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Feeling ignored, Seva Dal to complain against ministers
BJP seeks security for party leaders
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Arrangements reviewed for celebrations
Use of force ‘must for compensation’ in burglary insurance policy
Rajnish’s widow ‘with her parents’ in Srinagar
Assessment of Govt’s Performance
Draft of forest policy submitted
Women panel disposed of 12 pc cases in 2008-09
Firing Incident
Fire in Zabarwan forest area
CITU protests against price rise
Reorganise PDD, demand workers association
Akhoon for educating people on conserving oil, gas
Man hit by bullet near firing range
Brick-kilns asked to adopt pollution control norms
Power shutdown
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Feeling ignored, Seva Dal to complain against ministers
Jammu, January 16 Despite being a wing of the Congress, Seva Dal chief Balwinder Singh Sambyal today alleged that not only the NC even some ministers of the Congress were ignoring the party workers. “There is resentment among party workers about the behaviour of some ministers who are more concerned about projecting the wishes of their lobbies instead of serving the interests of the party,” Sambyal alleged and asserted that the Seva Dal would take up the matter with the party high command. “As far as the behaviour of some Congress ministers are concerned, we will take up the matter with the party high command so as to fulfil the wishes and aspirations of party workers,” he said. Sambyal, while interacting with mediapersons, admitted that there was lack of coordination among party workers at the grass-roots level. “Some ministers of both parties have been creating trouble in the smooth functioning of the coalition,” he alleged and cautioned efforts were needed to ensure coordination. He was of the opinion that coordination committees of both parties should be formed at the grass-roots level for the smooth functioning of the coalition. “People of Jammu and Kashmir have great expectations from this regime, so there is a need to take some concrete steps to strengthen the coalition,” he observed. The Congress Seva Dal chief, while expressing concern over frequent road accidents in erstwhile Doda district, regretted that only promises had been made so far to check recurrence of mishaps. “During the last one year, more than 200 persons have lost their lives in road accidents in Doda and adjoining localities, but the authorities have yet not learnt a lesson,” he regretted and asked the Transport Minister to take effective steps to save lives of innocent people. Sambyal also announced that they would organise a one-day workshop at Samba on January 23 to educate people about the policies and programmes of the party. |
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BJP seeks security for party leaders
Jammu, January 16 The BJP leaders expressed resentment that while block-level leaders of the Congress, NC and the PDP had been provided security, security had been withdrawn from a number of BJP leaders in Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Reasi, Udhampur and other areas of the state. They said the BJP leaders and activists had been targeted in the past, and due to lack of security they had been confined to their homes and were feeling insecure to take up political activities in their areas. The BJP leaders also expressed concern over delay in the regularisation of services of SPOs, who had been putting best services since 1996 in remote and far-flung areas. They also urged the
DGP to strengthen the village defence committees (VDCs) by equipping them with modern and sophisticated
weaponry so that a befitting reply be given to militants. Meanwhile, BJP activists held a protest against the moves of China of occupying substantial chunks of land along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh region. A large number of BJP activists took a protest procession from the party headquarters at Kachi Chawni towards Parade Chowk. However, the BJP activists were stopped by the police. |
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Security beefed up in valley ahead of R-Day
Srinagar, January 16 However, tension continued and normal life was partially
affected in Sopore today where militants made two successive attacks
killing two persons and injuring four others yesterday. Security has
been tightened following the recent militant strikes, including the
22-hour encounter at Lal Chowk here on January 6 and the attacks on the
police station in Sopore town yesterday. The police said suspected
militants hurled two grenades on a picket of the CRPF at Kawdara late
last evening. One of the grenades exploded without causing any damage,
while another did not explode. The checking of vehicles and a close
vigil along the main roads and around vital installations here has also
been beefed up after a series of incidents. The vigil has further been
tightened around Bakshi Stadium, the venue of the main Republic Day
function in the summer capital. Republic Day celebrations are also being
held at other vital installations and the district headquarters across
Kashmir, for which arrangements are underway. The police and the
security forces during search operations at different places have seized
a large quantity of arms and ammunition. A hand grenade was seized under
a culvert at Vavoora, Lolab in Kupwara district of north Kashmir
yesterday. The grenade was later neutralised by a bomb disposal squad
without causing any harm, the police said. A major tragedy was averted
when one LPG cylinder fitted with three detonators lying on the road was
seized at Pinglana in Pulwama district yesterday. It was later
neutralised by the bomb disposal squad, the police here said. Reports
said today that protests were held in the town against the alleged use
of force by the police on passersby and pedestrians in view of the
stepped up vigil after yesterday’s incident. One person was injured
when militants hurled a grenade towards the police station, while five
others later sustained injuries when militants opened fire on the
policemen outside the police station yesterday morning. Two of them,
including a civilian and a policeman, later succumbed to their injuries. |
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Arrangements reviewed for celebrations
Jammu, January 16 Jammu District Magistrate Manoj
