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Youm-e-Ashura observed in Valley
Omar, Azad outdo each other in doling out healthcare measures
Police refuses to register FIR against IPS officer
Payoff row: Speaker yet to receive reply from ex-Army chief
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Post-HC order, anti-graft panel runs out of steam
Cop shot at by militants in Anantnag
Western Command chief takes stock of security along border
Pakistani national arrested in Jammu dist
Delay in funds allocation stalls golf course project
Valley to have a date with Sufi music on Nov 17
J&K mulls 500-MW power project in Odisha
Bandipora firing: Detained cop set free
Assembly Speaker meets Guv
BJP pins hopes on Modi’s Dec 1 rally
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Youm-e-Ashura observed in Valley
Srinagar, November 15 A large
"Zuljinah" procession was taken out at Zadibal in the old city which was marked by flagellation by Shiites to mourn the martyrdom of Imam
Hussain, his family and companions during the 7th century battle of Karbala in Iraq. Talking about the significance of the Ashura procession, which is taken out on the 10th day of Muharram, Maulana Sibti Mohammad Shabir
Qumi, head of Pairwan-e-Willayat (a Shiite body), said: "The procession is taken out to mourn the sacrifice of Imam Hussain and his companions in
Karbala. Zuljinah was the name of Imam Hussain's horse, which is why a decorated horse is part of the procession taken out by mourners." While the Zuljinah procession is taken out on Ashura only,
"Alam" and "Tazia" processions are taken out regularly from the first day of Muharram. Maulana Qumi said Alam is an Islamic symbol (flag) of Hazrat
Abbas, Imam Hussain’s brother. Qumi flayed the ban on the main Muharram processions, terming it an an “interference” in their religious affairs. Earlier, on the eight day of Muharram, Shiites gathered in large numbers to march from Guru Bazar through the Lal Chowk area of the city before ending the procession at
Dalgate. Another major procession used to be taken out from Abi Guzar to Zadibal on Ashura before militancy erupted. However, both have been banned by the government fearing law and order problems. The authorities today had imposed restrictions in six police station areas of the city, from where the main Ashura procession used to pass. A group led by
Anjuman-e-Shari Shian leader Aga Syed Mujtaba gathered near the Clock Tower at Lal Chowk and tried to take out a procession. However, their attempt was foiled by the police, who detained the
mourners. Zuljinah processions were taken out in other parts of the Valley. At
Imambarah, Budgam, in central Kashmir, the procession was led by Aga Syed Hassan
Al-Mosavi Al-Safvi, head of the Anjuman-e-Shari Shian. Members of the Shia Sunni Coordination Committee also participated in the procession. Muharram processions were also taken out in
Baramulla, Ganderbal and Kulgam districts. A police spokesperson said the processions were carried out peacefully. |
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Omar, Azad outdo each other in doling out healthcare measures
Jammu, November 15 Both leaders have been announcing a number of new projects in the health sector in the region. It became evident yesterday when the Union minister, who is on a three-day tour of the erstwhile Doda district, announced upgrading of the district hospital in Kishtwar from 100 beds to 200 beds, maternity hospital for Kishtwar, 30-bedded hospitals for Marwah and Warwan, 22 new medical sub centres for Banihal and a number of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) while addressing public meetings in the Banihal and Doda areas. Chief Minister, in turn, said 600 new health sub-centres, including 238 in hilly and remote areas of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts had been proposed for the current financial year. Omar was reviewing the health and medical education sector at a high-level meeting here on Thursday. He also declared that 122 hospital projects were under progress across the state at an estimated cost of Rs 1481.62 crore. There are six Assembly segments, including Ramban, Banihal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Inderwal and Kishtwar, in the erstwhile Doda district. These constituencies play a decisive role during elections to the Assembly, which has a total strength of 89 members, including two nominated members. Minister