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Turmoil in Valley
Pre-paid SIM
cards Pre-paid SIM cards of six cellular companies.
MC starts drive to prevent dengue, malaria
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Vacancy caused due to Saroori’s sack
Farooq’s speech evokes mixed reactions
Omar visits flood-hit Kargil areas
Farooq gives Rs 50 lakh for Leh victims
Maintenance of Srinagar Airport
Gastroenteritis claims 2 more lives in Budgam
Two detained under Public Safety Act
Army imparts vocational training to youths
Lack of infrastructure in college worries forum
Drug peddler arrested
Rail project: Engineers decry non-extension of contract
Three more militants killed in Uri gunfight
BDS students hold demonstration
Prominent citizens meet Governor
Bootlegger arrested
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Students from Valley seek admission to Jammu schools
Sunaina Kaul Tribune News Service
Jammu, August 30 Talking to The Tribune, Dr RD Thakur, principal of KC Public School, said the students were coming from the Valley to take admission to the school. “We have admitted three students to Class XI from Kashmir and a few more have also approached us for admission,” said Thakur. Showing concern for the students from Kashmir, Thakur said: “Where will they go if we ignore them?” Vasant Saraf, in-charge of the administration section of GD Goenka Public School, said: “We are receiving calls from students and their parents from the Valley everyday. They enquire about the admission procedure along with the boarding facility.” However, almost all private schools claimed they had completed around 33 per cent of the syllabus and as such, many of them were refusing admission in the mid-session. Sanjeev Luthra, principal of Luthra School, said many parents from the Valley enquired from him about the possibility of admission along with the hostel facility. “I refused admission to many students whose parents approached me, as we have already completed around 33 per cent of the syllabus.” Simultaneously, students are also seeking admission to various coaching institutions to prepare for various competitive examinations. Dr RB Bhagat, in-charge of IIT Akash Institute, said they had provided admission to around 15 students from Kashmir. “We have admitted many students from the Valley to the batches for Classes XI and XII. Some have joined the institute for medical and IIT courses as well.” Bhagat said they were also providing around 40 per cent concession to these students depending on the marks obtained by them and the economic condition of their families.
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2 dealers among 10 under surveillance
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service
Jammu, August 30 Last year, following intelligence reports of rampant misuse of pre-paid cards by militants and their sympathisers, the Union Home Ministry had banned the facility for nearly three months leading to public outcry. “Around eight sympathisers and two dealers are being monitored by us for their activities”, said a senior police officer. “In some cases, it came to our notice that SIM cards have been issued in the name of even dead persons”, he added. The Kishtwar police, in recent times, nabbed four sympathisers, who had provided SIM cards to militants operating in the district. “Though some militants have been provided with satellite phones and other sophisticated gadgets, such pre-paid SIM cards become handy for them because of good connectivity and a deterrent for us during anti-terrorism operations”, he said. After passing on the SIM cards to militants operating in Kishtwar district, their sympathisers tip them off about the movement of security forces and anti-terrorism operations, thereby countering the security forces’ strategy in advance, he added. “In recent times, we seized around 12 SIM cards from overground workers. They had got them issued in their own names, so the dealers in such cases can’t be held guilty of flouting procedural norms”, Kishtwar ASP Sunil Gupta told The Tribune. But there are certainly a few disgruntled dealers, who flouted the norms and issued pre-paid SIM cards to the overground workers, he said. Procedural lapses on their part had been established and “we have already contemplated action against them”, he said without divulging their identity citing reasons of loss to police investigations. Describing the misuse of pre-paid SIM cards as a tricky issue, Gupta said the arrest of one such sympathiser, Mohammed Latif, had led to the killing of top Lashkar commander Mohammed Ishaq Bhat, alias Atiq this year. Gupta said that Aircel outnumbered its competitors (for its good connectivity in the area) vis-à-vis SIM cards recovered from overground workers in Kishtwar. Six private cellular companies, Aircel, Airtel, Tata Indicom, Vodafone, Idea, and Reliance, besides government-owned BSNL provide pre-paid and post paid mobile services in the restive state.
