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Govt to look into misuse of equipment worth
crores
Afzal death row rocks House
Langate MLA Engineer Abdul Rashid being led out of the Legislative Assembly over the Afzal Guru issue in Jammu on Monday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma |
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BJP, JSM legislators walk out over refugee issue
Rendered shelterless by snow, villagers cry for help
Avalanche tragedies in
Gurez, sonamarg
Death toll mounts to
19
SC Judges inaugurate free legal aid clinic
Disproportionate assets
A volunteer from the National Youth Corps displays a placard during a protest against the state government in Srinagar on Monday. Photo: Amin War
Governor presents Sardar Patel awards
101 cases settled in lok adalat
Govt gagging voices of dissent: Mehbooba
PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti addresses mediapersons at her residence in Jammu
on Monday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Youth held on LoC for infiltration bid
Employees’ Assn holds protest
Members of the All J&K SRTC Volunteer Retirement Employees Association stage a protest in support of their demands in Jammu on Monday. A Tribune photograph
Panthers Party MLC walks out of House
Speaker adjourns House for an hour
Secy informs House about Bills passed
Reschedule Amarnath
Yatra: Yatri Niyas
Woman receives burn injuries
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Govt to look into misuse of equipment worth
crores
Jammu, February 27 “Equipment worth crores of rupees has been rusting, as it has never been used by the university authorities. Has the management been given the authority to make surplus purchases and then leave the equipment unused?” said Sadotra. In his reply, Mir said: “As he (Sadotra) was the minister of the same department in the past, he must be aware of the fact that requisitions for the purchase of the equipment are sent by the departments concerned. The same are then sent to committees of experts. The purchase is made only after the committees send their recommendations.” On Sadotra’s query about holding an inquiry into the matter, the minister said: “I endorse your suggestion that huge cost is associated with the purchase. I will look into the issue.” At this, Sadotra retorted: “My question is very specific. Will you hold an inquiry, as nothing is going to happen with your looking into the matter? I am demanding the constitution of a House committee.” Mir said he would accept Sadotra’s demand only after holding a departmental inquiry. “I am not denying anything. Let me first get acquainted with the whole issue and if any irregularities appear, I will surely go for an inquiry. I will inform the House about the findings in this Budget session only,” Mir said. The minister said 18 equipment were purchased by the central laboratory of the university, while 33 more costing Rs 2 lakh and above were purchased by various divisions of the faculty of veterinary sciences and animal husbandry. Further, 55 equipment were proposed for procurement in the current financial year, he said. On the construction of a hostel for farmers in the university, Mir said the construction work had been completed and some kitchenware had been purchased during the last financial year. However, the hostel had to be furnished to make it fully functional, he added. “During the last kisan mela, arrangements were made for the stay of farmers in the hostel but the farmers preferred to stay at RS Pura guest house or KVK farmers’ hostel,” he said. |
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Afzal death row rocks House
Jammu, February 27 The MLA, who had to face the wrath of other legislators -- irrespective of their political affiliations---for creating a “nuisance” and raising “irrelevant issues,” was marshalled out of the House after they urged Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone to “throw him out”. The legislators of ruling as well as opposition parties joined hands to take on the Independent legislator for raising the Afzal Guru’s issue. The Panthers Party described him (Rashid) as a “Pakistani agent”, the BJP called him a “mad person who needs a medical check-up” and the ruling National Conference alleged that he was a “puppet” of the PDP. The ruckus started soon after the House assembled for the day’s sitting. Engineer Rashid was on his feet and sought to know what had happened to his resolution seeking a discussion on the death sentence to Afzal Guru. He criticised Union Minister Farooq Abdullah’s statement that “Afzal Guru should pay for his misdeeds”. “If Azfal Guru has to pay a price, why shouldn’t they who killed over one lakh Kashmiris in the past two decades?” he shouted and moved towards the well of the House. He further questioned, “Why are you against one Afzal Guru? The biggest industry is the killing of innocent people in Kashmir. Let the people know what forced the House to not discuss