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Custodial Death Case Activists of the Mahila Sanrakshan Samiti protest in Jammu on Sunday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Rain brings respite for farmers
Soz to take up refugees’ case with Centre
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Working Group’s report opposed
Over 82 lakh pilgrims visited Vaishno Devi last year
A “Dogra Turban Competition” being held in Jammu on Sunday.
Photo: Inderjeet Singh
Missing youth found dead
CRPF men escape grenade attack
Natrang stages political satire
Officials asked to expedite
development works
HC dismisses state’s appeal
Season’s first snowfall
in valley
Gujjars write to HC for protecting tribal properties
City areas flooded
Army to hold recruitment rally
Three asphyxiated in Rajouri
Woman consumes poison
Kashmir varsity signs MoU with Doordarshan
16 injured in accidents
Sadbhavna mela
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Bid to gherao minister’s house foiled
Tribune News Service
Jammu, January 3 As the samiti had already announced its programme to gherao the Minister, a large number of police personnel were deployed on the road connecting the house of Bhalla at Gandhi Nagar. Barricades were also erected near the Minister’s house. After the activists were not allowed to meet the Minister, they held a protest demonstration and raised slogans against him for intentionally avoiding to meet them. Core committee members of the samiti Usha Choudhary and Priya Sethi, flaying the MLA for not giving a hearing to them, said the activists were approaching him to remind that one month ago, a memorandum was submitted to him containing details of kidnapping, torture and custodial killing of Rajnish Sharma in Srinagar. They said the Minister had given them assurance of taking the matter seriously. “Unfortunately, till date, he neither uttered a single word in public nor took up the matter with the Chief Minister,” regretted Usha Choudhary. “Complete silence on part of the MLA like him, who always advocates equal treatment to Jammu and claims of ending discrimination, has made it clear that he too cannot dare to speak for justice to Jammuites,” observed Priya Sethi. They said the committee members had already talked to Raman Bhalla a day before and apprised him of their scheduled programme and still use of force to stop them from reaching his residence was condemnable. Samiti members, including Archana Koushal, Suresh Jamwal, Anuradha Charak, Sureshta Jamwal, Raj Rani, Sangita Gupta, Kiran Salathia, Vidhya Devi, Saroj Gupta, Parveen Arora, Geeta Singh, Sudersh Kaur, Shilpi Verma, Sharda Devi, Sunita Kapahi, Meera Samral and Shakuntla Devi, were prominent among those who took part in the protest demonstration againt the Minister.
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Rain brings respite for farmers
Jammu, January 3 After the sky remained almost clear and the cold waves growing intense with the each passing day during the winter, wheat crop as well as vegetables had started wilting due to shortage of water. Except for moderate rains in January and August, the last year was almost rain-deficit. It had reduced water level in irrigation canals and rivers, while the ground water table had also gone down, which resulted into drying of tube-wells in plain areas. It had resulted into more than 60 per cent loss of Kharif crop in most of the districts last year. According to MET officials, today’s rainfall was measured at 7.7 mm due to low pressure zone across the state. They further expected rains in isolated places in the next 24 hours. Experts at the Sher-e-Kashmir-University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, believe that ploughing of empty agricultural land is essential if the moisture is to be conserved for long in the rain-deficit areas. “Though its late, now the wheat crop can be sown in the rain-deficit areas. It will also give fillip to the growth of already sown crop,” professor and head division of vegetable science and floriculture (FOA) SKUAST- Jammu JP Sharma said. “Where the farmers have already sown the wheat crop, it is in crown root stage and is ready for urea-top dressing,” he said, added that, “In rest of the areas, farmers can opt for late sown varieties of the wheat like TVW 175 and Raj 3765.” “In the plain areas, farmers can cultivate vegetables like knoll-khol, reddish, carrot, spinach, onions and potatoes if they have prepared the fields. Otherwise, they can plough the field and add manure to the soil for sowing the veggies within next 3-4 days,” he said. “Marigold growers can also plant the saplings if their nurseries are mature in protected conditions. The rains have almost warded off the threat of frost that affects flower plant saplings,” he said. However, director (Agriculture) Vinod Bala said the time frame for sowing wheat was already over after December 15. “The department cannot suggest the farmers for late sowing if they are expecting yield. But if farmers sow they can definitely have ample fodder for the livestock.” |
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Soz to take up refugees’ case with Centre
