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5,000 BJP activists sneak into Jammu
Uneasy calm at Ravi bridge, Lakhanpur
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Cops scotch rumour of BJP workers posing as pilgrims
Accession of State
ANC flays BJP plan
Search operation in Kathua district to nab militants
CM: Ensure regular supply of essential commodities
Poor Performance
Contractual lecturers rue increase in workload
Theatre groups form federation
Ensure proper utilisation of district plan funds, says Tara Chand
PCC chief demands Srinagar-Jeddah flight
Police gets vital clues in beautician’s murder case
Give equal opportunities for govt jobs: NPSU
College organises guest lecture
Bhimsen Joshi’s death mourned
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5,000 BJP activists sneak into Jammu
Jammu, January 24 The workers entered the state as pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi and tourists. Prominent leaders of the BJYM — the youth wing of the BJP — took charge of the arrangements and were drawing up plans to foil a crackdown by the authorities. Some BJYM workers from Mumbai were seen giving directions to locals at Jammu airport where the BJP had staged a dharna in protest against the detention of senior party leaders. Workers from outside outnumbered the locals, who had gathered at the main gate of the airport. Poonam Mahajan, daughter of late BJP leader Parmod Mahajan, along with a large number of the BJYM activists, was leading the protesters. Sources in the BJP disclosed that after the authorities started a crackdown on party workers, the activists, coming from outside, were directed not to come in big groups. “Most of the workers managed to enter the state in small groups,” the sources said. The sources further said over 5,000 activists from outside the state had managed to enter Jammu and were staying at the houses of sympathisers, especially in the rural areas. “We have been frequently changing locations of the workers to avoid a crackdown,” the sources said. According to the new strategy of the party, these activists would come out from different directions on January 25 and would violate restrictions, if imposed by the authorities, to foil their march. Though the authorities have not given permission to the party to organise a rally, the party has decided to hold a gathering at the Parade Ground on
January 25 before starting the march to the Kashmir valley. Meanwhile, some senior BJP leaders, including MLAs, have flown to Delhi this afternoon, to reach Srinagar by air on January 26 to hoist the National Flag
at Lal Chowk on Republic Day. |
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Uneasy calm at Ravi bridge, Lakhanpur
Lakhanpur, January 24 About 3000 security personnel, including CRPF men, are deployed there and have orders to stop the yatra under any circumstances. An uneasy calm prevails at the bridge and Lakhanpur, the gateway to the state from Punjab,where nearly 15 companies of the CRPF have arrived. The Kathua district administration has imposed Section 144. Similar prohibitory orders have been issued in Jammu district. A group of youths from Kathua who tried to stage a protest on the Ravi bridge today against the prohibitory orders were whisked away by the police. However, traffic on the bridge as well as the National Highway up to Jammu is normal. The security forces are checking vehicles and buses in search of BJP workers. “ The action will unfold after midnight or early morning tomorrow,” said a jawan. It was earlier expected that the state authorities would stop the yatra near the Jawahar Tunnel, the gateway to the Kashmir valley. But going by the massive police arrangements at Lakhanpur, the action is likely to take place at the bridge. In another development, seniors police officers led by DIG Farooq Khan sought the help of the Punjab police in preventing people from reaching the bridge, but in vain. The bridge that is in bad shape came into focus after the state government announced its opposition to the move of the BJP to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk. Jammu: Amidst the bitterness between the state government and the
BJP over the latter’s scheduled Rashtriya Ekta Yatra, the administration has shown its humane face also. It has made provisions for 500 quintalsof dry firewood to keepthe BJP workers warm,
if arrested. Sources in the divisional forest office (DFO) at Dogra Chowk said the district administration had opted for the conventional method to keep the political prisoners warm during their arrests, in case they went ahead with the rally. “At a meeting with higher officials of the department, the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, has directed the DFO to make arrangements for dry firewood in view of the chilly weather so that the arrested rallyists do not suffer in detention. “The department has enough stocks of firewood, including trees that were felled during the widening of the national highway. We will supply these when asked to do so,” said a source. |
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Shopkeepers wait for customers at Lal Chowk