this sensitive issue.” As he continued to raise the issue near the well, BJP and Panthers Party legislators moved towards the front row and urged the Speaker to throw him out of the House. “Pakistani bhasha nahi chalegi… (Don’t use Pakistan’s language). Throw him out of the House as he always raises unnecessary issues,” shouted Balwant Singh Mankotia, Panthers Party legislator. While the Speaker asked him to raise the issue after the Question Hour, the MLA sat on ‘dharna’ near the well and again took up the issue as soon as the Zero Hour commenced. Perturbed over the repeated disruptions, the leader of Panthers Legislature Party, Harsh Dev Singh, remarked: “This man is holding the House to ransom. He is not fit for the House, throw him out.” The ruling National Conference legislators, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo and Nazir Gurezi, joined the chorus, accusing Rashid of creating a “nuisance” and demanded that he should be thrown out from the House. As the MLA didn’t follow the directions from the chair, the Speaker asked the marshals to take him out of the House. The ‘forcible’ eviction of the MLA was resented by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who blamed the Chief Minister for the “chaos”. “It was only the Chief Minister who made a comparison between the Tamil Nadu Assembly (which adopted a resolution seeking clemency for convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi murder case) and the J&K Assembly. He had enacted the drama to score political gains,” Mehbooba shouted.
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Jammu, February 27
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BJP, JSM legislators walk out over refugee issue
Jammu, February 27 Jammu State Morcha (JSM) and BJP members, after creating an uproar in the House, staged a walkout to lodge their protest against, what they called, the inhumane approach of the government towards these stateless people living in the Jammu region since 1947. As soon as the House assembled this morning, BJP Legislature Party leader Jugal Kishore Sharma lodged a protest because the resolution moved by him for granting citizenship right to West Pakistan refugees was disallowed. Displaying a copy of the bulletin issued by the Assembly Secretariat showing resolutions listed for discussion, Jugal said his resolution to grant citizenship to West Pakistan refugees was more important than other resolutions but the same was disallowed. Shouting slogans against the government for adopting an inhumane approach towards the refugees, Jugal trooped towards the front row. “The approach of the government is biased, parochial and discriminatory,” he shouted. In the meantime other BJP members, namely Ashok Khajuria, Choudhary Sukhnandan and Choudhary Sham, also joined him. All BJP members then resorted to shouting slogans. “The approach of the government is discriminatory towards these refugees,” shouted Khajuria, who observed that the government meted out step-motherly treatment to these displaced people. Jammu State Morcha member Ashwani Sharma also rushed towards the front row to join the BJP members because his resolution on the same issue was also rejected. “I fail to understand why this government is shying away from discussing the issue,” he said, adding that denying citizenship to West Pakistan refugees was the worst ever violation of human rights in the state. With these legislators shouting slogans, there was commotion and din in the House for some time. “Anti-refugee sarkar hai hai” repeatedly rented the air as JSM and BJP legislators gathered in front of the Speaker’s Chair and resorted to shouting slogans. BJP members also taunted some Congress legislators, who were silently watching them. “People will not forget you for maintaining silence on the issue of West Pakistan refugees,” Jugal shouted at them. “How long will you deny citizenship to these helpless people who have been living in the state since 1947,” he said. After creating an uproar for some time, the protesting MLAs staged a walkout from the House. In the Bulletin issued by the Assembly Secretariat, 15 resolutions have been listed for discussion in the House on February 29 and April 2. But the resolution demanding citizenship for West Pakistani refugees was not listed. |
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Rendered shelterless by snow, villagers cry for help
Udhampur, February 27 At least 15 houses had collapsed following the snowfall. These houses were among those affected by the earthquake in July last year. Led by sarpanch Jar Mool Raj
Rathore, the victims have sought relief under the scheme so that they can rebuild their houses in the mountainous terrain. The shelterless families have been temporarily putting up in other villagers’ houses. “But for how long can this go on?” said
