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Acute power shortage
Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah felicitates a student of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph |
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Poonch children meet President, Army Chief
Plea seeking special pension dismissed
47 Udhampur hamlets still without electricity
More CCTV cameras to strengthen security
First Lady inaugurates art exhibition
State must take over Centaur Hotel, Soz to Patel
Four killed, 30 hurt in mishap
Central India Horse
10-day judicial custody for KBA chief
Sagar reviews Muharram arrangements
BJP flays Cong for endorsing Omar’s remark
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Govt to start gas turbine at Pampore
Archit Watts Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 15 To tackle the power shortage, the state government has already started eight-hour cuts in the rural areas so that the shortfall can be covered. But following a dip in the temperature, the mismatch between the supply and demand has been increasing. The PDD Commissioner, Asgar Ali, said: “Though the gap between the power supply and demand is increasing, we have written to the authorities concerned to make the gas turbine ready for functioning , which is used in an emergency”. He added that the department had already started eight-hour cuts in the non-metered areas and if needed, these would also be enforced in the metered areas. Ali said: “At present, we are using the power bank of the Northern Regional Power Committee (NRPC) because during summer, we distribute power to other states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. Now, we are taking our share back from them.” He added that the maximum shortage of power was felt during peak hours and the department was getting 300 MW from the NRPC to tide over it. Official sources said at present the state was facing 40 per cent power shortage, as the demand was 2,500 MW against a supply of 1,500 MW. They added that the state had its own small and big 21 power projects with a generation capacity of 758 MW. The rest of 1,560 MW came from the Central Government’s projects in the state.
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Baba
Ghulam Shah Badshah University Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 15 “The universities in the state should not only match the national and international standards in academics but these should also top in infrastructure and faculty,” he said. He added that consolidation should necessarily follow growth. Addressing the Seventh Foundation Day of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri this morning, Omar said progress by the university during a short span was worth noting. “Time is ripe now to go in for consolidation in all disciplines in the university,” he said and impressed upon its management to further strengthen the existing disciplines in the university before introducing new courses. “This is imperative for imparting quality education through competent and well qualified faculty,” he added. Omar stressed on fund mobilisation and the creation of resources to meet the present and futuristic requirements of the university. He added the government would extend all possible help to the university for its progress. “I want to draw a five-year plan for providing funds to the university so that it could carry out construction and other programmes according to the financial assistance given to it yearly,” Omar said. This process would help the university identify the areas of priority and move accordingly as per the availability of funds in a particular year, he added. The Chief Minister also directed the university authorities to work for managing financial and other support from the University Grants Commission to achieve the targets in academic disciplines and infrastructural development. “The task force on Jammu constituted by the Prime Minister is visiting Rajouri soon. I will ask its members to also visit Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University to assess how to strengthen this centre of higher education for the larger interests of people of the area,” he said. Omar, who is also the Chancellor of the university, said the university was emerging as an important educational centre in the area and its academic activities were helping create an educational temperament in the districts of Rajouri and Poonch and around. “The boys and girls from the Valley and other parts are keen to study in the university. This indicates the reputation and quality of education imparted here,” the Chief Minister said. He added that during his recent visit to Kishtwar students requested him for an office of the university in Doda and Kishtwar so that they could get admission forms and complete formalities for admission without having to travel to Jammu and Rajouri. The Chief Minister also inaugurated a boys’ hostel on the campus constructed at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. He opened an ATM facility of Jammu and Kashmir Bank there. He also interacted with the students and the faculty on the occasion and heard their views.
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Poonch children meet President, Army Chief
Jammu, December 15 A defence release issued here today stated that despite their busy schedule, the President and the Army Chief met 23 schoolchildren and two teachers from Poonch district, who are on a 11-day educational tour to Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The tour is being organised under Operation Sadbhavana by a Rashtriya Rifles battalion under the aegis of the Counter-Insurgency Force (Romeo). The aim of the tour is to make the children aware about development and progress in various fields. The students would also visit places of historical and cultural importance and see quality of life in other parts of the country. In Delhi, the children visited India Gate, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, Purana Quila, Lotus Temple, Raj Ghat and various other tourist destinations in Delhi. After Delhi they would move to Agra and Jaipur before returning Jammu. The President and the Army Chief interacted with the children and their teachers informally and met each of them. They exhorted the students to imbibe the virtues of love and peace and work hard for a better future. The children were delighted with this rare lifetime experience.
