Batote, January 8
Ten persons, including two brothers and two women, were seriously injured when a Jammu-bound Tata Sumo in which they were travelling skidded off 200-feet from the NH1B at Krara Premnagar in Thathri of Doda district today. The victims were coming from Kishtwar.

Five of the seriously injured persons were airlifted by a chopper and taken to the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, from the District Hospital, Doda.

The victims have been identified as Pancham Singh, 38, of Krara, Prem Nager, Al Jahul Javed Lone, 32, of Marwah, Mohd Ashraf Mir, 40, of Chatroo, Ikhlaq Ahmed, 26, of Marwah and Shagal Ishaq, 32, of Marwah. The victims undergoing treatment at the DHD are Abdul Majeed Lone, 50, of Kupwara, Saleema Begum, 36, of Sarkoot, Surinder Singh, 36, of Puchal, Uzma Wani, 27, of Banihal and Yasir Ahmed, 19, of Sunder Dachchan.

Jammu, January 8
Functioning of all government offices and Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) suffered across Jammu after the state government employees went on a three-day-long pen down strike from today. The call for the pen-down strike was given by the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of the employees.

The employees are demanding implementation of an agreement between their representatives and the state government on the enhancement of the retirement age from 58 to 60 years, implementation of the 6th Pay Commission recommendation and regularisation of daily-rated workers.

Offices of all government departments and PSUs wore a deserted look as the employees abstained from work. Work in the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Jammu Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Office and other all important government offices came to a standstill because of the strike.

The employees also held demonstrations at the district headquarters, submitted memorandums to the Deputy Commissioners, and threatened to go on an indefinite strike from January 10 if their demands were not fulfilled.

“The government has backtracked from the agreement reached with the employees," Gafoor Dar, a JCC leader said.

Jammu, January 8
Players who fail to get their membership cards renewed will not be allowed to practise sessions at the MA Stadium and indoor sports complex. The J&K State Sports Council has asked players to get their membership cards renewed at the earliest to continue with their routine practice at the MA stadiumand indoor sports compelx.

The Sports Council has informed all in charge managers to inform the players to get their membership cards renewed or face exit.

It may be mentioned that 179 membership/ identity cards for admission in various disciplines have either been renewed or issued afresh to the players recently by the Council.

Sources said despite issuing a stern warning to the players who were taking part at the MA Stadium and Indoor Sports Complex without admission-cum-identity cards, they attend practice sessions by giving lame excuses for not having admission cards to the authorities concerned.

Sources said the players who were asked by the stadium authorities to either get their cards renewed or get new ones after depositing the fees; did not obey the instructions and instead used their influence to get the norms relaxed for them.

Sources said the authorities have decided to prepare a list of the erring players who are yet to respond to the instructions of the Sports Council.

Sources said some of the players had taken admissions to practice at the stadium in the junior category but even after representing the state team in the senior category in various national championships, these players are yet to renew their cards.

“We will not tolerate such indiscipline on part of the players who are making a mockery of the rules and regulations of the Sports Council even after the strict instructions were issued in this regard. The motive behind issuing new cards or renew them is to streamline the admission procedure and also to know how many players were admitted in which discipline,” sources said. “Enough time was given to the erring players and those not ready to follow the instructions will be punished. We are not going to allow the players to enter the stadium premises unless they renew their membership cards. Surprisingly, some of the players have not even renew their card for a single time since they get admission,” sources add.

Satish Gupta, manager of the Indoor Sports Complex said, “We have received instructions from the main office to tighten the noose around the players who are yet to get their cards renewed.”

Jammu, January 8
The decision of Vice Chancellor of Jammu University, Prof Mohan Pal Singh Ishar, to assign the convenership of the 9th JK Science Congress to Prof Devanand Padha ignoring nine Professors from the science stream who were senior to him has drawn flak.

Sources said, “It is not the first time that the Vice-Chancellor has shown generosity to the Registrar’s elder brother who is holding four positions of the Dean 
Mathematical Sciences, Director of Computer Centre, Director of IT and Enabled Services and Advisor to V-C on IT-related matters.”

Now he has been made the convener of the prestigious JK Science Congress surpassing nine Professors senior to him, they added.

Senior teachers ignored in the profess include Prof SK Khosa, Prof Anima Langar, Prof Kuldip Sharma, Prof Rajnikant, Prof Rajni Dhingra, Prof Geeta Sumbli, Prof Anju Bhasin, Prof Meena Sharma and Prof DS Sahi.

