City Council Needs United Effort

Join hands and do it

Finally we have an elected corporation in the city, now is the time to make it effective

The elections to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation was a land mark decision. Inspite of all odds and danger People participated in it. The reasons may differ but I am sure everyone’s intention was to make his or her city a better place to live in. Healthy criticism may be good for democracy but criticizing just for the sake of criticizing is against the basic essence of democracy or in that case even humanity. I don’t agree when people suggest or relate the civic polls with the Kashmir issue because both are miles apart. Municipal Corporation is only meant for civic amenities wherein people’s comfort is primary. Don’t we stage a protest when we don’t have Electricity, don’t we protest when we have unhygienic condition everywhere around. Well that’s what we are. Hypocrats? We want the cake and eat it too! Some protested against the holding of civic polls or advocated poll boycott because they thought they would lose their base if people were given an equal share in power. We have a grand chance to give a helping hand to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in general and Srinagar in particular. Now it’s upto us as responsible citizen of Srinagar to take the maximum benefit out of it. Wherever we have an elected corporation in the world or the country the development is worth mentioning places like Delhi, Mumbai, New Mumbai, Kolkata or the civic bodies abroad, They are just extra ordinary. I know we have to start from the scratch and build our own resources and I am sure we will one day .we have to think fast and think positive. we have to encourage profitable institutions which in turn becomes our track to development. We need a Master Plan for Srinagar which does not take many years to realize. Combined and separate actions by the various implementers and promoters must unfold in a sequenced progression of moves, directed by the coordinated Master Plan. The Plan should identify key development and conservation sites, and should present a set of actions organized by priority. We can’t keep on changing the master plans every time, We have to think forward, we have to be futuristic and think 20 years from now instead of 5.We cant compromise on the green belt area of our city for an amusement park, we have to UNITEDLY fight for the cause of saving our water bodies. New private development projects cannot substitute natural balance or environmentalism. We cut a sorry figure while comparing with different Civic bodies elsewhere. I hope my piece of work will contribute in the process of developing our city. Let me share!

The increase in urban population has given rise to many problems mainly Unemployment, poor standard of living, lack of infrastructure facilities, environmental Problems and a significant increase in municipal waste of the Srinagar city. It is recognized that Class I cities (100,000 population) are responsible for more than 25 % of the sewage generation in the country. A common feature in most of the towns is the non-existent, or poorly maintained, sewage conveyance system. The sewage is not properly drained and accumulates within a city’s premises or on its outskirts creating unhygienic conditions. If you ask any one about the unhygienic conditions in our city while he complains it will take ages for him to complete or it would be a prize wining situation to tell someone about one hygienic place worth mentioning. There are large numbers of cesspools which, apart from creating unhygienic conditions, are good breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other vectors. Even the best lakes like Khoushalsar or Anchar are made dumping grounds or in that case the Dal lake as well. Now that we have a formal corporation in place and with good number of seasoned and educated people, I am sure we can share the responsibility of the Municipal Corporation to ensure safe and hygienic collection, storage, segregation, transportation, disposal / treatment of Municipal Wastes and other fields concerning the civic part of the city. The Dal lake and its banks are an important public resource, and critical to the environmental health of the region. Special considerations must be applied to the development of the Dal lake’s banks.

In order to address flooding and water quality, a development-free corridor can be maintained along the edges of the Dal Lake. It is quite certain that we may have heavy rains this year resulting in floods so we have to be prepared for it so that it doesn’t create a Snow-Mi like situation. Streets within the Srinagar district are important for establishing continuity and connections between key destinations for tourism purposes. Wide, tree-lined sidewalks will help to invite walking in the city and in that case along the boulevard road. Pedestrian traffic translates directly into purchasing power.

