Jammu, August 4
Despite directions to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) distributors in Jammu by the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department not to charge more than Rs 421 for subsidised and Rs 877 for non-subsidised cylinders, consumers continue to pay an extra Rs 30 to Rs 50 on home delivery.

Though oil companies have passed directions making home delivery of the cooking gas mandatory, officials said after the Centre put a cap of nine cylinders per family per year last year, the distribution process has sheerly derailed, with many people made to wait for days to get their refill.

Further, the entire distribution network has been disturbed due to the confusion which prevailed at various levels after the direction passed by Union Petroleum Ministry.

"Gas agencies have been asked to ensure cylinder delivery on time and if they fail to do so, people can contact the respective distribution officers so that strict action is taken against the violators. The complaint cell is already functional in the department," said CAPD Minister Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan.

Ramzan said all district and tehsil heads of CAPD have been directed to ensure strict enforcement of the rates and home delivery services in their respective areas and take action against the distributors.

For nearly 8 lakh consumers in Jammu region, there are only 64 refill outlets, which is compounding problems for the masses who are feeling the heat of slow distribution process and black-marketing of cylinders.

"Whenever we receive home delivery of cylinders, we are forced to shell out Rs 40. I don't know why they are charging us. We are paying to ensure we get refill on time," said Sarika Sharma, a housewife.

This dismal dealer-consumer ratio has become the biggest bottleneck that has been preventing smooth distribution of cooking gas, which has still not been streamlined even after the Union government put a cap on the cylinders per family. Though the state government has been asking oil companies to grant permission to more outlets, they don't seem to be in a hurry to speed up the process. Three oil companies, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Limited and Indian Oil Corporation, are distributing refills in the state.

Batote, August 4
The body of Dara Singh, 17, a class X student, was found hanging from a tree by a team of Army's Road Opening Party at Chanderkot in the wee hours today. Residents blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for two hours in protest.

The boy was missing from his home since last evening. His family thought he had gone to attend a wedding and so no one searched for him.

DC, Ramban, Mohd Hussain Malik, accompanied by SP Javed Matoo, DSP Perbeet S Parihar, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Dhanattar Singh and Tehsildar Tanveer Ahmed pacified the residents sitting on a dharna to block traffic on the highway. Following assurance of a probe in the case, the protesters lifted their dharna.

The officials also assured the residents that they will be provided police protection, night patrolling and the surveillance of outsiders or nomads.

Rajouri, August 4
Five policemen were injured seriously when one of the wheels of the vehicle they were travelling in burst at Bathoni in Rajouri at 3 pm today.

The injured were admitted to the District Hospital, Rajouri, SHO, Rajouri, Varinder Gupta said. “They them are out of danger,” he said.

Jammu, August 4
Senior Congress leader and a member of the legislative Assembly from Inderwal, GM Saroori met union minister for health and family welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad at New Delhi recently.

Saroori apprised Azad about the present scenario in the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar after two moderate quakes hit the region on Friday and Saturday.

Saroori requested Azad to get relief package sanctioned for the quake victims of Doda and Kishtwar to help them repair their damaged houses ahead of winter.

He asked Azad to convince the Centre to release a relief package for the area on the pattern of Leh flash floods of 2010.

Saroori also demanded health sub-centres for erstwhile Doda district because since 1987 no new sub-centre was set up in Doda, Poonch, Rajouri, Kupwara, Baramullah, Anantanag and Udhampur districts.

Saroori said Azad claimed that he was in contact with the National Disaster Measures Authority (NDMA) and with the experts, for taking preventive measures to save lives and property in the quake-hit areas.

Azad assured Saroori that he will talk to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi regarding the relief package for Doda and Kishtwar.

Jammu, August 4
Alarmed over the alleged suicide committed by a student of a partner institution in Karnal due to the suspension of the Convergence Scheme by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the institutions in the state have appealed to the IGNOU to solve this vexed issue at the earliest to avoid such unfortunate incidents in the state.

Sources said GR IGNOU Community College, Karnal, has written to IGNOU that Harjeet Singh was a student in the diploma course in one of the programmes of the January 2011 cycle. He committed suicide on April 19 last.

Sources said the parents and relatives of the student had held the Convergence Unit of the IGNOU responsible for the death. They had alleged that due to the policy of the authorities at the helm of affairs their son had taken such an extreme step.

