Jammu, February 23
Governor NN Vohra today paid obeisance at the holy shrine of Shiv Khori in Reasi district on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

The Governor interacted with pilgrims, who had thronged the shrine in view of Mahashivratri and enquired about the facilities available, particularly those relating to drinking water, electricity, shelters.

He also inspected the on-going development works being executed to provide upgraded amenities to the visiting pilgrims at Ransoo, the base camp of the pilgrimage en route and in the holy cave shrine area.

The Governor emphasized that while planning for facilities environmental concerns must remain at the top of the board's agenda.

He stressed the need for evolving a comprehensive strategy for waste management, particularly the aspects pertaining to technology, human capacity and partnerships with local people. He announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for post-Shivratri sanitation management by the board, jointly with langarwalas.

The Governor emphasised the need for putting in place all basic facilities expeditiously by completing the on-going development projects, right from Ransoo to the holy cave shrine, within a fixed timeline, as lakhs of pilgrims visit the shrine every year. Sanjeev Verma, deputy commissioner, Reasi, who is also the vice-chairman, Shiv Khori Shrine board, presented to the Governor a detailed profile of various development works under execution in the shrine area.

He informed the Governor that Rs 12.50 crore had been approved for development of Shiv Khori as a revered pilgrim tourist destination.

Udhampur, February 23
After remaining cut off for 18 days, the mountainous districts of Kishtwar and Doda were today reconnected with the rest of world as some vehicles were allowed to move on the new road between Trungal and Assar. Though load carriers and passenger vehicles were not allowed to pass on the newly constructed road, small private vehicles were allowed to ply to Assar from Trungal.

More than six lakh residents of Kishtwar and Doda districts were cut off from the rest of world after 200 metres of the highway between Trungal and Assar caved in on February 6, 2008, due to landslide and heavy rain. As the whole stretch sank into the Chenab, the authorities had decided to construct an alternative track from Trungal to Assar via Ugana-Chamkala.

Residents of Doda and Kishtwar districts heaved a sigh of relief as traffic was restored on the road after 18 days. “Load carriers and passenger vehicles would be allowed to move from tomorrow”, deputy commissioner, Kishtwar, Sudershan Sharma told the Tribune. Quoting Commanding Officer of the Beacon, the deputy commissioner said initially small load carriers would be allowed to move on the new track as it was still slippery and construction work was not finished. He further informed that the new track would be opened for one way traffic only.

A team of geological experts and engineers of the GREF are still examining the track near Koura Pani and Jethi, where some cracks have developed on the highway. “The GREF authorities have assured to repair the road where cracks have developed”, Sudarshan said and hoped the work would be completed within the stipulated time.

Meanwhile, OSD Khurshid Ahmed Bhat has been camping at Bani to supervise the ongoing work on the alternative road from Bani to Bhaderwah to connect the two districts. “Our biggest challenge was to remove the blockade at Chatrgalla and we have removed it”, Bhat told the Tribune on phone. He assured that this road would also be opened for traffic within a couple of days.

Srinagar, February 23
Tension prevailed in the north Kashmir towns of Sopore and Baramulla for the second consecutive day today in protest against the killing of two youths by security forces at Bummai on Saturday last. A curfew-like situation prevailed in Bummai village as mourners converged in a large number to console the bereaved families.

The police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to cane charge to disperse protesters in the district headquarters town of Baramulla, where youths took to streets in protest against the killing. A complete shutdown was observed in the town, while angry demonstrators pelted security forces with stones. The police lobbed teargas shells and cane charged them to maintain law and order. The police has arrested at least six persons following the protests, reports reaching here said.

Life remained paralysed in the apple rich town of Sopore for the second consecutive day today though there were no reports of violence or protest demonstrations. Curfew was imposed in Sopore yesterday.

Protest demonstrations were led by senior APHC leader Zafar Akbar Bhat in the Lal Chowk area. Several separatist and social organisations have condemned the incident and expressed shock and grief over the killing.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Hurriyat Conference here said its senior leader Moulana Abbas Ansari was prevented by the police from entering Sopore today. He was on his way to Bummai village near Sopore to express grief and console the bereaved families. Both factions of the Hurriyat have condemned the incident and called for a general strike on February 25 on the fourth day of the mourning of the deceased.

APHC chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq is also scheduled to address the gathering of mourners in Bummai on the occasion, an APHC spokesman here said. 

Jammu, February 23
Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh plans to move a resolution in the Assembly session due from February 25 for an increase in daily wages of workers from Rs 70 per day to a minimum of Rs 150 per day in conformity with the increase in the emoluments of their counterparts in the regular scale.

Harsh Dev has asked the government to issue orders in this regard immediately so that the deprived labour class, including daily wage earners in various government and private establishments, were ensured justice.

