Jammu, August 26
With pressure from social and political organisations in Jammu, Cabinet ministers Sham Lal Sharma and Raman Bhalla visited the historic Bahu Fort today and urged the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) to start immediate restoration of the ancient fort.

Following the series of news reports in these columns on the negligence on the part of the authorities concerned and other events that led to the collapse of a major wall of the Bahu Fort, Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma and Minister for Housing Raman Bhalla visited the Bahu Fort to assess the damage to the fort.

The ministers told the department concerned to formulate a comprehensive plan for the restoration of this important heritage place on a priority basis. He was informed that Rs 22 lakh had been kept with the JDA for immediate restoration work and damage and other details were being assessed by the ASI.

The 110-foot-wall of the 3,000-year-old heritage structure collapsed a week ago due to heavy rain. The JDA and the Archaeology Department, which were entrusted with the task of renovation, maintenance and preservation of this fort, passed the buck and refused to own responsibility.

While the minister made a statement that the JDA had Rs 22 lakh kept for immediate restoration, the Archaeology Department said no agency could start work on the fort till the assessment of the actual loss was completed.

A few days back, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had stated that the ASI was assessing the loss and it would submit the report to state government for release of funds.

Peerzada Ashraf, Deputy Director, Archaeology Department, said the JDA could not start restoration work till the actual loss was assessed and there was a proper way to restore the fort.

The JDA would assess the loss first and submit the report to the Archaeology Department, which would forward it to the state government for release of funds, he added.

He said, "We have to see the purpose for which funds are given to the JDA and what has been done by the agency. Then funds will be sanctioned to it for restoration of the wall." 

Poonch, August 26
Irate residents of Gulpur, Khari and other adjoining villages near the Line of Control (LoC) organised a demonstration and stopped the Poonch-Rawalakot bus for over two hours here today. They were demanding regular water and power supply to border villages.

The villagers gathered at Gulpur, 200 metres from the Chakan da Bagh trade centre on the Poonch-Rawalakot road, raised barricades and sat on a dharna against the PHE and the PDD. They stopped the 'rahen milan' bus, causing inconvenience to passengers.

Maroof Ahmed of one of the villages said, “Crores are spent on the cross-LoC trade centre and the bus service, but people living near the LoC have been neglected on all fronts. We get neither regular water supply nor power supply. Why are we being harassed and given stepmotherly treatment?”

The protesters said the PHE had failed to provide regular water supply to houses at villages near the LoC. They said they used to get water once in three days earlier, but were now getting water once a week. They added that inadequate supply of water had put villagers to inconvenience.

They said there were over 500 houses in Khari, Gulpur, Karmara and adjoining areas which had been facing acute shortage of drinking water. They said water was supplied only once a week. Vikram Singh of one of the villages said the PHE was least bothered about the needs of the people even though every house had been paying water tax.

Residents raised slogans against the PDD for irregular power supply. They said they needed continuous power supply for at least eight hours a day. They pointed out that they had been facing the problem for the last several months. They threatened to intensify the protest if the authorities failed to ensure continuous power supply.

Mohd Taj Choudhary, Executive Engineer, PHE, and Mohd Maqbool Naik sent their representatives to the spot and assured necessary steps for providing regular water and power supply to the villages. The dharna was lifted after they gave this assurance.

Jammu, August 26
While the traffic police looking the other way, chaos is back on busy city roads, with the bus minibus operators violating norms with impunity.

Frequent traffic jams with motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders, struggling for their way around the haphazardly parked minibuses and buses almost in the middle of the road and traffic policemen conspicuous by their absence from the road, are a common sight these days.

Further, it does not matter for motorists if the traffic light is red, yellow or green as they just weave their way out without any fear of getting penalised by policemen.

“I do not know why the authorities have installed traffic signals if they are not in a position to penalise the violators who have virtually run riot on the roads. The traffic policemen do not act against minibus operators who park their vehicles almost in the middle of the road on a traffic signal, making the situation more chaotic,” says Vikas Sharma, a scholar with the Jammu University.