of State for Technical Education, Power and Information Vikar Rasool Wani, who is an MLA from Banihal and owes allegiance to Ghulam Nabi Azad, ruled out any “political motive” behind the announcements of opening of 22 new medical sub-centres for his constituency”. “The opening of sub-centres was a proposal of the Centre government and these centres had been allotted to all hilly states of the country. The announcement has nothing to do with the upcoming elections,” Wani said. A leader of the National Conference, who did not wish to be identified, said: “There are speculations that Azad wants to play an active role in state politics and his current tour to Doda district appears to be part of that strategy. I would like to say that our coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah is strong and it has been treading the path of development.” Meanwhile, the Panthers Party expressed dismay over the direct announcements about opening of new health centres and PHCs in various villages and select constituencies by the Union minister. “As per the prevalent policy and convention, the Central government releases funds in favour of the state government and it is the ruling dispensation in the state which identifies the priority areas for funds utilisation,” Harsh Dev Singh, party chairman said here today. Singh said the decision on utilisation of the Central funds and Centrally sponsored schemes were taken by the state Assembly. “In the present case, not only have the procedures been violated with impunity but the state government has also been bypassed in the process. The Union minister has gone directly to the people and made announcements at the village and block level,” he said. Announcements galore
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Police refuses to register FIR against IPS officer
Srinagar, November 15 The journalist, Hilal Ahmad
Bhat, who works as a cameraman with a video news agency, Asian News International
(ANI), was treated at a hospital for a fracture in his right leg after he was hit by the vehicle on Wednesday. An application seeking registration of a case moved by the agency and eyewitnesses, including photo and video journalists, said the vehicle was being driven by Superintendent of Police (south city) Imtiaz Ismail
Parray, an IPS officer of the 2009 batch. Hilal was covering a procession of Shia mourners on Wednesday when the incident took place near Jehangir Chowk in central city. The application moved by the agency on Thursday stated that Hilal was hit
by a police vehicle "driven by the SP (South)", adding, “When he (Hilal) was injured, the SP
did not bother to take him to a hospital.” Parvez Ahmad, an ANI correspondent, said the in charge at the Shaheed Gunj police station had “refused” to entertain the application asking them to “come later in the evening”. “Initially, he refused to give us the receipt of the application and also refused to say whether the application has been accepted or rejected. When we went there again at 7 pm on Thursday, policemen at the Shaheed Gunj police station told us that the SHO was not available,” he said.
Shaheed Gunj SHO Suresh Kumar said a “detailed report about the incident has already
been filed”. “No separate FIR can be filed in this matter,” he said. Another police officer said a case could not be registered as it required sanction from the Central government. The ANI is now contemplating to move court to get the case registered. |
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Payoff row: Speaker yet to receive reply from ex-Army chief
Jammu, November 15 "I am yet to receive the reply. The Assembly secretariat might have received the reply but I have no knowledge about it till date," Speaker of the Assembly Mubarak Gul told The Tribune. He, however, said things would be clear on Monday when the offices open after a three-day off. As the allegations of General Singh had created a storm in the state’s political circles, the Speaker of the Assembly had served him a contempt notice on October 25 asking him to explain his position regarding certain revelations made by him during an interview to a news channel on September 23. The contempt notice was served on him in response to a breach of privilege notice given by 15 ministers/members against him during the recently held session of the Legislative Assembly. General Singh had been given 20 days to explain his position in the matter.
