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Cabinet gives nod to state drug policy
Jammu SSP shifted over ‘adverse’ report against minister
document
Leak
Super-speciality hospital to be ready by March
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BJP leaders skip function, register protest
Mercury below freezing point for 4th day in Valley
RAISING
DAY
Cross-LoC traders want independent custodians
2 shopkeepers held for selling rotten food
Revelry at Indo-Pak border on Lohri eve
Lohri celebrated at degree college
Governor greets people on Lohri
13-day
tour of Army ends
Draft plan for Mansar-Surinsar Lakes formulated
Police-public meet held
Ensure constitutional protection to Gojri, say experts
Jamaat slams Omar
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Cabinet gives nod to state drug policy
Jammu, January 12 Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma said the new drug policy, a first for the state, would help ensure a balanced growth of the health sector in the state. It would also rationalise the use of drugs. He said the policy involved the selection of essential drugs list by an expert committee, to be known as “State Drug Committee”. The committee will comprise clinicians, microbiologists, qualified pharmacists and independent experts, besides senior functionaries of various departments. He said there would be a separate committee for the Indian System of Medicines (ISM). The Health Minister said the policy had been formulated under the directions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was keen on upgrading the healthcare status of Jammu and Kashmir. Sham Lal Sharma said the drug policy also envisaged rationalising the number of drug licences in the state. Only those drugs on the essential drugs list would be procured and the drugs would be selected taking into account the demand, lead time, transportation and emergency needs. He said an appropriate inventory control system to prevent excessive stocking of items had been put in place in the drug policy, which also took care of the proper recall and disposal procedures to be followed as per the standard guidelines. He said the policy also envisaged the strengthening of the Drug and Food Control Organisation and drug testing laboratories. It also provided for promoting the rational use of drugs in the state so that patients received medicines appropriately. He said the concept of essential drugs, rational drug use and generic prescription would be an integral part of the basic and in-service training of health professionals under the policy. A “Drug Information Centre” would be established in the state to provide appropriate drug information. The Cabinet also approved the summoning of the State Legislature for the Budget Session from February 23. It also approved the conversion of 6,627 hectares of forest land as the Trata Kuti Wildlife Sanctuary in lieu of the proposed de-notification of the Trikuta Wildlife Sanctuary. In another decision, the Cabinet approved the transfer of a piece of land in favour of the Social Welfare Department for SOS Children’s village located in Tullamulla tehsil. Besides, the creation of an employees and pensioners’ database - Centralised Personal Information System (CPIS) - in the state was approved. The Cabinet further approved the creation of posts of various categories in the NCC. The Cabinet gave its nod to Abdul Hakeem’s re-employment as Deputy Director, District Motor Garages, Leh, for one year. It also approved the transfer and posting of Mushtaq Ahmed Mir, KAS, Additional Commissioner (Administration), Commercial Taxes, Kashmir, as Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department, Kashmir.
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Jammu SSP shifted over ‘adverse’
Jammu, January 12 Last evening, the government ordered the appointment of Prabhat Singh, Commandant, IRP 15 Battalion, as the new SSP, Jammu. However, the government decision to transfer Jain has not gone down well with the state police department. Police officers felt politicians were having the “last laugh” in the trouble-torn state. They maintained that it would set a “wrong precedent” and “encourage the political class to prove their hegemony over the honest and upright” police officers. On October 21, Anand Jain had made a written communication to his seniors, including the IGP, Jammu, Dilbagh Singh, and the DIG, Jammu-Kathua range, Farooq Khan, apprising them of a “threatening phone call” made by a Cabinet minister to the then SDPO, Domana, asking him not to interfere in a land dispute. “The decision was on anticipated lines as the leak of the document, prepared by Anand Jain, to the media had created an uneasiness in the state political class. The decision will bring down the morale of the police officers, as they will think twice before initiating action against any politician or political worker,” a senior police officer told The Tribune, requesting anonymity. A Superintendent of Police (SP), who also wished not to be named, remarked: “We failed to understand the criteria followed to single out Anand Jain and punish him for an action that needed to be appreciated. Though we are not aware of the exact recommendations of the commission in this case, the criteria followed to single out the SSP should be made public.” Police officers now felt that they should not make any complaint or apprise their seniors of the alleged “harassment” they faced at the hands of the political class. “Officers close to the political class have got plum postings, while those who perform their duties with sincerity and honesty are at the receiving end,” said a senior police officer. On December 28, The Tribune had reported that top police officers had asked, though verbally, their subordinates, including SSPs, SPs and DSPs, not to make any complaints in writing against politicians. On December 23, the state government had ordered an inquiry headed by the Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department, BR Sharma, to probe the circumstances leading to the report filed by the SSP, Jammu, naming a Cabinet minister. The inquiry would also look into the manner in which an official communication was leaked to
the media. |
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document
Leak
Jammu, January 12 Sharma, whose name figured in the leaked official document, is reportedly adamant on his demand that some punitive action should be taken against those, who were responsible for leaking the confidential document. The controversy over the leakage of the official secret document is refusing to settle down, as not only the Health Minister, but also Congress leadership has taken a serious note of the apprehension aired by some party workers that some forces in the administration had launched a campaign against Congress ministers. Sources said the Health Minister had conveyed his feeling to the party leadership, especially to Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz and had made it clear that he would continue to pursue his case. The minister is seriously thinking to approach the court to get the matter