Citing instances, the scholar says there is complete chaos on the busy Bikram Chowk where minibus operators keep their vehicles parked on traffic signals almost in the middle of the road to have more passengers.

“They block traffic movement coming from the university side despite the green signal on the traffic light. Traffic policemen either do not appear on the scene or remain mute spectators to rampant violations,” he says.

Amit Kumar, a PSU employee, alleges that there is a nexus between traffic policemen and minibus operators with the former charging entry 'hafta' on every check point and allowing road violations.

“There is nothing new in it. Even senior officers of the Traffic Department are acquainted with the ‘entry system’, but they do not bother to streamline the system. Corrupt traffic policemen need to be penalised for their malpractices and sanity must be restored on the roads,” he says.

He criticises the authorities for putting the life of road users at risk at new crossing created near Hotel Asia which connects the Bikram Chowk-Satwari highway with the fourth bridge leading to Bhagwati Nagar.

“The new crossing was allowed without applying the mind. It is a perfect example of poor and faulty road engineering and the authorities should either depute some traffic policemen to regulate speeding traffic or plug the median gap so that the risk to lives of road users is reduced,” he says.

A senior traffic officer says they have already brought jumping of signals under dangerous driving and a minimum penalty of Rs 1,000 is being imposed on violators.

“The police has strictly been told not to let any violator go free without imposing a heavy penalty. We will penalise minibus operators who do not comply with norms and create traffic problem on the road,” the officer says. 

Jammu, August 26
Bus stops continue to remain unutilised in Jammu due to their poor maintenance by the Jammu Municipal Corporation. Most of those are dirty and have not been repaired for years now despite directions to transporters to pick passengers from marked spots.

Constructed for the benefit of commuters travelling by public transport, passengers sheds in the city have become resting place for beggars. Most sheds have been rendered useless for commuters, who use the public transport system to reach their destinations everyday.

Commuters allege that at some places, drug addicts can be seen using the places during the evening hours, which have become a threat to the people moving near these places during evening hours.

The passenger sheds at Women College, Gandhi Nagar, Jewel Chowk, Amphalla, main stop, and Parade are totally encroached upon by beggars. Begging has taken alarming dimensions in Jammu, with beggars roaming the market places seeking alms.

The stops have turned out to be a waste of money as those are not being utilised for the purpose those were constructed. At some places fruit sellers are using those for storage space.

“These are for the benefit of passengers and the authorities need to create awareness about those. Beggars should be removed from these sites,” says Meenu Gupta, a local resident.

Also known as the city of temples, Jammu is a paradise for beggars, who mostly come from other states like Odisha, Bihar, Rajasthan and Gujarat along with their families, with the hope of getting good alms here. Suman Kapil, who runs a non-government organisation, says begging has become a trade for the last few years. 

Jammu, August 26
Anmol Jaswal of Jammu has made it to the grand finale of the singing reality show contest Indian Idol Junior. The 14-year-old boy is one of the four contestants from all over India who will compete for the first Indian Idol Junior trophy, a cash prize of Rs 25 crore and a Nissan Micra car.

Besides Anmol, the other three contestants are Debanjana from West Bengal, Nirvesh from Gujarat and Anjana from Odisha. Anmol was groomed as a singer since his childhood by his father Surpal Jaswal. Anmol had entered the Indian Idol Junior contest via Chandigarh auditions.

Since the auditions, he has been ranked among the strong contestants of the singing reality show and every guest on the show has praised him. He is a step away from creating history by becoming the first Indian Idol Junior winner.

Jammu is getting ready to see a son of the soil make the city and the state proud, but it is not possible without the support of people from across the country. The people of Jammu are voting in large numbers for Anmol through the Internet and SMSes.

“Anmol has given a new identity to Jammu. I will like to tell him that the whole city is with him. We are continuously voting for him so that the Jammu boy becomes the first Indian Idol Junior winner,” says Muskan Koul, an engineering student in Jammu.

Anmol’s family and friends are putting in all efforts to get the votes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and are holding meetings with people from various sections of society.

