Srinagar, September 3
Due to heavy rain in the Valley since early morning, waterlogging occurred in many parts of the city. People blamed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for the waterlogging, which they said was due to the failure of the drainage system.

Almost all the interior and main roads were inundated as people were seen struggling to cross the roads. A few of them were seen requesting private vehicle owners to help them cross the road. The roads from Solina to Jahangir Chowk were submerged in water. Locals said earlier when the entire city was inundated, the authorities had promised to improve the drainage system, but nothing had been done so far.

Shopkeepers of Poloview, Saraibla, Residency road and Exhibition road said the incessant rain had resulted into waterlogging, thus blocking all the roads.

They said despite drawing the attention of the authorities towards the poor drainage system, nothing had been done so far. They said they were facing huge losses. “Rainfall for one hour inundates all the main and connecting roads of Srinagar. We are facing huge losses because the authorities here are not serious in solving our problem. Every year the government is seen building drains, but they fail after months,” said a businessman from Srinagar city.

“The authorities wake up only when we protest. At times we have to close our shops because there is no drainage system in the place due to which customers do not come,” said a shopkeeper of the city.

In many areas, the rain had also affected electricity and water supply. Those living in colonies in most of the low-lying areas in the south city lack proper drainage system due to which the area gets inundated during the rains. Shopkeepers said they failed to comply with the needs of tourists as roads and paths were inundated during the rains. The Weather Department has said spells of rain is expected to continue in Jammu and Kashmir till Friday.

When officials of the SMC were asked about the drainage system in the city, they said it was yet to be completed. “The drainage system has been designed in a way to take 10mm rainfall and if there is more rain, it results in waterlogging. We have already started improving the drainage system from the Jahangir Chowk side,” said Jankar Nath, drainage officer, SMC. He said in other parts of the city, the older drainage system was in place and they were taking steps to improve it.

Though water level in major water bodies has also increased, there are no immediate threats of flood.

Jammu, September 3
Though the striking workers of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department have suspended their agitation for one week, but people faced a lot of hardships as water taps remained dry for three days.

Facing no supply of water for the last 72 hours, resentment brewed among the residents across Jammu and protests erupted at several areas in the region over what the people allege apathetic attitude of the government towards the sufferings of the masses.

With tanker service also stopped by the striking employees, people are forced to bring water from the pumping stations or buy mineral water bottles to quench their thirst. In several localities, people boiled water of their overhead tanks for the drinking purpose.

Though the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department claims that the engineering staff has been engaged to ensure supply of drinking water, but majority of the residential colonies in Jammu and other tows of the state have not received drinking water.

“There is fight between workers and the government and it is the common man who is suffering. If they have an issue, the administration should have solved it so that residents do not have to face hardships,” said Kamal Kishore Sharma, a retired government employee.

The city areas like Purani Mandi, Bakshi Nagar, Panjthirthi, Kachi Chawni, Parade, Jain Bazaar, Roop Nagar, Janipur, Indira Colony, Buta Nagar, Naseeb Nagar, Ploura, Durga Nagar, Muthi, Ban Talab, New Plots, Sainik Colony, Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Trikuta Nagar, Bathindi, Sunjwan, Narwal and Greater Kailash are reeling under water shortage.

At the moment, the city has a requirement of 42 million gallon litre (MGL) of water per day and the net requirement of potable water is 45 MGL per day.

“We have to bring water from a relative from Bohri as they have a tubewell. The crisis should end as it is becoming unbearable as we don’t have water for bathing,” said Ranjana Charak, a resident of Old City.

When contacted, Chief Engineer, PHE, Sushil Aima claimed that the water supply has resumed this evening. “We have engaged our regular staff at pumping stations. Major parts of the city will receive supply by Thursday noon,” Aima said.

Jammu, September 3
Various political parties and organisations have expressed concern over the disruption of water supply in Jammu city and surrounding areas for 72 hour due to the ongoing strike by PHE employees.

Led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Kavinder Gupta, district president Subash Jandiyal and Rajesh Gupta, a large number of party activists today took out a protest march against the state government demanding regular supply of water and regularisation of services of daily wagers of the PHE Department.