Even, the co-convenership of the JK Science Congress has been assigned to Controller Examination, Prof Manoj Dhar, who is also junior to the nine senior professors. A senior professor, on the condition of anonymity, expressed resentment over the decision. “The senior most Professor of Science stream is made the convener of the Science Congress but this time the Vice-Chancellor took us by surprise. We will not tolerate such favouritism and will take up the matter with the Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA),” he said.

It is pertinent to mention that holding the Science Congress annually on the pattern of the Indian Science Congress has been a regular feature of the J&K State Council for Science and Technology since 2005.

The main objective to conduct the Science Congress is to provide an opportunity to the participants from the state to interact with leading scientists from other parts of the country, broaden their scientific and technological understanding, improve research and teaching of sciences, improve quality of scientific manpower, encourage interdisciplinary research and promote scientific temper.

Katra, January 8
The Department of Horticulture, J&K, organised a study tour of 20 fruit growers from all blocks of the Reasi district under the centrally-sponsored Horticulture Mission scheme for the North East and Himalayan States (HMNH).

Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Nirmal Sharma, flagged off the study tour here today.

Chief Horticulture, Reasi, Sushil Kumar Chatto, besides other officers was present on the occasion.

Nirmal Sharma interacted with the fruit growers before their departure and advised them to benefit from the exposure the visit would provide them.

She also urged upon them to interact with the progressive fruit growers of other parts of the district and learn the latest scientific techniques being adopted by them. She briefed the farmers about the benefits of the drip and sprinkler irrigation systems especially in the Kandi areas and advised them to avail the incentives available with the department for irrigation systems under the various centrally-sponsored schemes.

Chief Horticulture, Reasi, briefed the farmers about the training programme and urged them to see that how the progressive orchardists of Himichal Pardesh had adopted the latest scientific techniques especially drip and sprinkler irrigation systems for better livelihood. He advised them to adopt these systems on which subsidy up to 90 per cent was available.

The farmers were encouraged to adopt cultivation of aloe-vera in a big way as the district had immense potential to grow the herb and special incentive of Rs 2,250 per kanal was available for the farmers in the state for aloe-vera cultivation.

Jammu, January 8
Unity in diversity may be the key to the cultural ethos of the country but Member Parliament Dr Karan Singh feels the idea of unity had got diluted over the past several years.

He said this while delivering the keynote address at a seminar on unity in diversity in connection with the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The two-day seminar being organised by the Ramakrishna Mission began here today.

The relevance and importance of the theme in the national scenario was discussed at the seminar.

The inaugural session started with the vedic chanting by monks of the Ramakrishna order. Swami Atmashraddhananda gave a brief background of the seminar.

Karan Singh highlighted the message of Swami Vivekananda, with reference to unity in diversity.

The theme of the first working session was on enlightened citizenship, which was chaired by PP Shrivastav. He highlighted the need of Vivekananda’s message to become good citizens.

Jammu, January 8
The High Court has issued a notice to the head of the Convergence Unit, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, to show cause as to why proceedings be not initiated against him for disobedience of the court directions.

The Tribune had recently reported that despite the High Court directions to the Board of Management, IGNOU, on September 12, 2012, to resume the admission process for the July Cycle 2012 under the Convergence Scheme, the IGNOU authorities had asked partner institutions to submit the list of admissions for various programmes at its office in Maidan Garhi.

Pankaj Dogra, one of the members of the All Partner Institutions of India (AAPI) of IGNOU said, “A show cause notice has been served on the Convergence Head. The High Court is now closed for vacations and the IGNOU authorities would explain the reason behind not following the directions of the court after that,” he added.

“Our initiative to file a contempt case against the IGNOU authorities is genuine because we are accountable to the students who have taken admission to pursue various under and postgraduate programmes in different colleges and the sudden decision to stop the scheme without intimating us has leave us in the lurch,” another AAPI member said.

“Students who have taken admissions under the Convergence Scheme in different partner institutions across the state hail from remote areas and do not have the finances to pursue regular course. The scheme is very beneficial for them to fulfil their wish to continue their studies through distance education but due to the fault of some institutions, it has adversely affected the functioning of all other institutions,” he said.

“It was imperative for the IGNOU to take strict action against only the institutions at fault so that the entire system was not disturbed. We will have to wait for a reply from the IGNOU authorities after the vacations of the High Court are over for non-compliance of the court directions,” AAPI member said.

