Jammu, May 19
With the onset of summer, the Jammu region is facing an acute water shortage, as various drinking water supply schemes of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department have failed miserably to meet the requirement of the region.

The water shortage is so severe in some areas that the supply is either very poor or there is no supply at all. The PHE Department is planning to supply water through tankers.

People of the region are everyday protesting against the state government’s failure to supply water to them. Not only the villages of Kandi areas, but also cities, including the winter capital, are facing a severe scarcity of potable water, particularly when the temperature is hovering around 43°C.

There are also reports that with a sharp increase in the mercury, many areas are being supplied piped water after every four days. Faced with such a situation, the residents of the cities and the adjoining areas are dependant on the water mafia, private water tanker operators, who are charging a hefty amount for one tanker of water.

However, Irrigation and PHE Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din said the demand of water had nearly doubled these days and they would come up with some schemes to overcome the scarcity. “Water shortage is all due to power cuts, as all major schemes in the region are based upon water lifting projects, which requires electricity. If the Power Department assures us of adequate power supply, there will be no water shortage and the public will get adequate water supply,” said the minister.

He added that, “I am getting a minute-to-minute report from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions, as water is the basic necessity in summer. We are also planning to supply water through tankers in the areas where water scarcity has reached an alarming stage”.

Taj said he had talked to the Minister of State for Power for help. “The Power Department has assured us of full cooperation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the city residents have started using mineral water to quench their thirst. Rani Sharma, a housewife, said, “We face water shortage every summer, and the successive governments have failed to address the problem. When the government knows that the demand for water increases drastically in summer, why does not it make adequate arrangements before the onset of season?”

Jammu, May 19
The scheduled visit of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Jammu on May 23 will be a show of strength between the two warring factions of the Pradesh Congress. Both factions are working overtime to ensure the maximum participation of their supporters at the function to steal the show.

Mohan Parkash, newly-appointment AICC national general secretary and in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, will be reaching here on May 21 to supervise the preparations for the function.

Accompanied by Defence Minister AK Antony, Sonia Gandhi will be visiting Basholi in Kathua district on May 23 to lay the foundation stone of a bridge on the Ravi.

While PCC chief Saifuddin Soz has assigned the job to ensure a huge turnout in the rally to state ministers Sham Lal Sharma and Raman Bhalla, the other faction owing allegiance to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is also working round-the-clock to mark its presence at the function.

Basholi is the home constituency of MP from the Udhampur-Doda constituency Choudhary Lal Singh, who is an Azad loyalist.

Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand had reviewed arrangements for the function at Basholi yesterday. No other Congress minister, except Lal Singh, accompanied him despite the fact that the PCC chief, at a meeting on May 17, had asked all Congressmen to work unitedly to make the programme a grand success.

The Deputy Chief Minister also convened a meeting of the Congress workers at Kathua in which workers of only a particular group were present.

However, on Tuesday, two separate meetings were organised by the Congress leaders in connection with the scheduled visit of the UPA chairperson. One meeting, which was held at the PWD Guest House, Gandhi Nagar, was chaired by the PCC chief, while the other meeting was held under the leadership of the Deputy Chief Minister.

As far as the pro-Soz faction is concerned, Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma has been convening meetings of the party workers in various areas to gather support for the function.

New Delhi, May 19
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today cleared a proposal for providing job-linked skill training to one lakh youth in Jammu and Kashmir over the next five years under a centrally-sponsored Skill, Empowerment and Employment Special Scheme.

The scheme, a placement-linked, market-driven skill training programme, will cover the youth both from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and the non-BPL category. In the first year, 15,000 youth will be trained for salaried and self-employment opportunities. The placements will be in the private sector, both within and outside Jammu and Kashmir.

Commencing from June-July this year, it is based on the recommendations made by a committee headed by former RBI Governor C Rangarajan.

The Rangarajan panel, in a report submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in February, 2011, had suggested a two-pronged approach to employment generation, identification of sectoral initiatives for growth and employment generation and increasing employability of youth by improving their skill sets.

