|
|
|
|
|
Disappearance of file
Valley remains cut off for second day
Bad weather hampers air traffic in Valley
|
|
|
Omar briefs Governor on key issues
Snowfall forces suspension of Vaishno Devi yatra
Govt caught on the wrong foot: PDP
Omar leads the pack on Twitter
Rain a boon for region, say experts
Omar govt’s report card a photo album, says BJP
Girl on mission to help visually impaired
SAHYOG celebrates silver jubilee
2 revenue officials among 6 booked
Special AI flights to Srinagar today
|
|
Disappearance of file
A peeved Public Health, Engineering and Irrigation Minister Taj Mohiuddin, who is campaigning for the takeover of the Salal and Uri hydropower project from the NHPC, told The Tribune that a special Cabinet meeting was likely to be held later this month to discuss the “serious” issue and recommend a high-level investigation and criminal action, if required. He said the sub-committee had recommended action over the issue at a meeting held last week. “I am pressing for a special Cabinet meeting on this issue only,” he said. The Irrigation Minister, who was instrumental in declaring the possession of the Salal project by the NHPC “illegal” in November last year, has further upped the ante with the recommendation of the Cabinet sub-committee. He said the NHPC had no licence to run the project, adding: “The licence ended in 1987 and has never been renewed.” The file contains the agreement between the NHPC, the state government and the Central government over the ownership, construction, running, maintenance, sharing of power, and the transfer of the project if the state government was capable of buying it. The file assumes significance as the state government is claiming that it is the owner of the project, while the NHPC maintains that the project is exempt from the amended “Transfer of Immovable Property Act-1977. The officials have been shying away from issuing media statements and refraining from commenting on the latest developments. However, a copy of a letter written to the Special Secretary to the PHE and Irrigation Department reveals the claim of the NHPC. It says: “The project was initially started by the Ministry of Energy, Government of India, in the early 70s. Later on, it was transferred to NHPC Ltd, including its land as well as other immovable assets, from November, 1987 on ‘ownership’ basis.” It further states that as the project was quite old, the copy of the minutes of the meeting/agreement with the state government for the execution, operation and maintenance of the Salal project was not traceable at present. The NHPC sources said the situation and the stand of the NHPC were the same even now. Taj Mohiuddin said it was ironic that the “file” containing key information had gone missing from the records of the NHPC, state government and Government of India, and even the state Archives. “This is why we had formed a Cabinet sub-committee to discuss the issue,” he said. The sub-committee was headed by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora, Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, besides Taj Mohiuddin. |
|
|
Valley remains cut off for second day
Srinagar, January 16 Most parts of the Valley received moderate to heavy snowfall since last night. Srinagar received eight inches of snow today, while north Kashmir areas of Tangmarg, Gulmarg, Baba Reshi, Sheeri and Baramulla received eight, six, seven, 11 and four inches of snow, respectively. South Kashmir areas of Anantnag, Shopian and Pulwama received four, eight and five inches of snow, respectively. Budgam in central Kashmir received 10 inches of snow, while the tourist resort of Yusmarg in the south-west of Kashmir received one foot of snow. The Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which was recently opened to one-way traffic, continued to remain closed for vehicular traffic for the second consecutive day. The highway is the Valley’s only surface link to the rest of the country. While the snowfall threw normal life out of gear, it resulted in an increase in the night temperature here in the city. A MeT official said the city recorded a minimum temperature of -2.2 °C last night as compared to -3.5 °C the night before. On Friday night, the city had recorded the lowest temperature in the past 16 years at -7.8 °C. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 1.5 °C today. In other parts of the Valley, the night temperatures also rose by a few degrees. The MeT office has forecast light to moderate snow and rainfall in the Valley for the next 24 hours. The Disaster Management Kashmir had yesterday issued a medium avalanche alert for the higher reaches of the Valley.
Police trainee killed, 38 hurt Srinagar, January 16 “A tin shed collapsed due to heavy snowfall at the Police Training Centre, Lethpora, in which 39 trainees and officials were injured. The injured were shifted to different hospitals. One of the injured trainees succumbed to his injuries,” the police said. The deceased has been identified as Vikram Singh of Samba district in Jammu region.
