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Central team in Srinagar ahead of PM’s visit
Omar wants early completion of projects
6th Pay Panel: Housing Board staff to hold dharna today
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Jammu doc saviour of Pak patients
Highway blocked over murder of ex-serviceman
3 convicted for double murder
NGO helps girl reunite with family
Women employees of SRTC join stir
Students protest poor transport facilities
Morcha against division on communal lines
PM Sadak Yojna
Cops among 9 injured in Baramulla clashes
ANC chief writes to Sonia
Drizzle in valley, colder days ahead
Bike safari flagged off
Stay away from Indian affairs, Panthers to OIC
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Central team in Srinagar ahead of PM’s visit
Srinagar, October 5 The high-power team comprising secretaries from a number of departments, including Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Home Secretary GK Pillai, Secretary, Coordination, in Cabinet Secretariat, Ajit Seth and Planning Commission Secretary Sudha Pillai met Omar today soon after they arrived in Srinagar. An official spokesperson said the Chief Minister underlined the importance of the power sector for the economic betterment of the state. The team is here to review several projects, financed completely or majorly by New Delhi, and take stock of developmental measures ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the state. The secretaries are also expected to meet various delegations to take stock of developmental requirements in the state. “We require adequate power for powering the fast track development and industrial promotion in the state to give a fillip to the economy and create jobs for the youth,” Omar told them, stressing that the state had suffered losses on account of the Indus Water Treaty and the Central government should compensate it by funding more power projects under the PMRP and otherwise. “There is an urgent need for the transfer of the Dul Hasti Project to the state as also recommended by the Rangarajan Committee,” he said. The Chief Minister asked the Union team of secretaries to compensate the state by way of granting additional power projects if the transfer of the Dul Hasti takes some time so that it could meet its power requirements. He also urged for an early sanctioning of projects pertaining to the conservation and protection of Dal, Mansar, Surinsar, Sumurary and Wullar lakes. The team informed him that the Central government had agreed to advance Rs 356 crore for paying compensation for land and structures of the Dal Lake dwellers so that they could be moved out of the water body. The hour-long meeting also discussed matters relating to the execution of the centrally-sponsored schemes, especially mega projects under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme (PMRP), PMGSRY, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission
(JNRUM). |
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Omar wants early completion of projects
Jammu, October 5 Omar said this while conducting an extensive tour of Jammu city on Saturday to inspect progress of various projects. He visited the construction site of super speciality hospital worth Rs 1.20 crore which is coming up at Resham Ghar Colony. He asked the executing agency to ensure the hospital was completed by March 2010. The Chief Minister also visited Raghunath Bazaar, City Chowk, Ambphalla, BC Road and adjacent areas and other development works. Omar was briefed about the Rs 60 crore, flyover proposed to be constructed from Ambphalla chowk to Shakuntla chowk. He was also informed about the status of Bahu Fort-Mubarak Mandi Cable Car Project. Omar also inquired about the Raghunath Bazaar heritage project. He later visited Indoor Sports Complex in MA Stadium and asked the authorities concerned to upgrade facilities. He asked the sports authorities to formulate a project for renovation of multi-purpose hall in the stadium. |
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6th Pay Panel: Housing Board staff to hold dharna today