He said it was necessary to ensure an increase in the daily wages of workers in various government departments, including the PHE, R&B, PDD, rural development, health, education, immediately in view of the prevailing price index and revision in pay scales of government employees.

Harsh Dev has further demanded proportional enhancement in the salary of contractual and ad hoc employees working in various government departments. He sought the regularisation of contractual and ad hoc workers in consonance with assurances given to them.

The Panthers Party leader has also given notices in the Assembly regarding the employment policy and the steps taken by it to translate its slogan of “one job for each household” into reality.

Harsh Dev regretted the government’s apathy toward the plight of unemployed engineers, ITI trained electricians, agricultural graduates, unemployed graduates and postgraduates, and Home Guard jawans agitating for the past two years. 

Rajouri, February 23
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has made visits to far-flung and remote areas mandatory for all heads of the departments so that they get the firsthand knowledge of people’s immediate needs and prepare plans accordingly.

The Chief Minister was reviewing the District Annual Plan of Poonch at an officers’ meeting in the district on Saturday.

Asking officers not to link development issues with politics, the Chief Minister said the performance of the officers would be judged by the quality of delivery and public service, adding the government had accepted the demands of the employees regarding the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission and expected them to work harder to improve the delivery system.

“It was now their duty to be more productive and responsive to the public demands,” he told the officers present in the meeting.

Omar said the administrative and bureaucratic leaderships have to work in tandem to reach out to the people and ensure better service. He said the administration had a key role to play in translating the development agenda of the government into reality. Describing government functionaries as agents of socio-economic change, the Chief Minister also stressed on them to remain apolitical.

Omar also asked the District Development Commissioner to prepare status paper of work, their financial and physical position and liabilities, if any. Later, presenting a detailed report of the District Plan, District Development Commissioner Muhammad Afzal said out of the revised annual plan of Rs 49.48 crore for the year 2008-09, about Rs 25 crore has been spent till February 15, 2009.

Rajouri, February 23
A well-knit forest mafia is working closely with some officials of the forest department, who are allegedly felling down dozens of Chir ( forest tree), in Mayardi village near here. This is what locals here say. They believe the forest mafia comprises 11 to 12 persons, predominantly Gujjars.

“The forest mafia fells forest trees and then dry them up in open. After that these forest trees are dumped inside the earth and covered with soil. Then firewood is placed on that soil and is set on fire. After a few days, coal is extracted from the earth and is sold in the market,” said a local source, asking not to be named.

“Each member of the mafia is earning Rs 300 on a daily basis. Some officials of the forest department have a huge involvement in illegal extraction of the coal and are working closely with the mafia. The forest officials are getting huge money for keeping a blind eye,” he adds.

Sources in the forest department confirmed that there were reports of a group of persons illegally felling forest trees in the Mayardi village for extracting coal. They added Divisional Forest Officer, Rajouri, had constituted a team headed by forester of the area for probing the matter and the team is likely to submit its report within a day or two.

Meanwhile, Range Officer, Rajouri, Jameel Khan told The Tribune that anyone found involved in illegal felling of forest trees would not be spared. “We are probing the matter and wouldn’t spare anyone found violating the Jammu and Kashmir Forest (conservation) Act,” said the Range Officer.

Srinagar, February 23
Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura handles 200 medico-legal cases during a month and doctors at the institute believe that medicos need to stick to principles of honesty and dedication.

Sharing his views during a programme, “Current Issues in Hospital Medicine”, Prof Abdul Hameed Zargar, director, SKIMS, said the hospital receives more than 2,000 medico-legal cases annually.

“It is due to the fact that we (doctors) are not honest and we don’t care about patients. There are situations where there is a conflict between law and social problems, but a doctor is expected to work while maintaining a fine balance between law and social obligations. These challenges have to be accepted,” says Dr Zargar.

Expressing his concern over medical records of patients not being updated, he said, “I suggest the medical record files of patients are kept in control room of a particular department and those are checked by senior resident of that department once in 24 hours.”

In his presentation, Dr Aijaz Mustafa said even though there were many Acts to safeguard interests of patients, there are medicos who violated law and carried out treatment without patients’ consent.

“It has been observed that doctors carry out autopsy of a person without the consent of his family. It is only during emergencies that consent is not required; otherwise, doctors can’t treat patients on their own. A patient cannot be put to anesthesia without his permission and these things have to be kept in mind by medicos,” says Dr Aijaz.

The doctor said hospitals should ensure that there was a complete ban on procedures like sex determination tests and organ transplant. He added there was no need for a doctor to wait for the police while treating injured in a criminal case.

Dr Showkat stressed upon the need to develop a manufacturing plant that can counter fake and spurious antibiotic proliferation. The programme was organised on the eve of the Platinum jubilee of Medical Council of India (MCI) recognition.