Kavinder Gupta, while lashing out at the government, said the government has failed to negotiate with the protesting PHE daily wage employees and totally ignored the problems being faced by the people of the entire Jammu region.

He added that the government should immediately resolve the issue and ensure that neither public is made to suffer, nor the PHE employees are forced to resort to agitation.

While expressing full support to the protesting PHE employees, Rajesh Gupta and Subash Jandial said their genuine demands should be considered forthwith as they have been agitating for the same for the last 12 years.

The party has expressed serious concern on the continuing strike by PHE employees and failure of talks between the state government and agitating employees. “The general public is suffering a lot because of disruption of water supply in the city and other areas and the life of the common man has been badly affected,” a party press note said.

State spokesperson of the BJP Sunil Sethi said, “The whole problem has been created because of stubborn and unreasonable attitude of the state government, which has been ignoring the genuine demands of PHE employees and no efforts have been made to resolve the long-pending issues, thereby leading to worsening of the situation and forcing employees to come on the streets.”

He also called upon PHE employees to devise other ways of agitation and resume duties forthwith so that public is not made to suffer because of the disruption of water supply.

Secretary, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), Neeraj Gupta has urged upon the government to restore drinking water supply, immediately. In a statement, Gupta said the civil administration should take note of the prevailing situation and the water supply should be restored at any cost.

He appealed to the striking employees to choose other mode of protest instead of stopping water supply. He added that there are many ways to protest and they could choose any of them.

“The best way is that striking PHE employees should stop drinking water themselves, instead of depriving others from this basic amenity of life,” Gupta said.

Gupta said he supports the genuine demands of the striking PHE employees, but disrupting the water supply could not be justified. He suggested them to restore water supply in order to gain the sympathy of the general public and choose other way of protest in support of their demands.

State president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tulsi Dass Langeh and stage general secretary Rakesh Wazir in a joint statement supported the genuine demands of PHE daily wagers, who are agitating against the alleged non-serious approach of the government towards their demands.

Langeh said on the one hand, the government was serious with regard to the salaries and pension benefits of the legislatures and bringing law in this regard and on the other hand the government is not considering enhancement in wages of daily wagers of the department.

Meanwhile, the Pensioner Association, J&K, today held a meeting under the leadership of Mulkh Raj Sharma, retired DSP, in connection with the major water crisis in Jammu city and other parts of the state. The association criticised the government for not accepting the demands of employees of the PHE Department, which have been pending for a long time.

Madan Lal Abrol, general secretary of the association, supported the demands of PHE Department employees and assured full moral support to them. The association observed that the demands of the employees are genuine and the PHE Minister should take an initiative to solve the problems of the striking employees.

He also stressed upon the government to take immediately step to resolve the crisis so that the people should not suffer for want of water.

Others who attended the meeting were Jagdish Dogra, Raj Kumar Sharma, Mohammad Shafi, Bodh Raj Sharma, Kapil Dev and Madan Lal.

Jammu, September 3
Striking daily wage workers of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department in Jammu region on Wednesday suspended their agitation for one week following an assurance by the government that their demand for regularisation would be considered by the Cabinet.

PHE Chief Engineer Sushil Aima met representatives of the PHE Workers Welfare Association led by its general secretary Subhash Verma, after which the staff decided to resume work, bringing an end to the agony of more than 50 lakh people who did not receive drinking water for three days.

“Workers have agreed to suspend their strike for one week and will resume duty today,” the Chief Engineer said. Officials said the government was considering to enforce Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance from Thursday if workers continued their agitation.

Workers had been demanding regularisation, promised by the government. Tuesday’s meeting between representatives of the association and the government remained inconclusive, after which workers extended their strike.

There are nearly 16,000 casual and need based workers in Jammu division and nearly 7,000 workers in Kashmir. They manage the entire water supply to consumers and are paid a meagre honorarium after a delay of months.

Taking up a public interest litigation on Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court directed the administration to ensure supply of drinking water to residents.