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Post-HC order, anti-graft panel runs out of steam
Jammu, November 15 The high court had held the Regulation 9 of the SAC Act as ultra vires to the Constitution and held it beyond the powers given to the commission under Section 31 of the Act. “After the high court passed the order restricting the SAC from taking suo motu cognisance of corrupt practices, our activities have come down,” said an official of the anti-graft panel, who declined to be named. He admitted that corruption-related complaints didn’t pour frequently to the SAC and as a result the activities of the panel had reduced. “The amendment to the SAC Act making it mandatory for the complainant to reveal his identity and address has also led to the lesser number of complaints,” he said. “Now, the few complaints that come to us are also not serious in nature and they, too, get disposed of at the preliminary stage,” he added. The amendment to the SAC Act has also confined the anti-graft panel to take action on complaints that pertain to corruption charges against politicians, ministers, MLAs and MLCs and has exempted government functionaries, including bureaucrats, from its purview. Till May last year, the anti-graft panel was combating corruption with 19 vacant posts and an overstretched staff. A New Delhi NGO “Transparency International”, in a survey in 2005, had bracketed Jammu and Kashmir as the second most corrupt state after Bihar in the entire country. In August 2011, the SAC was reconstituted under the J&K Accountability Act 2002. In 2005, the then coalition government of the PDP and the Congress had set up the anti-graft panel. Powers curtailed
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Cop shot at by militants in Anantnag
Anantnag, November 15 The police said Constable Abdul Rashid of Ganderbal district, who was regulating traffic outside a police post in Jangalt Mandi, was attacked by militants late Friday evening. “The injured was immediately rushed to the District Hospital in Anantnag, from where he was shifted to the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar,” said a police spokesperson. His condition is said to be stable. “He has been shot at in the chin but is out of danger now,” said a doctor at the SMHS. The police said the militants had used silencer-fitted pistols and fired from a point blank range at the policeman. “The militants escaped with the service rifle of the constable,” said the police spokesman. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.The police and the CRPF have cordoned off the area and a hunt is on to nab the militants.
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Western Command chief takes stock of security along border
Jammu, November 15 During his visit to the forward area, the Army General interacted with the officers and troops of the Tiger Division deployed near the international border in the Jammu region. Major General Ashwani Kumar, who accompanied the Commander, briefed him about the security scenario in the region. “Lt General Campose applauded the state of operational preparedness and expressed confidence that the Tiger Division was prepared for all challenges and would execute the assigned tasks in a befitting manner, meeting the aspirations of the nation,” the spokesperson said. He also lauded the development projects undertaken in the border areas by the formation in conjunction with the civil authorities. Lt General Campose visited forward areas in Domana and Ramgarh, Acharya said. It may be recalled that General Campose was on a two-day visit to the Jammu Garrison on September 3 to review the military situation in the backdrop of frequent skirmishes between Pakistan and Indian Armies on the Line of Control (LoC). Later that month on September 26, three heavily armed Pakistani terrorists had carried out suicide attacks at the Hiranagar Police Station and the Army camp of 16 Cavalry, killing 10 persons, including three soldiers and Lieutenant Colonel Bikramjeet Singh. The unit of the 16 Cavalry, under Samba Brigade, belongs to the 9 Corps, which is headquartered in Himachal Pradesh and falls under the Western Command. On October 29, the Western Command chief visited Jammu again to have a meeting with his brigade commanders and senior officers of the Rising Star Corps in Jammu Garrison. Today’s visit was his third in the last 72 days. International border in the Jammu region witnessed intense shelling from Pakistan for over 10 days since October 17 and the sanity was restored only after the sector-level flag meeting between the Pak Rangers and the BSF on October 29. The shelling had left BSF guard ML Meena dead and 31 others injured. |
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Pakistani national arrested in Jammu dist
Jammu, November 15 Though no weapon
or incriminating document was recovered from his possession, Akmal was interrogated about his motive of crossing over the border, said a BSF source. The BSF has put up a barbed fence on the Indian Territory behind the Zero Line to check infiltration attempts from Pakistan. Akmal was later handed over to the police. |
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Delay in funds allocation stalls golf course project
Jammu, November 15 The project started in 2007, but so far work on only nine-hole course has been completed and in the absence of basic infrastructure the course is yet to see any action. Spread over an area of 1,300 kanals, the course was, however, to be completed by September. Sources said the government was ignoring the project which was intended to attract high-end tourists to the city, particularly pilgrims visiting the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra. “Government is not releasing adequate funds for reasons better known to officials. It’s a state sector project and funds have to be made available by the state. It will take years before international events could be hosted here,” a senior Tourism Department official said on the condition of anonymity. The sanctioned cost of the project was Rs 44 crore. It included building of a recreational club, fish pond, botanical garden and a wildlife park. Director, Tourism, Sojanya Sharma, meanwhile, expressed hope that the course would be completed soon. “Half the proposed golf course has been completed and government will soon release remaining funds. It will be completed on fast track basis now,” Sharma said. “In recent years, J&K has taken up various measures to promote not only the adventure tourism in the state, but it is also trying to develop golf tourism,” he addd. The Tourism Director, however, did not elaborate on the reasons for the delay in fund allocation. There was a time when the then Chairman of the Golf Plan Association of United States, Ronald W Fream, had expressed his willingness to help Jammu and Kashmir develop golf and create other-related infrastructure, but poor planning and bureaucratic red tapism dashed any hopes to make the state a golfing destination. |