Rathore. Talking to The Tribune over phone, he said he had approached the MLA concerned but was told that the victims had already availed of relief during the earthquake last year. “I have brought the matter to Padder Tehsildar Dharender Sharma’s notice. I have now come to Jammu to muster aid for the helpless families, as all ministers and MLAs are here to attend the Budget session,” said
Rathore. Dharender Sharma confirmed that the matter had been brought to his notice. “In all, 82 persons were given relief ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 after their houses were damaged in the earthquake in the area. I will depute the patwari concerned to assess the situation and recommend cases for relief,” said Sharma. Terming the relief given earlier as insufficient, Rathore demanded benefit under the Central scheme for the affected families. Besides the 15 affected families, several others in the Sazzar and Kidroo areas of the Padder valley are living in constant fear of losing their home any time, given the precarious condition of their houses, which had developed cracks during the earthquake. Pending government aid, other residents have come forward to accommodate the families that have lost roof over their heads. All those affected are poor, living off small agricultural landholding. |
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Avalanche tragedies in
Gurez, sonamarg
Srinagar, February 27 Sonamarg had witnessed heavy snowfall and strong winds on February 22. In the afternoon, Sitkari village was struck by a massive avalanche. “Around 9 am on February 24, we heard the hum of an approaching helicopter. I struggled out of the house and realised that it was an Army rescue team looking for survivors. I waved at them to draw their attention and they spotted me. However, the helicopter could not land due to unstable snow, which was over 15 feet thick. An Army man then leapt out of the helicopter into the snow. He made his way towards me and introduced himself as Major Khati.” Major Khati, a paratrooper from 81 Mountain Brigade, with Rafique’s assistance pulled out eight more persons from snow. After ensuring that no one was hurt, Major Khati gathered the survivors and created a landing area for the helicopter. The survivors were then airlifted in
three sorties from the makeshift helipad. |
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Death toll mounts to
19
With the recovery of another Army man’s body from avalanche-hit Dawar in the Gurez area of Bandipore district, the search operation, which started on Wednesday, was called off on Monday. With this, the death toll in the Gurez tragedy has risen to 16. Three other Army men had lost their lives in another avalanche that hit the Sonamarg area of Ganderbal district on Wednesday. A Defence spokesperson told The Tribune here today that all Army personnel affected by the avalanche at Dawar had been accounted for.
The Army, Indian Air Force, police and civil administration had tough time rescuing the victims in the two areas of north and central Kashmir. While a jawan’s body had been recovered in Gurez yesterday, another jawan Sandeep Boriya’s body was recovered today. “All those affected by the avalanche have been accounted for and the search operation has been called off,” the spokesman said.
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SC Judges inaugurate free legal aid clinic
Jammu, February 27 The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Jammu, was present during the function along with the Block Development Officer
(BDO), Marh, and Project Officer of the Integrated Child Development Scheme
(ICDS). The Supreme Court Judges said, “As far as providing any financial assistance, none of the officials are in a position to tell them which schemes will provide financial assistance to the children. The Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, who is also the Chairman of the District Red Cross Society, has volunteered to financially help the children at least for five years by providing Rs 1,500 to each child from February, 2012.” Later, the Supreme Court Judges asked the Principal District Judge, Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh
Jamwal, to entrust the problem of the children to the sarpanch of the Marh
panchayat, who is also one of the para-legal volunteers of the legal aid clinic. He will interact with the DC, Jammu, the BDO and Officer of the ICDS Social Welfare Department to help the children in need. After enquiry,
para-legal lawyers of the clinic may also provide adequate assistance to the children by providing education and fulfilling other needs, if required. The SC Judges added, “An undertaking may be taken from Jeet Ram that the money being given to him will be spent on proper education and maintenance of the minor children. The
para-legal volunteers will also monitor the progress of the children from time to time. The Judges indicated that Jeet and his wife are also entitled to some assistance under the existing Old Age Pension Scheme. Same may also be provided to them so that they can properly look after the children.”