|
|
|
Bad weather hampers air traffic in Valley
Jammu, January 16 After roads, bad weather has now hit the air traffic, with all flights from the Srinagar airport to the Jammu airport remaining suspended on the second consecutive day. This has caused inconvenience to the passengers, for whom air services are the last option to move in or out of the Valley. Officials blame snow on the runway and poor visibility for the disruption in the movement of air traffic. Sanjeev Misri, manager, Air India, says: “The major problem was with the Srinagar-bound flights. Snow on the runway there coupled with poor visibility has led to the cancellation of all Srinagar-bound flights,” “The other flights were not affected to that extent. There has been a delay in some flights but it’s not much.” The main connection between Jammu to Srinagar, the national highway, remained severed due to the bad weather conditions for the third consecutive day. Fresh snowfall, which began on Saturday night, continued on the third day in most parts of the Valley and rain continued to lash the Jammu region, crippling the normal life, with most people preferring to remain indoor. Sources said the authorities were trying to clear snow from the highway, but it would take some more time. Many passengers are reportedly stranded on the highway, with extreme cold conditions making things difficult for them. However, the situation was different at the Jammu railway station as the Jammu-Udhampur local trains were the only medium of connectivity for the people travelling from Jammu to Udhampur and vice versa.
Dharmari-Mahore road still closed Reasi, January 16 The link between Dharmari-Mahore in the district has been severed due to landslides since January 14, they said. Authorities of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Army were trying to clear the blockades caused by the landslides, they said, adding that incessant rain was hampering the work. Vehicles, carrying fruit, milk, vegetables and other commodities, were also stranded at different points between Dharmari and Mahore. However, the district administration had made necessary arrangements for the provision of essential commodities to the people in Mahore, they added.
|
|
|
Omar briefs Governor on key issues
Jammu, January 16 During their one and a half hour meeting, the Governor and the Chief Minister discussed important issues relating to the state ,which included interalia, the upcoming Budget Session of the state Legislature, establishment of the Panchayati Raj institutions, elections to the Urban Local Bodies, setting up of State Vigilance Commission, matters related to the functioning of the state universities, measures being considered to eradicate corruption and for time-bound completion of major development projects. Omar also briefed the Governor about internal security management issues and about various measures taken to provide succour to the people, in the wake of ongoing snowfall and rain in the state. |
|
|
Snowfall forces suspension of Vaishno Devi yatra
Katra, January 16 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) officials said following heavy snowfall on the Trikuta hills, the track got slippery and the administration took the decision to suspend the yatra temporarily. The shrine board officials added that the pilgrimage was likely to resume tomorrow, depending on the weather conditions. The decision to suspend the yatra had been taken as a precautionary measure. Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) SMVDSB MK Bhandari said following heavy snowfall at the Bhawan and Adh Kanwari, pilgrims were prevented from proceeding towards the shrine, keeping in view the slippery conditions at many places along the 13-km-long track. Over 7,200 pilgrims visited the shrine till 4 pm today. On January 8, the yatra was suspended because of bad weather and heavy snowfall. |
|
|
Govt caught on the wrong foot: PDP
Srinagar, January 16 The government had been caught on the wrong foot by the three inches of snow and instead of preparing for the eventuality, it doled out hollow assurances of having stockpiled essential commodities, the PDP leaders said in a joint statement here. Calling the latest decision of the government to refill LPG cylinders for domestic use with only 5 kg gas, instead of the usual 14 kg, a “cruel joke” and “backbreaking” for the common man, the PDP leaders said: “In addition to 16 hours of load-shedding and amid the failure to restore electricity to various parts of the Valley post snowfall, the decision to cut down LPG supply has only exposed the tall claims of the government as a complete farce.” “With the first hint of winter and the renewed snow, the government machinery, which was only based on meetings, gatherings and statistics, crumbled like a pack of cards. Moreover, no action has been taken to check black market, which apparently suggests that officials in the administration are also a party to such activities,” they added. Terming Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s visits to different parts of Valley an “eyewash”, the PDP accused the CM of “fooling” the people. The PDP leaders claimed that a majority of areas in south Kashmir were still cut off and without electricity from the previous snowfall. “Traffic mismanagement is at its peak due to the latest snowfall, which has totally crippled the main towns and it is for the first time that the national highway has not been cleared on time, resulting in the shortage of essential commodities. Basic services have almost disappeared and essential commodities are now a rare sight,” they added. |