A city whose life line relies on tourists and tourism related goods and services the pedestrian concept is very important for it. People who walk are people who buy, eat and drink, support culture, and who socialize, keep watch over public safety, and draw more people to the streets which ultimately increase investment in the city. There is growing awareness of the importance of pedestrianization as key to downtown/Uptown revitalization. Guidelines for the City need to be applied with pioneering effort for greater and targeted impact. Retail and cultural opportunities, including culinary, night and day entertainment events, shops, restaurants and services, can be encouraged at street level. Apartments and lofts, along with business and professional offices, can be accommodated on higher floors, to maintain a mixed-use character to these key streets. The idea of Turing the Road from Saida kadal to Nigeen like the one from boulevard Road is worth a discussion, We cannot afford to destabilize the population in and around Dal .Even if scientifically thought the lake survives because of the inhabitants of Dal and around. Corporation should introduce fresh guidelines for development within the Influence area of Dal Lake. We can have discussion on clusters like structures as we have them abroad. Then the other important roads like the Fore shore, bye pass road and many more important roads can be used for both commercial as well as residential aspect. I don’t say we should create an environment disaster but what about environmentally sound development that substitutes gigantic constructions. We should encourage the concept of “Open Market Borrowing” where Municipal Corporation is in a position to carry out developmental works in Municipal limits by borrowing funds from commercial banks ceiling of which can be determined by the State Government. The main issues that need to be addressed on priority are: the Waterways in and around the Srinagar city, main Roads, Green Belt roads, and Neighborhood/ Local Streets, Street edges and lanes, environmentally Sound Development, shared Facilities, such as Shared Parking and transportation Apart from all this we need to sincerely and seriously think about Employment generation, Improving the quality of life, especially of the poor in a resource efficient Manner, Efficient and equitable delivery of Services, including urban transport, Strengthening and reorienting the municipal authorities to enable them to play the role of development managers, Strengthening the existing institutional mechanism and, Balancing the widening city size hierarchies.

We may not be able to move the mountains, but we can at least remove the barriers” with this I sincerely hope of a cleaner and better Srinagar City, We all should! Let’s hope for the best.

The Burn Hall School

INDUSTRIA –FLOREMUS By Deligience we Florish

50 years of excellence in studies with alumni meet was just too good to forget and recall all the memorable moments.

