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J&K mobile users not to get global roaming facility Strike hits life in valley, JKLF leaders held Nine to join J & K ministry today |
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Civic body gets new Commissioner Jammu, February 11 The Jammu and Kashmir government yesterday appointed Mr B.D. Sharma Commissioner of the Jammu Municipal Corporation removing Mr Jeet Lal Gupta from the post. Mr Sharma is presently Deputy Commissioner Kathua.
Two police personnel and two others were killed by the militants while security forces recovered large cache of arms and ammunition including grenades and UBGLs in the Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours. UK diplomat holds talks with separatists Ms Sarah Lampert, Political Secretary in the New Delhi-based British High Commission, held talks with separatist leaders here today.
Panthers Party for White Paper on militants’ rehabilitation
In an attempt to make the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation more viable and self-sustaining, the Board of Directors has approved a voluntary retirement scheme and a moratorium on the filling of posts vacated through the scheme. Srinagar, February 11 Traffic resumed on the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway this morning after the road block caused by landslides and snow was cleared. NGOs given Rs 42.91 lakh in J&K The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, has provided Rs 42.91 lakh assistance to non-government organisations and state government for the welfare of destitute children and persons with disability from 1999-2000 to 2001-02.
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J&K mobile users not to get global roaming facility Jammu, February 11 The BSNL had reportedly made arrangements for providing international roaming here, but the orders came suddenly not to release the facility to the subscribers. A separate cell is learnt to have been established by the security agencies to monitor the usage of mobile phones. Despite resistance of the security agencies, it was after a lot of political pressure that the mobile phone service was introduced by the BSNL here on August 15. No private operator has so far entered Jammu and Kashmir and SIM cards of the BSNL are being issued carefully by scrutinising certain documents. The security agencies have banned the beaming of BSNL mobile signals in a 10-km range along the Indo-Pakistan border. However, such restrictions have not been imposed on border districts of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. So far, over 14,000 cellular connections each have been issued in Jammu and Srinagar. Applicants in Kathua and Udhampur district are now been given SIM cards. The subscribers are resentful of monthly bills that have been mostly sent as SMS this time. A large number of subscribers have not received the bills by post although the last day for payment is February 13. The BSNL has issued more than 14,000 cellular connections in the past five months but has failed to streamline the billing system. Bill collection centres here have refused to issue duplicate bills to the subscribers. The BSNL today inserted advertisements in certain local papers asking the subscribers to make the payments by quoting on slip their account number, invoice number and mobile number as proper bills were not required for the purpose. |
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Strike hits life in valley, JKLF leaders held Srinagar, February 11 Separatist leaders, including JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik, his deputy Javed Ahmad Mir and Shabir Ahmad Shah of the DFP, were detained by the police and prevented from proceeding towards the office of the UN Military Observers Group at Sonwar here. The leaders were going to the office to submit a memorandum addressed to the UN Secretary-General. While shops and business establishments remained closed throughout the valley, skeletal transport plied on road. The JKLF is demanding that the body of Bhat, buried on the Tihar Jail premises, be handed over to the front for burial in Kashmir. Chairman of the JKLF, Mohammad Yaseen Malik, and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party chief Shabir Ahmad Shah were arrested along with some others at Sonawar. A spokesman for the JKLF said Yaseen Malik had been injured in police action. He said Malik, Shah, Javed Ahmad Mir and Mohammad Abdullah Tari along with their supporters had gone to the United Nations Observers’ office to present a memorandum addressed to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. However, as soon as they reached the main gate of the office, the police resorted to cane-charge and arrested them. |
