NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described teaching as a way of life and said it should not be called a profession or job.

"Teaching is not a profession or job, but a way of life - 'jeevan dharm'. A teacher never retires and always continues to endeavour to teach the new generation," Modi told 350 award-winning teachers at his residence here.

Speaking on the eve of Teachers Day, Modi said he fulfilled two wishes after becoming the Chief Minister of Gujarat: inviting his school friends and teachers to his residence.

"I always wished to call all the teachers who have taught me since childhood. For any child, teachers hold great importance ... after becoming the Chief Minister, I called and honoured them," Modi said to applause.

The 350 teachers will be honoured with a National Award by President Pranab Mukherjee Friday.

"If a society is to progress, its teachers must always be two steps ahead of time," Modi said. 

"They need to understand the changes happening across the world, and prepare the new generation accordingly by arousing curiosity in (the changes)." 

During the interaction, the teachers expressed their views on various aspects of teaching, said an official statement. — IANS 

JAMMU: The toll in the flash floods and related incidents in Poonch and Reasi districts in Jammu region today rose to 13 with reports of five more deaths, including that of an Army jawan.

The fresh causalities were reported from Poonch district, where three persons were washed away, while two women lost their lives in Reasi district, the police said.

Army Sepoy Balbir Singh was washed away during a rescue operation in Poonch, they said.

Four people were killed late Wednesday - two were washed away in flash floods in Poonch district of Jammu region, while two died in landslides triggered by flash floods in Badgam district of the Kashmir Valley.

Local Met Office Director Sonam Lotus has said more rainfall is expected in the state till Saturday.

"We are expecting a decrease in precipitation after Saturday evening," he said.
Earlier Wednesday, five members of a family were killed in a landslide in Reasi district of Jammu region, while a BSF inspector was killed in a bunker collapse on the LoC in Poonch district of the same region.

An alert has been sounded in Kulgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla, Shopian, Srinagar, Ganderbal, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts.

Both the Srinagar-Jammu and the Srinagar-Leh national highways have been closed.
Schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Srinagar, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag and Shopian districts of the Valley have also been shut Thursday.

Scores of villages, especially in south Kashmir areas, have been inundated with flood waters as police assisted by the army shifted families to safer places.

Seven labourers have been trapped by flood waters of Ferozepur stream in Kunzar (Tangmarg) area of Baramulla district. These labourers were working at a stone crusher, a senior police official said.

"Efforts to rescue the trapped labourers by a helicopter could not take place Wednesday evening due to inclement weather. We plan to launch the aerial rescue today (Thursday)," the officer said.

Flood waters entered Srinagar city's bone and joint hospital in the Barzalla area when it breached the embankment of the Doodh Ganga channel.

Flood waters and water logging due to inadequate drainage also inundated Safa Kadal, Eidgah, Nowshehra, Soura, Residency Road and several others areas in the city.

Authorities said the water level of the Jhelum river was on the rise. — Agencies

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday directed the administration to take all necessary measures to safeguard lives of people in the flood-hit areas of the state. "Omar directed for energetic, extensive and most effective rescue plan for saving the human lives," an official spokesman said after the Chief Minister reviewed the prevailing flood situation in the State at a high level meeting at Police Control Room here.

Minister for Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma, Minister of State Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and senior officials from civil administration and police department attended the meeting, the spokesman said.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Rohit Kansal and the Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Javaid Ahmad briefed the Chief Minister on the rescue and relief plan put in place to meet the exigencies arising due to flood threat and incessant rains.

The Chief Minister was given details of the arrangements made to ensure safety of people.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar stated that about 50 boats have been dispatched to South Kashmir from Srinagar for evacuation of people in the flood submerged areas.
Another 100 boats are being procured for the purpose, the spokesman said.

The Deputy Commissioners of various districts have been asked to procure boats from their districts for keeping these available to the people in flood areas, the spokesman said.

He said Indian Air Force has also been asked to keep air rescue plan in place for utilisation.

After holding the meeting, the Chief Minister visited various flood submerged areas in Srinagar city.

He visited Bones and Joints Hospital at Barzulla which is submerged under the flood water.

The Chief Minister interacted with patients and doctors and asked the administration to take all steps for ensuring safety of the inmates besides helping de-watering of the hospital area.

He examined the Jhelum Bund and the flood discharge in the River Jhelum at various places, including Ram Munshi Bagh. — PTI 

Sikh man stabbed to death in Pakistan

PESHAWAR: A Sikh man was stabbed to death by unidentified attackers in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, a media report said on Thursday.

Aamarjeet Singh was found murdered inside the warehouse of his shop in Shaheedan Bazaar of Mardan city yesterday.