“We have to abide by the order and everything will be done to ensure that people do not suffer. If workers continue to disrupt work, we are considering the ordinance,” said Jammu Divisional Commissioner Shantmanu.

Association members said people had been suffering due to the policies of the present regime. “We do not want people to suffer, but consider the plight of workers who have given their youth to the department in the hope of getting permanent jobs. Our demands are genuine as the government made a promise,” said Verma.

The Cabinet had approved the mechanism for regularisation in 2009, passing directions to the departments to furnish details about workers so that financial and legal issues could be sorted out.

The process of regularising thousands of daily rate workers and casual labourers got delayed as the departments failed to submit details to a sub-committee set up by the government.

Jammu, September 3
State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) MY Tarigami today demanded proper compensation to the people affected by recent heavy shelling by Pakistan on border and urged the Central Government to ensure safety of the people.

Tarigami also urged the Central Government to continue dialogue with the Pakistan Government to ensure people on the borders don’t suffer and sanctity of 2003 ceasefire agreement is maintained along the Line of Control (LoC) in the state.

Addressing a press conference, Tarigami said the two neighbouring countries observed ceasefire over a decade and had taken steps to normalise relations, but recent violent incidents on the border have saddened one and all.

“We all are pained by the death and destruction on our borders and it is the poor people who suffer the consequences of the prolonged conflict. Peace should be given a chance so that border residents can live without fear,” Tarigami said.

He said hostility at border is casting its affect on the life of the people living close to the border.

Urging the leadership of the two countries to play their roles in cessation of hostilities along the border, Tarigami said the recent diplomatic deadlock needs to be reviewed and channels of communication be opened for the peace and amity in the region. “Let India and Pakistan fight their greater internal enemies — poverty, corruption and sectarian violence — than fight each other on the border,” he said.

Jammu, September 3
The BJP is exerting pressure on the National Panthers Party (NPP) to contest the coming Assembly elections on the lotus symbol.

There is apprehension among BJP leaders that the NPP will break the alliance in case the BJP fails to get adequate numbers.

Sources said during deliberations earlier, the BJP was insisting on Panthers Party leaders to merge their party with the BJP.

“This proposal could not materialise because NPP leaders were adamant on a separate identity,” a source said, adding that after failure on merger, the BJP was insisting that all alliance candidates contest the elections on the lotus sign.

“It is an open secret that NPP leaders have cordial relations with the Peoples Democratic Party so there is apprehension among our leadership that the NPP would snap ties after the elections. There is a consensus among BJP leaders that lotus symbol should be allotted to the NPP candidates so as to keep the flock together after the elections,” a senior BJP leader told The Tribune on the condition of anonymity.

Sources said the Panthers Party was earlier demanding at least a dozen Assembly seats to enter into an alliance with the BJP but now the party had shown some flexibility.

Jammu, September 3
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to visit the forward areas on the international border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu on September 5 to take stock of the prevailing situation.

“Though we have not been given a confirmed date, the Home Minister is likely to visit the Octroi post and Abdulian village on September 5,” said a senior BSF officer.

“The state government in tandem with the BSF has already submitted an itinerary for the Home Minister’s visit,” the officer said.

On August 29 a sector-commander level flag meeting was held at the Octroi post to bring an end to the 45-day long duel between the BSF and Pak Rangers that left one jawan and two civilians dead and scores of others injured.

The heavy firing and shelling from across the border had also displaced over 5,000 families in the forward villages along the border.

Earlier, Rajnath Singh was expected to visit the international border on August 29, but couldn’t make it because of a hectic schedule. The visit couldn’t mature even on September 1 and 2.

During his maiden visit as a Home Minister to the forward area, Rajnath Singh is expected to interact with the BSF personnel and villagers.

Yesterday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had visited the affected families in the RS Pura sector to enquire about their well-being.

The BSF officer, meanwhile, said normal farming activity has started on either side of the border in the Arnia and RS Pura sub-sectors.

An RS Pura resident said the farming activity had picked up momentum in the forward villages.

