|
|
|
|
Non-inclusion in village monitoring committees
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Saffron mandi to come up at Pampore
Permanent tattoos harmful, says expert
Standing tall for more than 100 years
Chaos continues at Jammu bus stand
Srinagar Diary
Aviation, hospitality sectors catch fancy of youth
Pak poets floored by Jammu culture
|
|
Non-inclusion in village monitoring committees
RS Pura, December 16 “Even five months after the elections, authorities have not reconstituted village monitoring committee”, pointed out BD Gorkha, sarpanch of Bagga Janna Panchayat of border belt of RS Pura. He said the existing Village Education Committee in his panchayat was constituted two years ago. “After elections of the panchayats, these committees should be immediately abolished and elected members of the panchayats be made members of these committee,” he demanded and added that still the old committees were existing. To monitor functioning of various government departments at grassroots level, village-level monitoring committees were constituted by the authorities but these committees were predominated by political activists who don’t have representative character. The Education Department has constituted Village Education Committee to monitor functioning of the schools. Similarly, the Rural Development Department and the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department have also constituted committees at village level. “All existing committees should be immediately abolished and newly elected Panchayat members be made members of these committees so as to make representative character of these committees,” argued Gorkha. Vinod Sharma, sarpanch of Tarore panchayat, while expressing anguish over attitude of the government, said the authorities concerned had asked him to give names of those who would be members of the Village Education Committee but still the old committee was existing. Three days ago, while addressing a meeting of sarpanches of Rajouri district, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar had claimed that the government had fulfilled its commitment to empower the Panchayati Raj System in the state. He said the government had fulfilled the promises made to the people of the state, besides ensuring the decentralisation of power and providing governance to the people living in rural and far-flung areas at their door step. Asking the officers to involve the recently elected Panchayati Raj representatives in the policy implementation and formulation of plans of their respective areas, the minister said the government had already issued the orders for empowering panches and sarpanches and any devolution from the same would be strictly dealt with. “The Chief Minister has recently convened a high-level meeting of various officers of administrative secretaries of different departments so as to ensure that the order of empowerment of Panchayati Raj representatives is implemented in letter and spirit on the ground. This speaks volumes about the commitment of the government to ensure the effective empowerment of panches and sarpanches,” he had maintained.
|
||
|
Saffron mandi to come up at Pampore
This announcement was made by Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather at a function held at Sheikh-ul-Alam Hall, Budgam, recently to distribute incentive cheques amounting to Rs 1.49 crore among beneficiaries under the National Mission on Saffron. The minister called for focused attention towards enhancing production and productivity of saffron, adding that the need of the hour was to improve post-harvest processing and opening of more transparent marketing channels. Rather said strong domestic demand and high domestic prices were supporting factors to revitalise saffron cultivation in the state. He said as per trade estimates, domestic demand was in the range of 20 MTs (metric tones) per annum as compared to only 10-15 MTs current domestic production. He asked the saffron growers to avail the benefits of the National Mission on Saffron optimally for improving their livelihood. The minister called upon the farmers to utilise modern agriculture technologies to increase production and productivity, adding that the farmers should switch over to cultivation of cash crops. He asked the agriculture functionaries to provide timely quality agriculture inputs, including hybrid seeds, fertilisers, modern farm machinery and agriculture implements, to the farmers. He also underscored the need for agriculture field extension functionaries to acquaint the farmers about new research in agriculture field. He said Rs 375 crore was being spent under the National Mission on Saffron in four years. Rather said 300 hectares of land in Budgam district would be brought under this mission. He also announced that a borewell would be constructed for irrigating 600 kanals at
Tangnar.
|
||
|
Permanent tattoos harmful, says expert
Jammu, December 16 After aspirants for recruitment in the Army got a shocker for being disqualified for sporting tattoos, many youngsters have been making rounds of dermatologists in the city for getting them removed. “Earlier I got 5-6 persons every month who wanted to get their tattoos removed, now their number has increased to 5-6 person per day”, said Dr Rajesh Kumar Sharma, skin specialist and surgeon. “A tattoo machine costs Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000 and the tattoo removal machines costs Rs 25-Rs 30 lakh. It means if a tattoo is done at Rs 3,500 then it costs Rs 35,000 to remove it, he explained. Sunil Attri, a tattoo expert from Jammu said, “Soon after Saif Ali Khan got Kareena Kapoor’s name adorned on his arm, it became a fashion statement among the youngsters”. “In most of the cases boys get it done for their girlfriend. At times due to peer pressure they get tattoos on their body, gradually they come to know their harmful effects,” he added. Permanent tattoos can act as carriers of certain diseases like HIV, hepatitis, leprosy, tuberculosis and it may develop cancer also, he informed. It is pertinent to mention here that Hollywood actress Pamela Anderson claimed that she contracted hepatitis C after sharing a tattoo needle with her ex-husband Tommy Lee, who denied it.