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MC starts drive to prevent dengue, malaria
Jammu, August 30 The Municipal Corporation has appealed to people, especially the elderly and those who are allergic to smoke, to remain indoor when the drive is being conducted in their respective areas. “We have launched the thermal fogging and spray drive for 18 days to bring down the larval and adult density of vector mosquitoes as there has been an upsurge of the same during the rainy season,” said Dr Anwar Chowdhary. As a dengue case was detected in SMGS Hospital, Dr Choudhary said, “As a precautionary measure, we will conduct this drive in SMGS Hospital and in the areas adjacent to it.” The drive started last evening from ward number 1 to 4 under which the areas of Panjtirthi, Julaka Mohalla, Mast Garh and Mohalla Bhabrian were covered. Today the drive was launched in the areas of Talab Khatkian, Gujjar Nagar, Kanji House and Chand Nagar. These areas fall under Municipal ward number 5, 6, 7 and 19. The drive will continue till September 19 and all the municipal wards would be covered under this drive. Tomorrow the team will launch the drive in the areas of Dogra Hall, Mohalla Ustad Old, Pacca Danga, Mohalla Malhotra and Pratap Garh falling under Municipal ward numbers 8,9,10,11 and 15. Around four vehicles and seven fogging machines have been engaged for conducting the drive. |
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Vacancy
caused due to Saroori’s sack Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service
Jammu, August 29 As Saroori belongs to erstwhile Doda district, all Congress legislators from that belt have staked their claim to the post.He was the only minister in the coalition government from erstwhile Doda district.So,MLAs from the belt have reasons to stake their claim to the vacancy. Out of the total six assembly seats in the district, the Congress has five MLAs and all of them have started lobbying for the ministerial berth. The erstwhile district comprises Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts. Keeping in view the prevailing factionalism in the party, both the warring groups in the Congress want their loyalist to be accommodated. Sources in the Congress said two MLAs from this belt, namely, Mohammad Sharief Niaz and Abdul Majid Wani, have gone to Delhi to channalise their sources.Both Niaz and Wani were ministers in the previous coalition government in the state. Sources said being a native of Doda district, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad would play a major role in selecting MLA from this belt to fill Saroori’s vacant seat. But, the faction loyal to Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saif-ud-Din Soz also wants anyone of their loyalists to be accommodated on the vacant post to cut the rivals to size. Out of the five Congress MLAs from this belt, four belong to the pro-Azad faction while as Mohammad Sharief Niaz, who is cousin of Union Health Minister, has been trying to project himself as neutral. Despite being cousin of Azad, Niaz has not associated himself by anti-Soz faction. It was Niaz who had vacated assembly seat for Ghulam Nabi Azad when he became Chief Minister of the state in the year 2005. He remained Cabinet Minister from 2002 to 2005 in the government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He is claiming to be the only dedicated Congress leader in this belt. Wani, on the other hand, is close to Azad. He is credited with defeating National Conference (NC) in two successive assembly elections from the Doda segment which was earlier considered an NC citadel.