In a letter written to the IGNOU Vice Chancellor by the state partner institutions and other institutions outside the state, they have urged the authorities to find a way to solve this vexed issue which had put the academic career of thousands at stake.

"The students came to us many times to know about the status of the scheme but we are unable to tell them because there is nothing to inform them as the IGNOU authorities have yet to take any decisive measure to sort out the issue", said one of the members of Association of Partner Institutions of India (AAPI).

"Looking at the present scenario, if the authorities fail to take any initiative the possibility of such incidents cannot be ruled out because of the delay by the IGNOU authorities. This is a very serious matter but IGNOU administration seems to be not taking it seriously," another AAPI member said.

"It is regrettable that the IGNOU Convergence Unit lies in state of suspension for more than 12 months, with two zero Academic cycles, resulting in untold damage to investment of time, resources and livelihood aspirations of nearly 4.5 lakh students enrolled in more than 540 IGNOU partner institutions across the country," he added.

Jammu, August 4
Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmad Khan today laid the foundation of Rajdani-Paryali road in Rajouri district.

The construction work of the road would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 4.61 crore under the Central Government's flagship programme PMGSY. On its completion, it will provide the facility of a better road communication to over 3,000 population of the area.

Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation of the road, the minister said the state government had set into motion a golden era of development, adding that, the coming years would be a turnaround in the socio-economic transformation of the state.

An unprecedented era of development and peace has dawned in the state during the current dispensation under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Shabir said. He said the resources would be mobilised and consolidated to create basic facilities to the people with a special focus on equitable opportunities of development and uniform justice to poor and backward areas. He said the state government was abreast with the problems of the people and no stone would be left unturned to redress their grievances.

Shabir said it was the endeavour of the state government to provide a transparent and accountable administration to the people and for the same purpose, the landmark laws, including RTI, PSGA and Vigilance Commission, have been enacted by the present government. "Enactment of these laws is a sequel to the efforts of the state government to provide corruption-free governance to the people," Shabir added.

He asked the people to avail benefits of these laws. He said 69 services had been brought under the ambit of the PSGA and PRIs had been made directly responsible to supervise these services to be ensured to the people in a time-bound manner.

Jammu, August 4
The National Conference (NC) has asked Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to disclose his road map to the people regarding the resolution to Kashmir issue, which he is advocating in every public meeting.

In a statement issued here, NC vice-president Rattan Lal Gupta alleged that Mufti Sayeed was a master of playing gimmicks, but people of the state were wise enough to understand his magical approach eyeing on the elections in 2014.

“The people of the state are aware that Mufti is responsible for the mess created in J&K during 1990 when he was the Home Minister of India. He should have brought his magical road map at that time for the resolution of the Kashmir issue,” Gupta said.

“Mufti should know that people of the state are wise enough to understand his political gimmicks. The people are the best judge to choose their government in 2014 on the basis of performance and overall development of the state for which the National Conference is working and reaching out to the people of the state,” he added.

Jammu, August 4
The National Mazdoor Conference (NMC) today appealed to the Prime Minister to announce the pending installment of 10 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) due from the month of July.

The NMC also sought a merger of 50 per cent of the DA into the basic pay/pension in the favour of the Central and state government employees and pensioners in the next meeting of the Union Cabinet.

NMC president Subash Shastri, while addressing a rally of workers, said the salaried class was facing a lot of hardship due to high inflation and price rise, and the early release of the DA installment would be instrumental in providing some relief to them.

He said the delay in release of the DA would increase the difficulties of both the Central and state government employees and pensioners. “The government should take care of the problems of the employees and pensioners and release the DA instalment especially, when the funds for the purpose have already been earmarked in the current financial year,” Shastri claimed.

He hoped that the UPA Government would take decision in this regard in the ensuing Cabinet meeting. Shastri also urged that till the new Pay Commission was constituted and recommendations were implemented, 50 per cent of the DA be merged with basic pay/pension, and grant interim relief of 20 per cent of basic pay/pension to the employees.

Other who spoke on the occasion included Rajan Babu Khajuria, Sham Lal Sharma, Barkat Ram, Rakesh Padha, Anil Singh Salathia, Surinder Kumar, Sukhdev Singh, Subash Sharma, Ram Pal Sharma, Ram Lal Sharma and Geeta Devi. 

Jammu, August 4
All necessary arrangements have been finalised by the Sahyog committee for the conduct of a volleyball tournament on the eve of the Independence Day at the Sports Stadium, Bari Brahmana.

