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Trade unionists lathicharged
Unions stage protest against price rise
Protest by bank unions
Comprehensive strategy must for K-issue: Omar
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Media boycotts Assembly for second day over Speaker’s remarks
Ministers meet Governor
Congress MLC attempts to woo scribes
J&K to move court to get back land in Haryana
Woman’s death in mishap sparks protest
PHE workers hold protests in Chenab valley
13 structures damaged in avalanche
Four held for assault; arms seized
Government backlog remedy — promote dead
Project for horses, mules gets trotting
HC breather for DSP in graft case
International conference at JU from tomorrow
Rape accused dies in jail
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Trade unionists lathicharged
Srinagar, February 28 The protest demonstration was organised at the Sher-e-Kashmir Park, where the protesters attempted to block the main road. Acting swiftly to prevent the road blockade, the police resorted to lathicharge and also used water cannons to disperse the demonstrators. Several activists were held by the police and lodged in Kothibagh police station. Meanwhile, state president of the CITU and MLA Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami condemned the police lathicarge on the CITU rally, which had been organised as part of the nationwide general strike against the wrong economic policies of the government, rampant corruption and various issues confronting the working class. Terming the use of force as anti-democratic, he said it was the constitutional right of all citizens to hold a peaceful demonstration and the right should be safeguarded and respected by the government. The use of force to quell peaceful demonstrations was unwarranted and unjustified, he added. Tarigami said the government should refrain from using oppressive methods to silence the voices of the aggrieved. Denouncing the government highhandedness, he said such methods would never succeed in silencing the voice of the exploited. He demanded immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested along with CITU leaders Abdul Rashid Najar and Abdul Gani Bhat.
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Unions stage protest against price rise
Jammu, February
28 Hundred of workers, including a sizable number of
women workers this morning assembled at Dogra Chowk with banners and
placards and raised slogans in support of their demands. The protesters
marched through the main bazaars of Jewel Chowk, City Chowk, the
Raghunath temple before culminating at Indira Chowk. State president
of the CITU MY Tarigami demanded a complete ban on speculation and
future trading in commodity market, which alone can contain the
inflation. Tarigami alleged that over 93 per cent of the country’s
workforce in the unorganised sector had been kept outside the purview of
most of the labour laws. He said workers did not have any protection in
respect of working hours, minimum wages, social security and above all
any kind of job security despite contributing around 65 per cent to the
country’s GDP. Shiv Kumar Sharma, state president, and Thakur
Ragubir Singh, general secretary of the INTUC, while addressing the
gathering demanded strict enforcement of labour laws and punitive
measures for violators. He said minimum wages should not be less than Rs
10,000 per month and demanded removal of all ceilings on provident fund,
payment of bonus and gratuity etc. He also urged the government to make
genuine revision of the minimum wages and implement the revised wages as
early as possible .This he said has been necessitated due to price
escalation and implementation of the 6th pay panel commission. Laxman
Ravinder Singh, organising secretary, and Harbans Chowdhary, general
secretary of the BMS expressed concern over rising corruption and black
money generation in the economy. The United Forum of Bank Unions,
Jammu, also staged a protest outside the State Bank of India building,
Hari Market, against the government for overlooking their demands. The
agitators criticised the economic policies of the government and
demanded amendment of the minimum wages at not less than Rs 10,000 per
month.
Protest by bank unions
Jammu, February 28 The agitators criticised the economic policies of the government and demanded revision of minimum wages to Rs 10,000 per month. The demonstrators also warned the Union Finance Minister of more such strikes in the future if the government failed to accede to the demands of bank employees.