Srinagar, September 3
The ruling National Conference is facing a divide within the party in Ganderbal Assembly constituency, which is considered its stronghold. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), upbeat after its sweep of three parliamentary seats in the Kashmir region, has fielded Omar Abdullah’s 2002 arch-rival Qazi Mohammad Afzal from this prized central Kashmir seat.

The National Conference is now finding itself indecisive in Ganderbal, where electors in 2008 had voted overwhelmingly for Omar, as the public display of anger marred its workers’ meeting yesterday. The ruling party is facing a tough fight from the PDP in the upcoming Assembly elections. In the 2002 Assembly poll, PDP candidate Afzal won from the constituency, defeating Omar in his debut Assembly election.

The divide within the National Conference ranks in Ganderbal was evident on Tuesday when senior party leaders, including general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar and Kashmir zone president Nasir Aslam Wani, were attending a workers’ meeting there.

As the meeting was underway, a group of workers raised slogans in favour of another National Conference leader Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar, who at one time was tipped to be the party’s candidate from Ganderbal. The other group of workers reciprocated by shouting slogans in favour of the constituency’s incumbent legislator, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The sloganeering led to a clash between the two groups of party workers. Wani, the National Conference provincial president and a confidant of Omar, rashly attempted to kick some workers supporting Jabbar, eyewitnesses said. The picture of Wani trying to stomp over a party worker has been widely circulated on social networking sites.

Wani later termed the incident “normal” in the run-up to a “crucial election when workers try to plead for their leaders”. “Both sides had started to turn it into an ugly thing. Workers were becoming violent and I had to get down (from the stage) with my senior colleagues, then there was shoving from both sides. No one was hurt and no one has complained,” Wani said.

The incident has come at a time when the National Conference, shocked by its defeat in the parliamentary elections, remains indecisive about the constituencies from where Omar will contest and is deliberating on three seats which it considers safe, including Ganderbal.

At one stage, nearly a fortnight back, sources said party leaders had decided to field Omar from Sonawar and Hazratbal constituencies and Jabbar was shortlisted for Ganderbal. Former Chief Secretary Sheikh Ghulam Rasool was also being considered for the candidature.

As the deliberations continued, the sources said, senior party leaders vetoed against Omar’s leaving Ganderbal saying it would be a “psychological setback” for the party as the Abdullah family had been contesting from the constituency since 1977.

In 2008, Ganderbal voted overwhelmingly for Omar as he secured 16,519 votes and defeated the PDP’s Afzal by a margin of 8,215 votes.

Jammu, September 3
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today ordered enhanced supply of power to the Jagti township for displaced Kashmiri Hindus in Jammu.

The decision came after Member Legislative Council (MLC) Vijay Bakaya took up the issue during his meeting with the Chief Minister in Srinagar. He sought enhanced power supply to the township by increasing the number of hours, bringing it at par with the adjoining areas.

Omar immediately issued instructions to the Power Development Department (PDD) for increasing the duration of the power supply.

Bakaya, who was accompanied by provincial president of the National Conference Devender Singh Rana, expressed his gratitude to Omar for the immediate response to the problem being faced by the displaced people on account of power supply in Jagati. Bakaya also discussed various other issues of the welfare of Kashmiri Hindus in Jammu and elsewhere.

Srinagar, September 3
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated a synthetic turf football stadium at the TRC Polo Ground here which is the first of its kind in the state.

The synthetic turf for the stadium has been procured from Limonta, Italy, and is laid over six years of base course. The stadium has a capacity for 15,000 spectators with facility for car parking also. The field, which is of international standard size, has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 4.50 crore.

Interacting with sportspersons who were present on the occasion besides representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association, the Chief Minister said development of sports and nurturing the talent in different games was receiving full attention of the government. He said various new stadia had been completed while many were in the process of execution.

The Chief Minister said the Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar, was being re-built and upgraded to the international standard to host national and international events in football and athletics. He said an amount of Rs 100 crore was being spent on this project. He said Rs 100 crore were also being spent on making the MAM Stadium, Jammu, to the international standard and equipping with all modern facilities.

Omar said his government is encouraging sports activities at the district and block level by providing various facilities to the young people in different fields.