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Nine to join J & K ministry today Jammu, February 11 It is learnt that Ms Suman Bhagat of the Congress was likely to be inducted as Cabinet Minister and the other eight would be Ministers of state. Ms Bhagat’s induction would give representation to women so far denied in the Mufti ministry. Sources said that among those being inducted as ministers, four will be from the Congress, three from the PDP, the BSP and the PDF of the independents might also be given one more berth. Besides Ms. Bhagat, Dr Ramesh Sharma, Mr Raman Bhalla and Mr Yogesh Sawhney of the Congress were expected to be given a ministerial berth. There were indications that from the PDP, Mr Sarfaraz Khan, Dr Ghulam Nabi Lone and Mr Khan (Shopian) might be made ministers. Mr Manjeet Singh of the BSP was also being tipped for a ministerial berth. Ms Mayawati had come here to campaign for him during the Assembly elections. Representation to the BSP in the coalition in which the Congress is the largest partner is expected to pave the way for an electoral understanding between the Congress and the BSP in the Lok Sabha elections. |
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Efforts on to pacify Lone Jammu, February 11 Rashid Dar had fallen to the bullets of the security forces and the funeral procession was led by Molvi Umar Farooq. Mr Sajjad Lone is said to have registered his protest because he had been informed a year ago by the police that Rashid Dar had been involved in the killing of Mr Abdul Gani Lone, founder chairman of the People’s Conference, during a congregation in Idgah in Srinagar. A senior APHC (Abbas) leader told this correspondent that as Kashmir Mirwaiz it was the religious duty of Molvi Umar Farooq to accept the request for leading the funeral procession and the prayers. He said secondly when Gazi Baba, a commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, had been killed in an operation launched by the security forces in Srinagar a few months ago, the police had announced that the Gazi was involved in the killing of Mr Abdul Gani Lone. The Hurriyat leader wanted the People’s Conference leadership not to stretch the matter further and avoid taking any step that could weaken the APHC (Abbas) when a situation has emerged in which it was destined to play a major role in the settlement of the Kashmir imbroglio. This was, he said, required because both the Awami Action Committee and the People’s Conference were important constituents of the conglomerate. |
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Civic body gets new Commissioner Jammu, February 11 In a shakeup of IAS and KAS officers, Mr B.R. Sharma, on his repatriation from the Centre, has been appointed Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, in place of Mr Lokesh Jha, who goes as Secretary, Health and Medical Education. Mr Devinder Nargotra, member, Special Tribunal, has been appointed Deputy Commissioner, Kathua. Mr Mohammad Abbas Dar, Mr Altaf Hussain and Mr Gulzar Ahmed Qureshi, all KAS have been appointed Deputy Commissioners of Rajouri, Poonch and Doda districts, respectively. Mr Mehboob Iqbal has been appointed Additional Chief Electoral Officer. Mr K.R. Padha, Special Secretary (Forests), has been posted Member, Service Selection Board. Mr Khalid Hamid, Director, Consumer Affairs, Kashmir, has been posted Director, Command Area, Kashmir. Sheikh Nissar Ahmed has been appointed Special Secretary, in charge winter secretariat at Srinagar. Mr Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, is the Director, Employment. Mr A.K. Raina, Director, Local Bodies, Jammu, has been appointed commissioner of enquires and Mr Jeet Lal Gupta will takeover from him. Mr I.S. Wazir, Director, Estates, has been appointed Special Secretary, Hospitality and Protocol. Sheikh Ejaz, Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, has been posted Special Secretary, Industries and Commerce in place of Mr Bua Ditta who goes as member, Service Selection Board. Mr Kachoo Isfandyar Khan, Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, has been posted Director, Land Records, Kashmir. Mr Muzaffar Iqbal, Director, Defence Labour, has been posted Director, Rural Sanitation. Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed, Director, Finance, has been posted Special Secretary, Forests. Mrs Vineeta Gupta has been appointed Additional Commissioner, Jammu. Mr Pervez Malik, Additional Secretary, Rural Development, is the new Director of Estates. Mr Brij Mohan Sharma has been appointed Settlement Officer, Jammu. Mr Muzaffar Iqbal, Additional Secretary, Home, has been shifted to the Rural Development Department. Mr Nanaji Raina has been appointed Additional Secretary, Housing and Urban Development. Mr R.K. Mahindroo, under orders of posting as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Doda, shall continue Deputy Commissioner, Sales Tax (Appeals), Jammu. |
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Raghunath Temple idols replaced
Jammu, February 11 The idols were damaged when terrorists attacked the temple on November 24, 2002. The new idols were ordered by Dr Karan Singh, Chairman-trustee of the Dharmarth Trust, from Jaipur and their cost has been met entirely by the trust. The idol of Lord Hanuman — in standing position with folded hands — is seven-and-a-half-foot high, while the idols of Rishi Valmiki and Goswami Tulsidas are both in the sitting position. A large number of devotees from the city and outside had gathered at the temple on the occasion.
