Ambulance drivers may go on strike .....

 

Ambulance drivers may go on strike .....

Srinagar, September 19: Ambulance drivers during the last three months have not only ferried patients but also hospital staff during curfew and strikes despite several instances of police and troopers attacking them. But this time around, with no let up in such incidents, the drivers have threatened to go on strike unless the 'violence perpetrated against them stops completely'.

"We have been subjected to constant harassment. Recently our 15 drivers were beaten by CRPF troopers leaving one critically injured. Four ambulances were seized (by the forces) at Narbal and it was only after divisional commissioner’s intervention that we managed to release them,” Ali Mohammad Dar, President of H.D.F (Hospital Development Fund) drivers association told Kashmir Dispatch.

Mohammad Yosuf, an ambulance driver of sub district hospital Chadoora, narrates how he was brutally beaten up by the government forces on September 16.

"I was on my way to pick up hospital staff from Nowgam to sub district hospital Chadoora. However, when I reached Nowgam bypass CRPF troopers stopped me and beat me up ruthlessly even after I showed them my identity card," he says.

Similarly forces at Pulwama allegedly beat up another ambulance driver Mohammad Shafi of Pahagam, Pulwama.

Under such circumstances, the drivers say, it’s difficult for them to continue with their work. “We request director Health Dr Amin Wani to to look into the matter and take quick action for our security else we have no option but to go on a strike,"

In response to these incidents doctors believe it was time for government to step in. “If this will continue the drivers of our department will go for strike. It is high time for authorities to pay attention to such incidents," said orthodontist Gowhar Yakoub of JVC.

While talking to Kashmir Dispatch, Prabakar Tripathi PRO CRPF said, "It is a false allegation on us. I have so far not received any complaint like it, but in case if there are more than 6 passengers in the ambulance than we check their identities and than we let them go

Drabu distorted J&K Bank figures: M Y Khan

Alleges credit portfolio on March 2005 was roughly Rs 5,000 crore and not Rs 1,200 crore

Srinagar, September 4: Ex-chairman and chief executive of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank M Y Khan, at a press conference in Srinagar Saturday, alleged that Dr Haseeb Drabu, who resigned recently as chairman and chief executive of the institution, has not only “hurt” his sentiments, but has also ‘distorted’ presentation of facts and figures while narrating the success story of the bank.

Khan said that Drabu’s claim that the bank, in the last five years, had raised its credit portfolio in the state from Rs 1,200 crore in 2005 to Rs 12,000 crore in 2010 was untrue. “This is a total lie as the credit portfolio as on March 2005 was roughly Rs 5,000 crore and not Rs 1,200 crore. It may also be mentioned here that during his tenure the overdraft to the government has witnessed almost a 100 per cent increase, which is reflected in the credit off take during his time,” said Khan.



Khan explained that subsequent to the financial year 2003-04, in which the bank posted a net profit of Rs 406 crore, whole banking industry witnessed tremors of inflation and hardening of interest rates which besides impacting the yields also depreciated the investment portfolio of all banks. The banks all over the country witnessed a tremendous fall in their profits, and J&K Bank could not remain insulated to these adversaries.



Khan elaborated that despite all the adversities in the financial markets, he could have easily booked a net profit of Rs 350 crore for the said financial year (2004-05). “But I didn’t. I did a provisioning of Rs 250 crore in order to insulate the securities portfolio from future market risk and to reduce the duration of its investment portfolio.”



"So, in simpler terms, I sacrificed my performance for the safety of the bank and the successor," said Khan.



Khan said, “When I took over the reigns of the bank, the net profit was just Rs 18 crore and it zoomed to Rs 406 crore in 2003-04. This means it increased 23 times. As far profitability in 2004-05 is concerned, I have already explained it to you earlier. Similarly, the business turnover increased from Rs 4,200 crore to Rs 37,000 crore during my tenure. The credit portfolio witnessed an increase from Rs 1,364 crore to Rs 11,500 crore and deposits in the bank increased from Rs 2,895 crore to Rs 21,644 crore.”



About the performance of the bank’s share at the stock exchange, Khan said, “You will be surprised that the share price of the bank went up 10 times during my tenure. In 1999, the share of the bank was listed and against Rs 38 (Rs 10 face value and Rs 28 premium), reached Rs 356 per share, at the stock exchange in 2005. This means an increase by almost nine times of its original value.”



Juxtaposing the stark contrast between Drabu’s performance and his, Khan said, “During my successor’s period (2005 – 2010) the share price of the bank witnessed 1.25 times increase only which is well below the average performance of the bank shares during this period which increased by three to four times.”



Commenting on the appointment of the new director, Khan said, “I understand that government has decided to appoint Mushtaq Ahmad who was Executive Director and Director on Board of the J&K Bank at the time of his retirement in 2008. I think it is a good step. Mushtaq has worked with me and he has proved himself as an outstanding officer. I am sure he will use his experience and take the bank to new heights.”