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Pact with NHPC
Azad inaugurates valley’s longest bridge
Affected families being rehabilitated
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Labourers protest against Amarnath Shrine Board
Omar takes on Mehbooba
PDP forms panel to choose poll candidates
Govt indulging in malpractice before polls: BJP
‘Killing’ of youth sparks protest
Our knowledge economy is distorted: Mattoo
School kids made to wait and sweat
Fight with cops lands 3 Armymen in trouble
Agitation to shift college continues
People oppose transfer of teacher
Melting of Himalayan glaciers
not alarming: Expert
2 held with ornaments
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Pact with NHPC
Srinagar, June 7 The state, more importantly, will get a minimum of 62 per cent of power from multiple hydel projects, minister of state for power Jairam Ramesh said here today. The Union government and national power production majors have of late drawn a lot of flak from the intelligentsia, especially in the valley, as they claim the state's share of the power harnessed from its resources is not adequate. These complaints would be addressed, Ramesh said, with the signing of MoU, whose drafts are ready, between the JKPDC and the NHPC. “The MoU will be signed by the end of this month,” he said. The head of the joint venture would be a nominee of the state government and the project cost would run up to Rs 16,000 crore. He said work on three power projects in the river's basin would start soon after a joint venture company came into existence after the signing of the MoU. One of the three projects at Pakaldul would have a capacity of 1,200 MW, while two other projects at Kawar and Kiru will have over 500 MW capacity each. Power has been a sensitive issue in the valley and the recent refusal of the power ministry to transfer the ownership of Dulhasti power projects to the state government has raised hackles here. The Rangrajan committee, which had made recommendation for revival of state's economy, had recommended the transfer of Dulhasti's ownership to state government, but the power ministry put its foot down despite the finance ministry's approval. A senior official said the power ministry's refusal was driven by concerns that the state government was not really capable of running the project and, also, that it would be at a huge loss if it withdrew from the Dulhasti project. The finance ministry supported the state government's ownership because it would save hundreds of crores which it had to give to the government annually to purchase power. |
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Azad inaugurates valley’s longest bridge
Srinagar, June 7 The completion of the 284-metre-long bridge is the result of Azad's keen interest in finishing the project that had been conceived in the 1980s, and work on which was started in the1990s. However, it was left midway, causing severe inconvenience to people living on either side of the Flood Spill Channel and the Doodhganga Nullah. The inconvenience would compound during floods and medical emergencies as the swollen water channels completely cut off these areas. In July 2007, the Chief Minister visited the incomplete bridge site and realising the problem of the people, issued instructions to complete the bridge within 11 months. The double-lane pre-stressed concrete bridge with 250-metre approach roads connects Srinagar with Budgam district headquarters. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the 15-meter-long steel Bailey bridge over Bemina canal at Goripora, a short distance from the newly launched Bemina Bridge. The bridge was relocated from Ashai Bagh in the city where it had become surplus after the construction of a new bridge. Azad had also asked the Army to relocate the bridge to Goripora to facilitate easy movement of people in the area. Speaking to mediapersons on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the completion of the Bemina bridge had been pending for long. The inconvenience to the public was a natural corollary for the delay in completion of these bridges, he said. The Chief Minister further cited the instance of the Bemina bridge saying that during the past 18 years, only 50 per cent of funds were spent on the project, while the other 50 per cent were incurred during the past 11 months. Azad said he had also taken up with the Army Corps Commander the relocation of the Ashai Bagh bailey Bridge to Goripora and thanked him for executing the job swiftly. The road on both sides of the bridge would now be improved shortly, he asserted. Meanwhile, the launch of the Bemina bridge has brought respite to the local people who also spoke about it and thanked the Chief Minister for taking special interest in its completion. — UNI |
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Affected families being rehabilitated
