Jammu, May 13
Snubbed by the Union Ministry for Urban Development for its failure to use funds to implement centrally-sponsored projects for slum development in the state, the government has hired a global consultancy firm, Infrastructural Professional Global Enterprises (IPGE), to conduct a fresh survey of the requirements of slum colonies.

Officials said under the pilot project, cities of Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Anantnag, Baramulla and Srinagar have been chosen as they have the highest number of slum dwellers.

A population of 93,118 lives in slums in the state, with Kashmir leading the list at 86,092 while there are 7,026 in Jammu live in makeshift houses. Most of the areas identified as slums have poor drinking water and sanitary conditions, despite government claims that many projects have been taken up to improve their plight.

A slum is defined as "a compact settlement of at least 20 households with a collection of poorly built tenements, mostly of temporary nature, crowded together usually with inadequate sanitary and drinking water facilities in unhygienic conditions”.

Managing Director, State Housing Board, Kiran Wattal, said the project was undertaken under the Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY) to provide the basic infrastructure to the slums.

“The findings of the survey will be used to create basic amenities like better accommodation, safe drinking water, power, road connectivity besides better lanes and drains,” Wattal said.

He said the Centre ha released Rs 2.63 crore against projects worth Rs 4.73 crore submitted to upgrade slum basties of six cities of the state.

On the other hand, the government claims that keeping in view of the increasing number of slum dwellers; a fresh survey has been started under the Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY), to create a databank of individuals living in these areas. The development of slum areas is being done under the Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) and Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) schemes.

Dozens of slums have sprung up across the state, particularly in urban centres, over the past two decades. The encroachers have converted makeshift hutments into permanent dwellings grabbing government land under the nose of the administration.

Jammu, May 13
The tussle between the Association of Parents of All Private Schools in Jammu and the management of private schools refuses to die down as the former has decided to a file a contempt petition against the school managements for allegedly disobeying the order of the High Court. The schools have refused to charge only the monthly tuition fee from the parents.

On April 17, the Parents Co-ordination Committee had challenged the illegal fee being charged by the unaided private schools in Jammu. The High Court had admitted the writ petition and also an interim relief was given recently by restraining the management of private schools not to charge any fee against the rules.

Association convener Raj Dev Sharma said the management of private schools was not ready to follow the court directions. “We have no other option left but to file a contempt petition to make. For the last few years the unaided private schools in Jammu have been charging fee at their whim and the services being offered against the heavy fee they charge, are not proportionate,” Raj Dev Sharma alleged.

“After the High Court verdict, parents started a dialogue with the management of the school but the management instead of co-operating with us, started victimising our children. The J&K State School Education Act, Rules and CBSE Bye Laws clearly state that the parents must be involved in any decision taken by the school regarding the education of their wards,” he added.

“The management of the schools is neither cooperating with us nor taking care of the children. The children are subjected to corporal punishment which was prohibited by the Supreme Court in 2000. Few complaints of corporal punishment were also lodged at various police stations in Jammu but due to the ignorance of the police officers concerned, the cases are never investigated in the light of the guidelines for corporal punishment and the J&K Juvenile Justice Act”, another member of the association alleged.

Sources said the members of the Association of Parents of All private Schools had earlier requested the IGP to issue instructions to the police stations, SSPs, SPs, DSPs and SHOs concerned to handle such cases. They had also demanded that all FIRs pertaining to corporal punishment be investigated.

Jammu, May 13
Passengers on Air India flight from Jammu to Srinagar have alleged that they are not even offered a glass of water as promised by the airline while booking flight tickets.

On various travel and air ticket booking websites, the Air India assures that passengers will be served free meals but in reality no meal is served. Not even a glass of water is being offered to passengers traveling from Jammu to Srinagar and back, passengers rue.

“I went to Srinagar on May 10 and came back on May 12 through the Air India flight. When I booked the ticket, it was written that I will be served free meal but not even a glass of water was offered despite asking them for it,” said Riyaz Ahmed (name changed), who works with a private telecommunication company here.

The distance between Jammu and Srinagar is covered in 25 to 30 minutes by air but passengers have to reach the airport two hours before the take off.

“Knowing that I will be served meals, I didn’t buy the same at the airport, as it is expensive. When I boarded the flight, was looking for the air hostesses to get some food but even after flying for more than 15 minutes nobody came,” Ahmed said.

“It’s better to fly on private airlines as they at least offer water,” he added.

Air India manager at Srinagar, Muhammad Iqbal Dar, was unavailable for comments.

