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1965 war ‘martyr’ may be in Pak jail
Mental stress taking its toll on youths
Lt-Gen BK Chengappa given farewell
Cong workers told to gear up for local bodies poll
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Conspiracy to divide state, says forum
Governor’s greetings on Ramanavami
Water scarcity in parts of Jammu city
Tributes paid to martyrs
808 Kashmiri Pandit families in valley, says minister
Assembly adjourned due to lack of quorum
5 faculties in medical colleges may face de-recognition
Soon, dist courts to have permanent chambers
Governor for holistic development of Bhimgarh Fort
Pen-down strike threat
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1965 war ‘martyr’ may be in Pak jail
Jammu, March 23 A few days ago, Suresh Kumar got a letter from MK Paul, a resident of Gujarat and well- known international human rights activist, claiming the union government was now saying Madan Mohan was missing/ presumed killed. Suresh was about two years’ old when his father was reportedly killed in the war on September 19, 1965. The letter by the then Prime Minister, along with documents, including the death certificate from the Army, appear ironical today. The family had performed the last rites of the soldier by immersing his ashes sent by the Army a
few days after he had reportedly died. Suresh is wondering whose ashes did they immerse. “We had performed the last rites and other ceremonies like shraadh of my father. My mother, Krishna Kumari, died 15 years ago, living all along with the pain of a widow,” said Suresh. “As the body of Madan Mohan was not found, he was thus presumed killed all these years. While pursuing the cases of 54 Indian prisoners of war languishing in Pakistan jails, I learnt Madan Mohan and three others had gone missing in the 1965 war and were possibly in Pakistan jails or may have died there,” Paul told The Tribune over the phone. Paul is a national awardee for his relentless work for tracing 54 Indian PoW allegedly languishing in Pakistan jails. “Why are the authorities concerned saying he was missing/presumed killed now when they sent his ashes earlier. Who cares about
the sensitivities of the family?” Paul demanded. Suresh’s sister, Santosh Kumari, was two days’ old when the family was told about Madan’s death. She has all along been living with the disturbing thought that her birth and father’s death coincided. “The fresh news is nothing less than the rebirth of my father,” Santosh said. The Army did take care of the family. Krishna Kumari got a job with the Health Department on compassionate grounds and after her death, Santosh got a job. |
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Mental stress taking its toll on youths
Jammu, March 23 Furthermore, among the total 22 districts in the state, Jammu district topped the list of suicides by youths in 2008 and 2009. It reflected a grim picture with 53 suicides in the past two years. Attributing the root cause of suicides to a multitude of factors, mainly unemployment, financial problem and high expectations of parents from their children in their academics, the government said today that 60 youths from nine districts of the Jammu region ended their lives last year, while 58 youths from 10 districts of the Kashmir region committed suicide. Comparing the figures of 2008 and 2009, the state Health Department said the overall tendency of suicide among youths had not increased. During 2008 a total of 122 youths committed suicide, while 118 youth ended their lives in 2009. However, from Leh and Kargil districts in the Ladakh region and Poonch district in the Jammu region not even a single case of suicide was reported in 2008 and 2009. Jammu district also recorded the maximum of 22 suicides in 2009, followed by Anantnag district with 20, Udhampur with 12 and eight suicide cases each in Srinagar and Kulgam districts. In a written reply to a question by NC legislator Ajay Sadhotra, the government also said incompatibility between married couples was also one of the reasons triggering mental disorders like depression, post-trauma stress disorders and anxiety-related disorders eventually leading to suicides. About corrective measures to reverse the discouraging trend among youths, the government claimed that several NGOs, including doctors, were offering consultation and counselling free of cost, besides holding seminars to educate people. The government also stated that religious organisations were also being roped in to discourage the tendency. |
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Lt-Gen BK Chengappa given farewell
Udhampur, March 23 On the eve of his departure, the General paid homage to martyrs by laying a wreath at Dhruva War Memorial and inspected an impressively turned out Guard of Honour. According to an Army spokesperson, the General hails from Coorg and is a combat veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak war. He has a distinguished career and extensive experience of having tended to a myriad of staff, instructional and command appointments in varied terrain and operational environment, including a prestigious foreign assignment in a UN Mission in Namibia. He also holds the coveted appointment of the Colonel of the Garhwal Scouts and heads the fraternity of the distinguished Garhwal Rifles as their Colonel Commandant. During his tenure as the Chief of Staff, the General had a challenging task of being responsible for the multifarious man-management issues related to officers and troops. Project MILAP, a tangible action plan implemented to ameliorate the serving conditions of all ranks and improve the quality of life, including their families, was an endeavour close to the General’s heart. —
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Cong workers told to gear up for local bodies poll
