Jammu, September 11
Unable to declare the results of various post graduate courses in time, the University of Jammu plans to decentralise its examination system. The aim is to reduce the time gap between the conduct of examinations and evaluation of answer sheets.

Under the new scheme, the evaluation of answersheets is likely to be done at respective off-site campuses to save the time taken in shifting of answer scripts from off-site campuses to the main campus. Besides, the authorities are also planning to encourage evaluators by hiking their fee.

“We are planning to decentralise the examination system so that results can be declared in the shortest possible time. Under the new system, we are proposing to evaluate the answer scripts at respective off-site campuses so that time consumed in shifting and evaluation of these scripts at main campus or elsewhere is saved,” Prof Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, Vice Chancellor of the University of Jammu, said.

He said the examination wing was facing problems in the evaluation of large number of answer scripts because of the reluctance of college teachers as they had been demanding a hike in their evaluation fee.

“We will hold a meeting in this regard soon. We will deliberate on as how the evaluators are encouraged for speedy evaluation of answer scripts," he said. He added the evaluation process would also be made "more transparent" "to the best satisfaction" of the students.

He said the University was constructing a spacious examination hall at the old campus of the varsity in view of the growing number of the students for various postgraduate diploma and degree courses.

"We have also decided to construct additional block with the existing Examination Block to provide more facility to students under the same roof," he said.

Information accessed by a student of varsity under the RTI Act recently revealed that the results of various postgraduate courses were not declared in time. Instead of declaring the results within 90 days from the date of conduct of the examination, the university, sometimes, took five to six months for declaring the results which led to problems for the students.

Besides, the varsity had also admitted that over 32,000 pass outs, including graduate and post-graduate students from 2006 to 2011 batches were yet to be issues their degrees. These degrees were to be issued by the examination wing of the varsity.

Jammu, September 11
The Academic Council of the University of Jammu today resolved to start three courses, including Masters in hospital administration, five-year integrated postgraduate programme in Statistics (after Class XII) and a postgraduate diploma in bioinformatics after postgraduation (one year) under Innovative Programme of the UGC at the School of Biotechnology from the next academic session.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Academic Council, University of Jammu, which was held under the chairmanship of varsity Vice Chancellor, Prof Mohan Pal Singh Ishar.

During the meeting, 27 items were discussed along with the action taken on the resolutions of the last Academic Council held in March last. It was also resolved that Environment Science part II compulsory paper examination would be held on the objective type basis from the coming academic session. The guidelines for conducting written examination for persons with disability as received from Deputy Secretary, Board of Governors, in the super-session of Medical Council of India was also endorsed.

It was also resolved to give supplementary chance to students of LLB five-year course in the 9th and 10th Semester examinations.

The Council also resolved to give recognition to courses being offered by MANNU through its study centres in the state on the basis of the guidelines of the University.

Introduction of choice-based credit system for the PG programme of the JU from the session 2014-15 was also endorsed during the meeting.

the academic council decides The University of Jammu will introduce Masters in hospital administration, five-year integrated postgraduate programme in Statistics (after Class XII) and a postgraduate diploma in bioinformatics after postgraduation (one year) under Innovative Programme of the UGC at the School of Biotechnology from the next academic session Environment Science part-II compulsory examination will be held on the objective type basis from the next ession Norms for conducting written examination for persons with disability from Deputy Secretary, Board of Governors, in the super-session of MCI get approval of Academic Council

Jammu, September 11
Poor response from traders to renew their licences under the amended Food Safety Act-2006 has forced the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to extend the registration deadline till February next. The process was to be completed last year.

There were allegations that employees engaged in the process are demanding additional money from them, which had led to the delay in its completion. The government has fixed fee for the renewal and registration of their business concerns.

As per the order issued by the Commissioner Food Safety, all food business operators were directed to renew their existing licenses, registration granted under the repealed Food Act/Order under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Regulation of Food Business) Regulations, 2011.

Under this Act, every food business retailer or manufacturers has to register with the licensing or registering authority. The Act states that even petty manufacturer shall follow the basic hygiene and safety requirements provided by these regulations.

“These food business operators include small retailer, roadside food vendors, hawkers, stall holders, cottage industries relating to food business, meat/mutton/poultry business operators with the slaughtering capacity of two larger animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day," said Health Officer, JMC, Dr Vinod Sharma.

Dr Sharma said the Act stated the food business manufactures were required to ensure that his or her premises was free from the growth of mould, fungi and infection and workers should wear clean aprons, hand gloves, head wears and keep their nails trimmed, clean and wash their hands with soap and detergent before starting their work. They have been asked not to use colour, display rate list properly and ensure that medical check up of workers is conducted and report sent to the JMC.