He said during the last about six years scores of sports fields had been developed, besides providing added sports facilities in existing stadia.

The Chief Minister said sports talent in schools, colleges and universities was also being nurtured to develop sportspersons of excellence in all the fields of sports. He said during the last six years, sportspersons of Jammu and Kashmir had exhibited their excellence and bagged first and other prizes and medals in different events at the national and international levels. He underlined the need of nurturing sports talent right from the childhood. He emphasised on enhancing sports activities in the state and encouraging more and more youth to take part in different sports.

Jammu, September 3
The All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association (AJHLA) has welcomed the laying of foundation stone of the multi-tier parking building by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday and demanded that other pending projects related to tourism development in the city should also been completed.

Speaking on the occasion, senior member of the association Inderjeet Khajuria said if the project was not completed in the stipulated time, than the cost of Rs 131-crore mega project would get escalated.

Khajuria hailed Omar Abdullah for keeping up his promise regarding provision of facility of a bus terminal for 75 busses in the proposed building.

Welcoming the inauguration of 27-MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Bhagwati Nagar, the association hoped that the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) would keep its promise of giving connections by September end, which would give a great relief to the suffering hoteliers.

Srinagar, September 3
The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) today condemned the postponement of the Gurdwara Management Committee elections.

It threatened to launch an agitation if an independent probe was not initiated into the frequent delays in the elections.

“Every Sikh individual is ready to hit the streets and agitate against the present regime and the APSCC will spearhead the agitation. Sikhs will protest and it will shake the government and the rulers. They should understand that the government works for the people but unfortunately their anti-people policies will be destructive for them. This time no excuse will be accepted. The government seems to be failing on every front and election postponement is a glaring example,” APSCC chairman Jagmohan Raina said in a statement.

Stating that the postponement of the elections exhibited the ‘non-seriousness’ of the government towards the demands of the Sikh community, Raina said the authorities should come clean about their policy towards the minorities.

He said the elections were being deferred since 2008 and ‘further ignorance on the part of government will be disastrous for the whole community’.

Stating that after the government’s assurance to hold the elections this year, the candidates had even distributed manifestos and the postponement has generated a ‘wave of anger’ against the present rulers.

The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee demanded an independent probe behind the reasons for the delay in the elections and warned to launch an agitation if the process was not conducted before the Assembly elections.

Raina also threatened to make ‘present rulers suffer’ in the coming Assembly elections in case their demand was not looked into.

Srinagar, September 3
The government today denied the reports that picturesque Yusmarg was being leased to the Army for conducting artillery exercise and said there was no question of replacing the firing range at Tosmaidan in central Kashmir’s Budgam district with Yusmarg.

Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather termed the reports as “baseless and ill-conceived”.

“There is no question of replacing Tosamaidan with Yusmarg. There is no such move from the government,” the Minister said.

Dispelling apprehensions in this regard, the Rather said: “Yusmarg is one of the famous tourist resorts of the state where basic tourism infrastructure is being developed at a fast pace.”

The minister said it was beyond one’s imagination that a developed tourist place like Yusmarg would be allowed to be used for the artillery exercise.

“It seems some vested interests are raking up the issue unnecessarily to play mischief and create confusion among the people,” he said and appealed people not to pay heed to such “baseless rumors”.

The Tosamaidan firing range had been leased to the Army for a period of 50 years in 1964. Its lease expired in July this year and the government is looking for an alternate site for the firing range.

Sources said the area was being cleared off the explosive material and the exercise was expected to be completed within next two months.

However, the government, which is looking for an alternative site for the firing range is yet to take any decision.

The range was being used by all the security forces posted in Kashmir, including the Army, the BSF and the Air Force.

Jammu, September 3
The state government today constituted district-level committees to provide assistance under the Central scheme to civilian victims or family of terrorist, communal and Naxal violence.

The scheme, launched by the Union Home Ministry, is aimed at assisting “civilian victims of terrorist violence, including militancy, insurgency, communal and Naxal violence’.

