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PM’s PoK initiative cheers state
Sarpanch posts fail to attract women
2 killed at rail project site
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Govt nod to issuance of Dogra certificate
On revision, GCM finds colonel not guilty on four charges
Helpline for dealing with stress in Kashmir
After yellow rust, hailstorm adds to woes of farmers
‘Mobilise resources for Red Cross’: Governor
Governor stresses on need
for girl education
15 days on, 200 passengers
stuck in Leh
Six-year-old girl found murdered
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PM’s PoK initiative cheers state
Going by the bitter relations between India and Pakistan, his prayers were sure not to be answered until a week ago. But, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's initiative to allow six-month stay for Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) residents (in India) has offered some hope to Salamat. Earlier, the PoK residents were allowed a four-week stay. Post-Partition, Salamat Khan opted to stay back in India with a hope that India-Pakistan borders would fade away with time. "They haven't all these years…. I was 17 then. My two younger brothers and parents crossed over," he said while talking to The Tribune. Salamat says he expected Pakistan not to botch up the opportunity this time. "When India started the bus, they stabbed in the back by intrusion in Kargil, which eventually led to the Kargil War. Later, they scripted the 26/11 Mumbai mayhem." Like thousands of his fellow Kashmiris whose near and dear ones stay in PoK, Salamat has to undergo an ordeal to meet his children and grandchildren. "It takes a year to process the files for our visit to PoK. Same is the situation on the other side of the border. It is us who have to live the pain and the agony of Partition. The border was built on our heart and with our blood," he said, choking with emotion. But now at least after a year of struggle, said he, they could meet their relatives for six months. Dr Liaqat Jafri, doctor and poet whose maternal uncles are in PoK, terms the initiative as "very good": "My relatives recently stayed here for four weeks….Then it was like climbing Mount Everest to get an extension of two weeks." Jafri, however, says that the government also needs to ease the verification process. It is easier to go via Wagah than through Chakan-da-Bagh border in Poonch district. "The Indian Government can help us by easing the process." Rajiv Chunni, chairman of SOS International, an NGO working for the rights of PoK refugees, too, endorsed the simplification of the verification procedure. "It is too cumbersome and one has to pass through many checks and counterchecks." He wants the paper work reduced and all process completed in border districts itself. Meanwhile, the latest figures, as revealed by Chief Secretary Madhav Lal about a fortnight ago, suggest that 3,314 persons have visited PoK from the Indian side and 3,384 vice versa since 2005. Haji Jabbar Ahmed, of Jabla Uri, says, "We expect that the government of Pakistan would reciprocate in a similar fashion… it is a very welcome move as the members of a divided family who have been separated from each other for decades would get a chance to stay longer with each other." (With inputs from Tejinder Singh Sodhi in Srinagar)
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Sarpanch posts fail to attract women
Jammu, March 27 Though the authorities have accorded 33 per cent reservations to women for the posts of panches, there is no reservation for women or weaker sections for the posts of sarpanches, thus their presence is almost negligible for such posts. In the first phase of the panchayat elections in the Bishnah and Samba blocks of the Jammu division, only six women have filed their nominations for the posts of sarpanches. Elections for the posts of 71 sarpanches will be held on April 13. “Response of women on the reserved posts is over enthusiastic, but they are hesitating to contest elections on unreserved posts of Sarpanches,” said Ravi Singh Sambyal, a resident of Samba. According to Anil Gupta, nodal officer of panchayat election, Samba, 203 candidates have filed papers for the post of 33 sarpanches while 433 candidates have filed nominations for 242 posts of panches. Pushpa Devi, a social activist of Bishnah, told The Tribune that in most of the cases, the family members did not allow women to contest elections on the posts where men were also in the fray. “The way women have shown their interests on the reserved posts of panches is a clear indication that they are ready to shoulder their responsibility, provided the family supports them,” she said. However, in the last panchayat election, only one woman got elected as sarpanch. “Despite pressure from different quarters, I had contested the election and won with a comfortable margin,” recalled Aradhana Andotra, who was the only female sarpanches in the entire state.