Jammu, October 5 Mohd Farooq, the president the association, said, “It is ironical that all the employees of the Revenue and Finance Department, working on deputation in the housing board, got the salaries as per the pay commission’s recommendations but we were left out.” Suman Sharma, general secretary of the association, also said all their sister concerns - the Jammu Development Authority, Srinagar Development Authority, local bodies and municipality - have got recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission implemented, barring only the JKHB. The leaders strongly condemned the approach of the management, who they think are not bothered to solve the issue which they have been promising for the past three months. Sharma also blamed all honchos of office including Managing Director, Secretary for slipping to Srinagar to avoid questioning from employees. |
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Junior docs go on strike
Jammu, October 5 Protesting under the banner of the Doctors Joint Action Committee, the junior doctors remained away from routine duties. “No postgraduate resident doctor, senior resident doctor, house surgeon and intern attended duty,” said Dr Satyainder Singh, convener of the DJAC. “We have also garnered support from assistant surgeons at all district and sub-district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres, besides the GMC Hospital and its associated hospitals,” he added. The protesting doctors have been demanding a parity in the pay scales of junior doctors in both regions, equality with assistant surgeons and house surgeons, the pay band 3 instead of the pay band 2 on the pattern followed in other states and a grade above Class XII lecturers and the Indian System of Medicines (ISM) doctors. They have also been demanding a law to convict persons who assault doctors and other paramedical staff on duty, increase in the retirement age of B grade specialists from 58 years to 60 years, time-bound promotions and the rationalisation of the use of apron. Patients at the GMC Hospital had to suffer as the normal functioning in all wards and departments remained affected due to the strike. However, the emergency services operated as normal. Meanwhile, in a function held at the GMC Hospital, Jammu, today, Minister for Medical Education RS Chib reiterated the warning and asked the junior doctors to resume their duties, failing which action would be initiated against them. “They are legally bound to discharge their professional duties, as they agree to it in an agreement with the authorities at the time of appointment.” |
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Jammu doc saviour of Pak patients
Jammu, October 5 After one year, Noor Ahmed Mir, 64, has got a new lease of life and prays to ‘Allah’ to usher in the era of peaceful coexistence between the two countries. Mir was diagnosed with the chronic disorder some eight years back in Pakistan. He came here in August last year. “I am thankful to Dr Bhushan, who treated me with utmost care and attention,” Mir said and added, “Medical facilities over here are comparatively better and economical.” Mir who has married off his daughter in Jammu said: “As Indo-Pak relations are strained, divided families like us are the first causality.” He further added that he was born in Jammu but had to migrate after the partition. “He came to Government Medical College, last year and was diagnosed with a chronic Hepatitis C. We treated him,” said Dr Gupta who is head of the department of gastroenterology. “After health improved, he got his medical visa extended for six months,” Dr Gupta. Elaborating on it he said, “So far, I have treated 15 Pakistani patients, who approached me with faded hopes.” Speaking on the bond developed with Mir Dr Gupta said, “Mir has presented me a pair Peshwari sandals as token of love. It’s a good gesture and I will treasure this gift. Though it’s a routine duty of a doctor to cure the patients, but it’s a fulfilling job as it will help in strengthening the relations between two countries.” He said, “The first Pakistani patient came to me a year ago and since then patients from Pakistan keep visiting off and on. Mir also expressed gratitude to Minister for Medical Education, RS Chib who was on visit to the hospital this morning besides people of the state.”