Swankha (Samba), January 3 Thousands of displaced families, who had migrated from Sialkot and the adjoining areas of Pakistan in 1947, have been denied permanent resident certificates despite the fact that these families have been living in different areas of the Jammu region for the past 62 years. Addressing a gathering here today, the PCC chief regretted that despite some directions issued by the Union Home Ministry to mitigate miseries of the refugees, nothing concrete had been done so far for the community. “The Home Ministry has already directed the state government to issue domicle certificates to these refugees so that they can get employment in central departments,” the PCC chief informed. He assured the gathering that he would convene a meeting of all Cabinet ministers belonging to the party tomorrow to find out why the directions of the Home Ministry hadn’t been implemented. While responding to the demands raised by president of the West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee Laba Ram Gandhi, Soz admitted that the displaced families had been facing hardships due to denial of citizenship rights to them. “I will take up your problems with the union government for immediate solution,” he told the gathering, informing that before taking a final decision on granting citizenship rights some relief should be given to them. Although the refugees are citizens of India, they are denied citizenship of the state. As they have been denied permanent resident certificates, these refugees can neither buy property nor get employment in the state. These refugees have also been denied the right to vote in the Legislative Assembly and are not entitled to other privileges being given to other residents of the state. During the Partition riots, thousands of people migrated from the present Sialkot district of the Punjab province of Pakistan to the state. As these refugees had come from outside the state territory, they were not given the PRCs. Laba Ram Gandhi said the assurance of Soz had rekindled a ray of hope among thousands of displaced people. He reminded that during their protest in New Delhi last year, Saif-ud-Din Soz had assured to take up the issue with the Centre. General secretary of the PCC Hari Singh, who convened today’s meeting, said the Congress was committed to solving problems being faced by the West Pakistani refugees. |
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Working Group’s report opposed
Leh, January 3 According to the committee, the working group has undermined the demand of union territory status for Ladakh. Former Union Transport Minister P Namgial will lead the delegation. General Secretary of the DCC Tsering Nurboo said: “On the occasion of party workers’ convention, which was held recently on the issue of working group’s report on the Centre-state relations, Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora has promised to oppose the report of the working group at the state as well as the central level.” Nurboo added the DCC would also start mass mobilisation in support of the union territory demand. For that purpose, a team of Congress leaders headed by MLC Nurboo Gailson will tour all the blocks of the district from January 5. The DCC also alleged that former MP Thupstan Chhewang, who represents Ladakh in the working group, had failed to raise the demand of UT status for Ladakh. Meanwhile, many social, religious and political organisations of Ladakh, including the BJP and BSP, have strongly opposed the working group’s report, which suggested continuation of the hill council. PT Kunzang, secretary of the Ladakh Buddhist Associaiton, opposing the report strongly, said Ladakh had been demanding UT status ever since the state’s accession to the Union of India. LUTF workers under the leadership of patron and former MP Thusptan Chhewang have organised protests and held demonstrations in Leh to oppose the report. Jammu: The Panun Kashmir has rejected the recommendations of the Working Group in its supreme council meeting held under the chairmanship of Dr Agnishekhar. According to a statement issued here, the Panun Kashmir said the intriguing recommendations of the working group should be an eye-opener for the nationalist forces in the state. They said the Panun Kashmir rejected the so-called solution-modules of the autonomy, self-rule, demilitarisation and joint-control as all such modules are aimed at weakening the edifice of the integrity and territorial sovereignty of India. The supreme council resolved that it would mobilise the general public opinion in the country about the inherent dangers of such moves initiated by the Government of India and the state government in hand in glove with separatist in Kashmir. It also decided to organise a massive public demonstration in Jammu to lodge its protest and reject all moves that cover-up the anti-India designs of the separatists of the valley. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Uthaan Manch (JKUM) today urged the government and people to work together to make Jammu and Kashmir a model state. Addressing a press conference here, JKUM chief patron Kailash Pati Sharma condemned the recommendations of the Working Group on Centre-state relations. He stressed that all regions should get the same focus from the government and people should work for cohesion and for making the state a model one. The JKUM appealed to youth to look for jobs in the private sector and for self-employment, instead of waiting for government jobs only. The JKUM has also created e-mail for career counseling i.e.Kailpr_2000@yahoo.co.in, Rooplal94@yahoo.com. Meanwhile, Sharma expressed concern over the present education system and appealed to the state government to strengthen the same. While extending support to the National Secular Forum (NSF) for demanding action against those involved in mass copying in B.Ed colleges, the JKUM said unauthorised study centres, money for passing exams a marks tempering and tuition- focused mindset were spoiling the youth of the state.