|
||
|
Standing tall for more than 100 years
Jammu, December 16 The spot is Serbad village in Reasi district. And it is only because of the faith of the inhabitants of this village that this tree has not been chopped despite immense pressure from the authorities. Maybe, knowing much about the traits associated with the psyche of humans, the seers and scholars of the vedic era had associated every good or bad thing with faith. This century-old peepal tree witnessed many springs standing right on the middle of the busy road. “Prior to 1947, there was no road and it was a dusty track (kutcha road) but later in the 1970s a road was laid. But we did not allow the authorities to axe this holy tree as our faith is attached to it. We pay obeisance at this tree before starting any good work,” said Mulkh Raj, an octogenarian from the village. He said the inhabitants of Serbad village believe that this tree had always been blessing their village. “We do pradakshina around the sacred tree as a mark of worship in the morning,” he added. Puran Chand, who owns a kiryana shop at the roadside near the tree, said, “Many a times the administration tried to remove this tree but we never let it happen. The officials claim that the tree may cause accidents during the night but we assured them that it would never happen. Not even a single accident has occurred here. Since it is our deity, it can never cause any harm to us.” Neeraj Sharma, who hails from Reasi, said people of the adjoining villages also believe in the holy powers associated with this tree. “I am observing this tree here since I gained my senses. People also claim that a saint had also meditated under this tree in yesteryears when there was no road,” he said. Just opposite to this tree, exists a ziyarat (holy place) of sufi saint under another peepal tree. Pilgrims throng here during the annual congregation in the month of February. Interestingly, this tree exists just after a narrow blind curve but not even a single accident has ever taken place. The pilgrims who visit many religious places, including Baba Jitto Temple, Sullah Park, Aghar Temple, have to cross this spot.
|
||
|
Chaos continues at Jammu bus stand
Jammu, December 16 Similarly, the situation on the BC Road (outside the General Bus Stand), which was proposed to be a ‘stop-drop-pick-and-go’ zone for all intrastate and interstate buses, has again turned chaotic. The traffic police and the local police seldom make efforts to clear the buses, which remain stationed there for hours together to pick up passengers. “Before the opening of Darbar office here on November 9, the Traffic Police Department in compliance to the court ruling, had started the shifting of idle parking from General Bus Stand, Jammu, to Khanpur-Nagrota bus terminal. It was decided that the buses would only drop and pick passengers from the bus stand and move on,” said a police official. “As per the plan, buses can no longer stand here. With scant regard to the government decision, the drivers have started parking their buses on the premises,” he said. “Bus operators are shifting buses back because they do not have any modern facility, including workshop, at the new bus terminal,” he clarified. Official sources said the government had proposed to construct a 3-tier parking at the General Bus Stand, Jammu, with an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore to decongest the heart of the town. The construction of multi-storeyed parking complex at the General Bus Stand has already met stiff resistance from shopkeepers, demanding allotment of shops in the new complex. Satish Khajuria, 32, a passenger, said: “Buses are being parked by operators without any fear while officials concerned are turning a blind eye to the chaotic situation”. “The situation is the same on the busy BC Road, outside the General Bus Stand. It has been converted into a parking lot by bus, tempo and taxi operators. The policy of ‘drop and pick’ passengers, too, has fizzled out,” Khajuria said. Rakesh Kumar, a roadside vendor, said: “Initially, the drop, pick and move policy brought some good results and it reduced the problem of frequent traffic jams to a great extent, but due to the slackness of traffic and local cops, the situation has turned back to square one”. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Traffic, Manmohan Singh, said the representatives of bus unions were earlier reluctant to shift their buses from the General Bus Stand, Jammu, due to the lack of modern facility at Khanpur bus terminal. “The order is being implemented and it will take time to get the bus stand vacated. As far as the congestion on the BC Road is concerned, the St. Peters School-Resham Ghar road stretch has been closed for sewerage work. We are hopeful of smooth flow of traffic once the stretch reopens,” he said. About 150 interstate buses enter the state on a daily basis and halt on the BC Road before leaving for other destinations, leading to congestion. Similarly, there are about 400 buses in the Rajouri-Poonch bus service group which operates from the Jammu Bus Stand.
|
||
|
Srinagar Diary Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has distinguished himself from his predecessors for being a computer-savvy and getting updated on the national level and global developments. He has succeeded three Chief Ministers, including his father Farooq Abdullah, in the first decade of 21st century. He goes on commenting over the developments and shares his views with his followers on the social networking site Twitter. He provides information about his programmes, meetings, visits and tours across the state, unlike his predecessors. Sometimes, he also comes to the rescue of newsmen with his comments on certain issues of vital importance, though at times he has made scathing attacks on those creating news stories on his tweets. He may be accessible to his followers on the Twitter, but what remains to be seen is whether he is accessible to the people at the ground level.