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Highway blocked over murder of ex-serviceman
Jammu, October 5 Official sources said around 1 am yesterday, the daughter-in-law of 65-year-old Gian Chand, an ex-serviceman, found him lying in a pool of blood in the verandah of his house. The sources said she raised the alarm and other members of the family also woke up. They shifted a profusely bleeding Gian Chand to the Samba hospital, and from there doctors referred him to the Government Medical College here in view of his critical condition. However, Gian Chand died around 7.30 am today. The sources said Gian Chand had returned home late after attending a marriage in the village last night. He slept in the verandah, where some persons attacked him with a spade and fled. An autopsy was conducted at the GMC here today. Around 50 persons, including Gian’s family members, placed the body on the highway around 2.15 pm and blocked traffic. The protesters demanded the arrest of the assailants. The sources said Raghubir Singh, SSP Samba, along with other officers rushed to the spot and pacified the protesters. The SSP assured them that the culprits would be arrested at the earliest. “We are trying to solve the murder case. As of now no substantial clue has come to light,” said a police officer. He added, “However, we are hopeful of a breakthrough by this evening.” |
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3 convicted for double murder
Jammu, October 5 However, the court adjourned the case for arguments about the quantum of punishment to the three convicts, Balwan Singh of Janipur, Gandharb Singh of Channi Himmat and selection grade constable Dev Raj. On the fateful day, the trio had allegedly murdered Pardeep Kumar and Kamal Raj, besides seriously injured Sanjeev Kumar. According to the prosecution, on April 24, 2001, Inspector Shamsher Singh Parihar, the then SHO of Bahu Fort police station, Jammu, recorded the statement of injured Sanjeev at the Government Medical College Hospital. In his statement, Sanjeev stated that on the fateful day he went to the bus stand in connection with some transport work. He met Pardeep Kumar of Talab Tillo there. Pardeep, also a transporter, asked the complainant and Kamal Raj of Narwal Pain to accompany him to the JDA office. When the three were at the first floor of the JDA complex, Balwan Singh and Gandharb Singh, accompanied by an armed PSO, arrived there and started abusing Pardeep because of some old enmity. When Pardeep objected to it, Gandharb Singh started beating him. However, the complainant alon with Kamal Raj tried to rescue Pardeep. Balwan and Gandharb asked the PSO to open fire from his AK-47 rifle. In his complaint, Sanjeev had submitted that Balwan snatched a 12-bore rifle being carried by Gandharb Singh. In the melee, PSO Dev Raj opened fire upon the complainant, Pardeep and Kamal. They were injured critically and bled profusely. Balwan thrashed Sanjeev with the butt of the rifle before throwing him out of the window from the first floor. However, Sanjeev crawled onto the road, hired an auto-rickshaw and reached the railway station. From there he managed to reached the medical college. Legs of the complainant were fractured whereas Pardeep and Kamal died in the hospital. After eight years of trial, the court today convicted the three accused. However, the case was adjourned for the quantum of sentence. |
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NGO helps girl reunite with family
Jammu, October 5 The NGO traced the parents of Neha, a resident of Shakti Nagar in Jammu, who went missing after she boarded a Kanachak-bound minibus by mistake on September 27. The girl was handed over to her mother. She belongs to a poor family. Her father is a labourer and is bringing up three more children. Overjoyed over finding her daughter, Jyoti Devi said, “I am happy that my daughter is back with me. I am going to put her in a mentally challenged home after consulting my husband where she could be looked after in a better way.” Childline too assured her admission to a home for mentally challenged children free of cost. On September 27, the driver saw the girl sitting alone in the bus when all had left. He inquired about her whereabouts but she could not tell anything. Then he took her to a police station. Strangely, the driver was asked to take care of the girl until her parents were traced. The driver contacted Childline, which took the girl under its care after taking due permission from the police station. OP Gupta, Childline convener, “After tracing the girl, we sent her to a home for mentally challenged kids, where she stayed for two days. Meanwhile, we approached the local media to help trace her whereabouts. After reading the reports about the girl, the Bakshi Nagar police, where the mother of the girl had lodged an FIR, contacted us. Ultimately, the girl was reunited with her mother.” |
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Women employees of SRTC join stir