It was like a dream sequence-entering through the same gate, walking through the same corridors, seeing once again the same rooms, same friends and the same environment except that I was no more a student. The Alumni Meet brought a million memories alive. I suddenly realized that perhaps I would not have been what I am now if the Burn hall had not shaped me from a child to a young man. Years have gone by, but the memories linger on.
A few years ago I had written some of my reminiscences in the GK about my student days in the Burnhall. This is now a follow up to what Majid Hyderi wrote in the GK Plus. I remember an ex-student from USA complaining last year that the School had started losing its glory. Perhaps he forgot that he owed his own foundation to this School. Free expression is a fundamental right but if you start running down your own alma matar I would call it being ungrateful. As a believer I am expected to express my gratitude to anyone who blesses me. I think all the Burnhallians would agree with me that we were taught several fundamentals of life-discipline, good behaviour, good manners and above all respect for values of life. May be the student-teacher relationship is not the same. May be the environment has changed. May be the insurgency has taken its toll and they don’t get such committed teachers as we were lucky to have, but no institution can survive or retain its credibility if it compromises on the quality of education. I haven’t heard any one cribbing about it.
At the Golden Jubilee Celebrations and the alumni meet I think every one who had been associated with this School felt proud that he belonged to this School. Fifty years are not a lot of years for an educational institution but judging by the kind of human material it has given to the Society is an achievement by itself. Be it the public men of eminence who are shinning on our political horizon or other fields like engineering, law, administration, education, entrepreneurs or some who have become successful ambassadors of this state overseas, Burnhall has carved out a niche for itself locally, nationally and internationally. Globalization has brought new challenges, new concepts and new expectations. I hope the day will not be far off when people will talk of Burnhall in the same manner as they talk of the Doon’s.
Attending the Alumni Meet has left many indelible imprints. It was wonderful meeting some old friends, hugging them, cranking jokes with them, thinking of the days gone bye, talking of the dreams we dreamt, the naughtiness and the mischief we committed, discussing our successes and failures or the tomfoolery we indulged in. We all go through a process of evolution. We all agreed that we would relive our lives the same way again if we had another chance. When finally identical mementoes were distributed it brought yet another awareness that we were all a family.
I must admit that the GK has played a stellar role by encouraging the youth to contribute to it. In a way the roles of the Burnhall and the GK are complimentary. Both have given the educated youth a platform. While we all have grown with the GK since its birth, let me, somewhat uncharacteristically, give a short history of this school and its strength that binds people like Mirwaiz Umar, Hasseb Drabu , Sajad Lone, Amitabh Matto and so many others who have excelled in diverse fields. We all missed another alumni Omar Abdullah who was conspicuous by his absence. Golden Jubilee comes only once in fifty years and all those people who consider Omer belonging to a different genre of politicians, missed him. It was an occasion he should not have missed. I wish the School management had formed a Celebration Committee and devised a comprehensive programme. One thing that we all missed was the absence of our old teachers. I spent almost 13 years from the Nursery till I passed out. I just cannot forget those formative days of my life that I spent in the school where I was taught that becoming a good human being was more important than carrying your religious tag on your forehead. Amongst my friends there were Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and some who knew nothing about religions at all. It didn’t matter who you were and what background you came from. Once you entered the Schooll premises you where only a disciplined student. I am proud that I was a student of this prestigious Institution which laid more emphasis on turning you into a better human being, on social fabrication and developing your personality rather than preparing you only for a white collar job. That did not mean we were being programmed. We did commit follies, we were mischievous and at times impish but it was all within drawn lines. It was amazing how over stepping the permissible limits would be detected by our eagle eyed teachers like, Mehinder sir, Mrs. Nazir the most strict teacher whose memories we will always cherish, Chandan sir ,Mrs Rath , Late Mr. Gomes , Mrs Shamiri . Gulam Ali the chaprasi to Bahadur the gatekeeper and how can I forget the ever loving bright face of Late Shah Sir . It was customary to prefix Sir with all other teachers. We all had our share of spanking or rebuke or admonish by our teachers but now I realize how important it is to keep a child under leash.
Although after tumult started one hardly had in his mind, what the next decade had in store for all of us. In the school itself we refused to believe the story little realizing that an era had begun that would devour a full generation. The environment in the campus started changing slowly. The moral degradation had started by leaps and bounds. Students started getting over their teachers and suddenly became defiant to get their work done. The atmosphere in and around the school started getting worse. All Non –Muslim teachers started quietly disappearing. There was vacuum and emptiness everywhere. Discipline, Respect, Love, and Strictness suddenly lost their meaning. It was a full stop to all that was good about our society. Friends became foes .All the activities started getting curtailed and suddenly it seemed that we had lost control. But today looking at the same school yet again gives a sense of satisfaction that this school has withstood the worse phase of Valley,s history. There are no strikes, no hullabaloos, and no in-discipline in side the campus. Today, the Burn Hall is still the most preferred school in the city for its discipline, student care, extra curricular activities and above all quality education and on its 50th celebration crossing a milestone by upgrading itself to Higher Secondary is something we all longed for .
While I reserve the right to my opinion on matters that used to happen in the school campus, this column is chiefly dedicated to teachers , ex-students and colleagues and the new generation about how Burn Hall School continues to impact our lives even now . An institution that started in 1956 with Fr. Boeakamp as its first principal and then great luminaries like father Hugh, Fr. Dominic and those affectionate sisters has served this society with all their love and care produced people who are serving this state with all vigor and vitality, we all should not forget that.
And finally, I just have one regret , I wish our Non-Muslims teachers and friends were with us enjoying each bit of what we saw in the photo exhibition right from 1956 to 2006, memories that cannot be replaced, Guess its too late or impossible now .

Civic Crisis

CITY COUNCIL IN SHAMBLES!

Corporators and councilors are the only species that work for free round the clock and yet get all the brickbats. Why do people say we failed.

