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NC members raise slogans against scribes’ arrest
Legal literacy mission launched
J&K to constitute law commission
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LoC bus trial run tomorrow
Sonia to visit Uri on March 29
BJP to restructure J&K unit
2 militants among 4 killed
Srinagar highway opens after two days
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NC members raise slogans against scribes’ arrest
Jammu, March 15 The issue was raised after question hour when the NC members sought a statement from the Home Minister regarding the arrest of certain Srinagar newsmen. Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, Leader of the Opposition, alleged that the Mufti government was trying to create an emergency-type atmosphere when the Press censorship was enforced. He said police personnel threatened mediapersons in the valley who did not toe the line of the ruling PDP. He demaded that cases against mediapersons should be withdrawn. Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister, asked the NC members to discharge duties of the Opposition in a responsible manner and not support those who were sympathisers of terrorists. He said a case was registered agaisnt a journalist who published a report “based on information of militants” that about 500 persons had died in the Wadwan area of the Doda district. He considered the reports of terrorists as more credible than those of the government agencies. Mr A.R. Veeri, Minister of State for Home, said cases were registered against the two newsmen for publishing incorrect reports and praising terrorists. The NC members were not satisfied with the reply of the Deputy Chief Minister and they alleged that the Mufti was trying to mislead the House. Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar (NC) said the NC government never took action against those journalists who interviewed leaders of various militant
organisations. |
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Legal literacy mission launched
Jammu, March 15 The mission will improve access to justice by focusing on the promotion of legal literacy, knowledge of legal rights and awareness of availability of free legal assistance to the deprived, disadvantage and women. The mission define legal literacy as legal education of people’s rights, educating the citizens about their Fundamental Duties and legal obligations, education and awareness about the process of delivery of legal aid to the disadvantage, provisions of legal aid and empowering members of judiciary and lawyers community resulting in a holistic legal empowerment of communities and individuals. The mission will launch a door-to-door campaign across Jammu and Kashmir, including remote village, to educate people about their rights and duties under the Constitution. Inspired by Gurdev Rabindranath Tagore’s poem on the village market place or “haat”, the awareness campaign is named “Chalo Haat Haat”. It will cover hundreds of village market places across the state. The Chief Justice flagged off a mobile rural communication unit with a slogan, “Kanooni Saaksharta Mitaye Durbalta (legal literacy eliminates weakness)”. The van will cover all stations enroute to the state high courts and generate awareness among people by way of distributing awareness material and organising street and folk play. The mission shall be implemented through a nationwide network that has been envisaged under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Under the Act, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is the apex body constituted by lay down policies and principles for making legal service available under the provisions of the Act and to frame most effective and economical for legal service. The Authority is chaired by the Chief Justice of India. |
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J&K to constitute law commission
Jammu, March 15 This was announced by the Finance Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Baig, today in the Assembly while replying to the debate for grants of the pinance, planning and other departments under his charge. He said that the commission would make recommendations to the government regarding review of various laws to ensure speedy disposal of cases. The state Cabinet would shortly consider setting up of the commission. The minister said that a state finance commission would also be constituted for equitable distribution of funds among all the three regions of the state.
— TNS |
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Army Chief reviews work on Muzaffarabad road
Srinagar, March 15 Gen
J.J. Singh, accompanied by Lieut Gen Nirbhay Sharma, GOC of 15 Corps, was briefed on various facets of the progress of work on the road. He reviewed the work of repairing the Khalne-da-Khas bridge, while work to repair the abutment and strengthening of the pier are already under way and would be completed soon, a defence spokesman said here. The Army Chief also reviewed the demining process, defence spokesman said. |
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LoC bus trial run tomorrow
Srinagar, March 15 The SRTC has acquired four 19-seater buses exclusively for the purpose of ferrying passengers between Srinagar and Kamaan Post on this side of the LoC in Uri. Its size has been chosen in view of the road condition from Srinagar to the LoC, particularly the 18-km stretch from Uri. The number of passengers per trip will not be a problem, as there are sufficient buses for the initial runs, according to officials here. Each bus costs Rs 6.62 lakh, about Rs 2 lakh more than the usual fleet of buses available with the SRTC, as an additional amount has been spent on the decoration alone. Over an 18-km-long stretch between Uri and the LoC runs along the foothills overlooking the Jhelum passing through the narrow Lal Pul (red bridge), 4 km short of the last post. “We do not have a shortage of buses, but these have been specially designed and decorated for the purpose”, said Mr M. Yousuf Dar, General Manager of the