Jammu, March 23 Addressing a public meeting at Mahespura along with deputy chairman of the Legislative Council Arvinder Singh Micky, Sharma asked the people to teach a lesson to communal forces in the forthcoming local bodies elections. Micky, in his address, called upon the people to ensure victory of only dedicated and honest persons in the civic bodies elections. He assured that the Congress would field honest candidates in these elections. Meanwhile, a function was held at the Congress headquarters to observe the death anniversary of former Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Mohammad Ayub Khan. While paying tributes, Congress leaders said: “Ayub Khan was the symbol of honesty, integrity and humanity. He contributed a lot in various fields and as a leader of the Congress. |
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Conspiracy to divide state, says forum
Jammu, March 23 Criticising the leaders from the Jammu region for their silence on the issue, Sharma said: “Because of the short-sightedness and personal interests of our leaders, Jammu is being discriminated against for the last six decades.” — TNS |
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Governor’s greetings on Ramanavami
Jammu, March 23 He wished the people a happy Ramanavami and prayed for peace, progress and prosperity in the state. |
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Water scarcity in parts of Jammu city
Jammu, March 23 The president of the Jammu West Assembly constituency, Sunil Dimple, said people living in these areas were so angry that they would soon come on the roads to express their resentment against the state government. The Public Health Engineering Department authorities claimed that they were making all efforts to solve the problem. However, residents of these areas alleged that they had been facing water shortage for the past many years and it got worse during the summer. “Water comes once in a day and the pressure is low. As motors are used, a large section of society is left high and dry,” said Trilok Chand, a resident of Rehari while expressing resentment against the department. “Despite announcements made by the Minister of PHE Taj Mohi-ud-Din that the department would provide water twice in a day, nothing has been done so far,” said Sunil Dimple. He appealed to the PHE Minister to take corrective measures instead of giving assurances. Chief Engineer of the PHE Daleep Bakshi said the daily requirement of potable water in the city was around 42.5 million gallons whereas the department was providing around 39.2 million gallons. “The department is working hard to fill the gap and to solve the problem of water scarcity,” said the Chief Engineer. He further said due to less rainfall recorded this year, the depleting groundwater level and dry Tawi river, the department was facing problems in dealing with the situation in these areas. Bakshi added out of 155 water pumps/tubewells, around 17 tubewells/ water pumps had dried up which had further put burden on the department.He said the department had deployed around two deep drilling machines in the areas where the problem was more acute. |
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Tributes paid to martyrs
Jammu, March 23 The Progressive Student Association organised a function on the campus of Jammu University. A large number of students participated in the programme and paid floral tributes to the martyrs. Later on, student activists delivered speeches and staged a play. The Jammu Province Bank Employees Federation and the All India Students Federation jointly organised an exhibition of rare photographs and documents of freedom fighters at Shalamar Chowk, Jammu. The deputy general manager of Punjab National Bank, J&K operations, RC Kaul, inaugurated the exhibition. The Saksham Samaj Sankalap held a function at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park in Miran Sahib this evening. The participants viewed rare clippings related to the life of revolutionary freedom fighters. Later, a torch rally was also organised in the town. The National Student Union of India (NSUI) also organised a function at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk here. They paid floral tributes and sought a museum dedicated to the freedom fighters in the state. Addressing the gathering, student activists criticised the government for ignoring their long standing demand for installing a statue of Bhagat Singh at the chowk named after him. The BJP, under the stewardship of district president Rajesh Gupta, organised a function at Ram Leela Maidan, Panjtirthi, to pay tributes to the martyrs. The BJP leaders and a number of prominent residents of the area garlanded the portraits of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev and remembered their contribution towards freedom struggle of the country. BJP’s former state president and Jammu east MLA Ashok Khajuria, while paying tributes, said this ‘trimurti’ set an example for youths to follow. |
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808 Kashmiri Pandit families in valley, says minister
Jammu, March 23 The minister informed that an amount of Rs 39.65 crore had been paid to the Kashmiri Pandits as compensation on account of damage to their properties since the eruption of militancy. Bhalla informed that during the turmoil in the state since 1989, 219 Kashmiri Pandits were killed and three massacres of Kashmiri Pandits took place in different areas of the Kashmir valley. The worst-ever massacre of Kashmiri Pandits took place in Nandimarg, Shopian, in which 24 persons were gunned down by militants who had struck on the intervening night of March 23 and 24 in 2003. Bhalla said a total number of 808 families of Kashmiri Pandits, consisting of 3,445 persons, were living in the valley. |
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Assembly adjourned due to lack of quorum