When the civic elections were held in 2005 the whole media went into frenzy. The world was made to believe that democracy had begun after all at the grass root level. There was so much hype that even the common people started believing in the assertion. People’s participation was phenomenal and we saw a record number of independents contesting. Some political parties did express their reservations but participated with great fervour ultimately. Sick of the infrastructural collapse and lack of any civic amenities for years, people looked to these elections as an opportunity. The up-gradation of the Srinagar Municipality to a Corporation gave a new hope that this starving institution would regain some health and respectability.
February 7 was the day wherefrom our journey began. We were told that it was a Godly mission and we were supposed to clean up the mess. The politicians did not miss any opportunity to make the people believe that with the corporation in place Srinagar would have good roads, clean lanes and by-lanes, there would be no overflowing drains, no stench, no water shortage, no load shedding, no long queues at the bus stops blah blah blah. A Corporator was projected something of a superman who could solve all and any problem. The legislators who had earlier opposed the civic polls tooth and nail felt more insecure. The impression created was that since Corporators had to work at the lowest tier of the democratic system, they formed the most important component of democracy. Some mavericks went to the extent of suggesting that the civic elections would offer a solution to the Kashmir issue itself. They started knitting an imaginary pattern; Assembly Elections, Elections to the Parliament, revival of Tourism, dialogue process, cultural exchanges; all these were presented as indicators of a lasting solution. The policy planners in Delhi projected all this as return of normalcy but the people who had braved militant threats and participated enthusiastically in the entire process soon started getting disillusioned. The SMC was starved of funds, promises of transferring revenue generating departments to the Corporation were not kept, the genuine demands of the Corporators were not met which led to great disenchantment amongst the people. The Corporators who were earlier hailed as the true grass root representatives were sidelined and never consulted for development or betterment of their segments. The Govt. succumbed to the pressure of the legislators who thought that the civic elections had eroded their authority. Instead of funding the wards, all the legislators were granted additionalities which were above the CDF. I can claim without any fear of contradiction that all these funds have been spent on works that only help the contractors or the MLA’s kith and kin. It would have strengthened our multi tier democratic system had our legislators shown some sense of accommodation and farsightedness and allowed the civic bodies to perform their constitutional obligations. In this regard let me mention one instance. At the constant demand of the area, the previous MLA had constructed the retention wall done the fencing and lighting at an enormous cost. at the Baba Mazaar, Zadibal. The wall was built to last several decades but the present MLA had the whole thing pulled down at an incredible cost of 10 Lacs. The entire material was re-used, devar stones, bricks, iron grills, lights etc, an expenditure that could have been utilized elsewhere. The people brought this to the notice of the Vigilance Organization and the Div Com but to my information, no action was taken either against the MLA or the concerned officers who connived with him. Unless there is some kind of accountability, the CDF will continue to be misused or wasted.

The expectations people had with corporation and its members have been belied. The government apathy, lack of funds and the war of attrition between the Mayor and the government has only worsened the situation. The city dwellers have every genuine reason to believe that we have failed them. Although a lot of time has been wasted in political squabbles by various political groupings there are a good number of Corporators who are committed and eager to contribute. If it were not so, why would they give their 100%, round the clock and without any pecuniary benefit unlike the legislators? The Corporations around the globe have never been at logger heads with the legislature or bureaucracy. The functions of our civic bodies are regulated by an act of the Legislature that become operative through the corporations/councils and their various Committees or sub committees. It’s a sad story that the majority party turned it into an organizational office and people’s hopes and aspirations were relegated to the background. It has excelled in the blame game and the main purpose has been lost. SMC is an institution and I find it in bad taste that the Mayor should have decided to put the party flag and not the State flag on the Corporation Gate.