The panel was set up by the Prime Minister following the unrest in the Valley during summer last year which saw several deaths and stone throwing incidents over the issue of human rights violence. Since a large number of youth were involved in the violence, the committee’s mandate was to suggest measures to enhance employment opportunities in the state and formulate a plan involving both private and public sectors. With summer in full bloom in the Valley, which this time is brimming with tourists after suffering huge losses for three consecutive years, sources say the government wanted the scheme to get rolling fast to ensure that peace and harmony prevail.

The objective of the scheme is to provide options and opportunities to all youth in Jammu and Kashmir, ranging from school dropouts to college educated, to select a training programme for salaried or self employment opportunities as per their interests.

A total expenditure of Rs 235.3 crore will be incurred of which Rs 70.59 crore will be met from the existing budget of the Ministry of Rural Development under the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana to cover 75 per cent cost of training the rural BPL youth and remaining Rs 164.71 crore under a special scheme for the state to cover the rural non-BPL, urban BPL and the non-BPL youth.

It is estimated that 70 per cent funds will be used to provide salaried employment-linked training and the remaining for self-employment linked training. The placement to the youth will be provided all over the country. 

* One lakh youth to be trained over the next five years

* In the first year, 15,000 youth to be trained for salaried and self-employment opportunities

* Its objective is to provide options and opportunities to all youth, from school dropouts to college educated

* Placements will be in the private sector countrywide

* It is based on C Rangarajan Committee report

* A total of Rs 235.3 crore to be spent for the purpose

Jammu, May 19
Efforts of the BJP high command to rein in the seven MLAs, who were suspended in the aftermath of the cross-voting episode, failed to yield any result, as former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta here today refused to appear before the disciplinary committee of the party as a “culprit”.

The six suspended MLAs had yesterday announced that they would not obey the directions of the party high command to reach New Delhi on May 20 to appear before the disciplinary committee to clear their position over the cross-voting controversy.

In a written letter to OP Kohli, head of the disciplinary committee, Gupta reiterated that he had voted in favour of the BJP candidates in the Legislative Council elections and would not appear before the committee as an accused.

“You wanted me to appear before the disciplinary committee personally. I may write here that I would have loved to meet the members of the disciplinary committee, who are my old friends and with whom I have worked hard to build the party, but not as an accused, which I have already been declared,” he wrote in the letter.

“I fail to appreciate the logic behind calling all 11 MLAs now when seven of them have already been declared accused and four have been given clean chit. On what ground, only God knows,” the letter read.

Like his six colleagues, Gupta also questioned the parameters adopted by the high command to single out them for cross-voting. “In response to a communication of May 11, I am constrained to submit that in my explanation I have asked for the documents that formed the basis for my suspension, the parameters adopted and the measuring scale applied. I have received none,” he stated.

The letter further reads, “I have said time and again that I voted for the party candidates”.

The suspended MLAs were aware that the high command had no documentary proof that they had voted against the party candidates, they said. They even claimed to have sufficient evidence against the chief whip of the party, Ashok Khajuria, for favouring the candidates of the coalition parties, the sources added.

Meanwhile, the four MLAs, who were given clean chit, have also failed to arrive at a conclusion regarding the stand to be taken before the disciplinary committee.

Jammu, May 19
In the jute mat scam, the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, has framed charges against then Additional Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar, then Financial Adviser of the Education Department Janak Singh, and Ghulam Rasool Vakil, alias Lassa Vakil, for the purchase and supply of three lakh metres of jute mats.

The court had arrayed Abdul Rashid Mubarki, then Additional Secretary of school education, and Mumtaz-ul-Nisa, then Director, School Education, Kashmir, and also the wife of PCC chief Saifuddin Soz, as accused and summoned them. It was challenged by Mubarki, while Mumtaz-ul-Nisa filed a criminal revision petition before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in Srinagar.

Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain, after hearing the arguments of the petitioner and going through the charge-sheet presented by the Vigilance Organisation, observed that, “The petitioners have been arrayed as accused and orders have been given for charges to be framed against them while summoning them for the purpose without affording an opportunity to them to explain their position. The CrPC makes it mandatory that the accused persons should be heard before proceeding to frame charges against them. Since the present petitioners were not arrayed as accused in the matter and were not before the court at the time it examined the case for framing charges against other accused persons, the court should not have straightway proceeded to frame charge against the petitioners and summoned them for this purpose. The court should have, in the circumstances, looked into the circumstances why the investigating officer had not found the petitioners guilty of the commission of offence. The proper way, in such circumstances, was to examine the investigating officer on the issue before proceeding further in the matter”. The High Court, while allowing the criminal revision petition, observed that, “So far as it directs the framing of charges against the petitioners, the same cannot be sustained and is set-aside”.

