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Anti-graft panel serves notice on Peerzada
Centre-funded forest projects
Want transparency in govt functioning, says Omar
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Creation of new Urban Local Bodies
Langate MLA rakes up Afzal issue again
Snowfall forces
extension of polio drive in Doda
Governor for closer ties among Asian nations
Governor NN Vohra lights the ceremonial lamp while inaugurating a national seminar on “Nehru’s Vision of Asia and Contemporary Asian Reality” at the University of Jammu on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph
Man’s death sparks protests
Rain lashes Kashmir valley, avalanche alert extended
Health Cover
Sansar Chand recuperates at Government Hospital, Sarwal, at Jammu. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh
Case registered against land mafia
Help jobless youth set up ventures, Governor tells banks
Gun battle on in Sopore
Three held with 4,900 willow clefts
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Anti-graft panel serves notice on Peerzada
Jammu, February 21 Peerzada had been accused of abusing his official position as Education Minister for facilitating the use of unfair means by his foster son Imam Shoubhan Bhat in Secondary School Examination in 2009. After the probe report, Peerzada had been divested of the education portfolio but he still remains a Cabinet minister in Omar’s Cabinet. The JKSAC, which has issued a notice to Peerzada, has asked him to appear personally or through a counsel on March 2 before the joint sitting of the commission. Justice YP Nargotra (retired) and Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain (retired), Chairperson and member of the anti-graft panel, respectively, have also requisitioned an authenticated copy of the inquiry report against Peerzada from the Principal Secretary, Home Department, BR Sharma. The Crime Branch of the police had conducted the inquiry against the Congress minister. After the Crime Branch had submitted the probe report, Peerzada had sent his resignation to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi bypassing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Subsequently, he had claimed that Sonia Gandhi had not accepted his resignation and had asked him to continue in Omar’s Cabinet. The JKSAC observed: “He (Peerzada) is alleged to have used his official position in facilitating the use of unfair means by his foster son Imam Shoubhan Bhat during Secondary School Examination in 2009 in Al Ameen School and who even after being caught by the Vigilance squad for using unfair means was not booked and was let off on telephonic intervention.” The commission also observed that following the orders of the Chief Minister, the Crime Branch had conducted an inquiry into the allegations and had submitted its report to the Principal Secretary, Home, confirming the allegations. “As the allegations levelled against the minister squarely fall within the meaning of sub-section (3) of Section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission Act 2002 and are likely to shake the confidence of the public in democratic institutions, therefore it shall be appropriate for this commission to take cognisance into the matter in exercising of powers vested in terms of Section 9 and hold an inquiry in terms of Section 13 of the said Act,” stated the panel. On February 18, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah had said that he did not see anything wrong in Peerzada submitting his resignation to Sonia Gandhi. Farooq had also said that the issue was not yet over.
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Centre-funded forest projects
Jammu, February 21 As per official documents in possession of The Tribune, the Administrative Section of the General Administrative Department, Civil Secretariat, Jammu, has constituted a state-level committee to find out any default by the voluntary agencies. The committee has been asked to examine the reasons for default and failure of the voluntary agencies in executing the Centrally-sponsored projects in letter and spirit despite having received appropriate funds for the purpose. The committee included Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, J&K, Jammu, as its chairman, and Registrar Cooperative Societies, J&K, Jammu, and Deputy Commissioners of districts concerned as members. “The terms of reference of the committee shall be to examine the reasons as to why the voluntary agencies have neither approached the authorities for subsequent installments nor submitted the requisite documents for the release of second installment after taking the first installment,” the document states. The probe agency has further been asked to suggest legal action and methods to recover the funds from the defaulting agencies, which they have received from the Centre for forest-related projects. “Examine and propose the method of recovery of utilised funds and suggest legal action against the six defaulting voluntary agencies in whose favour funds were provided by the Government of India, Ministry of Forests and Environment from 2003 to 2008.” The defaulting agencies included Global Green Peace, Polo View, Srinagar; Human Objective to Protect the Environment (HOPE), Srinagar; J&K Welfare Institute, Srinagar; Khakani Ladies Vocational Centre, Anantnag; Society for Ecological and Environmental Protection (SEEP), Srinagar; and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri. The committee has further been asked to furnish its recommendations within 15 days from the issuance of the order. The Minister for Forest and Environment, Mian Altaf, said he was not aware of the matter as he was in Srinagar. |
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Want transparency in govt functioning, says Omar
Srinagar, February 21 “It is my cherished desire to make people powerful and give them legal rights to question the government from top to the bottom for every action it takes,” he said, adding that the strengthening of the State Accountability Commission and constitution of the State Information Commission reflected his keen desire aimed at bringing transparency in all spheres of government functioning. Addressing a large public meeting organised by the National Conference at Magam in Budgam district after inaugurating a power grid station, the Chief Minister also referred to the enactment of the historic Public Service Guarantee Act giving powers to the public at the grass roots. The Chief Minister said the Act had empowered the people to obtain 50 public services from six departments of Power, Revenue, Housing, Transport, Public Health Engineering and Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution within a prescribed time frame. He said any government official responsible for delay or laxity in providing these services to the people in the fixed time limit was liable for punishment and fine up to Rs 5000, which shall be deducted from his salary and paid as compensation to the affected person. Omar said peace was imperative to carry forward development and empower people to monitor government functioning. He said a peaceful 2011 enabled the government to carry peace dividends in the shape of development and economic progress to all corners of the state. He said more than 13 lakh tourists visited the state last year, generating wide-ranging economic activities for people.
