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Towson University Partners With Learning House to Offer Professional Certification Classes Online

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:05:09 -0500

The Learning House, Inc., an online education solutions partner that helps colleges and universities develop and grow high-quality online degree programs and courses, announced today that Towson University’s Center for Professional Studies (CPS) has selected Learning House to help expand its online continuing education course offerings. CPS offers programs that focus on meeting identified workforce shortages for the region and address skill gaps and career advancement needs.

Towson University has a robust set of existing continuing education programs, but CPS identified a need to develop self-paced, industry-driven, professional certification programs that leverage the expertise of the University’s faculty.

“We wanted to develop our own courses and truly control the content, deployment and quality of the curriculum,” said Jeff Beeson, Director of the Center for Professional Studies at Towson University. “We selected Learning House because they represented what we needed—a partner that could help us turn classroom curriculum into dynamic online courses that engage non-campus-based learners. Their dedicated team approach is a plus because we feel very supported. Additionally, the assurance that Learning House can help with all our online education needs from course design and development to marketing, as well as provide IT and tech support is a true value add.”

Together, Learning House and CPS will create workforce and professional certification courses online that align with Towson’s core academic mission of business, IT and the health professions. The first courses will include a project management professional (PMP) certification course, an A+/Net+ certification course and a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) course with a health information supplement. All of these courses will directly address workforce needs in Maryland.

“Developing online courses takes a deep understanding of both the subject matter and the technology. A big mistake institutions often make is simply taking existing curricula and posting it online using a simple learning management system. Towson University’s CPS team understands that reaching online learners takes something more, and we are excited to work with them to expand their professional certification courses,” said Dr. David Clinefelter, Chief Academic Officer at Learning House. “Having the involvement of faculty is critical to the way we develop online courses. We plan to work closely with the faculty at Towson University to ensure they have the support they want to build engaging courses and the professional development they need to help their students achieve success.”

Learning House collaborates with schools that have various levels of online education experience to achieve each institution’s unique goals and create a positive student experience. For more information about how Learning House works with institutions to achieve their online education goals, visit www.learninghouse.com.

COL RK Palta assumes appointment of PRO (defence) Jammu

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:26:52 -0500

Jammu, May 16 (Scoop News) – Col RK Palta has assumed the appointment of PRO (Defence) Jammu. Born in Chandigarh, Col Palta is an alumnus of St Johns High School, Chandigarh. He graduated from the DAV College, Chandigarh, and did his Masters in English from Punjab University, Chandigarh. An infantry officer, he was commissioned into 15 Punjab (First Patiala) an elite infantry unit of the Army, on passing out from the Indian Military Academy (Dehra Dun) as part of the Golden Jubilee Course in Dec 1982. Col Palta, has had the privilege of having participated in the Raising of two new Infantry units, the first one in the Punjab Regt and the second one in the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI ) Regt.

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During the course of his service, Col Palta has served as the General Staff Officer (Operations) of an Infantry Division; the General Staff Officer (Human Rights) of a Counter Insurgency Force in the elite Rashtriya Rifles; He has also commanded an Instructional Provost Unit in the Corps of Military Police Centre & School, Bangalore. Col Palta also completed his Masters in Communication from Bangalore University in 2002, while on a sabbatical from the Army. Col Palta has also had a tenure with the HQ Tiger Division earlier from 2002 to 2004. Col Palta has earlier served as a PRO (Defence) Jodhpur from 2004 to 2007. Prior to the current posting, the officer was posted as a PRO (Defence) at Kohima in Nagaland.

JK CM stresses on universalizing modern medicare

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:34:15 -0500

Srinagar, May 16(Scoop News) –Terming SKIMS premier tertiary care medical institution of the State, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Wednesday underscored the importance of its growth and development on modern lines.

“All measures need to be taken in this direction to develop it as one of the leading supper speciality medicare centre in the country where modern treatment of highest degree would be available to the people of the State”, he said and referred to the priority given by the government for expansion, upgradation and infrastructure development in health and medical education sectors in the State.

The Chief Minister said that with the coming up of supper speciality hospitals at Jammu and Srinagar, upgrading of JLNM Hospital Rainawari and Gandhi Nagar Hospital Jammu on modern lines and improvement in other existing hospitals would open a new phase in the progress of secondary and tertiary care health facilities in the State.

“We have laid equal focus on the coverage of rural and far-flung areas under best possible medical facility”, he said adding that district, sub-district and other hospitals in villages are receiving due attention for development on modern concepts.

Chairing the 38th meeting of Governing Body of SKIMS here this morning, the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of SKIMS in providing latest treatment for critical diseases and development of trained human resource in the health and medical education sectors.

The Chief Minister said that best service delivery should be benchmark of the functioning of all institutions adding that the centres associated with providing medical treatment to patients need all the more missionary spirit on delivery front.

The Chief Minister approved Screening-cum-Selection Committee for the appointment of Principal of the SKIMS Medical College, Bemina. He also approved training of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation to Resident and Staff of SKIMS and renaming of the Department of Accident and Emergency as ‘Emergency Medicine’.

Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Health,. Sham Lal Sharma, Minister of State for Health, Javid Ahmad Dar, Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary Finance, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Secretary Health, M K. Dwivedi, Dean SKIMS, Dr. Khurshid Ahmad, Principal Medical College, Jammu, Dr. Allaqaband and Dr. Mehraj-ud-Din were present in the meeting.