Srinagar, January 24 The Clock Tower at the heart of the City Centre, around which revolves the political drama, is the eye-catcher. Since early last year, the colour of the square-shaped tower has turned from snow white to the traditional Maharaji red. The men repairing it today following damage to it during the turmoil last year may not be aware of its importance under the prevailing political atmosphere. “Let the government spend on its renovation.It may again become a target of political activity,” frowned a passerby while looking at men working near the tower. Shopkeepers look for customers, whose number has come down drastically due to tension and the stepped up security. Six booksellers and stationers here are frequented by students. But, vegetable vendor Mohammad Yaqoob in the nearby Kokar Bazaar makes a grim assessment of the situation. Before setting up his stock of fresh vegetables this morning and for some time later, he along with many of his neighbouring shopkeepers had to undergo a rigorous exercise of the security check. “A large number of security personnel have been taking a round of the market and checking things,” he says, but has no answer as to who hoists the National Flag at the Clock Tower. His only wish is that no one gets killed as the main political parties and government agencies are virtually at war over the issue of flag hoisting. Like many others in the market, he has been witness to the encounter between militants and the security forces near Palladium Cinema House on January 6 last year. JKLF chairman Yasin Malik has challenged the BJP to hoist the National Flag at the Clock Tower and given a Lal Chowk Chalo call. While the moderate APHC led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has extended its support to the JKLF, the hardline APHC led by Syed Ali Geelani has called for observing Republic Day as a “black day”. |
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Cops scotch rumour of BJP workers posing as pilgrims
Udhampur, January 24 The number of pilgrims, which increased during the past some days, was being cited to give credence to such rumours. The number had dwindled significantly since the beginning of the year. It prompted the authorities of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Board to open the natural cave to the shrine to the pilgrims when the number decreased to less than 5,000. But SSP, Reasi, Keshav R. Chaurasia, while talking to The Tribune, dismissed the reports. He said the number of pilgrims for the last two days had been almost similar to the number during the corresponding period last year. “The number of pilgrims is around 13,000. There has not been a significant increase for the last many days,” he said, claiming that more people visited the shrine over the weekend. Chaurasia said security was beefed up at Katra before the New Year. The deployment of police personnel had not been changed so far. But the police authorities of the neighbouring Udhampur and Reasi districts had put up additional check-points in their respective areas to prevent any law and order problem on account of the BJP’s yatra. As part of the coordinated strategy, joint check-posts had also been put in place. |
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Accession of State
Jammu, January 24 The Chief Minister’s statement regarding the accession of the state in the Assembly in October last year had evoked a strong reaction from the BJP and other political groups. “We are ready to give up our plan to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk provided the Chief Minister withdraws his statement and expresses regret over his utterance,” said state BJP president Shamsher Singh Manhas. “Now, the ball is in Omar Abdullah’s court,” he said, adding that “if Omar thinks that the yatra will disrupt peace in the state, he should withdraw his statement and we will stop the yatra”. “Omar’s statement in the Assembly in which he challenged the accession of the state to the Indian Union has forced us to organise the yatra. If he (Omar) withdraws his controversial statement, we will stop the yatra,” Manhas said. |
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ANC flays BJP plan
Srinagar, January 24 According to a party
spokesman, senior vice-president of the ANC Muzaffar Shah said India,
Pakistan and all other stakeholders were eager to arrive at an amicable
solution. He lamented that the saffron brigade had thrown a spanner in
the ongoing efforts only “to hijack the issue for its nefarious
political ends”. |
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Search operation in Kathua district to nab militants
Jammu, January 24 “Following inputs about the presence of ultras and in view of the Republic Day celebrations and the BJP’s Rashtriya Ekta Yatra, a joint search operation has been launched in the Bani area,” Kathua SSP JL Sharma told The Tribune over phone. “There is a presence of militants in the Bani area, and hence, the search operation has been launched from Doda district, Himachal Pradesh and the Bani area, he said. When asked about intelligence inputs that the armed militants wanted to disrupt the BJP’s yatra, Sharma said, “Since their job is to spread terror, they can do anything. But we are leaving nothing to chance.” Sources in the police said the entire force had been put on a high alert ahead of Republic Day and the BJP’s scheduled yatra to Srinagar; but at the same time they could not take lightly the development in Bani. Meanwhile, about 10 to 12 landmines exploded near the three forward posts of the Army in the Chakkan-Da-Bagh area of Poonch district this evening. Sources in the Army attributed the explosions to a forest fire that started from occupied Kashmir and spread to the Indian territory. “The forest fire started on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC) and then it spread to our area. Since the forward area near the LoC at Chakkan-Da-Bagh is full of landmines, at least 10 to 12 mines exploded near the three forward posts being manned by the Army,” they said. On the other side of the LoC, there were similar explosions and the Pakistan troops were also fighting the flames on their side, they said.” But there was no casualty or injury to our men on this side”, added the sources. Locals, however, claimed that they heard more explosions. |
