Jammu, January 24
Parents and the police have become mute spectators to the increasing menace of minors driving two wheelers and cars.

Such violations not only put the lives of these children in danger but also of others on the roads. The Traffic Department has failed to take effective measures in this regard.

Many school and college students can be seen driving without helmets and many do not have driving licenses.

Adding to the chaos on the roads is the problem of illegally parked vehicles, overtaking against traffic norms by rashly driven matadors and buses seems to have become the norm.

Drink driving, without valid documents, jumping traffic signals and use of mobile phones goes unchecked.

“Rash driving is the main reason behind accidents. Under-age drivers also do stunts on roads risking their own as well as lives of others. Parents who ignore such acts of their children are equally to blame,” said Balbir Sharma, a retired government employee.

The Traffic Police needs to deal sternly with underage drivers. Increasing the fine, seizing vehicles of violators, traffic awareness workshops for school students are some ways to control the menace,” said Radha Krishan, a shopkeeper.

As per data, the traffic police penalises 31,000 drivers on an average every month. Till October last year, 3,09,139 drivers were challaned and a fine of Rs 88 lakh was imposed on them.

Officials said on average 800 traffic violations are reported mainly related to overloading, over speeding, rash driving, plying two wheelers without crash helmets, overcharging by auto rickshaws, jumping of traffic lights and wrong parking.

Jammu, January 24
The Health Department has been asked to call back doctors allegedly given favourite postings on attachment as this had led to a shortage of staff in health institutions in the region. The government will soon issue a notification to ban the attachments of doctors in health department. Favouritism in postings has become major reason for the shortage of doctors in the rural areas.

Officials said unauthorised attachment of officials to various health institutions without any valid reason hampers their smooth functioning and it has left many health institutions without adequate medical staff.

The Health Department has been asked to order immediate detachment of such officials. The department has been instructed that wherever attachments are essential, the administrative head concerned should make a case with reasons and seek necessary concurrence from the competent authority.

“Instructions have been passed for cancellation of all attachments in the department and the authorities concerned have been instructed in this regard. Order in this regard should be issued and implemented in next few weeks,” said an official.

Meanwhile government is trying to buy 200 ambulances for various hospitals and is also considering enhancement in the leave reserved-cum-deputation posts of doctors from four to 25 per cent to suffice the requirement of medicos in the health institutions especially in remote and hilly areas lacking patient care.

The Minister of State for Health (MoS) Shabir Ahmed Khan has directed the authorities concerned to ensure time-bound completion of all ongoing health projects and said any cost escalation in this regard would not be tolerated.

He said carelessness of the executing agencies in delaying these vital works will be dealt with.

The Minister also issued instructions that a dress code be maintained in hospitals, besides asking for physical verification of the assets of the hospitals by the higher authorities. He directed that essential drug supplies in the hospitals, especially the supply of life savings drugs in the far-flung hospitals and health centres must be ensured.

Officials said 10 major health projects involving estimated cost of Rs 204 crore have been taken up under this flagship mission in the Jammu division since its inception. These projects also include the construction of Ayurveda College-cum- hospital at Aknoor, additional block Ayurveda Hospital in Jammu, District Hospital at Samba, Sub District Hospitals at Gondho, Aknoor, Bishna, R S pora, ANM School Reasi and Kishtwar.

Jammu, January 24
To improve recovery of electricity charges from consumers, the state government today set a target of Rs 1,500 crore for the Power Development Department (PDD).

Minister of State (MoS), Power, Viqar Rasool Wani, today called for close supervision of the PDD helplines to facilitate feedback from the people regarding problems in the power supply.

He also asked that record of the complaints be maintained properly and redressed to create a database to assess the load and requirements of a particular area. The Minister was speaking at a high-level meeting of the PDD functionaries convened to review the functioning of the department.

He also asked the PDD authorities to gear up their field functionaries and identify un-registered power connections. He directed the authorities to fix targets for each division in this regard and make the officials concerned accountable.

Reviewing the measures taken to plug power pilferage, the Minister directed the officials concerned to gear up enforcement squads and conduct frequent checking to curb the menace.

He called for appointment of a Mobile Magistrate to every Superintendent Engineering Office to take necessary action against power thieves under the law.