In a PowerPoint presentation the Director SKIMS, Prof. Showkat Ali Zargar gave resume of the achievements registered by the institution during last one year in various disciplines.

He said that OPD works daily in all most all specialities and MRD and Blood Collection takes place from 9 am to 4 pm while concept of using existing facilities of Day care centre, MRI and CT Machine and Haemodialysis Machines from 6 hours to 12 hours has been incorporated in functioning schedule of the institution.

He said construction of 24-bedded Day care centre for Cancer patients has been started and is likely to be completed in two months. While 14-bedded Haemodialysis Centre has been made operational and 11-bedded Critical Care Unit will function within one month’s period.

He said that 28 more seats have been added in MD/MS courses this year and for the first time 25 students have been admitted to the MSc Nursing course. He said that the Gama Camera has been made operational while MD Pathology, MD Paediatrics, MD Microbiology and DM Gastroenterology have been recognized by the Medical Council of India while new courses in Surgical Gastroenterology and Gynaecology & Obstetrics are starting this year, Paediatric Surgery and Neurology courses are in the pipeline.

The Director SKIMS said that Linear Accelator for Cancer patients, Dual-Head Gama Camera, Mechanical Extra Corporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy have been operationalized and High Dependency 4-beds in all general wards introduced.

Prof. Zargar said that the government has in principle approved upgradation of SKIMS and SKIMS Medical College for development of infrastructure and machinery equipment to create better advanced medical facilities.

He said that the upgradation project for SKIMS which was initially approved for Rs. 262 crores has now been revised to Rs. 767.95 crores to incorporate five projects of additional Ward Block involving Rs. 235.39 crore, Accidental Emergency Block costing Rs. 179.18 crore, New OPD Block at Rs. 47.88 crore, SKIMS Medical College at Rs. 60 crore, Trauma Centre and Regional Cancer Centre and Critical Care Department estimating Rs. 245.45 crores in the overall upgradation programme.

The meeting reviewed the follow-up action taken on the decisions of previous meeting of the Governing Body and discussed matters relating to various aspects of the development and growth of the institution.

The Chief Minister directed the SKIMS management to route the matters relating to academics and finances through the Academic and Finance Committees for final decision by the Governing Body.

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JK Cabinet approves transfers, postings of officers

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:12:40 -0500

Srinagar, May 16(Scoop News) –The State Cabinet which met here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah approved following transfers and postings in the administration:

Mrs. Shagufta Parveen, IAS, Director, School Education, Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Secretary to Government, Public Enterprises Department.

Mohammad Shafi Rather, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara has been transferred and posted as Director, School Education, Kashmir.

Ramesh Kumar Koul, IAS, Additional Commissioner, Commercial Taxes, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Director, Estates.

Khurshid Ahmad Shah, IAS, Director, Estates has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Budgam.

Mohammad Sharif Sood, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Shopian has been transferred and posted as Director, Horticulture, Planning and Marketing.

Mrs. Yasha Mudgal, IAS, Project Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara.

T. Ashok Kumar, IFS, Special Secretary (Technical), Forest Department has been transferred and posted as Secretary, J&K Public Service Commission.

. Saleem Mohammad, KAS, Settlement Officer, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar.

Hilal Ahmad Parray, KAS, Director, Social Welfare, Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Project Director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Kifayat Hussain Rizvi, KAS, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag has been transferred and posted as Commissioner, Commercial Taxes, J&K.

Farooq Ahmad Renzu, KAS, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department has been posted as Vice Chairman, Srinagar Development Authority.

. Farooq Ahmad Shah, KAS, Director Tourism, Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag.

Bashir Ahmad Bhat, KAS, Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla has been transferred and posted as Director, Social Welfare, Kashmir.

Farooq Ahmad Khan, KAS, Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary to Government, Finance Department.

Ghulam Ahmad Khwaja, KAS, Special Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner Baramulla.

Mohammad Hussain Malik, KAS, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary to Government Planning and Development Department.

Mohammad Javed Khan, KAS, Director, Horticulture, Planning and Marketing has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Shopian.

Jehangir Mir, KAS, Director Rural Development Department, Kashmir has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam.

. Talat Parvez, KAS, Managing Director, J&K Cable Car Corporation has been transferred and posted as Director Tourism, Kashmir. He will also hold the additional charge of the post of Managing Director, J&K Cable Car Corporation, till further orders.

. Mir Altaf Ahmad, KAS, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Devlopment Authority, Pahalgam has been transferred and posted as Director Rural Development Department, Kashmir. He will also hold the additional charge of the post of Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Development Authority, Pahalgam, till further orders.

Dalip Thusoo, Managing Director, J&K Housing Board has been attached to the General Administration Department. Chief Engineer, Public Works (R&B), Jammu shall hold the additional charge of the post of Managing Director, J&K Housing Board, till further orders.

Besides, giving nod to certain other proposals, the Cabinet approved upgradation of infrastructural facilities at Industrial Estate Gangyal, Jammu and Bari Brahamana, Samba at an estimated cost of Rs. 9.84 crores and Rs. 11.08 crores respectively.