“We are organising various interactive programmes at schools and colleges and elsewhere and are getting a good response. Hoardings have been installed and more hoardings are coming up in the city,” says Surpal Jaswal.

Many people have come forward and are seeking votes for Anmol. Some have printed pamphlets and are organising meetings with the people.

“Our student union is distributing pamphlets and a door-to-door campaign has been started to apprise the people of Anmol’s achievement and how to vote for him. This is the time Anmol needs the support of the people of Jammu and the people should come forward,” says Anu Gupta, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Front.

He says the units of the party in all districts of the Jammu region have been working hard to generate support for the singing sensation.

Katra, August 26
The District Red Cross Society (DRCS), Reasi, has finalised a plan for improving fund raising in the current financial year and develop critical emergency as well as disaster management infrastructure in the district.

This was stated at meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal.

The society resolved to create awareness among the masses, especially students, about Red Cross being a community driven initiative for humanitarian relief.

The DRCS approved installation of five donation boxes at Katra and two at Ransoo as already agreed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and Shiv Khori Shrine board for seeking donations from pilgrims.

The Transport Department, municipal committees and banks will raise funds for Red Cross by charging compulsory voluntary donations on driving licences, building permissions, renewal cases, lorry adda fees, bank passbooks etc. An annual target of Rs 50 lakh was fixed for raising funds for the development of critical emergency and relief infrastructure.

Cash assistance and relief material will be made available at special cells in Katra, Pouni, Ransoo, Arnas, Mahore and Chassana for ensuring prompt relief and assistance in case of emergency. A dedicated Red Cross cell has also been opened at the office of the Deputy Commissioner and aggrieved persons can contact on 8492804986.

The DC impressed upon the officials to create a network of life members, honorary members and volunteers in various parts of the district for improving the outreach of the programme. It was decided that 12 important days will be celebrated by the DRCS and various district officials have been appointed as nodal officers for this.

Addition Deputy Commissioner Rajinder Singh Tara presented a resume of relief operations carried out under Red Cross during the recent flashfloods in the district.

Red Cross was the first agency to reach out to the people. More than 200 families were assisted under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner. Relief of more than Rs 5 lakh was provided to victims of accidents and natural calamities. Also, more than 40 tents were provided.

The president of the Katra Hotel Association and Chief Warden, Civil Defence, also ensured support to the programme and improving the network of volunteers. An annual action plan was also approved.

Jammu, August 26
Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture Raman Bhalla today laid stress on the restoration of all heritage sites of the state to their original form by adopting scientific methods and involving highly skilled and expert manpower.

“The past glory of historical places in the three regions of the state can be restored with the use of the original material ‘chunna-surkhi’ and the involvement of agencies have achieved expertise in the field,” the minister said while addressing a high-level meeting of officers at the Civil Secretariat here.

Former minister and Dogra Heritage Society (DHA) chairman Gulchain Singh Charak, DHA vice-president YV Sharma, District Development Commissioner Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Jammu Development Authority (JDA) vice-chairman Satesh Nehru, JDA Superintending Engineer PL Bhushan and Consultant Tourism and Culture KA Qadri were present.

Bhalla said the government had identified 28 heritage sites of the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions for preservation and conservation.

He said the detailed project report for renovation had been prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India and submitted to the Centre for funding.

The minister said immediately the renovation work of the heritage sites that had been identified would be started after the release of funds.

Bhalla said the government had framed both short-term and long-term measures to restore to restore their original glory the heritage sites in the three regions of the state.

He said the government had arranged a national workshop for experts in geological, structural, conservation, environmental and civil engineering works for proposed renovation projects and use of material on heritage sites.

The minister added that the government had earmarked Rs 69.5 lakh for restoration of the outer Bahu Fort wall and watchtowers, restoration of the royal residential portion, restoration of two water tanks, installation of a floating fountain in the main water tank, removal of thick layer of paint at the entrance, removal of illegal structures, ramp along inner side of fort wall and landscaping within Mahakali temple.

