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State not to give land to Punjab for Shahpur Kandi Project
Case of Suspicious Boxes
World Mental Health Day |
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Ray of hope for camel-bite patient
Youths go to Pak on visas, return as militants
Yoga guru Ramdev at a camp in Jammu on Sunday. A Tribune photograph
Play reading of ‘Kali Dhoop’ organised
Power companies to pay for using state’s water resources
Remarks misleading, says NGO
French club founded in Jammu
CM’s remarks anti-national, says BSP
No curfew in Valley despite strike call
Militant killed in Sopore
One killed as bus overturns
Missing man found dead
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State not to give land to Punjab for Shahpur Kandi Project
Jammu, October 10 Further, in a revised claim arising out of the non-starting of the project and dues from the Ranjit Sagar Dam on the Ravi for the non-supply of power, the state government has asked Punjab to dish out Rs 8,000 crore. Earlier, the claim was less than Rs 4,000 crore. Minister for Irrigation, Flood Control and Public Health Engineering Taj-Mohi-ud-Din told The Tribune: “We will construct our own dam on the Ravi upstream now. We are out of the Shahpur Kandi Project agreement which was signed in 1979 and declared a national project last year by the Central government.” He said whenever the state raised a hue and cry over the non-starting of the project, the Punjab government moved some workers and material claiming the work was on, “but we are not going to be taken for a ride any more.” The Minister further said Punjab could give the money in instalments, besides fulfilling the promise of electricity supply from the Ranjit Sagar Dam to the state. “Punjab was supposed to supply 20 per cent of the power generated from the dam. It hasn’t done so in the last 12 years. We have now asked the state to give us 40 per cent of the power generated in the next 12 years to clear the dues,” he said. The Minister added the Punjab Government had been officially communicated in this regard recently, but there hadn’t been any response so far.“We got busy with the Kashmir situation and couldn’t follow up. But the fact of the matter is that we won’t be giving land to Punjab.” He said Punjab did not give share of the power generation and the then Jammu and Kashmir Government dug up the Ravi Canal for the water that was to be supplied to Jammu villages from the Shahpur Kandi Project. “The project never came up, the canal was rendered useless and there was a huge loss of agriculture. We have arrived at the claim amount calculating all the losses,” he said. The Punjab Government is yet to respond to the official communication by Jammu and Kashmir. It has been a long-pending dispute between the two states. The Punjab Government’s main counter to the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s claim has been that it spends money on the Ranjit Sagar Dam and the latter has not deposited its share of Rs 15 crore. In the Economic Survey Report 2009-2010, the state government states that under the agreements with Punjab in 1972 and 1975, the Ravi Canal was to be constructed from the Ravi to Chak Salarian village in Vijaypur, covering 82 km. The Planning Commission of India had approved the project in 1973. The canal construction began in 1975 and in the meantime, another bilateral agreement between the two states took place for the Shahpur Kandi Project, which underlined that water to the Ravi canal would be supplied from this project. The Jammu and Kashmir Government constructed 79.50 km of the canal, but no water was provided by Punjab.
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SPO, 6 others held, suspended cop on the run
Archit Watts Tribune News Service
Jammu, October 10 Sources said the powder found in the boxes was not RDX, but it could have been used as an explosive. A special police officer (SPO) and six more persons had been arrested and the police was interrogating them. The sources said two Tata Sumos (JMU-4849 and JK-06-3233) had also been seized in this connection. They added the security forces first nabbed Munib Ahmed of Gandoh, who was allegedly returning to Chennani in one of the Sumos after leaving the boxes near the hostel. During the interrogation, he revealed the names of his associates and registration number of another Sumo vehicle. Acting upon the information provided by him, the police laid nakas in the region and caught another accused, Munir Ahmed Malik, alias Munna, of Drodhi village, who confirmed the involvement of a SPO and four more persons, sources added. The police further arrested Ram Prasad of Basant Nagar last evening. After this, four more persons - Mohammad Aayub, Mohammad Ashraf, a travel agent, Nazakat Hussain and SPO Mohammad Rafiq Tak - were also arrested. Sources added the police was further interrogating all of them to catch the kingpin, a suspended SPO, Mehboob Ahmed Dar. Dar was suspended in September this year on the suspicion of his involvement in such activities. The police was also ascertaining whether it was a terror plot or a case of smuggling. A case under Section 4 of the Explosives Act has already been registered in this regard at the Bus Stand police station. Farooq Khan, DIG, Jammu-Kathua range, had yesterday said the police was very close to solving this mystery and he would address a press conference after solving the case. Sources also added DGP Kuldip Khoda had taken top cops of Jammu to task for not getting the timely inputs about the incident, as the Military Intelligence and CID (Intelligence) reached the spot well before the police.