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2 killed at rail project site
Udhampur, March 27 Officials said the deceased, Abdul Rahman (34) and Jumma Baksh (24), hailed from Dwara village in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh. The mishap took place at around 10.30 am at the site near Bakkal village, about 45 km from Reasi. Both were rushed to the government hospital at Reasi but they succumbed to their injuries on the way. The duo was working for a private company, AFCONS, hired by the Konkan Railway Construction Limited for construction of the bridge on the Katra-Qazigund railway link, proposed to link the Jammu region with the Kashmir valley. This is the first such incident after the construction began in 2005. According to the officials, both the deceased were in the basket of the crane meant for transporting material and workers to Bakkal at one end of the river. As per preliminary investigation, the sudden unhooking of the basket from the crane was stated to be the reason behind the mishap. Two pilgrims dead in
mishap
Jammu: Two Vaishnodevi pilgrims from Delhi were killed and seven injured when their vehicle overturned after hitting a divider on the Jammu-Pathankote highway in Samba district on Saturday. Kala Devi and Suman Devi, were killed and seven were injured when their car overturned on Pilli Morh, 54 km from here. The car, carrying nine pilgrims, including three children, was on its way to cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi temple, the police said. —
PTI Minor murdered
Srinagar: A six-year-old girl was found murdered at a village in Kupwara district of north Kashmir here on Saturday. The police recovered the body of Asra Shafi, daughter of Mohammed Shafi, a resident of Tikker, near Government Middle School, Tikker. The body had a visible mark of a slit throat, the police said. After completing legal formalities, the body was handed over to the family of the deceased. A case under Section 302 of the RPC has been registered.
— TNS |
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Govt nod to issuance of Dogra certificate
Jammu, March 27 Bhalla informed that the government, vide Order No. Rev (LB) 69 of 2011 dated 25-03-2011, had accorded sanction for the issuance of the Dogra certificate. He said all those residents of Jammu and Kashmir who were otherwise eligible for grant of Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) in terms of the J&K Grant of Permanent Resident Certificate (Procedure) Act and the rules made thereunder could get the certificate. The minister said that the Tehsildar (Territorial) concerned is competent to issue the certificate to the eligible persons irrespective of their ethnicity, religion, cultural background and mother tongue. He said directions had been issued to the revenue officials to conduct a detailed survey and submit a report along with specific recommendations within a period of one month. “For the purpose of issuing the Dogra certificate, all the residents of Jammu division irrespective of ethnicity, cultural background and mother tongue should be classified as Dogras, provided their forefathers were residents of Jammu division prior to 1944,” said Bhalla. He added, “The cut-off date of 1944 shall not apply to the displaced persons of PoK, who will also be eligible for the Dogra certificate”. Bhalla said that people could obtain the Dogra certificate by filing an application before the Tehsildar (Territorial) concerned of the Jammu division along with a copy of PRC or Mishal Haqiyat or Jamabandi prior to 1944 AD or electoral rolls of 1951, besides an affidavit duly sworn in by the applicant. Bhalla informed that instructions had been issued to Tehsildars to immediately register the applications with two witnesses of the locality to authenticate the claim of the applicants. After summary inquiry, the Tehsildar must issue the Dogra certificate to the applicant within a period of 7 days from the date of receipt of the application. |
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On revision, GCM finds colonel not guilty on four charges
Chandigarh, March 27 The GCM, presided by Brig Sanjeev Kanal, commander of an Artillery Brigade had earlier acquitted Col AS Rathore, former Director Military Farms, of 16 of the 17 charges leveled against him. The GCM at Rajouri had held him guilty of not carrying out technical inspection of a military farm during the Operation Parakram and awarded him a severe reprimand, besides forfeiting five-year service for the purpose of pension. When the GCM's verdict was sent to the General Officer Commanding 16 Corps for confirmation, he ordered that the GCM re-assemble to carry out a revision of its findings of not guilty on four other charges. These pertained to local purchase of high quantities of skimmed milk powder, complaints of presence of soda in the milk powder Colonel Rathore's