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FDI row: Near total bandh in Jammu
Ministers approve road in violation of Supreme Court order, rules
For days I didn’t cook or touch my kids, says
an HIV-infected
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World AIDS Day observed
Lawyers to continue strike on registration issue
Kashmir lawyers protest move to amend RPC
Minority panel team calls on Mirwaiz
Gangs of vehicle lifters busted in Valley
JMC adopts vehicle tracking system
Five-day civil defence camp ends
Rally against recruitment policy
Collegiate Club inaugurated at Vaishno Devi varsity
Art exhibition receives poor response
Sarpanches to fine smokers
CRPF vacates Firdous Cinema in Valley
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FDI row: Near total bandh in Jammu
Jammu, December 1 Though traders in various markets, by and large, kept their shutters down and held protest demonstrations at various places in the temple city, commercial and passenger vehicles plied normally. Schools and colleges also functioned smoothly. Traders, including small-time retailers, alleged that the decision of the Union government to allow the FDI in retail would cost millions of people their jobs. The impact of the bandh call was visible in the main markets of the city like Raghunath Bazar, Purani Mandi, Link Road, Parade Ground, Lakhdatta Bazar, Pir Mitha, Residency Road, Apsara Road, Gole Market, Nehru Market, Gandhi Nagar and Shastri Nagar. Workers of various political parties which had extended support to the bandh call held anti-government protests in the walled city. Workers of the Shiv Sena and Dogra Front led by Ashok Gupta took out a protest march from Parade Ground with empty utensils in their hands. Activists of the National Secular Forum also staged a demonstration on the Jammu University campus and raised slogans against the UPA, demanding rollback of the decision of FDI in retail. Workers of the BJP took out a march in the city and staged protest demonstrations outside the Raghunath Temple and the Bharti Walmart store on the Canal Road. President of the Associated Chamber of Traders Federation Yashpal Gupta, who is also the president of the Retailers Association, claimed that the bandh was complete and successful. He said the one-day bandh had caused a loss of Rs 5 crore to traders. “Every day a business of Rs 300 crore is transacted here and today’s bandh has caused a loss of Rs 5 crore to the traders,” he said. A group of traders and small-time retailers staged a demonstration outside the recently opened store of Bharti Walmart here and raised slogans against the UPA government for encouraging foreign giants in wholesale and retail sectors. To clear the “misconception”, Bharti Walmart today issued a statement that its stores were not retail stores. “They are wholesale cash-and-carry stores and not related to the FDI in retail,” read the statement.
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Ministers approve road in violation of Supreme Court order, rules
Jammu, December 1 Relief and Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla accompanied by Forest Minister Mian Altaf today took a unilateral decision regarding the road, brushing aside the advice of officials concerned. The road is aimed at connecting the Mahamaya temple with the national highway. The temple area comes under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department and the Wildlife Protection Department. “The Relief and Revenue Minister accompanied by the Forest Minister today visited the site and okayed the construction of a concrete road there. This is very unfortunate,” said a DFO. “It is being done in complete violation of the rules and a Supreme Court order,” he said. He added, “Jammu city has only one lung and if this road is constructed in the eco-sensitive area, it will adversely affect wildlife and the forest cover there.” “The work on the road was earlier approved and suspended in 2004. Under the Forest Conservation Act, the higher authorities concerned can approve the construction of a concrete road and the felling of trees only if certain conditions are fulfilled. But in this particular case, we do not know how the approval has been granted for the construction of the road,” the DFO said. “Only dust tracks can be laid in the area under the norms. Therefore, the decision taken by the ministers seems to be motivated by personal interests. Otherwise, the Revenue Minister has nothing to do with the construction of roads,” he added. Bhalla said, “There has been a long-pending demand for a road connection between the temple and the highway. Though the Wildlife Protection Department and the Forest Department had raised some objections earlier, I along with the Forest Minister visited the site today and resolved the matter. The work on the proposed road will start soon for the convenience of the people.” Despite repeated attempts, the Forest Minister could not be reached for comments. However, Commissioner- Secretary, Forests, Shantmanu said, “The Cabinet has not made any decision in this regard. It is not in my knowledge whether the Revenue Minister wants a motorable road there. We have a proposal to maintain the walkway in the area. But let me check with the DFOs concerned to know about the matter.”