As per the minimum requirements of the IGNOU, the partner institutions in the state are required to allot up to 50 per cent of the total study hours to each course in case of theory courses and 100 per cent in the case of practical courses. Further, transaction of curriculum, conduct of continuous internal assessment, project work and viva whenever applicable was also responsibility of the partner institutions.

Rajouri, January 8
Putting a question mark over the working of the Labour Department in Rajouri and Poonch, the Bar Association, Rajouri, has said the government had given the charge of Assistant, Labour Commissioner, in incompetent hands.

The person put in charge at both the districts is allegedly inefficient to carryout the work especially handle cases pending in the Labour Court for the past two years adding to the woes of the people.

Secretary, Bar Association, Advocate Vibodh Gupta, along with the other members said the post of Assistant Labour Commissioner was vacant in Rajouri and Poonch districts and the court cases and other works were pending adding to the woes of the people approaching the Labour department for compensation.

Vibodh Gupta said the department had become defunct and it was a shame that the government had posted an inefficient Labour Inspector to deal the cases of Assistant Labour Commissioner. He alleged the Labour Inspector was working in Poonch in the capacity of Assistant Labour Commissioner and who was incapable and ineligible to have been given the additional charge of district Rajouri.

Gupta said it was strange that the Labour Inspector who was acting as the Assistant Labour Commissioner was demanding bribe from the advocates to dispose off the cases pending in the court. The charge must be investigated and the In charge, Assistant Labour Commissioner, must be punished, they demanded.

The Bar Secretary said due to corrupt practices of the In-charge, Assistant Labour Commissioner, advocates have boycotted the Labour Court from December 15, 2012, and the boycott would continue till government will not depute full fledged Assistant Labour Commissioner in Rajouri and Poonch districts. He said the post of the KAS cadre and the charge had been given to a non-gazetted official who was not capable to handle the department.

Demanding immediate action in the case, the Bar member said according to the rules, a Labour Court must dispose off the cases within six months since the applicant approaches it but cases in this court were pending for the past two years which was a violation of the government rules.

Advocates Naseem Liaqet, Vivek Gupta, Qamar Zaman, Ahsan Mirza, Khaliq Firdous, Ajay Gupta, Rajesh Sharma and Inderjeet Sharma were present.

Jammu, January 7
Various Jammu-based organisations, including students, have expressed strong resentment against the implementation of new stipendiary mode of recruitment policy in the state.

Jammu Province People Forum (JPPF)-an amalgam of various social, apolitical groups- resented recent orders of state government against implementation of otherwise stayed recruitment policy and unanimously resolved to revive suspended agitation and extend full support with the agitating youth if the policy was not withdrawn immediately.

“The policy is anti-youth, unconstitutional and against the norms of equal wages for equal work. The policy has already remained under fire, faced a tiff and furious opposition from youth and masses during 2011 and the state government should have thought hundred times before implementation of the same,” said Pavittar Singh Bhardwaj, president of the forum while chairing a meeting of the office bearers.

He demanded immediate withdrawal of policy and suggested to refrain from causing confrontation with masses and especially the youth of the state, who he cautioned, would never tolerate any evil design of the state government.

The JPPF members were of the view that policies of the government were always for the welfare of the masses and not for spoiling future of the budding youth which was clear from the fact that with the implementation of the new employment policy, a newly appointed youth would get only basic pay as salary for five years as against a person appointed earlier in the same category would get threefold salary.

Students of MAM Post Graduate College staged a demonstration against the state government for implementing the new recruitment policy.

Led by Lucky Singh, president of the college, students gathered at the main gate and raised slogans against the state government. They also burnt effigy of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and announced that they would continue their agitation if the state government didn’t revoke the order.

Under the new policy, a fresh recruit would get only 50 per cent of the basic pay for the first two years and 75 per cent for the next three years without any allowances in the non-gazetted categories.

On November 9 last year, Omar while defending new recruitment policy had said: “I started on stipend for the first few years. My monthly salary was Rs 3,000 for one year that went up to Rs 6,000 after three years.”

Jammu, January 8
Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmed Khan reviewed the functioning of the Power Development Department (PDD) at a high-level meeting here today.

The minister took a review of various ongoing works, including the status of the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vudhitikarn Yojna (RGGVY) projects, upcoming grid stations and high transmission lines.

