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Principals surprised over deferment of test-based admissions
Solemnity marks Northern Command 39th Raising Day
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Mehbooba stopped from meeting Tufail’s family
Shalin’s birthday turns mournful for family
On the 11th birthday of Shalin Gupta, residents
of Nai Basti carry out a candlelight procession in Jammu on Thursday. A Tribune
photograph
Chinese Incursions
Race for PYC chief post hots up
Rajouri Kadal — the new protest zone
The Gani memorial Stadium in the Rajouri Kadal area in Srinagar where
pitched battles between stone throwing youths and the security forces have become common. Photo by the writer
Kashmiri migrants meet relief commissioner
Antony to visit Ladakh
Rise in Crime
Amarnath yatra arrangements reviewed
Mirwaiz prevented from going to UN office
Students block Poonch-Mandi road
16 hurt in accidents
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Principals surprised over deferment of test-based admissions
Jammu, June 17 While talking to The Tribune, the principal of Government Gandhi Memorial (GGM) Science College, Prof MS
Baleoria, said the decision of the university authorities to conduct an entrance test for admissions to postgraduate courses was better than the prevailing system. Expressing surprise over the deferment of the decision, Baleoria said, “Though I do not know the reason for the deferment of the decision, it was a better way of admitting students.” He added that under the present system some deserving students could not get admission due to variation in marks, but under the entrance-based admission system all students would get an equal opportunity of admission. Similarly, Anita Sudhan, principal of Sri Pratap Memorial Rajput (SPMR) College of Commerce, said, “When the university is conducting the entrance test for MCA and MBA, why can’t it do it for other courses as well. The reason for this sudden decision is unknown but the entrance-based admission system is much better than the present system of admissions.” She added through the entrance test the university could get serious and intelligent students. Meanwhile, Principal of Maulana Azad Memorial (MAM) College Ajeet Angral said the college was running a postgraduate course in mathematics. He said earlier the college used to have its own procedure for admissions, but this year they got a notification that admissions to postgraduate courses would be provided only through the entrance test. “Now, when were prepared for the new mechanism of admissions, I was informed yesterday that we would have to give admissions as per the prevailing system. So we had to adjust and readjust the system for a smooth admission process,” said Angral. However, Prof RD Sharma, Dean Academic Affairs, Jammu University, said the university had deferred the entrance test-based admission system due to some official reasons. He said the university would implement the new mechanism from the next academic session. Sharma said, “Our academic session starts in August and if we implement the new admission mechanism, we will have to start the academic session in October, which will result in the loss of precious time of students.” “The new mechanism also requires a lot of preparation. So this year we will offer admissions as per the old system,” added Sharma. Postgraduate Courses Our academic session starts in August and if we implement the new admission mechanism, we will have to start the academic session in October, which will result in the loss of precious time of students. — Prof RD Sharma, Dean Academic Affairs, Jammu University
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Solemnity marks Northern Command 39th Raising Day
Udhampur, June 17 All ranks remembered their comrades in arms and paid homage to the 9,710 personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice. Lt Gen BS Jaswal reiterated the commitment of the Northern Army to ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country all along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir and to usher in peace and prosperity by checkmating the menace of terrorism unleashed by forces inimical to the nation. It was recalled in the official release today that the raising of the Northern Command had its origins in the history of the Indo-Pak War of 1971. After the declaration of ceasefire, the requirement of operationalising a separate Northern Command was fulfilled on June 17, 1972, essentially to meet security concerns in the northern part of the country. Lt Gen PS Bhagat, VC, PVSM, was the first General Officer Commanding-in-Chief. The present GOC-in-C, Lt Gen BS Jaswal, took over the Northern Command on October 1 last. The Command has been in the operational mode since inception and has participated in and conducted many conflicts. Operation Vijay was also fought on the formidable heights of Drass, Kargil and Batalik. Always in combat, continuous and periodic upgrades