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Farooq’s speech evokes mixed reactions
Jammu, August 30 While the Congress, which is a coalition partner of the National Conference, has picked up appreciative points of the address, the main opposition party, PDP, dubbed the speech as non-serious. Various political parties gave their reaction to the full text of Farooq’s speech published in The Tribune today. “Farooq Abdullah’s speech in the Lok Sabha does not hold any importance because he speaks in different languages at different places,” said Naim Akthar, chief spokesman of the PDP. Quoting past speeches of Farooq Abdullah, Akthar added, “We don’t give any importance to his speech as he changes his stand everyday.” He further said both the Abdullahs had lost their credibility and their sole aim was to enjoy powers for the luxuries. The Congress, on the other hand, said Farooq Abdullah in his speech in Parliament had dispelled some misconceptions created by media across the country about Kashmir. “Farooq Abdullah’s speech was appreciative in the sense that it successfully removed many misconceptions,” said Ravinder Sharma, general secretary and spokesman of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC). On Abdullah’s stress on the need of giving autonomy some serious thought, Sharma said it had put forward a view point of his party in Parliament. The main opposition party of the Jammu region, BJP, dubbed Farooq’s speech as “misleading”. “He is misleading the nation by giving such a speech in Parliament. We know that he changes his stance after every minute so I do not think there is a need to give any serious thought to his speech”, said senior BJP leader Dr Nirmal Singh, daring him to give the same speech in Kashmir. On the issue of autonomy, he said there was no need to give more concessions to the state as the special status already given to the state had been brazenly abused by the ruling elites. “Farooq Abdullah is trying to mislead the nation on the issue of autonomy, but the BJP would not allow him to do so,” Singh said. Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh tried to corner the Congress. “The Congress, which has the National Conference as its junior partner in the Central government and as senior in the state, has an obligation to explain its conduct vis-à-vis the greater autonomy slogan of Farooq Abdullah”, Singh said, adding, “The Congress has to tell people of India how Dr Farooq Abdullah, a Central minister, was allowed to speak on a subject which means only secession because Jammu and Kashmir has been enjoying the maximum autonomy within the framework of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution”. |
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Omar visits flood-hit Kargil areas
Srinagar, August 30 The Chief Minister, as part of his programme to visit all flood and rain-hit areas, visited Kargil today and had an aerial survey of the affected areas. Omar visited Shakar, Chiktan, Henkiats, Mulbaigh, Wakha, Kachi and Burti Bazaar. He had already visited Leh, Gurez and Tangdhar and taken stock of the damages caused by floods there. The Chief Minister said a comprehensive programme for the rehabilitation of the affected families and the restoration of the public service infrastructure had already been put in place. “ The government machinery has been geared up ,” he said. Omar said a survey of damage to crops and property was being conducted to work out its magnitude and prioritise the rehabilitation and compensation strategy. “We are already in touch with the Centre for the payment of compensation to the affected families,” he said, adding that the help from the state government to the flood-affected people was also under way. Interacting with various deputations at Islamia School, Kargil, the Chief Minister said the faster development of the backward and hilly areas was on top of the development agenda of his government. “Focused attention is on the all-round development of these areas with special attention on the upgrading of road communication, healthcare facilities, education, power and PHE sectors. “Our efforts are to link up the inaccessible areas and generate economic avenues for people there,” he added. The Chief Minister later reviewed the damage caused by floods in Kargil and the action taken by the district administration to help the affected people. He asked the officers to make an assessment of damage to the crops and finalise the list of the affected families as early as possible. Omar also directed for the restoration of all public infrastructure with redoubled efforts. The Chief Minister said he had earmarked Rs 4 crore for the flood-affected areas in Kargil district.
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Farooq gives Rs 50 lakh for Leh victims
New Delhi, August 30 The minister is an MP from Srinagar and has donated the maximum amount permissible from the Rs 2 crore allocated under the MP Local Area Development Fund scheme, ministry officials said here. Farooq requested the authorities to keep him informed about the sanction and implementation of the works there, they added.
— PTI |
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Youth killed in Anantnag, 5 hurt in Srinagar firing
Budgam, August 30 One person was injured when the police opened fire to quell the demonstrators in Anantnag town this afternoon. The police here said a policeman was injured when an agitated mob pelted stones at a police post at Sherbagh in Anantnag town, prompting the police to fire tear-gas shells. However, they did not relent and the police used rubber pallets in self defence. A youth, Irshad Ahmad Parray, was injured and shifted to the SMHS hospital here, where he was declared brought dead. Five youths were injured when the police opened fire on a group of demonstrators in the Maisuma locality in the Lal Chowk area here this afternoon. The trouble started when some miscreants violated the curfew , which was followed by stone throwing on police and CRPF personnel. The security forces opened fire, injuring five persons. Those injured in the firing have been identified as Yasir Rafiq Sheikh, Sajad Ahmad, Ishfaq Majeed, Aqib Majeed and Feroz Ahmad Dar, all residents of Maisuma. Yasir Rafeeq, a cousin of JKLF chief Yasin Malik, was operated upon. Two constables, Mukhtar Ahmad and Abdul Waheed, were also injured in the clashes, the police said. An enquiry has been ordered into the firing incident at Maisuma here, the police said. A constable has been suspended,a police spokesman added. Meanwhile, the curfew was imposed in the areas falling under seven police stations in Srinagar city, mainly the downtown areas, to prevent any untoward incident and clashes between protesters and the police. Restrictions were also imposed in Kupwara. At least 15 others were injured in the clashes in Kulgam and Bandipore, where the police used tear-gas shells and resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the demonstrators. Though normal life was paralysed in response to the bandh call by the separatists across the Valley, shops were opened around 5 pm again.Private vehicles were also seen moving on the roads in the afternoon. Educational institutions and banks, however, remained closed for the day.
