Encroachment on government land goes unbeatable

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, May 20: Ongoing encroachment of government land by the local people has alarmed the district administration to take necessary steps against these mafias.

In such a glaring example that the land of Government City Middle School Ramban measuring 2 kanals and 1 marla under khasra number 463 is being illegally encroached by the people residing in the surrounding of the school.

According to the school headmaster Trilok Singh around 4 marlas of the school land has been illegally occupied by the people, not only this they have made private path crossing inside the school to reach their houses adding that our woe does not end here but people have destroyed the boundary walls which poses threat to safety and security of the school.

He disclosed number of theft incidents occurred in the schools in which three set of computers and 2 LPG cylinders besides many other things had been stolen.

Sources said if the cases of encroachment and theft have easy access in this school located under the nose of Zonal Education Office (ZEO) Ramban where Chief Education Office (CEO) Ramban was camping earlier, what would be the condition of other government schools of located in remote areas.

Sources further said that if nothing is done urgently, the government schools would turned into private homes and business premises by individuals.

“The school management has lodged the FIR in this regard in concerned PS but till date the police department is unable to resolve the case” added headmaster.

“The Chief Education Officer (CEO) Ramban has filed written complaints many times about such incidents to the district administration, but no action has been initiated  yet” he shares.

The people residing in the surroundings of the school frequently disturb the teaching learning process of the school and affect the studies to a large extent.

When contacted District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban Mohammad Aijaz Assad said that he is unaware about the whole matter.

However, he immediately directed the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Ramban and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ramban to curb this menace and take necessary action.

Woes of Kora Dera students, three teachers suspended

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, May 09: To streamline the education system and to provide education to every child at the doorstep, centre as well as state governments have initiated various schemes, but on the later stages failed to monitor the same which hammer the future of children.

According to sources there are number of government education institutes in the rural areas of the state who are badly affected by the casual attitude of the staff and the officials sitting at the helm of affairs forget to keep check their performances.

Government Middle School,Kora Dera in Panchayat Gandhri of district Ramban is one such glaring example of apathetic attitude of the concerned department which has put the future of students at stake.

Sources said that in this school the concerned department had appointed four teachers out of which Ateeq ul Rehman-recently regularized RET, has been regular while as the other two  Robail Atteque- a general line teacher and Shabina Ara-ReT have been habitual absentees and derelict.

One of the student’s fathert Khem Raj alleged that despite his repeated requests to the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Ramban for checking the punctuality of teachers nothing has been done so far. He added that he had transferred a teacher Sanjay Singh from this school to Government Primary School,Kherail and posted Mohammad Shafi in his place in this March and even after two months he has not joined .This has also been a cause of concern.

Sheetal Devi a student of 8th class of the school alleged that the teachers are non-serious about their studies and they rarely attend the school due to which they are facing the problems.

She further alleged that one of the teachers rarely attend the school that too very late and leave early.

A deputation of students of the said school with their parents today met the District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban,Mohammad Aijaz and highlighted their difficulties owing to the absence of the staff.

After hearing the grievances of the students patiently, he ordered the CEO to suspend the three absent teachers with immediate effect and initiate an enquiry in to the matter headed by Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Ramban and asked them to submit the report within a week but till then they are asked to continue their duties.

Although the CEO has suspended the three teachers including Robail Atteque, Shabina Ara and Ateeq ul Rehman, yet the students alleged that no action has been taken against Mohammad Shafi who has not join the school after his posting there in March instead Ateeq ul Rehman who has been regularly performing his duties was suspended.

GHSS sans accommodation, students suffer

Departments in deep slumber

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, May 05: Contrary the tall claims of the state education department and district administration to provide hassle free education to the students, there are many government education institutes in the state which lacks proper accommodation besides understaffed.

Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS) Ramban is among one such glaring example of the apathy attitude of the concern department due to which more than 1000 students of the said school are forces to study in compressed atmosphere.

