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Jammu, June 1 The Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed, accompanied by the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, is leaving for Delhi tomorrow to meet Congress leaders and take a final decision about expansion of the ministry in Jammu and Kashmir and also discuss whether to expel the Panthers Party from the coalition or not.
BDO to pay for using poor quality cement
Implementation of Guest Control Order deferred
Minister reviews progress on deer park
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Explosive defused near Jamia Masjid
Postal Dept to disburse old-age pension in J&K
Five Bangladeshis apprehended
Protest against ‘atrocities’ by security forces
10 injured in lathicharge
IAF organises medical camp
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Mufti, Deputy CM leave for Delhi today
Jammu, June 1 Both of them reached Srinagar airport this afternoon to fly to the Capital, but the aircraft could not take off because of bad weather. Now they will leave for Delhi tomorrow morning. Expansion of the ministry was on the cards as two ministers, Mr Madan Lal Sharma and Mr Lal Singh, have got elected to the Lok Sabha and their vacancies were to be filled from among the Congress legislators. Several MLAs are exerting pressure to get a berth in the Cabinet. The Mufti and Mr Sharma are expected to call on Mrs Sonia Gandhi to discuss these issues with her. While some legislators are eyeing the lucrative portfolios of Public Works and Health that the two ministers were holding, certain ministers are also lobbying for a reshuffle of the portfolios to bag these. There are indications that Mr Jugal Kishore, Minister of State for Public Health Engineering, may get Cabinet status. Certain leaders are pleading for a promotion for Mr Raman Bhalla, Minister of State. Certain MLAs from Kathua district are trying to get a berth in the ministry in place of Mr Lal Singh. The Deputy Chief Minister has been demanding that the Panthers Party should be removed from the coalition as its leader, Mr Bhim Singh, has launched a tirade against the Mufti-led government. Moreover, he contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Udhampur constituency against the Congress candidate, Mr Lal Singh. Mr Bhim Singh had fielded his candidates in almost all constituencies against those of the coalition partners. During his recent visit here, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, had hinted of action against Mr Bhim Singh. The Panthers Party with four MLAs has two ministers in the Mufti-led government.
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BDO to pay for using poor quality cement
Srinagar, June 1 Following a complaint received from people about the use of poor quality cement in the construction of a panchayat ghar in Lohai Malhar, the Minister ordered an inquiry, which confirmed the complaint. The substandard cement was seized and auctioned. The government loss was assessed at Rs 1.26 lakh and the amount was recovered from Block Development Officer Triloki Nath. Meanwhile, to institutionalise a system of enforcing complaints received from public about the works, the government has announced the registration of complaints in writing with ACD, Director, Rural Development concerned or the government directly. In the event of any complaint found to be correct, the government would take stringent action, including recovery of the loss from the officer concerned. — UNI |
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Implementation of Guest Control Order deferred
Jammu, June 1 The notification for the implementation of the order with effect from June 6 was issued on May 28, but has been withdrawn within three days. Interestingly, the decision to withdraw the order was not discussed formally at a Cabinet meeting, but was got approved by circulation of the file among the ministers. A five-member Cabinet Sub-committee comprising the deputy Chief Minister, the Finance Minister, the Revenue Minister, the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and the Minister for Science and Technology, has been constituted to examine the entire gamut of the Guest Control Order issued by the Department of Consumers Affairs. Mr Mohiuddin, who is from the Congress, is learnt to have taken exception to the decision for the withdrawal of the order that was reportedly taken by the Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed, on the persuasion of a PDP minister considered close to him. Mr Mohiuddin is learnt to have refused to sign the Cabinet memo that came to him by circulation this morning. Instead, he wanted the issue to be discussed formally at a meeting of the cabinet. The restrictions on the number of persons at marriage parties imposed by Mr Mohiuddin were widely appreciated particularly by the middle class and the poor sections that were getting crushed under a financial burden because of the forced extravagance during marriages at their homes. When contacted on the telephone, Mr Mohiuddin, who appeared hurt over the decision of the government, said that he had imposed the restrictions keeping in view the problems that the common people had to face, but “I can’t go beyond the decision of the Cabinet.” The Chief Secretary, Mr S.S. Bloeria, said that the Cabinet took into account the mixed reaction of the public to the order. While the spirit of the measure is generally appreciated, reservations have been expressed about its actual enforcement. Representations have also been received about the limit on the number of guests, eatables and enforcement mechanism prescribed under the order. The government also found merit in the public view that while the date of enforcement of the order has been fixed for June 6, preparations for weddings are generally made in advance. It was found advisable to review the Guest Control Order and seek wider public opinion to make it more purposeful, people friendly and effective in curbing extravagance and ostentatiousness at marriages. The Guest Control Order was earlier repealed by the government on July 16,1984. |
