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Student Body’s Election
Bid to check pollution |
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Amarnath Yatra
Kishtwar cops rewarded
Doctors end strike
PM’s Visit: BJP, RSS against concessions to separatists
Sidelined, Azad loyalists seek time from Sonia
Infantry Day celebrated
‘Creation of PoK big blunder’
Crime File
Give special package to Jammu,
PM urged
Missing youth found dead
Highway blocked over water shortage
Farm graduates seek hike in salary
Docs’ plea on examination
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PM, Sonia arrive today
Srinagar, October 27 On his arrival here tomorrow, the Prime Minister would be inaugurating the Anantnag-Qazigund section of the railway line. He would also review the situation in the state with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other senior state government functionaries later in the day tomorrow. He would also address the media on Thursday morning before returning to the National Capital. Adequate security arrangements have been made in view of the Prime Minister’s visit here tomorrow. The Chief Minister visited Anantnag today and reviewed various arrangements in place for the inauguration of the rail link. A greater significance is being attached to the Prim Minister’s visit after Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s floating the idea of a “quite dialogue and diplomacy” with different sections of political shades in the trouble-torn state. On the initiative of Manmohan Singh during his previous tenure, five working groups were constituted to look into different aspects related to Kashmir. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is also accompanying the Prime Minister for the inauguration of the railway line. The construction work on 19-km long section between Anantnag and Qazigund through the Sadura station was completed recently and trial runs held. With the inauguration tomorrow, the rail link between Qazigund in south Kashmir and Baramulla in the north at a distance of 119 km would be complete. The railway services were first inaugurated by the Prime Minister here on October 11 last year, when he flagged off the first ever train service on 66-km long line between Nowgam (Srinagar) and the Mazhom station in Budgam district of central Kashmir. Later the line was extended to Baramulla on which the train service was flagged off by Sonia Gandhi on February 14 this year. Manmohan Singh had also flagged off the “Carvan-e-Aman” bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad from here on April 7, 2005. Meanwhile, the coalition parties, Congress and National Conference, are organising a joint public rally that would be addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Anantnag district tomorrow. National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will also address the rally.
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Student Body’s Election
Jammu, October 27 Campaigning from department-to-department, candidates can be seen talking to students. Be it cafeteria, shops, hostels or any other place of gossipping, the election has became the favourite topic. Besides, students are also discussing about the candidates. Earlier the elections was to be conducted on February 10, but were to be put on hold after the process of electing departmental representatives was almost over. “The election should be held on the pattern of the Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA) without any interference by the varsity administration,” said Suresh Magotra, state general secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad, demanding open elections. Prof NK Tripathi, under whose supervision the election are being conducted, said, “Our job is to conduct elections. The new elected body is supposed to frame the constitution of the association, besides deciding its tenure.” “The elections are being held after a gap of two years,” he said. “The contest is only for the posts of president and vice-president,” he added. Campus sources say Ajay Taloor from the Geology Department and Rakesh Chib from the Statistics Department were the front runners for the post of president. Though Ajay is not associated with any student organisation, Chib, who is senior vice-president of the National Secular Forum, is being supported by former JURSEA president Vikas Sharma. “We will make sure that research works get completed within stipulated time frame, besides impressing upon the varsity administration for giving Wi-Fi Internet connectivity to students on the campus,” Chib said. Discussing his agenda, Taloor said the varsity should sign a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Integrated Medicines. He also demanded upgrading of the Jammu University Instrumentation Centre and scholarships for researchers on a par with the central varsities.
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Bid to check pollution
Kathua,October 27 The alleged defaulters include branches of Punjab National Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, J&K Rural Bank, Bharat Petroleum, 15 restaurant owners, confectionaries and shopkeepers, besides two central government corporations. The managements of the establishments have been charged with running the generator sets, emitting high degree of toxic gases and also creating noise pollution near Degree College, schools and in main bazaars of the town. Informed sources said the show-cause notices were served following a representation received from Speak India Pollution Board-- a voluntarily organisation--- wherein it pleaded for checking the alarming rise in the pollution level in the town. Taking cognizance, the district pollution officer and the executive officer, Municipal Corporation, Kathua, submitted a list of alleged defaulters to the District Magistrate, the sources said. It was pointed out that the alleged defaulters had not obtained the certificates from the Pollution Control Board nor were they permitted by the Municipal Corporation to operate these sets, causing high degree of noise, the sources added. Confirming the issuance of the show-cause notices, an official of the district administration said the 28 establishments had been directed to submit their objections before November 5.
