Current Affairs

Road safety programme at KU puts spotlight on key concerns

Published

4 years ago

January 3, 2021

Strict enforcement of road safety regulations and an effective communication strategy at grassroots can go a long way in curbing road accidents, officers and experts have opined.

BK News

Srinagar, Jan 3: Strict enforcement of road safety regulations and an effective communication strategy at grassroots can go a long way in curbing road accidents, officers and experts have opined.

Addressing as chief guest a day-long traffic awareness programme, organised by Kashmir’s University School of Law in collaboration with NGO named ‘God’s Lap’, the varsity Registrar Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir said that road accident deaths and injuries are preventable if safety norms are followed by everyone with seriousness.

“An effective communication strategy will help raise levels of understanding amongst motorists about the goals of driving as well as about the importance of adherence to road safety laws and regulations,” Dr Mir said, adding that stringent enforcement of legal provisions governing road safety and traffic movement can help reduce road accidents.

“We can also utilise the services of our psychologists to help understand the behaviours of reckless drivers. The vehicular movement comes with a risk, but not many take it that way. Some drivers think that it is merely fun to drive, and not something with a goal. That perception has to be changed with greater awareness through media and community-level awareness and engagement programmes,” he said, assuring Kashmir University’s full support to the J&K Traffic Department in raising awareness among motorists with the involvement of the varsity’s NSS volunteers.

Dean School of Law Prof Mohammad Ayoub said that application of modern technological tools can also help curb road accidents, even as he asserted that creating a culture of road safety in the society is the “key to success here.”

“The WHO says road accidents kill more than 1.3 million people every year apart from causing injuries to millions of others. This is a disturbing statistic and calls for a serious intervention by policy-planners, media and civil society to create continued awareness on road safety norms and regulations,” he said.

Keynote speaker Prof Gull M Wani, Head of KU’s Political Science Department underscored why it’s important for academic institutions to include road safety education in their curriculum.

“In fact, road safety learning has to be in the curriculum at every level to help create disciplined drivers,” he said.

KU’s Chief Proctor Prof Showkat Ahmad Shah, who was a guest of honour at the programme, highlighted why grassroots engagement has to be a continuous process to raise traffic awareness and build a culture of road safety.

Dr Zahoor Ahmad Wani, ASP Traffic (City Srinagar) talked about constraints in the management of traffic in Kashmir and other challenges faced by the Traffic Police, while Ghulam Hassan, Deputy SP Traffic (City Srinagar) suggested how traffic management could be easy if drivers follow traffic rules, avoid wrong parking, and keep patience while driving.

SDPO Hazratbal Musadiq Basoo and Station House Officer, PS Nigeen, Gowhar Hussain were also present.

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Current Affairs

Darakhshan Andrabi granted MoS status

Published

3 years ago

April 8, 2022

BK Editor

BK News

Srinagar: J&K Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Darakhshan Andrabi has been granted the status of Minister of State (MoS) by the J&K Government.

Andrabi was last month appointed as a member of J&K Waqf Board and later elected chairperson.

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the grant of status equivalent to Minister of State (MoS) in favour of Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, Chairperson, J&K Waqaf Board,” an order issued on Friday by the Principal Secretary, GAD, Manoj Dwivedi reads.

“The Hospitality & Protocol Department shall make necessary insertion in the J&K Warrant of Precedence with the approval of Competent Authority,” it added.

Andrabi recently facilitated a successful meeting between Kashmiri business leaders with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Andrabi is a national executive member of Bhartiya Janta Party and BJP state spokesperson for J&K.

Current Affairs

Kashmiri researcher to speak at UNGA Science Summit

Published

3 years ago

September 21, 2021

BK Editor

Srinagar, Sept 21: Dr Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, a Kashmir-born Innovation Researcher, has been invited to speak at UNGA76’s second Science Summit (United Nations General Assembly UNGA76).

The UNGA Science Summit’s goal is to “increase awareness of science’s significance and contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” It will showcase efforts that will serve as examples for global science systems and activities supporting the SDGs, notably in the areas of science infrastructure and capacity building.”

Dr Sheikh Fayaz, a Kupwara resident, has been asked to speak at a session on ‘South-South/North Science Capacity Building and Research Collaboration for Advancing the SDGs,’ which will take place on September 22, 2021.

UNGA76 is seen as a unique and prestigious forum for science and development scholars to demonstrate “how policy and political leadership can benefit from innovation”. The second edition of UNGA76, Science Summit, is organized by ISC around the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA76) in New York in September 2021.

Dr Sheikh Fayaz is working as a full-time innovation researcher with the School of Management, Zhejiang University, one of the top public universities in China. He works on ‘secondary innovations’ and regional development. Sheikh Fayaz holds his M.Phil and PhD from the Centre for Studies in Science Policy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-India.

Prior to joining Zhejiang University, Dr Fayaz was a Visiting Scholar at the Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Portugal, under European Commission’s Crossing Boundaries Project funded by Marie Curie Actions, International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (2014), School of Management, University of Bradford, England (Oct- Nov 2014) and University of Sussex, London and Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, England, (2017). He is also a member of the Globelics community and is an alumnus of various Globelics innovation academies held in Finland, Kenya and Brazil.

The other speakers for the science summit include some of the world’s leading development practitioners, researchers, scientists, and politicians from different parts of the world. Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, President, International Science Council, George Church from Harvard University Wyss Institute, Dr Magdalena Skipper, Editor in Chief, Nature, UK, Prof. Intisar Soghayroun Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Sudan and Dr Marcia McNutt President, National Academy of Sciences, USA, joined the opening plenary session held on September 14, 2021.

Current Affairs

Sufi poetry collection ‘Ganji Asrar’ released

Published

4 years ago

April 15, 2021

BK Editor

Srinagar: A collection of Sufi poetry, ‘Ganji Asrar’, authored by Musadiq Alam, was released on Tuesday at a cultural event in Tagore Hall here.
The event was organised by Angel’s Cultural Academy in association with the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.
The book is a poetry collection of the legendry Sufi poet, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Dar Shutloohi. Dar has served for more than 40 years at Darbari Kashani Shalimar.

‘Ganji Asrar’ has been published by Sultania Book Depot Maisuma and will be available at all leading book shops of J&K.