Udhampur, May 19
Balwant Singh Mankotia, MLA Udhampur, who is also the chairman of the Rogi Kalayan Samiti (RKS), Udhampur, has sought the cooperation of people and other social organisations of Udhampur town for the better functioning of the District Hospital here to serve the poor ailing people.

Addressing the members of the governing body of the RKS at the District Hospital here today, Mankotia underlined active public cooperation in creating modern facilities in the hospital for the benefit of poor patients, as the cost of private medicare was very high. He said it was due to the recommendation of the RKS that a CT scan facility had been introduced in the hospital for the convenience of critical patients even from the adjoining districts.

Complimenting the functionaries of the RKS, Mankotia said due to their sincere and dedicated efforts, the quality of medicare at the District Hospital had improved a lot. The ongoing construction of the Trauma level- II, which was expected to be completed in the next few months, would contribute more in this direction. He instructed the PWD officers to ensure that there was no delay in completing the construction work.

The governing body discussed the upgrading of the OPD complex, laboratory, X-ray sections, emergency indoor complex, negotiation for opening of an ATM on the hospital premises.

Jammu, May 19
Ruling out the possibility of negligence on the part of the CRPF in the Dantewada IED blast on Tuesday evening that left seven jawans dead, the world’s largest paramilitary force said the Maoists had better expertise in triggering the IED blasts.

One requires expertise and certain know-how to make an IED and in the present scenario the Maoists possessed these ingredients to trigger the IED blasts, said the CRPF spokesperson in Jammu zone, Vinay Anand Prakash.

Among the seven jawans killed in the Dantewada blast, four were from Jammu and one from Himachal Pradesh.

Talking to mediapersons after the wreath-laying ceremony to pay the last respects to the five CRPF jawans, Prakash said 45 Maoists had been gunned down this year so far while 17 CRPF jawans had also lost their lives while fighting them.

Asked whether the CRPF had failed to learn a lesson from the Dantewada carnage last year, the spokesperson ruled out the possibility of negligence on the part of the CRPF. A court of inquiry had been marked and truth would come out, he said.

On compensation to the families of the slain jawans, he said the kin of the slain jawans would get nearly Rs 40 lakh each. Four CRPF jawans from Jammu, who were killed in the attack, have been identified as Sanjay Kumar from Khour in Akhnoor, Rashpal Chander from Nagrota, Abdul Qayoom from Poonch and Surinder Singh from Kathua.

After the wreath-laying ceremony at the Jammu Airport, the coffins containing bodies of the martyrs were dispatched to their native places.

An inconsolable Labha Ram, brother of the deceased CRPF jawan, Sanjay Kumar, said though his brother sacrificed his life for the country, no amount of money could compensate the death of the loved ones.

On Tuesday evening the Maoists had triggered an IED blast between the Sukma and Keralapal areas of Dantewada district killing seven jawans of the 2nd Bn of the CRPF. The CRPF team was returning from the Keralapal area after identifying a place for setting up new barracks for the CRPF personnel.

Besides combating the Maoists in the country, the CRPF has been fighting Pakistan-sponsored militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu, May 19
In a bid to develop a good relationship with panchayats, the Army organised a liaison meeting with newly-elected sarpanches in border district of Rajouri yesterday.

The meeting was attended by 41 newly-elected sarpanches, 47 panches and prominent members of the civil administration, including Tehsildar, Koteranka, BDO and maulvis. It was chaired by the Commanding Officer 60 Rashtriya Rifles (NAGA).

The Commanding Officer congratulated all newly-elected sarpanches of the area and conveyed his good wishes for their tenure. During the meeting, various issues related to military-civic actions, steps for development, assistance to backward communities and the establishment of peace in the area were discussed.