As many as 16 teams will take part in the competition. Introduced for the first time, the event will witness the competition in women’s section this time. Winners and runners-up in both the categories will be awarded cash prizes by the organisers.

The winner of the men’s title will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 11,000 while the runners-up team will pocket a sum of Rs 8,100. Similarly, the women’s champion will get Rs 3,100 while runners-up get Rs 2,100. Meanwhile, interested teams can still submit their entries with the organisers up to August 12. — TNS

Katra, August 4
Taking initiatives of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and making a thrust on the financial inclusion through financial literacy drive in the far-flung areas of Reasi district, State Bank of India's Rural Self Employment Training Institute (SBIRSETI), Reasi, and Lead Bank Office (LBO), Reasi, organised an entrepreneurship awareness camp at Bhabber in Reasi.

Rohit Mehta, manager, LBO, Reasi, explained the concept of financial inclusion. Queries were taken from youth and responded with clarity to remove any doubt in their minds.

Kandroo, director, SBIRSETI, said the camp was organised to create awareness among rural unemployed youth about the SBI mission of equipping them with skill and attitudinal training to blunt the menace of unemployment by striking at its roots. About 100 youth, including women, registered their enthusiastic participation in the camp. On-the-spot applications were collected from a number of youth for enrolment in different training programmes. The people appreciated the efforts of the State Bank of India in coming forward to channelise youth energy by contributing in the economic development.

Jammu, August 4
Natrang's Sunday Theatre Series today witnessed an intense performance of the play 'Naya Janam' written by Gursharan Singh based on the story of Sarabjeet. The play was directed by Neeraj Kant.

'Naya Janam' signifies an ideology of rebirth which is full of discrimination and hatred. The play begins in a village where 'Shibu', a person who belongs to lower caste, has been spending his entire life doing the petty errand tasks of the people of the upper caste.

Though maltreated by people, he has no regrets from his life as he thinks this is what he is supposed to do as his forefathers have also done the same work since generations.

But his son 'Baldev', who is educated and does a good job, wants his father to raise his standard of living. He asks his father to live with dignity as there was no need to be dependent on the leftovers of rich people. But Shibu opposes as he thinks that all his patrons treat him a friend and brother. To make Shibu realise the reality, Baldev plans to celebrate the 50th birthday of Shibu and asks him to invite all his friends to the party. Innocent Shibu thinks all his patrons will gladly come to the celebration as he has always been a part of their happiness, but to his dismay, no one turns up.

This discrimination shakes him to the core, decides to break all his relations with the so-called people and ends up with his rebirth.

Artistes who presented the performance included Uplaksh Singh Kotwal as Shibu, Sajra Qadir as Mejjo, Ashwani Bali as Baldev, Sushil Raina as Pandit and Mohammed Yaseen as Sarpanch. Lights were operated by Neeraj Kant and music was scored by Mohit Sharma. Sumeet Sharma coordinated the show and also did the presentation. 

Srinagar, August 4
Shops and commercial establishments remained open on Sunday in the wake of heavy demand for garments, toys, house-furnishing, eatables and confectioneries.

Residents throng markets ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival in Srinagar on Sunday. Tribune Photos: Amin War & Yawar Kabli

Srinagar, August 4
To check illegal quarrying in the forest areas, the state government has drafted minor mineral rules that have been submitted to the Law Department after receiving objections from all the departments concerned.

This has been revealed in the status report submitted by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to the high court, which has directed the authorities concerned to submit the draft rules to the Law Department for its approval "as and when the concurrence" in this regard was received from the government.

The court also directed the respective Deputy Commissioners of Ramban, Shopian and Pulwama to submit their status report with regard to quarrying operations in the forest areas in their respective districts.

The high court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by Sofi Arif seeking a ban on illegal quarrying in the forests.

Earlier in April, the court had directed all the Deputy Commissioners to ensure strict implementation of its orders on illegal quarrying in the forests across the state and had made it clear that any laxity to implement its directions in letter and spirit would be viewed seriously.

"In response to the order, compliance report has been filed by the DCs of Kupwara and Baramulla. In the status report by the Anantnag DC, it has been stated that no stone quarrying is going on in the demarcated forest area. Further, stone mining has been made dysfunctional," the high court observed in its orders passed this week.

The high court further observed that as per the report of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, in the areas of Tujjar and Harvan no stone extraction was being allowed.