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Amarnath Yatra
Srinagar, October 27 Nearly 290 representatives of 116 langar bodies discussed with board officials the modalities of the proposed new comprehensive langar policy, which is presently under formulation and would involve consolidation of initiatives and a reduced number of more efficient langars. An official note said Goyal, who is also Principal Secretary to the Governor, discussed and invited suggestions on several issues, including the space required to be allocated for each langar keeping in view its location and measurement. They also deliberated on ways to further improve the hygiene and strengthening of support systems for the operation of langars. The workshop was organised on the basis of the feedback received from various sources concerned and experience gained during the yatra in the past years. The langar organizations strongly appealed to the board to restrict the yatra to the period of the well-established religious practice so that no uncertainty whatsoever remained about the commencement and completion dates, leading to better arrangements. Appreciating the significant role played by the langars in the conduct of the annual yatra, Goyal said setting up of this facility would be allowed at various identified locations strictly in consonance with the envisaged requirements. He emphasised that the new policy was aimed at optimally improving and streamlining the langar facilities, keeping in view the larger interests of pilgrims, other stakeholders and service providers and security concerns. He asked organisations not to enroll members or receive and collect any donations for establishing langar facilities during the next year’s yatra till they received the board’s permission to establish langars.
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Kishtwar cops rewarded
Srinagar, October 27 A reward of Rs 1 lakh in form of a demand draft was handed over to DGP Kuldeep Khoda for passing it on to the police team. Besides, letters of appreciation were also given to Deepak Kumar, DIG, Doda and Ramban, Haseeb Moghal, SSP, Kishtwar, and Mohan Lal Thakur, DSP (investigating officer), Kishtwar. A spokesman for J&K Bank said the case was one of the biggest and high-tech burglaries where unidentified persons broke into the Kishtwar branch of the bank and decamped with Rs 1.06 crore during the intervening night July 7 and 8. Haseeb Drabu, chairman and chief executive of the bank, while issuing the letters of appreciation to the police officers and the demand draft, lauded the Kishtwar police in recovering around Rs 52 lakh from the burglars. |
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Doctors end strike
Jammu, October 27 The doctors would resume their duties from tomorrow. Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather flanked by Minister for Medical Education RS Chib and Health Minister Sham Lal told mediapersons that the government would put the agreement in black and white on November 16. As per the agreement reached out between the striking medicos and the government, president of the Doctors’ Joint Action Committee Dr Satyainder Singh said the doctors would be placed in pay band-III from existing pay band-II and the postgraduate doctors would get hike in stipend. However, the fate of 47 unemployed doctors remained undecided, who responding to the SOS call of the government appeared for walk-in-interview yesterday. The government has not revoked suspension of several doctors also. Rather said all doctors, postgraduate students and the unemployed were a family and due care would be taken. The health care services in all government hospitals here and in other major towns of the valley have been seriously hit due to the doctors’ strike. The worst affected were the patients like 12-year-old Mohammad Younis. A resident of remote Baag Daray village in Poonch district, Younis suffered from serious leg injury in a land mine blast. He came to the GMCH 15 days ago, but instead of being in some ward under proper medical care, the child was languishing under a tree on the hospital premises. His father Fakhar Deen has to go away to earn so that he could buy medicines and support his family. “I cannot move and pain is unbearable,” he stated this while taking off soiled blanket from it. The leg was nailed with the support of ‘external fixator’ and had developed deep scars due to acute muscle waiting. Just a few yards away, across the pavement, on the premises lies another patient Subhra, who also got her leg broken. “No one is taking care and we are being told to come only when the strike is over,” her husband said. During the strike, the inflow of patients at the GMC Hospital had plummeted by 75 per cent. On a normal day, nearly 1700 patients used to visit the referral hospital but due to the strike just around 300 patients were coming for treatment.
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PM’s Visit: BJP, RSS against concessions to separatists
Jammu, October 27 While RSS stalwart Madan Dass Devi addressed a hurriedly convened press conference, all 11 BJP MLAs jointly addressed the media on the issue. First time after the last Assembly elections, all MLAs of the faction-ridden BJP came on a platform. BJP legislative party leader Chaman Lal Gupta, while addressing a press conference along with other MLAs, said there was something fishy about the recent statements of Union ministers, especially Union Home Minister P Chidambarma’s regarding the resolution of the Kashmir issue. “We will not tolerate any concession to appease separatists or Kashmir-centric political parties,” he warned. He threatened they would launch a mass movement if people of Jammu and Ladakh were ignored in discussions on the Kashmir issue. “The Union government should keep in mind that the Kashmir problem is not confined to the valley alone,” he said. He added, “Jammu and Ladakh are also part of the state and the BJP would not accept any move to sideline nationalists.” Madan Dass Devi warned the Union government at a hurriedly convened press conference against deviating from the resolution passed by Parliament in 1994 for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. Objecting to the statement of Chidambaram regarding “quite diplomacy” and “one-to-one talk” for the resolution of the Kashmir problem, Madan Dass sought a clarification from the Union government regarding the “majority view” on the vexed issue. The RSS leader appealed to the Prime Minister to announce effective and serious measures for the resolution of unsolved issues, including the rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, West Pakistan and PoK refugees and ending discrimination against Jammu and Ladakh regions. A six- member delegation of the BJP led by party legislature party leader Chaman Lal Gupta would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the Kashmir valley. Sources in the BJP said the administration had sought the list of the leaders from the party who wanted to meet the Prime Minister. In consultation with senior leaders, the party has also prepared a memorandum which would be submitted to the Prime Minister.