Jammu, September 11
Rashtriya Rifles(RR) Battalion, based at Sarh, today distributed 72 State-of-art solar lanterns to the poor and needy people of the region. The lanterns, manufactured in Germany at a cost of Rs 7,000, were distributed under the aegis of Counter Insurgency Force (Uniform), in association with Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN).

The project was planned to be executed in three phases. The first phase was to get the IYCN team to Mahore for a feasibility study. Three representatives of the NGO visited Mahore on May 28, and met with few of the panchayat heads of the 58 villages of the region. The team also interacted with few villagers.

In the second phase, conducting the classes for the locals on usage, maintenance and basic repair of the solar lanterns was the main task. Due to efforts of the RR battalion, the NGO conducted a two-week workshop for selected locals in the first and second week of September.

The third phase involved distribution of 72 solar lanterns to the poor and needy today. A distribution ceremony was organised at Sarh, in Mahore tehsil of district Reasi, wherein.

Rajouri, September 11
The Army conducted the ‘Pir Panjal Pahadi Meet’ on the higher reaches of the Pir Panjal ranges, at an altitude of more than 12,000 feet here yesterday. The event took place for the first time in the region, more than 1,500 persons, including women and children were a part of it.

The event was conducted to strengthen responsive and committed relationship with all Pahadi communities, especially Gujjars and Bakerwals, who have migrated to the higher reaches with their cattle, and also bring an environment of fun and frolic by organising traditional sports competitions and colourful cultural programmes.

The enthusiasm among locals was beyond expectations which motivated them to take a treacherous journey of six to eight hours from Budhal and other adjoining areas to reach Simar Saar, a beautiful natural lake on the Pir Panjal Ranges.

The event witnessed variety of traditional sports, including horse race, tug-of-war and wrestling. To revive these traditional sports, the Army gave away substantial cash prizes to winners and runners-up. A medical-cum-veterinary camp was also organised.

Jammu, September 11
The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of state government employees has warned the state government to concede to their demands or face a series of protests and strikes.

JCC leader Mohammad Gafoor Dar said, “We have decided to give a last chance to the state government to concede to our demands or we will launch a series of protests and pen-down strikes from September 17 to 21.”

Jammu, September 11
Gujjar-Bakerwal students of Jammu University, under the banner of the Gujjar Bakerwal Students’ Welfare Association (GBSWA), continued their hunger strike on the second consecutive day today, demanding the opening of the Gojri research centre in Jammu University.

Students said they had been demanding the Gojri research centre in Jammu University since 2002. Though the approval was granted in 2008, there seems no progress in it.

The students had started their movement in 2011 and now in 2013, but despite assurances from the authorities, there has been no progress on the ground.

Members of the GBSWA also appealed to their community and students of the other community to show solidarity and struggle for the civilisation, culture and language of Gujjar community.

Jammu, September 11
Damini the name given to the December 16 Delhi gang rape victim, has crores of faces as her pain is shared by a people stunned out of their slumber towards the safety of women in this country.

Anguish over the tragedy which took away a promising young girl from the face of this earth has often been expressed as a demand for death penalty for the convicts. The same sentiment formed the theme of a play staged here today.

The main character of the play ‘Main Damini Bol Rahi Hun’ expressed the pain of the dead girl, rising out of her half-burnt funeral pyre.

The play was staged on the same day as a fast-track court heard arguments of the prosecution and defence lawyers. Artistes in the walled city voiced their demand for death penalty to all convicts through their heart rendering portraying the brutal torture suffered by the victim.

Actress Neha Lahotra re-lived Damini as she portrayed her harrowing experience.

The play ‘Main Damini bol rahi hun’, a half-an-hour play was a salutation to the departed soul. According to the play she died mentally on Delhi roads as no one came to help her. Her character speaks to brothers of the nation about her ordeal.

The so-called victim questions the cowardice of her betrayers from media, politicians, law makers as well as administrative paraphernalia. Through the play, Damini sought nothing short of capital punishment to her ‘rapists’ and ‘killers’.

Conceived by Neha herself and written by her in association with Aaditya Bhanu, the play was assisted by Himanshu Darshan.

Balwant Thakur, director, Natrang Theatre, was chief guest on the occasion. He lauded the director of play Vikram Sharma for taking up a contemporary and challenging task and said that nation needs to wake up from slumber.

He said the play Damini had given a strong message to the entire nation from Jammu platform. He said such attempts would revolutionise the country.

Play’s director Vikram Sharma paid tribute to the departed soul of Damini and said the society members would come forward to stop such crimes in future.

Jammu, September 11
The civic indiscipline, including bad roads, chaotic traffic and garbage menace, being practiced by the people themselves is adding to the woes of the Jammu city.

