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Curfew-like situation in Srinagar
Anantnag Lok Sabha poll today
‘Declare’ holiday on May Day
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Mufti campaigns in Srinagar
No hobnobbing with PDP, says BJP
2 Cong councillors back BJP
Pay Anomalies
Doctors rue lower pay scale
Sunderbani in grip of water crisis
Mercury soars to 40°C after 68 years
Ultras attack NC worker’s house
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Curfew-like situation in Srinagar
Srinagar, April 29 The strike call given by Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani evoked a strong response as commercial establishment and private offices were closed and there was not much traffic on the road. Even the government offices were deserted as many employees claimed their inability to move out due to lack of transport and massive security build-up. There were stray incidents of stone pelting in Bemina and Batamaloo in the morning but protests were soon quelled by the police and the CRPF. The security clampdown was especially severe in downtown, a bastion of the separatists, as there was hardly any movement of people there. Unconfirmed reports said there were clashes between protesters and security personnel in old Baramulla town which left six persons injured. Most of the separatist leaders have been put under house arrest. While Geelani has been under house arrest for the past two weeks, many others like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Nayeem Khan have been detained at their homes since last evening. JKLF leader Yaseen Malik is also under house arrest. Chairperson of the Muslim Khawateen Markaz Yasmeen Raja and Chairman of the Salvation Movement Zaffar Akber Bhat were detained at Pampore in Pulwama district, which is part of the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, official sources said. Meanwhile, the CRPF today denied that its vehicle was burnt down by protesters in Bohri Kadal yesterday. “Protesters had burnt down a private vehicle but claimed that it was a CRPF vehicle to hide their attack on a civilian vehicle,” a CRPF spokesman said. |
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Anantnag Lok Sabha poll today
Srinagar, April 29 He said over 160 micro-observers, who are senior central government functionaries, had been deployed and 32 video cameras installed to ensure fair and transparent polling across all 16 Assembly segments of the constituency. Polling parties had reached their respective polling stations and the security forces were in position to ensure peaceful elections in the south Kashmir constituency, he said. As many as 11.65 lakh electors will decide the fate of 13 contestants in Anantnag. Meanwhile, DGP Kuldeep Khuda reviewed security arrangements on the eve of the poll at a high-level meeting held here today. Top officers of the police, CRPF and other security agencies attended the meeting, and relevant instructions were issued for ensuring security for the smooth conduct of poll. Khuda also reviewed the security arrangements for opening of the Civil Secretariat and other offices here on May 4 when Srinagar starts functioning as the capital. ADGP, CRPF, Karam Veer Singh and IG, Kashmir, B Srinavas were among others who attended the meeting. |
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‘Declare’ holiday on May Day
Jammu, April 29 Addressing an NMC workers’ rally here today, Shastri said that declaring May 1 as a gazetted holiday would fulfil the long-pending demand of the working class. Referring to the need for effective implementation of welfare schemes for the salaried class, the NMC leader urged Dr Manmohan Singh to ask the state government to launch a special programme for the betterment of socio-economic condition of the working class. |
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Mufti campaigns in Srinagar
Srinagar, April 29 Addressing his first election rally in the Srinagar constituency at Chadoora in Budgam district today, Mufti Sayeed said the PDP’s philosophy and agenda were based on restoring and safeguarding the political, social and economic identity of Jammu and Kashmir. “Our agenda is to empower people and emancipate them politically, economically and socially,” he said. The former Chief Minister said the PDP had clearly cut role of accomplishing its agenda of peace and prosperity for people. He said as reflected in the outcome of the Assembly elections the people’s endorsement of the self-rule proposal strengthened the party’s resolve to work for its implementation to address all dimensions of problems facing the state and its people. “The PDP now needs a decisive mandate to take up its agenda in Parliament,” he said. Expressing dismay over the state government’s failure to promote tourism, the Mufti said the hype over infiltration of militants coupled with the lack of will on its part to build confidence of tourists had served a severe blow to the tourism sector. He also castigated the state government for worsening power situation across the state. “On one hand the state is starving for power, on the other the government is gifting projects after projects to the NHPC to generate power for other parts of the country,” he said. PDP candidate from Srinagar Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, legislators Javed Mustafa Mir and Murtaza Khan and others also addressed the rally. |