thoroughly probed, sources said. They added that the minister had toughened his stand on the controversy, which was likely to deepen in the coming days. It was alleged that the minister had threatened the then SDPO of dire consequences, if he continued to interfere in a dispute over a piece of land, measuring two kanals, in the Lower Muthi area on the outskirts of Jammu city. The minister demanded punitive action against those, who were responsible for leaking the
document. Keeping in view the stand taken by the minister, the government had constituted an enquiry committee headed by Commissioner Secretary, Home, BR
Sharma. After the Sharma Committee submitted its report on Wednesday, the government transferred SSP, Jammu, Anand Jain, but the minister was not satisfied with the action taken by the government. Although the Health Minister has refused to speak on the controversy, sources close to the minister told The Tribune that he (minister) had conveyed his feeling to appropriate
quarters. The annoyed minister today skipped an important function, which was organised in connection with the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in which Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was the chief guest and Sharma had to preside over the
function. |
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Super-speciality hospital to be ready by March
Jammu, January 12 In 2004, the then BJP-led NDA regime had decided to build 13 AIIMS-like institutes in the country. A sum of Rs 120 crore had been sanctioned for the 220-bed super-speciality hospital in Jammu. Minister for Medical and Technical Education RS Chib, while talking to The Tribune said: “We have fixed March 31 as the deadline for the completion of the super-speciality hospital in Jammu. We have missed the deadlines thrice, but this time 90 per cent of the work has already been done. We are confident that we will not miss the deadline this time.” In 2006, the then Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, had fixed an 18-month deadline for the completion of the hospital. Later, the government had fixed December, 2010 as the second deadline, which the executing agencies failed to meet. The deadline was revised again and the government had set June 30, 2011, to make the hospital functional. On completion, the hospital will house six specialities, reducing burden on the GMCH to a large extent. The super-speciality hospital will offer facilities in cardiology, neurology, cardio-thoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS), nephrology, urology and
neurosurgery.
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BJP leaders skip function, register protest
Jammu, January 12 The hospital is being run by BJP supporters, but party leaders boycotted the function, as it had been organised by expelled BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta. “It was purely a non-political function. We had invited leaders from all political parties, including the BJP, but I failed to understand why BJP leaders skipped the function,” Gupta told The Tribune. He added the Trust management was dominated by BJP supporters. “After I was expelled from the party, I offered to relinquish the post of chairman of the Trust, but the members persuaded me to continue, in the interest of the hospital,” he said. Leaders of all political parties, including the RSS were present in large numbers in the function, but BJP leaders were conspicuous by their absence. “The decision of BJP leaders not to attend the function reflects their mindset,” a Sangh Parivar leader, who was present in the function told The Tribune. He said the function was purely non-political. “It is not about who is running the Trust. Our aim is to continue the noble cause of serving the people,” he said However, the expelled BJP MLAs were present in the function along with their supporters. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ,who was the chief guest in the function said a strong foundation of a progressive state was in its health status. He said charitable hospitals had an important role in supplementing the efforts of the government to provide health care facilities to the people, especially to poor and downtrodden. “Though we have done a lot to improve the conditions of hospitals and health centres in the state, but more has to be done to develop the sector as a model,” Omar said, adding that priority attention of the government was to ensure quality treatment to patients in government hospitals. “This is a biggest challenge before us and we have initiated various measures in this direction to make the necessary dent,” the Chief Minister added while referring to the constitution of the Task Force on health sector for its modernisation and consolidation. |
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Mercury below freezing point for 4th day in Valley
Srinagar, January 12 For past four nights and three days, the mercury has remained below zero, leading to severe cold wave conditions in Kashmir. In Srinagar, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 3.8°C, showing a drop of 0.5°C from last night, a MeT official said. The official said the maximum temperature had fallen below the freezing point in Srinagar and adjoining areas for the first time since 1995 when it had plunged to minus 2.1°C. The ski resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 16.4°C, showing a decrease of 1.6°C from last night. In Pahalgam in south Kashmir, mercury touched a low of minus 12.1°C, the official said, a drop of 1.4°C from yesterday. The gateway town of Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 7.2°C while the frontier Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minus of 3.9°C, he added. The people in the Valley have been making extra efforts to keep themselves warm, using more woollen clothes and lighting small fires by roadsides to beat the cold. The Kashmir valley has been witnessing the harshest part of winter, ‘Chillai-Kalaan’, a 40-day period which began in December and will last throughout January. Water supply was affected as the chilling weather froze the supply pipes to houses. Meanwhile, mercury in Leh town of remote Ladakh region had plunged to a minimum of minus 10.4 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature in adjoining Kargil district was recorded at extreme minus 18.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.
