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11 killed as bus falls into gorge
Give us a chance, Omar to India Inc.
RS elections next month |
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Protesters teargassed, four injured
Srinagar, January 17 At least four persons were injured as the police burst tear gas shells and used batons to disperse stone-pelting mobs protesting the highhandedness of security forces in strike-hit parts of downtown Srinagar today, official sources said.
Widespread snow, rain in state
Life out of gear in Leh
Ill-treatment of Maid
Minister reviews functioning of health dept
Release of PSA Detainees
Interference in scholars’ body polls alleged
Joint panel to review status of Urdu
‘State facing constitutional crisis’
Sangarsh samiti, VHP threaten stir
Mubarak Mandi Complex
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11 killed as bus falls into gorge
JAMMU: Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed grief over the loss of lives in the road accident at Thathri in Doda district. They conveyed their sympathies to the bereaved
families. Expressing concern over the growing number of road accidents, particularly in the hilly areas like Doda, Vohra observed that it was the bounden duty of all agencies concerned with traffic management to check overloading, rash driving, validity of driving licenses, fitness of the drivers and condition of the
vehicles. Omar also expressed profound grief and sorrow over the loss of human lives. He asked the administration to provide best possible medical care to the injured.
Udhampur, January 17 According to the police, the minibus bearing number 9703-JK02B was on its way to Gandoh from Thathri when the driver lost control over it while negotiating a turn at Jabbha, about 12 km east of Thathri, and the bus fell into the gorge killing nine persons on
the spot. Before the police reached the accident site, locals had started rescue operations. The injured were shifted to the Thathri hospital, where two of them succumbed to their injuries. The Thathri hospital lacks basic facilities like ambulance and the injured were airlifted to Jammu for proper treatment. The non-availability of adequate facilities provoked protests as people shouted slogans against the administration for its failure to create facilities in this strategic hospital. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and Minister for Forests Mian Altaf air-dashed to Thathri to inquire about the treatment being provided to the injured. As locals were protesting against the lack of facilities at the hospital, the visiting ministers assured them to solve the problems as early as possible. Mian Altaf, while talking to The Tribune, admitted that the Thathri hospital, located on the Batote-Kishtwar national highway, lacked basic facilities. “We have directed the authorities concerned to equip the hospital with advanced equipment within a week”, the minister said, adding that, “the divisional commissioner of Jammu has been directed to look into the grievances of the people”. The minister further admitted that shortage of vehicles was the main reason behind overloading of existing vehicles in this mountainous belt. |
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Give us a chance, Omar to India Inc.
Jammu, January 17 As per a press note issued here, Omar was speaking after presenting Business India’s Businessman of the Year 2008 Award to PRS Oberoi, chairman of the Oberoi Group, at a glittering function in Mumbai last evening. He was the chief guest at the event attended by over 1,200 captains of business and industry. “Business is about profitability and I know that for the past 20 years no good news has come out of Jammu and Kashmir. But I assure you that 2009 will be the year that the good news will start emerging. I know that right now even if I have an economic summit and invite participation from the industry, I will not offer you a level playing field vis-à-vis other states. But I want to make an appeal that you visit and see for yourselves what we have to offer,” Omar said in his impassioned speech. Omar said he wanted to create conditions that the Corporate India would earn profits in the state. “Help me build skill sets for my people that will make you want to employ them in your organisations across the country and in new facilities that I hope you will soon set up in the state,” he said, adding that “I will then ensure that while peace returns, the youth are trained and employable, ready for you when you decide to come and set bases.” Omar assured the India Inc that every support required to make their entry into the state would be made easy and comfortable as far as possible. Dovetailing industry with tourism, the Chief Minister said the state offered world-class golfing facilities. He added that though he did not play golf, the state had a spectacular golf course in Srinagar and invited the corporate houses to come to the state. Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, state Minister for Industries and Commerce SS Slathia, Chief Minister’s political advisor Devender Singh Rana and principal secretary to Omar Khurshid Ahmad Ganai were also present. |
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RS elections next month