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Zanu PF Elites in Land Dogfight

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:51:12 -0500

By Everson Mushava - Media in Zimbabwe

None of his contemporaries took the import of a statement by the late Edison Zvobgo seriously when he warned, “Unless care is taken, revolutions may eat their children. But when they begin to eat their fathers, then fate has doomed their nation’s dreams.”

A land redistribution programme that once united President Robert Mugabe’s faithful supporters has turned into a dog-eat-dog fight.

War veterans and a ragtag group of party members who led the invasion of thousands of white-owned farmland more than a decade ago, under the pretext of correcting colonial imbalances, are wilting under the rot of fresh takeovers by more powerful politicians and government officials.

The new dispossessions, victims say, are fraught with corruption and human rights abuses perpetrated from the top, particularly by ministers and well-heeled individuals who regard pioneering settlers as criminals.

Once regarded as the forerunners of the often violent takeovers of white-owned farms, the independence war participants were allowed to parcel out to each other the rich farmlands they had taken over and settled on.

But they seem to have clapped their hands too early, as the honeymoon is gradually coming to an end.

As the Daily News shows today, plum properties have always been for the political elites and the wealthy.

With only a few white-owned farms to grab remaining, powerful politicians and senior government officials as well as the wealthy are turning on their kith and kin, leaving pioneering beneficiaries fighting evictions by top chiefs.

The black-on-black land war has become so vicious that violence and looting is the order of the day, as was the case when former journalist-turned-businessman Edwin Moyo was pushed out of Kondozi horticultural farm by five Zanu PF heavyweights.

Didymus Mutasa, Joseph Made, Christopher Mushowe, Munacho Mutezo and Mike Nyambuya ran their tongues over their lips for the thriving horticultural property, joining the looting spree and throwing more than 5,000 workers out of work.

Acquisitive instinct and open greed among the ruling elite prompted Zvobgo to bemoan that as government, Zanu PF had “turned a noble agrarian revolution into a racist enterprise”.

Commercial Farmers Union, CFU, statistics show that by 2010, President Robert Mugabe and his top allies controlled close to 40 per cent of the 14 million hectares of land seized from about 4,500 white farmers since 2000.

With only 250 white farmers remaining, according to CFU, the focus has turned on the less powerful blacks.

Critics of the land redistribution programme say it has been an act of transferring land to high-profile people and not the landless – a political programme meant to institutionalise looting.

The government used to claim it had resettled over 250,000 families, but on Independence Day [April 18], Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo revealed that a mere 147,000 families were resettled on A1 farms while only 16,000 had got land countrywide under the A2 farming scheme. A1 farms are less than 15 hectares, while A2 farms are anything bigger than that.

The eviction of groups of independence war fighters and other participants to make way for either the rich or the politically-connected exposes the rot that has beset the “offer letters” used to confirm allocation of land to beneficiaries.

Some farms are “officially” offered to multiple owners, resulting in wrangles, some of which have spilled into the courts when politicians resort to brawn and political muscle than reason to eject current occupiers.

For instance, First Lady Grace Mugabe pushed out High Court judge Ben Hlatshwayo from Gwina Farm in Banket, using crude revanchism.

Hlatshwayo had seized the farm from an old white couple. But like the white farmer he dispossessed, he was evicted in similar fashion, as a number of other beneficiaries have been.

Independence war fighters with the help of pro-Zanu PF poor peasants were used by the big chiefs to violently invade white-owned farms on the pretext that they were the beneficiaries. Their lack of access to [redress from] higher offices compounds their problems.

This black-on-black land war comes just as many of the war veterans and the poor peasants were starting to enjoy a modicum of success, as evidenced by the increase in the number of small-scale tobacco farmers and the boom in tobacco production over the past years.

Despite the government’s claim that the land reform was a success, the Daily News can expose that it was a partisan and chaotic programme laced with political expediency.

A land wrangle at Selby farm in Mashonaland Central Province demonstrates how the weak are being plucked out of farms. It also points to potential abuse of offer letters that are now often issued with reckless abandon.

Ten resettled farmers with A1 offer letters issued by Mazowe District Council have been chased away from their plots to make way for a single owner, Elasto Mugwadi.

Mugwadi sits in the Human Rights Commission established in 2010 to investigate human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. He is also a former chief immigration officer. He is brandishing a 2006 offer letter for the farm signed by the then land minister, Didymus Mutasa.

Mugwadi’s offer letter, dated December 20, 2006, shows that he owns Shamwari of Kinvara Farm, an A2 farm in Mugabe’s home district of Zvimba in Mashonaland West. The same offer letter gives him occupancy of part of Selby Farm, Mazowe District in Mashonaland Central, an A1 farm.

A land officer who asked for anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media said A2 farms were administered by the land ministry while A1 farms fall under district administrators, making Mugwadi’s offer letter – which straddles boundaries and farm designations – look suspicious.

An investigation conducted at the Surveyor General’s office by the Daily News and a study of maps possessed by this paper show that Selby Farm indeed falls under Mazowe District, in cadastral survey terms.

“This letter serves to confirm that in cadastral survey terms, the above farms fall under [Salisbury] Harare District. Administratively, it falls within the boundaries of Mashonaland Central Province (Mazoe District),” read part of the letter from the Surveyor General, dated November 2, 2010, concerning Selby Farm.