The Deputy Commissioner concerned will be the chairman of the six-member committee at the district level while the District Superintendent of Police (SP), District Social Welfare Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Planning Officer and the Child Development Project Officer, district headquarters, will be the other members.

Under the clause 6 of the guidelines of the scheme, the district-level committees will be assigned the task of examining the eligibility claims and will look into the police report or FIR, death-cum-postmortem certificate in the event of death and medical certificate in the event of permanent incapacitation, birth certificate of the claimant (if minor), eligibility certificate issued by the SP in case of Naxal violence and any other documents as considered necessary for determining the legitimate claimant.

The committees will identify the beneficiaries and verify their eligibility for assistance in accordance with the guidelines laid down in the scheme.

An amount of Rs 3 lakh will be given for each death or permanent incapacitation to the affected family under the scheme.

Srinagar, September 3
NC leader and Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP and the PDP, accusing them of an evil partnership and terming “right wing propaganda” as dangerous.

Sagar claimed that there was a tactical partnership between the BJP and the PDP, terming it a dangerous development “that does not augur well for communal harmony and prosperity”.

Addressing workers in central Kashmir, Sagar said party president Farooq Abdullah had repeatedly expressed alarm over “PDP’s tacit support to BJP” during the General Election.

“Perhaps, at that time, possibility of such an evil partnership was incomprehensible to the people. Today, all doubts have been put to rest and it is evident that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has agreed to do BJP’s work in Kashmir and is leaving no stone unturned to help its candidates in Jammu region,” Sagar said.

Kashmir zone NC president Nasir Aslam Wani and Sagar addressed meetings at Khan Sahib and Beerwah in Budgam district and Batamaloo and Amira Kadal in Srinagar. — TNS

Samba, September 3
Director General of Police K Rajendra today inaugurated the newly constructed building of the Ghagwal police station at Ghagwal in Samba district.

The DGP was accompanied by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Rajesh Kumar and Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Mubarak Singh.

K Rajendra later held a meeting of officers and jawans where DIG, Jammu-Kathua Range, Shakeel Ahmed Beigh; SSP, Samba, Anil Magotra were also present.

While addressing the meeting, the DGP appreciated the Samba police for eliminating crime and said the situation had improved as compared to the last few years. He said the police had played a vital role in maintaining law and order and emphasised upon the jawans to perform their duty with the same spirit and dedication to eliminate crime so that the area was declared free of crime.

“The process of community policing is being implemented in the state and will be completed in the coming days. The living standard of jawans will also be improved by providing sufficient facilities,” said the DGP, adding that to promote communal harmony and brotherhood, a number of civic action programmes are being carried out in the Jammu-Kathua Range.

Srinagar, September 3
With their repeated pleas falling on deaf ears, non-migrant Pandits on Tuesday threatened to take to New Delhi their fight against the government’’s ‘’biased’’ policies towards them.

“We have tried all means to highlight our concerns, but continue to get stepmotherly treatment. If our issues are not heard in the coming days, we will sit on an indefinite dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi,” said Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir spokesperson Chunni Lal.

Around 630 non-migrant Pandit families across the Valley, some internally displaced, had been seeking a proper rehabilitation and employment package for long. They had been alleging that the government was only bothered about migrants and hardly cared about those who had stayed on.

The body had earlier warned that it would not allow implementation of the package for return of migrants in case measures were not announced for non-migrants as well.

Jammu, September 3
Noted Sanskrit scholar Dr Ved Kumari Ghai has said Kashmir is central to the Indian ethos and profound contribution of Sanskrit scholars of the Valley have laid the basis of the vast Indian cultural output which also influenced other regions of the world.

Dr Ghai was speaking at a function organised by the Sanjeevni Sharda Kendra (SSK) to celebrate “Sharda Ashtami”, the presiding deity of Kashmir. She said “Sharda” represents the intellectual and cultural pinnacle of Indian learning, the reason why she was called the goddess of learning.

Further elaborating upon the symbolism, Dr Ghai said it should be the joint endeavour of all the Indians to create a conscious movement so that “Sharda” pilgrimage to the ancient temple, now in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), was accorded international pilgrimage status.