The minister emphasised the need to speed up the work on infrastructure up-gradation works aimed at improvement of power scenario in the state. He said the up-gradation of the infrastructure would facilitate uninterrupted power supply and its distribution.

The minister issued directions for immediate restoration of damages caused to the power infrastructure due to recent snowfall in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda and Kishtwar.

He also directed the authorities concerned for early recharging of Barn-Akhnoor-Siot-Kalakote Transmission Line for mitigating power crisis in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

Jammu, January 8
Notwithstanding claims of the state government to delegate adequate powers to the panchayats, a delegation of panchayat members from Khour block of Akhnoor today called on Chief Secretary Madav Lal to lodge complain that they were deliberately being ignored by the authorities while formulating developmental plans in their respective areas.

The delegation was led by vice-chairman of the state advisory board for the Welfare and Development of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) Kuldeep Verma, who is also a Congress leader and the Congress is partner in the coalition regime headed by Omar Abdullah.

The delegation of 10 panches and sarpanches, the elected panchayat members alleged that they were not being consulted by the officials, who have been executing the work for model villages in Palanwala Clutter which includes 32 villages, even as the Jammu and Kashmir Government has brought 14 various departments under Panchayat Raj Act.

Levelling serious allegations of misappropriation of funds in the Centrally-Sponsored works, like MNREGA, the delegation alleged that the elected Panchayat members were not taken in the confidence before the start of the work and it was highly condemnable.

They alleged that such activities have been violating the government orders, in which, the coalition government had recently brought 14 various departments under the Panchayats Raj in Jammu and Kashmir.

The delegation further alleged that regarding works under IAY, a Centrally-Sponsored scheme, the Panchayat members were also not taken into the consideration, while demanding crop compensation for the 19 villages along the fence in Khour Block.

They alleged that land ahead of fence cannot be used for cultivation and the farmers should be given crop compensation for the losses they suffered due to non-tilling of their land, even on both state and custodian land.

Jammu, January 8
The semifinal line up has been drawn today as the Shining Star Club, Kathua, had stormed into the last four stage in the ongoing Third Police Martyrs Memorial North Zone Twenty20 Cricket Championship being played at the sports stadium, Kathua.

In the first semifinal, the Shining Star club would take on the District Cricket Association, Ludhiana, while the Sandhu Cricket Club, Ludhiana, would face the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) XI in another semifinal.

Earlier, in the fourth quarterfinal played today, the Shining Star club got the better of the BSNL XI by 34 runs. Batting first, after winning the toss, the Shining Star Club set a target of 132 runs for the loss of seven wickets, which, in reply, the BSNL was skittled out for 97 runs in 19.2 overs.

Suraj Bhan played a fine knock of 35 runs off just 19 balls. Chanderpal Saini also contributed 36 runs. From the BSNL, Nitin Aggarwal was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets by conceding just 10 runs. Negi, Sunil and Niranjan shared wicket apiece.

For the BSNL XI, Negi remained the top scorer with 27 (off 24 balls) runs while Vikas contributed 19 runs. Arun, Divesh and Rohit took two wickets each while Canderpal bagged one from the Shining Star Club.

Chanderpal Saini was declared man of the match. He was rewarded a cash prize of Rs 1,500 along with a trophy by Naresh Sharma, former chairman, Municipal Council, Kathua.

Jammu, January 8
Government Degree College (GDC), Mendhar, thrashed GDC RS Pura by 10 runs in a low-scoring affair today in the ongoing Inter-Collegiate (men) Cricket Tournament being played at the University of Jammu ground here.

Batting first, GDC, Mendhar, accumulated paltry 93 runs in their allotted quota of 20 overs. Ajaz Ahmed was the top scorer with 23 runs while Aghraz Khan and Motien Khan contributed 15 and 11 runs, respectively. For GDC RS Pura, Ishant Kumar and Ashish Sharma grabbed two wickets apiece while Sahil Kumar, Abhideep Singh and Sumit Kumar scalped a wicket apiece.

Chasing a modest target to win, GDC RS Pura made a mess of it and the whole team was perished for 83 runs in 17.4 overs. Amit Choudhary and Sandeep Kumar scored 35 and 21 runs, respectively. For GDC Mendhar, Ajaz Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers with a four-wicket haul while Irfan Maroof and Motien Khan took two wickets each. Ghulam Mustafa snared one wicket.