with the latest equipment and weapons are provided to the troops, whose fighting skills are honed to perfection for the exacting tasks they undertake as a matter of course. The terrain is inhospitable and the climatic conditions are unparallel anywhere else in the world where an Army operates. This in itself is a challenge to sustain and to maintain. The release said the jawans were provided with the best possible habitat, clothing and food and the logistics system, which operates with proverbial efficiency, caters for their every need. Medical facilities are constantly upgraded and cater to their requirements up to the posts. This is coupled with an extremely responsive evacuation chain, which has resulted in an encouraging decline in casualty rates. The release also claimed that the continuous upgrade of the surface and communication infrastructure has contributed in improving the quality of life of people in the state. |
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Mehbooba stopped from meeting Tufail’s family
Srinagar, June
17 Regretting it, the spokesman said it was against the social and religious norms. The visit, he said, was purely social and in line with “our culture of sharing grief on such
occasions”. Mehbooba later visited another victim Rafiq Ahmed Bangroo who is undergoing treatment at SKIMS hospital. Condemning the indiscriminate arrests of young men, the spokesman said it indicated a total bankruptcy of ideas the government was suffering from. He demanded immediate release of those kept inside police stations without any evidence. |
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Shalin’s birthday turns mournful for family
Jammu, June 17 While the family is grieving Shalin’s death, various organisations and political parties today took out protest rallies in various parts of the city demanding harsh punishment for the accused and action against cops, who initially released the accused. Area residents also organised a “chabeel” for the commuters. Though Shalin’s father Narseh Gupta also served the water to commuters, he was just a mute spectator.The police was deployed to tackle any untoward incident as the public’s emotions were high. On of their kin said Shalin’s father had bought a Santro a few months ago to make the child happy. But now, things had entirely changed, he added. A neighbour of Gupta family told the TNS that health of Rani
Devi, mother of the deceased, was deteriorating with each passing day as she had not eaten anything for the last six days. Shopkeepers of the area also came out in support of the aggrieved family this evening and closed their shops for an hour to offer condolence to the family. |
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Set up parliamentary group for border issues: BJP
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 17 Addressing a press conference here, BJP leader Nirmal Singh, who was a member of a fact finding committee constituted by BJP president Nitin Gadkari to study Chinese intrusions, demanded the setting up of a statutory high-powered autonomous border management group at the national level. Other members of the committee were Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Rajiv Pratap Singh Rudy, Rajan Sushant and Tapir Gao. This team visited different areas bordering China and submitted its report to the party president in Patna. “To stop incursions, there is an immediate need to create new posts to man the gaps at different points. For the purpose, the strength of the ITBP is required to be increased,” he said quoting the recommendations of the committee. He added that “there is also an urgent need to increase the Army’s strength to match the deployment on the Chinese side of the border.” Speaking about other recommendations, Nirmal Singh said, “Roads and communication are in a poor condition. The government has taken up some road construction projects (at least in the eastern sector) but these are insufficient to satisfy the defence requirements. The government must take up the construction of pucca roads on a priority basis before it is too late.” “There is an urgent need for making advance landing grounds at Chushul and Furchok workable. The government should speed up the construction of airports in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim,” he said. “In the Ladakh area there seems to be lack of coordination between the security forces and the local administration to deal with border issues. Similarly, there seems to be lack of communication between the security forces and the local people,” Nirmal Singh said. He added that, “People say the ITBP does not trust them. The local Riboos (grazers) will play a vital role when the question of deciding the border issues arises. We suppose that they shall be one of the deciding factors as their claim over the land under their occupation shall not be so easy to ignore. So it is imperative on the part of the security agencies to improve relations with them.”