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For days I didn’t cook or touch my kids, says
an HIV-infected
Jammu, December 1 Shanti was reluctant to talk about AIDS out of fear and the stigma that is still attached to the issue. In May, she lost her husband, who was suffering from AIDS. It was only after his death that she got her blood tested for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and was confirmed positive. “I contracted the virus from my husband. He was working with the defence forces. When I came to know that I am also HIV+, it came as a shock to me. I did not cook or touch my children for so many days out of the fear that they may also get infected,” said Shanti while talking to The Tribune. “I had never heard about the virus before. People say that it kills a person but when I came into contact with NGOs, they assured me that I may get well again. If my neighbours or villagers come to know that I am HIV+, they will change their behaviour towards me,” she added. There are around 550 women in the state like Shanti Devi who live in constant fear not only because of the dread attached to AIDS but also due to the stigma that is attached to it. There are around 3,066 HIV+ patients in the state. Shanti came into contact with an NGO dealing with the HIV-infected in June this year after she lost her husband. She said that talking about AIDS in rural societies was still a taboo. She hadn’t disclosed to anybody in her village that she was HIV+, she added. An official of the J&K AIDS Control Society said, “Most of the HIV-infected women are reluctant to come forward for treatment. We have to work harder for them. We appoint counsellors for them who motivate them that the disease is curable if the patient has a strong will.”
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World AIDS Day observed
Jammu, December 1 Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma was the chief guest on the occasion, who emphasised on women empowerment, value-based education and overall uplift of the masses to eradicate the menace of AIDS. Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, GA Peer discussed about the role of the youth in spreading awareness among the people. Peer also emphasised on the issues related to zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. Project Director, JKSACS, Dr Rakesh Khajuria highlighted the significance of AIDS awareness programme for the people. Khajuria also talked in detail about AIDS and its prevention. He also spoke in detail about the efforts being made in combating AIDS through various programmes and activities. Khajuria appealed to the youth to actively participate in educating the people about AIDS. A blood donation camp was also organised where volunteers from the Civil Defence, the NSS and the NCC participated. Meanwhile, World AIDS Day was also observed by various other societies and departments of the state. Nearly 1,500 students from various schools also participated in the World AIDS rally organised by the Rotary club, Akhnoor. The Catholic Social Service Society and St Joseph Community Hospital, Smailpur, also observed World AIDS Day. |
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Lawyers to continue strike on registration issue
Udhampur, December 1 The decision was taken in the general house meeting of the Bar Association at Jammu, held here today. General secretary of the Bar Association Vikram Sharma said they had decided to continue their protest and abstention from work in all the courts till December 7, 2011. “The future course of action will be decided in the general house meeting on December 7,” he said. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was urged to immediately intervene in the matter and sort out the issue, keeping in view the aspirations of the legal fraternity across the state and the interests of the people. Meanwhile, the Bar Association at Jammu exhorted their counterparts in Kashmir to continue the protest until the state government comes clean on its move of transferring the powers of registration of documents from judicial officers to executive officers. The general house also thanked the Kashmir counterpart in joining the protest initiated by the Bar Association, Jammu. The Bar Associations of various districts and the muffasil areas have also joined hands with the Bar Association, Jammu, in the continuing strike, which has paralysed the court work in the entire Jammu region. As far the issue of direct recruitment was concerned, the association relented after a meeting of its delegation with the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, a couple of days back, in which lawyers grievances over the diversion of the quota of lawyers in direct recruitment to the posts of district and sessions Judges, fixing of higher cut-off of 60 per cent marks and the duration for the written examination were presented. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the proposal of the Chief Justice, which the general house deliberated upon in the today’s meeting. President of the Bar Association, Jammu, BS Salathia said the lawyers appreciated the intervention of the Chief Justice, who had proposed the Bar members to suspend their strike to facilitate the consideration of the lawyers’ grievances. So honouring this gesture, the full house meeting unanimously decided to suspend the strike so far their grievances with respect to the Recruitment Rules for the J&K Higher Judicial Services (Direct Recruitment) were concerned. The general house also complimented the Chief Justice for postponing the examinations for the selection to the J&K Higher Judicial services, added Salathia. On the other hand, meetings between the association’s delegation, led by its president Salathia with Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar and other ministers on the issue of registration work failed to satisfy the lawyers. “In light of these meetings, the general house today decided to continue the peaceful agitation unless the government took a concrete step,” added Vikram Sharma. |