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Sidelined, Azad loyalists seek time from Sonia
Jammu, October 27 Though the PCC had prepared a list of leaders who would meet Sonia Gandhi, the names of a majority of dissidents, who belong to the Ghulam Nabi Azad faction, were not included in the final list. This morning, when dissidents got information that their names had been deleted from the list, they faxed a letter to Sonia Gandhi seeking time. Interestingly, the names of seven former ministers were not on the list. It is believed that their names were deleted from the list as they belonged to the Azad camp. “We have already apprised the party high command about discriminatory policies being adopted against some party leaders,” a former minister told The Tribune. He admitted that the letter had been faxed to the AICC chief. Sources in the Congress said the former ministers namely Gulchain Singh Charak, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Suman Bhagat, Dr Ramesh Chander, Choudhary Garu Ram, Prem Sagar Aziz and Thakur Puran Singh had singed the letter seeking time from Gandhi. The sources said their meeting with Gandhi was yet not confirmed, but dissidents had decided not to miss the opportunity to apprise her about their grievances. Infighting in the party was likely to intensify after Gandhi’s visit. Infighting has been going in the PCC for the last two months, as the party leadership has sidelined leaders loyal to Azad. After maintaining a low profile for quite some time, the Azad
faction has become active to corner its rivals in the party.
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Infantry Day celebrated
Jammu, October 27 The GOC of the Jammu-based Tiger Division of the Army, Major-Gen K Surendranath, while speaking to the media on the sidelines of the function to celebrate the 62nd Infantry Day, said the Army was fully prepared to counter the terrorists’ tactics. Replying to a question that terrorists would now move towards the border in the Jammu region to infiltrate as most of the possible infiltration points along the LoC would be closed due to snowfall, Major-Gen Surendranath said, “It happens every year that due to snowfall militants move towards the border in the Jammu region to infiltrate. But there will be no let up in security on the border,” he added. Speaking on escalation in Pakistani troops along the border, Major-Gen Surendranath said, “There is nothing like escalation. Parameters are normal and there is nothing to worry, as Pakistan is already struggling on its borders with Afghanistan.” The Army today celebrated the Infantry Day, which is every year celebrated to mark the arrival of the Army in the state after the erstwhile Maharaja Hari Singh of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession with the Indian Union. The Infantry Day marks the landing of the first battalion of the Sikh Regiment of the Army in the consequent battles undertaken by the Army to save Jammu and Kashmir from the marauding invaders, who had crossed over from the newly formed nation of Pakistan. A similar function was organised at the Udhampur-based Northern Command of the Army because “Infantry Day has a special significance for the Northern Command, as it is a key reason for its eventual formation in protecting not only the diversified borders of Jammu and Kashmir, but also people from the menace of terrorism”. The GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt-Gen BS Jaswal, paid homage to the martyrs at the Northern Command War Memorial.
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‘Creation of PoK big blunder’
Jammu, October 27 He said the political blunder of accepting the ceasefire resulted in the creation of the PoK. Brig Rajinder Singh was the first- ever Mahavir Chakra awardee of independent India who laid down his life while fighting the tribal invasion led by 6,000 men of Pakistan army on Jammu and Kashmir on October 27, 1947. Brig Rajinder Singh, who was the then chief of staff of the erstwhile Army of Maharaja Hari Singh, fought near Uri in Baramulla and delayed the advances of the Pakistani army by four days. “The event changed the history forever. The Maharaja ordered him to fight till the last man and the last bullet, and he obeyed the order. With a strength of 100 men he managed to delay the advances of the Pakistani army by four days, which resulted in the arrival of the Indian army in Kashmir valley,” Lt-Gen (retd) Jamwal said. “Though the creation of PoK was the biggest blunder of the then political leadership of the country, we cannot forget the contribution of Brig Sherjang Thapa, who kept Skardu for three months, but help did not reach him. Then there was Brig Gharsna Singh who controlled Gilgit for sometime, but fell victim to a dirty plan of English who asked one of his Capitan to arrest him.” Speaking on the occasion, Lt-Gen TK Sapru, GOC-in-Chief, Chandimandir-based Western Command, who was the chief guest on the occasion, lauded the role of Brig Rajinder Singh in safeguarding the integrity of the country.