“It is not possible for one to get a farm that cuts across provinces,” said an officer in the land ministry.

But Mugwadi, in November last year, ordered the arrest of the resettled farmers on criminal charges of trespassing, after he obtained a High Court default judgement by Justice Francis Bere evicting the A1 farmers from the land.

The judgement came after Mugwadi had already used political power to muscle the hapless A1 farmers out of their land, according to the farmers. His victims say that on two occasions, Mugwadi bulldozed the homes of the A1 farmers using his tractor. Efforts to seek justice by the hapless settlers failed.

As the dispute escalated, Lands Minister Hebert Murerwa withdrew Mugwadi’s offer letter on November 15, 2010, giving reprieve to the farmers.

But Murerwa was forced to back down after Chombo wrote a letter to him recommending that Mugwadi get the disputed piece of land because he had “contributed immensely to the country after independence”.

The directive to dispossess the settlers was made with disregard for the fact that among the ten farmers being forced out of Selby Farm is a veteran of Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation war, currently serving as a policeman.

“It would be unfortunate, if not tragic, if Mugwadi was to lose the land that government deservedly allocated him merely because a small portion of the same happened to fall under Mazowe District,” Chombo said in an August 3, 2011 letter to Murerwa.

“I am convinced there is nothing administratively either amiss or illegal in having a property straddling across provincial and/or district boundaries. On the contrary, this scenario is prevailing in a number of areas, and there is no reason why Mugwadi should be an exemption,” reads Chombo’s letter pressuring Murerwa to act in favour of Mugwadi. The Daily News has a copy of the letter.

So eager was Chombo for Mugwadi to get the farm at the expense of the pioneering farmers that he offered to approach Mugabe to expedite the adjustment of boundaries so that the piece of land wholly fell under Zvimba, in Mashonaland West Province.

But Mugwadi’s second offer letter for the same land, dated October 31, 2011, is silent about the fact that the land straddles provincial boundaries, and it fails to mention the number of hectares taken from each province.

An investigation by this paper discovered that Mugwadi’s offer letter could have originated from somewhere other than the provincial offices.

According to a ministry official, the chief land planners for Mashonaland West, Lovemore Vambe, and for Mashonaland Central province, Gerald Chirapa, are ignorant of Mugwadi’s new offer letter.

Asked to comment on his role in the saga, Chombo told the Daily News on February 23 that he was not aware the ten farmers held offer letters for Selby Farm.

“I wrote the letter to Murerwa based on submissions he got from Mugwadi. I am not aware that the ten resettled farmers held valid offer letters from Mazowe District Council,” said Chombo.

Chombo was not the only senior official fighting the hapless farmers.

Lester Muradzi, who is the chief national lands planner, was a star state witness when Mugwadi forced the arrest of the farmers on trespassing charges.

Sitting in the Land Dispute and Resolution Committee and the National Lands Inspectorate, Muradzi wields enormous influence on land issues.

Efforts to contact Murerwa were fruitless, as his secretary said the minister was in South Africa for a medical review and would only be in the office on Monday, April 23. When the Daily News finally got hold of him, Murerwa requested written questions.

The latest efforts to get a comment from the minister were fruitless, as officials in his office said he would be tied up with other business until after the Trade Fair in Bulawayo.

Mugwadi dismissed the allegations as unfounded. In confirming the issue, Mugwadi told the Daily News the ten farmers were “fresh farm invaders”.

“I bought a piece of land adjacent to Shamwari farm in 1998 and applied for more land, which I was awarded in 2006. The group got offer letters in 2009, long after I had been awarded the land and had already cleared it,” said Mugwadi on Tuesday last week [April 17].
He claimed to hold no political links, saying he was “simply a popular person” due to the role he played when he was still the country’s top immigration officer.

“I don’t have political links, but people should know the whole land issue was a political decision,” added Mugwadi.

Some assets left behind by evicted white farmers have also contributed to the internecine black-on-black conflict.

At Galloway Farm in Mazowe District, a retired army officer and now Zanu PF MP for Mazowe North, Cairo Philbert Mhandu, is involved in a fight with another black resettled farmer, Fidelis Gweshe, over fuel storage tanks and a service station left behind by the former white farmer.

Muradzi, the chief lands planner, is again at the centre of the storm.

In a letter to the principal director in President Mugabe’s office, Gweshe accuses Muradzi’s office of doctoring the map of Galloway Farm in Mazowe to benefit Mhandu.

Investigations show that the first approved map drawn after a meeting in the boardroom at the Lands ministry offices in Harare on June 24, 2011 and attended by Murerwa and Provincial Governor Martin Dinha, awarded the service station and fuel tanks to Gweshe.

However, a map now at the offices of the Surveyor General in Harare submitted by Muradzi on October 7, 2011, shows the fuel tanks are now on Mhandu’s side of the farm.

Gweshe abandoned his job at Zesa Holdings to concentrate on farming when he was awarded 109 hectares of land on October 11, 2003, but to date he appears to be the biggest loser. He is losing portions of his land annually, and is now left with less than 60 hectares.

Three weeks ago, Muradzi refused to comment and referred the matter to his superiors when asked why so many offer letters and different maps existed for a single farm. Visited at his offices for the second time a week later, Muradzi referred the Daily News to Sophia Tsvakwi, the permanent secretary in the ministry of lands.