The DC, Kupwara, in his status report has conceded that half a dozen of the existing quarries in the forest area have been stopped by the department concerned, the court observed in its orders.

The high court, meanwhile, has directed for listing of the matter for further consideration in the first week of September.

Handwara, August 4
Students of a high school at Bakiakar in Handwara have been facing several problems due to shortage of teaching staff and accommodation. Instead of the sanctioned 14 posts of teachers, the school has only six teachers.

The students said their studies were badly affected due to shortage of teachers and their career was at stake. “Most of the time, we miss English and science classes as teachers in these subjects are not available. After failing to grab the attention of the authorities following several representations for posting more teaching staff, we held protests in the recent past but to no avail,” said Suraya Yusuf, a class IX student.

The school also lacks laboratory, library and water in its toilet block. “We are unable to take practical classes as there is no laboratory block in the school. There is no library as well and the grown up girls are forced to attend nature’s call in the open fields due to non-availability of water in the toilet block,” said Mumtaza Akther, a class X student.

Teachers said they were forced to double up to cover the syllabus. “Each teacher is forced to take more than scheduled classes due to shortage of teachers. This arrangement, however, cannot work in the long-run and authorities should post more teachers to address the problem,” said a teacher.

At least 150 students are enrolled in the school, which was upgraded to a high school last year. An additional school building having six classrooms is under construction for the past two years. Headmaster Ghulam Rasool Wani said, “Despite shortage of staff, we are making every effort to ensure that students attend their classes. I have written to the ZEO and XEO, Kupwara, to post a few more teachers but so far no teacher has been posted here.”

ZEO Rajwar Syed Barkat Ali Geelani said, “I will post a few more teachers in the school in a few days. The construction work on the school building would also be speeded up so that the building can be put to use for the convenience of the students and teachers.”

Srinagar, August 4
Shab-e-Qadr (night of power), which is considered to be the holiest night of the fasting month of Ramadan, will be observed with religious fervour across the Valley tomorrow night.

Devotees would be thronging the mosques and shrines for nightlong prayers and supplications. The largest gatherings, as per past practice, would be held at the historic Jamia Masjid in the old city and the Hazratbal shrine on the banks of Dal Lake.

Shab-e-Qadr is also called Laylat-ul-Qadr and according to Muslim traditions, it usually falls on the 27th night of Ramadan. However, scholars say that it can also fall on any odd night of the last 10 days of the fasting month. Keeping in view the sanctity of the night, many Muslims engage in nightlong prayers during all the odd nights of Ramadan. However, the night is at large observed on the 27th night of Ramadan.

The government has already announced the Shab-e-Qadr holiday on coming Tuesday after overnight prayers. Meanwhile, Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad had reviewed arrangements for Shab-e-Qadr yesterday and directed the authorities concerned to ensure adequate water and power supply during on the auspicious occasion.

The minister had also reviewed traffic arrangements and asked the traffic department to ensure availability of round-the-clock transport facilities for the devotees on Shab-e-Qadr and ensuing festive occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

First day of Eid will be observed either on Friday or Saturday subjected to the appearance of the crescent.

Srinagar, August 4
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated two modern drainage schemes involving an amount of nearly Rs 56 crore at Chanapora and Bemina areas of the city.

The Chief Minister said the inauguration of Rs 20.18 crore Pohru Chowk to Chanapora drainage scheme would provide relief to about 10,000 people living in Allama Iqbal Colony, Bagh-i-Mehtab, Beighpora, Lal Nagar, Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Colony, Omar Colony and the adjacent areas.

He said the Rs 34.9 crore Bemina Chowk to Fruit Mandi drainage system would benefit about 20,000 residents of the SDA Colony, Shamas Abad, Qamarabad, Owaisabad, Osmania Colony, Boatmen Colony, Fruit Mandi, Al Hamza Colony, Gulshan Abad, Sheikh Colony, Mansoor Colony and the adjacent areas.

Minister for Planning and Development Ajay Sadhotra, Minister for Urban Development Nawang Rigzin Jora, legislators Nasir Aslam Wani and Irfan Shah were also present on the occasion besides Principal Secretary, Planning, BR Sharma and other senior officers of the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) and other departments concerned.

The ERA has constructed the two drainage schemes which include construction of pumping houses, main drain of about 2-km-length, trunk drain of about 3-km-long and sub-main drains of about 9-km length, an official statement said.