|
|
|
|
|
10 killed as overloaded minibus falls into gorge
‘Discrimination in Allocation of
Funds’
Legislative Assembly |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy Speaker relents, withdraws resignation
Panchayat poll without 73rd Amendment
futile: BJP
State earns Rs 397 cr as toll tax at Lakhanpur: Rather
Widow of BSF soldier gets relief
4,440 Kashmiri Pandit families applied for return to Valley: Bhalla
Varsity ignoring regional languages, says NSF
Omar meets Governor
|
||||||||||||||
|
10 killed as overloaded minibus falls into gorge
Jammu, March 15 Two-year-old Master Gugu of Chenani village was among those killed. A six-year-old boy, who was critically injured, was brought to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here in an unconscious condition, with an iron rod piercing through his abdomen. The minibus was on its way to Udhampur from Laati when it skidded off the road near the Sudh Mahadev tourist resort and plunged into a 350-feet deep gorge at the Choka Nullah, around 125 km from Jammu. While eight passengers were killed on the spot, two died on way to hospital. Those killed in the accident are Koshalia (62), Raj Kumar (24) and Gugu (2), all from Chenani; Kishore Kumar (35) of Sarar, Asha Begum (70), Abidullah (80), Ghulam Nabi (57), Shatto (55), Romesh (35) and Jabbo (60), all residents of Sudh Mahadev. Survivors of the mishap, who were struggling to get over the nightmarish experience at the GMCH, said the driver lost control over the minibus while trying to overtake another vehicle at a sharp turn, as he was engrossed in listening to music. He jumped off the minibus, leaving passengers to their fate. They said the minibus having a capacity of 28 passengers was awfully overloaded. In the evening, the district administration issued a list of at least 58 injured passengers. As many as 10 critically injured passengers were airlifted to the GMCH while 28 of the injured were rushed to District Hospital, Udhampur. The remaining injured passengers were admitted to the Sub District Hospital, Chenani. Senior officials of the district administration, including the District Development Commissioner, and the police rushed to the place of the accident. The injured were given an assistance of Rs 2,000 each. The 187 Batallion of the CRPF, which was camping close to the place of the accident, played an appreciable role along with the locals in rescuing injured passengers. |
|
‘Discrimination in Allocation of
Funds’
Jammu,
March 15 During Question Hour, PDP legislator Muzafar Hussain Beig sought details from the government regarding additional funds released in various constituencies for development activities. He alleged that funds had been allocated to a few National Conference (NC) leaders, who had lost in the last Assembly elections. “Instead of allocating funds to elected members, the government has sanctioned a huge amount to NC leaders who had unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly elections,” Beig said. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also sought a reply from the government on the distribution of additional funds to the legislators of the opposition parties for their respective constituencies. “Instead of following a set procedure, you are distributing government funds to leaders of a particular party,” she alleged and warned that such an attitude of the government would prove disastrous for the state. Meanwhile, other PDP legislators also resorted to shouting slogans. They sought a reply from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who left the House without replying to the questions. “The Chief Minister is not serious about the proceedings of the House. He should have replied to the questions asked in the House,” said Mehooba, who along with other PDP legislators then staged a walkout. Later, addressing mediapersons outside the Assembly, Mehbooba said the government was misleading the House on information they had shared regarding the distribution of funds. She added that the Chief Minister, being the in charge of the State Planning Department, had been taking such allegations lightly. “If such an indifferent attitude of the government continues, the youth not only in Kashmir but also in Jammu will protest,” she said. The Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar, countered the allegations of the PDP saying the party had no issues and, therefore, it was raising irrelevant issues. |
|
Legislative Assembly
Jammu, March 15 On a question asked by Ajay Sadhotra in the Legislative Council her today, Rather said, “A law to check the conversion of agriculture land for other purposes will soon be tabled in the Lower House. It will then be discussed in the Upper House too”. He added that the contribution of the agriculture sector in the gross state domestic product (GSDP) was decreasing almost everywhere across the country. The Finance Minister said, “The contribution of agriculture in the GSDP at the Centre is 17 per cent while it is 21 per cent in the state. This contribution is decreasing in our state too, but it doesn’t mean the government is not working on the issue. We are seriously thinking over bringing a legislation to check the conversion of agriculture land for other purposes”. During a reply on the Budget, Rather targeted the PDP and its Leader of the House, Murtaza Ahmad Khan, who had yesterday accused the former of misleading the Upper House by giving contradictory figures in the Economic Survey Report 2010-11. Rather said, “Yes, there might be some errors in the Economic Survey Report, but it does not mean you can put the blame on me. This is the work done by the Economics and Statistical Department of the state and not the Finance Minister”. On the role of the RBI, Rather said, “J&K Bank is our banker and it will remain our banker. There will be tremendous improvement in the functioning of this bank”. Murtaza had yesterday alleged that