|
|
Omar leads the pack on Twitter
Tech-savvy Omar, who was sworn-in as the youngest Chief Minister of politically-sensitive Jammu and Kashmir on January 5, 2009, has topped the list of politicians having the largest number of followers and tweets on Twitter. Though his controversial tweets, including favouring clemency for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, have drawn him a fair bit of criticism, his fame on the site is undeniable, as his followers’ number is set to touch the one-lakh mark. Till today, the number of his followers and tweets stood at 98,322 and 4,353, respectively. Omar had joined Twitter on January 9, 2011 after he was forced to abandon blogging on his National Conference’s official website due to abusive language and personal attacks against him. He, however, started making regular tweets only after the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, tweeted from the Jammu airport about the restriction of the state government on BJP leaders, preventing them from entering Jammu, ahead of the Tiranga Yatra on January 26, 2011. Omar didn’t stop tweeting and vowed that he would continue to use the micro-blogging site even after some of his followers made personal attack against him. “Just in case anyone is under the mistaken impression that I’ve been bullied off Twitter — sorry but here I am and I’m not going anywhere,” Omar had tweeted. Omar makes 12-15 tweets a day and gives his followers a crisp insight into his daily routine. Some of his tweets are on funny, informative things, while others are an instant reaction to major developments in the state, country and world, besides updates about his visits. Tweets thus far Controversial n
If J&K assembly had passed a resolution similar to the Tamil Nadu one for Afzal Guru, would the reaction have been as muted? I think not n
On a separate note, I believe the Union Ministers heading sports bodies should have recused themselves from the Sports Bill discussion On Kashmir n
Srinagar’s only international flight was stopped because Pakistan didn’t allow overflight & yet they claim to be Kashmiris’ sympathisers n
Kudos to the German Ambassador in Delhi & his Government for the pragmatic decision to revise the travel advisory related to Kashmir n
So an American National is arrested by an American Law Enforcement Agency & Kashmir is expected to shut down. Way to go everyone On detractors n
A young man was shot dead in Sopore yesterday for no apparent fault of his. Where the hell are all the irate voices??? Bloody hypocrites n
PDP’s version of leading from the front - send the MLAs to face the stones & get yourself on a plane to Delhi n
Glad to see those who had accused me of shrinking political space. Using some of that space today in Srinagar On media n
Have seen with dismay and anguish the growing tide of speculation in the media about my private life and the status of my marriage n
Stories abt my remarriage are completely false, concocted. It’s a pity, while repeating these lies, no effort was made to ask me the truth Funny n
I Hate Mosquitoes! n “I can’t believe NO ONE at home in Jammu remembered to recharge my Tata Sky account. I can’t watch the tennis. Arrrrrrggghhhh #Wimbledon n
My life is jhingalala again :-) n
Hey I got tweeted by Mehbooba Mufti but gosh, there’s no way I’d believe it’s really her. Show me a sign Mehbooba!!!!! n
SMS from a friend - After a fish called Wanda I want a wife called Wendy n Can someone tell me why Ganguly has to wear sunglasses indoors? Does he have conjunctivitis???? (sic)
|
|
|
Rain a boon for region, say experts
Jammu, January 16 Abdul Rashid Zargar, Assistant Director, meteorological office, Srinagar, says: “We had been keenly awaiting this spell of rain ever since the onset of the winter and it was feared that an undue delay in the same could spoil the crop. Fortunately, the state has received requisite rainfall in the required time span.” He says the rain is the result of western disturbances that influence the state in January. “Western disturbances have been our lifeline. Our flora and fauna depend on it. We had feared a dry spell but it finally occurred and saved us from a certain disaster. It is a god’s gift,” he adds. It has rained heavily since Saturday, with the region recording 45 mm of rainfall, as per the latest reports. Higher terrains of the Jammu region have received heavy rainfall with 50 mm in Banihal, 34 mm in Batote and 35 mm in Bhaderwah. “This snowfall has ensured significant water reserves for the summer and almost all rain-fed areas have been cultivated during the rain. No doubt, normal life has been affected, with inhabitants, particularly in the Valley and other snow-hit areas, facing hardships, but it is going to be quite beneficial later,” says Zargar. However, the city has observed a considerable fall in temperature, with the minimum temperature being recorded at 3.4 °C and maximum at 12 °C on Monday. Dr M K Khushu, Chief Scientist and Head, Division of Agronomy, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu, says: “The weather will remain cloudy tomorrow but there will be a decline in the amount of rainfall. Moderate rain is expected on Tuesday.” 2,000 vehicles stranded Over 2,000 vehicles remained stranded at different points on the national highway following its closure due to rain and fresh snowfall. The 300-km-long national highway serves as the only surface link with the Kashmir valley. Unending queues of stranded vehicles, mostly trucks, were seen at Nagrota and Nandani. Kashmir-bound passengers remained stranded at the general bus stand due to the closure of the highway. All scheduled flights between Jammu and Srinagar were also got cancelled because of the bad weather and low visibility at the Srinagar airport. Poultry stock meant for the Valley was being sold at different outlets in Jammu due to the uncertainty over the reopening of the highway. |