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Creation of new Urban Local Bodies
Jammu, February 21 The Opposition minus the Peoples Democratic Party has also upped the ante against other Jammu-based Congress ministers, describing the move “gross discrimination with Jammu” and “total surrender before the Kashmir-centric leadership”. “We demand the resignation of all Jammu-based Congress ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who also holds the charge of the Housing and Urban Department, for their total surrender before the Kashmir-centric coalition government for discriminating against the Jammu region while increasing the number of Urban Local Bodies and wards of the existing municipal bodies,” said Shamsher Singh Manhas, state president of the BJP. Manhas alleged that the Congress had been “totally exposed” as it had maintained a “complete silence” on the issue of increasing the number of Urban Local Bodies by 12 for Kashmir and just four for Jammu. “Also, the number of wards of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation have been increased by 10, i.e. from 65 to 75, while the number of wards in the Jammu Municipal Corporation have remained unchanged at 71,” he said. On February 9, the Housing and Urban Department had issued two SROs, a few days ahead of the Cabinet meeting, announcing municipal elections in April. The BJP leader said the whole exercise was aimed at ensuring “hegemony” of Kashmir over Jammu and making available more funds for the Valley as compared to “already neglected and discriminated against Jammu”. “Our workers will take to the streets to register their protest against the anti-Jammu approach of the Congress,” Manhas said. The National Panthers Party working chairman, Harsh Dev Singh, minced no words in rebuking the government, accusing it of pursuing a “one-sided approach”. “It appears the Congress representatives in the Council of Ministers have failed to safeguard the interests of the Jammu region. They never raised their voice against the discriminatory decisions taken by the Cabinet. They owe an explanation to the people of Jammu on their role in the Cabinet in terms of safeguarding the interests of the Jammu region,” he said. He also demanded the resignation of Congress ministers from the Cabinet for their “failure” to safeguard the interests of Jammu. Former Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation, and senior Congress leader Narinder Singh Jamwal also expressed resentment over the decision, saying: “It was not in conformity with the coalition dictate.” “The creation of more Urban Local Bodies in Kashmir is just another way to swindle funds sanctioned by the Government of India for the local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir. The Deputy Chief Minister was not consulted and he was bypassed by the Chief Minister while creating these new bodies,” Jamwal said. The Deputy Chief Minister was not available for comments. |
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Langate MLA rakes up Afzal issue again
Srinagar, February 21 “Let my resolution seeking clemency for Guru and the BJP resolution demanding the implementation of the death sentence be admitted by the Speaker for a debate in the House. Let us discuss the pros and cons of both resolutions in the Assembly in line with the rules and values of a true democratic setup,” Rasheed said here. His resolution seeking clemency for Afzal Guru was stalled in the previous session of the Legislative Assembly. He had recently urged the NC and the PDP to table a joint clemency resolution. Earlier this month, Rasheed submitted four fresh resolutions in the Assembly Secretariat seeking clemency for Afzal Guru, revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, inclusion of Pakistan-based United Jehad Council and Hurriyat Conference in the dialogue process for the resolution of Kashmir issue and taking over of state-run power projects by the NHPC. The Langate MLA urged the NC and the PDP to shun their apathetic attitude over the issue. “When a similar issue (mercy plea of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins) can be debated in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, why can’t the same be done here. I hope both parties will not carry the apathetic attitude this time vis-à-vis the Guru resolution,” he said. Claiming that his resolution was sabotaged in the previous session “against the democratic spirit”, Rasheed said: “If the same anti-democratic behaviour is exhibited in the forthcoming session, it will further waver the trust of the people in democratic institutions.” During the previous Assembly session in September, the Langate MLA had tabled a resolution seeking clemency for Guru. However, the legislators of the Congress created a ruckus over the cross-voting row by entering into a heated debate with BJP MLAs the day the Bill was tabled. The Congress MLAs were demanding the expulsion of BJP MLAs suspended from the party for cross-voting in the Legislative Council elections last year. As a result, the resolution lapsed, while Rasheed alleged that protests by the Congress and the BJP were “stage-managed to sabotage his resolution”. |
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Snowfall forces
extension of polio drive in Doda