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Over 82 lakh pilgrims visited Vaishno Devi last year
Katra, January 3 Commenting on reasons behind the almost vertical increase, additional chief executive officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board MK Bhandari said besides faith, this could be increasing interest among people to travel more. He also counted the development of facilities at Katra, Jammu and en route the shrine. To cope with the increasing rush as the core area of the shrine board’s functioning is to cater to pilgrims, the board is in the process of augmenting facilities of lodging, drinking water and electricity. A new lodging facility Parvati Bhawan at bhawan (Mata’s Darbar) has already been proposed to strengthen the accommodation facilities. “For this, tenders have already been awarded and we hope the construction to start this year”, added Bhandari. The board is already providing convenient and affordable board and lodging facilities. It has accommodation facility for about 1500 pilgrims in Jammu in addition to 500 beds at the existing Manokamna Bhawan near the shrine. “Now, we are looking at improving water and electricity facilities, especially en route the shrine. Since the focus of the board is increasingly on common pilgrims, we would like to ensure they get all the facilities of an affordable pilgrimage”, he said.
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Turban tying contest held
Jammu, January 3 Ludhar Singh, resident of Barani, won the first price of Rs 5,000 while the second prize went to Karan Singh, who was given a cash of Rs 3000. Sandhur Singh Chandel of Markoli Sumb Samba won the third prize of Rs 2,000. Two consolation prizes of Rs 1,000 went in favour of Sardari Lal Pangotra and Faqir Singh, respectively. Maj Gen GS Jamwal (retd), Sansar Singh Manhas and Parmatma Singh were judges for the event. Addressing the function, president of the Dogra Sadar Sabha Gulchain Singh Charak said it was heartening to see participants braving the cold weather and participating in large number in the event. He said the sabha had been assiduously trying to revive the Dogra culture. He said the main aim of organising this event was to educate the younger generation about traditions and customs of this region. He said Dogras have a rich cultural heritage and the sabha has been trying to guide the younger lot about it. He further announced to hold regular training of turban tying at the Dogra Sadar Sabha under the experts. Among others who spoke on the occasion included Maj G GS Jamwal (retd), Sansar Singh Manhas, Sardari Lal Pangotra and Ludhar Singh. |
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Missing youth found dead
Jammu, January 3 Ashok Singh (28) had left for Googad village in Samba district on December 25, but did not return home. The police had launched a massive hunt to trace him after his relatives and villagers staged a protest and blocked the Jammu-Pathankot national highway, alleging inaction on part of the police in tracing the youth. The police said the body of Ashok Singh was found near a cliff and it seemed that he had either committed suicide or was thrown from height. The deceased had an affair with a girl in Samba district and on December 25, after receiving a call from the girl, he had gone to meet her in Samba from where he had gone missing. Initial investigation revealed that he had met the girl on December 25 and since then he was missing, a senior police officer said. He said the police was investigating the case and the girl and her family members were being questioned. However, no arrest has been made so far. Meanwhile, a team of doctors was constituted by the police and postmortem of the body was conducted. The body was handed over to the relatives of the deceased. “The postmortem has been conducted and the viscera samples have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the report of which is still awaited,” the officer said. After the body of the deceased was handed over to his relatives, they gathered on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway at Raj Morh and placed the body on the road and blocked the traffic for several hours. The relatives alleged that the police had shown laxity in the case and were also demanding immediate arrest of family members of the girl as they blamed that he was killed under a well-knit conspiracy.