Official sources said that in year 2007 after the formation of district Ramban the district administration has assigned the task to Public Works Department (PWD) to reconstruct the building of the said school by demolish the old building adding that some new rooms and halls were also constructed including 3 rooms for school laboratory, but still students compel to take classes in corridor or even in open sky.

Sources further said that the PWD has completed the Block A by constructed 6 rooms which was inaugurated by the then Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ramban Ashok Kumar on 16-10-2014 as mentioned on the inaugural stone.

Sources added that around three year back the PWD department has started the work on extension building including 3 halls through contractor but till date the work is still undergoing creating worries among students and staff furthermore a teaching staff member has raised the stage and one portion of stairs for the school with his own personal expenses.

Sources disclosed that in year 1976 the school was upgraded from High School to Higher Secondary, but after the completion of 40 years the strength of students about 10 times more that of upgraded time, but the sanctioned post of staff remain same which is also cause of concern.

 

“What is more intriguing is that the education department has even failed to introduce all subjects in this school including Physical Education, Botany, Environmental Science n Commerce stream whereas for Zoology and Economics the department appointed lecturer on contractual basis, moreover for 900 students of English subject there are only one lecturer” they shared.

Sources maintained that adding to their woes the education department has recently transfer the principal to the DIET Batote owing which it is hard to deal with thousands of students without administration.

Simika Butyal a student of science stream of 12^th class said that it is very difficult for to attend the class as there are very less accommodation as to tackle huge strength of students.

She further said that the class rooms are very crowded during the lecture time, and if there is no electricity than it is very difficult for us to study besides humid atmosphere in absence of cross ventilation and lightning.

Another student Shahida Akther of 11^th class said that as the summer is knocking, we are not able to concentrate on our studies as the drainage system is not properly maintained outside the school which producing foul smell.

“The higher officials asked to create a smart class for the students but on the later stage failed to provide the equipments for the same” she added.

When contacted District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban Mohammad Aijaz said the work of the construction of extension building was delayed due to the non-payment of bills from the education department, but still the PWD and contractor manage to work. He further said that it will take some more time to complete the work.

Stray animals impede vehicular traffic

MC shrugs responsibility

Tahir Mushtaq 

RAMBAN, Apr 21: People of Ramban town are taken aback by the growing canine and cattle population on the main roads of the highway town which not only impedes vehicular movement, but also poses several other problems before the residents.

Vishav Bandhu Sharma a prominent citizen of Ramban said that huge presence of stray animals causes a lot of discomfort and trouble to the citizens, he lamented and regretted that authorities at the helms of affairs were in deep slumber.

He alleged that due to the negligent attitude of district administration and MC towards the stray animal menace, the people are suffering adding that this is one more reason of frequent animal smuggling and slaughtering.

Gurdeep Singh a local resident said that roads are already groaning under heavy traffic, congestion and road jams especially at peak office and school hours. To this the menace of stray cattle moving about unhindered makes the flow of traffic difficult and at times also one of the causes of road accidents. Not only that the roads at many places get soiled by them. The authorities need to take due measures against the crisis before it is too late. "It is highly unethical on the part of the owners of these cattle to allow them roam freely on roads" he said.

He suggested that there should be a frequent public awareness against this menace in the interests of smooth traffic on our roads and legal action should be taken including imposition of fine on such careless owners of these stray cattle.

When contacted Executive Officer (EO) MC Ramban, Zubaida Begum said the department does not have any arrangement to check the ongoing menace of stray animals.

When asked to penalize the owner of the cattle, she said the department will issue the notice to the respective owners of the animals who leave them to move on the road and affect vehicular traffic.

Construction work of seven Km Chanderkote-Sawni Road hanging in balance for years

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Apr 1: Construction work on 7 Km under construction Chanderkote-Sawni road has been hanging in balance for last many years, confronting residents of the area to gross inconvenience.

Locals alleged that the work on the said road was started around eight years back but no one from the Public Works Department (PWD) visited the site to review the construction work.

Executive Engineer (XEn) PWD Ramban, Amar Singh Katoch repeatedly ducked questions of this correspondent on the status of the road.