Tsvakwi also refused to comment, telling the Daily News through Muradzi to follow procedure when enquiring about land issues.

She did not explain what procedures she wanted followed, other than just lodging questions with her office.

According to court papers in our possession, Muradzi was last year involved in a nasty fight with a female subordinate in the ministry over land, with the subordinate claiming her boss was trying to withdraw her offer letter for a farm because she had turned down his sexual advances. Muradzi was briefly detained by police on sexual assault allegations.

Magistrate Tayengwa Chibanda ruled that while it could be true that Muradzi could have sexually molested his subordinate, there was also a possibility that he could be being framed because the case now involved farms.

Source: IWPR

Link:http://iwpr.net/report-news/zanu-pf-elites-land-dogfight

Entire Amarnathji yatra route is under snow

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:51:36 -0500

Srinagar, May 16(Scoop News) –N. N. Vohra, Governor, Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, today undertook an aerial reconnaissance of the Panjtarni-Sangam-Holy Cave-Baltal circuit to assess the status of snowmelt along the Yatra route and at the various Camps along the Baltal-Holy Cave tracks.

The Governor, accompanied by Navin K. Choudhary, his Principal Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board, flew over Panjtarni, Sangam, Holy Cave and reached Baltal after taking stock of the present status of snow melt. It was observed that there is huge accumulation of snow along most of the Yatra track. Most of the structures at Panjtarni Camp are still more than half buried under snow. From Sangam and upto the mouth of the Cave Shrine, the entire area is under deep snow. Further such assessments are planned in the pre-Yatra period to determine the earliest possible date for commencing the repair of facilities at the Base Camps and enroute Camps and for launching track clearance operations with a view to ensuring that all the Yatra-related arrangements are in position well ahead of the commencement of the pilgrimage.

After undertaking the aerial reconnaissance, the Governor landed at Baltal Base Camp from where he traveled to Domel. Thereafter, he held an extensive review meeting at the Baltal Base Camp during which he reviewed the ongoing repair works, including those relating to internal drains, pathways, huts, toilets and baths, water supply, electric supply, sanitation, treatment plant, helipad, etc. Discussing the Master Plan of the Baltal Base Camp, he directed that the map of the entire Camp, indicating the location of the various services, must be displayed prominently. He also called for making adequate arrangements for daily garbage collection, illumination, fire-fighting, public address system, Information and Guidance Centre etc at the Camp. He also inspected the proposed site for the establishment of a Pony Stand at Baltal.

The Governor directed the CEO to ensure the deployment of adequate workforce for clearing and repairing the Baltal-Holy Cave track and making it fully operational timely. He stressed that once the tracks are made operational, all the requisite facilities should be put on ground at the Camping sites, along both the tracks and in the Holy Cave Shrine area.

The Governor directed the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that all required sanitation related measures, including the operationalization of Sewage Treatment Plant at Baltal Base Camp, were taken well in time and particular attention given to ensure that all liquid wastes are effectively treated before disposal and all garbage is daily collected and deposited at the designated sites.

In the review meeting at Baltal, the Governor held discussions with Showkat Ahmad Mir, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Shahid Mehraj, Superintendent of Police, Ganderbal, Mohammad Yousuf, CEO, Sonamarg Development Authority, and the District and Divisional Heads of Departments of all concerned Departments. At this meeting, all the Yatra related arrangements, proposed to be made at the Baltal Base Camp and on the Baltal-Holy Cave route by the various Departments, including the Public Health, Power, Consumer Affairs, Health, Labour, Forests, Fire and Emergency Services, Tourism, Information, BSNL, Animal Husbandry and other agencies were reviewed in detail. Also present in the meeting was Brig. Neeraj Seth, Commander, 3 Sector RR. The Governor called for daily monitoring of progress and effective coordination at all levels to timely secure the envisaged results. He asked Showkat Ahmad Mir, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal and the General Manager (Works) of the Shrine Board to ensure the commissioning of all the required facilities, well in time.

As regards the implementation of the sector-wise recommendations of High Level Committee, the Governor reviewed the upgradation of the Ranga Morh-Baltal Base Camp road and of alternate road from Nilgrath to Baltal Base Camp which will help decongest the Kargil Highway. He also discussed issues relating to the enforcement of an effective Access Control System at Baltal Base Camp and Domel and management of traffic.

Other arrangements that were discussed included deployment of Mountain Rescue Teams of the State Police at identified locations on the Yatra route; setting up of the Joint Control Rooms and Disaster Management Centres and their effective coordination with Meteorological Department; deployment of well equipped Fire Fighting Force units; provision of adequate number of X-Ray Baggage Scanning units; installation of CCTV cameras at important locations in the Yatra area. He instructed for immediate construction of Shelters in Domel area in order to accommodate Yatris in the event of natural disasters and sudden bad weather.

Later, the Governor visited Nilgrath and, alongwith Brig Neeraj Seth and Showkat Ahmad Mir, Deputy Commissioner, inspected the proposed site for alternate helipad.

Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO of the Shrine Board, K. G. Bamba, GM Works SASB, and other concerned officers and senior engineers of various departments were present on the occasion.

The Governor is scheduled to undertake an aerial reconnaissance of Pahalgam-Chandanwari-Sheshnag-Mahagunas Top sector on 19 May and also review the Yatra arrangements at a meeting to be held at the Nunwan Base Camp.