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Comprehensive strategy must for K-issue: Omar
“When there are parts of Jammu and Kashmir under the occupation of Pakistan and China, we have to look for a comprehensive strategy to address the issue amicably and peacefully,” he said while seeking the support of all stakeholders for focusing on the issue. “On this floor of the House I am on record to commit 10 steps forward towards the main opposition party (PDP) if it rises above politics and moves one step forward sincerely towards me to help address the political issue of Kashmir,” he said while highlighting the need for exhibiting the approach of a statesman towards the problem instead of behaving like a politician. Winding up the discussion on the Governor’s Address in the legislative Assembly today, the Chief Minister in his elaborate speech on the performance of his government and present political scenario said the light at the end of the tunnel was in sight. “We have to work out to move out of the tunnel into the sunshine,” he said while underlining the importance of a statesmanship approach to the issue. “During the Round Table Conference, I told the Prime Minister that a politician has an eye only on the next election while the statesman looks towards the next generation,” he said, impressing upon all stakeholders to exhibit the statesmanship spirit towards the Kashmir issue. Omar told the PDP that he would move 10 steps towards it if it rose above politics and moved towards him sincerely to address the issue jointly. “I have the support of my legislators,” he said. Ridiculing the “double standards” of the PDP over the media boycott of the proceedings of the House, the Chief Minister said the PDP forgot about the media when its members were making speeches in the House yesterday but today pretending to support the Press, its members remained away from the House. “Had they shown the same sympathy with the Press yesterday and refused to speak in the House, we would have considered it as value-based politics but they have exhibited double standards on the issue,” he added. Omar Abdullah lambasted the PDP for indulging in mudslinging and telling lies. He said people were wise enough to understand this tactics. The Chief Minister said he might not be a good media manager like PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed but his media-friendly attitude and respect for the freedom of speech was an open secret. He said he wanted the media to flourish and strengthen like an institution and be responsible in rendering its valuable service to the people and the state. On gradual revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Omar said it would become a reality during his tenure. “When I advocated the gradual revocation of the AFSPA from some areas of the state and was busy in talks with the Prime Minister, other Union leaders and the Army, the PDP tried to scuttle my mission by making statements that I should take up the issue only after the Army permits me to do so. The party did this only for political reasons. It didn’t want the coalition government to take credit for the initiative.” he said.
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Media boycotts Assembly for second day over Speaker’s remarks
Jammu, February 28 As the House proceedings began, over 100 journalists, both from the print and electronic media, gathered outside the Assembly Secretariat and sat on a dharna at the main entrance of the complex, demanding that the Speaker should take back his words and expunge these remarks from the proceedings. Though the legislators of various political parties visited the protesting journalists and tried to find out a middle path, the latter, however, reiterated their resolve, maintaining they would continue their protest till the Speaker took his words back. The PDP had also moved an adjournment motion to suspend routine business and discuss the issue with the Speaker, who rejected it. Later, all PDP legislators led by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti walked out of the House, alleging that the government was bent on eroding the democratic institutions. Yesterday, the Speaker had said the media worked under his control and that they would have to disclose their sources to him. The journalists also turned down requests from Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar and Leader of the Panthers Party Harsh Dev Singh to call off the protest. Later, two Advisers to the Chief Minister, Devinder Singh Rana and Mubarak Gul, Secretary, Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Ramzan and other state officials met the journalists and extended an invitation to them for a meeting with the Speaker at 2 pm to end the impasse. The Speaker, however, retracted from his invitation and refused to meet mediapersons, citing that he didn’t have time for them. As per the fresh decision, the mediapersons have decided that they would assemble outside the legislature complex tomorrow to resume their protest.
