Jammu, September 2
Over 40 villages of the remotest areas of Udhampur and Reasi districts have been without electricity for the last 15 days as the power infrastructure, which was damaged due to torrential rains, is yet to be repaired in these backward areas.

Over 1,100 poles were uprooted and over 60 transformers were damaged in the rains, which led to the snapping of power supply in many parts of these two districts.

Although the main lines were repaired and power had been restored in urban areas, the situation continues to remain worst in the rural areas where infrastructure was severely damaged.

Executive Engineer, Power Development Department (PDD), Udhampur, Gurbachan Singh while admitting that power supply hadn’t been restored in some rural areas, claimed the damaged infrastructure in urban areas were repaired on a war-footing and made functional within a few days.

“Over 60 per cent of the transformers, which were damaged due to heavy rains, have been replaced and work has been going on to re-erect the poles which were uprooted during the last one month,” Singh said, informing that more than 1,100 poles were uprooted in Udhampur and Reasi districts. He said the main power supply lines had been temporarily repaired so as to ensure power supply in the main stations.

First time during the last one decade, Udhampur and Reasi districts have experienced heavy rains during the monsoon. Due to torrential rains, the power infrastructure was badly damaged in the remotest areas of these two districts.

Although the damaged infrastructure is being resurrected, the pace is not up to the mark. The slow pace of work can be gauged from the fact that a 33 KV transformer that caters the need of Sehal Panchayat of Majalata tehsil was damaged 15 days ago, but still it has not been repaired. “For the 15 days, we have been regularly approaching the authorities concerned but no step has been taken so far,” said Gandharb Singh, a local resident. Many other villages have been facing the same situation.

Even as Reasi has been carved out as new district from Udhampur, a separate division of the PDD is yet to be created for it.

On February 15, 2010, a decision was taken to create the separate PDD division for Reasi but no concerted step has been taken so far. Officers of the PDD were tight-lipped on the inordinate delay in setting up the separate division. 

Srinagar, September 2
The Punjab Government today took up various issues of the Sikh community living in Kashmir with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in view of the prevailing situation in the Valley.

Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal said this after meeting Omar here this afternoon. Sukhbir earlier held meetings with Sikh delegations on various issues and problems. Punjab Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah, Media Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan Bains, SAD legislators and senior officials accompanied Sukhbir.

Sukhbir told The Tribune that his visit was focused on two issues regarding the sense of insecurity among the Sikh community in the Valley and the damage and devastation caused due to the flash floods in Leh.

He said he took up various issues relating to the Sikh community living in the Valley with Omar. The community was feeling insecure due to certain recent developments and it was conveyed to the Chief Minister, he added.

Some of the demands included the provision of Punjabi language teachers in schools and issuance of state subject certificates to the Sikhs who had migrated from the rural areas of the Valley to urban centres. Omar reportedly assured Sukhbir that the government would look into the modalities for providing jobs to the unemployed Sikh youth in the Valley.

A representation in the Minority Commission as demanded by the community was also taken up with the Chief Minister, who assured that the issue would be considered, Sukhbir said.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister said Rs 1 crore would be spent on the development of a flood-affected village in Leh district. At least 11 truckloads of blankets and other woollen products from Punjab were distributed among the affected people, he said.

Sukhbir also assured of dispatching 25,000 quintals of feed and 15,000 quintals of fodder for cattle in Leh soon. 

Jammu, September 2
Unable to bear harassment allegedly by the police, the driver of a Tata Sumo, in a fit of rage, jumped into the Chenab this afternoon triggering violent protests by an angry mob that went berserk and pelted stones at Thathri police station in Doda district today.

The mob, including other Tata Sumo drivers, also set on fire a police Gypsy, forcing the police to fire tear-gas shells to quell the violence. It also blocked the Thathri road for nearly three hours from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

The driver, who ended his life jumping into the Chenab, has been identified as Mohammad Rafi, a resident of Pathshala in the Nagni area of Doda.

“Despite clear instructions, this driver had overloaded his vehicle, to which the Thathri police had objections. The driver was taken to police station where he might have been slapped by the officer concerned or other cops,” Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Farooq Ahmed Khan told The Tribune. In a fit of rage, Rafi, after coming out of the police station, jumped into the Chenab and died, he added.