It was heartening to see the Chief Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad inviting all the councilors at the SKICC, and stressing on high standards he expected from us. In his address he had promised that he would have a workshop organized for providing the necessary inputs to the Corporators and also look into our grievances. Nothing happened except that the Mayor was accorded Z-category security with a salary and the status of a cabinet minister. I hope someone in the corridors of power will realize that several candidates were gunned down during the civic elections and many councilors and Corporators lost their lives after they got elected. They all have a severe threat perception that has forced them to abandon their families and homes. Many gave up their jobs or businesses because they were lured by promises. It is absurd that a member should be expected to work at the grass root level, without any security and any means of mobility and yet be expected to be available to his ward. You raise the salaries of the legislators a whopping 400% but do not apply even the minimum wages Act to Corporators. Never in the history of democratic India were members salaries and allowances given such a steep hike and as it stands now, our members will be paid more even than the MPs. Isn’t that very unfair and yet we accuse Corporators of non-performance.

Mr. Azad must take a cue from the Delhi Corporation. If the Congress got a majority there it was largely because of the hard work put in by the Corporators in their respective wards and not because of the performance of the MLA.s. We are like toothless tigers that can neither bite nor eat grass. All the promises made have evaporated in thin air and barring a few, most of us feel disheartened. The CM has taken some decisions that will have far reaching consequences. If he wants vibrant civic bodies then they have to be empowered, the second alternative would be, and that will make the MLAs happier, to wind them up. There is no point having institutionsise that are crippled by design. I am sure the CM is aware that most of the MLAs from the Srinagar city route their entire Constituency Development Fund through the REW (Rural Department), because that way they do not have to adhere to Codal formalities, works are not put to tender and one can give them to favourite contractors for obvious reasons. What normally should have been the job of the SMC is entrusted to an authority that as the name suggests is meant for the rural areas. So, who is making the SMC dysfunctional? The Hon. CM has repeatedly spelled out his dreams of a Khosh-hal Kashmir where there would be accountability and answerability. I hope he will have all this investigated if he means what he says. I would also suggest that the total expenditure on account of CDF and any additionality should be made public at the end of every financial year. People have a right to know and they must know where and how the money was spent. Secondly, it must be ensured that the amount given to the legislators is equitably distributed in the wards of the Constituency in consultation with the respective Councilor or else the expenditure will remain lopsided. For smooth functioning of the democratic system, Members of the Assembly and the elected Corporators have to compliment each other and work in unison. This perhaps could be achieved by:


· The corporation in the city limits should be responsible for health services, housing, roads, education, social services and transport with limited interferences from the state government. The state governments could take up the Strategic services like Law and Order, Funds etc. Let’s give full authority to a councilor along with power to promote economic, social and environmental well being of their areas.
· Local Corporation should be in a position to raise taxes but it should be well funded by a combination of local and state grants ..The ambit of revenue collection in terms of taxes should be extended to passenger , fire services and electricity, water etc/.
· Since the proposal of well maintained roads and const of bridges are in the offing the whole development activity should be done in consultation with the elected Corporators, this will facilitate the concept of development at grass roots level. Any construction in and around the city should be done by the corporation. I still remember how the Demolition and construction part was taken back from SMC after an order was issued from the secretariat. This shouldn’t happen. Everyone is aware that the Lake authority has only gained in size and like a proverbial white elephant gulps 80% of its budget for its survival , About its track record , less said the better , I would also advise the government to put the LAWWDA, CTP and the SDA under the control of the proposed corporation to avoid dual authority and speedy implementation of decisions .
· A Councilor /Corporator should be given a minimum of 25 lacs as Ward development fund like they have done it in DMC and any additional funds should be given directly to the SMC under the control of the councilors and not MLA’s ,with strict guidelines that all codal formalities should be adhered to. This will boost the concept of governance at grass root and ensure transparency.