— TNS
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Ministers meet Governor
Jammu, February 28 Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather discussed several important issues relating to the financial health of the state, improved recovery of taxes and increased support for the implementation of identified welfare schemes. Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture Sham Lal Sharma discussed the implementation of various centrally-sponsored schemes relating to promoting health care delivery system in the state. Matters relating to the advancement of horticulture and floriculture sectors in the state were also discussed during the meeting. Shabir Ahmad Khan, Minister of State for Power, discussed the measures being taken for harnessing the vast hydel power potential available in the state. The Governor was also briefed about the measures underway to affect power reforms, reduce transmission and distribution losses and visibly improve efficiency, honesty and accountability of the power sector functionaries. Ashok Kumar, MLA, Ramban, presented to the Governor a memorandum with a detail of major difficulties faced by the people of his constituency. The demands presented by the MLA included inter alia, construction of a yatri sarai at Ramban, establishment of degree colleges and Industrial Training Institutes at Assar, Kastigarh and Batote, construction of the Dessa-Kapran tunnel, provision of air ambulances at Ramban and Doda to shift road accidents victims, construction of a double-lane motorable bridge on the Chenab at Ramban, creation of tehsils at Kastigarh, Batote and Assar and speedy restoration of the power supply to the far-flung areas of the Ramban constituency, which have been adversely-affected by the recent heavy snowfall in the region. The Governor appreciated the MLA’s concerns and assured him of help and support for the welfare of the people to the maximum possible extent.
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Congress MLC attempts to woo scribes
Jammu, February 28 With mediapersons boycotting the legislature proceedings for the second day today, Congress MLC Ravinder Sharma urged the media to at least cover the proceedings of the Upper House. The Assembly Speaker, it may be stated, had said on the floor of the Lower House that the media was under his control. “Some of the members, including I, had raised the issue before the Legislative Council Chairman and he too had felt that the media should cover the proceedings of the Upper House,” Sharma told The Tribune. Since the issue pertained to the Lower House, we felt that the media should cover the proceedings of the Legislative Council till the matter was resolved amicably, he added. However, a sitting MLC of the PDP, Murtaza Ahmed Khan, said the PDP and Panthers Party MLCs supported the media over the issue.
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J&K to move court to get back land in Haryana
Jammu, February 28 According to a government handout issued on behalf of the Chief Minister here, the Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, in reply to a clubbed question, informed the Upper House that the state government would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get back its land in Sirsa. He said the land had been surreptitiously transferred in the name of a cooperative society by an Assistant Commissioner there. He said the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, had also taken up the issue with the Haryana government to get back its property. On the Rajaji Marg property, measuring 114 kanal and 11.2 marla, in Delhi, he said 96 kanal was on lease with the Military Engineering Wing of the Ministry of Defence. The state was in possession of just 17 kanal for which the Chief Engineer, Roads and Buildings, Jammu, had been asked to prepare a detailed project report for the construction of an accommodation block there. He said as soon as the report of the proposed accommodation block got ready, the requisite funds would be released for the construction. Rather said the state government was working towards protecting its valuable property outside the state. On a query pertaining to the revenue record of reclaimed land, the Revenue Minister, Raman Bhalla, informed the House that no entries had been found in the revenue record regarding reclamation of land from the Tawi during the past 10 years. He, however, said in the past 20 years, an area measuring 138 kanal and 30 marla had been reclaimed. In reply to another question, Bhalla said there was no intentional delay on part of the collectors in the land acquisition case. He said the collectors had to proceed in accordance with the provisions of the J&K Land Acquisitions Act after following the mandatory requirements as envisaged under the Act. Regarding the pending land compensation cases, the minister said the progress was being monitored at various levels and appropriate instructions were being issued to the collectors from time to time for expeditious completion of execution proceedings.