Discussing collection of revenue, Viqar directed the authorities to ask each division and sub-division to achieve the set targets in time. Detailed deliberations were also held on various centrally sponsored flagship programmes, including Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidhyutkaran Yojna (RGGVY), Re-structured Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme (RAPDRP) and Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme (PMRP). The Minister also directed the Power Department to expedite work on ongoing power infrastructure projects and complete these in a time-bound manner. He also stressed on the need to ensure early restoration of the transmission lines damaged recently due to heavy snowfall in Rajouri and Poonch districts, by taking up speedy repair work.

Viqar impressed upon the PDD to avoid un-scheduled power cuts so that people don’t face inconvenience in the prevailing cold conditions. He also called for ensuring adequate power supply in far-flung and inaccessible areas of the state. 

Jammu, January 24
The state Health Ministry has sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore for various works at the under-construction super-specialty hospital. The government has yet again assured that the hospital will be made operational soon. The hospital project, under the administrative control of the Government Medical College, Jammu, has been delayed due to delay on part of the executing agency Central Public Works Department.

The hospital will have six super specialties; cardiology, cardio thoracic surgery, urology, neurology, neuro-surgery and nephrology.

The much hyped project has missed five deadlines.

Set to be completed in 2008, but the executing agencies sought extension to complete the mega project in Jammu. The Centre approved the construction of the hospital in February 2004 and work on the project was started during the tenure of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

For the Rs 120-crore project, the state has received Rs 100 crore from the Centre, while the state government contributed Rs 20 crore.

Minister for Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, reviewed the hospital project, at a meeting of faculty members of Government Medical College, Jammu and Super Specialty Hospital, Srinagar.

The minister reviewed the availability of the faculty, maintenance of buildings, readiness of machinery etc. He asked the hospital administration to recruit retired teachers on the faculty on the contract basis. He also asked the registrars to hire staff on walk-in interview basis to prevent shortage of staff at the hospital.

He also directed that medical records be digitised and a Law Officer be posted at the GMC, Jammu.

Later, the Minister also visited the Col RN Chopra Nursing Home and directed its renovation so that it could be opened for patients. He also visited the emergency block of the GMC and took a round of the medical and surgical units besides the ICU and emergency theatres. 

Jammu, January 24
The security forces today rescued Afsana Kauser who is in the ninth month of her pregnancy. She was stranded in the traffic near Bafliaz. Afsana was taken to the Surankote Hospital by the security forces where she gave birth to a healthy child.

Meanwhile, 15 people, including nine women and six children who were trapped in houses due to heavy snowfall in Loran block were taken to the house of Basheer Ahmed, the Numbardar of Wantantri, by a joint team of the police and the Rashtriya Rifles. the security forces took four hours to reach them due to treacherous terrain and heavy snow.

The Army also rescued 71 persons, including 10 women, who were stranded near the Army camp at Bhimber Gali. After receiving information from DIG Danish Rana the Army officers rescued them and set up a temporary camp besides providing warm clothing and meals to them.

Jammu, January 24
In connection with the Republic Day celebration, a full-dress rehearsal was conducted here today. Thousands of students and security forces personnel took part in the rehearsal.

The rehearsal was conducted today at the MA Stadium where Governor NN Vohra will unfurl the national flag on January 26. Contingents of the police, armed forces, paramilitary and civil defense also took part in the march past.

Tight security arrangements have been made across the city and additional troops have been deployed and a strict vigil is being maintained at checkpoints.

Vehicles with tinted glasses have been banned and raids are being conducted in hotels and lodges as a part of intensified security grid around the venue for smooth and peaceful celebrations.

In Reasi, a full-dress rehearsal was conducted at the Sports Stadium today under the supervision of District Development Commissioner, Nirmal Sharma and SSP Reasi, Thakur Raghuvir Singh.

As many as 31 contingents of the CRPF, IRP, Police, STC Talwara, NCC, Jawahar Novodya Vidyala Reasi and various educational institutions of Reasi and its adjoining areas took part in the rehearsal and march past. Rehearsal for the cultural programme was also conducted today.

After the full dress rehearsal, the DDC issued instructions to the departments concerned and schools.

At Katra, the full-dress rehearsal was also conducted today under the supervision of Additional SP Katra, Mohan Lal and Naib Tehsildar Katra. A total of 18 contingents drawn from the CRPF, JKP, NCC Boys & Girls are taking part in the march past besides government and private institutions presented a cultural programme.

Jammu, January 24
The state unit of the BJP today staged protests at various tehsil and district headquarters against Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s “Hindu terror” remark and demanded his immediate dismissal from the Union Cabinet.