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Project to help mentally ill launched
DS Chauhan Legal Correspondent
Jammu, October 10 Justice Virender Singh, Executive Director, State Legal Services Authority, highlighted the aims and objects of achieving the goal of the project through an effective implementation of the provisions incorporated in the Mental Health Act, 1987. “Those who are suffering from mental disorder continue to be ill-treated and exploited. Their property, if any they are having, is often in danger of being swindled away. So, the State Legal Services Authority has decided to come to the rescue of mentally ill persons of the state,” said Justice Virender Singh. “A three-pronged strategy shall be adopted for providing relief to the mentally challenged. First, persons needing help will be enlisted. Second, assessment of the help required in each case will be made. Finally, assessment of the availability of the resource will be done,” disclosed the Executive Director. “First of all, persons suffering from any mental disorder, who are in the need of curative medical or legal help, shall be identified and enlisted under the project district-wise or tehsil-wise,” said the Justice. After preparation of the list, the same shall be submitted by the officer concerned to the Chairman, SLSA. The Chairman with the assistance of the experts like psychiatrics, medical officers, legal officers and after obtaining the views of the guardians of the mentally-ill persons, shall formulate an opinion about the nature of the help required to be rendered in each case,” informed the Executive Chairman. The function was attended by Principal, Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, S Rajinder Singh, Head of Department, Government Psychiatric Hospital, Jammu, Shri Jagdish Thappa, Sr Advocate Shri Sunil Sethi, Judges from the subordinate judiciary and members of the Bar Association, Jammu. Later the Executive Chairman, SLSA distributed fruit packets among patients suffering from mental illness at Government Psychiatric Hospital, Jammu. "A three-pronged strategy shall be adopted for providing relief to the mentally challenged. First, persons needing help will be enlisted. Second, assessment of the help required in each case will be made. Finally, assessment of the availability of the resource will be done — Justice Virender Singh, Executive Director, State Legal Services Authority
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Ray of hope for camel-bite patient
Jammu, October 10 The Tribune had yesterday reported the story of Liaquat following which the hospital administration swung into action. He was critically injured by a camel in the neck damaging his wind and food pipe. As there was no space in the ICU ward on the second consecutive day, Liaquat was undergoing treatment at the same place. He needed an ICU facility, but due to shortage of beds in the unit as well as in general ward, he was kept outside the ENT operation theatre without any life supporting system. However, things have improved for him now. According to his family members, doctors today performed several tests on him, besides attending on him from time to time. “The patient has been put on oxygen and his heartbeat has consistently been monitored. He has been provided a standing fan and is being taken care of,” a hospital source added. |
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Youths go to Pak on visas, return as militants
Srinagar, October 10 The matter came to the fore when the police apprehended one person from Budgam who had ostensibly gone across the border for meeting relatives and later extended the visa by two weeks during which he underwent the “daura-e-aam” (basic) training being organised by the Lashker-e-Toiba outfit. During interrogation, the youth, whose identity has not been disclosed, told the investigators that there were others who were using the same modus operandi to get the training facility. In the first week, a religious course is imparted after which assembling of assault rifles and detonating of grenades are taught. A senior official said the LeT adopted this method and had been targeting educated unemployed youths in the Kashmir valley. “We have approached the immigration officials to keep a close tab on those who have extended their visas in Pakistan and the Gulf,” the official said. There have also been mushrooming of placement agencies who offer to take youths to the Gulf for better prospects and later they are taken to Pakistan on different passports where they undergo training modules like “daura-e-aam” and “daura-e-khas”, in which the recruits are trained in making improvised explosives devices and carrying out sabotage. Then the recruits are shipped back to Gulf countries from where they travel back to India and resume their normal work and wait for orders from across the border. “They do not come with any arms or explosives but the same are provided by the terror outfit through the cross-Line of Control smuggling and infiltration,” the official said. A cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered in Budgam which was actually meant for such recruits. “After committing heinous crimes, these youths generally mix with the crowd,” the official said. During this year, in over 12 cases, it has been found that Nasir Safi Mir, an absconder and considered to be the financial brain behind the moderate Hurriyat Conference, had also been involved in the shipment of some youths, official sources said.