Jammu, January 17 The Election Commission has announced February 13 as the date for the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from the state. Though these seats had fallen vacant on November 26 last year, they could not be filled due to the non-existence of the Assembly in the state. The four Rajya Sabha members were NC president Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for Water Resources and state Congress chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, former Speaker Chaudhary Mohammad Aslam of the Congress and Pratap Singh Bajwa of the PDP. Being a part of the ruling alliance, the Congress and the NC are certain to get one Rajya Sabha seat each while the PDP too with 21 MLAs would most likely bag one seat. Riding high on its success in the Assembly poll, the BJP too doesn’t want to let this opportunity go unchallenged though it faces an uphill task to garner support of the Panthers Party (3 MLAs) and Independents to secure a berth in the Rajya Sabha. Come February-March and the political parties will vie for vacant seats in the State Legislative Council. In the 36-member House, around 20 seats will be vacant within a next couple of months. Three seats have fallen vacant in the recent past following the retirement of Congress MLC Farida Mir and Independent MLC Sofi Ghulam Mohammad, and due to demise of Bilal Lodhi. Four more MLCs will tender their resignations following their election to the Assembly. These include Sakina Itoo of the NC, Nizamuddin Bhat, Basharat Bukhari and Rafi Ahmad Mir (all PDP). Apart from these, 12 other members will complete their term within next two months. Interestingly, many Congress heavyweights, both from Jammu and Kashmir regions, are eying the vacant slots in the council after tasting defeat in the Assembly elections. Following the elections to the Upper House of the state as well as the country, it will be the time for the big electoral battle in the form of the Lok Sabha elections in April-May. It will be interesting to see as to how the PDP faces the NC-Congress alliance in the Kashmir valley and whether the BJP bags a Lok Sabha seat in the Jammu region after taking its tally from one to 11 in the Assembly. |
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Protesters teargassed, four injured
Srinagar, January 17 The clashes between the police and groups of youth took place at Bohri Kadal and Nowhatta in the vicinity of Jamia Masjid where a complete shutdown was observed by the people against the alleged excesses of the security forces yesterday, the sources said. The protests were staged despite a probe ordered by the authorities into the complaints of alleged highhandedness by the security forces while chasing the anti-Israel protesters in the Saraf Kadal area of the interior city yesterday. Meanwhile, a protest bandh was observed in interior parts of the city. All shops and business establishments at Rajouri Kadal, Saraf Kadal, Bohri Kadal, Nowhatta and adjoining areas remained closed since this morning in protest, the sources said. They said all modes of public and private vehicles also remained off the roads in the areas. The residents were agitated over the action of the security personnel, who allegedly beat up the local residents at Saraf Kadal, ransacked their houses and smashed the wind screens of a number of parked vehicles during the clashes yesterday, the sources added. As the day advanced, groups of youth appeared at Bohri Kadal and Nowhatta and Pelted police and paramilitary personnel with stones and the clashes between the two sides continued for the most part of the day. The sources said the police initially used batons to disperse the protesters, but as it proved ineffective, it burst tear gas shells to disperse them. The clashes left four persons injured. The authorities last evening announced a probe into the alleged highhandedness of the security forces. “Following complaints that security personnel had damaged window panes of some houses and vehicles in the Saraf Kadal area during violent clashes with anti-Israeli protesters, IGP, Kashmir, B Srinivas asked the SSP, Srinagar, to probe the matter,” a police spokesman said here yesterday. The CRPF company concerned was also shifted from the area in view of the complaints by the residents. Meanwhile, the chairman of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has expressed concern over the alleged excesses by the CRPF in the area yesterday. In a statement here today, the Mirwaiz condemned the action and asked the government to take action against security personnel responsible for the incidents. Both factions of the APHC, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani, and the JKLF, the Peoples Conference of Sajad Lone and other separatist and mainstream parties have expressed concern over the attacks in Gaza. Awami National Conference president Khalida Shah also condemned Israel for killing innocent civilians in Gaza. |
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Defacement of Property
Jammu, January 17 Joint municipal commissioner JS Tandon warned various institutions, particularly coaching centres, to restrain themselves from defacing public property. Tandon asked these institutions to remove their posters from the walls immediately. He said: “If they do not restrain themselves, then the corporation will take legal action against them.” Some social, religious and coaching institutions have defaced various public properties, giving a shabby look to the city of temples. The walls of MAM College, Jammu University, Science College and Commerce College at Jewel Chowk and Women College at Parade depicts the level of defacement done by these institutions. This despite the fact that the anti-defacement drive launched by the MC is underway. “Our college walls are fully covered with the pamphlets of different coaching centers. Though the college authorities remove them repeatedly, these institutions don’t budge,” said Neha Rajput, a MAM college student. |
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Widespread snow, rain in state