It is a common sight for the people of Jammu to see heaps of garbage lying unattended outside the dustbins installed by the Jammu Municipal Corporation. Cows and stray dogs feast on the heaps of garbage, including household waste, plastic materials and other materials, causing problems of sanitation.

“We keep criticising the authorities for the sorry state of affairs. We sit back in our living rooms and find faults with them but never wonder, how much are we contributing to its maintenance?” said Ankush Khajuria, a resident of Gandhi Nagar.

“It is true that most of the time, government officials neglect their duties and responsibilities, but we as citizens are primarily at fault for the mess that we notice around us,” he added.

It is a general practice that people come in their cars and bikes from nearby colonies and fling a bag of waste in the direction of the bin without ensuring that the bag landed in the garbage container or not.

Dr Vinod Sharma, health officer of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, said, “Everyone wants us to install a garbage container in their locality, but no one allows us to put it near their houses just because people do not put the garbage in the container.”

Sharma said efforts were being made to remove the garbage scattered outside the bins, but it was not possible to clear all garbage on daily basis. “We appeal to the people to put the garbage in the containers installed in the area, so that the garbage can be removed properly,” he added.

Jammu, September 11
The J&K Chapter of the All-India Anti Crime and Anti Corruption Organisation has strongly condemned the sexual exploitation of differently-abled minor girl inmates in a shelter house being run by the Rotary Club Inner Wheel and has demanded strict punishment against the accused.

A meeting of the organisation, under the chairmanship of its advisor Indeerjeet Khajuria, flayed the insensitive attitude of the office-bearers of the club towards the heinous crime going on for the past one year in the shelter home run by them and their attempts at washing their hands off the crime, instead of owning the moral responsibility for the same.

Addressing the meeting, association president Yash Pal Singh said the Rotary Club had been running the shelter home for past 34 years, took public donations and the safety of the honour and dignity of minor girls in the home were their responsibility and they cannot absolve themselves of the same.

The organisation has hailed the police action in nailing the scandal and booking some culprits of the heinous crime, and has demanded that the real culprits, besides the director of the shelter and its chowkidar, the other culprits, including members of the club if any, should be booked and severely punished. No culprit, however influential or resourceful, should be spared.

He also urged upon the Minister of Social Welfare Sakina Ittoo to take serious view of the crime being committed in the shelter home being run by an NGO, since the credibility of all NGOs, particularly those which were genuine and rendering service to the needy, was involved.

The organisation has demanded a thorough probe into the immoral act of sexual exploitation of minor girls be held and the truth about the hidden elements behind it should be brought forth and all culprits punished severely, as a deterrent.

Jammu, September 11
A three-day training programme for district and block accounts managers on the implementation of customised Tally-ERP organised by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), J&K, commenced today at the Regional Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Nagrota.

The said training programme is being conducted under the supervision of Dr Yashpal Sharma, mission director, NRHM, J&K.

About 30 participants from across the Jammu division are attending the programme to learn the techniques of maintaining accounts books under the NRHM. In his inaugural address, Yashpal said the participants would be given in-depth training on tally accounting software and would start submitting financial management reports on tally by September.

"The programme is meant to keep the managers at district and block levels updated on latest techniques and is a part of the Information Technology initiatives being carried under the NRHM," he added.

The mission director further asked the participants to take maximum benefit out of the programme and get the queries and doubts solved during the sessions.

The training is being imparted by Rohit Choudhary, managing director, Anita International and Brijesh Raina, a tally expert.

Organising team from the State Health Society included Dr Harjeet Rai, divisional nodal officer, Jammu, Dr BB Sharma, state NGO coordinator and Sadiq Khan, state ASHA coordinator, Mukesh Kumar, divisional accounts manager and Rahul Mahajan, state accounts manager.

Katra, September 11
Following the instructions of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to put a blanket ban on the constructions earlier last week, the District Magistrate, Reasi, took stock of the constructions in and around the holy town of Katra. More than 15 advertisement hoardings were removed and scores of other were defaced and demolished from the base camp.

The J&K Forest Department, Reasi, and Forest Division launched a massive anti-encroachment drive and dismantled advertisement billboards and hoardings illegally erected on the Domail-Katra Road. This has been done in accordance with the provisions of the J&K Forest Act. This has to be seen in the light of the recent ban on the illegal constructions in Katra town imposed by the Honourable High Court and a subsequent action report has been sought from the authorities.

A party headed by the ACF, Reasi, Forest Division, along with the Range Officer Katra, Forest Protection Force personnel of Gamma unit J-11, Reasi, under the directions of Divisional Forest Officer, Reasi Dr Syed Nadeem Hussain, IFS, were a part of the anti-encroachment team.

Materials, including girders, angel iron and plastic flexes, were seized and confiscation proceedings had been initiated before the authorized officer (DFO Reasi). The operation was successfully completed under the close supervision of the Conservator of Forests, West Circle Rajouri and the Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu.