|
|
Omar govt’s report card a photo album, says BJP
Jammu, January 16 “The booklet released by Omar Abdullah to highlight his achievements of past three years is more of a photo album with Chief Minister’s pictures taken by the state Information Department. The photo album as well as the pompous function organised to celebrate Omar Abdullah’s so-called achievements was only a publicity stunt done at the cost of the public exchequer,” BJP state chief Shamsher Singh Manhas told reporters here. PDP condemns attack on Yog Guru The PDP today condemned the attack on Yog Guru Baba Ram Dev and described it as a “well-planned” conspiracy. Led by youth leader Vikram Singh, PDP activists assembled in the busy Kachi Chawni area and staged a demonstration. They said the incident could be a ‘conspiracy’ to create sympathy for Ramdev. “I condemn this incident. This should not have happened...It seems like a conspiracy to create sympathy for Baba Ramdev,” they said, adding that the attacker should be punished. CM briefed on availability
of essential supplies Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and BEACON to redouble their efforts in restoring traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to help push essential commodities and LPG to the Valley on priority. The Chief Minister was also briefed on present snowfall situation and supply of essentials to the people through video-conferencing from Jammu . He directed the administration to respond quickly to people’s needs and put men and machinery on a high alert to tackle weather vagaries and eventualities in a befitting manner. He also directed the officials concerned to provide food and necessary shelter to passengers stranded at various places on the national highway.
|
|
|
Girl on mission to help visually impaired
Jammu, January 16 A student of Class VII, Prakriti was here to speak in the silver jubilee function of SAHYOG (Serving All Humanity Yearningly Over Globe), India, an NGO working for the welfare of differently abled children and destitute in the state. The little missionary has won many awards and has also met former President APJ Abdul Kalam. Prakriti has also been named in the Limca Book of Awards for convincing about 38,000 people in the country to donate eyes after their death. She says that so far at least 105 persons have donated their eyes following her persuasion. Talking to The Tribune a determined Prakriti said she was just four when she embarked on the mission with a resolve to light up the lives of visually challenged people. “My parents had adopted some visually challenged inmates at a rehabilitation institute. I would accompany them whenever they visited the institute. There I befriended an inmate, Shivam, who was partially blind. But before I could do something for him, he passed away,” she recalled. She added: “Even a small country like Sri Lanka exports 10,000 corneas every year, but our country has been facing paucity of cornea donations for want of awareness. I have come to know that Jammu and Kashmir does not have provisions for organ donation and transplantation. The government must do the needful so the people with any sort of disability do not suffer.” Prakriti said her parents, Dr Roopesh Kumar and Dr Ranjana, both eye surgeons, have been her inspiration. “Earlier, very few people would approach us for eye donation, but after our daughter joined us in the cause, every month at least four persons visit us for eye donation,” Dr Roopesh said. Dr Roopesh added: “All the members of our family have registered their names in the Anatomy Department of King George Medical College, Lucknow, for donating our bodies after the death. It would be a service to the humanity and science. Burial or cremation hardly makes any sense to us.” “Next month we are going to launch a web-portal for supporting blind and partially-sighted people,” he added. Besides her activism, Prakriti is a dancer, a painter and a child model. She wants to become Miss Universe some day. “The title will surely enhance the reach of my appeal. Maximum number of people will listen to me and donate their eyes after death.” |
|
|
SAHYOG celebrates silver jubilee
Jammu, January 16 On the occasion, the NGO resolved to establish the best rehabilitation centre in the country for children, who need special care. Founder president of the organisation Dr Ashvini Jojra, in his keynote address said differently abled children needed special care and attention. “The civility of any society is measured by the way it treats the disabled children,” Jojra said. Those who attended the function included former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu Prof MR Puri, noted social activist Ved Kumari Ghai, Dr Indu Khoda and principal of the college Nalini Kohli, besides several noted artists and cultural activists.
|
|
|
2 revenue officials among 6 booked
Jammu, January 16 The accused have been identified as SS Chib, the then Tehsildar of Jammu, and Rajinder Kumar, the then Patwari of Halqa Domana and Jagdev Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Shivdev Singh and Jaidev Singh, all residents of Kaink village in Jammu district.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Jammu, January 16
Srinagar, January 16
Jammu, January 16
Jammu, January 16
Jammu, January 16
Jammu, January 16