— PTI
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RAISING
DAY
Srinagar, January 12 “Like 2011, this year will be a year of peace in the Valley where the Army will stand shoulder to shoulder with the populace in all its endeavours,” General Officer Commanding (GOC), Chinar Corps, Lt Gen SA Hasnain said here. He said this at a ceremony to commemorate the 96th Raising Day of the Chinar Corps at the BB Cantonment War Memorial here early this morning. “Besides steadfastly guarding the borders, the Chinar Corps has been at the forefront in the fight against the ongoing proxy war in the Valley. Notwithstanding the operational commitments, the troops with the whole-hearted support of the ‘awam’ (people) and in conjunction with the state administration has undertaken development projects through its Sadhbhavana schemes and initiatives towards ameliorating the general condition of the people and alleviating their problems,” Hasnain added. In his message to the troops, he urged them to “maintain the highest levels of operational readiness while rededicating themselves towards achieving their goals”. Hasnain also paid floral tributes to the martyrs at the BB Cantonment War Memorial. The Chinar Corps was raised on this day in 1916 and remained active during the World War-I & II and the Kargil conflict operations.
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Cross-LoC traders want independent custodians
The cross-LoC trade, touted to be the biggest confidence-building measure between India and Pakistan, takes place four days i.e. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday every week via Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch and Salamabad in Baramulla. “At a meeting on June 22 last year with the representatives of cross-LoC traders, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had agreed to provide us with independent custodians along with full-fledged staff but nothing has happened so far,” Pawan Anand, president of the Chamber of LoC Trade, Jammu and Kashmir, told The Tribune. The general manager of the District Industries Corporation, Hamid Sheikh, has been given additional charge of the custodian at the trade centre in Poonch. Same is the case with the charge at Baramulla, he added. One person cannot look after two departments simultaneously and that too, when the number of days for trade has gone up, contended Anand. Earlier, around 50 vehicles used to ferry merchandise via Chakan-da-Bagh on two days but now the frequency of trading days as well as number of vehicles have increased, he said, adding that at least 100 to 125 vehicles ferried merchandise via Chakan-da-Bagh alone on a single trading day. He said the customs department and the CID had increased the strength of their staff ever since the two countries agreed to increase the trading days from two to four days a week. The custodian has a sensitive job of releasing the vehicles that ferry the merchandise to Pakistani traders. “Proper facilities can only be made available when the government provides us with independent custodians along with requisite staff,” said Anand. In a bid to give impetus to the trade, the state government, in August last year, had promulgated an ordinance, introducing amendments to the VAT Act, 2005, which had made the cross-LoC trade tax-free for goods manufactured in the state. The ordinance was promulgated by the Governor on August 26 on the recommendations of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
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2 shopkeepers held for selling rotten food
Srinagar, January 12 During a checking conducted by a joint team of police and CAPD officials, four quintals of vegetables, rotten fruits and food items were seized and later destroyed. One and half quintals of polythene bags were also seized during the drive. The joint team arrested the two shopkeepers — Mushtaq Ahmad Gani and Nisar Ahmad Sofi — under the Essential Commodities Act. The officials also recovered a fine of Rs 3,300 from 15 shopkeepers. A similar drive was conducted by the police, revenue department and CAPD officials at Tral in Pulwama district of south Kashmir. During the checking, a fine of Rs 800 was imposed on defaulters on the spot and 20 kg rotten vegetables and fruits were destroyed.
