Jammu, March 8
International Women’s Day has come and gone, but the day has no relevance for around 25 destitute women who are being looked after by the Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity, also called Shanti Daan, situated in Janipur.

These women belong to different states and were thrown out of their homes by their families owing to their mental and physical challenges. The caretakers of Shanti Daan had found most of the women wandering in the city here and some of them were brought by their neighbours there.

While describing the pain and miseries of the destitute women, Sister Joselette , who is caretaker of the home asked what was the meaning of celebrating International Women’s Day unless and until the society stopped abandoning them due to their mental and physical challenges.

Prem Bhai (60) who basically belongs to Uttar Pradesh, is mentally challenged. “Prem Bhai was living here in some locality on rent. Her neighbours brought her to our home. According to the neighbours, she used to beg on roads for survival and later she got sick. For the last around two years, we are taking care of her.”

Out of 25, most of the women are mentally challenged. Sister Clarisse, who is the in-charge of the home, expressed suspects that most of the women might have been victims of domestic violence.

Another inmate, Beena (36), who belongs to Jalandhar was a victim of domestic violence, according to Sister Clarisse. “She was thrown out of the house by her in-laws following a quarrel. Then she got sick. The caretakers of Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity, New Delhi, found her wandering on roads from where she was shifted to Jammu”, said the in-charge.

“Women’s empowerment is more necessary.Only that country achieves more progress where women are completely empowered and are treated equal to men”, said Amita Charak, a university student.

Jammu, March 8
After a heated debate between the arch rivals NC and PDP, the Upper House via a voice-vote today defeated two private member’s bill seeking repeal of the Enemy Agents’ Ordinance of 2005 (1948 AD) and amendment to the J&K Alienation of Land Act 1995 (1938 AD).

Though PDP legislator Murtaza Ahmed Khan, who had moved a private member’s bill on behalf of his colleague Nizammudin Khatana, stormed the well of the House and had an acerbic debate with treasury benches, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar explained him the bottlenecks involved in repealing the ordinance.

After moving the bill, Murtaza said the ordinance had become redundant in the present scenario and hence it should be done away with.

“It was brought into being during 1947 when enemy agents used to frequent border areas. Now, the situation is entirely different and hence it should be repealed to pave the way for the freedom of innocent people,” said Murtaza. Though Sagar supported Murtaza’s views, he said the legislation could not be repealed immediately.

“There are 180 cases pending disposal under the ordinance and every case is important. Everyone could not be pardoned, but the government would bring a bill on its own at an opportune time,” said Sagar. However, Sagar’s remarks failed to satisfy Murtaza, who stormed the well in protest. As tampers ran high, Sagar reminded Murtaza that it was PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed during whose tenure the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was clamped in the state.

As decorum returned to the House after some time, Deputy Chairman Arvinder Singh Micky asked Murtaza if he would withdraw or press the bill. Murtaza, who pressed for the bill, had to taste defeat via a voice-vote. The PDP legislator had to taste defeat again on the J&K Alienation of Land Act 1995 (1938 AD).

Moving a private member’s bill number 1 of 2010, he had sought an amendment to the Act so as to prevent leasing out of state lands to outsiders, particularly individuals.

“Leasing out state land, particularly to individuals from other states, is not in our interest. Therefore, an amendment be made and the practice be stopped,” he said. Murtaza said a big mafia was working in the state usurping state land, taking advantage of the lacunae under the existing Act.

Yet again, Murtaza had to confront a stiff opposition from the treasury benches when Relief and Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla opposed the bill. He again pressed the bill that was defeated via a voice-vote.

Jammu, March 8
With the killing of Shaheen Parvez, alias Riyaz Ahmed, a district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, in an encounter with security forces in Doda district late last night, the Jammu police claimed that two main militant outfits -- Hizbul Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jehadi-Islami (HuJI) -— had been wiped out from the Jammu region.

“Jammu is now free from these two dangerous militants outfits,” said IG Ashok Gupta in a press conference here today. He added the security forces had achieved a big success by eliminating 14 district commanders of different militant groups. Only the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad were active now, but that too in a far less number, he said.

Shahin Parvez was killed in an encounter with a joint team of the Army, CRPF and the police in Kadial tehsil of Doda, Gupta said. “Shaheen was the best hit man of the Hizbul Mujahideen,” he said. He had killed some Army men and civilians in the Doda area. He had also victimised women by committing atrocities against them, the IG said.

Gupta said according to intelligence reports around 100 militants were still active in Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri districts of the Jammu region. “Though the militant groups are active in these districts, there is no possibility of any major attack in the region because the militants were facing a shortage of weapons.”