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Race for PYC chief post hots up
Jammu, June 17 Sources said earlier, names of four candidates were shortlisted but now, the party high command has decided to consider names of top 10 of the Talent Contest organised by the party. Considering names of the meritorious candidates is observed as a big blow to both factions because those topped have nothing to do with the factionalism. While as a group loyal to PCC chief Saif ud Din Soz has shortlisted two candidates, another group that owns its allegiance with Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has also projected names of their loyalists only. Both factions have projected names of two candidates each but the party high command has decided to consider names of those who performed well in the contest. In October last, Congress leaders had organised the contest to shortlist potential candidates for the post of PYC chief. Over 700 candidates-both from Jammu and Kashmir, appeared in this contest. Of which, eight were shortlisted for the final selection but because of pressure from both factions, the process was stopped and loyalists of some leaders were included later. Interestingly, family members of some Congress leaders also appeared in the contest but failed to qualify the test. However, no decision has been taken hitherto. Last week, party leadership hinted to appoint the PYC chief among the loyalists of both factions but some neutral candidates opposed the move. As no candidate from minority community was shortlisted in the list prepared to appease both factions, a group strongly opposed this and raised the demand of accommodating all religions and regions in the new team. It was only after objection by some groups, the Congress leadership has decided to seriously consider names of the meritorious candidates for the post. |
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Rajouri Kadal — the new protest zone
Srinagar, June 17 And recently the area hit the headlines due to the death of a teenage boy, Tufail Ahmad
Mattoo, on Friday last. This is the second incident in which a youth was killed due to a tear-gas shell fired by the police to quell stone-throwing youths and that too in the open space of the Gani Memorial Stadium of the State Sport Council. Earlier, another teenager, Wamiq
Farooq, was killed in a similar way in the stadium on January 31. The pitched battles between stone throwing youths and the security forces are a common feature now. The area is not only known for this, but also for the historic Jamia
Masjid, only about a furlong away from Rajouri Kadal. The Rajouri Kadal crossing has come up on the old connecting bridge over Nalla
Maar, then a drainage of the city, which had been turned into a two-lane road in 1970s. On the other side of the crossing stands the building of the Mirwaiz family, known as Mirwaiz
Manzil. This had been the residential house of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq’s ancestors in the congested old city, which now houses the office of the Awami Action Committee
(AAC). Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq had shifted to the Nigeen house on the city outskirts about three decades ago. During the past few years frequent clashes had taken place in the Rajouri Kadal area,earlier more frequent in
Nowhatta, on the other side of the Jamia Masjid. “This is because of the shifting of the security forces camp from the Nowhatta area,” opines Abdul
Aziz, a shopkeeper near the stadium. If the nearby security pickets at Kawdara and Saraf Kadal are removed, the number of such incidents would reduce, he says. He keeps his provision store shut on Fridays instead of Sundays, and is pained over the death of two teenagers in the stadium, both of whom belonged to Rainawari and Saida
Kadal, connected through lanes and bylanes. “After the restoration of peace, I shifted my business from the Rainawari area to this place close to my house,” he says, but laments the area has become a spot of frequent trouble. Those indulging in stone throwing have been coming from distant areas, the locals believe and lament that the two teenage innocents were targeted in the stadium. Stone throwing came to the forefront at the time of the Amarnath land agitation two years ago. Even as hard line APHC chairman Syed Ali Geelani calls for a ‘peaceful protest’ after Friday prayers against the alleged human rights violations, things take a different turn due to stone throwing. |
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Kashmiri migrants meet relief commissioner
Jammu, June 17 According to a statement issued here, the deputation submitted a memorandum to the Relief Commissioner for the redressal of their demands. The demands included establishment of a boundary wall to the camp to avoid any gruesome eventuality, a permanent solution to the water problem, provision of medical and allied facilities, installation of a community hall with a kitchen and store room maintenance, engineering wing and issuance of employee-category ration cards in favour of the government employees etc. The deputation also appealed to the commissioner to personally visit their camp to take stock of the prevailing scenario. Meanwhile, president National Conference (NC) Minority Cell, Yogi on behalf of the NC MLC Vijay Bakaya visited the camp and assured the residents of providing better facilities to the camp.