Hundreds of BJP activists led by state president Jugal Kishore Sharma assembled at Dogra Chowk in Jammu and raised slogans against the Union Home Minister.

BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, who was part of the protest, demanded Shinde’s immediate dismissal from the Council of Ministers for his statement against the BJP and the RSS.

Hussain said it was not a slip of tongue by Shinde but a “well-planned statement” by the Congress leadership as other leaders of his party, Digvijay Singh and Mani Shankar Ayer, had also supported him.

“If the BJP had to promote Hindu terrorism, then after Partition India would have become a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation) but Indian Republic has strong secular roots. The BJP and other nationalist organisations associated with it have always fought for the country’s integrity and against foreign aggression from time to time and they have been in the service of the nation without any consideration of religion, caste or creed,” said Hussain.

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should immediately sack the Union Home Minister and the Congress should tender an apology to the people of the country for such “baseless and false allegations.”

Sharma said what was not even uttered by a foreigner has been said by the Union Home Minister. “It has hurt the nationalist people and is not tolerable. Such a statement from Shinde raises suspicion whether some foreign hand is working with the Congress to paint the BJP and the RSS as communal,” he said.

Senior BJP leader Nirmal Singh said Shinde’s statement was a follow up of the Congress’ negative approach towards the BJP and the RSS. “It is the same Congress which once banned the RSS but failed to prove its allegations. The 2014 elections have made the Congress unstable from within and its leaders fear losing the power,” Singh said.

MLA Ashok Khajuria, former state president Shamsher Singh Manhas, BJP state chief 
spokesperson Jitendra Singh, state vice-presidents, Chander Parkash Ganga, Ramesh Arora, Vibodh Gupta and Sakina Bano, and state general secretary Kavinder Gupta also flayed Shinde for his remark and demanded his removal from the Union Cabinet.

Activists of the BJP, RSS and BJYM also took out a protest in Reasi district and raised slogans against Shinde. They urged UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to drop him from the Cabinet. 

Batote, January 23
The frequent thefts and damage of cables of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in Ramban and Doda districts, especially along the Jammu-Srinagar highway and the Batote-Doda road, has put its officers in quandary and subscribers into inconvenience.

“When on January 20, a BSNL phone cable was stolen for the eighth time from under a culvert on the highway in front of Gurdwara Singh Sabha here about 50 m away from the police station, the Munshi said since the SHO was away, the complaint would be considered only after bringing it into his notice. However, this time he confidently assured that in future the theft would not recur,” said a BSNL officer.

“Because of the heavy workload, busy indoor and outdoor work schedule besides the paucity of staff members, we could never pursue the case after filing the complaint to the concerned SHO and hoped that the police would take the necessary action,” he said.

However, according to reliable sources, BSNL officers never bothered to register an FIR because of the fear of becoming a witness and having to visit court even after their transfer.

With theft or damage to cable in Baggu Nallah area, Batote, Chanderkot, Banihal in Ramban district and Assar in Doda district along the highway, telephones of important offices and prominent persons get snapped, triggering a public outcry against the BSNL.

“I had even met the DIG, DKR Range, Garib Dass, last month in this regard but the crime is recurring with impunity,” said BSNL Divisional Engineer RK Dhingra.

“The circumstances and the callous attitude of the authorities responsible for checking crime besides the cut-throat competition with the private operators in the field gives rise to some suspicion,” he said.

Jammu, January 24
The Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Sarh, donated furniture and sports items to the Government Higher Secondary Schools at Judda and Batoi of Reasi today. The items were distributed under the aegis of the Headquarters Sector Rashtriya Rifles.

The function was organised as part of Operation Sadbhavana aimed to reach out to the local population and instil confidence in young minds and strengthen the foundation of the school.

SDM, Mahore, Sher Singh and Zonal Education Officer said the schools in the remote areas of Mahore and Arnas Tehsils lacked basic infrastructure and amenities for children.

They said the Army had been regularly helping the schools in the area. The dignitaries also thanked the Army authorities for their timely assistance. Earlier, the Commanding Officer, Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, inaugurated the function.

The principals of the beneficiary schools thanked the Army for the gesture and said that it would go a long way to provide basic amenities in schools.

ZEO Arnas, Pritam Singh and ZEO Mahore, Abdul Hamid Battal were also present.