Srinagar, November 13
Life is fast returning to normal in Kashmir with the Hurriyat giving relaxation in its protest calendar ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha celebrations while curfew was not imposed on any part of the Valley since yesterday.

All shops and business establishments were open and a heavy rush of people was witnessed in the main markets and the roads in the capital city and elsewhere in major towns of the Kashmir valley.

It was a holiday declared by the state government in connection with the annual Urs of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani, popularly known as Shah-e-Hamdan, the harbinger of Islam in Kashmir, six centuries ago. But people in a large number thronged the markets and there was a heavy rush of passenger vehicles leading to traffic congestions and snarls at several places. The consumers in the main marketplaces were jostling throughout the day to accomplish as much work as possible.

The hardline APHC led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, spearheading the ongoing agitation, had earlier called for a general strike today, but had to withdraw it due to the Urs of Shah-e-Hamdan after the appearance of the moon. Geelani also withdrew the bandh call earlier given for November 15 in view of the Eid-ul-Azha celebrations.

A large number of devotees thronged the shrine of Shah-e-Hamdan at Khanqah-e-Moall in downtown on the occasion of the annual Urs today, while many devotees had been converging on the shrine over the past few days. Islamic clerics and religious preachers highlighted the contribution of Shah-e-Hamdan. JKLF chairman Yasin Malik also addressed a congregation on the occasion of the Urs at the shrine today.

Jammu, November 13
With inspiring slogans written on its red coaches, the Red Ribbon Express reached the Jammu Tawi railway station here today.

The train, that has been chugging throughout the country raising AIDS awareness, would remain in Jammu for another two days before leaving for its next stop, Udhampur, on November 17.

Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma, accompanied by Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Raman Bhalla, inaugurated an exhibition on AIDS that was put up in the train. A large number of people, especially schoolchildren, had already reached the platform to see the exhibition and apprise themselves about AIDS.

However, the visitors were made to wait for two hours as the ministers reached there after the scheduled time. The general public was allowed to see the exhibition only after the much-delayed inaugural function.

Speaking on the occasion, the ministers appreciated the concept and said the train was designed in such a way that it could successfully catch the interest of people.

The train, developed by the Indian Railways and the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), is supposed to halt at Udhampur for two days and then leave for Punjab on November 20.

Class X student Sakshi Gupta, who saw the exhibition, said, “Although AIDS is one of the diseases that we study in our curriculum, the visit to the train was very informative and educative.”

Dignitaries who attended the meeting included project officer, State AIDS Preventive and Control Society, Wasim Qureshi; DC, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma; and Chief Medical Officer, Jammu, Baldev Raj Sharma.

Jammu, November 13
It is a one-man show in the Regional Transport Office (RTO) here, as only one Transport Inspector is there to look after nearly 4.5 lakh registered vehicles of the entire Jammu district.

To add to the burden of Transport Inspector Paramveer Singh, the coordination between the RTO and the Traffic Police Department is negligible.

“Whenever the Transport Inspector goes for a raid, he has to face some drivers who attempted to mow him down just to avoid the challan,” an RTO official said.

Paramveer faced one such incident in the Greater Kailash area here today when he asked a truck driver to produce the registration documents of the vehicle. Fortunately, he managed to save himself.

Although Paramveer denied to speak anything about the issue, Regional Transport Officer Virender Singh Salathia, who handles the Jammu region, said, “The department is understaffed and we have brought the matter to the knowledge of the higher authorities.”

Salathia added, “We have only one inspector in the office, who has to look after 10 districts of the region. Sometimes, rash and negligent drivers of heavy vehicles don’t even stop on our instructions and try to kill us. We feel helpless.”

A former senior RTO official said proper coordination between the RTO and the traffic police was needed so that the violators could be punished. “Even the state exchequer would see an upsurge if both departments assist each other,” he said.

Last evening, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand convened a meeting to formulate steps for better coordination between the two departments.

Jammu, November 13
Maharashtra boys and Delhi girls lifted the 22nd Sub-Junior National Kabaddi Championships in the finals of the boys and girls categories played at the MA Stadium here this evening.

In the boys category, Maharashtra defeated Chhattisgarh while in the girls section Delhi won the final defeating Maharashtra. Both finals were keenly played.

Governor NN Vohra, who was the chief guest on the occasion, gave away the prizes to the winners and runners-up teams and medals to individual players. He also gave away golden chains to Babli of Delhi and Ashay Vagade of Maharashtra for being adjudged the best players of the tournament.