However, his action triggered a violent protest, as a strong mob, including other Tata Sumo drivers operating in the area, resorted to stone throwing, said Farooq. He added that the protesters went on a rampage and burnt a police Gypsy as well. To quell the violence and disperse the mob, the police fired tear-gas shells. No one was injured in the police action.

SSP, Doda district, Prabhat Singh and Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Naresh Kumar immediately reached the spot and pacified the angry mob, said Farooq. “The administration has given Rs 15,000 to the Rafi’s family and if rules allowed more compensation can also be looked into,” he added.

An inquiry had been ordered into the matter and the guilty would be punished under law, said the Deputy Commissioner. He added that the police had no idea that the man would act in such a bizarre manner and jump into the river.

“If he had felt humiliated or harassed by the police, he could have come to me. There are several ways to seek justice rather than ending one’s life,” said Farooq.

The Deputy Commissioner described the allegations against the SHO, Thathri, as baseless and frivolous. People in the area alleged that the SHO had been taking bribes from drivers plying their vehicles on the route.

Jammu, September 2
Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna, was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety here today. The entire Jammu city wore a festive look. The markets and all temples were decorated with lights and flowers.

Jhankis were taken out on the occasion at various places. The Jhanki Samaroh Committee of Krishna Temple also took out a jhanki at Basant Nagar in the Janipur area today.

Hundreds of devotees of Lord Krishna thronged temples in the city to offer prayers. Devotees recited ‘bhajans’ and ‘kirtans’ throughout the day in all temples and observed a fast. A heavy rush of devotees was seen at ISKCON Temple and at Raghunath Temple.

Jammu, September 2
Colourful kites enlivened the sky here today on the occasion of Janmashtami as people spent the entire day in fun-loving rivalry to outdo each other. Not only boys but girls were also seen flying kites on rooftops with full enthusiasm.

Almost in every locality the rooftops of houses were seen crowded with people of all ages. Kite fliers could be seen dancing in joy every time they managed to snap the string of their rivals’ kites.

Since schools and colleges remained off, youngsters showed a lot of enthusiasm for flying kites.Some youngsters even went to the extent of taking risk of their lives by flying kites standing on the edge of the rooftops.

The passion of the kite fliers could be gauged from the fact that despite the hot climate, they were flying kites throughout the day.

However, to protect themselves from soaring temperature, many people applied sun protection creams on their face and some were seen flying kites under umbrellas and sunshades.

Karuna Koul, who was flying a kite, said, “Like every year, this time too, I celebrated the festival of Janmashtami by flying kites high in the sky. My entire day remained full of fun.”

Mohit Kumar, a student, said, “I started flying kites since Rakshabandhan. Today I have collected 20 kites by cutting the kites of my friends and neighbours. Kite flying adds enthusiasm and fun in the festive mood.”

Jammu, September 2
The Panun Kashmir led by Dr Agnishekhar has dismissed the proposition of some Kashmiri Pandit groups, especially the All-India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS), for political empowerment of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community.

Describing the demand as pro-establishment, Agnishekhar said the slogan of political empowerment coined by the AIKS had been rejected by the community due to political bankruptcy and neglect of the facts of exclusion and genocide of the Kashmiri Pandits.

He said the nomination of Kashmiri Pandits as MLA or ministers in the state government since 1947 had in no way stopped the miseries, discrimination, denial and ultimately their expulsion from their land of birth.

“Rather this arrangement or the political stunt has been used as an instrument to give legitimacy to nurturing and serving the interests of a section of people in Jammu and Kashmir and pushing the genuine aspirations and urges of the community under the carpet,” said Agnishekhar.

The Panun Kashmir has asked the AIKS to refrain from taking an ambiguous stand and speak in one voice like other organisations of the community which have unanimously endorsed the political stand of the creation of a homeland for seven lakh Kashmiri Pandits with the Union Territory status in the Kashmir valley.

“The Panun Kashmir is of the firm opinion that the survival and continuity of our progeny is possible only with the creation of a homeland for seven lakh Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley,” said Agnishekhar.

The political affairs committee of the Panun Kashmir has appealed to the community members and other socio-political groups of the community to remain steadfast in their resolve at this critical juncture and ignore the elements who are trying to cash in on the miseries of the community.