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Minister reviews progress on deer park
Srinagar, June 1 “It has become imperative for the government to develop such kind of breeding centres to conserve important species as they are part and parcel of centuries-old heritage of Kashmir,” State Minister for Environment and Wildlife Sofi Ghulam Mohiuddin said after inspecting the progress made in the development of the park on Saturday. So far 70 per cent of the work has been completed on the park spread over an area of 25 acres. Mr Sofi said various activities to be undertaken at this centre include breeding of Hangul and musk deer in captivity, construction of waterholes, water harvesting tanks, shelter sheds and a park for tourists on its periphery. A power fencing, first of its kind in the state, was being installed to protect these endangered species from leopards and other wild animals, the minister said. Hi-tech fencing would prevent the wild animals from entering the deer park by giving shock impulses without causing any physical harm to them. Expressing the hope that the deer park would attract many tourists, domestic as well as foreign, the minister asked the wildlife officials to complete the work on the park in right earnest. |
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Explosive defused near Jamia Masjid
Srinagar, June 1 Official sources said a civilian spotted some “suspicious object” near the mosque this afternoon and immediately informed the police. They said the area was sealed and a bomb disposal squad was summoned to defuse the explosive. Had the IED exploded, it would have caused damage to the masjid and nearby houses, the sources said. The incident comes three days after Hurriyat Conference senior leader Moulvi Omar Farooq’s house was attacked with a grenade and his uncle shot at and wounded in downtown. Elsewhere, a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant was among two persons killed in the Kashmir valley overnight, an official spokesperson said today. He said militants entered the house of Mohammad Akbar Ganai and shot dead his son Mohammad Rafiq Ganai last night. Security forces and the police in a joint operation killed a militant, Abu Sufian, a resident of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK), at Upper Pangai last night, the spokesperson said. One AK rifle, three magazines, three rounds, one grenade and one wireless set were seized from the slain militant, who was said to be active in Pir Panchal range for the past few months. Security forces seized an IED at Rajouri, while one AK rifle, two wireless sets, one UBGL, one UBGL grenade and one cellphone were seized from Surankote and Mandi last night.
— UNI |
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Postal Dept to disburse old-age pension in J&K
Jammu, June 1 The department has undertaken this responsibility on the request of the state government and this money is being sent to the people concerned through money order service, Chief Postmaster-General, J.K. Circle, S. Samant told reporters here yesterday. He said 64 post offices located at tehsil headquarters have been identified to provide such services. When the facility was introduced last year, and 40,000 money orders were tendered by the Social Welfare Department at these offices the number of such money orders has touched nearly one lakh now, he added. Mr Samant said post offices were going to sell recruitment forms and admission forms in the state. This will help the candidates and students to get the forms from the nearest post office. The post offices will also accept filled forms on behalf of the agencies under special agreement. Mr Samant said that his department was considering to issue greeting cards for the Amarnath, Vaishno Devi pilgrims.
— PTI |
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Jammu, June 1 A BSF spokesman said the farmers of 60 Bn of palloton BSF, on Saturday night, spotted a Bangladeshi national near Khatmarian outpost in RS Pura sub-sector when he was trying to cross over to Pakistan. During his interrogation, he told the BSF that four more Bangladeshi nationals were at the Jammu Railway station. The troops then raided the Railway station and took them into custody, he added. All five Bangladeshis were later handed over by the BSF to the police.
— UNI |
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Protest against ‘atrocities’ by security forces
Srinagar, June 1 Official sources said the villagers, including women, took to the streets at Sanow and blocked roads. The demonstrators alleged that troops beat up villagers, injuring many of them, after militants attacked a security force patrol in the morning and escaped. Shops and the business establishments in the area remained closed in protest against the incident.
— UNI |
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10 injured in lathicharge
Baramula, June 1 Official sources said students boycotted their classes and took to streets in protest against inadequate accommodation. Raising slogans against the government, the students blocked the Srinagar-Baramula road. The police later fired tear gas shells after repeated lathicharge had no affect on the students who pelted police personnel and passing vehicles with stones. Three police personnel, including ASI Ghulam Nabi, were injured. Later, senior civil and police officials visited the spot and assured the students that they would take up the issue with the higher authorities.
— UNI |
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IAF organises medical camp
Jammu, June 1 The camp was inaugurated by Group Captain, S.K. Bhattacharaya, Station Commander. A free medical check-up of villagers was conducted and gifts were given to schoolchildren. |
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