In all, 56 teams from across the country participated in the championship in which about 145 matches were played in both boys and girls categories.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said there was large talent and high potential among the youth of the state and if given adequate opportunities they could win medals at the national and international levels. He said there was need for raising more sports infrastructure so that sports activities could be promoted in a big way across Jammu and Kashmir.

The Governor congratulated the winners, runners up and all participating teams and complimented the organisers for arranging the championship successfully. He hoped that more such championships would be organised in the state in the coming times. Later, he declared the meet closed, which was followed by the ceremonies of the folding of flags.

Earlier, the players of both boys and girls teams were introduced to the Governor before the commencement of the final matches. The players also had a group photograph with the Governor.

Minister for Youth Services and Sports RS Chib gave a resume of the initiatives being taken by the government for building sports infrastructure and promoting sporting activities in the state.

He thanked the Governor and the Chief Minister for being the chief guests at the closing and opening ceremonies, respectively. He said efforts would be made to organise some national level championships at the district level also.

Jammu, November 13
While a majority of the political groups in the state agree that the panchayat elections should be held on the non-party basis, the PDP today asked the state government to conduct the panchayat elections on the party basis. It also demanded that the elections should be held in a free and fair manner to revive peoples’ faith in democracy.

Addressing a meeting of party leaders from Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts, which was convened in connection with the panchayat elections, the PDP asked the state government to remove discrepancies from the electoral rolls of panchayats because voters lists were not updated.

It, while airing apprehension about the sincerity of the government in conducting the panchayat elections, said the elections, if held, would not be conducted in a free and fair manner. The PDP leaders said the National Conference (NC) was notorious for sabotaging democratic institution and hence they apprehend that the ruling party would adopt foul means to win the panchayat elections.

Rejecting the proposal of the government to conduct the panchayat elections on the non-party basis, the PDP leaders said the elections should be held on the party basis. 

Jammu, November 13
At least 12 persons were injured, some of them critically, after a mini-bus they were travelling in overturned near Majalta last evening, the police said.

It added that the vehicle plying on the Sidhra-Majalta route overturned around 8 pm when its driver lost control over it. Meanwhile, a police party reached the spot and shifted the injured to the GMCH here.

Jammu, November 13
Minister of State for Cooperative and Finance Manohar Lal has called upon the authorities of the Power Development Department to ensure scheduled power supply and the completion of all ongoing power projects in the Billawar constituency. He added that providing better basic amenities to the people was the priority of the government and it was the duty of the authorities to implement government policies and programmes at the grass-roots level.

Reviewing the power scenario of the Billawar constituency, the minister directed the Chief Engineer, System and Operations, Jammu, to ensure administrative approval pending for the construction of 20 MVA, 132/33 KV grid station Gurakalyal, Billawar, for which the techno-economic clearance had already been accorded.

Galsyan, Chief Engineer, System and Operations, Jammu; Jatinder Kumar Sharma, Superintending Engineer, System and Operations, Circle-II, Jammu; and Executive Engineer, Grid Construction Division, Jammu, were among those who attended the meeting.

Manohar directed the authorities concerned to ensure the release of pay to daily wage workers working at the 50 MV grid station, Mahanpur.

The power outage and curtailment in Billawar and Basholi areas also came under discussion and the minister directed the Chief Engineer, Operations, to take up the matter with the Chief Engineer, M&RE, Jammu, for minimising tripping in sub-transmission, Billawar, in order to provide hassle-free scheduled power supply to the area.

Jammu, November 13
Justice Sunil Hali of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court of Judicature at Jammu, while allowing a writ petition of Tej Krishan Bhat and others, directed the state of Jammu and Kashmir and its functionaries to accord consideration to the regularisation of their services as Class IV employees, on the touchstone of clause VIII of Schedule II-A appended to the J&K School Education (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules, 2008, which, inter alia, provide for 50 per cent selections from middle pass contingent/local paid employees.

The petitioners were appointed as sweepers and chowkidars pursuant to the orders of the Director School Education, Jammu, on November 15, 1990, and May 30, 1995, on a consolidated salary of Rs 300 per month, which was later enhanced to Rs 600 per month.

They challenged the action of the state contending that they were being asked to work for a meagre salary of Rs 600 per month, which is contrary to the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act.

They also sought the regularisation of their services on the said posts.

