Jammu, June 6
The state administration appears to be stumbling on its promise of finding a “permanent and viable” solution to the electricity crisis across Jammu, as people continue to reel under unbridled power cuts and night outages.

The unscheduled power cuts coupled with frequent tripping of transmission lines amid soaring mercury have compounded the misery of the people, who are up in arms against the Omar government for its “discriminatory” attitude towards the region.

Official sources have confirmed that the Jammu region is being supplied less electricity as compared to Kashmir, which has cool climes and where temperature doesn’t go beyond 30 °C in summer.

Data over the past three years suggests that while the Jammu region generated around 66 per cent revenue for electricity use, it only got 40 per cent power in return.

Substantiating their claims vis-à-vis discrimination against the Jammu region, sources said the Power Development Department (PDD) supplied 4653.12 million units (MUs) to the Jammu region in 2009-10, while the Kashmir region consumed 5729.78 MUs for the same period.

In 2010-11, the energy consumed in Kashmir and Jammu regions was 5923.19 MUs and 4744.11 MUs, respectively. Similarly, the Kashmir region again got more energy (5581.06 MUs) in 2011-12 as compared to the Jammu region (4620.19 MUs).

“The revenue collection for energy consumed, however, was more in the Jammu region. The PDD collected over Rs 500 crore from the Jammu region as compared to Rs 314 from Kashmir for the electricity supply in 2009-10. In 2010-11, the PDD collected Rs 587 crore from Jammu, while it only managed to collect Rs 363 crore from Kashmir. The trend continued next year too, as Jammu got less electricity but generated more revenue,” a source said.

A senior PDD official said: “It was decided that out of total available power with the state, Kashmir would get 55 per cent in winter while the remaining was to be supplied to the Jammu region. In summer, the Jammu region was supposed to be allocated 55 per cent power, while Kashmir was to get the rest of the 45 per cent share. However, the decision is not being honoured in letter and spirit.”

He said the state required 2,300 MW electricity but faced a shortfall of 800 to 850 MW.

Of the 1,500 MW available, Jammu was being supplied with just 650 MW to 700 MW, forcing the department to impose scheduled and unscheduled power cuts in various parts that were witnessing severe heat wave conditions.

On the shortfall between demand and supply of electricity, Sehnaz Goni, Chief Engineer (M&RE), PDD, Jammu, said the official data was available with the Commercial and Survey Wing of the department.

She, however, said the department was enforcing eight-hour power cuts in non-metered areas. “Sometimes, transmission lines get tripped because of high temperature, leading to unscheduled power cuts but we compensate the area by avoiding scheduled power cuts,” Goni said.

Ajay Gupta, Chief Engineer, Commercial and Survey Wing, Jammu, said the information was available with his subordinates who remained inaccessible.

• Jammu region being supplied with less electricity as compared to Kashmir, which has cooler climes
• PDD supplied 4620.19 million units (MUs) to Jammu region in 2011-12, while Kashmir region consumed 5581.06 MUs for same period
• In 2010-11, PDD collected Rs 587 crore from Jammu, while it only managed to collect Rs 363 crore from Kashmir in power tariff
• Of the 1,500 MW available, Jammu is being supplied with just 650 MW to 700 MW

He said their machinery could not function properly unless there was a constant supply of electricity.

While the PHE authorities pass the buck to the Power Development Department, claiming that long curtailment during summer affected the smooth supply of water to many areas, it is the common man who has to bear the brunt of the current crisis.

People have been staging protests in several parts of the city on a daily basis. Even the rural areas have been badly hit.

Over 205 tube-wells supplying water to the city rely on power supply for operation.

“On an average, three tube-wells remain out of order due to mechanical failure caused by frequent power cuts. Low voltage is a big problem. The problem aggravates during the summer.”

Jammu, June 6
An impasse between two parallel hockey associations, J&K Hockey Association and Hockey J&K, while conducting the domestic sports activities and selecting teams for participation in national championships has taken toll on the game in the state.

The signs have not been very enthusing when it comes to revive hockey which is on the brink of losing its identity in the state. Further, the pathetic condition of KK Hakhu Astro Turf has made the situation even worse.

Sources said resentment is brewing up among some of the office bearers of both associations regarding their functioning and they are playing a blame game accusing each other for the pathetic situation of hockey in the state.

“Frankly speaking, the two parallel federations at the Centre- Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India- are solely responsible for creating a mess in the state hockey associations, including J&K,” said one of the hockey officials on the condition of anonymity. “Both the federations are dictating terms by sending their national teams for various prestigious tournaments and same is the case with our state,” he added.

“The J&K Hockey Association and Hockey J&K are responsible for conducting the activities in the state but unfortunately the internal politics within these two has put the players’ future at stake,” the official claimed.

The official further said, “It has been a while since the state championship was conducted. Even the district championships are not a regular feature. For selecting state team for the national championships, both the associations conduct selection trials separately.”