Asked about the presence of militant training camps in the region, the IG ruled out the possibility saying “in a recent report it has come out that 20 per cent of militants are without guns. So, there is no possibility of any training camp in the region.”

He added “the police has devised a new strategy and has strengthened its connections with public. The Special Operation Groups have also been divided into smaller groups. These methods had proved more fruitful to track militant hideouts.”

Gupta also said the police was also devising a new strategy to deal with women overground workers in the region. 

Jammu, March 8
The police today ruled out any specific terror threat to the Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine. While addressing mediapersons in a press conference here, Ashok Gupta, Inspector-General, Jammu zone, said, “The shrine was always facing threats, but so far there is no specific one.

Still, we have done elaborate security arrangements to protect the shrine”. “It does not mean we will lower the guards from the shrine. The security arrangements will be more strengthened to protect pilgrims as well as the shrine,” he said. 

Jammu, March 8
Governor NN Vohra hosted a farewell for the outgoing Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Mr Justice Barin Ghosh, and his wife Uma Ghosh at Raj Bhavan here last evening. The Governor wished Mr Justice Ghosh a very successful tenure in his new assignment as Chief Justice of the High Court of Sikkim.

Among others, judges of the state high court and their spouses, Chief Secretary Samuel Verghese, Northern Army Commander Lt-Gen BS Jaswal, DGP Kuldeep Khoda and Principal Secretary to the Governor Raj Kumar Goyal were present on the occasion.

Jammu, March 8
The Women’s Quota Bill, if passed in the Rajya Sabha,will not get automatically extended to Jammu and Kashmir because of the special status the state enjoys.

“The proposed Bill that endorses 33 per cent quota for women in Parliament wouldn’t be applicable to the state due to Article 370,” said noted journalist Balraj Puri.

The state that has no woman parliamentarian at present, has, in the legislative Assembly, only three elected female members, namely, Mehbooba Mufti, Shamima Firdos and Sakina Ittoo, whereas it has only two nominated such members in the Upper House- Vimla Luthra and Indu Pawar.

The state where women are represented poorly has also lesser number of such employees in the public as well as the private sectors as compared to men. As per the census of 2001, the country’s female literacy rate is 54 per cent whereas in the state it is just 41.82 per cent.

“If the Bill gets passed, it would be a historic development as it has been rejected a number of times,” said political analyst Prof Rekha Choudhary.

“It is not a question of 30 per cent reservation,but a question of participatory democracy,” she said and added, “If women get 30 per cent reservation, they will have to fight another battle to secure 50 per cent representation.”

Talking about the scenerio here, she said the state had a dismal scenario when it came to the representaition of the women. “Though amended, the Panchayat Raj Act that gives 30 per cent reservation to women was applied to the rest of country 10 years ago.The state has not exercised the same provision,” she said, and added that the state must enact a similar law, if okayed at the central level.

“In J&K, women are seen only in ground level campaigns, but when it comes to party leadership, their number is small. The women leaders in all parties come from political dynasties rather than common masses,” she remarked. 

Jammu, March 8
Minister for Social welfare, Sakina Itoo, today informed the Legislative Council that two new welfare schemes, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), are being launched in the state to cover a significant number of beneficiaries.

Replying to a question by Congress legislator Ravinder Sharma during Question Hour, she said that the department had a well-defined method for the identification of beneficiaries and sanctioning of financial assistance in favour of deserving persons.

She said the government had framed district-level committees, headed by District Development Commissioners (DDC) which were empowered to sanction the cases after the completion of required formalities, laid down under different pension schemes.

She said 28137 deserving persons of Rajouri district were getting financial assistance under Social Welfare Schemes. She assured that the pending cases for providing financial assistance would be settled on priority.

In reply to another question, she informed the House that various scholarship schemes were under implementation for the students belonging to weaker sections.

Jammu, March 8
On the eve of completion of 100 years of International Women’s Day, the Mahila Diwas Shatabdi Ayojak Committee, formed by girl students of Jammu University and its affiliated colleges, today organised an open programme in front of the Dhanvantri library.

Main speakers on the occasion argued that the media objectifies women as mere physical object and fails to portray them as subjective beings with separate individuality.

A speaker, Chanchal, apprised the audience about the declining sex ratio in India as well as in the state. “The declining sex ratio of 820 girls against 1,000 boys is the indication of discrimination against women,” she said.

Manisha, a student, said any fundamental change in the social conditions of women could not be realised without doing away with the patriarchal biases prevailing in the society.

“Domestic violence against women is an increasing feature of the present society. Dowry deaths, sexual abuse and lack of opportunities are the cause of concern for women,” she added.

