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Union Home Secy reviews development, security
Army Chief visits forward areas in Rajouri, Poonch
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BJP alleges encroachments on defence land in Valley
Poonch Fake Encounter
Teleconference of Kashmiri Pandits on August 14
Ahead of Independence Day, troops along LoC on high alert
Former SRTC employees to resume protest
UID project launched at Raj Bhawan
HC directive on constable’s appointment
836 rare coins found in Rajouri
Women’s panel chief meets Governor
Estate employees to
hold protest
Hoteliers hail air services for Kailash Kund yatra
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Union Home Secy reviews development, security
Srinagar, August 10 While chairing a review meeting with the Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, and other administrative secretaries at the SKICC here today,he said benefits of the government’s initiatives should reach the people. Singh also assured full support to the state for the conservation and restoration of the Dal Lake and the rehabilitation of the dwellers. He said funds would not be allowed to come in the way of scientific restoration of the water body. He also reviewed the progress of the Prime Ministers’s Package for the Safe Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Migrants. He was briefed about jobs and transit accommodation made available to the migrant employees posted in the valley. Appreciating the successful conduct of the panchayat poll, the Union
Home Secretary said the accounting and auditing systems needed to be put in place once power and funds were transferred to these institutions of local governance. Singh further assured the officials that he would take up the issue of the sanction of revised DPRs of several road projects in the state with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. He also discussed security-related expenditure and strengthening of the infrastructure and communication issues. The issues related to skill
development initiatives, training and employment of the youth also came up
for discussion. Singh called for infusing energy into health institutions to make them patient-friendly.He said a lot of funds available under the NRHM should lead to a marked improvement in patient care in every nook and corner of the state. The Union Home Secretary also called on Governor N.N.Vohra at Raj Bhawan here this evening and discussed various important matters relating to the obtaining external security scenario and the existing and emerging issues relating to the internal security management. Later, Singh visited the Srinagar-based 15 Corps headquarters and had a detailed meeting with the GOC, Lt-Gen S A Hasnain, and other senior officers. The Union Home Secretary was briefed about the law and order situation, especially the spurt in infiltration attempts by militants from across the border over the past fortnight and measures taken to counter it, defence sources said. He will also call on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during his two-day visit.Jammu and Kashmir is the first state being visited by Singh after he assumed office on July 1. maiden visit
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Army Chief visits forward areas in Rajouri, Poonch
Jammu, August 10 On a two-day visit to the White Knight Corps, the Army Chief arrived at the Nagrota Cantonment, near Jammu, this morning. After a brief meeting with the Commanders, he flew to the border belts of Poonch and Rajouri districts along with them, he said. He was received by Lt-Gen KT Parnaik, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, and Lt-Gen JP Nehra, GOC, White Knight Corps, at the Aviation Base, Nagrota. On his arrival, the Army Chief was briefed by Lt-Gen Nehra about the situation in the areas south of the Pir Panjal Range. Gen VK Singh, thereafter, visited the forward areas along the LoC in the Poonch -Rajouri sector. He reviewed the counter-infiltration operations and interacted with the troops. He expressed satisfaction over the strict vigil being maintained by the troops on the
LoC. While addressing them, the Army Chief stressed the policy of “iron fist in velvet glove”. He said, “Though the militants have taken a severe beating in the region over the last few years and their morale is at its lowest ebb, they still retain the capability to increase the level of violence. Therefore, we need to remain alert and not fall prey to the nefarious designs of the militants. Our duty is not only to combat militancy in the region, but also to ensure the safety of the local population during the operations.” In the wake of the fake encounter in Surankote, he reiterated the need for zero human rights violations. He said the troops needed to be extra vigilant not to fall into the trap of miscreants, who wanted to malign the image of the Army. Gen VK Singh appreciated the high level of synergy between the Army and the police and exhorted the formation to continue building upon it. He was accompanied by his wife, Bharti Singh. |
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BJP alleges encroachments on defence land in Valley
Addressing a press conference here today, national secretary of the BJP, Kirit Somaiya, alleged that some terrorist organisations were behind the encroachments, but the state government was not taking any
action. To substantiate his allegation, Somaiya circulated some documents among those present at the conference, in which it was mentioned that 200 acres of defence land had been sold in the Kashmir valley in connivance with junior-level defence officials and some officials of the Revenue Department. He said this was part of a strategy of some terrorist organisations in Kashmir. Somaiya said there was a nexus between land- grabbers, revenue officials and terrorists to encroach upon defence land. He demanded immediate action from the Defence Ministry to retrieve the land by sending a special investigation team to the Valley. He pointed out that the land around the Srinagar airport, which was a sensitive place, had been sold to some private individuals. “It is really a serious matter,” he added. |
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Poonch Fake Encounter