Srinagar/Udhampur, January 17 Mountain ranges surrounding the valley, including Gulmarg and Pahalgam hill resorts, were lashed by heavy snowfall last night, officials said. Plains like Banihal, Batote and Qazigund along the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway were lashed by heavy rain, leading to temporary suspension of traffic for couple of hours today, they said. Banihal recorded 39.0 mm of rains followed by Batote (31.8) and Qazigund (31.2). The minimum temperature in Srinagar, which had shot up to 3.5°C the previous night, dipped to 1.5°C following 17.4 mm of rain till 8.30 am today. However, Jammu witnessed a warmer night as the winter capital recorded a low of 12.4°C, even as it received 6.2 mm of rain. The night temperature increased in Katra, the base camp for the Vaishno Devi shrine, as the city recorded a low of 10.9°C, Bhaderwah (4.5°C), Kokernag (2.6°C), despite 26.7 mm of rains. Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been reopened for vehicular traffic today. The highway was closed yesterday due to heavy snowfall near the Jawahar Tunnel and adjoining localities. |
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Life out of gear in Leh
Leh, January 17 Nubra valley and Saichen were cut off for the second consecutive day today following the closure of the Khardong pass. According to the Leh police, about 2 feet of snow had accumulated. Public transport between Leh and Kargil districts had also been affected. |
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Ill-treatment of Maid
Jammu, January 17 But the measure is being seen as “inadequate” as Meera Bai (16) has not got any medical aid or psychiatric counselling. Reports said the warden, Amisha Gupta, had left her official residence while the girl, gripped by fear psychosis, was still putting up with hostelers. “The administration is still sleeping over the issue as none from the government side has come to the rescue of the girl,” the hostelers said. They expressed dissatisfaction over the university’s handling of the matter and termed its move as “mere
eyewash”. Even a day after the incident, Provost BL Sharma did not allow reporters to meet Meera Bai saying that the university had asked the resident warden to voluntarily resign from her post. He assured that reporters would be allowed to talk to the girl after two-three days. Veteran journalist and state secretary of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Balraj Puri criticised the university administration for not referring the case to the police or the Human Rights Commission. “Law should take its own course as the resident warden is accused under laws like human trafficking, child labour, atrocities on domestic servant and human rights violation,”
he said. “The administration must contact the parents of girl, and before they come, she should be kept at Nari Niketan,” he said adding that the authorities must ensure that she gets remuneration under the Minimum Wages Act along with interest for her two years’ service. Meanwhile, secretary, State Women Commission, Jammu, Hafiza Muzzafar said: “I am taking up the issue with the National Women Commission besides writing to the commission in Chhattisgarh.” Despite repeated attempts, SP South, Mudassir Latifi could not be reached for his comments. |
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Minister reviews functioning of health dept
Srinagar, January 17 Describing doctors’ profession as noble and sensitive, the minister impressed upon the doctors to provide patients available medicare facilities. Addressing senior officers of the Health Department of the Kashmir division, Sharma said people had pinned high hopes from the present government and we had to make collective efforts to come up to their expectations. Director of the Health Department Muzaffar Ahmad said work was in progress at a cost of Rs 10 crore on the construction of new district hospital buildings in Shopian, Kulgam, Ganderbal and Bandipora districts. He said construction of sub-district hospitals at Seer Hamdan and Yaripora in Anantnag district were nearing completion. Similarly, work is apace on the construction of hospitals at Tangdhar, Karnah and Uri. A joint meeting of officers of the Horticulture and the Floriculture Department convened by the minister was informed that the annual product of fresh fruit had touched 1.5 lakh metric tons in the valley, accruing an income of Rs 1,700 crore. The production of dry fruits yielded an income of Rs 300 crore annually. While reviewing the functioning of the Floriculture Department, the minister was informed that gardens and parks in the valley had an income of Rs 5 crore from the cultivation of flowers and its sale during the last fiscal. |
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Release of PSA Detainees
Jammu, January 17 Addressing the media here today, state BJP president Ashok Khajuria claimed that the charges against those released were “heinous in nature”. He further condemned the state government for not lifting PSA warrants against Swami Dinesh Bharti. The Act was invoked against Dinesh during the Amarnath land agitation in Jammu. He dubbed the government move as the one to “appease fundamental forces”. