASK, TAAK, JKTA, PHAROA, UTAA, AKTO, PILTOF, ATOAK, TTIG, DTOAK, TAAI – JKC, IATO – JKC, ADTOI – JKC were part of the delegation.

DAIRAT-UL-KHANSADAIRAT-UL-KHANSAWomen's Islamic Centre; Soura, Manz Mohalla Anchar, Srinagar Kashmir.

AnnouncesAnnouncesThe Sealed Nectar Contest 2015

(Sisters Only)Dai'ratul Khansa announces The Sealed Nectar Contest 2015 (Jan).

The contest is about Prophe�c �io�raphy (Seerah) ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص.The ques�on �i�� be ��om Ar-Raheeq-ul-Makhtum

Issuance of forms from :15.12.2014 (Dec)Date of Examination 11.01.2015 (Jan)Timing of Exam 10:30 am 1:30 pm Venue: Soura Manz Mohalla SrinagarFor more details contact +919018750672, 9018246154, 9906505052

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Note: We at Dai'rat-ul Khansa teach Kitab al-Tawheed, Arabic(Kitab-u-Nausheen) through teleconferencing, one hour between

Magrib and Isha'. It is a sisters only venture.

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FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS

rd3 Prize (1,000)

st I Prize (6,000)

nd2 Prize(3,000)Principal BHSS Marhama (Bijbehara)

Anantnag, Mr Nazir Ahmad Khan along with staff distributing

prizes among deserving students on the occasion of symposium

entitled “Save The Girl Child” Organized in collaboration with JKNRHM

Sd/- Principal

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