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No hobnobbing with PDP, says BJP
Jammu, April 29 He reacted sharply saying “public has a right to know from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah whether the Congress is a puppet of the NC or vice-versa.” Arora also said the BJP had always opposed the policies of the Congress-NC and the PDP, hence there was no truth in the allegation that it was in hand in glove with the PDP. He said just by changing the name of the party from the Muslim Conference to the National Conference, the party had not changed the basic spirit of the existence of the party. Expressing concern over the sudden spurt in militant activities in the region during the election time, Arora questioned security arrangements in the state and found the state government lacking in sincerity in tiding over this sensitive issue. He alleged the Congress and the NC were adopting a soft approach against terrorism. Speaking about migrant Kashmiri Pandits, he said, “We have lodged complaints with the Election Commission and the election authorities in the state that the names of a large number of migrant voters have been deleted. The voting process has not been simplified for years together.” |
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2 Cong councillors back BJP
Udhampur, April 29 The BJP got a boost when the two Congress councillors, Nandlal and Ramesh Chander Dogra, came out openly against chairman of the Reasi Municipal Council Yashpal Verma, who is also a Congress councillor. Buoyed by revolt of the rival Congress members, the BJP today moved a no-confidence motion against the chairman before executive officer of the council Sanjeev Kumar. A copy of the no-confidence motion was forwarded to Deputy Commissioner Sanjeev Verma. In the 13-member Reasi Municipal Council, the BJP and the Congress have 5 councillors each while as the NC and the PDP have one member each in their kitty while as one seat is held by an independent. With the support of the PDP and the NC, the Congress is heading the council with Yashpal Verma as chairman of the council. However, with the revolt of its two members, the Congress has lost majority in the council. With the support of 2 Congress members, the 5-member BJP has managed majority in the council. Although the executive officer has received a copy of the no-confidence motion, he has yet not fixed date for the present chairman to prove his majority in the House. Earlier, the BJP-supported independent councillor was heading the Reasi Municipal Council with the support of lone PDP member. One year ago, the Congress wrested the post of chairman from the BJP with the support of the PDP and the NC members. Sources said the BJP had lured rival Congress councillors with a promise to provide them the post of deputy chairman. As the political equation has been changed in the state after formation of the Congress-NC coalition, the lone PDP member in the council is also thinking to shift his loyalty. |
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Pay Anomalies
Jammu, April 29 “If the government failed to give us our due share under the 6th pay panel recommendations vis-à-vis the Sadr-e-Riyasat Ordinance (SRO) ‘93 by May 19, we would be forced to go on a token strike, which may take the form of an indefinite stir,” said Jammu and Kashmir Veterinary Doctors’ Association (JKVDA) president MT Krishan here this afternoon. Highlighting gross anomalies in the SRO, he said, veterinary doctors were appointed in the central government services as group ‘A’ officers, whose pay scale of Rs 8000-275-Rs 13500 had been converted into PB-3 (Rs 15,600-Rs 39,100 plus Rs 5400 as grade pay) and the total revised basic pay at Rs 21,000) but under the SRO-93 the grade of Rs 8000-275-Rs13,500 had been converted into PB-2 (Rs 9,300-Rs 34,800 plus Rs 5400 as grade pay with the revised pay at Rs 20,280). As a result “we are getting Rs 720 less in the basic pay at the entry level compared to our counterparts in the central government, which shall have far-reaching consequences in,”he said. Another unfortunate aspect of the SRO was about the doctors appointed on December 28, 2005, under which if one had joined on December 29, 2005, he would get a revised basic pay of Rs 20,600 but if a doctor of the same batch had joined the service on January 1, 2006, he would get Rs 14,700. This huge difference has led to distress among the doctors, he added.