Speaking on the occasion, the Commanding Officer stated that the 60 Rashtriya Rifles (NAGA) had been carrying out various developmental activities in the remote villages of Rajouri and Reasi districts with an aim to integrate the population of these areas with the mainstream.

He also highlighted the efforts put in by the Army with regard to development, general awareness, education, medical care, veterinary assistance and well being of people in urban and rural areas.

He stressed that cooperation from the civil administration and villagers was necessary for the implementation of the projects and weeding out terrorism from the area. The sarpanches expressed gratitude and satisfaction for the interaction with the Army and pledged their unstinted support to it in wiping out militancy from the area. 

Srinagar, May 19
The railway authorities have completed the repair work on the Hamra-Sopore railway line and the train service between Baramulla and Qazigund is going to resume shortly.

The Baramulla-Anantnag rail service was suspended following the ransacking of railway tracks and signal systems and looting and arson at the Sopore and Budgam railway stations by stone throwers during the unrest last year.

“The reconstruction work of the railway line was taken up and the track up to Mazhama was made operational on February 1, up to Pattan on February 15, and up to Hamrae on March 9 this year. The repair of tracks up to Baramulla have also been completed with appropriate security arrangements in place, due to which the train service is likely to resume up to Baramulla shortly, with Sopore as a halt station,” said IGP, railways, Navin Agarwal.

Meanwhile, DGP Kuldeep Khoda, who laid the foundation stone of the office of the SSP, Railways, while speaking to reporters, said, “Additional police forces and mobile patrols have been deployed to secure railway lines in the Valley after the rail infrastructure suffered a heavy damage during the unrest last year. There will be a police station and a police post on every station and we have deployed mobile patrols along the tracks”.

He said the security of the railways properties was jointly being handled by the state police and the CRPF.

Last year the non-local Railway employees had fled the Valley fearing threat to their lives. “The employees have returned and we are now providing them all possible security,” the IGP, Railways, said.

“A road map with coordinated security in place was drawn up for reconstruction and restoration in a phased manner,” he added. 

Udhampur, May 19
Wrestler Abdul Gani from Malerkotla in Punjab won the 35th Gran Mord Kesari title 2011 by defeating wrestler Palla of Himachal Pradesh at Gran Mord in Reasi last evening. The dangal was organised jointly by the Gran Mord Dangal Committee and the Jammu and Kashmir Indian Style Wrestling Association.

Gani defeated Palla in the main bout lasting 19 minutes amid applause by a large number of lovers of this traditional form of wrestling. The winner, Abdul Gani, received Rs 6,500 while the runners up, Palla, received Rs 4,500. In all 55 bouts were played between wrestlers from Udhampur, Reasi, Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri, J&K police, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The treasurer of the Indian Style Wrestling Association of India, Shiv Kumar Sharma, was the chief guest on the occasion. He gave away prizes to the wrestlers. The sarpanch of Gran Mord, Raj Kumar Sharma, presided over the function. Notably, such wrestling competitions have become quite popular among wrestlers of Jammu and Kashmir and the adjoining states due to the prize money involved in it.

In the second main bout, Sagar of Delhi defeated Pappu of Khanna, Punjab, in only four minutes. Sagar received Rs 4,000 while the runners-up got Rs 2,000. Kamaljot of Khanna, Punjab, who defeated Teg Ali of Malerkotla was awarded Rs 2,500 and the runners-up received Rs 1,500.

Sona of Amritsar defeated Mohammad Akram of Jammu in the fourth bout. He received Rs 2,000 reward while Akram received Rs 1,500. The fifth bout between Swaran Singh of Kot Bhalwal, Jammu, and Kallu of the Shiv Mandir Akhara, Jammu, ended in a draw. 

Srinagar, May 19
The state Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here today, approved the creation of six posts for the Parliamentary Affairs branch of the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

The posts created include one secretary in the department by corresponding reduction of one post in the cadre of special secretary-research officer, one reporter, one legal assistant, one junior assistant and two orderlies. 

The Cabinet also expressed deep anguish and sorrow over the demise of Bashir Ahmad Wani (Sogami), father of Nasir Aslam Wani, Minister of State for Home. It also mourned the death of Sajid Iqbal Khandey, son of Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary, Agriculture, who died in a tragic road accident on Tuesday night.