Udhampur, February 21 In all, 78,518 children under the age of five in the district were targeted under the mass immunisation programme, which started on February 19. Of them, 60,629 children were immunised on the opening day, covering 77.29 per cent of the target group. However, the campaign was hampered due to snowfall, which started the same day in the afternoon. It affected the turnout at booths in the upper reaches of the district. “Though we hope to achieve the target on the third and final day of the campaign, I have directed the staff to continue the campaign for two more days to ensure that all children falling in the age group are covered in the district,” Dr Mohammmad Iqbal Zargar, Chief Medical Officer, Doda, told the TNS. In view of the bad weather, a door-to-door campaign was initiated on the second day in which 10,597 children were administered polio drops, taking the coverage to 86 per cent. Around 95 per cent population of the district is hard to reach due to difficult terrain as well as unprecedented snowfall since the first week of January. In all, 610 booths were set up in the district, involving 2,440 immunisation workers drawn from departments of health, education, anganwadis and ASHA scheme. Besides, 122 supervisors were deployed for the preparation of reports. The Army, CRPF and other paramilitary forces along with volunteers
and NGOs also extended their services.
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Governor for closer ties among Asian nations
Jammu, February 21 The Governor was speaking after inaugurating a two-day national seminar on “Nehru’s Vision of Asia and Contemporary Asian Reality” organised by the Nehru Studies Centre, University of Jammu, here today. The Governor observed that the elimination of terrorism, which had engulfed a large part of Asia and the world at large, was a major challenge, which called for forging close cooperation among all Asian countries. Recalling the Asian Relations Conference, which the first Prime Minister had convened in New Delhi in March, 1947, the Governor said the initiative symbolised Nehru’s vision to see the emergence of Asia and the establishment of the Asian identity in the realm of world affairs. The conference provided an opportunity for the newly independent countries in the region to express their aspirations, he said. Describing the theme of the seminar as interesting and relevant, the Governor observed that it would provide a good opportunity to look back and assess the reason for the failure of some of the principal ingredients of Nehru’s vision, particularly the Panchsheel approach, to materialise. Prof Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, said Nehru expected cooperative relations between all countries, particularly among the Asian nations, so that poverty could be eradicated. “The imperialist powers have not allowed this to happen. As a result, many Asian countries are still suffering from lack of human development on the one hand and inter-state rivalry on the other,” he added. In her keynote address, Prof Madhu Bhalla, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi, dwelt on Nehru’s contribution in constructing the Asian identity. She also highlighted the role of the Asian region in the emerging world scenario. In his welcome address, Prof Baljit Singh, Director, Nehru Studies Centre, University of Jammu, introduced the theme of the seminar.
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Man’s death sparks protests
Jammu, February 21 “He was suffering from some ailment and he visited the medical hall for treatment. He died allegedly soon after he was administered an injection by the owner of the medical hall,” sources said. A police party led by the Station House Officer, Ramgarh, rushed to the spot and took the body in its possession. The owner of the medical hall was also arrested. The police shifted the victim’s body to Community Health Centre in Ramgarh for an autopsy. Later, the local people kept the body in the middle of Keso Chowk in Ramgarh and blocked the road for two hours, demanding compensation for the victim’s family. The Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Samba, rushed to the spot and promised the protesters a suitable compensation under the Red Cross Relief Fund. After getting the assurance, the protesters dispersed peacefully. |
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Rain lashes Kashmir valley, avalanche alert extended
Srinagar, February 21 Srinagar received 3.2 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm today, while Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, received 3.2 mm rainfall, an official of the meteorological department said. Similarly, the tourist resort of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and the border town of Kupwara received 3.4 and 2.0 mm rainfall, respectively. Most parts of the Valley continued to receive rainfall in the evening as well. The maximum temperatures recorded at Srinagar, Qazigund, Kupwara and Pahalgam were 7.8, 9.1, 7.2 and 5.4 °C, respectively. The medium avalanche warning that was issued by the Divisional Disaster Management Authority yesterday for the higher reaches of the Chowkibal, Tangdhar, Keran, Machhil and Gurez areas, located close to the Line of Control, was extended by another 24 hours. People living in these areas, above the height of 8,000 feet, have been advised to take precautionary measures. The weatherman has forecast inclement weather conditions in the Valley till February 24. Meanwhile, three families of Hillad Priniya village in Baramulla district of north Kashmir were evacuated to a safer place by the police following threat of landslides in the area.