counsel had objected to the revision order because the acquittal of the accused on 16 charges was based on law and evidence while the revision order was not based on facts. He contended that the case against Colonel Rathore had been fabricated. He said that the GOC 16 Corps had laid a lot of emphasis on the deposition of Lt Col Kuldeep Singh, who had repeatedly made false statements before the GCM during the trial and was solely responsible for the entire local purchase of milk powder in his capacity as officer-in-charge on the Military Farm, Jammu, during the Operation Parakram. Earlier, a separate GCM relating to the same issue had convicted Lt Col Kuldeep for his acts of omission and commission and awarded three years rigorous imprisonment, besides cashiering him from the service. His case against the GCM's verdict is pending before the Armed Forces Tribunal. Between January 2001 and August 2003, nearly 1,526 metric tonnes of skimmed milk power was procured through local purchase despite adequate stocks in the Army stores. Part of the stock procured was transported to stations in Eastern, Western and Central Commands without due sanction and in violation of statutory provisions. The Army had estimated the value of the powder procured to be close to Rs 10 crore. |
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Helpline for dealing with stress in Kashmir
Srinagar, March 27 The police has roped in several psychologists and psychiatrists, including trauma counsellor Justin Hardy for training the counsellors, who are currently undergoing a week-long training programme. Assistance has also been sought from a NGO “Kashmir Life Line” for providing training to the counsellors, who would operate the Dial 100 facility. “The program has been designed to sensitise the counsellors of stress management help line, drug de-addiction centre PCR and the policemen manning the Dial 100, as to how they could deal with people who call them for help to cope with stress,” said SSP Police Control Room, Srinagar, Javed Faroqui. The psychologists and other trainers demonstrate the techniques to the trainees, on how to converse with a caller seeking help for coping with the stress. The Valley has seen a rise in the number of suicides and failed suicide attempts. “At least two to three cases of failed suicide attempts are reported at SMHS hospital in Srinagar on a daily basis. These are the figures from just one hospital and the situation seems to be alarming,” an official at Srinagar's largest government-run hospital said. Over 100 cases of suicide were reported during 2010 alone. Psychologists have attributed the rise in such cases to the turmoil and strife in the Valley over the past two decades. Drug addiction is another stress-related social evil that has taken the Valley in its grip. More than 4,000 youths have approached the Police Drug De-addiction centre in Srinagar, since its inception in March 2008, to kick the habit. Out of these 538 were admitted in the centre and so far 244 have been treated. “We still have 292 cases, which are waiting to be admitted as we do not have enough space,” a police official said. — PTI
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After yellow rust, hailstorm adds to woes of farmers
Khangrail (Akhnoor), March 27 A large number of farmers in Domana, Purkhoo, Khangrail, Kheri, Pargwal and other nearby villages had suffered huge losses, due to the recent rainfall and hailstorms. The worst affected crop included wheat, cauliflower, cabbage, sugarcane, spinach and coriander. A farmer of Khangrail village, Bua Ditta, who owns 30 kanals of land, said, “More than a week has passed after the losses occurred due to hailstorm, yet no one from the Agriculture Department has come to inspect the fields or take stock of the losses”. Bua Ditta, who had sown wheat in his 25 kanals land and vegetables in rest five kanals, added, “The insects have spread in the vegetables. We have also sprayed insecticides, but its of no use. Even the wheat crop, which was almost ready for harvesting has been damaged”. Another farmer, Duni Chand of Domana said, “Wheat is the major crop of this region, which has been damaged by the yellow rust and recent hailstorm, but the state government has not yet announced any compensation”. |
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‘Mobilise resources for Red Cross’: Governor