On the occasion, students also staged a play that brought to the fore problems being faced by women in day-to-day life. It also criticised the discrimination being meted out to women at the family and societal level. In its message, the play exhorts upon girls to strengthen themselves instead of looking for empowerment from outside.

A resolution was also passed by the students. They pledged to fight violence against women, female foeticide, infanticide, dowry system and sexual abuse.

Meanwhile, Salal power station (NHPC), Jyotipuram, today celebrated International Women’s Day. Bimla Salathia, president of the union, who is also the vice-president of the Jammu and Kashmir Trade Union Congress, was the main speaker on the occasion.

According to a statement issued here, Salathia gave details of historical factors and importance of celebration of this day in the present society.

Salathia said, “if Indian women can play a better role in defence, security and other challenging fields, why not they can play a role in public representation”.

Jammu, March 8
Government has prepared a Species Recovery Plan, for the conservation of hangul, an endangered species, through the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, at a cost of Rs 22 crore.

The plan, scheduled to be completed in five years, has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for approval, said Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmad Khan, while replying to a half-an-hour discussion initiated by M Yousuf Taing in the Legislative Council today.

Khan said the main objective of the plan was the recovery of the declining hangul population with focus on restoring the shrinking habitat range of its species.

He said the Wildlife Department had simultaneously started a survey of hangul all over the Kashmir valley in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and Wildlife Trust of India, besides some research and academic institutions. This survey would indicate the distribution and trend of the population of hangul in the relic habitats apart from ascertaining the current population in Dachigam National Park, Srinagar. It would be useful in planning for the execution of the hangul conservation plan, He said.

The minister said a project proposal of Rs 1.47 crore had already been submitted to the Centre for establishing conservation breeding centre for hangul at Dardwordi Kangan for inclusion in next year’s annual plan of operations. He said one more conservation breeding centre for hangul was being established at Shikargah, Tral. He said the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved Rs 1.76 crore for the conservation of hangul in the state. He said under the project, Rs 42.50 lakh had been received and construction of one paddock (closure), one trauma centre and one dispensary had been completed.

He said for the release of the second instalment, the MOU had to be submitted to the government and when the MoU was received by the CZA, the second instalment of Rs 10 lakh would be released by the CZA, which would help in making the project functional.

He said the Department of Wildlife Protection, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India and other agencies, had been regularly monitoring the hangul population in the Dachigam Park and its adjoining areas. He said the estimated population during the last census of hangul in Dachigam and adjoining areas indicated a positive trend. He added that the hangul population in 2004, in the said park had been estimated at 197, 153 in 2006, 127 in 2008 and 175 in 2009.

Jammu, March 8
College students today switched over to hunger strike for the demand of concession in syllabus. For the past one month, students are protesting for the same demand under the banner of the Jammu Joint Students Federation (JJSF).

According to a statement issued here, two members of the JJSF namely Mohammad Ashraf and Davinder Singh today sat on “fast unto death” to press the authorities for the fulfillment of their demand.

While addressing the gathering, state president of the JJSF Pushvinder Singh Manhas said they would continue their protest until the students get concession in the syllabus.

Meanwhile, in GGM Science College (morning and evening), Government College for Women, Parade, MAM College and GDC Paloura the students boycotted classes and held protest demonstration.

Udhampur, March 8
The police has recovered the bodies of a young married woman, along with her minor son, in Dubbri Upper Forest in the jurisdiction of Mahore police station in Reasin district yesterday.

As per an official spokesperson, the police received information about an unclaimed body of a woman and her seven-year-old son lying in the area. Led by the SHO, Mahore, a police party, along with forensic experts, rushed to the spot. The bodies were taken to a hospital for autopsy.

In the preliminary investigation, the deceased was identified as Shello Devi (25) of Channa village in Mahore Tehsil and her son Rinku. It was also found that the deceased was living separately from her husband for a couple of years. At present, she was staying with her father Karnail Singh at Simbli Thiloo village.

Though the family alleged the incident as an attack by militants, the police has launched an investigation to probe the crime.

Jammu, March 8
The police today claimed to have unearthed an inter-state racket of fake degrees and mark-sheets of different universities and school boards, mainly Uttar Pradesh, and arrested its alleged kingpin along with 21 fake degrees.

It said acting on specific information, a police party intercepted a vehicle at Gharota in Akhnoor subdivision yesterday and arrested the alleged kingpin of the racket, Neeraj Sapolia, a resident of the Muthi area.

The police said the racketeers were operating in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and some other states too. They used to sell fake degrees for an amount ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 65,000. A case under sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the RPC has been registered at Gharota police station.

It said some more arrests were likely in the coming days.