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Disproportionate assets
Jammu, February 27 A tip-off was received by the State Vigilance Organisation, revealing that Nasir Khan had acquired movable and immovable assets, including a palatial house at Bhatindi and two luxury cars. The verification conducted by the SVO revealed that Nasir had acquired a newly-constructed double storied palatial house at Bhatindi worth more than Rs 40 lakh and two luxury cars worth over Rs 8 lakh. The official was also found possessing other luxurious house hold items, electronic gadgets and has money in various bank accounts. The combined value of the above mentioned assets and expenditure is disproportionate to his known sources of income. Gold ornaments weighing more than a kg, besides bank accounts, cash certificates, fixed deposits and other incriminating material was recovered from the house of the accused official. The SVO officials are scrutinising the documents. An FIR under Section 5 (1) (e) and Section 5 (2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, was registered against the official. |
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Youth Corps volunteers stage protest
Srinagar, February 27 The AJKNYCVA members gathered at the Press Enclave area here and raised slogans demanding that they should be allowed to continue their respective work. The AJKNYCVA president, Muddasir Hassan, said association members were engaged as National Youth Corps volunteers in 2010 and deployed in various departments like Rural Development, Youth Services and Sports, Tourism, Finance and Social Welfare. “But now we have come to know that we would not be allowed to continue our service from next month. We do not want regularisation of service and are only demanding that we should be allowed to continue our service,” he added. He claimed that the association members had played a pivotal role in the smooth conduct of last year’s panchayat elections. “The NYC volunteers did 50 per cent of the work during the panchayat elections and the government should not discourage us by discontinuing our service,” he said. After protesting at the Press Enclave, the AJKNYCVA tried to take out a procession towards Lal Chowk. However, their bid was foiled by police personnel, who took into preventive custody a few protesters. |
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Governor presents Sardar Patel awards
Jammu, February 27 The Governor, who was the chief guest at the
ceremony, lauded the role of the foundation in propagating Sardar Patel’s vision of making India a strong, united and vibrant nation. He observed that the foundation had been
carrying forward Sardar Patel’s vision by recognising and awarding persons who had made outstanding contributions in varied fields. The Governor, while congratulating the winners, hoped that their recognition would be a source of inspiration for others to achieve excellence in their chosen spheres of activity. He also paid floral tributes to Sardar Patel and spoke about his contributions, particularly in laying the foundation of national administration. He later conferred the 6th International “Sardar Ratna” Award on Shantilal P Patel, former Union Deputy Minister of Commerce and former-vice president of the foundation, for excellence in strengthening Sardar Patel’s ideology. Others who received the awards included Prof Dr Prem Lal Joshi, Prof Satish M Manocha, Gopi V Prasad, Prof Rajesh Kumar Patel, K Ramamurthy, Dr Ramesh H Makwana, Ravi Kalra, Prof VK Katiyar and Gunasekaran Sundarraj. Earlier, the Governor
was received by Ram Avtaar Sastry, chairman-cum-president of the foundation, and other functionaries.
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101 cases settled in lok adalat
Srinagar, February 27 A sum of Rs 11.65
lakh was awarded to claimants in compensation, while Rs 30,950 was recovered as fine in cases related to petty and compoundable crimes. Meanwhile, a lok adalat was conducted at the Courts Complex, Tangmarg, in Baramulla district under the supervision of the Chairman, Tehsil Legal Services, Mir Wajahat. Out of the 222 cases taken up in the adalat, 155 were settled amicably. Also, a sum of Rs 36,390 was recovered as fine. Later, an awareness camp was organised at the complex. A similar lok adalat will be organised at the Courts Complex, Sopore, in Baramulla tomorrow.