Jammu, October 5 Around 40 women workers of the SRTC today tried to court arrest along with the male colleagues, but the police refused to arrest them saying it did not have women staff. “It is a morale booster for us as women colleagues too came forward to court arrest. However, the police did not arrest them saying it did not have women police staff,” said Ashok Mehra, president of the SRTC Employees Union. The women SRTC staff raised slogans against the government for its failure to fulfil their “genuine demands”. Around 72 employees of the SRTC today courted arrest in protest. “A police vehicle was standing outside our office. As we left the office premises, our men and women voluntarily marched towards the vehicle to court arrest, but the police refused to arrest our women colleagues. However, the male employees courted arrest,” said Paramjeet Singh, general secretary of the SRTC Employees Union. There are around 4,316 employees of the SRTC and the corporation has received around 4,000 applications from employees under the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS). “We have received around 4,000 applications from the SRTC employees seeking en masse voluntary retirement. We are scrutinising the applications to see whether all of them are genuine, as some employees have denied to have resigned,” Anoop Kannaw, Managing Director, SRTC, told The Tribune. Mehra said the administration alleged that the SRTC was overstaffed and the staff did not have any work. “If the administration fails to take work from the staff, its to be blamed. A majority of the staff (4,000) have submitted resignations to the MD,” he said. Due to the ongoing strike, the SRTC’s fleet of 672 busses and 425 trucks has been grounded and the government is losing Rs 20 lakh every day. |
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House Gandhiji stayed in now a pain for residents
Jammu, October 5 Says Poonam Sharma, the owner: “The girdle of the house needs to be replaced, otherwise it may collapse and harm the residents any day, but we’re not permitted to do so by the government. However, we got the girdle restored for which we had to shell out Rs 12,000. The government should come forward to help us on its own.” The family members have also become fed up by repeated visits of administration officials who come to see the house and tell them the government is considering a move to turn it into a heritage building. “Some of the officials even asked me to sell the house, for which I’m ready but then never showed up again.” Confirming officials had made several visits to the house, state archives director AQ Qadri said: “We visited the house when our department was asked to prepare a report on various places in the state which Gandhi had stayed in during his ‘Dandi March’. Though the report was later submitted to the central government I’ve no idea what happened to it.”
The house’s residents are also troubled by the unnecessary invasion of their privacy on Gandhi’s birth and death anniversaries. This extended family of Pandit Jagannath, who was a friend of Gandhi’s, has kept a table fan and a blower that the latter used when he was stayed in the house. However, Jagannath’s daughter-in-law, Poonam who stays there with her adopted son’s family after both her husband and only son died, does not remember much about Gandhi’s visit to the house. |
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Students protest poor transport facilities
Udhampur, October 5 As soon as this campaign started, drivers of private mini-buses and buses decided not to allow students in their vehicles as they had to give them travelling concession. The government also failed to fulfil its promise of introducing government buses and minibuses in this region. Meanwhile, Doda MLA Abdul Majid Wani, while addressing public meetings in different areas of Doda, said: “Severe shortage of public transport is there because of vicious nexus existing between the transporters, traffic police and transport department officers. Wani warned such officers against indulging in corrupt practices. |
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Morcha against division on communal lines
Jammu, October 5 The Morcha leaders said people of the Jammu province would accept a solution that empowered them and gave them the right to decide on issues concerning them. Notably, people of Jammu wanted a separate legislature and executive, which could only be attained by creating a
new state for the Jammu province. JSM (P) president Prof Virender Gupta said the people of Jammu region would oppose any move to alter the geographical boundaries of the province and not accept any division on communal lines. |
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PM Sadak Yojna
Jammu, October 5 Addressing a press conference here yesterday, NCP general secretary and spokesperson Mohinder Singh Thakur said the stretch from Tentha to Nallah Mallian and Dhar Road (Sanote) to Garh Samna Banj in Ramnagar assembly constituency, sanctioned under the PMGSY, were rendered irrelevant due to construction of the same roads by the Rural Development Department of Udhampur district. He said both the stretches were constructed by the department notwithstanding the fact that these were already proposed under the PMGSY and subsequently sanctioned by the Government of India. He also deplored the functioning of PMGSY implementation agency, the JKRRDA. Thakur demanded that the Chief Minister should order an inquiry into the serious irregularities committed by the Rural, PWD and PMGSY implementing agencies. |
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Cops among 9 injured in Baramulla clashes