“With this kind of approach, you cannot expect from players to perform well,” the official opined. “Though the Hockey J&K has been registered with the Hockey India but it is an ad hoc body because the elections are yet to be held to elect its office bearers,” another hockey official said.

“Hockey J&K president Narinder Batra has done nothing for the promotion of hockey in the state,” he maintained. Meanwhile, the pitiable condition of KK Hakhu Astro Turf Stadium has made things even worse. The stadium, once famous for hosting the prestigious Indira Gandhi Gold Cup Championship, is now a shambles. J&K State Sports Council Secretary Kiran Wattal told The Tribune that the performance of state hockey team has not been up to the mark. “Hockey J&K has done a decent job but still a lot is yet to be done. When asked about KK Hakhu Stadium, Wattal said, “The Sports Council will do its level best to make the historic stadium perfectly fit for conducting tournaments of national repute again.”

Jammu, June 6
After being deprived of entitlements at par with the zonal education officers and lecturers in the School Education Department, the zonal physical education officers (ZPEOs) are now demanding that they must be promoted as district sports officers. They even claimed to have better administrative skills and executive training adding they have advantage of having served the Department of Youth Services and Sports for more than 25 years.

The ZPEOs are also critical of giving benefits of promotion to the lecturers saying the latter have no administrative skills and are academically qualified to become teachers only.

“We have the preferential right for getting promotion because there are no further promotion chances in the department,” said one of the ZPEOs on the condition of anonymity.

“If the present scenario persists, it can cause stagnation in this category of posts if vertical elevation chances are not provided,” he added. “We served the department as PETs, PEMs and eventually got this first gazetted promotion at the fag end of our service. Most of the lecturers have hardly served the department for five years but surprisingly few of them have been promoted as Masters which is sheer injustice to us,” he quipped.

The ZPEOs further claimed that 50 per cent promotional quota among in-service teachers and masters are in place while the remaining 50 per cent have yet to be referred to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for selection on direct quota basis. “50 percent of lecturers under promotional quota have still not undergone any verification of testimonials as envisaged by the government in their placement order,” one of the ZPEOs said. “The lecturers can be posted in DIETs which are equivalent to DYSS so that timely promotion can be granted to us,” he maintained.

“We deserve 100 per cent share in promotions as district officers because we are academically and technically trained for the same,” he further said. “Moreover our nature of job at the block and zonal level is the same as district officers have at the district level,” he added. ZPEOs suggested that their seniority and that of the lecturers must be kept separately to avoid confusion.

When contacted, a senior official of DYSS told The Tribune, “It is for the government to decide on policies regarding the promotion of ZPEOs as district officers and other such issues. We do not have the authority to decide on that. Of course, the ZPEOs have done a commendable job in the department.”

Jammu, June 6
The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Front (JKDF) has termed decision of the BJP to send a study group to Jammu and Kashmir as mere eyewash to befool people. The JKDF is breakaway faction of the BJP.

In a statement issued here today, Surinder Sharma, senior core committee member of the JKDF, said the BJP had failed to handle major issues of corruption within it and in order to divert people’s attention, it had appeared on the scene to further complicate the things in this politically sensitive state.

“The appointment of the study group is itself controversial as the fact remains that legally and constitutionally Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. But the problem has been New Delhi, which has never given the people of this state a chance to set right the things themselves. The question remains that whether the solution to the problems of people of this state will always emerge as usual from New Delhi only. The best and durable solution to the problems of this state can emerge from the state itself and people of this land can decide about their fate in much better way”, he said.

Sharma said the real remedy to all problems in Jammu and Kashmir lies in the free flow of the Indian Constitution to this part of the country by shunning communal considerations and opting for a secular approach enshrined in the Constitution.’

“The BJP at the national level as a responsible Opposition should have projected the growing corruption and scams in the UPA-led coalition government effectively but instead it indulged in the big scams,” he said, adding that now to hide its own deeds it had come to study the situation of Jammu and Kashmir only to attract people’s attention as it had at present no agenda to keep the party in headlines of the media.”

Jammu, June 6
People felt some respite from the heat today as the mercury dipped 5 degrees below normal after more than 15 days in the city.

The maximum temperature recorded for the day in Jammu was 34.7 degree Celsius, whereas the minimum temperature was 25.6 degree Celsius. Sky remained cloudy for the day with slight drizzling at some spots in the city.

Arman, a city-based businessman, said: “It was really a much-needed break from the consistent simmering. Jammu was boiling for the past several days and the temperature was constantly above 40 degree Celsius.”

Kavita, a Jammu University student, said for the first time in this summers, she spent a day without an air-conditioner.

“It was a respite from the consistent boil, which we have been facing for the past few days. Most interestingly, I spent the whole day without an air-conditioner, which was not the case till yesterday,” she added.

MK Khushu, Chief Scientist, Department of Agro-Meteorology, SKUAST-J, said it was a temporary phase caused due to western disturbances. “Western disturbances lying over the state have played their role and from tomorrow onwards you will observe similar rise in the mercury,” he added.