Srinagar, September 2
Various delegations of Sikhs living here met visiting Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal today and apprised him of issues and problems being faced by the minority community in the Valley.

These included the All-Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC), the J&K All-Parties Sikh Action Committee, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Kashmir), and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal).

The APSCC delegation led by its coordinator, Jagmohan Singh Raina, while condemning the killing of at least 60 Kashmiri youth recently, urged Sukhbir Badal to impress upon the state government and Centre not to discriminate against the Sikh community at the cost of other communities living in the state. The delegation said the Valley was caught between state and central politics which had ruined it socially, economically and politically.

This had not only affected the lives of the majority community but also affected the minority community. There were incidents of threat letters being sent to the Sikhs, stone throwing on their houses at night and thrashing of youth belonging to the community.

The delegation also sought 3 per cent reservation for Kashmiri Sikhs in Punjab Government undertakings. It also demanded adequate concessions in admissions in educational institutions.

Emerging out of the meeting, Charan Singh Bali, president of the Kashmir unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), said the members conveyed to the Deputy Chief Minister that there was complete communal harmony in the Valley that would not be allowed to be disturbed despite recent attempts. 

Jammu, September 2
A decomposed body of an 18-year old youth, who was allegedly in love with a 20-year old girl, was recovered from a seasonal rivulet in Arnia today. The deceased was identified as Jameel Choudhary, a student of Class XI, from his clothes by his father, Mohammed Shafiq. The body was shifted to Government Medical College for autopsy, said DSP SS Samyal.

According to sources, for the past six months, the youth was having an affair with the girl identified as Garo Devi, a resident of Sangrampur. On August 30, Garo Devi called up Jameel on his cellphone and informed him that she was going to her maternal uncle’s house in Arnia.

Subsequently, Jameel and Garo boarded a bus from Bikram Chowk to RS Pura, but at Kothey Morh, on way to Arnia, Jameel alighted from the bus. Since then he had been missing from his house in Dogra Hall, said sources.

The boy’s father, a havildar in the police, informed the police station concerned about his missing son and had been tracing him since August 30.

Sources said last evening the Arnia police fished out a decomposed body from the Garoda Nullah, a seasonal rivulet, and initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 of the CrPC.

“The Arnia police flashed a message to the Jammu police about the recovery of a decomposed body. We immediately got in touch with it and also requisitioned Jameel’s father and brother, who identified him from his clothes, which Jameel had been wearing on August 30,” they said.

At this stage, we couldn’t rule out the possibility of a murder and hence we are awaiting the post-mortem report, the sources added. If needed, the girl would also be questioned, said 
the sources.

Jammu, September 2
The All-J&K Plus 2 Lecturers’ Forum has expressed its concern over the failure of the government in implementing the Cabinet decision to regularise the services of in charge incumbents in the School Education Department.

The central executive of the forum, which met today at Jammu under the chairmanship of HD Qureshi, strongly viewed the delay in the regularisation of 7,000 in-charge lecturers, principals and other officers as the violation of the Cabinet decision taken on March 29, 2010, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The forum expressed its surprise over the non-serious attitude of the authorities both in the School Education Department and the Public Service Commission, saying these agencies were least bothered to implement the Cabinet decision for regularising incharge incumbents within a specified period of three months.

The meeting unanimously appealed to Minister for Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed for his personal intervention to get the regularisation of thousands of in charge incumbents in the School Education Department awaiting their regularisation since 1998 onwards.

Others who spoke on the occasion included DP Dutta, Manmeet Bali, Gurcharan Singh, Charan Dass, NS Jamwal and Tarsem Singh.

Jammu, September 2
Working chairman of the Panthers Party and MLA, Ramnagar, Harsh Dev Singh has criticised the state government for ignoring the claims of the Jammu region in the matter of proposed appointments for the post of chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited and for recommending all three names in the panel from the Valley for the coveted post.

In a statement issued here yesterday, Singh alleged the panel of names recommended by the state government, which included a retired executive director and two bureaucrats, who hardly have any banking experience, was highly arbitrary, irrational and opposed to banking norms. He further alleged the decision of the government was highly discriminatory and indicative of the biased mindset of alliance partners.