Another speaker Swami Ekarthanand of the Ram Krishna Mission Udheywala also spoke on the occasion and threw light on Swami Vivekananda.

Two towering intellectuals of the state Dr Kashi Nath Pandita, former Director of Central Asian Studies, and noted spiritual poet Master Zinda Kaul were awarded ‘Sharda Puraskar’ on the occasion. Master Zinda Kaul was given the award posthumously.

BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma said the party was always committed to the welfare of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community and would strive hard to enable them to return to their homeland with honour and dignity.

Two books titled “Kaunsarnag Mahathayam – Ethasak Tathya” written by HK Siddha and “Vandana”, a book based upon the life of Acharya Pandit Keshev Bhat Jyotshi, were released on the occasion.

Srinagar, September 3
The 520th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Shri Chanderji was celebrated with religious fervour here today.

The religious functions were held at the Shri Chander Chinar Bada Akhara Udasin 
Trust located at the Residency Road.

The organising secretary of the Shri Chander Chinar Bada Akhara Udasin Trust said three-day celebrations had begun from September 1 and the same concluded today with performing of ‘havan’ (puranahuti), ‘satsang katha’ and ‘keertan’.

The organising secretary of the trust said devotees from different parts of the country thronged the trust on the festive occasion. Devotees revere the temple at Residency Road because of a chinar tree that had been planted by Shri Chanderji during his visit to Kashmir.

Srinagar, September 3
The School of Legal Studies, Central University of Kashmir (CUK), organised a three-day orientation programme for newcomers.

The programme comprised series of lectures and interaction between the newcomers of the department and university officials. The programme came to an end with the concluding speech of Mehraj-Ud-Din Mir, officiating Vice Chancellor of the university.

Appreciating the initiative of the School of Legal Studies, Mehraj-Ud-Din said throughout his long academic career and visits to several universities, he was yet to experience such a programme. He said usually students were subjected to harassment and ragging on their joining a new institution.

Over here, instead of harassing, the department organised an orientation programme for them.

He emphasised upon the diversified scope of law course. He said a degree like law makes students self-sufficient and vigilant.

MA Zargar, Registrar, too had an interaction with the students. He gave a comprehensive lecture on the working of the Central University of Kashmir and the facilities that were made available to the students. He assured them that the university would leave no stone unturned to make their stay on the campus as comfortable as possible. He pointed out that the university would strive to uphold the excellent academic standards.

Controller of Examination, NA Gilkar, gave the students a brief introduction regarding the examination pattern followed by the university.

Sheikh Showkat Hussain, Head, School of Legal Studies, gave a detailed introduction of the school. He dwelt on various aspects of the BA LLB course and emphasised that the school was keen on maintaining high academic standards and would not embark upon an expansive exercise bereft of quality.

Srinagar, September 3
The daily and casual workers of various departments will attempt to gherao the civil secretariat tomorrow against the government’s failure to address their demands.

Even as the workers were earlier scheduled to attempt Secretariat gherao today, they deferred their programme due to inclement weather conditions.

“We postponed our programme due to incessant rains and we will march towards the Secretariat tomorrow after gathering at the Sher-e-Kashmir Park,” Jammu and Kashmir Casual and Daily Wagers Forum (JKCDWF) president Sajad Ahmad Parray said.

He said daily wagers and casual workers of all the government departments would take part in the protest march.

The main demand of the JKCDWF is regularisation of all the daily wagers and casual workers that were engaged after 1994 in various government departments. They have also been demanding increase in remunerations and timely release of payments.

Regretting that their demands had not been met despite frequent protests and strikes in the past, Parray said they would intensify their agitation in case their pleas continued to fall on deaf ears.

Srinagar, September 3
Jammu and Kashmir will be among the five states wherein students will interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Teacher’s Day, which is observed on September 5.

“Kendriya Vidyalaya students in Leh will participate in a question and answer session with the Prime Minister at the National Informatics Centre in the town after his speech,” Secretary for Education Nirmal Sharma has said.

