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BJP for public opinion against ‘quiet talks’
Need to win people’s hearts to defeat terror: NHRC
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Employment policy eyewash, says Oppn
Horticulture Promotion
Take nationalist forces into confidence, says Chrungoo
NCP to contest panchayat poll
Two held for stealing cheques
Sec 144 imposed in Kargil
NSF protests at Jammu varsity
Lake conservation Snow avalanche forecast Providing better houses to jawans priority: DGP
19 cases lodged under PFA Act
Man stabs himself to death
Sikhs hold protest
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Clear signs of global warming in state: Expert
Srinagar, December 7 The music concert also included a special performance of the song accompanied by Kashmir artist Waheed Jeelani, with a portion of the song in Kashmiri “Yeh Chu Bilkuk Mumkin.” It was organised at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) overlooking the serene waters of Dal Lake here this afternoon. The programme was organised by Mercy Corps and sponsored by the state government’s Tourism Department, Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMMRC) of Kashmir University and others. “We hope that the message goes across to the leaders at the global summit,” said Usman of Mercy Corps, the organisers of the programme. He added that the local artistes and musicians joining the community would go a long way in sending the message across and take remedial measures at the earliest possible. He said while there was a need to reduce the level of carbon dioxide at the global level, the preservation of forests in Kashmir was equally important to maintain the size of glaciers and help grow water sources. Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said water sources were declining at a fast rate and it that was alarming for the ecological balance. This had been happening because of global warming, that posed a threat to environment and the mankind in general, he added. Shakeel A. Romshoo, an expert on ecology from Kashmir University, said the indications of climatic change were “loud and clear” in the state. The glaciers, source of water in the region, had been adversely affected and these had been receding over the past three to four decades at a faster rate. This affected economy, irrigation and drinking water supplies across the region, he said. Over the next five to six decades, all these sources would be lost in case no remedial measures were taken in time, he added. In case no remedial action is taken in time, a situation like Pahalgam without Lidder river and Srinagar without Dal Lake would be arriving, Romshoo opined. “Even a small action at the local level can help a lot,” he added. A 17-minute documentary film “Global Warming - A Catastrophe in the Making” produced by the EMMRC of Kashmir University was also screened on the occasion to create awareness about the challenges of global warming. It observed that the Himalayan ranges, being a water tower of Asia, had the most important sources of water in the form of its glaciers that support economy and livelihood in the region. “Kashmir, with six per cent of its area under fresh water sources, is experiencing the heat of global warming,” the film observes. “The glaciers in the state are receding faster than in any other region of the world. Eighteen per cent of Kolohai glaciers have been lost during the past four decades. There has been a drastic decrease in snowfall over the years in Kashmir, the situation was going to be alarming in the near future,” it points out. |
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BJP for public opinion against ‘quiet talks’
Jammu, December 7 Though the warring factions of the party seem to be more particular about capturing the chair of the new president of the state unit, it was all due to the pressure of the RSS that BJP leaders had decided to take up this issue with public to keep the Sangh Parivar in good humour. National secretary and in charge of Jammu and Kashmir affairs of the party Manohar Lal reached Jammu this afternoon to devise a strategy to create public opinion against the “quiet dialogue”. During his two-day stay in the city, Manohar Lal would hold meetings with the district level office-bearers to prepare them for the agitation. Sources said the RSS had asked the BJP leaders to take up the issue with people as Jammu and Ladakh regions had been ignored in the ongoing dialogue process with the separatist
leaders. The BJP has decided to organise a one-day conference of prominent citizens of Jammu on December 13. The sources said Ram Lal, national general secretary of the party, during his recent visit to Jammu, discussed the whole issue with the RSS leadership and it was during his meeting that it was decided to ask the local BJP leadership to create public opinion against the “quiet diplomacy” and dialogue with the separatist leaders. Meanwhile, the BJP has decided to hold workshops and seminars at district level to educate people against the Centre’s move to grant concessions to the state to “appease” the Hurriyat Conference and other separatist organisations. The BJP high command has also given the green light to the local unit to create public opinion to pressure the Centre against announcing any concessions for the Kashmir-based political parties. BJP leaders are also in touch with some leaders of the Ladakh region to form a joint front against the decision of the Centre to ignore the “nationalist” forces in