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of PSA warrants issued against Dinesh Bharti. “We will not tolerate this type of attitude of the government and will agitate over the matter in the Assembly and, if required, on roads,” he warned. He claimed that during negotiations with Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti leaders the government had agreed to withdraw the PSA warrants against Dinesh Bharti. Flaying the Congress, the BJP leader said, “It is sad that Congress leaders are mum over the issue. The silence will be considered as criminal if they do not come forward to agitate over the demands of the Jammu region.” Khajuria said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should take guidance from his father and NC president Farooq Abdullah and should not repeat such acts that could disturb the communal fabric of the state. He also appealed to the government to immediately accept the long pending demands of government employees regarding the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations. It may be mentioned here that the state government had ordered the revocation of detention of 15 PSA detainees yesterday, which included Mohammad Akbar Khanday, alias Ayas Akbar, spokesperson for hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Hurriyat leader Nissar Hussain Rather and Noor Mohammad Kalwal, a top Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front leader. |
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Interference in scholars’ body polls alleged
Jammu, January 17 Addressing media persons, Sharma said heads of various departments had threatened students as well as class representatives to support their “blue-eyed candidates” in the run up for department representatives. “The university administration wants to turn scholars’ body into puppet body by planting its own candidates in it,” he alleged and demanded free and fair elections without any outside interference. Sharma said the university authorities had constituted a committee for formulating constitution of the JURSEA two years back. He resented that the same had yet not come out with the constitution of scholars’ body. “Some departments got notifications only a few days back. The authorities must give some time for preparation,” he said. |
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Joint panel to review status of Urdu
Jammu, January 17 The announcement was made by Vice-chancellor of Kashmir University Prof Reyaz Punjabi and endorsed by Vice-chancellor of JU Prof Varun Sahni during the inaugural function of the two-day national seminar on “Urdu in J&K - Past, Present and Future.” The seminar was recently organised by the Centre for Professional Studies in Urdu University of Jammu and the Urdu Department, Kashmir University. Announcing the setting up of the committee, Prof Punjabi said: “The committee comprises of prominent Urdu writers of the Jammu and Kashmir varsities,” adding that the state government needs to be sensitised about its constitutional obligations towards the language in the state. Meanwhile, director of the Centre for Professional Studies in Urdu University of Jammu Prof Shohab Inayat Malik and head of the Urdu Department in Kashmir University Prof Nazir Ahmad Malik demanded setting up of the Urdu Academy in the state. |
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Students hold awareness rally
Jammu, January 17 The students were holding placards denouncing communalism,
privatisation, female foeticide, besides demanding women empowerment. Addressing the rally on the inaugural day of the conference, senior journalist from
Tehelka, Ajit Sahi, spoke over growing communal intolerance. He stressed that there was no conflict between Hindus and Muslims and the wedge, if any, had been created by political parties. Prof Rekha Choudhary spoke over rampant privatisation of education and said there was need to revamp governmental education institutes. Students from colleges and university from more than six districts participated in the
conference. Students of Government Degree College, Samba, enacted a street play, “Janata pagal ho
gaye” (people go mad) while Government Degree College, Kathua, staged “Samrajywaad ki loot” (exploitation by imperialism), which got applause from students and other people. |
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‘State facing constitutional crisis’
Jammu, January 17 Harsh Dev, who is a noted constitutional lawyer, has pointed out that the state Assembly, which was duly constituted before January 1, should have been convened by the Governor with or without the recommendation of the government on or before January 7. “Section 53 of the Jammu and Kashmir constitution makes it mandatory to ensure that the intervening period between the two sessions of the Assembly should not exceed six months. The last day of the previous Assembly, when it met, was July 7, 2008,” he said. He said the Assembly session should have been held by January 7 to meet the mandatory requirement of the constitution of the state. |
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Sangarsh samiti, VHP threaten stir
Jammu, January 17 VHP and other Hindu organisations here, too, were enraged over the way the coalition government had yesterday ordered the revocation of PSA warrants against 15 detainees. Barring one person, who is from Rajouri district, remaining 14 belonged to the Kashmir valley. Very soon the VHP would convene a meeting to devise a plan of action regarding Dinesh Bharti and if forced by the government the entire Sadhu Samaj would resort to protests, he said. |
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Mubarak Mandi Complex
Jammu, January 17 The Union Tourism Ministry has released Rs 3 crore out of Rs 4.37 crore sanctioned for the first phase involving the conservation work of the complex. Jora said several heritage sites spread across the state could be showcased for promoting heritage tourism. He said the government was committed to restoring the old glory of all cultural heritages of the state for which necessary measures would be initiated. |
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