Batote, May 13
Nayima Akhtar and Heena Bano of Gool in Ramban district had to give up studies due to poverty. They found a knight in shining armour in the Rashtriya Rifles, which helped them resume their education.

Nayima and Heena, residents of Salbala and Ind, were studying at the Government Middle School, Salbala, and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Hostel, Gool, respectively, before leaving their studies.

The RR has decided to bear their school fee, books, stationery and uniform for their entire career.

The Commanding Officer, RR met the two girls and their parents and asked them to work hard for a bright future.

The villagers have expressed their gratitude to the Army for the gesture of goodwill.

Jammu. May 13
Jamwal Group of Educational Institutions (JGEI) has established Tawi Engineering College at Shahpur Kandi, Pathankot.

To meet the aspirations of students of the state to pursue engineering courses, Jamwal Group of Educational Institutions opened two of its institutions; Tawi Engineering College (TEC) and Tawi Polytechnic (TP) at Shahpur Kandi, Pathankot in Punjab. The colleges are situated at a distance of 9 km from Lakhanpur in Jammu.

Both the institutions are approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Tawi Engineering College is affiliated to the Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, and Tawi Polytechnic is affiliated to the Punjab State Board of Technical Education, Chandigarh.

Rajouri, May 13
The Rashtriya Rifles troops of the Counter Insurgency Force (Uniform) evacuated a 25-year-old pregnant woman Naina Devi, a resident of Sher village in Nowshera, to the Sub District Hospital, Nowshera.

As Naina went into labour yesterday, her husband Praveen approached the Company Commander of the Rashtriya Rifles for help.

After the Army doctor examined her, she was evacuated to the Sub District Hospital, Nowshera.

Her relatives and villagers have appreciated the Army for the noble gesture.

Jammu, May 13
A faculty member of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra, has brought laurels for the university as he was a part of the international research team, which identified a susceptibility gene associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (also called AIS) across Asian and Caucasian populations.

The research team was mainly comprised scientists from Japan, China and the USA. Dr Swarkar Sharma, an assistant professor of School of Biology and Chemistry, SMVDU, Katra, was among the researchers who contributed to the study. He was also a co-author of the scientific paper.

The study is published on May 12, 2013 in Nature Genetics, a scientific journal of genetics.

The gene ‘GPR126’ is involved in the growth and development of spine during childhood. The AIS is the most common skeletal deformity, affecting approximately 2-3 per cent of school-age children worldwide. Its patients suffer from curving of the spine in ‘S’ shape from side to side, instead of a straight spine.

This affects the posture of the body, gait and may compromise the functions of various organs of the body. The causes of scoliosis remain largely unknown and surgery or braces are the only treatment options, known so far. However, recent clinical and genetic studies suggest contribution of genetic factors.

Dr Swarkar was also a part of the research team, which had earlier reported the first gene ‘CHL1’ associated with the AIS.

 

What is AIS The adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most common skeletal deformity, affecting approximately 2-3 per cent of school-age children worldwide. Its patients suffer from curving of the spine in ‘S’ shape from side to side, instead of a straight spine.

Jammu, May 13
Expressing concern over rising number of road accidents, the Jammu State Morcha (JSM) today asked the state government to improve conditions of the roads and compel drivers to follow the traffic rules properly.

In a joint statement issued by JSM leaders, Virender Gupta, H B Khajuria, Nathu Ram Gupta, Parveen Sharma and Divender Singh Jamwal, stated, “Most of the accidents occur due to bad road conditions, negligence of drivers and overloading. It is obligatory on the part of the government to improve conditions of the roads and compel the drivers to follow the traffic rules. The administration should ensure that each passenger travelling in government transport or private public transport should be insured when he boards the vehicle in addition to the general insurance of the vehicles,” JSM leaders said.

They also asked the government to widen the roads, including Jewal Choak to Talab Tillo, Talab Tillo to Gole Gujral, link road between main Akhnoor Road and Poonch House, BC Road, New Plot Road, Janipura Road, Subash Nagar to Patoli and Sarwal to Patoli.

They lashed out at the state government for its alleged ‘short-sighted’ policy of constructing the Legislative Building on the site of a parking lot at Shalamar road, adjoining civil secretariat building. By this, city residents are deprived of a good parking facility in the centre of the city.

Jammu, May 13
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) North Zone Committee, in collaboration with the Mountaineering Association of J&K, is going to organise Metro Programme Jammu — 2013 at various venues in Jammu from May 23 to 25.

It is the first time that such a programme is being conducted by the IMF North Zone Committee in the city. The event is aimed at inculcating the spirit of adventure among youngsters.