Ironically, as per the locals and labourers who were engaged on construction work said that the XEn never visited this site.

District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban Bashir Ahmed Dar when contacted said that he will call an official meeting and discuss the progress in connection with the Chanderkote-Sawni road, and try to find out the reason of delay in completion of the work.

He further said the manually construction work on the said road is time consuming and it will never be finished if done without machinery.

It is pertinent to mention here that from the past about eight years the PWD R&B Department with the financial help of NABARD has started the work of seven kilometer Chanderkote-Sawni road in district Ramban, but due to the negligent attitude of the department the work is still on snail's pace.

The department has approved the work at the estimated cost of Rs 407.09 Crore including the construction of road and compensation of land.

During rainfall the residents of the said area live under constant threat of landslide due to unfinished work.

Pathetic roads reflect negligence of Ramban authorities

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 31: The pathetic condition of road on national highway falling under jurisdiction of Municipal Committee (MC) Ramban clearly shows the negligent approach of the department towards their professional duties.

There are many such roads that are not maintained and repaired from the long time owing which the small pits become death traps for the two wheelers and walkers. Especially the road near bus stand Ramban and Sunari Mohalla becomes the major spot of accidents. At different instances locals alleged that people have to bear the consequences for the casual attitude of the concern departments in one way or the other.

Locals said that during the monsoon season water logging in these parts of road create inconvenience for passerby but the administration has closed its eyes reason best known to them.

Locals further said that the broken stairs near Raghunath Mandir from the past long time besides the stairs reaching Zonal Education Office, District Court Complex, District Hospital and schools also showing the same picture of apathy attitude of the departments.

 

"It is very difficult for us to cross that patch of stairs in night as the damages stairs portion may cause of major untoward said a shopkeeper.

When contacted Executive Officer MC Ramban, Zubaida Begum said that municipal committee is not suppose to repair the roads on National Highway as it is the work of National Highway Authority of India to maintain the damaged roads on national highway.

She further said that the department has projected RS 80 lacs for the repairing work of stairs under Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) scheme of centre government but the government has windup the said schemes.

Ongoing work of Telephone Cables Project claims one life

Putting thousands lives at stake daily

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 29: Despite the order of District Development Commissioner (DDC) Ramban to ban the of National Highway roadside from Banihal to Batote for installation of underground telephone cables, the concern department has overhear it due to which many people have lost their lives from the past four months.

In the recent incident a Mahindra load carrier which is without registration number being rashly, negligently driven with high speed from Jammu to Srinagar when it hit three labourers being engaged in laying of telephone cable on roadside, near CRPF camp Bhoom Chanderkote this morning resulting two critically injured persons whereas one received minor injuries.

 

The two critically injured persons identified as Mohammad Bashir son of Abdullah Gujjar and Hashim Din son of Faqira both resident of Gujjrara, Paristan of tehsil Ukhral district Ramban who were ref erred to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital Srinagar after giving first aid at District Hospital (DH) Ramban while third injured person who shifted to DH Ramban for treatment identified as Mohammad Qasim son of Ahamadin resident of Gujjrara, Paristan of tehsil Ukhral district Ramban.

 

Lateron, one injured namely Mohammad Bashir succumbed to his injuries on the way to Srinagar.

After hitting the labourers the driver along with his vehicle fled from spot who was chased with the help of locals and arrested. The driver identified as Rajinder Pradhan son of Inder Pradhan resident of Sagraguan district Khurda Orissaa at present sector 3 Channi Himmat Jammu. A case under FIR No. 18/2016 u/s 279/ 337 at police station Chanderkote stands registered.

But this is not the single case, but many labourers have become permanently handicapped while many other lost their life due to the accident besides various accidents occurred due to the roadside digging in this stretch of national highway, but the concern authorities becoming the mute spectators.

When contacted DDC Ramban, Bashir Ahmed Dar said “I have asked the concern tehsildar to take action against the contractors who are concerned in digging of roadside for laying of telephone cables, but later in came to know that National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has granted the permission for the said work.

He further said that the administration can only take action against them if they violate the norms of contract.