as per the figures given in the Budget speech, J&K Bank would work as an agent of the RBI and the Finance Minister had compromised with the fiscal autonomy of the state for the purpose. Rather said the PDP had always tried to disrupt the activities of both Houses by raising irrelevant issues. “During its tenure, the PDP did not mention a single word about unemployment in its Budget,” he added. He said, “The PDP should praise our efforts, as we have proposed a policy for the unemployed youth in the Budget”. Murtaza tried to counter Rather a number of times, but the latter said, “I am ready to give a reply to every single line of the Budget speech, but you should not raise a hue and cry on every issue. I am not deaf”. On a question by Nizam-ud-Din Khatana of the PDP about the welfare of weaker sections, Rather said, “There was some delay in the release of grant by the Centre and its not our fault. As and when the grant for the welfare of the SCs and STs is received, it will be used accordingly”. |
|
Legislative Assembly
Jammu, March 15 When legislators of the BJP, Panthers Party and the Jammu State Morcha (JSM) were raising the issue of delay in the appointment of Vice-Chancellor, Mubarak Gul had a heated exchange with Ashwani Sharma of the JSM. This prompted Ashwani to question Gul’s right to speak on the issue. “In what capacity are you making noise and trying to shout us down. You are not a minister,” he said and suggested to Gul to sit silently in his seat. Panthers Party legislator Harsh Dev Singh also joined the issue and charged the government with adopting a discriminatory attitude against the Jammu region. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah charged the Jammu-based parties with “politicising the issue”. The Chief Minister said, “While you had no problem having a particular person as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu, you played politics over the appointment of the same person as the Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Jammu”. “You want a Vice-Chancellor belonging to the Dogra community and that too from a particular area. You are politicising the issue,” he told the legislators of Jammu-based parties. He added that this was the reason for the delay in the appointment of Vice-Chancellor. “Give me the name of a capable and befitting person. I will pursue his case at the Central level for clearance within the shortest possible time,” he asserted. “What is wrong if we are demanding a local as Vice-Chancellor,” asked Ashwani. He was supported by Panthers Party legislator Balwant Singh Mankotia. “You mean there is not even one capable person in Jammu to become Vice-Chancellor of the Central university,” he asked the Chief Minister. |
|
|
Deputy Speaker relents, withdraws resignation
Jammu, March 15 Madni, who belongs to the PDP, had resigned from the post of Deputy Speaker on March 3 in protest against some unsavoury remarks made by Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone in an interview published in a section of media. Lone refused to accept the resignation of his deputy despite the fact that PDP legislators were repeatedly demanding a seat for Madni saying he had quit as Deputy Speaker of the House. Today, during the debate on grants of the budget of the Revenue Department, PDP legislators AR Veeri, Peerzada Mansor and Basharat Bukhari again raised the issue. They asked the Speaker to allot a seat to Madni as a legislator of the PDP. The Speaker asked Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir to resolve the issue. Mir, along with other senior leaders of different
political parties, including Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh, met the Deputy Speaker and impressed upon
him to withdraw his resignation. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar also met Madni, who finally relented and withdrew his resignation. Amid the thumping of benches by members of the treasury and the opposition, Madni assumed his charge as Deputy Speaker and occupied the seat reserved for him. |
|
|
Panchayat poll without 73rd Amendment
futile: BJP
Jammu, March 15 Members of the BJP, Panthers Party and the Jammu State Morcha created an uproar in the Legislative Assembly on this issue and alleged that the state government wanted to capture panchayats by taking advantage of the provision of nomination in the state Panchayati Raj Act. Later, the protesting legislators staged a walkout from the Assembly over the issue. During Zero Hour, BJP legislator Chaman Lal Gupta said, “The elections, if held under the existing Act, will prove to be a futile exercise,” Gupta said. He added that the government had promised to set up finance and election commissions for the panchayats, but no action had been taken so far. |
|
State earns Rs 397 cr as toll tax at Lakhanpur: Rather
Jammu, March 15 The minister said the construction of the new toll plaza at Lakhanpur had been moving at a rapid pace. The complex consisted of a main office block, a recreation building, an animal husbandry building, a driver shelter shed, dhabas, a toilet block, parking space and nine weigh bridges, he added. Rather said the construction work on the complex was being strictly monitored and it would be completed in two or three months. He added that the government was vigorously pursuing the matter for the early completion of a new import bridge and a bypass with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). |
|
|
More tulips to greet tourists in Srinagar this year