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Valley to have a date with Sufi music on Nov 17
Srinagar, November 15 The festival is aimed at reviving the age-old Sufiyana music and providing a common platform to the young and the old music composers of the Valley. “The festival is expected to revive the centuries-old traditional music of the Valley and create awareness about it among young music composers. It will also provide a common platform to young and old music composers,” event coordinator Amin said. A recent study on the ‘Origin and development of Sufiyana music in Kashmir’ by Kashmir University had revealed that the ethnic Sufiyana kalam was struggling for survival since the past two decades. Meanwhile, Amin said a galaxy of musicians, including this year’s Padma Shree award recipient Ustad Ghulam Muhammad Saznawaz, Abdul Rashid Hafiz and Raj Begum, will perform on the occasion. “Around 50 artistes will perform on the occasion, presenting various music genres. Kashmir-based world renowned Santoor player Bhajan Sopori is also expected to be present at the festival,” Amin said. “This year, the performances of veteran musicians will be complimented by the young musicians and singers, presenting an interesting mix of the conventional Kashmiri Sufiyana Kalam and the modern light, pop and instrumental music,” he added. He also said Shameema Azad, noted singer and wife Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, will be conferred the ‘Kashmiri musician of the year’ award on the occasion. |
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J&K mulls 500-MW power project in Odisha
Srinagar, November 15 The JKPDC and the country’s largest power producer, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), have already entered into a joint venture for the viability of the thermal project and development of the coal mine, an official said. “The 130 million-tonne coal block in Odisha has been provided to the state under the Central Government dispensation route and the power development corporation along with the NTPC is looking for the viability of the power project,” general manager, JKPDC, Iftikhar Ahmed told The Tribune. He added that the JKPDC is in process of identifying the site for the project and has roped in the SBI Caps, as a consultant, to identify the place where the power house will be set up. The company is likely to submit its report in this regard next week. Sources in the JKPDC, however, said the power project would most probably come up at Odisha and the electricity generated from it would later be supplied to Jammu and Kashmir. “The power house, in all likelihood, will come up
at Odisha,” an official source said. Despite having huge hydro electric power generation capacity, J&K continues to be power starved. In fact, during the winters the hydro power projects in the state generate only 100 MW, while the demand is for much more. The J&K Government, however, has claimed that it is working on various power projects to become power sufficient. The state has a target generation of 9000 MWs of power within next seven or eight years and necessary edifice has already been laid to achieve this stupendous task, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said recently. “The projects for generation of 2000 MWs of hydro electricity have been cleared and are under various stages of implementation,” Omar had said. A power department official said it will take another couple of decades to develop the power resources in the state. He, however, said the proposed thermal project will be a boon for the state economy. “It will take at least 20 years to develop our own power resources. Till then, this thermal project could be a boon for J&Ks economy,” the official said. Power crisis Despite having huge hydroelectric power generation capacity, J&K continues to be power starved. The scenario gets worse
during winters as the hydro power projects in the state generate only 100 MW of electricity. |
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Bandipora firing: Detained cop set free
Srinagar, November 15 “We have allowed him to go after recording his statement,” a police officer said. “We checked his service rifle and it could not be established that he was behind the incident,” the officer added. Congress workers Abdul Majeed Khan and Mudasir Ahmad Baba were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them on Wednesday evening in the Barzulla area of Bandipora, about 60 km from here. Baba, who was a part of the escort team guarding PDP MLA from Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat, had been detained after Congress leader from the area Usman Majeed alleged that the attack on Congress workers was politically motivated. Bhat, however, had claimed that he had nothing to do with the incident and the local Congress leader
had launched a false, frivolous and concocted campaign against him. — TNS |
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Assembly Speaker meets Guv
Jammu, November 15 During their meeting, Vohra and Gul discussed matters related to the rapid socio-economic advancement of the state. Gul briefed the Governor about the status of the construction of the new legislature complex in Jammu. Malhotra discussed legislative matters and issues related to the growth and advancement of the state with the Governor.
