J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Mid-day Meal Scheme
C-grade rice supplied to schools, probe on
Udhampur , August 2
After the deputy commissioner, Ramban detected irregularities in the mid- day meal scheme, a team of the senior officers of the Education Department collected samples of foodgrains and cereals from different schools and started investigation.

Media men block Tawi bridge
Jammu, August 2
City journalists today blocked the Tawi bridge in protest against the alleged manhandling of a news channel crew by the staff of the state Health department, causing a traffic jam on the Jammu-Srinagar highway for nearly two hours.

Journalists block traffic on the Tawi bridge leading to a massive jam on the Jammu- Srinagar highway on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Anand Sharma

Talwara camp migrants march to Jammu
Reasi, August 2
As the district administration of Reasi expressed helplessness to provide them relief on a par with Kashmiri migrants, hundreds of displaced people, living in Talwara migrant camp, this afternoon started march towards Jammu to start dharna in front of the office of the divisional commissioner.

Capt Megha Razdan’s husband kidnapped, escapes
Jammu, August 2
Captain Chaitanya Bhatwadekar, husband of Army Captain Megha Razdan, who committed suicide last month, was attacked here last night by some unidentified persons giving a twist to the investigations into the suicide case.

Mid-day Meal Scheme
C-grade rice supplied to schools, probe on
Tribune News Service

Udhampur , August 2
After the deputy commissioner, Ramban detected irregularities in the mid- day meal scheme, a team of the senior officers of the Education Department collected samples of foodgrains and cereals from different schools and started investigation. The team has also summoned officials concerned at district headquarter for questioning as higher authorities have taken serious note of these reported irregularities.

Chief education officer (CEO), Doda, A K Sen, who is camping in Ramban to assist the team, told The Tribune sub-standard rice was found in some schools during surprise checking by the deputy commissioner and investigation in the matter had been started. He said the Education Department had been providing A grade rice for mid- day meal scheme in these areas but in some schools sub-standard rice was cooked when a team conducted checking in some far-flung villages of Ramban district.

The CEO said special squads of the officials of Education Department had been constituted to raid the far-flung area to take stock of the mid-day meal schemes in these educational institutions.

After the allegations the deputy commissioner, Ramban checked many schools and found the allegations true as in some educational institutions C grade rice was cooked for the students. Huge quantity of sub- standard rice was also found in the store at the zonal education officer's (ZEO) store. It is alleged quality foodgrains supplied for mid- day meal schemes were being sold in market and sub- standard grains were being supplied to the schools by the officials concerned.

Meanwhile a team of the officers of Education Department along with the CEO, Doda checked different schools of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar. This team took stock of the mid- day meal scheme.

Media men block Tawi bridge
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 2
City journalists today blocked the Tawi bridge in protest against the alleged manhandling of a news channel crew by the staff of the state Health department, causing a traffic jam on the Jammu-Srinagar highway for nearly two hours.

The local TV channel crew members were reportedly roughed up outside the office of the director health, Dr Jasbir Singh, when they were taking the shots of the loading of some hospital material and medicines in an ambulance vehicle.

The staff members allegedly roughed up the journalists after heated arguments over taking the shots.

The channel staff, who later lodged an FIR against the health director and his men, stated in the complaint that the health staff also broke their camera and stopped them from performing their duty as journalists.

Later, the media fraternity of Jammu blocked the vehicular traffic at the Tawi bridge in the wake of the incident and demanded an apology from the health director.

Dr Jasbir Singh assured media persons that he would hold a probe into the entire incident and would also pay a compensation for the broken camera if his men were found guilty.

He said he had already initiated a probe. “I never refused the channel team for having a byte, but they were already jostling with my staff,” he said.

Talwara camp migrants march to Jammu
Tribune News Service

Reasi, August 2
As the district administration of Reasi expressed helplessness to provide them relief on a par with Kashmiri migrants, hundreds of displaced people, living in Talwara migrant camp, this afternoon started march towards Jammu to start dharna in front of the office of the divisional commissioner.

Dwellers of Talawara migrant camp had given 10- day ultimatum to the district administration to solve their problems. They were demanding relief on a par with Kashmiri migrants. As today was the last day of their ultimatum, a rally of displaced people was held at Talwara in which it was decided to move towards winter capital to start dharna there.

Speakers regretted except promises Reasi district administration had done nothing to solve their grievances. They added instead of minimising their miseries, authorities had been trying to divide displaced people through vested interests. As their leaders announced to move towards Jammu, within no time, hundreds of displaced with their belongings gathered at play ground of Talwara and amidst shouting of anti-government slogans they started march.

Migrants were 5 km behind holy town of Katra and were expected to reach Jammu on Saturday. According to migrant leaders the agitating people would spend night at Katra and on Friday morning they again start march towards Jammu.

The displaced people have been waiting for past one and half years, as the authorities have adopted delay tactics in solving their sufferings.

Capt Megha Razdan’s husband kidnapped, escapes
S.P.Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 2
Captain Chaitanya Bhatwadekar, husband of Army Captain Megha Razdan, who committed suicide last month, was attacked here last night by some unidentified persons giving a twist to the investigations into the suicide case.

Captain Bhatwadekar, who is prime witness in the suicide case, was allegedly blindfolded and “kidnapped” in a car by four unidentified persons at 7.30 pm yesterday while he was walking outside the unit lines near Kunjwani on the outskirts of the town. He has been admitted to the military hospital with an injury on his tongue. He has been kept under observation in the hospital, an Army officer said.

Lt Colonel S.D.Goswami, a spokesman of the Defence Ministry, said the Army had lodged an FIR at the Gangial police station under the jurisdiction of which the area fell.

Captain Bhatwadekar is learnt to have told the Army authorities he was forcibly carried away in a car by four persons who tried to cut his tongue. He escaped following a scuffle.

He was not in a condition to give any statement yesterday because of his injured tongue. However, the police was probing various aspects of the attack story as it did not rule out the possibility of the injury having been self-inflicted.

Captain Megha Razdan, was found hanging from ceiling fan at her residence last month. Both of them were deployed in the same unit.

Parents of Razdan suspect foul play in her death and have demanded a high -level inquiry as they were not satisfied with the routine probe.