— PTI |
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Srinagar, February 11 An official spokesman said militants entered the house of contractor Mohammad Yousuf Bhat at Keller Rajpora in south Kashmir last night and gunned him down. Militants also abducted and later killed one Shakoor Ahmad at Barnali in Udhampur district last night. Militants fired at police guards in Poonch last night injuring constable Charanjeet Singh who later succumbed to his injuries, the spokesman said. Special Police Officer (SPO) Maqsood Ahmad was killed when militants fired upon a patrol party at Morah Bachal last night. Spokesman said militants wounded a former Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Ghulam Mohammad Bhat at Tranz Shopian today. An encounter took place between militants and security forces at Bunpushnari in south Kashmir last night in which two girls were injured. Security forces recovered two AK rifles, 10 magazines, 14 grenades, more than 1200 rounds of ammunition, three UBGLs and ration during search operations at Baramula and Gandoh last night.
— UNI |
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UK diplomat holds talks with separatists Srinagar, February 11 According to sources, Ms Lampert who arrived here yesterday had meetings with several separatist leaders, including senior APHC leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Abdul Ghani Bhat, DFP leader Shabir Ahmad Shah and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik. She also held a meeting with the president of the National Conference, Mr Omar Abdullah. |
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Panthers Party for White Paper on militants’ rehabilitation Jammu, February 11 In a statement here today, Mr Bhim Singh said that the BJP government at the Centre was rewarding those who were involved in the killing of innocent people. He said that it was a disclosure yesterday by Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed that so-called rehabilitation scheme for the Pakistan-trained militants was approved by the Centre. Mr Bhim Singh asked Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, to justify the rehabilitation scheme under which each militant who surrenders would be given a fixed deposit of 1.50 lakh and an allowance of Rs 2000. He said it was pathetic that the SPOs fighting terrorism were paid Rs 50 per day and members of the Village Defence Committees Rs eight per day, but the government was rewarding those involved in the heinous crime of killing innocent people. |
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Transport corpn VRS approved Jammu, February 11 The decision was taken at a meeting of the board here yesterday under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma. The board asked the management to come up with a proposal for submission to the Cabinet for approval. The corporation proposes to voluntarily retire more than half of its employees in the next 15 years. It has a strength of over 5,000 at present. The board also agreed to SRTC proposals to run an inter-state cargo fleet, offer off-season fare concession, auction of old vehicles and route rationalisation among others.
— PTI |
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Highway reopened to traffic Srinagar, February 11 A traffic police officer said the Border Roads Organisation responsible for the maintenance of the only road link between the Kashmir valley and the rest of the country cleared the debris and snow. Traffic was allowed from Jammu and Srinagar this morning after all stranded vehicles were allowed to move towards their destinations last night. The highway was closed on Monday evening following heavy snowfall between Qazigund and Banihal and landslides in the Ramban area.
— UNI |
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NGOs given Rs 42.91 lakh in J&K Jammu, February 11 The Union Ministry has provided more than Rs 305 crore assistance to NGOs/State governments in the said period. Of the said assistance, Uttar Pradesh received the maximum funds of worth Rs 64.88 crore, followed by Andhra Pradesh, which got Rs 46.13 crore while Delhi received of Rs 30.13 crore assistance in the same period. |
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Aid for migrants ahead of festival Jammu, February 11 Reviewing the facilities at the migrants’ camps at a meeting here, the minister said the rations and assistance should be provided to them well before the festival. To monitor the supply of essential commodities and basic services like healthcare, electricity and drinking water, particularly during the festival days, in various camps, a committee of officers headed by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, was constituted. Milk processing firm booked Jammu, February 11 The team raided milk processing units here. Sanitary, hygienic conditions were checked and samples of paneer were taken and sent to laboratory concerned for testing. |
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