Udhampur, June 7 Pul Doda will be completely submerged by the end of this year in view of the completion of work on the project being constructed on the river Chenab. More than 300 families would be displaced from the Pul Doda area. Gain Chand Parihar, executive engineer, Balglihar Hydroelectric Project (Dam), said the government had already intimated that the process of filling up the reservoir would start by the end of August this year. “The authorities have to evacuate the affected families before August so as to expedite the construction work”, he said, and added that the completion of the reservoir project would depend upon the rate of filling. The state government has also expedited the process to rehabilitate the affected families. The decision of the Power Development Corporation to sanction an amount of Rs 5.8 crore for the affected families was a first step in this direction. Khurshiad Ahmed Bhat, deputy commissioner, Doda, informed that the evacuation and rehabilitation process had been going on a war-footing. The government has already sanctioned an amount of Rs 5.8 crore and asked the Power Development Corporation to release the amount so that people can be compensated at the earliest. It was also informed in the meeting one Anganwadi centre, three hospitals, toilet facilities through Sulabh International, ayurvedic dispensary, police post, food store, sale depot of ration and K oil, patwar khanas, community hall and booking office/passenger sheds would be constructed at the new township before people can be shifted. |
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Labourers protest against Amarnath Shrine Board
Srinagar, June 7 They demanded transfer of the yatra management from the SASB to the local administration so that the local population can earn their livelihood from
the yatra. Various separatist organisations including hardline faction of the APHC, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, have expressed concern over the transfer of land to the SASB in Pahalgam and Baltal areas. The protesting labourers blamed the SASB, to which a large chunk of forestland had been transferred for infrastructure development along Baltal route to the cave, for rendering the poor lot unemployed through the yatra period. The two-month-long yatra on both the traditional Pahalgam route in south Kashmir and via Baltal route in Sonmarg area begins on June 18. The labourers, ponywallahs and other small time vendors, led by Bashir Ahmad Mir, president of Baltal Traders Union, threatened to launch a strike in Kangan-Sonmarg-Baltal area against the apathetic attitude of the shrine board. They said the measures by virtue of which the concrete roads, structures and helipads were being constructed in violation of rules, would render
them jobless. |
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Omar takes on Mehbooba
Jammu, June 7 In his blog on the National Conference website, Omar said, “The board is the subject of much controversy. Today the PDP chief has laid all the blame at the NC’s door because we created it. We did it to allow for greater transparency and accountability and to streamline the conduct of the yatra. The objective was not to create an organisation that functioned beyond legislative oversight and certainly not to transfer large tracts of our forests to the board.” “Lets assume for a minute we erred by enacting this piece of legislation. Why did her government, headed by her father, not amend this legislation? If they could take over the Muslim Aquaf Trust and the Sher-i-Kashmir Medical Trust (both creations of Sheikh Abdullah and the National Conference) why not dissolve the shrine board or at least Amend its Constitution?,” he wondered. “I don't suppose it occurred to her that no one has forced her party to remain part of the coalition. There are less then six months to the election so nothing much will change if they withdraw now unless of course they are not prepared to fight the election without the ability to place officers of their choice in crucial positions,” he said. |
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PDP forms panel to choose poll candidates
Srinagar, June 7 This decision comes only a day after the re-election of Mehbooba Mufti as the president of the party for the third consecutive term. The committee has been advised to start the process of selection immediately and recommend the list to the party president for approval, a PDP spokesman said here. The committee headed by senior leader and deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig would include Moulana Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, Tariq Hameed Karra, Mohammad Dilawar Mir, Sardar Rangil Singh and Ved Mahajan, the spokesman said. |
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Govt indulging in malpractice before polls: BJP
Jammu, June 7 BJP state president Ashok Khajuria, former union minister Chaman Lal Gupta and member national executive Nirmal Singh while addressing a joint press conference yesterday accused the state government for indulging in malpractice before the Assembly elections to benefit the party. The BJP leaders said they would make a petition to the Election Commission of India to intervene in the matter and direct the government to stop this exercise. “We have enough evidence about the state government that it has appointed and continues to appoint Congress loyalists in different departments of the government and also giving key positions to officials in bureaucratic setup,” Ashok Khajuria said. Commenting on the induction of former chief secretary B.R. Kundal into the state Cabinet, Khajuria said, “Kundal’s induction is a glaring example that he was serving the cause of the Congress party throughout his tenure even when he was the chief secretary.” He said, “This is aimed at giving a signal to other bureaucrats that they too can get lucrative placements if they serve interest