· A Corporator should be given a respectable honorarium and once the corporation is in a position to generate its own resources, it can be stopped or reconsidered.
· It should be made mandatory that all the CDF or additionality allowed to legislators should be utilized through the SMC alone. This will cut on the corruption and help in checking wrongdoings. For more meaningful functioning of the SMC (Like in Delhi Municipal Corporation) MLA’s and MP’s should be nominated to Corporation on rotational basis.
· At our own level well programmed schedule should be made for day to day interaction with the citizens and if they have proper knowledge about the functioning of the corporation, its rules and its activities much of the misunderstanding, harassment and delay can be reduced.
· We should encourage the concept of “Open Market Borrowing” where Municipal Corporation is in a position to carry out developmental works in Municipal limits by borrowing funds from commercial banks ceiling of which can be determined by the State Government.
· We need a Master Plan for Srinagar which does not take many years to realize. Combined and separate actions by the various implementers and promoters must unfold in a sequenced progression of moves, directed by the coordinated Master Plan. The Plan should identify key development and conservation sites, and should present a set of actions organized on priority. We cant keep on changing the master plans every time, We have to think forward, we have to be futuristic and think 20 years from now. People who walk are people who buy, eat and drink, support culture, and who socialize, keep watch over public safety, and draw more people to the streets which ultimately increase investment in the city, we have to draw a mechanism where the concept of dykes is introduced. Mr. Pampori is a veteran town planner and his age has not diminished his vigour vitality or enthusiasm for a breathing city. We need experts like him and not the sycophants we have at the helm at present.

· Apart from all this we need to sincerely and seriously think about Employment generation, Improving the quality of life, especially of the poor in a resource efficient manner, efficient and equitable delivery of services, including urban transport, strengthening and reorienting the municipal authorities to enable them to play the role of development managers, strengthening the existing institutional mechanism and, balancing the widening city size hierarchies. Let us do it NOW!

· Let us not trivialize issues but aspire for a tomorrow that is peaceful, brighter and better. We are in the process of enacting some very productive by laws with regard to building activities and solid waste management , they are indeed people friendly , and will prove to be less time consuming and productive . I think we are doing our bit. Its for the other side to reciprocate

And finally, Healthy criticism may be good for democracy but criticizing just for the sake of criticizing is against the basic essence of democracy. At the local level, peoples day to day problems have to be redressed, the 15 years of tumult have destroyed the entire infrastructure; Unemployment is a major challenge because all our avenues are shut, which is why our youth have opted for other means. We need to listen to our people and address their genuine concerns. We can’t afford blocking our vision or closing our eyes. We cannot create vibrant democratic institutions without total participation of the people. True, seventy percent elected members of our civic bodies are youth and it is the segment of our population that has a lot of enthusiasm and commitment. The question is should their commitment be wasted for petty political consideration or should they be given total support to succeed? What is the answer?

Afzal Guru: Set him Free

03 November 2006

It will help remove some of the haze that has been covering the Kashmir issue for past one month. Right now every one is concerned or rather looks like concerned about Afzal Guru. Had all our leaders been a little futuristic, Afzals case wouldn’t have become so Complex had they come together when Afzals case was being discussed in the Court. If they mean what they are saying then we are on the right track but if it’s yet again the very ugly face of cheap publicity then sooner or later we will be doomed

Lets come back to the death sentence of Afzal Guru and think whether we really are doing some thing to save a fellow citizen who in general perception is innocent. Killing him could lead to a rash of new strikes. One saw how the award of the death sentence to Maqbool Butt led to the kidnapping and murder of Ravi Mhatre, an Indian diplomat posted at Birmingham, by the JKLF elements in 1983. Why should he be awarded even life imprisonment? I mean he should go free. What on the earth do you have against him except under POTA he has been booked as and how wanted.

At a time when a peace process is having a bumpy ride and confidence and trust is not at its highest, is it prudent for a government of India to hang Afzal Guru? That’s what I feel as a citizen of a trouble torn state. What about you?

(Azal Guru is a kashmiri who has been arrested in connection with the parliment attack , Many people beleive that he is not involved and should begiven a fair trial )

Igniting Aspirations

It is an exciting time to be alive! I have personally spoken with many who lost their dear ones during the 15-years of tumult but they all seem to echo the same sentiment: "Enough is enough let peace be given a chance." Everyone agrees that it should be 'youth specific'. But we know for sure that today's young generation wants to play a positive role in extricating the State from the intractable quagmire created by the power hungry political wolves of yesterday and carry it to an era of prosperity and peace .