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Plea seeking special pension dismissed
Jammu, December 15 “Admittedly, the petitioner has not been discharged from service on the grounds of reduction of the strength of establishment of the Armed Forces or of re-organisation, which resulted in disbandment of any unit/formation as mentioned in Regulation 164 of the Army Regulations, 1961, as such, is not entitled to a special pension as claimed by him,” held the high court. Man Shiv Ram was enrolled in the Indian Army as a recruit in the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering on April 17, 1963, and after serving for 10 years, 2 months and 9 days, was discharged with colour services under Army Rule 13 (a) Item 3 (ii) with effect from June 26, 1999. The petitioner’s claim for grant of pensionary benefits, when deprived, forced him to file a writ petition in 2002, which was disposed of directing the respondents to consider the claims of the writ petitioner in terms of rules. The matter on its consideration resulted in rejection of claims for grant of special pay pension vide order dated December 29, 2003. The petitioner challenged rejection of his claims maintaining that the same had been rejected arbitrarily without assigning any reasons and contrary to the mandate of judgment dated February 2003. The respondents in their counter-affidavit stated that since the petitioner was discharged from service due to reasons mentioned in Regulation 164 of the Pension Regulations, 1961, he was found not eligible for grant of special pension. The HC, while dismissing the service writ petition of the petitioner, observed: “The reply submitted by the respondents would show that the case of the petitioner has been duly considered and on sufficient reasons, the same has been rejected by
the respondents. Since no provision has been shown under which the petitioner can be held entitled to
any pension, I do not find any merit in the present petition.” |
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47 Udhampur hamlets still without electricity
Udhampur, December 15 Even as the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) authorities have assured to expedite the electrification work in these hamlets, the DDC asked the officers concerned to cover these left out hamlets by electrification by January 15, 2011. Due to lack of power, the students from these hamlets are the biggest sufferers. The DDC reviewed the progress of handing over of infrastructure under the yojana as well as the completion of remaining works by the NHPC in the meeting. The meeting was attended by Manager (Commercial), NHPC, Rajendra Singh; Assistant Manager, L&T, Najeej H. Khan; Chief Planning Officer, Udhampur, HH Dutt; Superintending Engineer, M&RE, Batote, Navdeep Gupta; and Executive Engineer, M&RE, Gurbachan Singh. Giving a detailed account of works under the central electrification scheme, Rajendra Singh said a total of 374 hamlets had been taken up for electrification. Out of these, 327 hamlets had been electrified so far, leaving 47 hamlets still without power. The DDC told the officers categorically that no laxity in electrifying the small hilly hamlets would be tolerated. Rajendra Singh added that the work on two receiving stations of 33/11 KVA and 3.15 MVA set up at Chowki and Basantgrah in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district had been completed and they soon would be handed over to the Power Development Department for commissioning after testing.
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More CCTV cameras to strengthen security
Jammu, December 15 J&K DGP Kuldeep Khoda, talking to mediapersons after the conclusion of a debate in Jammu University, said: “Sixty CCTV cameras will be installed in the city and 16 have already been installed.” Though he did not give the details, police sources said the new cameras would have night vision. Sources said in the first phase, the cameras would be installed in the city. In the second phase, these would be installed on the outskirts, especially at all entrance points to the city.The cameras would function round-the-clock. The DGP also chaired a security review meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Railways here. He said the Baramulla-Qazigund rail service would resume operations in a few days and redeployment of security had been undertaken. At the meeting, it was decided that the resumption of the Qazigund-Baramulla rail service would take place in two phases. In the first phase, traffic on the Qazigund-Budgam track would be restored, while in the second phase, the Budgam-Baramulla track would become functional. The rail service was suspended in July this year following incidents of violence and burning down of some railway installations. |
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First Lady inaugurates art exhibition
Jammu, December 15 The art creations were made by renowned artists from across the country during the seven-day All-India Painters Camp, organised by the Cultural Academy, that concluded today. The First Lady went around the halls and evinced keen interest in the paintings and other art creations. Addressing the valedictory function of the All-India Painters Camp on the occasion, Usha Vohra appreciated the diverse art creations, and said art had many manifestations and it transcended the daily rough and tumble of life. She emphasised the need to encourage artists so that they were able to give their best to the society. Referring to the exhibition, she observed that various art creations had been displayed well and lauded the Cultural Academy for its commendable initiative to encourage artists and promote various art forms. The First Lady honoured the artists who had participated in the camp by presenting shawls to them. The art exhibition shall remain open for the public from 11 am to 5 pm daily for the next five days.