of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir.” He alleged that the Chief Minister was doing this to “utilise their services” in the upcoming Assembly elections. While critising the Congress-led UPA government for the fuel price hike, the BJP state chief said, “In spite of the fact that the Congress has great economists like Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, finance minister P. Chidambaram and deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, still they have failed to check the ever-soaring rate of inflation.” Former union minister of state for defence Chaman Lal Gupta said, “The UPA government has created confusion with regard to the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.” He said, “On the one hand the Congress has announced grant of Rs 7.50 lakh per family for rehabilitation in the valley and on the other is constructing a township for them at Jagti in Nagrota near Jammu thus giving contradictory signals to the entire displaced community.” |
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‘Killing’ of youth sparks protest
Udhampur, June 7 Police on the other hand claimed that the youth was involved in subversive activities and was died accidentally while trying to escape from the custody near Doda. Residents alleged that Abdul Latif Malik, resident of Dharote village in Doda was picked up by the police this morning. They further alleged that cops took him to an isolated place and later killed him. After getting information about the incident, large number of people gathered at the Doda hospital and resorted to slogan shouting against the police. Some youth took out the body of the deceased and blocked movement of the traffic. Till late this evening the protest was going on and traffic was blocked by the agitating people. Meanwhile, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Doda-Ramban range Hemant Kumar Lohia told The Tribune that the youth fell from a hill while trying to escape from the custody of the police. The DIG said Latif was picked up by the police following some inputs about his involvement in subversive activities. During interrogation, Latif admitted before the police that commander of Laskher-e-Toiba (LeT) Hak Nawaz, who was gunned down by the security forces recently, had assigned him the task to plant an IED. “As the cops were taking him to the hideout where he had hidden the IED, he jumped from a hill top to escape from the custody,” the DIG said and added that in his attempt to escape the youth received injuries and was later taken to the hospital by the police where he succumbed to his injuries. |
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Our knowledge economy is distorted: Mattoo
Srinagar, June 7 Speaking in the Kashmir University, Mattoo said appropriate education in English, mathematics and computers were a must. Kashmir University vice-chancellor Riyaz Punjabi, deans of faculties, heads of departments and centers were present on the
occasion. A doctorate in international relations from the University of Oxford, Mattoo agreed with Punjabi’s call for making a “knowledge society” and said, “let us not miss the knowledge revolution bus which is waiting for us.” Lambasting the way the education policies are being handled, he said they have created a knowledge economy, which is distorted. “We produce alienated youth with degrees instead of workers who
are employable here and outside.” Emphasising that knowledge revolution is not a pipe dream but a possibility, Mattoo, who was born in Kashmir and received his early education here, called for blending technology with existing human resources and emphasised the need for creating infrastructure while proliferating schools and colleges which he said is the need of the hour. |
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School kids made to wait and sweat
Jammu, June 7 While the chief guest of the function, the Jammu deputy commissioner, was late for the function organised to distribute books and school bags to the poor students of government schools, hundreds of these school kids were made to sweat without any cooling facility. “We are sitting here since early morning,” informed a class 2 student of a government school. “I almost fainted twice and asked the teacher to give me some water but nobody paid any heed towards it,” he added. A teacher of the school somehow made arrangements of water for these kids. “The school has made elaborate arrangements, but the entire staff is busy to welcome the guest who would be coming in a few moments,” said a schoolteacher. The deputy commissioner Jammu who was late at the function by more than one hour was given a warm welcome by the schoolgirls who were made to stand under the scorching sun by the school administration. “We were asked to stand in the scorching heat to applaud when the chief guest arrives; we did so as it was the matter of school’s reputation,” a student said. She further said, “This happens with us every time whenever there is a function here; we are made to stand under the scorching sun to welcome the VIP and we are not in a position
to complain.” |
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Fight with cops lands 3 Armymen in trouble