the state. |
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Need to win people’s hearts to defeat terror: NHRC
Akhnoor, December 7 “India is facing terrorism from across the border for the past 25 years and the world only came to know about its implications after the 9/11 in the USA. The terror attack proved that no one is immune to the threat of terrorism,” said Justice BC Patel (retd), a member of the NHRC, while delivering a lecture during a human rights seminar organised by the White Knight Corps of the Army here. He added that the failure of the neighbouring country (Pakistan) is politically instable and it operates to destabilise our society.” Justice Patel said there were several laws, including the international Humanitarian Law, that guide the armed forces in situations of internal and external conflicts. “Following these laws and commitments is not an easy task,” Patel said. To ensure the natural and constitutional rights of individuals cases pertaining to fake encounters, tortures and illegal custody keep on coming to the notice of the NHRC. “When such cases come to our notice, the NHRC takes immediate action,” Justice Patel said. He said while dealing with counter insurgency the Army must aim to exercise its powers and must not resort to arbitrary torture or fake encounters and human rights violations. “The dignity of people has to be maintained for the unity and integrity of the nation. No state has defeated terrorism without winning the heart sand minds of people,” Justice Patel said. Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University Varun Sahni said there were five doctrines that needed to be followed during counter insurgency. “Human security complements the state security and terrorism is a threat to national and human security,” Sahni said. According to the doctrine of counter insurgency, the state needed to maintain forces larger than those of the insurgency in the combat area. Addressing the gathering, Brig MB Anand (retd), consultant armed forces with the ICRC, said there was a need to educate the officers and jawans about the basic concept of human rights. He added despite all odds the Army had maintained a good track record of honouring human rights. “In spite of many provocations, we never break the International Humanitarian Law. During World War I, the casualties included 80 per cent military and 20 per cent civilian; the ratio became 50-50 in the WW II and nowadays the trend is that 80 per cent civilians die as compared to 20 per cent military personnel,” Brig Anand said. |
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Employment policy eyewash, says Oppn
Jammu, December 7 The PDP has termed the employment policy as a cruel joke with the youth to befool them. Party’s youth wing president Bashir Asad said the NC during the Assembly elections had promised to give a job to at least one member of each family, but the policy announced by the government had nothing concrete of this sort. The BJP has also dubbed the employment policy as a big disappointment. Party’s Legislative Party leader Chaman Lal Gupta was of the opinion that assurance to provide stipend to the educated unemployed youth was nothing but a cruel joke. The JKNPP has described the policy as an eyewash and useless. Addressing a press conference, Harsh Dev Singh, former Education Minister and MLA,
Ramnagar, said the education policy was a deception played by the government with the unemployed youth. The coalition, which had made loud exhortations and tall pronouncements of “one job for each family,” had belied the hopes and expectations of the unemployed in the name of revamping the employment policy and taken the educated aspiring youth for a ride, he said. “The exaggerated dissonance and the inflated claims of the government of one lakh government jobs in five years and a provision of voluntary services allowance to the youth are hollow slogans having mere publicity value,” Harsh Dev said. He pointed out that “one lakh jobs in five years, there is nothing new. Around 20,000 posts become available every year in the normal course due to retirements and as well as new vacancies. So filling one lakh vacancies in five years is a routine practice for which the present dispensation can hardly claim any credit”. |
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Horticulture Promotion
Jammu, December 7 Minister for Horticulture and Floriculture Sham Lal Sharma and his counterpart from neighbouring Himachal Pradesh Narinder Bragta said at a joint press conference here yesterday. The ministers said a Joint Working Group (JWG) of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh would be set up soon for the development of horticulture in the Himalayan region. “There is a need for developing a common strategy to impress upon the Union government to formulate special schemes for the development of horticulture in our states,” the ministers observed. “All the flagship programmes aimed at economic development do not hold good in our region due to different geographic conditions,” they added. Bragta stressed upon the need for setting up common markets for the medicinal and horticulture produce of the Himalayan states. “Our states have been sustaining environment, despite that the Central government is not allocating requisite funds for the maintenance of forests,” he said. “Unlike therest of the states, we are always short of fertilisers. These are the issues we need to work together on,” he added.