Dwivedi, Jammu IGP Ashok Gupta and officers of various departments were also present in the meeting. Kotwal sought participation of private educational institutions in the main function to be held at MA Stadium to celebrate Republic Day. He apprised the meeting that about 6,000 students from various schools and colleges would participate in the ensuing Republic Day celebrations. Kotwal asked the officers concerned to ensure proper transport facilities to students and keep adequate number of buses available for ferrying them to and fro the venue. |
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Use of force ‘must for compensation’ in burglary insurance policy
Jammu, January 16 The complainant - Sanjay Gupta, having set up a small scale industrial unit M/S Kashmir Herbal Industry for processing minor forest produces, obtained a policy covering burglary and housebreaking from New India Assurance Co. Ltd., for the period May 17, 2005, to midnight of May 16, 2006. On September 26, 2005, when the complainant visited his transit depot at Gulabgarh, he found that its locks were broken and a large number of forest produce had been stolen. The investigations started on an FIR lodged with Paddar police station for the commission of offence u/s 380, RPC, read with Section 6 of the Forest Act was closed as not traceable. On the basis of the report of Mahesh Kumar Sharma, surveyor, the claim of the complainant was repudiated being not covered by the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. New India Assurance Co. Ltd took the plea that the crime of burglary consisted of housebreaking and forcible entery into a dwelling house/business premises of another with the intent to commit a crime therein. Since there was no evidence of any forcible entry by the alleged burglars, therefore, the main ingredient of ‘burglary’ that the movable property should have been taken away dishonestly while making forcible entry into the premises, got falsified from the final police report and the survey report submitted by the investigator. The forum, while dismissing the complaint, observed that “the policy is a contract between the parties and both parties are bound by the terms of the contract. As per the definition of the word ‘burglary’ followed with violence, makes it clear that if any theft is committed it should necessarily be preceded by violence i.e., entry into the premises for committing theft should involve force or violence or threat to insured or to his employees or to the members of his family. The element of force and violence is a condition precedent for burglary and housebreaking. In order to substantiate the claim the insured has to establish that the theft or burglary was preceded by force or violence failing which the insurance company will be well within its righ to repudiate the claim of
the insured.” |
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Rajnish’s widow ‘with her parents’ in Srinagar
Jammu, January 16 Sources in the organisations fighting for justice to the family today disclosed that Anchal had reportedly reached her parents’ house in Srinagar. Pawan Sharma, brother of Rajnish, also said they had come to know that Anchal had reached Srinagar. “Whether she comes back or not, we will continue to pursue our legal battle in the Supreme Court to get justice for the death of Rajnish,” said Pawan. “The fight is for justice for my brother’s death. Besides me, there are two more petitioners in the case -- my mother and Anchal. If she does not return, we will continue our fight against injustice meted out to our family,” said Pawan. Raj Kumari, mother-in-law of Anchal, said, “I have already lost my son and now the daughter-in-law too. My heart has grown strong and I will surely pursue the ongoing case in the Supreme Court despite all odds. The family members told this correspondent that they had informed the Supreme Court about the sudden disappearance of Anchal. “CID and police personnel present at our house have already told us that Anchal had gone to Srinagar and will not come back,” said Pawan, and he smelt foul play and the role of the police in the disappearance of Anchal. Pawan further said, “A day before the disappearance of Anchal, she told me over the phone that her cousin had called her and wanted to get her land in Rajbagh transferred to her younger brother. She also disclosed that her brother in Australia was in a major problem and he had to pay a huge amount of penalty to the Australian government.” The family is in deep shock and the relatives have arrived to console them. This is to mention here that the next hearing in the case in the apex court is January 25. Meanwhile, the Mahila Sanrakshan Samiti (MSS), spearheading the agitation against the alleged killing of Rajnish, would devise a new strategy to further intensify its battle after new developments. However, Randeep Kumar, SP City (North), said, “We have still not been able to find her and are trying our best to locate her.” |
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Assessment of Govt’s Performance
Jammu, January 16 Addressing a rally at Rajouri today, Soz said the Congress was committed to communal harmony, unity, integrity and equitable development of the three regions of the state and the nation. He cautioned the people of the border region against the designs of communal and divisive forces and exhorted the Congress workers not to allow them to succeed in the larger interest of the state and the nation. He said those taking recourse to the use of religion and communal slogans for petty political gains were doing great damage to the state and the nation. Urging Congressmen to strengthen the party at the grass-roots level so that the benefits of various schemes could reach the deserving sections of society, the PCC chief asked them to gear up for the forthcoming elections of panchayat and local bodies and ensure that honest and genuine people get elected to these institutions of democracy. He remembered Mahatma Gandhi had dreamt about power to people, which was practically followed by Rajiv Gandhi through 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution. He felt the need to further strengthen the panchayati raj in the state. Reacting to the demand of a degree college at Sunderbani and tehsil headquarters at Lamberi, besides improvement in the supply of power, drinking water and road connectivity, etc., the PCC president assured people that he would take up the demand for the degree college with the government in the next coordination committee meeting. Minister for Revenue Raman Bhalla issued orders on the spot that the naib-tehsildar would sit at Lamberi and dispose of the revenue cases there. The gathering was also addressed by MP Madan Lal Sharma, ministers Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, RS Chib, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Mangat Ram Sharma, MLC Ravinder Sharma, Mahila Congress president Indu Singh Pawar and others. Earlier, the PCC chief was given a warm welcome at various places en route Rajouri, especially at Bhamla, Sunderbani, Siot, Lamberi, Dandesar-Bagnoti and Dhallian in Nowshera. Soz, ministers and senior PCC leaders were presented siropas as a token of respect by the management of gurdwara Dhallian in the presence of a large number of people. |