Jammu, August 10 “ His body was buried at a graveyard at Surankote last evening,” a senior police officer told The Tribune. He, however, added that a DNA sample of the victim had been collected. Though the first post-mortem report had suggested that the slain youth was a non-Muslim, after waiting for 80 hours, the police buried the body. “Under the law, a body has to be kept for 72 hours for identification after which the last rites can be performed as per the victim’s religion. But in this case, we waited for 80 hours,” said the officer. However, a High Court lawyer contradicted the police argument, saying, “Unless and until the identity of the deceased is established and all the legal formalities are fulfilled, the law doesn’t allow the last rites to be performed.” In this case, where a mentally-challenged youth was killed in a fake encounter and neither his identity had been established nor his family traced, how could the police be so callous in its approach, he quipped. The police had failed to ascertain the slain youth’s identity despite the fact that the accused, a Territorial Army jawan and an SPO, were in its custody, the lawyer said. Meanwhile, the SPO,Noor Hussain, and the Territorial Army jawan, Abdul Majeed, were today remanded in four-day police custody by a Poonch court. Despite repeated attempts, Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, AK Sahu and SSP, Poonch, Ashkoor Wani could not be reached for their comments. In another development, following the SSP’s intervention, the Surankote Beopar Mandal called off its half-day shutdown today. The mandal had given the call to protest the fake encounter. However, sources said, the mandal relented after the SSP assured its leaders of a through probe into the incident. |
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poonch Fake encounter
Jammu, August 10 Addressing the rally,veteran leader and former minister Rangil Singh said the killing of another innocent by the security forces exposed the inhuman attitude of the present dispensation headed by Omar Abdullah. He regretted that since the formation of the coalition government in the state, the killing of innocents had become a routine affair.He pointed out that earlier such fake encounters were confined to the Kashmir Valley, but now these had started taking place in the Jammu region. “Killing innocent persons has become a business in Jammu and Kashmir because the state government has no control over the security forces,” he said and asserted that the party would intensify the agitation against the fake encounter. Party general secretary Balbir Singh questioned the decision of the authorities to bury the body of the victim without establishing his identity. Singh, while quoting from a statement of the police, said earlier it was stated that the victim was a non-Muslim.So, burying his body was a heinous crime. “Keeping in view the brewing anger among the people, the authorities hurriedly buried the body without establishing his identity just to hide any proof”, he said, adding, “instead of taking action against the culprits,the government was trying to commit one mistake after the other to hush up the matter”. Another party leader Ved Mahajan pointed out that local police officers had earlier identified the victim as a Hindu. “If the victim was a Hindu,then the authorities denied him his religious right by burying him,” he said and demanded strict action against those responsible for committing the gruesome crime. |
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Teleconference of Kashmiri Pandits on August 14
Jammu, August 10 Being moderated by Pradumon Tickoo from the US, the participants are expected to discuss the recent expose of the Kashmir American Council’s nexus with Pakistan’s
ISI. The teleconference will also discuss the three interlocutors’ report vis-à-vis Kashmiri Pandits, which is likely to come out in September, Tickoo said in an e-mail. He said through the global teleconference, community leaders would collectively frame a document on the developments in Kashmir, which had a direct bearing on the future of Kashmiri Pandits, besides Pakistan’s involvement in sponsoring and abetting terrorism in Kashmir. Tickoo said the leaders would also pressure the Government of India to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate and punish organisations or individuals, supporting the Kashmir American Council overtly or covertly. The 90-minute event, beginning at 8.30 pm, would be open to all interested community members, Tickoo said. However, a maximum of 1,000 participants could join worldwide, he maintained. Some of the prominent Kashmiri Pandit leaders likely to take part included Moti Kaul of the All-India Kashmiri Samaj; TN Razdan, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Vichar Manch; Kamal Hak of the Panun Kashmir; Dr Jagan Kaul and Rakesh Kaul from the US; Jeevan Zutshi from the IKF, US; Ashok Kaul from the IACF, Canada; Krishna Bhan from the IEKF, London; Ashok Bhan of the Indian National Congress; and Rashneek Kher of the Roots in Kashmir, India. Dr Subramanium Swami, a former Union minister, would be the guest speaker. |
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Ahead of Independence Day, troops along LoC on high alert
Srinagar, August 10 “With the Independence Day approaching, the troops along the LoC have been placed on high alert to thwart any infiltration bid into the Valley,” a defence spokesman said here. He said the past fortnight had seen a spate of infiltration attempts, especially in Kupwara district, which had been successfully foiled by the troops. “The security forces jointly neutralised nine militants recently. Five of them were identified as Pakistani nationals, including three divisional commanders and two battalion commanders,” he said. The spokesman said it seemed that the militants and their sponsors were trying to cause disturbances during the holy month of Ramzan and ahead of the Independence Day celebrations. “This anti-people tactics of militants and their sponsors must be thwarted by joint action of the people and the security forces,” he added. Meanwhile, the police conducted a security review of the Bakshi Stadium, where the main Independence Day function in the state would be held. “In order to ensure foolproof security arrangements, ADGP Security, Navin Agarwal, conducted a security review of the stadium,” a police spokesman said. Security arrangements like access control and anti-sabotage checks were found in place and all the security gadgets installed were also found in good condition, he said. — PTI
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Former SRTC employees to resume protest