More at http://scoopnews.in/det.aspx?q=21028

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Brazil: ‘Hands That Cure, Words That Heal'

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:02:04 -0500

Written by Paula Góes

With their herbs, gestures, prayers and comforting words, the “doctors of the people” are an important element of Brazilian popular culture and religious syncretism. Folk healers are found throughout the country, but play a special role in remote areas, where medical professionals are scarce and allopathic medicine is inaccessible.

In a post called ‘Hands that cure, words that heal', Ricardo Câmara ^[1] recalls the history of faith healing and highlights the work of benzedeiras (women who pray for and bless the ill), usually a free and voluntary activity that has spread throughout Brazil as an alternative to traditional medicine since the sixteenth century:

Terço e folhas nas mãos, oração na ponta da língua e muita fé em Deus. As benzedeiras e benzedores que surgiram no Brasil com a chegada dos Jesuítas, no século XVI, são figuras presentes na cultura popular até os dias de hoje.
A benzeção, como várias outras práticas religiosas e médicas populares, aflorou-se com intensidade no período Colonial Brasileiro e os fatores que propiciaram o desenvolvimento da prática da benzeção, com certeza, remetem à precariedade da vida material, destacada pela raridade de médicos, de cirurgiões, de produtos farmacêuticos, e ao sincretismo dos povos em geral, que também contribuíram, e muito, para que a prática da benzeção se propagasse ainda mais.

Rosaries and leaves at hand, prayers on the lips and much faith in God. Folk healers, who emerged in Brazil with the arrival of the Jesuits in the sixteenth century, are present in popular culture up to now.
Blessing, like many other popular religious and medical practices, surfaced with intensity in the Brazilian colonial period and the factors leading to the development of the practice refer, of course, to the precariousness of material life, highlighted by the scarcity of doctors, surgeons, pharmaceutical products, and by the syncretism of the population in general, which in turn contributed to spread the practice of blessing even further.

The training of folk healers, individuals who according to Maria Luiza Benitez ^[3] are usually “predestined and born with a special gift of power, talent or knowledge”, requires great dedication:

O estudo do curandeiro difere grandemente dos estudos e práticas da medicina convencional. Não há livros de medicina, nem notas de aprovação. Mas é preciso vencer todos os testes e provações. E é exclusivamente por meio da dor, do sofrimento, da doença e da própria morte que o curador adquire acesso ao universo das realidades extraordinárias. O mundo do além é o terreno onde se pode obter o conhecimento, a experiência, as qualificações e o poder para auxiliar os demais.
O chamado costuma vir em sonhos ou por intermédio de um acidente, doença, injúria sofrida, ameaça de morte eminente, da morte e mesmo morte clínica temporária.

Studying to become a healer differs greatly from the study and practice of conventional medicine. There are no medical books or passing grades, but you have to overcome all tests and trials. Additionally, it is only through pain, suffering, disease, and death itself that the healer gets access to the world of extraordinary realities. The world beyond is the land where you can obtain the knowledge, experience, skills and power to help others.
The call usually comes in dreams or through an accident, illness, injury, suffering, threat of imminent death, even death itself, and temporary clinical death.

Teacher Glauco Ricciele Ribeiro ^[5] reveals how women become folk healers:

Benzedeiras senhoras de coração puro, servem ao próximo sem interesses ou cobiça. O dom adquirido por elas são passados de geração a geração. Mas em nosso mundo atual, tal prática cada vez mais desaparece e junto dela a fé popular perde suas características. […]
Mas poucos sabem como uma benzedeira inicia seu “sacerdócio”. Tradicionalmente a Sexta-feira Santa é a única data onde se ordena o Dom de ser Benzedeira a uma mulher de bom coração e sem impedimentos. Esta pessoal deve ajudar através das rezas todo tipo de necessitado sem distinção de classe ou credo.

Folk healers are women with pure hearts, who serve others without self-interest or greed. The gift they acquire is passed from generation to generation. But in our world today, such practices are increasingly disappearing and, together with them, the popular faith loses its characteristics. […]
But few people know how a healer began her “ministry”. Traditionally, Good Friday is the only day in which the gift of healing is given to a woman of good heart and without hindrances. Through all kinds of prayers, she ought to help people in need without distinction of class or creed.

Journalism student Angélica Weise ^[7] disagrees that the art of healing is disappearing:

Elas fazem parte da cultura popular. A maioria é de uma generosidade incrível. Por mais antiga que seja a tradição, as benzedeiras se encontram mais vivas do que nunca. Basta ter vocação e força de vontade. Mesmo com a medicina avançada, muitas pessoas recorrem a elas para os diversos tipos de cura. […]
Para encontrá-las não há endereço. Basta perguntar nas ruas que logo alguém conhece ou já ouviu falar delas. Na maioria são velhas e simples. É olhando para o rosto e contando suas rugas que encontramos a idade delas. Quem acredita em benzedeira, jura que elas fazem milagres.

They are part of popular culture. Most are incredible generous. No matter how old the tradition is, folk healers are more alive than ever. It only takes calling and will. Even with the advancement of medicine, many people turn to folk healers for various types of healing. […]
To find them, you need not to have an address. Just ask in the streets and you will find someone who knows or has heard of them. Most are elderly and humble. It is looking at their faces and counting their wrinkles that we find out their age. Those who believe in spiritual healing, swear that they promote miracle cures.