Modi will interact with students from Ladakh through a satellite link. The Education Department plans to cover nearly 24,000 government and private schools in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh divisions, where Modi’s speech will be telecast live from 3 pm to 4:45 pm.

In Jammu division, school timings have been changed to ensure that students listen to the speech. Instead of 8 am to 2 pm, schools will remain open from 10 am to 4 pm that day.

In Kashmir, where schools have half day on Fridays, the Secretary for Education has directed chief education officers to ensure that schools have a full day on Teacher’s Day, which is on Friday.

In view of power and net connectivity restraints in remote areas, schools have been directed to hire transistors and televisions.

The Kashmir Private Schools United Front declared that it will defy the Education Department’s directive on telecasting the speech. Its chairman GN War said over 2,000 private schools would not follow the directive as the speech would politicise education.

He said private schools would face difficulty in arranging for TVs and amplifiers. Schools in the Valley have half day on Fridays for afternoon prayers and it will be difficult to assemble students, he added.

“The Secretary for Education cannot direct us to make such elaborate arrangements,” he said.

The Secretary for Education has said the initiative of the ministry should not be sensationalised as political propaganda.

Srinagar, September 3
The 8th batch of 558 pilgrims departed from here to Medina in the Saudi Arabia for the annual Haj pilgrimage.

An official said 358 men and 200 women embarked from the Srinagar International Airport in two flights for the pilgrimage.

On the occasion, Director Airport Authority, Srinagar, officials of the State Hajj Committee, Srinagar, and officials of the district administration, Budgam, were also present.

A total of 3,298 pilgrims, including 1,890 men and 1,408 women, have left for Medina, Munawara, till date for the annual Haj pilgrimage.

Srinagar, September 3
The Industries and Commerce Department organised a seminar on the topic “Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises” here today.

An official said the seminar was organised in association with the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), Mumbai.

Speaking on the occasion, Financial Commissioner, Industries and Commerce, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai urged the banks/ financial institutions to avail benefits available under the scheme to ease the credit flow to micro and small enterprises in the state.

The official said the participants said the credit guarantee scheme could be useful in providing timely and adequate credit facilities to micro and small enterprises and bank/financial institutions should come forward for extending collateral free loans to the sector by availing guarantee cover under the scheme.

The programme also deliberated upon credit-related problems being faced by micro and small enterprises.

MP Singh, Additional Development Commissioner, (MSME) Government of India; SL Choudhury, CEO, Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises, and Mushtaq Ahmad, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, were also present on the occasion.

Jammu, September 3
Indira Gandhi Government Dental College (IGGDC), Jammu, organised the Indian Dental Association (IDA) - Colgate Future Dental Professionals Programme in its auditorium here today.

All the heads of Departments, faculty members and BDS students participated in the function. Dr Romesh Singh, Principal, IGGDC, was the chief guest. Sumeet Gandotra represented Colgate India in the function. Scientific lectures for dental students, hands-on training and e-poster competition were organised. — TNS

Kupwara, September 3
Residents of Kralpora town in Kupwara district killed a rabid dog Tuesday after the canine bit at least 23 people including women.

Ali Mohammad, who was injured critically in the attack, was shifted to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital, Srinagar, for treatment.

Residents said a stray dog infected with rabies went on rampage yesterday and bit whosoever came in its way. “The dog chased people and bit them one after another. We attacked the canine with sticks and sharp edged weapons and killed him but not before it had injured at least 23 people in just two hours,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a local.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kupwara, Muneer Ahmad Khawaja said the victims were being treated at a Kralpora hospital. “They were administered anti-rabies vaccine and are recovering fast. The director health had recently sent sufficient stock of the vaccine to major hospitals in Kupwara,” the CMO said.

Rajouri, September 3
The police here have booked a youth for allegedly raping a minor.

Rohit Kumar, a resident of Karain village, was booked following a complaint by the victim’s father.

Ramesh Chander, the father of the accused, however, said his son was innocent and was being deliberately framed in the case.

He said the girl was in love with her son and wanted to marry him.

The police, meanwhile, conducted the medical examination of the girl and were awaiting the report for further action. — OC