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Govt gagging voices of dissent: Mehbooba
Jammu, February 27 Addressing a press conference this evening, Mehbooba said during the last three years the government had undermined all democratic institutions through “deceit tactics”. The PDP chief also announced that her party had decided to move an adjournment motion on February 28 to suspend normal business to discuss the situation which had emerged due to, what she called, oppressive measures being adopted by the coalition. Claiming that the PDP-led regime had worked assiduously to address the aspirations of the people, she said everybody was witness to the fact that it was actually in 2002 when things had started moving from hypocrisy and double speak to good governance. Pointing towards the rampant corruption in the state now, she regretted that the present regime was not bothered about the misuse of money under national flagship programmes like MGNREGA. “What is worse is to have institutional corruption with reports of involvement of sitting ministers and the Chief Minister in alleged scams and other misdeeds”. |
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Youth held on LoC for infiltration bid
Jammu, February 27 The 25-year-old youth, Tasveer Hussain, a resident of Bagyal Darra in Poonch, had been missing since April 18, 2010 and his family had lodged a missing person’s complaint with the police. Official sources told The Tribune that the youth, in his statement, confessed to having crossed over to the PoK in 2010, as he wanted to meet his aunt, Chandani, who lived there. “The youth claimed that he was captured by the Pakistan Army, which later handed him over to the Kota police in the PoK. The police further handed him over to a man, Mohammad Munir Hussain, hailing from Bagyal, who worked as a ‘guide’ in the PoK,” a source said. The youth disclosed that he managed to escape from there and later worked as a labourer in the Marg Bazri area. “He tried to infiltrate into the Indian territory last night,” sources said, adding: “The troops of 27 Madras regiment apprehended him at Kangara Post on the LoC.” The sources said a case had been registered against him.
— TNS |
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Jammu, February 27 The association alleged that the state government and the management of the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) were not releasing their due drawn bills, including the leave salary, gratuity ex-gratia and cost of living allowance. Dev Raj Bali, president of the Volunteer Retirement Employees’ Association, said, “We have been deceived by the SRTC management. We have been struggling for more than two years and the state government and the SRTC management are just mute spectators.” Bali urged the Central government to intervene into the matter.
— TNS |
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Panthers Party MLC walks out of House
Jammu, February 27 “If the government has accepted that the Pakistan-occupied and China-occupied portions of Jammu and Kashmir are part of the state then why wasn’t my resolution allowed in the House,” asked Shah. He added, “It is unconstitutional to disallow the resolution on reunification of the state and I am walking out of the House in protest.” However, Chairman of the Legislative Council Amrit Malhotra said two countries were stakeholders in the issue so it was allowed in the running session.
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Speaker adjourns House for an hour
Jammu, February 27 At 11.30 am, Jammu State Morcha, BJP and Panthers Party members were agitating to lodge a protest against the curtailment in the annual yatra period. They were demanding a reply from the government. Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also raised the issue of oppressive measures being adopted by the government to stifle the voice of the media. There was a complete din in the House, as the entire opposition was shouting. The proceedings of the House started again at 12.30 pm.
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Secy informs House about Bills passed
Jammu, February 27 The Bills include the Jammu and Kashmir Fiscal Responsibly and Budget Management (Second Amendment) Bill, 2011; the Jammu and Kashmir Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2011; the Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2011 and the Jammu and Kashmir State Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2011.
— TNS
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Reschedule Amarnath Yatra: Yatri Niyas Jammu, February 27 Rejecting the decision of the shirne board to start the yatra from June 25, the Yatri Niyas and its associate organisations have sought the commencement of the yatra from Jyestha Purnima, i.e. June 4. At a meeting in New Delhi on Friday, the shrine board had decided the schedule keeping in view the weather conditions. The snow-covered route was expected to be cleared only by June 25.
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Woman receives burn injuries
Katra, February 27 The police said Reena Devi, 29, a resident of Chhattisgarh, received burn injuries when she was lighting a candle during a power breakdown at her residence at Trintha in Reasi. Reena sustained severe burn injuries and was rushed to a district hospital. After preliminary treatment she was referred to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.
— OC
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Assembly witnessed a high-pitched drama today after Kashmir-based Independent legislator Engineer Abdul Rashid demanded a debate on the resolution seeking clemency for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Jammu, February 27
The All J&K SRTC Volunteer Retirement Employees’ Association held a protest outside the press club in Jammu today against the attitude of the state government towards them.
The association alleged that the state government and the management of the State Road Transport Corporation
(SRTC) were not releasing their due drawn bills, including the leave salary, gratuity
ex-gratia and cost of living allowance.