A debate competition, seminar, painting competition for students, adventure films show, talks, and sport climbing competition will be held during the three-day programme.

Seminar, debate and talks will be held at the KL Sehgal Hall on May 23. The painting competition, film show on adventure and sport climbing competition will be conducted at Sprawling Buds School, Chinore, on May 24.

Most of the members of the IMF North Zone Committee, including S Bhattacharjee, Mitra Ghosh, Amit Sharma and Tarun Roy and local member Shawetica Khajuria, have confirmed their participation for the event. 

Rajouri, May 13
The Jammu & Kashmir Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) Teachers, Rajouri, have alleged that they had not been paid salaries for the past eight months.

They said they had apprised the officials concerned regarding their problems but nothing had been done so far to mitigate their sufferings.

The Jammu & Kashmir Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers’ Forum, Rajouri, has held a meeting under the chairmanship of general secretary Aftab Tantreay on Sunday. All state province, district and zonal representative have attended the meeting.

They urged the saate government to release salaries under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). They also threatened the government that if their salaries were not released before June then they would take it to the streets.

Others who where present on the occasion were Hanief Shah, Ahmed Khan, Amit Metha, Jahangir Khan, Asif Chowdhary, Tariq Chowdhary, Mujeeb Malik, and Gajjan Singh.

Jammu, May 13
The orthopaedics department of Government Hospital Sarwal, Jammu, in collaboration with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, has organised a bone mass density (BMD) camp on its campus.

More than 100 patients were undergone a BMD machine test. They got free consultation from senior orthopaedicians, Rakesh Sharma and Rajneesh Anand.

Government Hospital Medical Superintendent Sarwal Dr Arun Sharma, senior doctors and other paramedical staff were present to initiate the camp. Dr Sharma said the patients should draw benefits from such camps.

The computerised machine has been brought from outside J&K. A Bone Mineral Density (BMD) test measures how much calcium and other types of minerals are present in a section of a bone. 

Jammu, May 13
The Bar Association of Jammu has expressed concern over unscheduled power cuts in the Jammu region and improper traffic management system in the city.

A meeting of the executive committee of the J&K High Court Bar Association was held under the chairmanship of its president MK Bhardwaj. At the meeting, he expressed concern over the problems of irregular supply of drinking water and electricity in the city.

He said people were having sleepless nights due to unscheduled powers cuts and low voltage. He alleged that the PDD and PHE Department had no satisfactory reasons for these curtailments.

“We appeal to the government to immediately stop unscheduled power cuts and provide clean drinking water to consumers and maintain its regular supply,” Bhardwaj said.

Further, he urged the government to immediately eradicate traffic chaos in the city. “Traffic congestion has become a major cause of accidents and various other crimes on the roads,” he said.

Besides office bearers, Sindhu Sharma, vice-president; Ranjit Jamwal, general secretary and Prem Sadotra, joint secretary were present at the meeting. 

Srinagar, May 13
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Shailendra Kumar today chaired a meeting to ensure the smooth conduct of Shri Amarnath Yatra-2013.

Kumar underscored the need of involving volunteers en route to the Holy Cave to ensure round-the-clock availability of human resources to combat any eventuality.

He also passed directions for deployment of rescue teams at the landslide vulnerable areas en route from Pahalgam and Baltal to the cave.

Traffic management plans for hassle-free movement of vehicles and to facilitate the yatris were also comprehensively discussed at the meeting, an official said.

All three Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag, Ganderbal and Bandipora districts gave a detailed plan for the smooth conduct of the yatra. 

Jammu, May 13
Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), Miran Sahib, celebrated its annual day with great enthusiasm at the General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu, here today. The school dedicated its annual day to Swami Vivekanand and golden jubilee of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).

DIG Virendra Singh, chairman of the Vidyalaya Management Committee (VMC), was the chief guest. BL Morodia, assistant commissioner, KVS, Regional Office, Jammu and GS Dhaliwal, Commandant, 94 Battalion, BSF, were the guests of honour.

The function began with the lighting of lamp and Saraswati Vandana. Principal Samrita Charak presented an annual report of the school and highlighted its achievements. Students presented colourful cultural programmes, including semi classical dance, animal dance, Rajasthani dance, English skit and nukkad katak, and solo Bhartiya Natyam.

The chief guest and the guests of honour in their address appreciated the efforts of the vidyalaya in shaping the future of young generation by involving them in different arenas. They also stressed upon the students to work hard with dedication to achieve their goals. Later, the dignitaries distributed the prizes among the students who excelled in academic and non-academic fields.