Jammu, March 23 It was a rare occasion that the House was adjourned due to insufficient number of members in the House. Earlier, the same situation had emerged four years ago during the budget session. Of the total 89 members, only 14 were present in the House when the Assembly was discussing the functioning of the Higher Education, Youth Affairs, Sports, Labour and Employment ministries. Ironically, these departments fall under the charge of three ministers, namely R S Chib, Abdul Gani Malik and Dr Manohar Lal Sharma.Only Chib and Malik were present. Veteran MLA Mohammad Yosuf Tarigami, who was the Presiding Officer in the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker immediately adjourned the House when a member from the Opposition benches pointed out that only a few members present. He asked the treasury benches to ensure the presence of adequate number of MLAs to smoothly conduct the functioning. After the adjournment of the House, the chief whips of both National Conference (NC) and Congress called their members from the canteen for attending the House proceedings. Absenteeism is a matter of concern in the on-going budget session.Opposition members have already expressed their concern over attitude of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who usually remain absent. Panthers Party MLA Harshdev Singh had raised the issue on Monday when Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Nasir Aslam Wani was replying to questions on behalf of the Deputy Chief Minister who holds the same portfolios. |
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5 faculties in medical colleges may face de-recognition
Jammu, March 23 Responding to queries during Question Hour in the Upper House today, Sharma said there were some weaknesses in faculties at the government medical colleges of Jammu and Srinagar. “Five faculties, including neurosurgery, face a threat of being de-recognised by the MCI because of shortage of teachers. Indira Gandhi Government Dental College here is also sans adequate faculty,” he said. However, the minister claimed that in six months, the shortage would be removed, he added. Principal of Government Medical College, Jammu, Dr Rajinder Singh admitted that every department faced shortage of staff. The paediatrics faculty also faced a similar problem, he added. However, other officials in the Health Ministry either feigned ignorance about the issue or remained tightlipped. It may be stated here that the MCI had been regularly reminding the state government to put in place proper faculties in various courses, including psychiatry and cardiology, at GMC, Jammu. The psychiatry faculty till
date does not have the post of associate professor |
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Soon, dist courts to have permanent chambers
Udhampur, March 23 After the completion of construction in the stipulated 30 months, 35 chambers will be at the disposal of the District Bar Association (DBA) for allotment to eligible lawyers. Though more than 100 lawyers are members of the DBA, the chambers will be allotted only to 60-65 of them. Since the number of the chambers is almost half of that of eligible lawyers, it has already been proposed that two lawyers will share one chamber. President of the DBA Surinder Khajuria termed the occasion a great day as it had been demanding the complex for the last 30 years. “It should be a big relief for the lawyers as well as the litigants as the legal business till now is being conducted in the open. They will no more feel helpless facing the vagaries of the weather. Having proper work stations will also help improve overall working atmosphere. I am sure it will be a big source of convenience for the litigants coming from all parts of the district,” he said. Besides a large number of lawyers, office-bearers of the DBA, the District and Sessions Judge Ashok Kumar Sharma, Additional District and Sessions Judge Nighat Sultana, Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohinder Kumar Sharma, Mobile Magistrate Arvind Sharma, Munsiff Magistrate Vinod Bhagat and senior officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) were present.The construction work is expected to begin in a day or two as Rs11 lakh has been released by the Deputy Commissioner for the purpose. |
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Governor for holistic development of Bhimgarh Fort
Udhampur, March 23 He asked the officials concerned to work out the feasibility of rainwater harvesting and for tapping solar energy for lighting and illumination purposes in the fort. He also issued instructions for making the entry and exit points to this heritage site attractive, undertaking proper landscaping, plantation of flowering shrubs and creating adequate parking facilities. Referring to various demands put up by the General Zorawar Singh Memorial Committee, Reasi, the Governor said the issues pertaining to the state government would be taken up with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. He said a comprehensive plan involving all state government departments concerned had been formulated for the restoration of the Bhimgarh Fort. He hoped that a large number of tourists from across the country would visit this heritage site, which shall boost the local economy and employment opportunities. Addressing the function, he said debates, symposium, essay contests and similar programmes should be organised by the committee to foster awareness among the students on the life and achievements of General Zorawar Singh as this would be the best way to remember the great warrior. He assured that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board would extend all required support to the committee for organising such activities. He gave away cash awards to the best adjudged students who had participated in a symposium on the life of General Zorawar Singh organised at Reasi jointly by the shrine board and the committee. The Governor also paid floral tributes to General Zorawar Singh. |
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Pen-down strike threat
Jammu, March 23 Members of the JCC today held a meeting under the chairmanship of Mohammad Khurshid Alam, president, and appealed to the employees to remain united for a decisive struggle. — TNS |
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A condolence letter by late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri mourning the martyrdom of gunner Madan Mohan in the 1965 war with Pakistan was the prized possession of 47-year-old Suresh Kumar of Jhangar in Naushera tehsil of Poonch district all these years. Not any more.
Jammu, March 23