He added that the projects were under progress on a war footing and were all set to be completed within the stipulated time frame. 

Jammu, August 26
Peaks Auto, an authorised dealership of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, today unveiled the stylish, aggressive and sporty Stingray here. With this, the company has expanded its portfolio and enriched it to meet the aspirations of the young India.

Sporting some high-end features usually associated with premium cars, Stingray is a refreshing package. These features include expressive projector headlamps and stylish reflector grille to name some. The expressive projector lamps are first-of-its-kind on a car in this class of vehicles.

Stingray will be available in Lxi and Vxi variants (ABS and Driver Airbag are optional in Vxi).

The vehicle was unveiled by JD Singh, general manager, Peaks Auto, in presence of area managers and branch heads of all major banks, customers and staff of Peaks Auto.

JD Singh said, “With Stingray, Maruti Suzuki carries forward its focus to make its bestsellers even more attractive. The aggressively designed Stingray reinforces the fact that compact cars that are high on utility and reliability can also be premium and stylish. The company feels that for the younger customers, who aspire for bold and aggressively styled cars, Stingray will be a delightful choice.”

The bold and aggressive front fascia, sporty side skirting, B-pillar black-out strip and stylish rear spoiler add character to Stingray. Enriching it further are the gunmetal grey-coloured alloy-wheels, chrome-plated tail lamps and chrome back-door garnish with Stingray prominently embossed on it.

All-black ambiance with premium upholstery lends richness and sophistication to the interiors of Stingray. The designers have played with the piano black finish to add alight reflecting glassy look. Smart use of chrome on the door handles and AC louvers adds a dash of luxury to the interiors.

Jammu, August 26
The Forest Department today organised a plantation drive at Sidhra to mark Van Mahotsava.

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shantmanu, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Guests of honour were Chief Conservator of Forests Ravi Kesar, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, and Conservator of Forest Roshan Jaggi.

A large number of schoolchildren, sarpanches of Ragoora, NGOs and local people, besides officers of the district administration, Forest Department, Social Forestry, Wildlife, Forest Protection Force and Soil Conservation Department, participated in the plantion drive. About 2,500 saplings were planted on the occasion.

The Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, lauded the efforts put in by the Forest Department for generating awareness and involving people, schoolchildren and other stakeholders in the plantation drive. He emphasised the importance of the forests and the need to have them in the city.

He said the forests played a significant role in absorbing pollution. 

Jammu, August 26
A peace march, led by Bhaderwah MLA Muhammad Sharief Niaz, was organised in Bhaderwah town of Doda district here today.

People from all walks of life participated in the march. Students of various schools also took part in it.

Speaking on the occasion, Niaz said people of the country wanted peace, but some elements in society played dirty politics and divided people in the name of religion.

He said the Kishtwar incident was very unfortunate and was condemned by both Hindus and Muslims.

“People of Bhaderwah, Bhallessa and Chiralla have set an example of brotherhood and communal harmony for the nation and despite the recent unrest in state, people of these areas maintained unity,” Niaz said.

Jammu, August 26
The Jammu Municipal Corporation (MC) today imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on eateries found not to be maintaining cleanliness in preparation of food products during an anti-adulteration drive today. The MC had launched the fortnight-long drive.

A team led by Health Officer, Municipal Corporation, Dr Vinod Sharma, along-with a team of Food Safety Officers and Assistant Sanitation Officers, conducted a tour of areas like New Plot, Amphalla, Gangyal, Trikuta Nagar, Bahu Fort, Gandhi Nagar, Indira Chowk, Vikram Chowk and Nanak Nagar to check the quality of commonly used food items.

They inspected various food establishments and imposed the fine.

Samples of milk and curd were taken from different parts of Jammu and sent to the Public Analyst for ascertaining standard of purity.

Citizens were advised not to smoke in public places. A fine of Rs 200 would be imposed to those not adhering to the norm. All food establishment owners dealing in sale of sweetmeats and other milk products would have to adhere to terms of the food Act 2006 and keep their premises clean.