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CM: Ensure regular supply of essential commodities
Srinagar, January 24 Reviewing the preparedness of the administration to face the challenges of the winter at a high-level meeting here, the Chief Minister said the prospective planning to face the exigencies on account of snowfall, torrential rain and water-logging was imperative. The Chief Minister directed the CAPD Department to be more responsive to public requirements.“You should be on your toes to respond to the needs of people and ensure a smooth supply and distribution,” he told the CAPD officers, and directed them to keep a close watch on profiteers and black marketeers. He said special attention had to be given to check the hoarding of essential commodities during the blockade of the national highway. “Water-logging is a routine problem in the Srinagar areas and in other towns after snow,” Omar said. He directed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation and other departments concerned to keep pump stations functional and work out a strategy for employing mobile de-watering pump stations, wherever required. He said the government would provide adequate funds for such programmes. The Chief Minister said the prompt clearance of snow from roads and lanes was yet another task to be addressed urgently. He added men and machinery should remain alert to face any eventuality. The Mechanical Engineering Department and other agencies should have a close rapport with one another in this regard. Omar said the disruption of power during the snowfall was a common phenomenon in the winter zone, as such the Power Distribution Department should be aware of the importance of early restoration of power supply to the people, especially public service institutions. |
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Poor Performance
Jammu, January 24 Coming down heavily on the ISM doctors, the minister described their salary as “ill-gotten money” and warned them that if they did not improve their performance within 30 days, they would be transferred to staff-starved hospitals in remote areas like Leh and Kargil. “There are at least 11 doctors, including A and B grade specialists, at the hospital, but each of them does not attend to more than five patients on any day in spite of huge infrastructure and handsome salaries they draw,” the angry minister said, snubbing the medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Taran Singh. He again warned the ISM doctors that if they did not fall in line, younger doctors would be recruited as their replacement. “The coalition government cannot compromise on patient care on any account,” he said. In the same breath, the charged-up minister instructed the Director, ISM, Dr Abdul Kabir Dar, to distribute the biography of Churchil among the doctors so that “their conscience awakes” and “they concentrate on work”. He said Rs 16 crore granted by the Central government for developing clusters of medicinal plants and setting up labs remained unspent due to the inefficiency of the department. Rejecting the long standing demand from the creation of a separate directorate for the ISM doctors of Jammu, the minister said, “A separate director cannot be appointed for 400 ISM doctors, including ayurveda, unani and homoeopathy.” He said the expansion of the department was possible only on the basis of work done report. Earlier, Minister of State for Health Javed Ahmed Dar impressed upon the doctors to reach out to people and make them aware of the treatment provided under the Indian System of Medicines. Among others present on the occasion included Director of the AIDS Control Society Dr Wasim Qureshi, Director of the National Rural Health Mission Yash Pal Sharma, Director, Family Welfare, Rakesh Khajurua and Controller Drugs Satish Gupta. |
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Contractual lecturers rue increase in workload
Jammu, January 24 According to a statement issued here, the association said the department was not serious about increasing the salaries of lecturers/ teaching assistants from Rs 8,000, but had increased their workload. The association demanded a policy for the regularisation of lecturers/ teaching assistants working on academic arrangement in colleges on the pattern of contractual employees working in different departments of the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The association further demanded
that the Higher Education Department should retain the batch of lecturers/ teaching assistants till a policy for their regularisation was framed and there should be no screening test for appointment to the posts of lecturer/ teaching assistant as proposed by the Higher Education Department. Meanwhile, lecturers/ teaching assistants working in Kashmir division have assured full support to their counterparts in Jammu. |
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Theatre groups form federation