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Kashmir lawyers protest move to amend RPC
Srinagar, December 1 The work in the courts in the Kashmir valley remained suspended due to the KHBA strike called against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recent statement that the RPC would be amended. The protesting lawyers assembled at the Sadar Court complex and then attempted to take out a procession towards Lal
Chowk. However, they were prevented from going out of the court premises by a heavy deployment of security forces. The protesters raised slogans against the government proposal to amend the RPC and demanded the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act
(AFSPA) from the state. The KHBA took the decision to go on strike at a general body meeting presided over by president of the association Mian Abdul Qayoom early this week. |
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Conversion Controversy
Srinagar, December 1 The commission team, led by its vice-chairperson Dr HT
Sangliana, met the Mirwaiz at his Nigeen residence here after Christian groups across the country had expressed fear that the Christians in Kashmir may be “targeted” in the wake of the reports of alleged conversions. A Hurriyat spokesman said
Sangliana, during the meeting with the Mirwaiz, expressed concern over the safety of the Christians in the Valley. However, the Mirwaiz assured the delegation that his conglomerate would ensure that the minorities did not face any problems. “Protecting minorities is our moral responsibility?. People belonging to different sects and religious beliefs have been living here for centuries and they have nothing to fear,” the Mirwaiz told the commission team. “We too are concerned about the reports of secret conversions and want to expose those involved in such incidents,” he added. Incidentally, a group of Muslim clerics had recently formed a 12-member core group headed by the Mirwaiz over the issue. The conversion controversy had come to the fore after a video of local Muslim youths being allegedly converted to Christianity appeared on social networking sites last month. The Muslim clerics took a serious note of the issue and held several meetings to formulate an action plan. The police had on November 20 arrested Rev CM
Khanna, who could be seen in the video, in the case. However, he was released on bail yesterday. |
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Gangs of vehicle lifters busted in Valley
Srinagar, December 1 Besides the stolen vehicles, Bukhari said mobile phones and gold items worth Rs 3 lakh were also recovered. Expressing concern over an alarming increase in the vehicle theft cases, he said a majority of the incidents had taken place in the east zone of Srinagar. “Vehicles worth Rs 99.5 lakh were recovered from the east zone of Srinagar alone. From the south zone of the city, vehicles worth Rs 75.50 lakh were recovered,” Bukhari said. |
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JMC adopts vehicle tracking system
The fleet of 150 vehicles of the JMC has been fitted with the GPS and the testing of the system is going on. The entire project will cost about Rs 12 lakh. The Commissioner, JMC, SC Sawhney, told The Tribune, “We have already started monitoring our vehicles through the VTMS and have found it worthwhile in improving our functioning. Though it is in the testing mode, we will implement it soon.” Sawhney said, “The VTMS is aimed at improving functioning at the field level. It is an innovative step to monitor and manage the municipal solid waste utility vehicles by keeping a track of their routes. It will also ensure fuel efficiency, besides the timeline of municipal services in the city.” The Municipal Commissioner said local residents had complained that the drivers of the JMC were not performing their duty properly. “There were complaints that garbage dumps from residential and public places were not being lifted in time, besides the JMC vehicles were wrongly parked causing traffic chaos in busy areas,” he added. “We hope that such issues will get resolved as the new monitoring system will help us keep a watch on our vehicles. If a vehicle goes outside the municipal limits, the corporation officials will immediately get an SMS alert,” he said. |
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Five-day civil defence camp ends
Jammu, December 1 Speaking on the occasion, the SP highlighted the role of the Civil Defence Department and the police in the care and protection of the lives and property of the people during natural calamities. Principal of the college Ajeet Angral advised NSS volunteers to draw optimum benefits from such events. Senior instructor, Civil Defence, Sudershan Singh presented a brief report regarding the activities undertaken during the camp. The activities included first aid, fire fighting, disaster management, safety measure during earthquakes and natural calamities in theory and practice. The resource persons of the function included Ram Kumar, SN Shyam and Alok Nanda. The NSS Programme Officer, Unit-I , M Mazammal Hussain, conducted the proceedings while the NSS Programme Officer, Unit-III, SC Sharma, presented a vote of thanks. — TNS
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Rally against recruitment policy
Jammu, December 1 According to the eyewitnesses the rally began from Ram Lila Ground and concluded at the DC office, after passing through the main market. About 200 youth participated in the rally. Protesters also submitted a memorandum in this regard to the District Development Commissioner, Kathua. Speaking on the occasion, JJM president Praveen said, “This government should roll back this anti-youth draconian policy. We hope that this agitation will turn out to be a statewide agitation soon.” Praveen said the government was insensitive towards the plight of the common people.