His son Gagan Singh told police that he was at the family-owned cosmetics shop until 2 pm, when his father came and sent him home.

When Gagan returned at 5 pm, he found the shop's shutters pulled halfway down and his father was missing.

Gagan then went to the shop's adjacent warehouse, where he found his father's body.

Gagan said his family doesn't have any known enemies and have been residents of Dagai, Mardan, for many years.

The police have lodged an FIR and started investigation into the murder.

Last month, two men opened fire on three members of the Sikh community in Shabab Markat in the Hashtnagri area of Peshawar.

One man, Jagmot Singh, was killed while two others, Manmit Singh and Param Singh, were injured.

The men were shot at as they opened Manmit's cosmetics shops in the market. — PTI

JAMMU: Over 40 persons are missing after a bus carrying a marriage party, including the bride and groom, was washed away in flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district today.

The bus carrying nearly 50 persons, mostly members of a marriage party, was crossing the Laam-Darhal-Moushera road when it got washed away in the flash floods (of Gambhir river), a senior Army officer said.

An Army unit, which immediately reached the spot after the mishap, rescued four persons who had jumped off the bus, he said.

Those rescued include the driver and conductor of the bus.

The driver told the Army team that there were nearly 50 persons in the bus, the officer said.

The Army has launched an operation to search and rescue the victims, he said, adding that their whereabouts are not known.

SSP Mubasir Latiffee, who also rushed to the spot along with a police team for the rescue work, said, "We cannot tell the exact number of people washed away along with the bus." 

Meanwhile, a truck was also washed away in flash floods in Noushera of Rajouri district, the police said, adding that the details of the incident are awaited. — PTI

JAMMU: India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over repeated ceasefire violations along the border at a Brigade Commander-level flag meeting between the armies of the two countries.

"India and Pakistan armies held a Brigade Commander-level flag meeting along the Line of Control (LoC) at Chakan-Da-Bagh forward Post in Poonch district to discuss ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army on LoC yesterday", a senior Army officer said here on Thursday.

During the three-hour long meeting, the Indian side asked Pakistan to put an end to ceasefire violations along the border and maintain truce, the officer said.

While the Indian side was led by 10 Brigade Commander Brigadier Sanjay Thakran, the Pakistani side was led by Brigadier Atiq Dar.
During the meeting, both sides traded charges over the firing incidents, the officer said.

This is the first flag meeting held at the level of brigade commanders after heavy firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in Jammu and Samba districts along the International Border and Rajouri and Poonch districts along the LoC in Jammu region.

This the fourth flag meeting after Pakistan stepped up ceasefire violations along the border.Three flag meeting were held along IB between BSF and Pak Rangers.

India had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers at DGMO level hotline contact on August 26, when it was decided to hold a commandant and sector commander level flag meetings at the ground to defuse the tension.

On August 29, India and Pakistan held a sector commander (DIG-Brigadier) level flag meeting along IB in R S Pura belt of Jammu district. India had lodged a strong protest with Pak over ceasefire violations.

BSF troops and Pak Rangers held a Battalion Commandant level flag-meeting with Rangers along IB at Ballard BoP on August 28.

On August 27, India and Pakistan held a commandant level flag meeting at Nikowal Border Out Post (BoP) along IB in Pargwal sub-sector of Akhnoor sector in Jammu district.

There have been 95 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC this year. Pakistan has also breached the ceasefire pact 36 times on the IB this year.
Last year, there were over 340 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the IB and LoC. -PTI

NEW DELHI: Amid indications that a nuclear deal could be in the offing, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrived in Mumbai this morning on a two-day India visit during which the two countries would look at ways to deepen strategic ties and strengthen two-way trade and commerce.

Mr. Abbott landed in the financial capital, his first port of call, on a day-long visit during which he will interact with business leaders and select Indian CEOs.

He will also attend the launch of the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan in India and be present for the felicitation of young cricketers by Australian cricketers like Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee at the Cricket Club of India. India’s Sachin Tendulkar will also attend the ceremony.

Mr. Abbott is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of sports but details have not been disclosed so far.

He will also lay a wreath at the memorial for the victims of 26/11 attacks at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace.

A big-ticket item on Mr. Abbott’s agenda as he leaves for the national capital in the evening, however, would be a civil nuclear deal with India efforts for which have been underway since 2012 after the Labour party reversed its decision to ban the sale of uranium to India because of New Delhi not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

“I am hoping to sign a nuclear co-operation agreement that will enable uranium sales by Australia to India,” he told the parliament on the eve of his visit to India. — PTI