Srinagar, October 5 The police detained five leaders of the moderate Hurriyat faction, who were on their way to Baramulla to mourn the death of 12-year-old Irfan Ahmad Lone. The protesters said Irfan died after being hit by a tear gas shell fired by the police on last Friday. The five leaders, including Zafar Akbar Bhat and Mohammad Yousof Naqash, were arrested near Murgund as the police said their visit and fiery speeches against the state machinery would have further deteriorated law and order situation in the township, especially the old part that is a separatist stronghold and often sees “pro-azadi” protests. The police had prevented JKLF chairman Yasin Malik from visiting Baramulla on Saturday and arrested him. The town remained close and a score of people came out on roads defying prohibitory orders, though the police said it did not impose any curfew, and demanding action against cops responsible for the boy’s death. The police, however, has denied the allegation and said he died in a melee after it tried to disperse a mob of stone-throwing protesters. The government has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and report is still awaited. “They are plotting to come clean, but their hands are stained with Irfan’s blood,” Osman Ahmad, a protester, said. |
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ANC chief writes to Sonia
Srinagar, October 5 In a letter addressed to the UPA chairperson, ANC president Begum Khalida Shah said, "The employees of SRTC are without salaries for several months and their families are starving. It is unfortunate that the corporation has reached the brink of closure." The employees of the corporation are on strike for past 40 days demanding the release of their salaries and have even tendered resignation en masse for VRS. “The UPA leadership has released Rs 15,000 crore to save Air India from losses, but injustice is being metted out to the special state of Jammu and Kashmir, as no concrete step has been taken to save the important and beneficial industry in the state," Khalida said. She said the SRTC was not the only corporation running in losses, and there are transport corporations in the country, which are also running in loss and added, "This does not mean that government would use force to deny justice to 70,000 families who are directly or indirectly dependent on the industry."
— PTI |
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Drizzle in valley, colder days ahead
Srinagar, October 5 The minimum temperature in Srinagar at 10.1 °C is still 2 degree above normal, a met department official said, but signs of colder days are visible. Higher reaches in tourist towns of Pahalgam and Gulmarg witnessed snowfall yesterday and the minimum temperature in Pahalgam slumped to 5.9 °C today. The maximum temperature in Srinagar was 23.6 °C, equivalent to the normal mercury level, and the minimum temperature in most Kashmir towns, except for those like Pahalgam or Sonmarg known for cold climate, hovered just above 10 °C. Met officials have predicted colder days ahead with their forecast of rains and thunderstorm across the valley. |
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Bike safari flagged off
Jammu, October 5 The bike safari will cover over 1,000 km over a span of 10 days. The expedition is jointly organised by Extreme Adventures Private Limited and sponsored by the Bhaderwah Development Authority. The safari includes over a dozen riders from different states such as Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. The team of riders will visit tourist places like Bhaderwah, Bani, Chamba, Tissa, Sach Pass, Killar (Pangi valley) and Kishtwar before returning to the starting point Bhaderwah. While flagging off, the CEO of Bhaderwah Development Authority said that such eco-adventure tours were an endeavor to promote adventure tourism in the area. He assured to promote such activities so that Bhaderwah could figure out in tourism map of the nation. SP TR Katoch, Director, Extreme Adventures Pvt Limited, Naveen Kotwal, and administrator of Bhaderwah.com Dr Gagan R Charak were also present on the occasion. |
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Stay away from Indian affairs, Panthers to OIC
Jammu, October 5 He, however, said the party would not let OIC special envoy to visit the state and would launch a protest against the organisation. Addressing a press conference here today, Mankotia said, “The Organisation of Islamic Conference has no competence to interfere in the domestic affairs of India of which the state forms an integral part historically, Constitutionally and legally.” He urged the Central government to use all its diplomatic sources to shut the busy bodies in the OIC, which have been playing in the hands of the Anglo-American bloc for decades. The Panthers Party also welcomed the protest by the Centre against the statement of OIC, which it believed had been ill-informed about the Constitutional status and situation of the state. “Jammu and Kashmir is not an Islamic problem and people of the state had rejected the two-nation theory in 1947, so OIC should keep distance from India’s internal issue,” Mankotia said. He announced to hold protest against the OIC in front of the UNs’ Office in Jammu on October 7. |
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