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Woman’s death in mishap sparks protest
Jammu, February 28 “Charanjeet alighted from a mini bus and was crossing the road when she was knocked down by a tipper. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene, leaving the vehicle behind. Angry residents threw stones at the tipper and later torched it,” the police said, adding that it took half an hour to douse the flames. Sources close to the deceased’s family said Charanjeet was running a boutique in a rented accommodation in the Bathandi area. Angry residents joined by the victim’s family members blocked the Bathandi road for over two hours, demanding the driver’s arrest and suitable compensation for the family. They raised slogans against the administration and the police, accusing them of failing to rein in rashly driven vehicles in the area. Inderjeet Khajuria, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, visited the scene and tried to pacify the protesters. He assured them of providing suitable compensation to the aggrieved family. The police later arrested the tipper driver, Lochan Singh, a resident of Punjab. A case under Sections 279 and 304-A of the RPC has been registered against the driver at the Bathandi police post. |
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PHE workers hold protests in Chenab valley
Udhampur, February 28 As per reports, demonstrations were held at Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Thathri, Gandoh, Ramban and Banihal. The PHE Workers’ Welfare Association, erstwhile Doda district, led by district president Abdul Rashid Jaral, staged a dharna in front of the office of the Executive Engineer, PHE, Doda division. Rashid said the workers had been forced to organise a series of demonstrations at different places in the erstwhile district as the state PHE authorities had turned a blind eye to their demands, like release of wages of all categories at the enhanced rate of Rs 125 per day with retrospective effect, as agreed by the state government, and release of wages before the fifth of every month. Their other demands included regularisation of services of all daily rated workers, posting of all class IV workers who had completed two years of service at one place back to their respective sub-division, higher grades for technical employees of the department, provision of risk allowance to all employees, maintenance of seniority list, formation of the departmental promotion committee (DPC) to fill posts falling vacant either due to retirement or promotion, and absorption of widows or family members of deceased daily rated workers in the department on compassionate grounds. The PHE leaders demanded acceptance of their demands at the earliest to avoid a showdown between the workers and the government, as the employees were agitated at the failure of the government to keep its promises. Jaral said they had appealed to the PHE Minister, Taj Mohiuddin, to keep the promises made with the leaders of the PHE workers without delay.
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13 structures damaged in avalanche
Srinagar, February 28 The police today said the avalanche caused damage in Abdulan, Chakwali and Malangam villages of the Tulail area. However, no one was injured in the incident. The recent snowfall in the Kashmir valley and its upper reaches have triggered avalanches at different places during the past one week. At least 16 Army men were killed when an avalanche hit Dawar in Gurez last week. Three other Army men were killed in another avalanche in the Sonamarg area of Ganderbal district, around 100 km from here. The five-day-long rescue operation was called off in Gurez yesterday. The Army, IAF, police and civil administration had launched rescue operations to save those trapped in the snow-bound areas. Army rescues
ailing man A Defence spokesperson today said the presence of the Army in the remote border area of Machhal helped save a villager’s life in the snow-bound area. A 75-year-old man, Abdul Samad Sheikh, of Thalli in Kupwara district developed critical heart problem and was stranded in an area cut off from Kupwara. Capt Ankur Rawat, an Army Medical Officer, provided critical care to the ailing man for over 24 hours before he was evacuated by a service helicopter to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, yesterday. Local residents had brought the patient on a stretcher to the medical room of an RR unit deployed in the sector with complaint of extreme breathlessness and general swelling of the body on Sunday. Captain Rawat examined the patient and diagnosed him with congestive cardiac failure. Considering the seriousness of his illness and remoteness of the area due to heavy snowfall, it was decided to evacuate the patient by air to save his life. Due to the prevailing bad weather and continuous snowfall, a helicopter arrived at the Dudi helipad on Monday afternoon. The patient was evacuated to Srinagar along with his two sons. The patient is reported to be stable, the spokesperson said. |
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Four held for assault; arms seized