Poonch, June 7 Police sources said naib subedar Muhammad Qayoom’s mother died on May 30. He had forwarded an application in the session court Rajouri and sought that his father Sarwar Khan, who is facing murder charges, be granted rights to attend the last rites of his mother. The court had granted the permission in the case and instructed the SP (Central Jail) Rajouri to send Sarwar Khan to perform the last rites of his wife but Sarwar reportedly refused to go handcuffed. Since the jail authorities refused to allow him to attend the last rites on his conditions, Sarwar didn’t attend the religious rites, the sources added. Police sources further said yesterday Muhammad Qayoom along with his younger brother Zakir Hussain (whose is believed to have been discharged by the Army authorities because of ill mental state) and two other relatives, rifleman Muhammad Ayub and naik Naseer Ahmed, entered the courtroom to move application for early justice to Sarwar Khan. But the judge reportedly told them to proceed in the desired legal manner. All of them came out of the courtroom. But in the court complex they had an altercation with the deployed policeman, which turned into a major brawl, sources added. The armymen and policemen continued to fight and exchanged fists and blows. In the meantime, the matter was brought to the notice of the SSP and additional force was rushed to the court and the armymen were taken into custody. Later they were shifted to police station Rajouri. Rajouri SSP Rajesh Kumar said the armymen have been taken into custody and appropriate action will be taken against them. |
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Agitation to shift college continues
Poonch, June 7 Protesters forced shops, other business establishments and schools to close down and blocked the vehicular traffic on the Rajouri-Buddhal road for several hours. Eyewitness said a group comprising more than 500 protesters from Koternaka, Samote, Kandi and adjoining villages led by PDP’s district president Zulfikar, NC block president Chowdhary Shafi, Panthers Party district president Balwan Singh protested against the government. They raised slogans against the Chief Minister, local MLA and Rajouri DC for not situating the college at Koteranka. The district administration didn’t make any effort to pacify the protesters. |
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People oppose transfer of teacher
Udhampur, June 7 Sheikh Noor Hussain, who had received the Best Teacher Award from former President APJ Abdul Kalam for his contribution in promotion of education in far-flung areas, was transferred from the school where he was teaching for the past so many years. As the news of his transfer spread, people came out on the streets and demanded that Sheikh be retained in the school. They alleged that he had been transferred on the directions of G.M. Saroori, minister of state for education. “The minister has already made several attempts to disturb the education system in the area. Even the funds allocated for the construction of school buildings and infrastructure were being deliberately diverted to other projects,” alleged an NC leader. |
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Melting of Himalayan glaciers
not alarming: Expert
Jammu, June 7 If he is to be believed, there is no need to worry about the rate at which glaciers in the state are melting as according to them, the receding rate was normal. “We have been collecting data for the past 16 years and have found that the rate at which the glaciers are receding was normal,” Prof R.K. Ganjoo, Geology Department, Jammu University, said. Prof Ganjoo, who has been working on a project on glaciers in the region, said glaciers in the region were not receding at an alarming rate. “During our research we found that there was very little or no receding of glaciers in the year 2004 and 2005. However, it is a natural phenomenon and glaciers generally recede 2 to 3 meters a year,” Prof Ganjoo said. He said the rate at which the glacier receded depended on the type and size of the glacier. “There are various types of glaciers and the rate of their receding depends on the type of the glacier, he added. Prof Ganjoo said the phenomenon of global warming that had been a matter of debate was not a new process and that it had existed for the past 18,000 years. “For two million years our planet was under the glacier age and 18,000 years ago, the inter-glacier period started. Since then the temperature around the world has
been on a rise,” Prof Ganjoo added. He further said, “If we see the data of the past 18,000 years, no major glacier event has been recorded and since then, there has been an
increase in the global temperature.” Prof Ganjoo said for the past 100 to 200 years, human activities had accelerated the process of global warming. “The pollutants being added to the environment by industrial emission has accelerated the pace of global warming, but this phenomenon does not seem to have a major impact on the Himalayan glaciers,” Ganjoo informed. |
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2 held with ornaments
Jammu, June 7 They duo was identified as Bashir Ahmed Sheikh of Tral and Fiaz Ahmed Bhat of Rainawari. Police sources said the duo was nabbed at a check post in Panama Chowk and the sales tax (ST) officials were informed. Later, ST officials levied a penalty of 50 per cent on the actual cost of jewellery as it was being smuggled into the state without remitting the tax, the sources added. |
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Srinagar, June 7
Jammu, June 7