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Processionists clash with securitymen in Srinagar Srinagar, December 15 In defiance of the restrictions, groups of mourners appeared at Shaheed Gunj near the Divisional Commissioner’s office, Chinkral Mohalla and the Budshah Chowk area and tried to hold processions this afternoon. The police lobbed tear-gas shells to chase away the protesters agitating against the imposition of restrictions. However, there were no reports of injuries. The authorities over the past several years have been imposing restrictions on the processions from the Shaheed Gunj and Abi Guzar areas to Dalgate. The processions, however, were held at several others places in Srinagar, including Zadibal and Alamgari Bazaar and elsewhere in Budgam, Baramulla and Bandipore districts on the eighth day of Muharram. The authorities imposed the curfew restrictions under Section 144 in the jurisdictions of police stations of Shaheed Gunj, Kralkhud, Maisuma, Kothibagh and Ram Munshi Bagh since morning. Several separatist and religious organisations condemned the restrictions. Hardline Hurriyat faction chairman Syed Ali Geelani and JKLF chairman Yasin Malik were among those who condemned the restrictions. Life remained normal in other areas of the city and elsewhere in the Kashmir valley. Many educational institutions in the curfew-bound areas remained closed and there was a thin attendance in government offices due to the curfew. Meanwhile, the PDP also condemned the “unprecedented siege and curfew” in Srinagar and said this was an unprecedented assault on people’s liberties. In a statement, the party’s Srinagar district president, Mohammed Ashraf Mir, condemned the continuing restrictions on people to offer Friday prayers and Muharram processions. Mir said the present government having lost all credibility had nothing more to lose and was using the state power to deny people their fundamental right to religious freedom. The artificial sense of normalcy created at the point of gun only added to choking the sense of siege among the people, he added.
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State must take over Centaur Hotel, Soz to Patel Srinagar, December 15 The former union minister met Patel in New Delhi yesterday along with a delegation of the Centaur Lake View Hotel Employees Union, a spokesman of the state PCC president said. Soz held that it would be clearly unjust to transfer the management of the hotel to a private company without safeguarding the interests of the employees, particularly those who had not been regularised for 15-17 years. “I suggested to him that since Air India is reluctant to manage the hotel, the most appropriate decision would be to transfer the management and the properties to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir,” Soz commented. The Civil Aviation Minister agreed to the proposition if the state government was willing to manage the hotel. “For the past five years, I have been telling Air India to find a just and amicable settlement of the Centaur Lake View Hotel’s management and properties, which have not been administered properly by the managers, appointed by Air India successively,” Soz stated. He hoped that the state government would undertake the management adding that he would also be approaching the state government to impress upon it to take over the management and properties of Centaur Hotel.
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Four killed, 30 hurt in mishap
Udhampur, December 15 The bus was on its way to Ramnagar from Udhampur when the mishap occurred around 1.15 pm. Eyewitnesses said the bus overturned after its right front wheel hit the construction material lying on the road curve. Of those killed, only Nand Lal of Kianthgali village in the Panchari block of Udhampur district could be identified till reports last came in.The other three were yet to be identified. A woman identified as Kalgota Devi (39) of Ramnagar sustained a serious head injury and was shifted to Jammu Medical College. — TNS
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153rd Raising Day celebrated
Jammu, December 15 The regiment has taken part in all wars fought since Independence. In the 1947-48 war, the Central India Horse liberated Rajouri and Poonch from the Pakistan irregulars. It won a Mahavir Chakra and five Vir Chakra. Lt-Gen Pradeep Khanna addressed all ranks and veterans present on the occasion and reminded them of their glorious past. He asked the troops to work hard to maintain their operational preparedness at all times. The celebrations spanning over two days began with prayers at the Regimental Mandir, a wreath laying at the War Memorial, a Sainik Bhoj and a Sainik Sammelan. — TNS
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10-day judicial custody for KBA chief
Jammu, December 15 The sources added that the police took Qayoom from the Hiranagar Central Jail to produce him before the court to seek his remand for questioning in a case registered against him at Hiranagar. Qayoom was earlier released from the Kot Bhalwal Jail in the last week of November after the High Court on November 27 had quashed the detention of Mian Abdul Qayoom under the Public Safety Act (PSA). However, he was re-arrested by the Hiranagar Police outside the Kot Bhalwal Jail and since then, he has been kept behind the bars at Hiranagar Jail, where a case is pending against him.
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Sagar reviews Muharram arrangements Srinagar, December 15 The minister ordered the officers concerned to ensure that the people did not face any inconvenience in view of the month of Muharram. He directed the officers of PDD, PHE, CA&PD to ensure that uninterrupted supply of power, water and ration was being provided to the people. Sagar directed SMC officers to ensure that proper sanitation and hygiene was ensured in the city especially in the areas where Muharram processions are being taken out. He also announced Rs 5 lakh for the laying of tiles in Doulatabad and Rs 1 lakh for streetlighting of Anzimar localities out of his constituency development fund.
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BJP flays Cong for endorsing Omar’s remark
Jammu, December 15 Addressing a meeting of party leaders in connection with the forthcoming ‘Maha Rally’, leaders Prahalad Patel OP Kohli and Mohinder Pandey said the party had taken serious note of the utterances of Omar Abdullah.
— TNS |
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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today underscored the need for consolidation in higher education to make the institutions of higher studies as seats of excellence and quality.