— PTI |
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Ramdev slams Omar’s controversial remarks
Jammu, October 10 Interacting with mediapersons after organising a yoga camp here this morning, the yoga guru took strong exception to Omar’s speech in which he had stated that the state had acceded to India and not merged with it. “This is a highly provocative and objectionable speech and it reflects that Omar is helpless and incapable,” he said, adding that there was a need for the Chief Minister to do yoga so as to make him capable of running the government. Ramdev dubbed Omar’s statement as anti-national, which, according to him, should be condemned by all citizens. “On the one hand, Farooq Abdullah, Omar’s father and also a minister in the Union Government, is parroting that Kashmir is an integral part of India and on the other hand, the Chief Minister is challenging merger of the state with the Indian Union,” he said, urging politicians not to create confusion on the accession of the state. He was of the opinion that politicians were responsible for the present situation in the Valley. He stated that successive governments at the Centre had pumped huge funds for the development of the state, but still the condition of the majority of people in the Valley remained same. Hundreds of people attended the yoga camp. Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister of Finance, was also present on the occasion.
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Play reading of ‘Kali Dhoop’ organised
Jammu, October 10 The storyline of the play deals with an old couple Parmod and Savitri, waiting for the return of their only son Rajan, who has settled abroad. Rajan has left home in a fit of anger and is staying abroad for the past 15 years. Against his parents’ wishes he even marries a British girl. After 15 years, he comes to India due to some professional reasons. The old couple again suffers a severe blow when they know that their son will leave just after two days. First, they decide to end their life so that their only son performs their last rites. Later, they change their mind and show him the door. Prof Lalit Mangotra, president Dogri Sanstha, was the chief guest on the occasion and Janak Khajuria, a prominent TV and theatre artist accompanied by Parshotam Sharma where the guest of honours. Mangotra said there was a dearth of Hindi playwrights at the national scenario. He also asked the organisers to carry on the tradition of play readings.
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Power companies to pay for using state’s water resources
Srinagar, October 10 Introducing the Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources (Regulation and Management Bill) in the House yesterday, Minister for Public Health and Engineering Taj Mohi-ud-Din said the legislation would have a great impact on the fortunes of the state. “The NHPC and other power companies are earning more than Rs 7,140 crore per year from various projects. They will be charged two paisa per cubic metre for using the water.They will now pay Rs 850 crore to the state government,” the minister said. The state government would establish a State Water Resources Regulatory Authority in the state. Apart from levying charges on the power companies,the government would also fix their liability in case of any loss or danger to life and the environment due to any faulty design or operation of the project. Every licensee shall also be under an obligation to ensure the safety of water sources and hydraulic works and protection thereof against any damage or danger caused or likely to be caused by uncontrollable release of water or hazardous waste caused by the collapse or failure of any unit, dam, barrage or hydraulic work. “Due to the faulty design of the Uri-I project which resulted in automatic and sudden release of water recently, 25 persons were washed away. We have repeatedly asked the NHPC to put in place the alarm system,but they have paid no heed,” Taj said. The minister said at present, the volume of water present in the state was roughly about 1,00,000 million acre feet of which 33,930 million cubic was being exploited by the companies for power generation.