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New Delhi, June 17 This will be Antony’s first visit to the Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground, 23 km from the China border, that was activated last year. At Nyoma, in the south-eastern Ladakh region, Antony would first do an aerial survey of the ALG and later land there to see first hand the infrastructure that had come up, a Defence Ministry official said. He would also visit Siachen during the trip on June 21 and 22. “One of the thrust areas of the minister’s visit is to raise the living standards of troops, including the quality of food, in such remote places as Siachen. He will interact with Army personnel to know and understand their condition,” the official said. Since he took over as Defence Minister three years ago, Antony had visited Siachen at least once annually to meet Army personnel posted in the extreme conditions. — PTI
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PDP’s allegation baseless: Sadhotra
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 17 Addressing a press conference here today, Sadhotra said Mehbooba made this statement out of sheer frustration because the PDP had been out of power and the popularity of Omar Abdullah’s government was increasing everyday. “The appreciation that the Chief Minister received from the Prime Minister speaks volumes about the performance of the coalition government in the last 16 months. The detractors of the Chief Minister and the NC are frustrated and demoralised and their outburst is indicative of their frustration,” he said. The NC leader said Mehbooba was finding it difficult to keep her flock together and there was dissension and discontent in the rank and file of the PDP. “To cover up this Mehbooba is making deliberate efforts to divert attention through a melodramatic statement,” he said. Sadhotra said the PDP was habitual of making such false statements to rake up the emotions of the people. He said the PDP was exposed during the Amarnath land agitation as it had then tried to create communal division. “It is astonishing that the PDP is shedding crocodile tears for Jammu, but the people of Jammu still remember the wounds inflicted by the PDP,” he said.
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Amarnath yatra arrangements reviewed
Srinagar, June 17 The meeting was informed that 30 doctors, four women doctors, six specialists, besides 150 paramedical staff would be deployed at different halting stations from Pandach to the holy cave with seven ambulances stationed at the base camp in
Baltal. It was also disclosed that the road metalling at the 4 km Ranga--Baltal Road up to the Baltal bridge had been completed. In addition, work on the 2.25 km Baltal-Dumail road had been also completed. The Divisional Commissioner was informed by the CAPD that essential items like rice, sugar, atta and LPG cylinders would be stored soon at the base camp. She asked the shrine board that one temporary tin shed should be constructed for storing these items. Identity cards with different colours had been issued and were available with the Labour Department for distribution among labourers and
ponywallas. A 40-bedded temporary hospital would be established at the base camp with all equipments, the meeting was told. It was also informed that one fire tender would be kept available at the Baltal base camp for meeting any eventuality. |
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Mirwaiz prevented from going to UN office
Srinagar, June 17 The Hurriyat leaders were stopped by the police near the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) and were taken to Kothi Bagh police station. They were later released. The other APHC leaders included executive and general council members, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Agha Syed Hassan, Bilal Ghani Lone, Masroor Abbas Ansari, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Yousuf Naqash, Zafar Akbar Bhat and Saleem Geelani. Earlier, they attended a seminar on human rights violations at the party headquarters. A resolution passed at the seminar expressed concern about the human rights violations,drew attention of the international community to the Kashmir situation, called for identifying those involved in the killing of innocent youths and demanded the revocation of AFSPA and other laws giving special powers to the security forces.
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Students block Poonch-Mandi road
Jammu, June 17 The students alleged that their studies were being badly affected due to the absence of teachers from duty. Even Army personnel faced a difficult time due to the blockade, but after they assured the protesters that the matter
would be taken up with senior administration officials the students cleared the road. A police party also reached the protest site and pacified the students. No untoward incident took place, the police said. |
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16 hurt in accidents
Srinagar, June 17 In the first incident, a Tata Sumo on way from Handwara to Srinagar turned turtle near Jindra crossing in Sopore injuring six passengers. In another incident, Tata LP passenger vehicle on way from Sopore to Hajin skidded off the road and slipped into a stream injuring eight passengers. In yet another incident, a bus on way from Srinagar to Sonamarg hit and injured one person, namely Abdul Ahad Shah, at Kangan main market. In the last incident, an Army vehicle hit and injured a woman, namely Rafiqa, at Rawatpora in Kupwara. The woman was taken to SDH Kralpora from where she was referred to the Bone and Joint Hospital here. |
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Srinagar, June
17
Jammu,
June 17