Singh pointed out that the state government had always been giving preference to the Kashmir valley in the matter of appointment of the chairman for this prestigious banking institute of the state. He said a Jammuite or a Ladakhi had never been appointed as chairman since the establishment of the bank.

He alleged the seniormost in-service officers of the bank belonging to the Jammu region had been deliberately ignored with ulterior motives by the government. He said the in-service executive director belonging to the Jammu region had been ignored by the government while recommending the name of a retired executive director from the Valley.

Castigating the government for it prejudice against the Jammu and Ladakh regions and its double standards, Singh urged the state government to review its decision and recast the panel duly accommodating the aspirations of people of the Jammu region. He further urged the Reserve Bank of India to take cognisance of the irregular and anomalous nature of the panel and not to accept the same in view of the apparent vested interest of the rulers.

Jammu, September 2
To familiarise them with the rich heritage and culture of south India, the Army today sent 23 children and two teachers on a 15-day educational tour. The theme of the tour is “Travelling Enhances Knowledge and Learning”, which has been organised by the Rashtriya Rifles Units under the aegis of CIF (Uniform).

The tour was flagged off by the Commander, Sector Rashtriya Rifles, at Mahore in the presence of students, parents and other dignitaries.

The itinerary involves visits to places of historical importance and tourists’ interest in the south.

The aim of the tour is to broaden the horizons of the children by showcasing the many facets of south India, besides fostering better Army-civilian relations.

Exposing children to the world outside their home town would not only widen their horizon but also integrate them with the national mainstream, it would motivate them to pursue higher studies and contribute in building a modern India, said the Commander of the Sector Rashtriya Rifles in his brief speech before flagging off the batch.

He added it would also assist in bringing a realisation among these selected children and teachers about the unity, diversity and secular fabric of our great country.

The tour will start with road journey from Sarh to Jammu by bus. The group will then travel by train from Jammu to Chennai, where they would be taken to the Officers Training Academy, National Art Gallery, MGR Film City, Zoo and Marina Beach.

At Puducherry, they will be taken to Aurbindo Ashram and Auroville Township. At Bangalore, in addition to visiting the Parachute Regiment Centre and the Army Service Corps Centre and College, the children would get a chance to visit many other tourist places of interest, including ‘Mail’. A meeting has also been planned with the Governors of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Jammu, September 2
The state government’s decision to take control of Citizen Cooperative Bank (CCB), Jammu, has taken a political colour as the PDP came out in support of the board of directors of the bank, who are unhappy with the decision.

Two PDP leaders, namely, Rangil Singh and Sayed Asgar Ali, issuing a statement yesterday, flayed the decision taken by Minister of State for Cooperative Manmohar Lal Singh to take control of the bank which was earlier managed by the duly elected board of directors.

The PDP leaders were of the view that it was a policy of the coalition government to grab the democratic institutions through illegal means for power. They said most of the cooperative societies had already been defunct in the state and some of institutions which were functioning democratically were gradually captured by the government through illegal means.

The PDP leaders observed that the decision to take over the democratically elected institutions by the government authenticate the allegations that the present dispensation was slowly dismantling such institutions to centralise the power.

“It is need of the hour to decentralise the power to ensure maximum participation of people in the decision-making process, but the government has been trying to make the democratic institutions defunct at the grass-root level”, they alleged, pointing out that the elections to local bodies and panchayats were postponed only to keep the power only with ruling elites.

Srinagar, September 2
Two persons were injured here this evening, one of them critically, as security forces opened fire to disperse protesters who hurled stones at them defying restrictions imposed in parts of the old city even as curfew remained in force at Anantnag for the fourth day.

A group of youths started throwing stones at the CRPF personnel at Zaldagar near Habba Kadal area of the city late in the evening as the troops were withdrawing from the area after being stationed there to maintain law and order duties during the day, official sources here said.

The paramilitary personnel first used batons to chase away the stone throwers but in vain as their number kept swelling, forcing the personnel to use the pellet gun which left two persons injured, the sources said.

The injured have been identified as Reyaz Ahmad Badyari, who was hit in the abdomen, and Sajid Rashid, who sustained injuries in both his legs, they said, adding the condition of Ahmad was stated to be critical.