The Governor was addressing the 166th managing committee meeting of the state unit of the Indian Red Cross Society here last evening. He said that among other initiatives, collection boxes could be placed at airports, railway stations, bus stands, shopping malls and other public places to encourage the public to contribute in order to boost the activities of the Red Cross. “We should avail every opportunity to raise the resources round-the-year for the benefit of people and also undertake regular periodic reviews of all activities,” the Governor said. Referring to the medical aid provided to the poor patients suffering from various ailments, the Governor, who is also the president of the IRCS J&K unit, stressed the need for revisiting the entire scheme for ensuring timely and adequate financial support to the needy. He emphasised upon the need for assessing the possibility of putting in place a mechanism to evolve a corpus of disease specific funds, like cancer fund, to meet the medicare requirements of those, who suffered from life-threatening ailments but do not have the resources to meet the high expenses. The Governor said an action plan needed to be formulated for organising Red Cross melas at the district level. Referring to the training of the Red Cross volunteers, the Governor called for associating the Health Department in a big way in organising various training programmes for the Red Cross volunteers and its various other activities. He said a greater thrust should be laid on training of volunteers in the remote and far-flung areas. He added that the Red Cross must have its units in places like Leh, Kargil and Zanskar to help people in the event of emergent situations and natural calamities. The Governor undertook division and district wise review of the activities of the Red Cross and asked for speeding up the process for issuing identity cards to volunteers trained by the Red Cross. The general secretary of IRCS J&K unit, Feroze Ahmad, highlighted the activities of the organisation and its future plan of action. Among others, Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda, Principal Secretary (Home) BR Sharma, Principal Secretary to Governor RK Goyal, Commissioner/Secretary (Finance) Sudhanshu Pandey, Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir Dr Asgar Samoon and Divisional Commissioner of Jammu Dr Pawan Kotwal participated in the meeting.
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Governor stresses on need
for girl education
Jammu, March 27 The Governor complimented Kunil Bhalla, managing trustee, for achieving 50 pc increase in the past two years in the total number of children who were granted scholarships. He complimented the trust for providing financial support to disadvantaged students. The Governor announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the trust. The First Lady, Usha Vohra, who was the guest of honour at the function, emphasised the importance of female education. |
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15 days on, 200 passengers
stuck in Leh
Leh, March 27 While the Kargil-Padum road — only vehicle-exit route — lies snowbound, the passengers can only be air-lifted. And the area does enjoy a chopper facility, but officials say the quota, allotted by the state government, for Zanskar has already exhausted. Still, the passengers had an option to walk out from the area: through Chadder road, a footpath passing over frozen Zanskar river. But with the rising temperature, this mode, too, has its share of risk. Tashi Namgial, a passenger, said, “Following the improvement in weather conditions, the ice over Zanskar is melting fast. So, the path is risky.” The executive councillor of Tourism and Zanskar Affairs of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council said, “Sixty tonne of load under Rotary wing of the Defence Ministry allotted on the basis of lottery to Zanskar has finished and they can only be airlifted after a new quota is allotted.” |
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Six-year-old girl found murdered
Srinagar, March 27 After completing legal formalities, the body was handed over to the family of the deceased. A case under Section 302 of the RPC has been registered and further investigations are on. Meanwhile, the Shopian police has recovered the body of a retired doctor, Maqsood Ahmad, a resident of Sofannaman, Shopian, from an Alto Car, which fell into a stream near the Gagran Memender road. A case has been registered under Section 174 of the CrPC.
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English play ‘Box and Cox’ staged
Jammu, March 27 Natrang is organising a five-day theatre event, Natrang Theatre Festival-2011. The other plays being featured in the festival include “Game of Chess”, directed by Neeraj Kant; Urdu play “Intzaar”, directed by Sumeet Sharma; “Suno Eh Kahani”, directed by Balwant Thakur; “Heer Ka Dukhant” directed by Neeraj Kant and “Gatte Eh Mannu” directed by Balwant Thakur Amarpreet Kandhari as Mrs Bouncer was very impressive. She was supported by actors Vikram Sharma and Balwinder Singh.
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Despite the efforts of various social groups to ensure equal participation of all sections in the Panchayati Raj Institutions, numbers of women are very low in the coming elections of the
sarpanches.
Jammu, March 27
Jammu, March 27