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R-Day Celebrations
Kishtwar Fire
NH reopened to one-way traffic
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Snow damages houses
Distress sale by stuck poultry suppliers
A poultry supplier sells chicken as uncertainty loomed over the reopening of the national highway at the Narval bypass. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
More snow likely in Valley today
First Sikh V-C for Jammu varsity
Faculty, students look forward to productive tenure
Governor, Omar’s role lauded
Army’s Operation Sadbhavana
Post of Professor
J&K exports 75 pc of its cocoons
Usha Vohra inaugurates first Silk Mark Expo
Usha Vohra takes a look at products on display after inaugurating the Silk Mark Expo at the Kala Kendra in Jammu on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Gap between haves & have-nots ‘widest’ in J&K
Ministers tour Valley to take stock of situation
political buzz
Man drowns in
Chenab
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R-Day Celebrations
Jammu, January 18
The Maulana Azad Stadium, the main venue of the Republic Day celebrations in the state, where Governor NN Vohra will unfurl the Tricolour and take the salute at the R-Day Parade, has been sealed. “The entry of visitors inside the stadium has been restricted since December 15 and will remain so till January 30. Additional forces have been deployed in and around the venue, while sniffer dogs and a bomb detection and defusing unit have been pressed into service to avert any untoward incident,” a senior security officer told The Tribune. The officer said there was no specific input on any terror activity during the celebrations but security agencies didn’t want to take any chance, keeping in view the “past experience”. “Though militancy had come down significantly in the state, there is no room for complacency. The entry of visitors inside the MA Stadium has been restricted, while the participants, including cultural groups, are being double-screened prior to their entry inside the venue,” he maintained. He recalled the 1995 Jammu Republic Day serial blasts in which 15 people were killed and the then Governor, Lt Gen KV Krishna Rao, had a narrow escape. “At that time, the terrorists had planted bombs in the stadium on December 27, 1994, nearly a month before the celebrations and that too two and half feet into the ground. Since then, the entry of visitors is restricted almost a month before the celebrations. We have introduced special deep-earth metal detectors to detect any unwanted material,” he maintained. Sources said the security wing of the J&K Police had also lowered the number of personal security officers (PSOs) deployed with “uncategorised political leaders” in the state and shifted them to the main venues of the celebrations. “Extra deployment has also been made around all VVIP residences and buildings of important government offices. All vehicles entering the city are being checked and suspected persons are being grilled,” sources said. “Security has also been tightened in and around public places, like railway stations, airport, markets and religious places.”
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Kishtwar Fire
Jammu, January 18 The parties rued that instead of initiating rehabilitation process on a war-footing, the authorities indulged in taking some “cosmetic steps”, leaving the survivors to the mercy of the elements. Four members of a family were burnt alive, while 10 families were rendered homeless after a devastating fire broke out in Qaddal Mohalla Ligri of Paddar block on the intervening night of January 12 and 13. Although a team of officers had flown to the scene to supervise the rescue operation, the relief materials dispatched by the authorities from the district headquarters were yet to reach the destination due to inclement whether. Youth BJP leader Sunil Sharma, who along with a team of 30 youths from Kishtwar and Ghulabgarh managed to reach the affected families, told The Tribune that except for providing ration and some cash, the authorities had not taken any step to properly rehabilitate them. “Ten families have been rendered homeless but no accommodation has been provided to them. The affected families neither have shelter nor fuel. What will they do with the ration provided to them from a local store,” Sharma asked. “These homeless families have taken shelter at adjoining villages and an injured has been shifted to Atholi hospital.” Spokesperson for the Pradesh Congress Committee Ravinder Sharma said steps taken by the authorities to rehabilitate the families were nothing but a cruel joke on them. “A meager amount of Rs 3,000 has been paid to each family despite the fact that these families have lost everything in the fire and there is no shelter for them,” Sharma said. The Deputy Commissioner said he was aware of the problem.