Jammu, February 23
Bursting at the seams, Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital, predominantly a gynae and paediatrics hospital, here finds the going tough in the wake of an acute shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.

On an average, 60 to 70 women deliver babies every 24 hours at the hospital’s 48-bedded labour room, that includes about 20 caesarian cases, and to perform the deliveries, besides attending to obstetrician cases and OPD patients, the hospital has just 15 gynaecologists, excluding eight registrars.

A heavy rush at the 550-bedded hospital, which on any given day has over 100 per cent bed occupancy, continues to take a heavy toll on hospital staff, said a nurse.

While quarrels between attendants and hospital staff over patient care occurred regularly, the main problem was the acute shortage of staff, she said.

The nursing staff particularly had been overstretched and to aggravate our miseries the government had turned a Nelson’s eye to our problems and demands, including a pay hike, she added.

“Despite constraints, we discharge our duties. But it seems the government does not want to look into our problems,” said another nurse, who admitted that patient care had suffered a setback.

“The gynae and obstetrician departments has 250 beds, which most of the times remain occupied.”

Similarly, the paediatrics department, too, reflected a grim picture.

Official sources said the paediatrics department had 200 beds, but just seven paediatricians.

They added though a new 200-bedded super speciality paediatric block had almost been completed, as per norms we needed at least 80 to 90 nurses and eight more paediatricians to run it smoothly.

Raising structures without proper staff would serve no purpose, they said.

“As per AIIMS norms, there should be one nurse for three beds. But at present we have a skeletal staff,” they said, adding that at times when 200 beds in the paediatrics department proved insufficient and we had to accommodate two to three infants along with their mothers on a single bed.

A senior administrative official candidly admitted that the hospital faced a severe crisis and the government should adopt corrective measures immediately.

He said the hospital faced a shortage of 10 to 25 per cent staff.

“Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during his recent visit to the hospital, had assured us to solve this nagging problem. Sooner he acts, better it would be for patients,” he added.

A proposal to raise a 400-bedded maternity hospital in Jammu was also under the active consideration of the government, he said.

Jammu, February 23
The state wing of the BJP has decided that besides the issue of the delimitation of the state Assembly and Lok Sabha seats, it will take up other issues in the upcoming session of the state Assembly.

This was stated by leader of the BJP legislators party Chaman Lal Gupta at a public meeting. He said issues pertaining to problems being faced by the people, including regional disparities, growing unemployment, long-pending rehabilitation of West Pakistan refugees and migrants from Pakistan occupied Kashmir, would be taken up in the coming session of the Assembly.

He said the issue of delimitation was linked with many basic problems “as fair distribution of Assembly seats will empower Jammu of their due which will help in solving many political and other problems like that of separatism and fundamentalism”.

Adding he said, “What is the justification of providing 37 Assembly seats to Jammu as against 46 seats to Kashmir when Jammu has higher number of electorates and almost double the geographical area than that of the valley?”

Srinagar, February 23
The Kashmir valley received rain on Monday with the upper reaches in some parts getting snow as well, bringing down the temperature.

The day remained overcast and it being a holiday for Shivaratri, roads were quieter than usual.

The Weather Department said rain was a bit heavier in the northern districts like Kupwara and Baramulla. Srinagar, which falls in central Kashmir, received 2 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm while Qazigund, the last town to the south, had 0.4 mm.

The maximum temperature in Srinagar was 7°C and the minimum was 2.2°C. Pehalgam, among the colder places in the valley, had a maximum temperature of 8.2°C with the minimum being 0.3°C.

Met officials have predicted rain and snow in Kashmir in the next 24 hours while the Ladakh region is also expected to receive rain and snow. 

Udhampur, February 23
After commission of the Baglihar hydroelectric project on the Chenab, the Central government has decided to construct a big project on the river Ujh bordering Udhampur and Kathua districts. A high-level team of the Central Water Commission visited the site of the proposed project to prepare a detail project report.

According to a rough estimate, the hydroelectric project would be constructed at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore and provide employment to a large number of youth of both the districts. Local MP Ch Lal Singh has approached the Centre for starting the work on the project as early as possible. The proposed hydroelectric project has been already declared as a national project by the Central government.

Singh claimed after completion of the proposed project, the problem of power shortage would be solved in the state. Furthermore, this project will also provide water for irrigation to nearly 80,000 acres of land of farmers of the area and Kathua, especially in the Kandi belt.

He said the Central Water Commission and Power Development Corporation teams would submit its detail project report within a short period so that the work could start as early as possible. He also said last year Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav had ordered the survey of Kathua-Basohli-Bani-Bhderwah-Doda-Kishatwar rail line.