Div Com imposes ban on lopping/felling of Chinar trees

Srinagar, March 04-Taking strong note of the alleged complaints from ecologists, environmentalists, NGOs and especially media that reckless lopping and felling of Chinar is taking place in every nook and corner of the Valley, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mr. Masaud Samoon has imposed a blanket ban on felling and lopping of Chinar. The Divisional Commissioner said that Chinar is the heritage of Kashmir unparallel in beauty, strength and size amongst the trees of Kashmir. It is fast disappearing due to reckless felling, unkind and unfriendly attitude of the people in general and callous interference of vested people in particular. He said permission for felling of Chinar tree can only be granted if five new Chinar trees are planted against one felling/lopping, which is not being done. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir has also directed all Deputy Commissioners that permissions for felling/lopping of Chinar trees, which have not been put to execution or which are pending grant for permission, be put in suspended animation and all such cases shall be referred to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir for review and orders. No. INF/PR-524/2009Power shut down Srinagar, March 04-According to Power Controller, Kashmir, the power supply to Bemina-Fateh Kadal areas shall remain affected on March 05, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. due to carryout necessary urgent repairs on 33 KV Bemina-Fateh Kadal line. Meanwhile, owing to replacement of ACSR conductor of 33 KV Amargarh-Bandipora line, power supply shall remain affected to the areas fed from this line alternately from March 05, 07, 09, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28 and 30 and from April 01, 04, 06, 08, 11, 13 and 15, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No. INF/PR-525/2009Annual Credit Action Plan for Shopian Shopian, March 04-An amount of Rs. 62.78 crore will be the Credit Action Plan for creating the 5709 income generating units in Shopian district this year. This information was revealed in a District Consultative meeting chaired by the District Development Commissioner, Shopian here today. The meeting was attended by various bankers and district officers. The meeting was informed that during last year, 1295 income generating units were provided as financial assistance. No. INF/PR-526/2009 VC inaugurates upgraded school for visually impaired Srinagar, March 04-The Vice-Chancellor of University of Kashmir, Prof. Reyaz Punjabi inaugurated upgraded special school for visually impaired and vocational centre at Bemina today. The centre is run by Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for the persons with disabilities. More than 30 children are presently registered with the centre. Prof. Reyaz Punjabi in his inaugural speech said that the physically challenged persons need lot of sympathies and we should take care of the rights of the disabled and encourage them to contribute to the society as other individuals. The Director Social Welfare, Mr. Hilal Ahmad Parray said on the occasion that Social Welfare department has several schemes for providing assistance to the disabled persons. Director, National Institute for the Physically Handicapped (NIPH), Dr. Dharmendra Kumar also spoke on the occasion. No. INF/PR-527/2009 Attention Ganderbal ISSS, IGNOAPS Ganderbal, March 04- All those applicants of district Ganderbal who have submitted their forms under Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) and Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) in their concerned Tehsil Social Welfare offices before April 2008 are hereby informed to report in their concerned Tehsil Social Welfare offices alongwith their account numbers within three days so that the amount due to them can be released in their favour. No. INF/PR-528/2009 Poultry hatchery re-commissioned in Mattan Srinagar, March 04-The poultry hatchery of the Poultry Development Project in Mattan has been re-commissioned on Tuesday by Director, Animal Husbandry department, Kashmir, Dr. A.A. Baba. The refurbished hatchery has a hatching capacity of 12000 chicks envisaging to cater to the farmers’ demand of low-input technology birds for backyard rearing in the Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts. The department has planned to produce and supply poultry chicks of Vana Raja, Chabro and Kashmir Commercial Layers from the hatchery. The hatchery’s defunct incubators and setters have been repaired and special power supply line has been laid to run it for 10 months a year at a cost of Rs. 49 lakh. Besides, poultry rearing space has been created at the project site at a cost of Rs. 85 lakh under centrally sponsored scheme. Dr. Baba while addressing the farmers and departmental officers on the occasion urged them to rededicate themselves to provide all kind of technical know-how to farmers in this connection. No. INF/PR-529/2009