Kangris selling like hot cakes
After the season’s first snowfall led to drop in temperature in Kashmir, the demand for Kangri (an earthen hot pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers) has gone up. Kangris are kept beneath traditional clothing to keep the people warm in chilling cold. Vendors in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir are selling Kangris of different varieties with prices ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 800. Due to power cuts, these Kangris have maintained their utility in the Kashmir Valley despite the availability of electronic gadgets.
Guidelines soon on textbook pricing
With the start of new academic session, there have been regular complaints that private schools are exorbitantly charging parents of the students for books and uniforms. The parents have complained that the schools are forcing them to buy books, notebooks and uniforms at exorbitant rates from shops inside schools and designated “cloth shops”. Now, authorities are carrying out inspection of private schools. Advisor to Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai directed the Directors of School Education, Kashmir and Jammu to examine the complaints and to recommend measures to regulate the rates. He said the government would issue guidelines to regulate prices of textbooks and uniforms, and to also regulate the fee structure.
Court upholds sentence in cheque bounce cases
A local court in Srinagar has upheld a trial court judgment convicting a person in two separate cheque bounce cases. The court ordered that the person, who was convicted by the trial court, be taken into custody. While referring to various provisions of laws, the judge held that the impugned judgment of conviction and sentence does not require any interference. The convicted person, a resident of Bemina area, had been handed a six-month sentence in the two cases. He was also asked to pay J13 lakh in compensation. In July, a court had upheld the jail term awarded to another Srinagar man in a cheque bounce case but decreased the amount of compensation.
Auto drivers reluctant to install meters
Autorickshaw drivers in Kashmir are reluctant to install fare meters despite clear directions. The Traffic police has directed the three-wheeler drivers to recalibrate the meters of their auto rickshaws within 20 days and warned of action against those not following the ordes. There were frequent complaints by locals that auto drivers are charging exorbitant rates from passengers. A traffic police officer sought cooperation from the people in implementing the order. However, auto drivers claim that fare meters would not help them and rather the government should revise fares.
Fayaz Wani
Our correspondent in Jammu and Kashmir
fayazwani123@gmail.com