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NH reopened to one-way traffic
Jammu, January 18
Around 100 vehicles, stranded on the highway, left for their respective destinations, he said, adding that different agencies had been working to clear the roads in the avalanche-hit areas. Trucks carrying essential supplies, including the LPG, oil and food grain, were allowed to move to the Kashmir valley from Jammu. However, around 2,700 vehicles were still stranded on the highway, mainly at Nagrota and Udhampur and most of the inter-district roads were closed due to landslides. 130 evacuated Over 130 persons have been evacuated from the snow-hit areas of Jammu and Kashmir following reports of trapped people and damaged houses due to heavy snowfall in the upper reaches of the region. “We have conducted several evacuations from various snow-bound areas in Ramban district and shifted 28 families to a safer area,” SP (Ramban) Anil Magotra said. Of the 28, Magotra said, 10 families from Kurzi village, five from Hargam village and one each from Mangit and Aramdhaka villages were shifted by the police to safer places. The police also evacuated nine migrant families from the Sangaldan area of the district, who were trapped in the recent continuous heavy snowfall in the area, he said. — PTI
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Snow damages houses
Srinagar, January 18 While seven houses were partially damaged due to heavy snowfall at Uri in Baramulla, a house belonging to Ghulam Rasool Sheikh at Nambla in the same district was completely damaged. Also, the rooftop of a primary school at Dani Basgran in Uri was damaged due to the accumulation of snow. However, no loss of life or injury was reported. The police has evacuated the affected families to safer places. At Chahal in Baramulla, heavy snowfall damaged the rooftop of a poultry farm. Meanwhile, one person, identified as Mohammad Akbar Sheikh, a resident of Shairgund Utrooso in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, suffered injuries after he fell off the rooftop of his house while clearing snow. — OC
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Distress sale by stuck poultry suppliers
Jammu, January 18 Maruf, who has been in the business for several years, said it would be unwise and unreasonable to stock the products for days. He said: “It is a sheer burden on us, as we have to arrange for the animal feed, even though we are not going to get any profit out of them. Moreover, it is quite a challenge to ensure their safety from the extreme cold. Unlike other traders, we have certain limitations.”
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More snow likely in Valley today
Srinagar, January 18 Heavy snowfall across the Valley earlier this week had thrown normal life out of gear. Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 6.4°C while the minimum temperature stood at minus 1.4°C, a Met official said.
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First Sikh V-C for Jammu varsity
Jammu, January 18 Dr Ishar will take over from Prof Varun Sahni, who had completed his tenure last month. A press release issued by Raj Bhawan said Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Jammu, had in consultation with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, appointed Dr Ishar as the Vice-Chancellor of the varsity. A search committee chaired by Prof GK Chadha, president of South Asian University, Delhi, with Prof MM Salunkhe, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Rajasthan, and Dr SS Bloeria, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Jammu, had recommended Ishar’s name. Dr Ishar, 58, belongs to Kathua district. His forefathers had migrated to Kathua from Mandole, Poonch, now in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). He secured second position in his B.Sc. examination and was awarded Certificate of Merit for standing first in the M.Sc. (chemistry) examination by the University of Jammu. He was the recipient of National Scholarship of the Government of India and did his Ph.D from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Dr Ishar has the distinction of being a Fellow of various reputed institutions of the country. He has remained a Junior Research Fellow, Chemistry Department, IIT, Delhi (1979-81), Senior Research Fellow, IIT, Delhi (1981-83), Senior Research Fellow, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research sponsored research project “Organic Photochemistry and some applications of 1H and 13C NMR Spectroscopy”, Chemistry Department, IIT, Delhi (1983-85) and Pool Scientist (CSIR), Chemistry Department, IIT, Delhi (1986-87). Dr Ishar has vast research, teaching and administrative experience. He has served as Dean, Students Welfare, Guru Nanak Dev University (December 2009 till date). He has remained associated with professional bodies and held varied assignments. He has co-authored a book on “Synthesis of Organic Medicinal Compounds”, which was published by the Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, and Alpha Science, Oxford, London. He has supervised several M.Phil and Ph.D research studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. |
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Faculty, students look forward to productive tenure