Conventional doctors are not so convinced of the miraculous power of spiritual healing and are concerned about the practice ^[8], considering that “the scientific safety should not be set aside”.

Meanwhile, traditional healers of two cities in the Brazilian state of Paraná, Rebouças and São João do Triunfo, have seen their activity recently recognized by pioneering municipal laws in Brazil. This resulted in a project of Social Mapping of Folk Healers ^[9], whose unprecedented legislation was celebrated as a victory by the local network of traditional communities and peoples ^[10]:

Num processo de continua luta e organização social das benzedeiras articuladas no Movimento Aprendizes da Sabedoria (MASA) em 22/02/2012 o Presidente da Câmara Municipal de São João do Triunfo promulgou a lei municipal nº 1.370/11, a qual reconhece a identidade coletiva das benzedeiras de Triunfo, regulariza o livre acesso as plantas medicinais por parte dos detentores de ofícios tradicionais de cura e propõe a construção de política municipal especifica de acolhimento das práticas tradicionais de cura nos sistema formal de saúde.

After a process of continuous struggle and social organization of folk healers from the Learners of Wisdom Movement (MASA), the president of São João do Triunfo's City Council passed City Ordinance No. 1,370/11 on on February 22, 2012, a law which recognises the collective identity of the folk healers of Triunfo, regulates free access to medicinal plants by the holders of traditional healing craft, and proposes the elaboration of municipal policy specifically to bring traditional healing practices in the formal health system.

Regardless of whether the cures are a reality or the result of a placebo effect, the act of healing through non-traditional means is considered an intangible heritage of Brazilian culture by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN ^[12]) [en], which belongs to the federal government of Brazil as part of the Ministry of Culture.

In addition to bringing spiritual comfort, folk healers inspire artists, like the writer Sinval Santos da Silveira ^[13], who tells us the story and secret of a woman who lived in a very humble house, with no electricity or running water:

Mulher de idade avançada, magrinha, mal alimentada,
e de um coração cheio de bondade…
Sobre uma pequena mesa, a imagem da Santa, em
quem deposita sua fé e a sua vida.
Benze, em nome da Santinha, curando torcicolo, arca
caida, dor de dente, dor nas costas, dor de olhos, de
garganta, de cabeça, mal olhado, inveja, etc.
Seus pacientes ou clientes, pelo trabalho milagroso,
nada pagam, nada devem.
O prazer de poder ajudar alguém, que lhe procura,
está acima de qualquer outro valor.
Só agora entendo, que o poder de cura daquela mulher,
sempre residiu numa única coisa, que tinha em excesso,
em sua humilde casinha: muito amor…

Elderly, skinny, malnourished woman,
whose heart was full of goodness…
On a small table, there is an image of the Saint in
whose care she places her faith and life.
She blesses, on behalf of the sweet Saint, healing stiff neck,
lumbago, toothache, backache, sore eyes and throat,
headache, evil eye, envy, so on.
Her patients or clients pay nothing, nothing owed
for the miraculous work.
The pleasure of helping someone who looks for her
is valuable above anything else.
Only now I understand that the healing power of that woman
was always based on the only one thing that her humble house
had in excess: lots of love…

Article printed from Global Voices: http://globalvoicesonline.org

URL to article: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/05/15/brazil-hands-that-cure-words-that-heal/

Govt. provoking trouble over Amarnath Yatra : Dr. Jitendra

Wed, 16 May 2012 05:38:10 -0500

Jammu, May 16 (Scoop News) – “Provocation and vengeance cannot be the virtue of any democratically elected government”, said J&K BJP Chief Spokesperson & National Executive Member Dr. Jitendra Singh while expressing serious worry and concern over the manner in which the National Conference-led government in the state appears to be vitiating the atmosphere and instigating unrest on the eve of Amarnath Yatra by holding out threats of police action against Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and seeking the help of Punjab Police and para-military forces to intimidate them at entry points in Lakhanpur and other places.

Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to Nitish Sen Committee report of 1996 and the subsequent General Mukherjee report, which clearly stated that the duration of Yatra was primarily a prarogative of religious leaders and it was government responsibility to arrange for security as per the requirements of Yatra period and number of pilgrims.

Dr. Jitendra Singh reminded that Nitish Sen Committee was constituted following a tragedy claiming over 200 lives and the essence of Nitish Sen observations was to provide security to pilgrims for their protection and safety, and not for causing insecurity to them by threatening with risk to life in the hands of police and para-military agencies.

Referring to Shrine Board Act of 2000 which inspired constituting of Shrine Board in 2001, Dr. Jitendra Singh explained that the essence of an independent board with Governor as its Chairman was to keep it above any interference from political leadership of the ruling party and appealed to the Governor to immediately intervene before the situation takes an ugly turn.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also expressed disappointment over the role played by the Shrine Board Sub Committee which had, instead of taking a clear stand, tried to be evasive on the issue which is evident from the fact that on page no. 18 of its recent report, one after the other in three different paragraphs, three different dates namely June 25, June 17 and June 4 have been mentioned for possible commencement of the yatra.

