German Ambassador Martin Ney called Prof. Saifuddin Soz, former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader at his residence on Monday late evening.“A brief but comprehensive exchange of ideas with the German Ambassador Martin Ney, who called on me at my residence last evening, revived in my mind an idea that the Civil Society in Kashmir has an important role to serve the society in diverse areas. Let me explain my idea.I would say that an exchange of ideas with Mr. Martin Ney caused a thought in my mind that we can together help our society to grapple better with problems. I suggest that, in normal course, we should give up the habit of looking to the Government for everything. Among a host of things, I have chosen just two areas, for example, for attention of the Civil Society which in my opinion, should expand to include journalists also.
Mr. Martin Ney is not an expert in himself, but he is sure that German experience in horticulture can be of great use to Kashmir. For instance, the German apple is big, very colourful and juicy. Our horticulturists can benefit quite a lot from Germans. Germany can also help us in setting up Apple Clinics where the horticulturists can have workable knowledge on seeds, planting of saplings, spraying of proper oils and other areas of farming.The Germans can also show us how our educated boys and girls, who are otherwise unemployed, can be meaningfully employed in picking of fruit, grading and packing etc.If the Civil Society can properly select, say five boys and five girls, who can be sent to Germany for gaining knowledge in the areas just mentioned. It will be a demonstration on how we can create avenues of employment for our educated unemployed youth, who unfortunately, do not consider working in these areas to be a noble profession for them. I think I can render some help. Ideas have wings, let us try.” (KNS)