Jammu, February 28 A team from the Domana police station came to the victim’s rescue and arrested four of the alleged attackers. Two others fled the scene. The accused have been identified as Pawan Kumar of Patoli, Jammu; Vikram Singh, alias Chintu, of Bantalab; Pawan Kumar, Ganesh Kumar and Pinki Kumar, all residents of Karloop; and Tara Chand of Patoli. Man held with stolen vehicles The Kathua police today arrested a man and recovered 19 stolen motorcycles and a Maruti car. The police said following a complaint by Subash Singh of Sujanpur in Pathankot regarding the theft of his motorcycle from Hatli Morh, the police picked up a suspect, Showket Ali, alias Pakko, hailing from the Kindli area in Billawar tehsil, from the Govindsar area and recovered the stolen motorcycle. Further interrogation led to the recovery of 18 stolen motorcycles and a car from Kathua and parts of Punjab. |
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Government backlog remedy — promote dead
Jammu, February 28 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, raising the issue in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, said promotions were granted to these doctors when they were not in service. Minister Sham Lal Sharma, while admitting that some doctors who were not in service had been promoted, said the decision was taken only to clear the backlog. The Minister said the DPC in the Health Department did not hold any meeting during the last 15 years so it was essential to first clear the backlog to extend the benefit to in-service doctors. He said the decision to clear the backlog was taken only to streamline the functioning of the Health Department. He said the functioning of the department was being streamlined by taking several initiatives. He said to bring transparency in the functioning of hospitals, the DPC meeting had cleared promotions of doctors and other staff. Now it would be mandatory to hold the DPC meeting every year for clearing the promotions of medicos and para-medicos. The promotions for dental surgeons would also be considered. At present there was only one post of Deputy Director against which the senior most incumbent was promoted, he added. Peerzada Mansoor intervened to say that instead of promoting non-serving doctors, government should promote those who were in service to streamline the functioning of the department. Sharma, however, said strenuous efforts were being made to upgrade health care facilities across the state, and all vacant posts of medicos and para-medicos in health institutions would be filled in due course of time. The minister also informed the House about the details of CMOs, BMOs, Dy CMOs and DHOs posted in health institutions of the Kashmir province. He said posts of 16 B-Grade Specialists and 30 Assistant Surgeons were vacant in Anantnag district. |
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Project for horses, mules gets trotting
A research team today visited Katra to examine the ponies and assess the problems faced by the animals. The animals will be provided treatment and proper care by the NGOs. There are around 22,000 equines in Katra alone. The prominent diseases among these animals include colic (causing severe abdominal pain), lameness (causing disability due to overburden or stress) and Monday Morning sickness (a lung-related ailment). A team of veterinary doctors, community motivator and other activists of the NGO examined the heath status of the animals as well as their owners and assessed the working conditions. A member of the NGO, while talking to The Tribune, said: “We got a good response from people here. They are happy to get their animals examined, as we are offering free treatment to the ailing animals. The team will visit the border areas of Jammu tomorrow and carry out a medical check-up of the horses and donkeys there. —
TNS |
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HC breather for DSP in graft case
Jammu, February 27 The petitioner had submitted that at least 14 criminal cases were registered or pending investigation against Gupta at police stations under his jurisdiction. Further, the petitioner was one of the members of a special investigation team (SIT) constituted to investigate the matter.
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International conference at JU from tomorrow
Jammu, February 28 Talking to mediapersons here today, Prof Pooman Choudhary, director, Centre for Studies in Museology, JU, said Governor NN Vohra would inaugurate the conference at 10.30 am, while Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora will be the guest of honour. Prof MP Singh Ishar, Vice-Chancellor, JU, will preside over the function. —
TNS
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Srinagar, February 28 The court had remanded him in judicial custody. He was lodged at the Central Jail till March 5. “His relatives had visited him today. He developed chest pain and was provided medical help, but he died,” the police said. — TNS
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The police here today resorted to lathicharge against the trade unionists protesting against the “wrong policies” of the government as part of the countrywide protest organised by the CITU.
A boutique owner was killed after she was hit by a speeding tipper in the Bathandi locality, triggering a protest by local residents, here today.
The 40-year-old victim, Charanjeet Kour, a resident of Sector-G, Sainik Colony, was heading towards her boutique, located in the Bathandi area, when she was hit by a rashly driven tipper
(JK 02 AR 2335).
Jammu, February 28
Jammu, February 28