SRTC. One of the four buses (fully decorated) that was scheduled to reach here from Jammu today, will now be arriving tomorrow as the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed to traffic due to landslides in the Ramban area. The bus will carry passengers from Jammu while on its maiden journey to the valley. After the bus arrives here tomorrow, senior officials of the SRTC will take it for the trial run to the LoC on Thursday. Security agencies and Beacon officials, looking after the maintenance of the road, are closely coordinating the developments. No decision has yet been taken regarding the fare and the selection of the crew members for the unique bus service, which is going to begin after a gap of 57 years. “The selection of the crew and other things will take place at a later stage, at least a week before the service starts,” said Mr Dar. Drivers and conductors of the bus service would be educated about various necessary measures for this historic run. “Our drivers are disciplined and well-trained”, the GM said, adding that the fare would be calculated and would not be more than expectations. When it runs from April 7, its last halt would be near the Kamaan bridge, where a portion of the road has been further widened for parking purposes. This point would be used to drop the Muzaffarabad-bound passengers and board those coming from the other side of the LoC. The passengers from both sides would have to cross the Kamaan bridge on foot for their forward journey. |
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Sonia to visit Uri on March 29
Jammu, March 15 It is learnt that Mrs Sonia Gandhi would walk a distance on the road and also see from the Indian side the work being undertaken by the Pakistani authorities on the other side. Political significance is being attached to the visit of Mrs Sonia Gandhi to Uri in view of the PDP Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed’s bid to take the entire credit for reopening the road. The Mufti visited the last Indian point on the road on Sunday when he took stock of the work on the bridge that is being constructed to link both sides. Sources said that Mrs Sonia Gandhi would address a public meeting in Uri town which was several times pounded by the Pakistani troops before a ceasefire was ordered by both countries about a year ago. She is unlikely to be present at Uri on April 7 when the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, formally inaugurates the bus service. Congress circles in the state have not relished the manner in which the PDP activists were trying to take credit for reopening of the road without even mentioning the name of the UPA government at the Centre. What has irked the Congressmen was that some of the PDP activists have reportedly been appreciating the previous BJP-led NDA government for having sketched the roadmap for reopening of the road. Sources said that Mrs Sonia Gandhi would not visit Jammu now to address party workers, but would spend two days in the valley where she would touch all the politically volatile areas. She would inaugurate the campus of Kashmir University at Anantnag on the day she lands in the valley. Thereafter, she would visit Uri and is expected to spend the night at the world-famous tourist resort of Gulmarg where she would inaugurate the second phase of the cable car project on March 30. |
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BJP to restructure J&K unit
Jammu, March 15 At the state level, at least six office-bearers have to be replaced after they were elected to the corporation. The President of the state BJP, Mr Nirmal Singh, confirmed that “we are adopting the policy of one man for one post”. However, it has not been decided whether those elected as members of the civic bodies and not holding any post in those bodies are also to be replaced as BJP office-bearers. One thing is certain that Mr Kavinder Gupta, who has been elected as Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, will have to quit the post of the president of the city unit of the BJP. Others who may also be changed include Mr Subhash Jandial, general secretary, and Ms Suresh Jamwal, president, BJP Mahila Morcha. The BJP leadership is keen that the party members elected to the corporation devote full time to the corporation affairs so that people feel the difference. Dr Nirmal Singh wants new faces in the organisation who could spend time and energy for giving a boost to the organisation. Having fared well in the recent civic elections, the BJP leadership in Jammu has decided not to have any link with the Praja Parishad, which was floated by BJP dissidents. Had the Praja Praishad bagged some seats in the Corporation, the party high command could have prevailed upon Dr Nirmal Singh and his colleagues to reconsider the matter of wooing back the dissidents. Observers in Jammu are of the opinion that the BJP, which had won 27 of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, could have secured an absolute majority had not a group of dissidents been thrown out of the BJP, instigating them to set-up the Praja Parishad. However, Dr Nirmal Singh and Dr Hari Om, vice-president, do not agree with the opinion of the political observers on the plea that the ruling Congress used muscle and money power and prevented a large number of pro-BJP voters from exercising their right to vote. |
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2 militants among 4 killed
Srinagar, March 15 Militants set off an IED, planted on the main road near Zadoora in Pulwama district, around 12.30 p.m. today targeting two BSF vehicles patrolling the area, the spokesman said. However, he said, the blast missed the mark and caused no harm. A hunt had been launched to nab the militants. He said militants also lobbed a grenade near Punjab National Bank in the crowded district township of Poonch yesterday, injuring 11 civilians who had been admitted to the nearby district hospital. The spokesman said a militant of the LeT, Arshad Khan, was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Arin-Balhama in the Bandipora area of Baramulla district this morning. The encounter took place when an ambush party of the Rashtriya Rifles observed movement of some militants and challenged them. The militants opened fire and in the encounter that followed, the militant was killed, he said. The security forces killed one more LeT militant, Abu Umar, in an encounter at Phagla in Poonch district last night, he said. Militants exchanged fire with security search parties at Rakh-e-Kilwil in Pulwama district this morning, but no one was hurt, the spokesman said. He said a jawan, who was injured in a gunbattle with militants at Zandpaul in Baramulla district yesterday, succumbed to his injuries, raising the death toll in the encounter to four. — PTI |
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Srinagar highway opens after two days
Jammu, March 15 The highway, the only surface link between the Kashmir Valley and rest of the country, had to be closed on Sunday due to landslides at Kila Morh on the Ramban-Banihal stretch. So far, over 900 out of 3,000 stranded vehicles were allowed to move towards their respective destinations in Jammu and Srinagar, they said.
— PTI |
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