Jammu, January 18 Prof DS Jamwal, president of the Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA), told The Tribune: “Dr Ishar, a professor from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, originally hails from Poonch. He had settled down in Kathua, before shifting to Amritsar. He is a JU product and we hope he will understand our issues in a better way.” “Various stakeholders have been demanding a local Vice-Chancellor for several years. He (Dr Ishar) is a local and has worked in another university, so we expect him to have a productive tenure,” he added. Vikas Sharma, president of the National Secular Forum, said it was an achievement for the student community, as they had been seeking the appointment of a new V-C with a local background. “We have always opposed extension to the V-C and demanded someone with a better hold on our issues and concerns. Above all, we had been demanding a V-C with a neutral approach and we think our efforts have borne fruit,” said Vikas. Rakesh Chib, chief of the Jammu University Research Scholars Executive Association (JURSEA), said it was good that the university had got a new V-C within the stipulated period. He said: “We hope he will work for the betterment of the institution. It is always better if a V-C handles situations in a balanced way.” |
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Governor, Omar’s role lauded
Jammu, January 18 In a press release issued here today, president of the Front Kulwant Singh Bhatti said the selection of Ishar was genuine and unbiased. — TNS
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Army’s Operation Sadbhavana
Jammu, January 18 The Governor was interacting with a group of 25 farmers from various remote villages of the Mandi area of Poonch district, who called on him at Raj Bhawan here this evening, before their leaving on a seven-day agricultural educational tour to Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar, and the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pant Nagar, Uttarakhand. The tour has been organised by the 15th Battalion of the Jat Regiment of the Army under Operation Sadbhavana to generate awareness among the farmers and provide them the much needed exposure to latest agri-techniques and modern technologies. The visit is also aimed at enhancing their knowledge about seasonal farming, animal husbandry, fish and poultry farming and biogas technology. The farmers were accompanied by an officer and two Army personnel of the 15 Jat who would accompany them on the tour. The Governor urged the farmers to avail full benefit of this visit by interacting with scientists and experts at both the universities so that they could learn about the latest agri-research findings, particularly those relating to the rain-fed areas. He asked them to gather knowledge about mushroom and vegetable cultivation, poultry farming, animal husbandry, beekeeping etc. to supplement their incomes. The Governor asked Lt Sumit, who is accompanying them on the tour, to see that the literature provided to them was in Urdu so that they could read it and benefit from it. The Governor enquired from the farmers about the crops they cultivated and other agricultural inputs used by them. All the farmers said it was an excellent opportunity for them to visit the two agricultural universities and see for themselves the progress achieved in agriculture and its allied sectors in other states of the country. They thanked the Army for organising the tour. Lt Sumit presented a memento to the Governor on behalf of his Regiment on the occasion. |
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Post of Professor
Jammu, January 18 The court further directed the university not to finalise the selection process for the professor till the next hearing so that the seniority and eligibility of the private respondents was determined under regulations. Aggrieved at her exclusion from the selection process, the writ petitioner had sought consideration to compete in the selection process.
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J&K exports 75 pc of its cocoons
Jammu, January 18 Dr Anil Dhar, Director Central Sericulture Research and Training Institute, Pampore, said this during the inaugural function of the first-ever national Silk Exhibition-cum-Sale here today. Dr Dhar said: “It was a good initiative made by the government and provide an opportunity to the people here to get to know about the different varieties of silk and how to differentiate between fake and real. People often get cheated by shopkeepers.” Jammu and Kashmir is among five traditional sericulture states of the country and has a production of quality bivoltine cocoons of around 900 MT and 115 MT raw silk. However, of the total cocoons produced in the state, 75 per cent is exported to West Bengal and only 25 per cent is used here. Sellers from states like Bihar, UP, Karnataka, Bengaluru, besides J&K, have put up their stalls, displaying their silk art work, designed and fashioned in various ways for sale. Bed sheets, shawls, sarees, purses and ladies suits made of silk have been put on display. “The exhibition displays ample variety of sarees and suits. Silk has a very long life. I am planning to get silk bridal-wear made for myself as the exhibition has been sponsored by the government and the prices are affordable,” said Sonia Razdan, a software professional from Bharat
Nagar.
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Usha Vohra inaugurates first Silk Mark Expo
Jammu, January 18 Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir and vice-chairman of the Kissan Welfare Board Rachpal Singh were also present on the occasion. The exhibition has jointly been organised by the Silk Mark Organization of India and the Sericulture Development Department of the state. About 30 weaving clusters from across the country participated in the expo by setting up their stalls to showcase their silk products. Usha vohra went round the stalls and evinced keen interest in the silk products put on exhibition and sale. She interacted with weavers and inquired about the procedure adopted in manufacturing the attractive furnished silk products. Talking to mediapersons, Usha Vohra said such exhibitions go a long way in providing a competitive market for traditional craft products. She hoped that the expo would benefit the grass-roots level workers associated with the silk industry in a big way. She said the Agriculture minister had told her that the government was making all efforts to promote and revive the heritage industry of the state.