While allowing the petition of the contingent paid employees, the Judge observed that “the right to life as enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution of India has been interpreted by the Supreme Court as to live with dignity and honour and not mere living.

Till such time the respondents accord consideration for the regularisation of their services, the case of the petitioners be considered to be paid at the rate prescribed by the Minimum Wages Act as applicable to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Jammu, November 13
With the Jammu and Kashmir RTI Act, 2009, not getting wide publicity, the Public Information Officer (PIO) of Kashmir University allegedly returned an application of an activist on “flimsy” grounds.

An RTI application dated October 17, 2010, was rejected and returned to the applicant, Raman Sharma, because he had attached an Indian Postal Order (IPO) instead of a bank draft.

It may be stated here that under the Jammu and Kashmir RTI Rules, 2010, page 3, chapter III, Rule 4 (1) related to fee and cost, there is a provision that the requisite fee may be submitted in the shape of an IPO/bank draft or banker’s cheque. Raman Sharma had attached the IPO (number 34G 188096) in the denomination of Rs 50 as fee along with his application.

However, the PIO of Kashmir University, while rejecting the application vide his letter dated November 1, 2010, stated that the application could not be entertained due to deficit of requirement under the RTI Act, 2006.

“It is, therefore, requested to please deposit an amount of Rs 50 through a bank draft,” reads the PIO’s letter.

Sharma told The Tribune that in all his over 300 RTI applications, which he had filed so far, he had submitted the fee through IPOs and none of the PIOs in any of the public offices raised any objection.

In a communication addressed to the PIO, Kashmir University, he has advised him to go through the RTI Act.

Sharma’s letter to the PIO of Kashmir University reads, “There is no Act known as the RTI Act, 2006. The applicant takes this opportunity to enlighten the knowledge of the PIO that there are only two RTI Acts, one the Central Act of 2005, and the other is the J&K RTI Act 2009”.

“The esteemed institution of Kashmir University comes under the purview of the J&K RTI Act, 2009, because of the special status of the state,” it added.

Through his letter, Sharma requested the PIO to spare some time to read the J&K RTI Act, 2009, for properly dealing with RTI applications.

Along with the letter and the application, he has also sent a copy of the RTI rules to the PIO concerned.

Jammu, November 13
With the Jammu and Kashmir RTI Act, 2009, not getting wide publicity, the Public Information Officer (PIO) of Kashmir University allegedly returned an application of an activist on 
“flimsy” grounds.

An RTI application dated October 17, 2010, was rejected and returned to the applicant, Raman Sharma, because he had attached an Indian Postal Order (IPO) instead of a bank draft.

It may be stated here that under the Jammu and Kashmir RTI Rules, 2010, page 3, chapter III, Rule 4 (1) related to fee and cost, there is a provision that the requisite fee may be submitted in the shape of an IPO/bank draft or banker’s cheque.

Raman Sharma had attached the IPO (number 34G 188096) in the denomination of Rs 50 as fee along with his application.

However, the PIO of Kashmir University, while rejecting the application vide his letter dated November 1, 2010, stated that the application could not be entertained due to deficit of requirement under the RTI Act, 2006.

“It is, therefore, requested to please deposit an amount of Rs 50 through a bank draft,” reads the PIO’s letter.

Sharma, who has submitted more than 300 applications under the Central RTI Act, 2005, and the J&K RTI Act, 2009, has expressed resentment against the decision of the Public Information Officer.

He told The Tribune that in all his over 300 RTI applications, which he had filed so far, he had submitted the fee through IPOs and none of the PIOs in any of the public offices raised any objection.

The disappointed activist in a communication addressed to the PIO, Kashmir University, has advised him to go through the RTI Act.

Sharma’s letter to the PIO of Kashmir University reads, “There is no Act known as the RTI Act, 2006. The applicant takes this opportunity to enlighten the knowledge of the PIO that there are only two RTI Acts, one the Central Act of 2005, and the other is the J&K RTI Act 2009”.

“The esteemed institution of Kashmir University comes under the purview of the J&K RTI Act, 2009, because of the special status of the state,” it added.

Through his letter, Sharma requested the PIO to spare some time to read the J&K RTI Act, 2009, for properly dealing with RTI applications.

Along with the letter and the application, he has also sent a copy of the RTI rules to the PIO concerned.

Sharma claimed he had sought some vital information of public importance from Kashmir University, which, if provided, would have ruffled a few feathers.