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BJP pins hopes on Modi’s Dec 1 rally
Jammu, November 15 Realising that the rally is a chance to again connect itself with the people, the BJP has decided to involve all social, political, religious and traders’ associations to make the rally a grand success. Modi is going to address a rally at Maulana Azad Stadium here on December 1, the same venue where AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi addressed the panchayat conference on November 6. The BJP is all out to seize the opportunity to connect itself with the people by raking the pro-Jammu sentiments. The cross-voting episode, in which seven of the total 11 BJP MLAs had voted in favour of the Congress and National Conference candidates in the Legislative Council elections on April 13, 2011, had badly tarnished the image of the BJP in the Jammu region. First time in the political history of the state, the BJP had crossed the double digit by winning 11 Assembly seats, but the party had lost its credibility due to cross-voting. Although the party high command had expelled the seven “rebel” MLAs, the party has failed to earn the faith of the people due to the image of some “loyalists”. The state unit of the party convened a meeting of associations and unions of various markets to seek their support for the rally. At the meeting, BJP leaders tried to convince that the rally would be an opportunity to give the message of “Jammu’s unity” so as to vociferously take up discrimination issue in the future. Trying to attach “Jammu’s pride” with Modi’s rally, the BJP leaders impressed representatives of market associations that the success of the rally would give a clear message to those who had been discriminating against the Jammu region. Sources in the party said it had also decided to contact the office-bearers of all ‘biradaries’ and ‘sabhas’, irrespective of their political affiliations. To involve the women folk in the rally, the BJP has decided to collect more than 1 lakh food packets from various localities of the city and outskirts for those who will come from rural areas. Control room set up The state unit of the BJP today set up a control room in its office premises here for the upcoming ‘Lalkar rally’ by party’s prime ministerial nominee and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. “It will be for the first time in the history of Jammu that such a mega rally will be organised and hence a number of wings, entrusted with separate responsibilities, need to be constituted,” BJP state president Jugal Kishore Sharma said. “The control room will function round-the-clock till December 1 and any suggestions, queries or information can be sought from the set up,” Sharma said while inaugurating the set up. He added that rally in charge Pawan Khajuria and his colleagues will be available at the control room for the convenience of the prospective participants. |
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Even as the ban on the main Muharram procession from the Abiguzar area of Srinagar was respected,
"Youm-e-Ashura" was observed in other parts of the Valley today.
The Western Command chief, Lt Gen Philip Campose, today visited the forward areas along the 198-km long international border in the Jammu region and reviewed the security scenario. “Lt General Campose visited the forward areas of the Jammu region today and reviewed the security situation,” officiating Defence spokesperson SN Acharya said.
Having already missed several deadlines, the completion of the ambitious 18-hole international golf course at
Sidhra, in the outskirts of the city, is still nowhere in sight. The construction work at the site has been stalled as the government has allegedly stopped funds for the last phase of project.
On Thursday, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is on a three-day tour of the erstwhile Doda district, announced upgrading of the district hospital in Kishtwar from 100 beds to 200 beds, maternity hospital for Kishtwar, 30-bedded hospitals for Marwah and Warwan, 22 new medical sub centres for Banihal and a number of primary health centres during public meetings in the Banihal and Doda areas
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while reviewing the health and medical education sector at a high-level meeting in Jammu on Thursday, said 600 new health sub-centres, including 238 in the hilly and remote areas of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts, had been proposed for the current financial year
