News

KU gets Rs 10 crore DBT-BUILDER grant to promote research, education

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Kashmir university

The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations (CIRI) at the University of Kashmir has received a mega Rs 10 Crore DBT-BUILDER grant for the promotion of interdisciplinary research and education at the varsity.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad said the Department of Biotechnology-Boost to University Interdisciplinary Life Science Departments for Education and Research (BUILDER) programme would go a long way in promoting quality interdisciplinary education and research at the university as envisioned under the flagship National Education Policy-2020.

Congratulating Dr Altaf Bhat, Coordinator CIRI and BUILDER team including Dr Ajaz Wani, Dr Ashraf Dar, Dr Abdul Wajid, Dr Rafiq Mir and Dr Javaid Bhat for the achievement, Prof Talat said the project is aimed at addressing local scientific problems through interdisciplinary approaches and establishing high-end research facilities. He appreciated the efforts of the CIRI in promoting interdisciplinary education and research in a big way.

The University of Kashmir is the first university in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir to become a part of this prestigious programme.

Prof Talat thanked the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India for its support to the University of Kashmir, which has recently also received major grants including Rs 10-crore DST-PURSE grant and Center for Excellence in Glaciology, budgeted at approximately Rs 8 crore. The University is emerging as a major research hub in interdisciplinary research and education.

Registrar Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir congratulated the BUILDER team for securing the prestigious mega grant which, he said, will be utilised to promote interdisciplinary teaching and research at the varsity and establish high-end facilities and infrastructure thereof.

Coordinator CIRI Dr Altaf Bhat said the University has established CIRI, a brainchild of Prof Talat Ahmad, in 2019 with an objective to attract brilliant, talented and well-trained young scientists from abroad through prestigious fellowships like Ramanujan, Ramalingamswami and Wellcome trust-DBT India Alliance across various disciplines.

“It is an initiative to convert brain-drain into brain-gain. We have scientists at the CIRI who have returned from top universities in USA and Europe, like Harvard University, Max Planck Institute Germany, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh,” he said.

Dr Bhat said the establishment of CIRI is a first such initiative where scientists across disciplines would be working under one roof.

The establishment of the centre has received a lot of appreciation in scientific circles and many national and international faculties have shown willingness to be associated with it as adjunct faculties, he said.

He said the Centre is developing a competitive research ecosystem by promoting cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and plans to integrate various disciplines in the university for collaborative research to serve as a model to inspire youth to take up research as a career.

Dr Bhat said apart from an advanced instrumentation facility, interdisciplinary teaching, and research programs will be introduced in the Centre under the DBT-BUILDER program to build trained and skilled human resources. (KNS)

Protests in Jammu over the opening of new liquor shops

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Jammu

Protests continued in various localities of winter capital city, Jammu, over opening of wine shops in residential areas on Wednesday.

Witnesses told a local news agency, Kashmir News Observer (KNO), scores of people including women and children staged protest in city’s Shakti Nagar area and against the administration.

The protesting residents said the proposed shop is next to residential apartment, which houses three families, majority of them female members.

“We are around ten female members living in the house, which has been proposed as new wine shop, which we will not allow to open at any cost,” said a local.

She added that if wine shop will open, it would be security issue for entire locality as boozers may create nuisance.

Earlier, residents of Gujjar Nagar along with Corporator Ritu Choudhary and Ex-Corporator Rashida Begum hold protest against government and opposed opening of wine shop in residential area.

Similar situation was witnessed in Chowk Chabutra where protesters said that proposed shop is in residential area, which as per the locals in close to a temple. They demanded that the Lieutenant Governor should intervene into the matter and direct the concerned department to reallocate the wine shop to some other non-residential area.

“We will not allow the wine shops to open in our residential area”, a senior citizen said.

Similar protest was also held in Pacca Danga, wherein residents also demanded shifting of wine shop from their residential area to some other location.

“Women, school going children and other people feel insecure after opening of the wine shop in our residential area,” the protesting people said.

If government intends to open the wine shops, than the same should be opened at one place and that too away from the residential areas, the protestors added.

The wine shop is located near a school, so it is not justified to open the wine shop here, a local said, adding that they will continue their protest if wine shops are opened in their areas.

When contacted, Rahul Sharma Excise Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir said, “We have nothing to say on the protests as respective district magistrates have issued No Objection Certificates (NOC) to new license holders.”

On number of shops opened after new Excise policy came into existence, Sharma said data has not been complied yet—(KNO)

Will fight for the rights of Jammu and Kashmir: Farooq Abdullah

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Farooq Abdullah

Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of various political parties, fighting for the restoration of pre-August 5, 2019 decision of New Delhi, Wednesday met after a gap of six months and vowed to use every opportunity to fight for peoples’ rights stating that the alliance “will fight while sitting in fire.”

The meeting as per a local news agency, Kashmir News Observer (KNO), was held at the Gupkar residence of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, where other members of the alliance that include Javaid Mustafa Mir, M Y Tarigami, NC MP Hasnain Masoodi, and Muzaffar Shah of Awami National Conference (ANC) and Mehbooba Beg of PDP participated. The meeting decided to appoint Tarigami as the full-fledged spokesman of PAGD.

The meeting chaired by PAGD’s president and National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah, started at 05:10 pm.

Soon after the meeting, the leaders from PAGD stated that there has been no change in their stance on the declaration made on 4 August 2019. The leaders while talking to the media persons said that the alliance will continue to “fight for the rights of people.”

The NC chief Abdullah, when asked whether he would resign as Member of Parliament in case any unfavourable decision is taken by the Centre, said: “We will fight sitting in fire. I will not quit. But, I will fight for my people in the Parliament,” he said.

He added that the doors of PAGD has and will remain always open for everyone. “We have not been asked or informed about anything so far regarding the ongoing speculations,” he said.

About the delimitation process, he said they have already moved to the Supreme Court (SC) with regard to the 5 August decision. “The matter is in court. Let the verdict be announced first. We will take a call accordingly,” he said.

PAGD’s new spokesman, Tarigami said that the conglomerate will never leave any stone unturned for the betterment of the people. “We (PAGD) will use every opportunity for the wellbeing of the people,” he said.

The meeting assumed significance as it was held amid speculations over the further bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre.

Pertinently, the PAGD, a conglomerate of political parties was formed in Jammu and Kashmir to fight for the restoration of the 4 August 2019 position. Nonetheless, the silence prevailed within the conglomerate for the last couple of months. (KNO)

Train service suspended in Kashmir till 16 June

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Train service suspended in Kashmir till 16 June 1

Authorities on Wednesday ordered that the train services from Banihal to Baramulla would remain suspended till 16 June, 2021.

According to an order, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the train services from Banihal-Baramulla were scheduled to resume from 09 June 2021.

However, the order reads that the Inspector General of Kashmir (IGP) Kashmir through PCR Kashmir has demanded further cancelation of train operation over Baramulla-Banihal-Baramulla section from 10-06-21 to 16-06-21—(KNO)