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Health Cover
Jammu, February 21 A farmer by profession and father of seven children, Sansar Chand barely manages to make both ends meet. He was admitted to the Government Hospital, Sarwal, on February 15. The family, having already spent Rs 1,100 on his treatment, was unable to meet the expenses of the treatment. Sansar Chand’s wife Channo Devi said: “We had no idea about the scheme till the time the hospital authorities informed us about it. We produced our below poverty line (BPL) card and some officials visited our home in Akhnoor. They have now offered to bear our expenses. We are glad to receive the help, as we have already exhausted our savings.” The scheme offers annual hospitalisation cover up to Rs 30,000 for a family of five. The Central government pays 75 per cent of the total premium (90 per cent in case of Jammu & Kashmir and North-East), while the state government pays the rest. The scheme covers all pre-existing diseases from day one, without any bar on the age limit on the enrollment of beneficiaries. Dr Arun Sharma, Medical Superintendent, Government Hospital, Sarwal, said: “Sansar Chand is the first beneficiary of the scheme in the Jammu region. Though there were some cases from Akhnoor, none could qualify for the scheme.” “The patient just has to put his thumb impression on a biometric device. The rest of the procedure is taken care of by the government. The money spent on the treatment is credited to the hospital account,” he added.
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Case registered against land mafia
Jammu, February 21 An official spokesperson said the Crime Branch received a communication from the Jammu Development Authority stating that it had acquired a chunk of land measuring 8,279 kanal in Sidhra, Ragoora, Majeen and Dawara villages for the development of a satellite township. “A land mafia was allegedly operating in these villages and had encroached on the land. The mafia in connivance with certain revenue officials had illegally disposed of the land. The field staff of the authority was facing difficulties in taking enforcement steps against the mafia,” the spokesperson added. A man identified as Mohammad Shafi, who was found indulging in the illegal sale of the government land, along with others was booked under Sections 420, 477-A, 465, 467, 468 and 120-B of the RPC. |
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Help jobless youth set up ventures, Governor tells banks
Jammu, February 21 The new branches are located at Rajbagh, Soura, Munawarabad, Nowgam, Chanpura, Pantha Chowk and Bemina in Srinagar; Handwara, Pampore, Bijbehara and Kathua. The Governor called upon bankers to provide loans to entrepreneurs and unemployed youth to set up ventures under various state and centrally-sponsored schemes. This would help generate employment and boost the economy of the state. He impressed upon the management of HDFC Bank to set up a window to exclusively cater to the loan requirements of entrepreneurs so that they could establish their ventures expeditiously. The Governor said agriculture and allied sectors had excellent potential for growth in the state. In this context, he urged the bankers to advance loans to saffron growers, besides walnut, fruit and saffron processing units, for setting up cold storages, and grading, sampling and packaging units. He said banks should focus more on sectors that generated employment and strengthened infrastructure. In his welcome address, Zubair Iqbal, vice-president and circle/state head of HDFC Bank, gave details of the functioning of the bank. — TNS
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Gun battle on in Sopore
Srinagar, February 21 Acting on a specific information about the presence of a Pakistani militant, the police and the Army cordoned off the Moominabad locality on the bypass at 2.30 pm today, said the SP of Police District, Sopore, Imtiyaz Ahmad. The residents of the house in which the militants were holed up and those of adjacent houses had been safely evacuated, the SP added. Till reports last came in, the encounter was going on.
— TNS
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Three held with 4,900 willow clefts
Jammu, February 21 Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted a truck at the Nud checkpoint Three persons — Nissar Ahmed of
Awantipora, Ashok Kumar of Udhampur and Chamail Singh of Mardi Reasi — were taken into custody. A case under Sections 3 and 5 of the J&K Willow (Prohibition on Export and Movement) Act, 2000, 6, 15 and 16 of the Forest Act, and 420, 379 and 34 of the RPC has been registered against them.
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Tagore Literary Fest gets under way
Jammu, February 21 |
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The Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission (JKSAC) today made things difficult for Public Enterprises Minister Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed just when he had begun to breathe easy. The anti-graft panel has slapped a notice on the minister, asking him to appear in person or through his counsel on March 2 to explain his position.
Jammu, February 21
A 66-year-old man from Akhnoor, Sansar Chand, who was found having a kidney stone, has become the first person from the Jammu region to reap the benefit of the Rashtriya Svasthya Bima Yojna launched by the Central government.
A farmer by profession and father of seven children, Sansar Chand barely manages to make both ends meet.
He was admitted to the Government Hospital, Sarwal, on February 15. The family, having already spent Rs 1,100 on his treatment, was unable to meet the expenses of the treatment.