Israr Khan said: “So far, eight fake certificates of matriculation have been recovered. The accused persons have confessed their involvement in making of hundreds of such fake certificates and also deposed that a number of youths have taken the benefit of such fake certificates and secured jobs in various departments.”

The police has recovered a laptop, two desktops, three printers and one scanner from the possession of the accused persons and a case FIR no. 34/2012 under Sections 420/467/468/120-B, RPC, has been registered at the Ramgarh police station and the investigation was going on.

Jammu, June 6
Reasi XI scripted a convincing 29-run win over Udhampur XI today to move in the next round of the ongoing third Prof Pran Nath Malhotra Memorial Cricket Tournament being organised by the Jammu wing of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) at GGM Science College Hostel Ground here.

Batting first, Reasi garnered 143 runs in 32.2 overs losing all their wickets. Sarfaraz (24), Raja Khan (17) and Darshan (18) were the main scorers. For Udhampur XI, Rajneesh made a three-wicket haul while Anshuman, Sandeep and Lokinder claimed one wicket each.

Chasing a modest target, Udhampur XI were bundled out for a paltry 114 runs in 32 just overs.

Jammu, June 5
The pair of Arunav and Arihant beat Ishan and Aman 2-1 in the final to clinch under-14 boys’ doubles title in the ongoing Jammu District Gulrez Memorial Lawn Tennis Championship at the Police Lines Gulshan Ground here yesterday.

Arunav and Arihant had qualified for the final of in under-14 boys’ doubles event by defeating the pair of Hardik and Arjun in two straight sets (2-0).

In under-12 singles’ semifinals, Saksham Mandotra got better of Agastya Sharma in the best-of-11 games 6-3 and sealed a berth in the final.

Siddarth and Aman Pandoh have already secured berth in the final of the men’s doubles event with win over Romit Sharma and Deepak in straight sets (6-4 and 6-4). Earlier, the pair of Saarthak and Chakshu had the last laugh against the duo of Gurleen and Rahul in the summit showdown as they defeated their rivals 2-0 in the final to clinch under-18 boys’ doubles title.

Deepak managed to seal a berth in the final of the men’s singles event by beating Mahim Jitendra in best-of-three sets. — TNS

Rajouri, June 6
Makhan Lal Sharma, Chief Education Officer, Rajouri, and Rehbar-e-Taleem state general secretary Aftab Tantrey have condemned the charges of embezzlement in the education department.

Sharma said here today: “We condemn the charges of embezzlement of funds in the Education Department. The media reports published a few days ago in this regard are misleading.”

He asserted that funds had not been misused in the department. The police should rather initiate a probe against those who had been levelling false allegations against him, he added.

Tantrey also criticised the reports and demanded a probe to unravel the truth. “Funds have not been embezzled in the department and the allegations made against us are baseless,” he added. — OC

Jammu, June 6
The J&K team has bagged six medals in various categories in the recently concluded 13th National Muay-Thai Championship - 2012 held at Koramangala Indoor Stadium in Bangalore.

Uroosa Gazi fetched yellow metal in the junior 60-63.5-kg category, while Musaib Shafi bagged gold medal in the junior 48-51-kg category. Showkat Ahmad Bhat struck gold medal in the sub-junior 28-31-kg category, while Amir Ashraf had to contend with a silver medal in the 57-60-kg category.

Sadaf Qayoom also clinched silver medal in the sub-junior category, whereas Arif Ashraf Bhat bagged bronze medal in the 45-48-kg category.

The team was accompanied by manager Ajaz Hassan and Coach Asif Hussain. However, the gold medallists have been selected for the World Championship slated to be held in Vietnam.

Jammu, June 6
FCC Hawal got the better of City Club by five wickets today in the ongoing SDA Drabu T20 Cricket tournament organised by the J&K Cricket Players Association at TRC Ground here.

Batting first, City Club accumulated 127 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the allotted overs. Manzoor Qasri was the top scorer with 46 runs, while Irfan took two wickets for FCC.

In reply, FCC Hawal did the needful in 18 overs losing five wickets in the process. Imitiyaz played a match winning knock of 65 runs.

In another match, Coaching Centre Sopore spanked Akram CC in a high scoring contest by four wickets.

Batting first, Akram CC piled up a mammoth total of 205 runs in allotted overs for the loss of six wickets. Muzamil Sofi played scintillating knock of 133 runs off just 65 deliveries. In reply, CC Sopore overhauled the target in the 19th over for the loss of six wickets. Irfan with 83 was the highest scorer. Muzamil Sofi was adjudged the man of the match.

Jammu, June 6
As part of its social outreach to the masses, Power Grid Corporation dedicated a library to Government Higher Secondary School, Muthi, Jammu, today.

It is part of the wider CSR activities being practiced by Power Grid Corporation. Students and faculty members expressed gratitude to the corporation for enhancing the education infrastructure of the school at a time when making a library of such kind would have been difficult for the school on its own.

SC Singh, Executive Director, Power Grid Corporation, inaugurated the library at the school and assured that continued support would be provided by the corporation in future also.