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Doctors rue lower pay scale
Udhampur, April 29 Outrightly rejecting the 6th Pay Commission SRO they demanded that doctors be given the next higher grade of Rs 10000-15200 and placed in the pay band 3 as per the central 6th Pay Commission recommendation and implementation. The agitating doctors claimed that in 1965 doctors and DCs had the same pay scale in Jammu and Kashmir but due to political apathy and indifferent approach of the bureaucracy, doctors have now been placed in pay scale next to class IV employees. |
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Water released into ‘clogged’ canals
RS Pura, April 29 The Irrigation and Flood Control Department engages private contractors to scoop out garbage and de-silt the canal every year. However, two days ago, huge dumps of garbage and sludge were seen in the whole canal network. “Farmers require water from June to August end for paddy cultivation. But it’s during this time we are faced with severe water scarcity every year,” said general secretary of the Rice Growers Association Tejinder Singh. “Heaps of garbage in canals have been obstructing the free flow of water and hence its supply to tail-end areas like Mamka and Dhabler,” said Baldev Singh, a local farmer. He added: “The sowing season of nurseries for seasonal vegetables and paddy is going to start soon. If water supply is not ensured in canals, poor farmers are likely to suffer,” he added. Another farmer Tara Chand said: “Every year, water supply into the canals is stopped for de-silting and traditionally it is restored before Baisakhi. But this year the department concerned failed not only to ensure water supply well in time but also de-silting.” He said: “Patchwork at several places was abandoned halfway, while cleansing was not up to the mark this year too despite the fact that the canal was kept dry for nearly six months.” A Kullian resident, Nathua Ram, alleged: “The contractor along with his team came last month, but he did not scoop out sand and garbage from the canal bed.” |
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Sunderbani in grip of water crisis
Sunderbani (Rajouri), April 29 The residents rue that despite having so many springs and streams flowing through their area, the Water Supply Department (WSD) has failed to tap the potential and supply sufficient water in the town. “Even as muggy summer is yet to start and temperature rising every passing day, the department concerned is supplying water once in two-three days,” Yash Paul Sharma, a resident of Basantpur near here, complained. Renu Gupta, a housewife and councillor of ward number 6 of the town area here, said: “Instead of supplying water on daily basis and for requisite time duration, the WSD supplies water intermittently and for inadequate time. Since water is needed for every household activity, we are facing lot many problems.” Sources in the WSD said of the 4, 10,000 gallons required on daily basis for the town and on its outskirts, the department was just managing 3,00,000 gallons and there was shortfall of 1,10,000 gallons. Even as senior officers of the WSD couldn’t be contacted for their comments, a junior-level officer posted in Sunderbani told The Tribune that though there was shortage of water in the area, the measures were afoot to meet the shortfall. |
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Mercury soars to 40°C after 68 years
Jammu, April 29 Though the Met Department officials say the rise in the day temperature in Jammu is normal, this has happened for the first time after 68 years. Director of the state Met Department Sonam Lotus said, “The temperature in Jammu has soared four to five degrees above normal. At midday today, Jammu’s temperature was recorded at 40°C, which is five degrees above normal.” He said, “The normal daytime temperature till April end should be 35°C. But there is nothing to worry as the phenomenon is normal and on April 29, 1941, the daytime temperature had soared to 43.9°C.” He said the department felt the temperature might come down in the next few days. The people of Jammu had to use air conditioners and desert coolers to beat the heat. “The consumption of electricity increases with every passing day as the temperature soars,” said Sanjay Sharma, assistant executive engineer, Power Development Department, Jammu. “We would soon be launching a drive to check where people use kundi connections to run ACs and other cooling devices.” |
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Ultras attack NC worker’s house
Srinagar, April 29 “Some unidentified gunmen fired four rounds toward the house of Gulzar Ahmad Bhat at Salfia Colony in the Batmaloo locality of Central Srinagar last night,” the spokesman said. While Bhat escaped unhurt in the firing, windowpanes of the house were damaged. This is the second such incident within a week. Earlier on April 24, militants shot dead a block president of the NC, Abdul Sattar Ganai, inside his house at Moonghama-Tral, 50 km from here, in Pulwama district.
— PTI |
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