With each new scene of killing in Kashmir, outrage has intensified against the paramilitary forces, raising the prospect of a backlash and washing all gains made towards peace and prosperity. Although the Prime Minister has urged the forces to use restraint, the Chief Minister has strongly defended the military retaliation as a reasonable response to attacks, a position increasingly at odds with the political parties that see a deadly overreaction.It seems that if the killings and atrocities drag on, as appears likely, it could leave India more isolated than at any time since the tumult began 17 years ago. In the long run the situation could cement the perception that India is so anti-Kashmir that a new generation of youth will grow up perceiving Indians as enemies. Some of the overheated rhetoric that we've lost our leadership in the world, is just completely ridiculous, I personally feel that the present politicians comprising leaders like Omar Abdullah, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq and Sajad Lone among others are genuinely committed to find a solution that lasts. They all have a very straight forward attitude and have the courage to call a spade a spade. They have certain credibility among the people and they cannot afford to squander. Gone are the days when a leader would feed the audience with slogans or utopian dreams. People want results now and they don't have the patience to wait until tomorrow. As they say, things happen when they have to happen. Could it be that providence desires the youth to bring about a revival of what has been destroyed?According to the present configuration of our population we have 60% in the age group 25 to 30, around 30% in their 50s and the remaining 10% in the age group of 60 or above.

In the past it is generally the later 10% that has held the reins and created a mess partly because of a rusty mindset or partly because they don't understand the global compulsions. Comparing today's youth with their parents when they were young or their grandparents when they were children, the lives of today's youth have become more and more circumscribed. The constant social pressures and daily killings have made it impossible to socialize. We have lost our individual life and become virtual prisoners within our homes putting a stop on all physical activity. We live in a selfish place where we talk for the sake of talking? We usually don't write about something that brings laurels to this part of the world instead we go on writing against issues that are good for many but disliked by few. Our current paradigm for Kashmir issue is much like an entertainment show. We come in to a comfortable auditorium and watch others do the 'Drama.' And when it finishes, we clap and leave. So we have to start now, Kashmir is our problem and we have to find out an acceptable solution. Why can't Kashmiri leaders of all shades of opinion come on one stage and then arrive at an agreeable solution? Unless all the political parties, repeat 'all', converge on a solution you will continue finding faults with Congress, APHC, NC and vice versa.

I think we have reached a stage where we don't want to see Kashmir turning into another Iraq, Afghanistan or LebanonThere seems to be recognition worldwide now that today's youth are better informed, are highly focused and productive and are better suited to deal with the problems around them. There is a greater realization with the youth of today that worldwide they sow the seeds but the harvest goes to a generation that only makes speeches. There is a resolve that it is he who has to decide his future and a world he wants to live in. In this new world order no one can afford to ignore the aspirations of youth and its dreams. Today's youth have only seen strife, death, destruction and pain. It is only the youth who have been used as fodder. How many people in their 60s have lost their lives? The bottom-line is that today's youth want 'peace'.

The entire Kashmir leadership has a moral obligation not to allow the peace loving people to become hostages of enemies of peace. In a vibrant democracy, people throw up new leaders. They don't have to be thrust on the people. That way we can take pride that we who are discussing the Kashmir imbroglio here belong to a generation that does not have much of excess baggage on our shoulders. We were not a witness to the partition holocaust or the partition itself. We have only been experiencing the pain and suffering that the partition brought to the entire region. And finally, the momentum is on, now is the time to be futuristic in our approach and believe in the concept of, "give and take", we cannot dictate terms to countries like India or Pakistan but we can be flexible and with a united approach, we can help in the process of Confidence Building Measures to lead to an ultimate solution of Kashmir, of the both sides. Youth cannot and should not be ignored?