“We are soon going to experiment with anti-hailstorm guns to control losses incurred by farmers due to hail. If we get the desirable results, other hill states too can avail the benefits of this environment-friendly technology,” he said. The ministers stressed upon frequent interactions and exchange of technologies to redress the problems being faced by them. “There is a strong need for water harvesting and management in orchards. We can benefit by implementing the model of water management formulated by Himachal Pradesh,” said Sham Lal. |
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Technocrats fast enters third day
Jammu, December 7 Today, Javed Ahmed Dar was shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) after his condition deteriorated. “The administration did not send any ambulance to ferry him to hospital. We shifted him on our own. It reflects indifference on the part of the government, which is least concerned about our lives,” said Surinder Radhotra, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Technocrats Association (JKATA). Yesterday, Yaqoob Ahmed, one of the protesters, had to be admitted to the GMCH after he fell unconscious. Tariq Ahmed Sheikh of Badgam replaced him, whereas Ashiq Lone of Pulwama has replaced Javed Ahmed. |
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Take nationalist forces into confidence, says Chrungoo
Jammu, December 7 Addressing a press conference here, Chrungoo appealed to the government to seriously reconsider the policy of holding a secret dialogue on Kashmir and take all nationalist forces of the state into confidence. He said the move to withdraw security forces from the valley had potential to weaken nationalist forces in the state. The Panun Kashmir president said, “It is a serious issue and we will raise our voice on the issue at all levels. We will also meet to the Prime Minister regarding it.” Chrungoo stressed that being a sovereign nation, India could station its forces anywhere on its soil. “Sovereign nations do not get dictated by the political agenda of any political group,” Chrungoo said. Virender Raina, national spokesman for the Panun Kashmir, said any compromise with the national interest aimed at diluting India’s sovereignty in Kashmir was not unacceptable to the Panun Kashmir. |
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Kurushetra varsity hockey team lifts trophy
Jammu, December 7 Governor NN Vohra, who was the chief guest on the occasion, gave away prizes to the winners and other achievers. Jammu University was given the fair play award. The last match of the championship was played between the teams of Kurukshetra University and Panjab University at the KK Hakku Astroturf Stadium this afternoon, which ended in a draw with both teams scoring two goals each. On the round robin basis, the KU team was declared the winner for scoring the highest points, while the GNDU team got the second slot and the third position went to the PU team, Chandigarh. These three teams, along with the hosts Jammu University (JU) have qualified for the All India Inter-University Hockey Championship to be held later this month in Orissa. While congratulating the teams, Vohra said, “With improved coaching, some of these boys can become part of the national team.” He added both teams played excellent sport with good speed, good passing and equally good coordination. The Governor also advised Jammu University Vice-Chancellor Varun Sahni to draw up a calendar of sports activities for the next year to optimally enable the students to participate in these activities. He also suggested to Gurdishpal Singh, a former national hockey player, to help the JU improve performance in this sport. A cheque for Rs 25,000 was also presented to Nippu Jamwal, who brought laurels to the state by winning a gold medal in the Asian Judo Championship held in Lebanon recently. |
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NCP to contest panchayat poll
Jammu, December 7 In a party meeting held here, Randhir Singh was unanimously elected the state president of the NCP for the third term. In a statement, he demanded that 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments passed by Parliament be enforced in the state to strengthen the panchayati raj system. “The chairmen of block and zila parishads should be elected and not nominated,” said Randhir. He said the NCP had decided to contest on the all posts in the forthcoming elections and party workers had already started campaigning in rural areas. “J&K should be announced as a herbal state as the state is producing more than 67 per cent of country’s aromatic and medicinal plants,” said Randhir. He added that the services of more than 3,000 unemployed agriculture technocrats should be utilised in the herbal field. He also demanded that the state government should provide seeds, fertilisers and soft loans to farmers to improve their economic condition. Expressing concern over the state of the Tawi, he said the party would make all out efforts to revive it and restore its glory as Suryaputri. |
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Two held for stealing cheques
Jammu, December 7 Addressing mediapersons this evening, SP City (North), Randeep Kumar, said Ajay Kumar, a native of Keri Rabta in Akhnoor, who had been putting up at Janipur here, had been arrested in this regard. The accused had impersonated as Chetan Anand of Janipur and managed a job with the Monalisa group. After being appointed in the accounts branch, he had stolen 20 cheques before going missing, said the SP. His mother Rita Rani has also been arrested for assisting in the crime. After the duo left Janipur, they stayed in Delhi for some time and thereafter shifted to Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal, Jalandhar and finally reached Ropar, from where they were nabbed. The accused had already withdrawn Rs 5.37 lakh through cheques and the police had seized Rs 4,65,950 along with two mobile phones from them, said the SP. Leopard attack
An 18-year-old girl was mauled by a leopard in Kastigarh village in the Paddar area of Doda district today. The incident occurred when Tahira Bano, daughter of Abdul Majeed, was grazing cattle near her house. The girl was later shifted to the district hospital, Doda, in a critical condition. 3 killed in mishap
Three persons were killed in a head-on collision between a scooter and a tempo at Tanda, near Akhnoor, late last night. SP (Rural) Mohan Lal said the scooter-borne youth were moving towards Rajouri when a tempo coming from the opposite direction hit them. The deceased have been identified as Balwinder Kumar, Ajay Kumar and Ashok Kumar, all aged between 20 to 22 years. The driver of the tempo fled after the accident. |
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Sec 144 imposed in Kargil
Srinagar, December 7 Scores of protesters took to the streets in Kargil demanding the re-opening of the Zojila Pass connecting the Ladakh region with the rest of the country. The route was closed last month after heavy snowfall in the area led to extremely slippery road conditions. To quell the protests, the authorities imposed restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC, banning the assembly of five or more people. “Some arrests have also been made in Kargil,” a senior police officer said here. Even after the closure of the Zojila Pass last month, people had tried to cross it. Timely action by the police in Ganderbal district had saved the lives of at least 350 persons, who had attempted to cross the pass. “It is extremely cold in the Zojila Pass area. If vehicles are allowed to pass, they are likely to be stranded on the road, endangering the lives of the passengers,” a senior official said here.