“Heading back to Jammu after very useful two days spent in Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar”, he tweeted early on Friday. “Will chair a board meeting of the State Power Development Corporation and a meeting of the Cabinet… then I will fly to Srinagar”, he stated in the tweet that followed. Rain plays spoilsport Last week’s snowfall in the upper reaches of Kashmir valley and rains at other places may have ended the month-long dry spell but it caused many problems for the people living in some of the new residential colonies of the city. Many such colonies, especially in Srinagar’s uptown Rawalpora and Hyderpora areas, were covered with mud after heavy rains because they do not have pucca roads. Lack of drainage facilities at these colonies compounded the problem. Moreover, due to the cold weather, some roads have still not dried up. The condition of roads at other colonies of the city may not be that bad but they too have got many potholes now due to the rains. These potholed roads require urgent repair works. Therefore, the authorities should not wait till Darbar move to get these roads repaired. (Contributed by
Ehsan Fazili and M Aamir Khan)
|
||
|
Aviation, hospitality sectors catch fancy of youth
Srinagar, December 16 “According to a recent survey, the aviation and hospitality industry of the country will require at least 40,000 persons by the end of the current calendar year. Therefore, many youth here are taking up these courses as placement opportunities after studies are assured,” said an educational counsellor. His claim can be substantiated by the fact that colleges offering the aviation and hospitality courses have started mushrooming in the city to cater to the growing demand. “There are immense job opportunities for trained manpower in this sector. Due to the unemployment problem in Kashmir, the number of youth seeking training is increasing. As we provide specialised vocational training in aviation and hospitality, besides tour and travels and also ensure 100 per cent placement, we regularly receive queries in this regard,” said Shabnum Fayaz, Centre Head of the International College of Aviation at Raj Bagh here. “Our college started functioning in 2008 and so far we have trained about 50 students. Due to a good response from locals, we will be increasing our intake capacity and also offer fresh courses. Most of the trained candidates are working at airports and with various reputed domestic and international airlines as cabin crew members and ground staff,” she added. A local student said, “The sector is hassle-free as after the completion of training the students get jobs as air hostess, cabin crew and ground staff. Moreover, you are not required to be a graduate or postgraduate to take up these courses. These can be pursued after Class XII.” Incidentally, while commenting on the unemployment problem in the state recently, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had urged the youth to look at the private sector and entrepreneurship programmes as it was not possible for the government to provide job to everyone.
|
||
|
Pak poets floored by Jammu culture
The first-ever public contact programme of such quality held after strained relations between India and Pakistan post the 26/11 Mumbai attack was almost impossible to organise, revealed Sohail Kazmi, chairman, Jammu Civil Society for Art and Culture, the main organiser of the show. “The first issue was getting visa for Pakistani poets and that too for 17 of them in one go. The poets were not quite optimistic either,” Kazmi said. Once the visa issue was resolved thanks to the intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Dr Karan Singh, the big question was arranging finance for the mega show. “We are still calculating the expenses. It is above Rs 30 lakhs. This was mountainous work as our civil society was formed and registered only three months ago,” he said. Kazmi said right from providing the security to arranging tickets to managing invitation passes and organising the ‘mushaira’ at the Gen Zorawar Singh Auditorium, everything went on with just one zeal - to bridge the gap between India and Pakistan. The efforts eventually paid off. The mushaira received overwhelming response from the audience. The Pakistani poets were floored by the Jammu hospitality. Faiz’s daughter Salima Hashmi burst into tears many a times during the mushaira. Before that, she went around old Jammu and became nostalgic. Another poetess from Pakistan, Kishwar Nahid was impressed by the openness of society and warmth of people. “People are so open and friendly. One can’t guess who is Hindu and who is Muslim. I want more such functions in future. I wish we could organise the same in Pakistan,” she said. Kazmi said encouraged by the response, the Indo-Pak mushaira has been made an annual feature now. “We hope the government would encourage us. People definitely don’t want boundaries,” he added.
|
|
||
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Srinagar, December 16
Jammu, December 16