Jammu, August 10 Addressing a press conference here, the president of the association, Dev Raj Bali, said : “ The State Road Transport Corporation has not fulfilled its promises as per an agreement with us. It is yet to pay 50 per cent of our dues. One hundred and twentysix slabs of cost of living allowance from January 1, 2006 to January 1, 2010 are still pending.” He further said many cases of gratuity and ex gratia were also pending with the corporation and appealed to the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister to personally intervene to sort out the matter. “At least, 35 employees who opted for voluntary retirement on March 31 this year have not got their pending salaries. As per a government order, they were to be paid within 60 days,” he said, and added, “Four months have passed since then, but they have not got their salaries so far.” The association warned the management to fulfil its promises as soon as possible, failing which the association would hold a dharna in front of the General Manager’s office. |
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UID project launched at Raj Bhawan
Srinagar, August 10 The process was undertaken by a team of senior officers led by MK Dwivedi, Secretary, Information Technology and Science and Technology, and GM Sahibzada, president of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, which has been designated as the Registrar in the state for the implementation of the UID project, and senior officers of the Information Technology Department and the bank. Speaking on the occasion, the Governor observed that initially he thought that UID cards would be prepared in pursuance of the recent Census in the state. On being briefed by Dwivedi about the project, the Governor emphasised on the usefulness of the entire process being completed within the time schedule so that the people at large, particularly those in the rural areas, benefited from it. |
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HC directive on constable’s appointment
Jammu, August 10 The High Court, while allowing the writ petition, observed that, “The presumption is that the order passed in favour of the petitioner was to be given the same treatment in view of the statement made by the counsel for the respondents during the contempt proceedings and the petitioner cannot be denied the appointment. The respondents have not acted in a just manner by denying appointment to the petitioner. The upper age limit fixed for the appointment of a constable shall be deemed to have been relaxed in case of the petitioner in view of the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case.” The High Court quashed the order dated September 25, 2009, passed by the state and directed it to appoint the petitioner as a constable within two months from the date the order was served upon them. However, it was made clear that the state would not entertain any similar claim and would not appoint any other
person in the manner, which was directed in the judgement. |
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836 rare coins found in Rajouri
Jammu, August 10 The driver of an earthmover, Rajesh Kumar, was at work when he found the pot containing the rare coins made up of silver and copper. Their value, as per their weight, had been calculated to be around Rs 3 lakh, said the
SSP. The JCB driver was at work on a piece of land belonging to Jagdish Raj. “We immediately seized the pot and after preparing an inventory deposited it with the Rajouri Deputy Commissioner in accordance with the provisions of the Treasure and Troves Act of 1954,” he said. “Since the coins are now a government property and the Deputy Commissioner being the sole authority with whom they have to be deposited, we have urged him to contact the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take their custody,” said the
SSP. Besides, the ASI may like to go for further excavation to see if more coins were buried there, he added. The names of JCB driver and the land owner had been recommended for suitable rewards, the SSP said. Another report, however, said Jagdish Raj had engaged an earthmover for digging a piece of land for the construction of a house and during the process the pot containing the rare coins was found. |
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Women’s panel chief meets Governor
Srinagar, August 10 “Firdous briefed the Governor about the functioning of the commission and the role it was playing in women’s empowerment,” an official spokesman said. Firdous informed him that the commission had launched sustained campaigns to generate awareness among women about their rights and was taking steps for safeguarding the same, he said. “The need for constructing shelter homes for women and several other important issues relating to the strengthening of the State Commission for Women came up for discussion during the meeting,” the spokesman said. He said the Governor expressed concern over the deteriorating sex ratio in the state and called for sustained attention and a well-planned holistic campaign to undo the damage. — PTI |
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IT surveys on 2 showrooms
Jammu, August 10 Official sources said on the basis of specific information, the department sleuths looked into the records of the showrooms to detect suspected evasion of income tax. Meanwhile, the sleuths were also scrutinising the documents of a factory of the business house in the Gangyal area. However, the officials declined to say anything, maintaining the surveys were continuing. |
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Estate employees to
hold protest
Jammu, August 10 President of the association Prem Singh Bawa said, “The association has apprised the government of the grievances of the employees through notices and memorandums to the Director, Estates, from time to time. But till date, no action has been taken in this regard, forcing the employees to adopt a path of agitation.”
— TNS |
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Hoteliers hail air services for Kailash Kund yatra
Jammu, August 10 President of the association Inderjeet Khajuria demanded that the annual yatra should be brought on the tourist map by duly publicising it and taking appropriate steps to attract pilgrims and tourists from all over the country. He also welcomed the decision of Global Vectra Company to run chopper services for the yatra and make tickets available at its offices.
— TNS |
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Jammu, August 10