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Gap between haves & have-nots ‘widest’ in J&K
Jammu, January 18 According to the study “Rural Development in India: State-Level Experiences” by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the state has seen the highest rise in the monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) of its richest households. The study has exposed the tall claims of the government of implementing flagship programmes to develop rural areas, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), the Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) and others. The report also revealed that “Gini Coefficient”, the inequality in income distribution, was the highest for the state i.e. 7.37 per cent, followed by Madhya Pradesh, including Chhattisgarh, at 4.96 per cent and Bihar, including Jharkhand, at 4.9 per cent. At the same time, the coefficient values indicated falling inequalities in Orissa at 5.75 per cent, Maharashtra at 3.85 per cent, Haryana at 2.36 per cent and West Bengal. Rajasthan, Karnataka, northeastern states and union territories, too, had seen some fall in the degree of income inequalities. A “Gini Coefficient” of 0 indicates perfect consumption or income inequality, while a 100 will imply that a single person incurs all consumption expenditure or possesses all income. ASSOCHAM secretary general DS Rawat said reducing income inequalities was necessary for accelerating economic and human development. Therefore, the state governments must play a major role in developing social sectors and critical infrastructure. “Along with achieving higher economic growth, more efforts need to be made to make it more inclusive,” he added. The survey indicated that the inequality in consumption expenditure had aggravated in the rural areas of many states, including the J&K. The aggravation was broadly accompanied by a fall in the consumption expenditure of the bottom 20 per cent population and an increase in the consumption expenditure of the top 20 per cent. The study also stressed that high inequality threatened political stability because more people were dissatisfied with their economic status, which made it harder to reach political consensus among population groups with higher and lower incomes. It limited the use of important market instruments such as charges in prices and fines. Higher business risks and higher costs of contract enforcement impeded economic growth by slowing down all economic transactions, reads the report.
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Ministers tour Valley to take stock of situation
M Aamir Khan Minister for Education and Public Enterprises Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed today conducted an extensive tour of various areas of Anantnag district to take stock of the situation after heavy snowfall in the area, an official said here. The minister chaired two meetings at Khanabal and Kokernag and reviewed the measures taken by the administration to provide relief to the people of snow-bound and cut off areas. He urged the officials to restore essential commodities, like power, drinking water and ration at the earliest. He also visited various hospitals of the district and urged the health officers to ensure availability of medicines and healthcare facilities. Minister for PHE and Irrigation Taj Mohiuddin reviewed the post snowfall measures taken by the district administration in Budgam district. “There can be heavy snowfall. We should remain fully prepared with same commitment and courage,” he told the officials while chairing a meeting in Budgam. The minister had visited yesterday Baramulla and Kupwara districts where he had chaired similar review meetings and supervised the restoration works. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar visited Ganderbal district yesterday to review the supply of essential commodities while Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Raman Bhalla toured the interiors of the old city here yesterday. MLA Shamim Firdous too had visited her Habba Kadal constituency to take stock of the situation there.
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political buzz
Jammu, January 18 A meeting of the BCC was held under the chairmanship of Thakur Hari Singh, vice-president of the BCC, in which speakers said the people were complaining that most of the work under the MNREGA in Vijaypur and Parmandal blocks had been done using JCB machines, which was against the purpose of MNERGA scheme. Hindustan Shiv Sena support for
PDD daily wagers The Hindustan Shiv Sena (HSS) has supported the on going agitation of the daily wagers of the Power Development Department (PDD). Addressing a press conference, national president of the HSS Dimpy Kohli said the demands of the agitating daily wagers was genuine. He cautioned the government against adopting any delay tactics to regularise the services of the daily wagers. BJYM urges youth to oppose
recruitment policy Munish Sharma, state president of the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM), today urged youth to strongly oppose the controversial recruitment policy of the state government. Sharma, while addressing a function to welcome a large number of youth from ward number 47 and 48, said the recruitment policy announced by the government reflected the anti-youth mindset of NC and Congress leaders. He said the youth must join hands to oppose and expose the government on this account. Ensure supply of essential
commodities: NC to govt Provincial president of the NC Rattan Lal Gupta today asked the government to ensure supply of essential commodities in the snow-bound and cut off areas of Jammu province. In a statement issued here today, Gupta asked the government to utilise all available measures to ensure supply of essential commodities like rice, wheat, sugar, kerosene oil, LPG and life saving drugs in these areas. SDP demands empowerment
of panchayats Expressing concern over delay tactics being adopted by the government, in delegating powers to the panchayats, president of the Socialist Democratic Party (SDP) Darakhshan Andrabi said people were feeling betrayed due to the misdeeds of the government. Addressing a press conference in Jammu today, Andrabi said the government was not delegating powers to the panchayats because of the fear of losing control over the machinery of exploitation they were comfortable with. — TNS |
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Man drowns in
Chenab
Reasi, January 18 Soon after the incident, locals and the police reached the spot and launched operations to rescue the school teacher. However, the rescue operation continued till late evening, but Prittam’s body was not retrieved.
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Even as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ruled out the reports of any “sort of trouble” in the state ahead of the Republic Day, security agencies believe there is no room for complacency.
Jammu, January 18
Jammu, January 18
Being the first Sikh V-C of the university, Dr Ishar is known for his discipline, research, academic excellence and humility. He is learnt to have travelled in a bus from Amritsar to Jammu for his interview for the post of the V-C.