Dr. Jitendra Singh took a serious note of the opinion in certain quarters that the NC-led government was deliberately influencing the Shrine Board to instigate trouble in Jammu region in the name of yatra duration in a bid to the appease the separatist constituency in Kashmir valley as a part of NC’s competitive policies with PDP.

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Iqbal Institute, Bemina hosts Disaster preparedness training

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:12:21 -0500

Srinagar, May 16(Scoop News) – One day disaster preparedness training was organised at Iqbal Memorial Institute for Girls Bemina, Srinagar. The programme was organised by J&K Institute of Management & Public Administration (IMPA) in association with Civil Defence, Divisional Disaster Management Authority, Fire & Emergency Services Kashmir. More than 900 students from class 1st to class 12th were sensitised during the training programme. Dr. G.M. Dar, Associate Professor, Disaster Management Centre IMPA explained the basics of Disaster Management to the staff members and students of the Institute.

Aamir Ali, Coordinator Divisional Disaster Management explained about various initiatives for school safety, taken by Divisional Administration under the leadership of Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon. Abdul Ahad Mir and SA Beig from Fire Services spoke about fire safety and its precautionary measures and also demonstrated various fire safety equipments available with the department. Abdul Gaffar and Aijaz Ahmed CD trainers deputed by Rafiq Ahmed, Deputy Controller, Civil Defence explained basics of first aid for school safety. The chairman of the school Dr Yusuf-ul-Umar, Principal, Peerzada Nisar Ahmed and School Site Engineer, Farooq Ahmed were present on the occasion. A fire mock drill was also held and the children were taught how to use a fire extinguisher.

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Solution of Kashmir issue is must for peace: Mufti

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:24:52 -0500

Banihal/Srinagar, May 16(Scoop News) –Patron of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today reiterated that solution of Kashmir problem was must for establishing lasting peace and bringing stability in this region. He, however, said that PDP’s Self-Rule proposal has potential to address external and internal dimensions of the problems of Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a public meeting at Banihal today, Mufti asserted that road map prepared by his party was only practical and viable solution of the Kashmir problem. “Self Rule document is prepared by incorporating wishes and aspirations of all sections of the society”, he said and added that PDP’s road map was aimed at removing regional disparities and treating all regions and sub-regions equally. General secretary Th. Balbir Singh, senior leaders Peerzada Mansoor Hussain MLA, Mohd Rafi Mir MLA, Muratza Ahmed Khan MLC, Suresh Sharma, Sukhdev Sharma, District president Ab Ahad Wani, Imtiyaz Bandey, Showkat Deng, Bahar Ahmed Rouniyal, Shakeel Singh, Dr Asif, Ab Gani Shan, Mohd Aslam Malik, Fayaz Ahmed Khandey sarpanch and Mohd Arif were also present on this occasion.

“Our agenda is to restore dignity and honour of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and to make our State economically self reliant”, he said. “Before 1947 Kashmir was connected, through different routes, with Central and South Asia but all the routes were closed after the accession” he pointed out and informed the people that self-rule aimed at opening all traditional routes to make Kashmir as a business and trade centre of this region.

Mufti also reiterated demand of his party to re-negotiate discriminatory water agreements signed by the successive National Conference regimes by surrendering natural resources of the State. He regretted that despite having huge water resources Jammu and Kashmir has to depend upon Government of India for economic development.

He pointed out that according to a rough estimate, the state of Jammu and Kashmir would earn an amount of Rs 50,000 crores annually through proper utilization of its natural resources. “It is unfortunate that successive National Conference regimes in the state have bartered natural resources by signing unfair agreements, just for the lust of power” he maintained and added that PDP in this Self-Rule document has suggested various measures to properly utilize natural resources of state to make Jammu and Kashmir economically self-reliant.

He said aim of PDP was not to attain power but to heal wounds of people of Jammu and Kashmir by restoring their dignity and honour. He reminded there was a sense of fear and insecurity among the people when PDP was formed in the year 1999. “Through its visionary agenda, the PDP had not only created a sense of security among the people but also restored dignity of the common masses by implementing peace and reconciliation policies.

“Although we had just 16 members in the Assembly after 2002 elections, we had convinced successive governments at Delhi, through our convictions, to initiate some bold Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to restore lasting peace in this region”, he said. The PDP-Congress coalition government had given a new direction to governance in order to address all diverse issues effectively with the result that successive governments at Delhi supported our all initiatives be it developmental fronts or restoring peace.

He said that besides implementing reconciliatory policies in the State, PDP had also accelerated developmental activities in the region. He said that it was only during PDP led regime that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had sanctioned a special economic package for the State.

Throwing lights on the problems being faced by the residents of erstwhile Doda district, he demanded that locals should be given priority in the new hydro-electric projects to be started in this belt. “Instead of appointing locals on manual jobs, the agencies engaged in executing the hydro-electric projects must open training centres here to train the local unemployed youth so as to engage them on technical jobs”, he demanded, adding, “employment opportunities for locals must be created in all new developmental projects be it widening of national highway, railway projects or hydro-electric projects in this belt.

Meanwhile Mushtaq Ahmed president HCC union, Arshid Ahmed , Niyaz Ahmed , Gowhar Ahmed, Amreek singh and many other prominent personalities also joined the party on this occasion in presence of the party leadership.

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