Akshay Azad

Akshay Azad Early Times Report Jammu, Feb 24: The maiden press conference convened by the first ever official spokesperson of the Governor administration, here today created more confusion in the minds of people rather than clearing it. The appointment of the Spokesperson itself was mired in mystery as there was no order on the official website of General Administration Department or on the official website of Governor office regarding the appointment. The message circulated by Information department reads, 'Principal Secretary, Planning Development and Monitoring Rohit Kansal has been designated as official spokesperson by the state government to address a press conference on Sunday 4 PM'. It was also not known whether Rohit Kansal was official spokesperson for the Sunday's press conference only or was designated for the times to come. The rumour-mill started spinning by unprecedented developments such as issuance of two government orders directing ...

Wild animals attacking livestock another worry for nomads, farmers Akshay Azad Jammu, Feb 13: The successive state governments have so far failed to legislate any policy in the last over seven decades, to compensate thousands of farmers and nomads, who lost their livestock in the wild animals' attack. The Wildlife department provides compensation for the human loss but there is no policy to compensate for the loss of livestock in attack of wild animals. Sheeps killed in leopard attack in village Karnah of district Kupwara: Pic courtesy: Kashmir Patriot Mohammad Shrief of village Chakka of Ramban had lost over 20 sheep and goats on January 5 when leopard barged into his cowshed at around 12 of night. "After listening cries, I along with some other members reached the cowshed but till then the beast had killed over 20 livestock", Shrief recalled, adding that the Veterinary officer, Patwari, Police official visited his house and compiled a report...

Maximum public leaves marquee before PM completes address    Akshay Azad  Vijaypur, Feb 3: The loudspeakers were blaring announcements about black objects while police personnel at security barricades were ensuring that no black item will enter the venue of Bhartiya Janta Party’s “Maharally” where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to lay foundation stone of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and to inaugurate several other projects.  http://www.earlytimes.in/newsdet.aspx?q=254242 The advisory against the entry of black clothes, was lifted unofficially by the organizers, probably after observing that maximum of the people were in black jackets or black clothes. The advisory against black objects got confined to scarf, caps, gloves, handkerchief while people in black robes were allowed to cross the security barricades.  Link of the Video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccIzfNgp37o A podium was set up in t...

Some questions of animals to humans Akshay Azad It has been almost three hours since darkness descended over Gadigarh locality of Jammu city and Lomu has been strolling around a house. For the last few minutes, he is continuously looking towards a window, probably of the kitchen. The folks have almost done with the dinner but Lomu is still waiting. While someone is washing dishes, Lomu frequently pricks-up his ears over the clanking of utensils. Lomu hopes of getting some piece of chapatti or morsel but finally lights of the kitchen were turned off and window was closed, leaving him disheartened. He kept on waiting for few minutes but finally start walking slowly. Lomu After treading few meters, Lomu reached near the labourers’ locality and started sniffing near hand-pump for some grains of rice or chapatti. But already there were two white puppies, whose mother has permanently made her home, the open space in front of Labourers’ locality. These two puppies are fil...

A short story based on true life events  Akshay Azad  In her 67 years age, my mother Smt. Pushpa Devi wife of Late Sh. Bansi Lal Sharma had never eaten or even touched any non-vegetarian food item. Even the items such as cakes in which eggs are used were never tasted by my mother. It is unimaginable to think of cooking any non-vegetarian food in our family kitchen.  Even raw meat was never brought inside our house.   All family members including my mother, late father, one brother out of four, all sister-in-laws and children are so far vegetarian except me and two other elder brothers. Even when doctors suggested my eldest brother Raju Bir, to consume meat when he had a fractured leg, same was separately prepared in a dhaba and consumed there. The sanctification of the family kitchen was so much maintained by my mother that whenever we would skip dinner, it was obvious that we would eat meat. So the next morning, we were treated outcasts as the las...

Akshay Azad Since decades the family of Farzoola Mohammad (50) had been camping at village Kullian in RS Pura sector during rainy season. The family would rent a small tract of land and stay there for at least two-three months. But this year the landlord returned the advance amount to Farzoola, refusing to rent out his land without citing any reasons. Farzool’s predicament is shared by several other nomads across Hindu-majority areas in Jammu region. Something has suddenly changed for the nomadic Gujjar and Bakerwal communities after the sensational rape and murder of an eight-year-old Bakerwal child came to light in Kathua in January 2018. Amid calls of economic boycott of pastoral nomadic communities, several tribal families have reportedly started migrating to other states. The call followed the charge-sheet filed by the Crime Branch, claiming that the girl was brutally murdered to instil fear among the nomadic communities and dislodge them from the village where ...