— OC |
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Revelry at Indo-Pak border on Lohri eve
Suchetgarh (Indo-Pak
border), January 12 Jawans joined groups of civilians and some politicians, who had come from Jammu and neighbouring villages, to celebrate the festival, signifying the burning of evil and end of harsh winter. A special rock band show was organised as jawans and villagers danced around a bonfire in the backdrop of the border flood lights. “An eerie silence usually prevails here, barring the movement due to infiltration attempts. The festival revelry breaks the monotony of the soldiers,” said a BSF officer. |
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Lohri celebrated at degree college
Reasi, January 12 The mood on the campus was upbeat and the students were totally absorbed in the festive spirit of Lohri. A cultural extravaganza comprising traditional songs and dance was presented by the students.
— OC |
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Governor greets people on Lohri
Jammu, January 12 The Governor said the celebration of festivals was an important facet of our pluralistic history and revived and re-invigorated the bonds of communal harmony, brotherhood, amity and secular ethos. He prayed for sustained peace, progress and prosperity in the state.
— TNS
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13-day tour of Army ends
Jammu, January 12 The Governor was interacting with a group of 24 students from various educational institutions in the Bhadarwah area of Doda district, who called on him at Raj Bhawan here this evening after returning from a 13-day educational tour to various places of historical and cultural importance in Goa and Delhi. The tour was organised by 4 RR Battalion of the Army under Operation Sadbhavana. Students from Class VII to B.A Part I shared their experiences of the tour with the Governor. The students were accompanied by an officer and personnel of the 4 RR and two school teachers. The Governor enquired from the students about the places they had visited during the tour and those they had liked the most. All the students said the Army had given them an excellent opportunity to visit places of educational, historical and cultural interests. He also enquired from the students about the professions they wished to choose in future, their hobbies and sports activities they were involved in. The Governor told Maj Alok Babu, who had accompanied the students on the tour to provide each student a brief write-up, giving details of various historical places and monuments they had visited to broaden their knowledge. He said during future visits to any coastal area the children must also be taken on board Navy or Coast Guard ships. During their visit to Panjim, Madgaon and Vasco-da-Gama in Goa the students visited the Naval Aviation Museum, the Aguada Fort, the Calangute Beach, the Bogmalla Beach, the Colva Beach, main markets and other places of historical and cultural interest. In Delhi, the students visited the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Red Fort, the Raj Ghat, the Qutab Minar, the Jamia Masjid, the Jantar Mantar, the Lotus Temple and other important landmarks. They also had a metro train ride in Delhi. The Governor presented gifts to the students and wished them a bright future. |
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Draft plan for Mansar-Surinsar Lakes formulated
Jammu, January 12 The Chief Town Planning Organisation, Jammu, has prepared a plan for the Surinsar and Mansar Development Authority, officials of the Housing and Urban Development Ministry said. Through a notice, the public and all other officials concerned have been invited to render objections and suggestions, they added. The twin lakes are famous for a wildlife sanctuary, boating and water sports, besides having religious significance.
— TNS
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Police-public meet held
Reasi, January 12 A large number of people of the area, police officers and personnel of the Reasi police were present in the meeting. The SSP stressed on police-public coordination, updating of professional skills and collection of relevant intelligence, in order to deal with serious challenges of law and order effectively. Goel told police personnel to serve with dedication and zeal to win the confidence of the people. He also issued necessary guidelines and instructions to them, in discharging their duties. The local residents appreciated the police for its efforts, in eliminating militancy from the area. The participants were told that the police had achieved success in the field because of the public cooperation and hoped the same cooperation would be extended to them in future to eradicate militancy from the area completely. The SSP assured the people that their genuine demands would be taken up with the quarters concerned for consideration. Later, Goel inaugurated the new building complex of the Chassana police station.
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Ensure constitutional protection to Gojri, say experts
Jammu, January 12 Participants urged upon the authorities to ensure constitutional protection to Gojri, which was an oldest and significant tribal language of the country, spoken by the Gujjars and Bakerwals. Dr Javaid Rahi, chief editor of the cultural academy, said the main objective of organising the seminar was to propagate the message and philosophy of Sufi poets, who had enriched Gojri with their valuable poetry.
— TNS |
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Jamaat slams Omar
Srinagar, January 12 “Jamaat-e-Islami strongly criticises Omar Abdullah’s statement describing the issuance of visa in favour of Salman Rushdie a non-issue for the Muslim community, thereby playing with their religious sentiments. Omar’s statement depicts his ignorance of the history of the Muslims,” Jamaat spokesperson Zahid Ali said here.
— OC
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Jammu, January 12