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CRPF men escape grenade attack
Srinagar, January 3 The police said militants escaped after throwing a grenade at Paladium building where the 132 Battalion of the CRPF was stationed in good strength. Security personnel took a cover but the explosive did not explode. A bomb disposal squad was called in later and it defused the grenade. Earlier in the day, the militants had shot two BSF personnel in Soura on the outskirts of Srinagar. Both are out of danger now. Police sources said a few militants were suspected to be hiding in the dense localities of Soura and the nearby area and they were planning to do something big in the summer capital, which has seen a number of shootouts and one IED explosion in the later half of last year. Pakistan denies hand in IED blast
Jammu: Pakistan once again denied its hand in the explosion of an IED triggered by militants from across the border at an outpost in which five BSF personnel were injured. The BSF had lodged a protest with the Pakistani rangers over the incident. "A flag meeting was held which lasted more than half an hour and we registered a protest with the Pakistan Rangers over the incident of IED blast in which five BSF jawans were injured ," a senior BSF officer said However, Pakistan expressed ignorance over the incident and said it had no role in the infiltration attempts and the blast on the border. |
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Natrang stages political satire
Jammu, January 3 The story is about two neighbours who pledge to change the political scene and are shown looking for alternatives. In the play, they both come across a person, who meets them frequently wearing different caps and attire and offering them variety of manifestos. Every time they meet him, they fail to identify him and succumb to his tactics. Over the time, they find that nothing is changing, slogans of socialism are furthering the divide between the rich and the poor, quality of life is deteriorating and the security of life and property has been left to the mercy of God. Both muster courage and strip the person selling those dreams. With this, his true identity is revealed. They realise that he is the same person who used to make fool of them by disguising in different attire. Through the play, the writer has tried to portray that the motive of all politicians is the same - to remain in power. Their attire changes but not the intention. They have no permanent friends and enemies. Their equations and confrontations change for lust of power.
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Officials asked to expedite
development works
Udhampur, January 3 Reviewing the action taken report at a meeting here on the discussions and decisions at the district development board (DDB) meeting held in October under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister as well as the subsequent DDB review meeting, Khajuria exhorted all district-level sectoral officers to set a time- frame to execute different development projects. Besides issuing instructions to accelerate the pace of works to ensure the maximum expenditure by January 15, he also asked them to submit anticipated expenditure figures for the coming three months. Of the total annual outlay of Rs 63.72 crore for the current fiscal year, the meeting was apprised that over Rs.26.83 crore had been spent till the end of December, 2009 of the total funds of Rs.46.30 crore released so far. Importantly, the DDC asked the officers to keep all MLAs of the constituencies of the district informed about the status of the projects as well as the amount spent on them to ensure transparency. Additional Deuty Commissioner, chief planning officer, superintending engineers, executive engineers and heads of other district departments were present. |
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HC dismisses state’s appeal
Jammu, January 3 Aparna alias Niku who died under mysterious circumstances got married to Ajay Singh Jasrotia on January 21, 1996. Ajay allegedly had extramartial relations with a woman.Aparna was kept in the dark by her in-laws in this regard. Ajay Singh allegedly often used to harass the deceased for not bringing anything in dowry and did not even allow her to talk to her parents on telephone. On the day of Aparna’s death, Ajay Singh left the house at about 11 a.m and asked his servant not to disturb his wife. The deceased was found dead under suspicious circumstances, which resulted in initiation of an inquiry under Section 174 Cr P. C. On conclusion of the enquiry, an FIR was registered on September 16, 1997 and the respondents were tried under Section 306, 498-A RPC by the First Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu, who acquitted the respondents for the failure of the prosecution to prove the allegations against them. The state appealed against the acquittal.