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Collegiate Club inaugurated at Vaishno Devi varsity
Udhampur, December 1 With this, SMVDU has become the only university running the student chapter of the SAE in the state. Dean College of Engineering, SMVDU, formally inaugurated the club of which Khalid Sheikh and Prabhat Shanker are the student chairperson and vice-chairperson, respectively while Dr Navdeep Malhotra and Yatheshth Anand are the faculty advisers of the club. On the occasion, Balbir Singh, Director School of Mechanical Engineering, spoke about the benefits of the club to the students. The annual competition was also organised by the club to mark the occasion. The students participated in various events with enthusiasm. Prabhat made a presentation about the club, giving details about various activities to be undertaken in future. The student members of the club, Akhil Mahajan and Hitesh Sharma, spoke about their selection in the Virtual Baja India Competition. Vice-chancellor of the SMVDU Prof RNK Bamezai presided over the prize distribution ceremony in which Taranvir Singh Gujral, Director TV Super Filter Industries was the guest of honour. The Vice-chancellor of SMVDU felicitated the office-bearers of the club and gave away trophies and certificates to the winners of the various events. The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of a special memento to the university’s team, “The MechaniX” for its selection in top 100 colleges in the country, in the Virtual Baja India Competition. Prof Bamezai wished the team members good luck for the final event to be held on February 19, 2012, at Indore. He appreciated Dr Navdeep Malhotra for initiating the move with the help of the School of Mechanical Engineering to open a student chapter of SAE India in the university and expressed the hope that the students would derive maximum benefit through its activities. The guest of honour talked about the benefits of the association between the club and TV Super Filter Industries. |
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Art exhibition receives poor response
Jammu, December 1 On the third day, the exhibition wore a deserted look. Neither any visitor nor the artists, whose works had been put on display, could be seen at the exhibition. The organisers of the exhibition were also conspicuous by their absence. Curiously, most of the paintings and sculptures put up for public viewing are those that have been displayed in various exhibitions held here earlier. In the six-day exhibition, about 60 pieces of artistic works by an equal number of artists have been put on display. MLC MY Taing inaugurated the exhibition on November 29. It houses a majority of sculptures by Ganesh Kumar Sharma while there are paintings by artists like ND Jamwal, Manoj Chopra, Sunita Amla, Jehangir Qazi and Hussain Qazi Ashiq. “The event is being organised so that the people get acquainted with the art and culture of the state and the artists get a chance to display their creative works. But it has got a poor response, which means that people have lost interest in such activities,” said an employee of the JKAACL at the exhibition. However, OP Sharma, Director of the JKCCA, said the academy had taken an initiative to revive art-related activities in the city. “The cold response is primarily because of the fact that such exhibitions are not a regular feature here. However, our initiative is likely to encourage the local artists. The artists, who have participated in our exhibition, will soon get a chance to exhibit their works in 10 states,” he added. “The academy is not charging anything for providing the gallery to the organisers for at least six days. Besides, we have not extended any monetary support to them,” said additional secretary of the JKAACL Savita
Bakshi. |
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Sarpanches to fine smokers
Srinagar, December 1 “The government has empowered sarpanches and panches for imposing fine on anyone found smoking in a public place,” an official said here today. He said the announcement was made during an anti-smoking programme held here. Even as the government earlier this year had banned smoking at public places in Kashmir, anti-tobacco squads after the directive had started imposing fine on smokers. The government has decided to make Srinagar a “smoking free zone” by 2013.
— OC
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CRPF vacates Firdous Cinema in Valley
Srinagar, December 1 Officials said the CRPF personnel had vacated the premises of the cinema hall in downtown Srinagar and relocated to the border district of Kupwara in north Kashmir. Firdous Cinema, one of the popular movie halls in the summer capital, was occupied by the CRPF in early 1990’s after the eruption of militancy, which left the movie halls defunct. Militants had carried out dozens of attacks, including a suicide attack on the cinema hall which was turned into a security camp in November 2005. Two ultras and three CRPF personnel were killed in one of the attacks. The premises were also under the occupation of the BSF, which replaced the CRPF to fight the militancy in 1993 before they again handed it over to the CRPF in 2003. Local residents of the Hawal area and the adjoining areas have expressed satisfaction over the vacation of the cinema complex by the security forces
— PTI
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Almost all wholesale and retail commodity markets remained closed in the winter capital here today following a call for Jammu bandh.
The police today busted several gangs of car and motorcycle lifters operating across the city and recovered vehicles worth Rs 2.66 crore. Addressing a press conference here today, SSP, Srinagar, Ashiq Bukhari said 15 persons, including a minor, belonging to several gangs of vehicle thieves were arrested and 51 cars and 63 motorcycles worth Rs 2.66 crore were recovered from their possession. He said the arrested persons also included four kingpins of the gangs while three other accused were still absconding.
Jammu, December 1
Jammu , December 1