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Maintenance of Srinagar Airport Ehsan Fazili Tribune News Service
Srinagar, August 30 An official spokesman said here the normal flights would be operating to Srinagar up to September 2, and the Awantipora airport would be used to ensure air connectivity to the Valley until the resumption of flights from the Srinagar airport. Airlines have also agreed to keep their bookings open. The spokesman said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had taken up the issue of making alternate arrangements personally with Defence Minister AK Antony and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel for landing of flights in Awantipora during the repair period. A meeting is being held by Chief Secretary SS Kapur here tomorrow to ensure necessary arrangements at Awantipora for convenience of passengers and landing and taking off flights during these 12 days. All airlines have been advised not to cancel any advance booking made by the travelers for this period. Earlier PCC president Saifuddin Soz met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi today. Soz apprised the Prime Minister of the problems that may arise in the event of the closure of the airport at this time. Soz also conveyed to the Civil Aviation Minister that the repair may be postponed till an alternative arrangement is made so that the movement of passengers is not affected. After his meeting with the Prime Minister, Soz said that he made a strong case before the Prime Minister for his intervention to get the repair of the runway postponed. “I explained to the Prime Minister that closing down the airport from September 1 to 15 would cause hardship to the people of Kashmir,” he said. Soz added that many Kashmiris working in different parts of the country would be travelling to Kashmir and get back to their places of work during this period only. Unless an alternative airport at Awantipora was thrown open to air traffic, the repair might not be undertaken, he conveyed. The PCC chief added that he also spoke to the Civil Aviation Minister, who was in Mumbai, and requested him to get the repair work stopped till an alternative airport at Awantipora was available. “He (Civil Aviation Minister) also assured me that a high-level meeting would go into this question today and till a decision was taken regarding an alternative airport, no repair work would be undertaken,” Soz stated.
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Gastroenteritis claims 2 more lives in Budgam
Budgam, August 30 Two patients, both aged around 70 , died in different areas on Saturday, while another died in the Soibugh area. Two others died in the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar last week, Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Mohammad Rafi told The Tribune. He said sporadic cases were reported since August 16 while the disease had assumed an epidemic form after August 18. The district with a population of 7.78 lakh has 237 government health centres. The Deputy Commissioner said Ghulam Mohammad Hajam of the Soibugh area did not take any treatment and was brought to the hospital in an “irreversible shock condition”. Abdul Gaffar Ganai of Bandegam, who died on Saturday, had a history of tuberculosis. A woman, Jana Begum, was reported to have died at home without availing of any medical treatment. The Director, Health Services, Kashmir, Dr Mohammad Amin Wani, said out of 2,233 patients 2,204 had been treated and discharged from various health centres in the district, while 29 were still undergoing treatment. The Director, Health Services said the disease broke out due to contamination of drinking water following incessant rain and flash floods that hit the water reservoirs leading to the mixing of faecal matter with drinking water. Official sources confirmed that the disease broke out because of the “systemic failure” that led to the contamination of drinking water in Budgam district. Besides, Kupwara, which had also witnessed flash floods early this month, had also registered 60 cases of gastroenteritis, the Director, Health Services, said. Of these, 17 were still undergoing treatment in local hospitals, he added.