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Draft of forest policy submitted
Jammu, January 16 It also emphasised on people’s participation in conservation of forests. Focus had been laid on non-timber forest produce, including resign and medicinal plants, besides eco and natural tourism, it said. The policy further underlines the significance of plantation on private and community lands, checking denudation and soil erosion through integrated efforts. It also lays emphasis on the checking of forest land encroachments, updating of forest demarcation and maintenance of demarcation record in digital format on GIS using remote sensing technology. The policy also prescribes silvicultural system to manage the state forest. Further, it endorses the conservation of germ plasm of medicinal plants and package of practices for their cultivation and development by farmers, including cultivation and processing by village cooperatives, for non-destructive harvesting and marketing of the medicinal plants of commercial values. The policy also suggests for bridging demand and supplying gap of timber by increasing the productivity of forests and facilitating import of timber. For meeting fodder and firewood supplies, it prescribes for increase in the productivity of pasture lands and plantation on community lands. It also suggests for eco-tourism for preserving the natural attributes of the forests and employment to the locals. It also touches aspects like forest research, participatory forest management and man-animal conflict. The policy would be displayed on the website of the Forest Department in near future, seeking comments and suggestions from civil society and environment activists, it added. |
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Women panel disposed of 12 pc cases in 2008-09
Srinagar, January 16 More than 1,600 cases have been registered by the commission since its establishment. Out of 1,693 cases, 1,260 are from Kashmir and 433 from Jammu. The commission is a statutory body set up in March 2000 under the State Commission for Women Act, 1999. According to the annual report 2008-2009 of the commission, 14 cases were registered by it in 2000. Out of which, 11 were from the Kashmir province and three from the Jammu region. Out of 39 cases registered the following year, 23 were from the Kashmir division and 16 from Jammu. In 2002, the number of registered cases in the state showed a steep increase. Out of 208 registered cases, 185 were from Kashmir and 23 from Jammu. In 2003, the number of registered cases was 160, with Kashmir registering 146 and Jammu 14. A year later, the highest number of 265 cases were registered. Out of this, 148 were from Kashmir. This was followed by 260 cases registered in 2005, including 137 cases from Kashmir. In 2006, a total of 237 cases were registered by the commission - 230 in Kashmir and seven in Jammu. In 2007, out of 216 cases, 181 were from the valley and 35 from Jammu, whereas out of 167 registered cases, 113 were from the Kashmir division . The annual report shows 86 and 41 cases registered from Kashmir and Jammu, respectively, up to March last year. |
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Protest against attack on gurdwara in Australia
Jammu, January 16 Activists of the Bhai Kanahiya Jee Nishkam Seva Society, Nirbhor Nirvair Organisation, AISSF, United Secular Forum, Shiromani Akali Dal, Sikh Istri Sudhar Sabha, Sikh Naujawan Sabha, Sikh Welfare Society and the Sikh Progressive Front condemned the incident. The attack had hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community and it could not be tolerated, the protesting activists said. The organisations demanded the immediate arrest of culprits and stern punishment to them. They also demanded from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the SGPC president in Amritsar to take up the issue with the Australian government. Later, the Sikh community leaders also submitted a memorandum at the UN office in Sainik Colony here. |
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Firing Incident
Srinagar, January 16 A meeting of the representatives from print and electronic media and photo journalists decided that since the police did not register an FIR and no action was taken, an FIR would be lodged by the newspaper concerned, Greater Kashmir, in
this regard. Farooq was injured when he was fired upon by a police officer two hours after the encounter between the holed-up militants and the police had ended at Lal Chowk on January 7. He got a bullet injury in his leg and was later discharged from the hospital. The meeting also urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take action, saying the police officer’s act amounted to misuse of position. The Chief Minister had already assured the editor of the newspaper that an appropriate action would be taken against the police officer. |
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Fire in Zabarwan forest area Srinagar, January 16 Forest officials said the fire was controlled and restricted from Astanpora to Gobal and no damage was caused to the forest crop. The Divisional Forest Officer concerned has said the fire had occurred in the Astanpora (Nishat) area, which is almost without tree cover and the fire remained restricted to the ground only. The staff of the Department of Wildlife and Forest Department had already taken up operations to restrict and extinguish the fire. The Conservator of Forests, Srinagar Circle, was himself present on the spot till late night hours to ensure that the fire was controlled, an official spokesman said. The department has already appealed to public to remain alert on accidental fires. People have also been requested not to lit fire in forests or leave it lit in the areas falling in the vicinity of forests to avoid such accidents.