— IANS |
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NSF protests at Jammu varsity
Jammu, December 7 Addressing a gathering of students outside the Central Library, president of the student body Vikas Sharma flayed Vice-Chancellor Varun Sahni for ignoring the issues and demands of the students. He said the examination wing of the university
needed to be upgraded as it was causing inconvenience to the students. He also criticised Sahni for “hushing up” the marks tampering case and mass copying in the recently held BEd exams. “The university has failed to check the activities of outsiders on the campus. The accused in a shootout at the administrative block have still not been booked, while innocent students are being unnecessarily harassed in the name of enquiry,” he alleged. |
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Lake conservation Srinagar, December 7 Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Nasir Aslam Wani said this while talking to mediapersons here today. He said it was for the first time that the rehabilitation programme of the Dal dwellers was included in centrally funded Rs 356 crore Dal project for the preservation and conservation of the lake. The project outlay in 2005 was at Rs 298.76 crore, out of which Rs 160 crore had already been released. Asserting that the Dal project was among the priority areas of the coalition government, Wani said the Dal dwellers were living under miserable and uncertain conditions within the lake area. He said two sewage treatment plants (STPs) were being set up by the end of this month to augment the cleansing of Dal Lake. The minister said 700 plots for shifting the families of Dal dwellers were ready in the first phase with all basic civic amenities in the area located at Rakhe Arth on the city outskirts. “We cannot dump them in one go unless all basic facilities are ready,” Wani said in reply to questions. He added that Rs 8.50 crore was being spent for the rehabilitation of these dwellers.
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Srinagar, December 7 Accordingly, people living in the higher reaches of Tangdhar and Chowkibal areas of Kupwara district in north Kashmir have been advised to take precautions as there was a possibility of snow avalanche in the higher reaches. Aamir Ali, OSD with the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, said 46 passengers were airlifted from Srinagar to Kargil in one sorty and 72 passengers were airlifted from Kargil to Srinagar in two sorties of AN 32 Air Force planes today. These services had been launched since December 4, following the blockade of the Srinagar-Leh highway for winter months due to the accumulation of snow on the Zojila Pass. — TNS
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Providing better houses to jawans priority: DGP Srinagar, December 7 He was addressing officials after a visit to several newly constructed buildings at district headquarters of Shopian and Pulwama in south Kashmir today, which include the District Police Office, Administrative Block, three-storey barrack at Shopian, multi-storey residential quarters, CID Office and ASP Office at Pulwama. Khoda said providing better accommodation to jawans and officers was on the top of the agenda and a massive construction programme had already been launched across the state.
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19 cases lodged under PFA Act
Jammu, December 7 According to a statement issued here, the MC also collected Rs 3,400 as fine from defaulters. A team of food inspectors led by the Health Officer checked around 45 establishments in Canal Road, Bikram Chowk, Gole Market and Gandhi Nagar areas. Meanwhile, the team also seized about 10 kg of polythene bags from shops in these areas. |
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Man stabs himself to death
Jammu, December 7 Ghani Sham (34), originally from Ahmedabad, reportedly had heated arguments with his mother-in-law over a monetary dispute and in a fit of rage stabbed himself to death. Sham, who used to sell old clothes, had lent Rs 56,000 to his mother-in-law, who lived with him, but when today he sought the money back she refused. SHO, Nowabad police station, Sajjad Khan said his wife and two children tried to stop him in vain. He was rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he later died. The body was handed over to his family after post-mortem. The police has initiated investigation under Section 174 of Cr PC. |
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Sikhs hold protest
Jammu, December 7 The protesters gathered at Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, Nanak Nagar, where they held a protest and burnt the effigy of Ashutosh. They alleged a peaceful Sikh protester in Ludhiana was killed in police action. |
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