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Crime File
Jammu, October 27 Official sources said Bodh Raj had engaged labourers in digging work in his house in Raipur Satwari when they found a rusted shell.The house owner immediately informed Satwari police, which reached the spot and seized the shell. However, a police officer claimed it to be a defused device. Youth’s body found Mystery shrouds the death of an unidentified Sikh youth, whose body was recovered from a seasonal rivulet in Ramban district.Official reports said the police shifted the body to the mortuary of district hospital, Ramban, and launched inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Cr PC. Five consume
poison,1 dies A youth, who had allegedly consumed some toxic substance, died on Tuesday at the Government Medical College (GMC) here while four others, including three women, allegedly consumed poisonous substances in and around Jammu. Police reports said Raj Kumar of Shama Chack, who was admitted to the GMC here on Monday after he consumed some toxic substance, died. Reports said Nisha Devi of Kot Bhalwal, Arti Devi of Rahya, Sushma Devi of Canal Road and Sushil Sharma of Morh also consumed some poisonous substance at their respective houses. They have been hospitalised. Meanwhile, a woman Sunita Devi of Bhour Kulian has been reported missing from her house since October 26.
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Give special package to Jammu,
PM urged
Jammu, September 27 Sunil Dimple, president of the JWAM, urged the Prime Minister to ensure judicious distribution of allocated funds to all 10 districts of the Jammu region. He demanded the issuance of directives to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for the implementation of the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission to end discrimination with the region. Dimple urged th Prime Minister that the government should not withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act till complete peace was restored. — TNS
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Missing youth found dead
Jammu, October 27 Although the Udhampur police has registered a case and started investigation, it is believed that he was murdered and his body thrown into a gorge. According to the police, some passersby spotted an unclaimed body laying in the gorge at Salmeh near Udhampur. They informed the police about the body which was taken to hospital for an autopsy.Circumstantial evidences suggested that the youth was murdered as there was some injuries on his body. Tension flared up in the area after the recovery of the body. During the last three months, half a dozen bodies have been recovered from Udhampur and the adjoining localities. In most of the cases, the police has failed to solve the mystery behind these deaths. Later, the identity of the deceased was established as Kewal Kumar, son of Tara Mani. The deceased had been missing for the last three days and a report in this regard had been lodged with the police. |
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Highway blocked over water shortage
Jammu, October 27 Consequently, the traffic movement on the highway, the only surface link with the valley, came to an abrupt halt with several vehicles left stranded on both sides at Hiranagar. Trouble erupted this afternoon around 2.30 pm when nearly 300 persons, mostly women, from four villages staged a sit-in on the highway in protest against the water scarcity. The protesters said the two tube-wells of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, which cater to the needs of four villages, developed some technical snags around 20 days ago. Despite repeated complaints to the officials concerned, snags in both tube-wells, the only source of water for the four villages, were not rectified, forcing the villagers to block the highway. After the traffic movement came to a grinding halt, a police party led by SDPO Chadwal, Dy SP Sukhdev Raj Bhasin rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the protesters. However, the unrelenting mob demanded that senior officials of the PHE and Revenue Departments should come to the spot and resolve the grievance on priority. Sensing gravity of the situation, Bhasin briefed Kathua DC Sanjeev Verma, who deputed tehsildar concerned Subhash Sharma and a couple of PHE officials to the spot. It was only after the PHE officials, an executive engineer and an assistant executive engineer assured to rectify the snags and restore both tube-wells by tomorrow, the protesters lifted the blockade. However, it took another half an hour for the highway police to restore normal traffic on the highway. Interestingly, when water has become scarce and still remains a luxury in several villages here, the state government has been mulling a law to force water conservation.
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Farm graduates seek hike in salary
Jammu, October 27 President of the Non-Gazetted Agriculture Graduates Association (NGAGA) Ashok Gupta in a statement demanded that pay scales should be increased and transfer policy be changed. “Minimum stay period should be extended up to three years instead of two years,” he sought and demanded that seeds and fertilisers should be sold in open market through private companies. |
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Docs’ plea on examination
Jammu, October 27 |
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Jammu, October 27