Srinagar, March 15 However, this year around 2.5 lakh more tulip bulbs had been planted even as the extension work on the garden was going on. “The garden was inaugurated by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on March 29, 2008. This year, we expect to throw it open to general public in the last week of March,” district floriculture officer Javid Shah told The Tribune. He said in continuation of the extension work on the garden around 2.5 lakh more tulip flowers had been planted this year. The official said due to a normal winter in Kashmir this year, the flowers bloomed right in time. “The last few years saw uneven winter seasons, as winters were warmer, and the tulips used to bloom early. But as there was a normal winter season this year the tulips would bloom in time,” Shah said. He said the work on the tulip garden was going on in full swing to give it the final touches before it was formally opened to the tourists. “A large number of men are employed to take care of the tulip garden. Since its inauguration in 2008, this garden has been a major tourist attraction in the Valley. A large number of tourists come to visit the garden,” Shah said. The tulip garden has been an instant hit not only with the tourists but also with the Bollywood, as a large number of movies has been shot in and around it. An official of the Department of Tourism said they expected the tourist season in Kashmir to pick up after the blooming of tulips. “Though the Valley saw a turmoil last year, the tulip garden saw a good inflow of tourists. This year, we are hopeful that things will remain normal and there will be a huge inflow of tourists to the Kashmir valley,” the official said. |
|
|
Widow of BSF soldier gets relief
Jammu, March 15 The commission also held that the complainant was entitled to litigation expenses of Rs 10,000. It expressed anguish and concern over the method and manner in which the officials of National Insurance Company Limited dealt with the consumer claim of the insured. It also held that “the rejection of the genuine claim of the insured was made in a capricious, arbitrary and whimsical manner, which constitutes an act of malfeasance for which the dealing official/officials is/are accountable to his/their superiors in the administrative hierarchy”. Late Rajinder Kumar, serving in the 194 Bn of the BSF, remained deployed in Maharanichera, which is a highly malaria prone area of Tripura. Before proceeding on leave, he was medically examined on August 23, 2003, and was found medically fit. On reaching his native place on August 29, 2003, he complained of headache and was shifted to the District Hospital, Rajouri, where he died on September 1, 2003. The BSF being the employer had obtained an insurance policy known as “Seema Prahari Beema Yojna” for the members of the force, the premium of which was deducted from the salary of every member of the force. However, the claim raised by the wife of the deceased soldier was repudiated by National Insurance Company Limited on the ground that the disease pre-existed. The commission held that “It is flabbergasting to find that responsible officers of National Insurance Company Limited dealing with the claim accepted the suggestion of Dr Vinod Gandotra without ascertaining the fact whether a patient of cerebral malaria can have fever or not before his death. It was a case of the continuation of pre-existing insurance policy commenced in favour of the deceased from 1990 up to the midnight of September 1, 2003, while the deceased expired at 11 am on September 1, 2003”. |
|
|
4,440 Kashmiri Pandit families applied for return to Valley: Bhalla
Jammu, March 15 Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla state this while winding up a debate on the grants of the departments under his charge. As most of the legislators during the debate highlighted the issue of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, who were forced to leave their homes and hearths due to militancy in the Kashmir valley in early 90s, Bhalla gave details about the initiatives taken by the government for facilitating their return. He said the government was working on a comprehensive policy for the return of Kashmiri Pandit families. He said 4,440 Kashmiri Pandit families had applied under the policy so far. He added that the state government had submitted a comprehensive one-time settlement package to the Centre for necessary funding. The minister said to create confidence among the Kashmiri Pandit community for return to Kashmir, the government advertised 3,000 vacancies and 1,790 Kashmiri Pandit youth had been given jobs. Of these appointments, 1,179 candidates had joined at the places of their posting in the Valley. He said transit accommodation had been set up at many places in the Valley, and out of these allotments had been made in respect of 1,277 families and 570 had even taken possession of the accommodation. Bhalla said free transport service was being provided to the members of the community for visiting the Valley during festivals and holidays. He thanked the Muslim neighbours for instilling confidence among their Kashmiri Pandit brethren for their return to the
Valley. |
|
|
Urdu, Punjabi ‘Kahani Darbar’ organised
Jammu, March 15 Surinder Kaur Nir, Dr Baljinder Nasraly, Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Wani, Dr MA Wani and Khalid Hussain read out their short stories. Five short stories in Punjabi and Urdu, dealing with the present scenario in the state and Punjab, were read out. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Shohab described the attempt to hold the function as successful. He added that such programmes would be organised frequently in future also. Khalid Hussain, in his presidential address, said literature had always played a vital role in maintaining communal harmony and brotherhood. He said Punjabi and Urdu had a close relation, as one of the researchers, Mehmood Shrari, had once said Urdu was the younger sister of Punjabi. |
|
|
Varsity ignoring regional languages, says NSF
Jammu, March 15 He said the opening of the learning centres for Pahari and Gojri were given preference in the meeting that was attended by the Chancellor,
Pro-Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor of the university. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