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Remarks misleading, says NGO
Jammu, October 10 Addressing a press conference here, president of the organisation Mahesh Kaul said: “Neither Nehru and Patel gave any assurances to Hari Singh nor the NC leaders assured that the state will be accorded a separate and independent political status on the basis of the Muslim majority character of its population.” “When the British left India, there were two entities- the British India and the princely states. With the exit of the British, the princely states were left with two options- either accession to India or Pakistan and there was no third option for the so-called Independence,” he said. Kaul further said, “The statement over accession should not be seen in isolation as there seems to be an international conspiracy to dismantle the northern frontiers of the Indian nation.” Convener, advisory council of the organisation, KD Singh demanded: “Omar Abdullah should be tried for treason. Solution to all miseries of the minorities lies in the political reorganisation of the state. That is the creation of homeland for the Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir, besides carving out a separate state for the Jammu region and Union Territory for Ladakh. The issues of PoK refugees and the West Pakistani refugees should also be settled forthwith.”
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French club founded in Jammu
Jammu, October 10 On the occasion, a play highlighting the importance of the language was also performed by various artists. MK Dwivedi, Deputy Commissioner of Jammu, who was the chief guest, stated that French language had a wide scope in tourism sector, adding that the club would give people of the state a wider exposure. SR Samuel, who was the guest of honour, described the formation of the French language club in Jammu as a progressive initiative. “French is spoken in more than 26 countries and it is the second most influential language in the world,” he said. “The club has the potential to promote awareness to aspiring youths in the French language-related avenues in education, civil aviation, Information technology and consulates as well,” he said. The club would also help to understand the cultural and linguistic differences and also open one's mind to new ideas and new way of looking at the world, Samuel added. Arun Sharma, lecturer of French, University of Jammu, said, “Bilinguals have access to a wider range of national and international jobs. The airlines, import-export companies and other international businesses require employees with the French language skills”.
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CM’s remarks anti-national, says BSP
Jammu, October 10 State president of BSP Tulsi Dass Langeh took strong exception to the speech delivered by the Chief Minister in the state Assembly. He was addressing a function held to observe the death anniversary of founder of the BSP Kanshi Ram. He said Omar had been raking up such controversial issues to divert the attention of the people, as the coalition government had failed to fulfil their expectations. Highlighting the hardship faced by the weaker sections, Langeh alleged that funds meant for sanctioning scholarship to the students, belonging to the Schedule Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes had been diverted to other sectors. Paying tributes to late Kanshi Ram, Langeh said throughout his life, Kanshi Ram worked for the betterment of the weaker sections. He said the BSP under the leadership of Mayawati had emerged as the biggest political force in the country. |
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No curfew in Valley despite strike call
Srinagar, October 10 He said early today, miscreants threw stones at security forces at the Chan Khan area in Sopore.In the clash that followed,one of the miscreants sustained injuries.Identified by the security forces as Waseem Akbar Lone, a resident of Chan Khan,he was later shifted from Subdistrict Hospital, Sopore, to SKIMS, Soura, Srinagar. Stone throwing was also reported from Shopian near the Deputy Commissioner’s office. The miscreants were chased away by the police. “The situation in the Kashmir valley, by and large, continues to be peaceful. Despite the shutdown called by separatists, private transport was plying normally in the city. Many shops, business establishments and government offices,however, remained closed,” said the police officer. |
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Militant killed in Sopore
Srinagar, October 10 A huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the slain militant.
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One killed as bus overturns
Jammu, October 10 Fakir Chand of Kot Bhalwal died on the spot.The injured were taken to Government Medical College and Hospital. The police has arrested the driver of bus and registered a case. |
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Missing man found dead
Jammu, October 10 It further said Sanjay Kumar, (33), son of Om Parkash, was found dead at the bank of a river by some locals, who informed the police. The body was handed over to his family after conducting the post-mortem.
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BSNL urged to adopt new approach
Jammu, October 10 |
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Talent hunt show
Jammu, October 10 According to a statement issued here today, Prof Varun Sahni, Vice-Chancellor of the university, will inaugurate the 13-day-long talent hunt show.
— TNS |
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Jammu, October 10