Jammu, September 11
Anil Kumar of Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS), Sohal, clinched the gold medal in the U-14 boys discus throw while Mohammad Nadeem and Roshan Singh had to be contended with silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the ongoing Jammu District Inter-School Athletic Meet, being organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports at University of Jammu grounds.

In the U-17 boys discus throw, the gold medal went to Rohin while in the U-19 event, Robin Singh of GHSS RS Pura bagged the gold medal.

The U14, U-17 and U-19 gold medals in javelin throw went to Nadeem, Rahul and Mohit Bharti, respectively, while high jump gold medals in all age groups were bagged by Raman Sharma, Rajinder and Varun Manhas, respectively.

The gold medal in the U-17 and U-19 boys 1500 m went to Zahoor Elahi and Yash Pal Tinku while the 400 m U-14, U-17 and U-19 boys gold medal medal was bagged by Mohammad Asif, Inderjeet Singh and Satinder, respectively.

The events were officiated by Chamel Singh, Nirmal Singh, Gurbachan Singh, Ram Murti, Vijay Kumar, Chanderveer Singh, Rohit Gupta, Vishal Bharti, Vaneet Pangotra, Satika, Anita Bhat, Manju Sharma and Harpreet Bhalla.

Meanwhile, due to showers in the early morning today, the wet conditions at the venue posed difficulties for both the organisers as well as the athletes. "Despite wet conditions, the department is trying its level best to conduct the event successfully. But at the same time, we also have a feel for the athletes who are a having a tough time in the meet today," said one of the sports officials.

Jammu, September 11
Boys of Jammu overcame the challenge of their rivals of Kashmir while the Kashmir eves managed to level series against Jammu in the state-level inter-division U-19 boys and girls tennis ball cricket tournament.

Earlier, in the U-19 boys, Jammu toppled Kashmir by four runs in an exciting contest. Batting first, Jammu accumulated 63 runs in the allotted quota of eight overs losing three wickets in the process. Sunil Kumar, Rajat and Amit Singh were the main contributors with 18, 17 and 13 runs, respectively. For Kashmir division, Mehraj and Solhay shared a wicket each.

In reply, Kashmir division could manage 59 runs in the stipulated quota of eight overs for the loss of seven wickets. Mehraj was the top scorer with 23 runs while Wahid contributed 18 runs to the total.

For Jammu division, Ashank and Saksham snared two wickets each. In another match played, Jammu eased past Kashmir by 13 runs. Batting first, Jammu garnered a modest total of 48 runs in eight overs which Kashmir in reply, was bundled out for 35 runs to lose the match by a margin of 13 runs. Ashank and Sunil Kumar were the star performers for Jammu with a three-wicket haul each.

Meanwhile, Jammu girls prevailed over Kashmir eves by six wickets with the consummate ease. Winning the toss and batting first, Kashmir scored 51 runs in the allotted quota of eight overs by losing five wickets. Danish and Muzamil contributed 13 and 7 runs, respectively. For Jammu division, Noor Jahan grabbed three wickets while Nitika bagged one.

In reply, Jammu did the needful by losing three wickets. Nadia and Nikita scored 12 runs each while Heena Bhat contributed 10 runs. For Kashmir division, Farkhanda scalped 2 wickets.

In another match of U-19 girls, Kashmir eves beat Jammu by four wickets to level the series.

The Jammu boys and girls teams are being accompanied by BK Tickoo and Gurvinder Kaur as coach and manager, respectively. The tournament was being organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports, under the overall supervision of Director General, Navin Aggarwal.

Jammu, September 11
Students of Army Public School (APS), Akhnoor, took out a rally on the eve of Literacy Day.

Principal of the school KCS Mehta, NCC in charge Anita Sharma, Ankur Singh, PGT (Physics) and Kuldeep Sharma, besides other prominent citizens, joined the rally and gave awareness about importance of literacy to the villagers.

Local residents appreciated the initiative of the Army Public School, Akhnoor, and hoped that more such rallies would be organised by the school to create more awareness regarding the important issue of literacy.

Jammu, September 11
Reigning champion, Postgraduate (PG) Departments and runners-up, Government Degree College (GDC), Kathua, were among eight teams who have secured berth in the quarterfinals of the ongoing inter-collegiate badminton (men) tournament being organised by the Department of Sports and Physical Education, University of Jammu (JU), at J&K Police Indoor Hall.

Other teams included the Law School, GDC Udhampur, Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), GDC Hiranagar and Government MAM College.

Matches were officiated by Vikram Jamwal, Ravish Vaid, Pankaj, Suresh, Amit, Ajay, Sunil, Charanjeet, Rakesh and Kulvinder. — TNS