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CITU protests against price rise
Jammu, January 16 Addressing the rally, MY Tarigami, CITU president and state secretary of the CPM, said the rising prices of essential commodities, especially foodgrains, medicines, edible oil, sugar and vegetables, had broken the back of people, particularly the working class, peasantry and low-income strata of society. Tarigami expressed dismay over cutting down of ration quota of the states. He felt this move adversely affected the general population, which had been going through a tough time due to recession. He said neo-liberal economic policies adopted by the successive governments had wreaked havoc on people. Tarigami also expressed concern over the non-implementation of labour laws in the state. “The police interference in labour disputes as witnessed in Banihal must be stopped forthwith,” he asserted. He reiterated the demand for an early payment of compensation by the Central government in lieu of huge losses being incurred because of the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan by virtue of which the state could not construct power projects. This treaty was discriminatory and detrimental to the interests of the state, he added. He also urged upon the Centre to transfer the Dulhasti power project to the state, as recommended by Dr C Rangarajan, and other projects to compensate the losses. |
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Reorganise PDD, demand workers association
Jammu, January 16 The association demanded the reorganisation of the PDD, as a proposal in this regard had already been placed before the higher authorities. It was further demanded that departmental recruitment rules be reviewed with immediate effect. During a meeting with the minister various issues relating to the problems of the employees were also discussed. The minister gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured it that problems highlighted by it would be seriously considered. The delegation comprised Ravi Razdan, RC Koul, Atta Ullah Khan, Ajay Sharma, Pran Koul, Anil Singh, Ashok Manhas and Bhupinder Singh. |
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Akhoon for educating people on conserving oil, gas
Jammu, January 16 The minister was addressing the inaugural function of the Oil and Gas Conservation Fortnight (2010) organised by the state-level coordinator, Petroleum, Conservation Research Association (PCRA), here yesterday. The fortnight is being celebrated from January 15 to 31 across the country. Akhoon said the main idea behind the celebration of this fortnight was to create awareness in various fields dependent on oil and gas, including transport, industries, agriculture and household sectors, and stressed for achieving the goal by launching awareness programmes at a large scale in these sectors as well as rural areas by involving youth. The minister appreciated the role of the PCRA for preparing pamphlets
based on their research for saving various products of oil and gas. |
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Man hit by bullet near firing range
Jammu, January 16 They said jawans of 14 Sikh Light Infantry were on a routine practice in the range when a stray bullet hit Shamsher. Later, a police party from Pargwal shifted him to the Government Medical College and Hospital here. However, it may be stated here that several youths in the forward areas of Pargwal close to the border risk their lives to extract metals from the Army’s firing ranges. |
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Brick-kilns asked to adopt pollution control norms
Jammu, January 16 Interacting with representatives of the Brick-Kiln Association here yesterday, Altaf sought check on further unplanned growth of brick-kilns in the close vicinity of habitations, adding that growing environment pollution had also posed a serious threat to flora and fauna. Altaf also called for rationalising the existing brick-kilns, adding that the concentration of more brick-kilns in specific areas causes inconvenience to people and also adds to the environment concerns. He also urged for the installation of pollution control devices in various industrial units to contain industrial pollution. The representatives of brick-kiln owners presented their charter of demands and sought to simplify registration norms. |
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Power shutdown
Jammu, January 16 According to superintending engineer, Electric Maintenance and Repairs Circle-I, Jammu, the shutdown should be subjected to fair weather conditions. |
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