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Season’s first snowfall
in valley
Srinagar, January 3 The authorities had to suspend traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only surface link between the valley and rest of the country, due to snowfall in areas around Jawahar Tunnel, which links Kashmir and Jammu divisions. The snowfall created slippery conditions, making the traffic dangerous. Border Reserve Organisation (BRO) officials were busy clearing snow, but intermittent rain and snow made things difficult, officials said. South Kashmir received much heavier snowfall while precipitation was much less in north Kashmir. Srinagar had a light drizzle through the day and a hint of snow and it became heavier as one travelled along the highway to Jammu till the tunnel. |
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Gujjars write to HC for protecting tribal properties
Jammu, January 3 In a letter to the Chief Justice of the J&K High Court, sent through the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, it was alleged that more than a dozen “sarais” and other seats related to Nomadic- Gujjar identity located on tribal migration routes were deliberately ruined during the last few years at the site of an underconstruction road coming up as an alternative link between Jammu and Srinagar through Pir
Panjal. Giving the details, Dr Javaid Rahi, secretary of the foundation, said: “We have taken up the matter with the judiciary with a prayer to treat our request as a Public Interest Litigation
(PIL) and direct the agencies to stop damaging and destroying the Nomadic assets, including the
Dohaks, Baheks, and initiate steps for restoration of all the sarais and other temporary shelters along the Mughal Road. |
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City areas flooded
Jammu, January 3 JMC officials have repeatedly gone on records saying that they had made all efforts to ensure proper sanitation in the city. However, the city witnessed light rain today that flooded several parts of the old city, blocking the sewerage system that draw the ire of residents. “We have many times tried to draw attention of the MC authorities towards the deteriorating condition of the bus stand, but nothing has been done so far. Not only passengers, our business also suffered due to the prevailing condition,” Dhiraj Kumar, a dry-fruit seller at the bus stand market, said. “The MC gets huge funds for cleanliness and beautification of the holy city. One wonders where these funds go?” Vishal Kumar of Nanak Nagar
said. Bharti Sharma, a school teacher, opined, “Polythene and heaps of garbage has blocked nullahs in the city, which had made life miserable for us. It seems the MC officials are doing nothing to solve the problem.” Repeated attempts to contact Mayor Kawinder Gupta turned futile. |
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Army to hold recruitment rally
Jammu, January 3 The spokesperson of Udhampur-based Northern Command of the Army said the documentation and medical test of the candidates from the state would be carried out from January 20 to 24. Those aspiring to get recruited must age between 18 to 42 years, weigh 50 kg, have a chest measuring 77 to 82 cm and a minimum height of 160 cm. The candidates should be at least 10th standard passed. Relaxation of percentage has been given for the candidates from Jammu, Samba, Udhampur and Kathua districts. For the rest of the districts of the state, the qualification is 8th passed for the soldier’s rank. For clerk’s rank, the eligibility has been fixed as 10+2 with 50 per cent aggregate marks and 40 per cent in each subject.
— TNS |
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Three asphyxiated in Rajouri
Jammu, January 3 The deceased have been identified as Rakia Begum, wife of Mushtaq Ahmed, Adnan, son of Mushtaq Ahmed, and Adiba Kousar, daughter of Mushtaq Ahmed, residents of Thanamang Darhal. Amdan,another son of Mushtaq Ahmed, was found unconscious condition at their home. The police said the deaths occurred due to asphyxia due to discharge of carbon monoxide from burning steam coal in air tight room. The police said the unconscious child was shifted to district hospital, Rajouri, and a post mortem of the bodies of the deceased would be done.
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Crime
File
Jammu, January 3 28 bottles of illicit liquor recovered
The police today recovered 17 bottles of rum from the possession of Krishan Lal of Chak Malal and Ved Parkash of Taroti, Akhnoor, at Punnu Chowk The accused have been arrested. In another incident, 11 bottles of rum were recovered from the possession of Naseeb Lal of Kotli Tanda at Daksal Morh, Akhnoor. He was arrested.
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Kashmir varsity signs MoU with Doordarshan
Srinagar, January 3 Under the MoU, 67 programmes produced by the Educational Multimedia Research Centre of the university would telecast on Doordarshan thrice a week, a spokesman for the university said here. The programmes include a lecture series for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The MoU stated that Doordarshan would not charge any telecast fee for these programmes. — TNS
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16 injured in accidents
Jammu, January 3
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Sadbhavna mela
Jammu, January 3 The Army also organised an equipment display and a stall giving out details of the recruitment procedure.
— TNS |
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Cops today foiled an attempt of activists of the Mahila Sanrakshan Samiti to gherao the residence of Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Raman
Bhalla.
Turban tying contest held