Jammu, January 24 Addressing a press conference, the newly-elected executive members of the UAC stated that the need for coming under a single unit was a long-cherished need of the artists so that a combined effort could be made to attain a creditable recognition of the work done by the theatre artists. Vikram Sharma, president, UAC, said many groups that joined the platform had an experience of more than 20 years in their respective fields. Therefore, the confederation had decided to form an amalgam to promote its expertise under the patronage of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Doordarshan, Radio Kashmir, Jammu, and other media fields and to disseminate a comprehensive mode to promote art and culture in the state, he added. The groups that merged with the UAC included the Shivani Cultural Society, the Samooh Theatre Group, the Nav Durga Kala Manch, the Manoranjan Kala Kendra, the Natraj Natya Kunj, the Pancham Theatre Group and the Yamini Cultural Society, the Balraj Sahni Kala Manch, the Rangshala Theatre Group and the Lok Rang Manch. Besides Vikram Sharma as president, Dr Jasmeet Kour and TS Premee joined as vice-presidents, Kumar A Bharti as general secretary, Umesh Singh as joint secretary and GR Malhotra as treasurer. |
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Ensure proper utilisation of district plan funds, says Tara Chand
Udhampur, January 24 Tara Chand was addressing a meeting of the DDB held under his chairmanship to review the physical and financial progress registered in different sectors in the district ending December 2010. Expressing satisfaction over the 75 per cent utilisation of plan funds ending December 2010, the Deputy Chief Minister called for sincere and honest efforts by the officers of various development departments in achieving result-oriented progress in works on the ground without compromising on the quality of works executed. Tara Chand told the engineers of the PWD (R&B) to accelerate the pace of works in such areas where the weather conditions were conducive for the execution of different schemes to achieve the desired targets. He also inquired about the status of the major projects being executed in the district under different sectors. In the meeting, the district plan, the centrally-sponsored and major flagship schemes under implementation in the district were reviewed in detail. Of the total approved outlay of Rs 82.48 crore for the district this fiscal, Rs 76.87 crore had been made available till date and out of this over 75 per cent had been spent under different schemes. The District Development Commissioner (DDC), Udhampur, Baseer Ahmed Khan, presented the physical and financial achievements registered during the current financial year. |
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PCC chief demands Srinagar-Jeddah flight
Srinagar, January 24 Soz informed Ravi about the cancellation of the Srinagar-Dubai flight without any reason. Soz said the flight had been introduced with great fanfare. The PCC chief also demanded a workable proposition so that Srinagar could be connected with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia via Dubai for the benefit of a large number of passengers. Ravi assured Soz that he would examine the proposal. Soz also reminded the minister about the problems of employees of the Centaur Lake View Hotel, Srinagar, who had not been regularised. |
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Police gets vital clues in beautician’s murder case
Jammu, January 24 “We have collected vital clues,but at the moment, we don’t want to disclose anything”, Samba SSP Israr Khan told The Tribune over phone. “We have been working on the case since the body was found on January 20,but at the moment, we are busy with the BJP’s Rashtriya Ekta Yatra. Once the yatra ends, we will solve the case”, said the SSP. Sources said the police had gathered the clues from the family of the victim and had also picked up four suspects. The body of the victim bore at least 12 stab wounds on the neck, chest and other parts.A day before her death,the victim went to a nearby village for the make-up of a bride, but was found dead by some passersby the next morning. |
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Give equal opportunities for govt jobs: NPSU
Jammu, January 24 “There should be a separate Legislative Assembly for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, with one Governor and one Chief Justice for the state. The opportunities for recruitments to government jobs should be equally given to the people of all the three regions, and the funds should also be equally divided among the regions to end this discrimination,” Jamwal said. |
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College organises guest lecture
Jammu, January 24 According to a statement issued here, Ankit Sharma dwelt at length on his journey from Jammu to IIIT, Gwalior, and from there to the LSE. He shared with students his experience at the LSE and the basic difference between the education pattern in India and abroad. Sharma apprised the students of various options that were available abroad and how those educational options could make a difference in the life of a student. He told the students that in this era of Information Technology, the world had become a small networked village where one could gain maximum advantage, but the only criteria was that one needed to have a proper guidance and education. |
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