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Two detained under Public Safety Act
Jammu, August 30 The criminal has been detained keeping in view his involvement in a number of cases pertaining to extortion, use of illegal arms and escaping from the police custody. Similarly, another notorious criminal Des Raj, alias Labu, of Bashti, Tehsil Chenani, was also detained under the PSA for a period of one year as he had been involved in different cases like burglary and theft. His criminal activities were also highly prejudicial to the maintenance of peace, security of the property and law and order in the area, added the statement. |
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Army imparts vocational training to youths
Jammu, August 30 Under the project, the youth from far-flung areas of Reasi will be imparted skills of driving vehicles, carpentry and tailoring. The first phase of the project concluded in Reasi where 20 youths were trained in driving vehicles. The trained youths belonged to
Sarh, Tuksan, Shajru, Saldhar and Batoi villages. A team of highly qualified instructors was imparting training to the candidates and licenses would be provided only after they undergo a driving test. The locals in Reasi appreciated the Army for its gesture which, in turn, will go a long way in strengthening the bond between people and the security forces. |
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Lack of infrastructure in college worries forum
Jammu, August 30 Sharma criticised the Higher Education Department for its alleged failure to provide an adequate infrastructure to the college. Sharma alleged students in the college had been facing an acute shortage of water due to the non-availability of drinking water facility. Sharma took the matter with the Director, Colleges, who assured him of an early redress of students’ grievances. |
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Drug peddler arrested
Jammu, August 29 The police said during a routine check-up at a naka, a man was intercepted and was found carrying a large quantity of intoxicants.He was arrested. During the questioning, he was identified as Shiv Kumar, a resident of Amritsar. A case has been registered in this regard at the Hatli police post. It may be mentioned here that the inter-state smuggling of drugs has become routine in this area as a large number of cases have been reported till yesterday. |
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Rail project: Engineers decry non-extension of contract
Jammu, August 30 The All-J&K Konkan Railways Consulting Engineers Association today asked the corporation to take recourse and adopt reconciliatory measures immediately by extending their five-year-long contracts. “Instead of renewing our contracts, the KRCL has invited fresh applications from aspirants from across the country”, association president Rajpaul Singh told reporters in Reasi today. Under an obligation, the KRCL should invite applications from graduate civil engineers of the Jammu and Kashmir only but vide advertisement number KR/CO/P/ USBRL/02/2010 of August 27, it had now invited applications from graduate engineers from the country, said Singh. He expressed regrets that the KRCL overlooked the fact that engineers hired by it worked under compelling circumstances like militancy. “Instead of extending our agreement, the KRCL has invited applications on an all-India basis”, said Singh. |
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Three more militants killed in Uri gunfight
Srinagar, August 30 The Army said today that a group of heavily-armed militants was seen crossing the LoC. “On Sunday evening, our alert troops deployed on the LoC in the Uri sector observed the militants. On being challenged, a firefight ensued that carried on throughout the night,resulting in the killing of six militants,” Srinagar-based defence spokesman Lt-Col JS Brar said. Three more were killed today. “The operation is being conducted in a high altitude and thickly forested area. It is a surgical operation with no harm to the troops ,” he added. “So far, we have recovered 12 AK- 47 assault rifles, five GPS, two Thoria satellite phones, a cellular phone, eight radio sets, a computer hard disk and Rs 1 lakh from the encounter scene,” he added.
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BDS students hold demonstration
Jammu, August 30 The students urged the state government to intervene into the matter in the interest of their career. The students protested on the college premises in Ambphalla. They raised slogans against the government and blocked the registration block of the college to show their resentment against the government.
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Prominent citizens meet Governor
Srinagar, August 30 The delegation, led by renowned social activist Swami Agnivesh, discussed with the Governor the prevailing situation in the state and expressed concern over the developments taking place in Kashmir for the past nearly three months. The delegation also put forth several suggestions for the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state. The delegation comprised Admiral L Ramdas (retd), Mohini Giri, Father Dominic Emmaneul, Mazhar Hussain, Mohammad Shafi Pandit, Prof Nusrat Andrabi, Tasnim Akhtar Zafar Meraj and Shujaat Bukhari.
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Bootlegger arrested
Jammu, August 30 Official reports said a team of the Nagri police post, led by in charge Rajeshwar Singh Andotra, raided different villages and arrested a person with 120 litres of illicit liquor from his possession. The police also recovered 2,000 litres of lahan.
— TNS |
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