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Economic Survey Report
BJP focuses on Jammu West to check rebel activities
Snarl-ups spell chaos on national highway
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Govt not serious about holding civic poll, says Opposition
‘Bichoo’ has audience in splits
Man held for theft
Jagati township: For Kashmiri Pandits, it’s home away from home
‘Satellite city only viable option for return’
Governor lauds steps taken for police welfare
Usha Vohra joins folk celebrations
Facelift drive by postal dept from March 9
Rather to present Budget today
Man jumps in front of train, dies
Cleanliness drive by NSS volunteers at Reasi
Oppn corners govt over delay in providing infrastructure
Docs remove 3 safety pins from toddler’s nose
Two swept away at Mahore
Dateline Jammu
DATELINE KASHMIR
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Economic Survey Report
Jammu, March 4 The major projects and plans of the department included increasing the forest productivity, natural regeneration, solid and water conservation, biodiversity conservation, wetland conservation, bringing more areas under the protected area network, and strengthening research, education and training. The report revealed that about 44,000 hectares would be afforested under the social forestry projects and rescue and rehabilitation centres would be developed for wild animals. The diversion of land for non-forestry purposes would be carried out carefully and judiciously. Eight new project reports to cater to the local needs had been prepared by the department of social forestry, and had been submitted to the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment for approval. “A sum of Rs 100 crore would be spent on afforestation during the next five years under the compensatory afforestation management and planning scheme,” reads the report, adding that the Rs 600-crore Integrated Forest Resource Management Project was also formulated for restoration of the eco-system. |
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BJP focuses on Jammu West to check rebel activities
Jammu, March 4 After organising a series of corner meetings during the last one month, the BJP today convened a meeting of workers of the segment. BJP state president Shamsher Singh Manhas, who was the chief guest in today’s meeting, said the belt housed people from Mirpur, Kotli and other areas of Pakistan who had lost their kin during the Partition. “Although Pakistan has made repeated attempts to destabilise our state but our brave, patriotic people have always given a befitting reply. Although we are independent but still there is a threat to the unity and integrity of the country not just from across the border but also from within because separatists and Kashmir-centric political parties like the NC and the PDP are promoting the cause of separatists.” He said the Congress had totally surrendered before them for remaining in power. It is the BJP only which had never compromised with its ideology and principles and, hence, deserved the support of people of Jammu in the forthcoming urban local bodies elections, he added. BJP Legislature Party leader Jugal Kishore Sharma and others also addressed the meeting. |
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Snarl-ups spell chaos on national highway
Jammu/Srinagar, March 4 “My ailing brother and I left Jammu around 5.30 am in a cab but could only make it to Ramban around 2 pm. The vehicles moved at a snail’s pace because of mismanagement on part of the traffic police,” Rajneesh Khajuria, a Central government employee, told The Tribune over phone. Khajuria said huge snarl-ups prevailed on the highway, leading to confusion and chaos. Firdous Khan, another passenger, said in spite of announcing the movement of Srinagar-bound traffic today, the authorities allowed vehicles to leave Srinagar for Jammu, resulting in traffic jams at different places. “I could not spot any traffic police personnel along the way, forcing drivers to regulate traffic on their own to clear jams at different places,” he said. Vehicles that had left Jammu for the Kashmir valley on Sunday morning remained stranded at Badi Nullah, 80 km from Jammu. However, the Ramban SP, Anil Magotra, said though the highway remained open today, traffic movement was suspended following rain, which made the journey tricky at Panthial. “As a precautionary measure, the traffic police authorities suspended the movement of traffic on the highway following three unpleasant incidents in the past, wherein falling rocks left several dead and injured on the highway,” he said. Meanwhile, the upper reaches of the Kashmir valley received fresh snowfall, while the plains witnessed moderate rainfall today. Srinagar received 14.9 mm rainfall till 5.30 pm today, while the tourist resort of Pahalgam in Anantnag district of south Kashmir received 17.8 mm snow and rain, an official of the meteorological department said. The border town of Kupwara received 20.3 mm snow and rain, while the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded five inches of snow and 8.6 mm rainfall. Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, received 3.0 mm rain. The maximum temperatures recorded at Srinagar, Qazigund and Pahalgam were 5.8 °C, 10.0 °C and 3.8 °C, respectively. In spite of the rainfall, the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained open to one-way traffic, a police official said, adding that vehicular traffic was allowed to ply from Jammu to the Valley. However, sources said heavy traffic jam was witnessed on the highway, causing inconvenience to the passengers. The weatherman has forecast more rain and snow during the next 24 hours in the Valley. Due to fresh snowfall, the authorities issued a medium avalanche alert in the upper reaches of the Valley. An official of the Natural Disaster Management Cell said the areas most prone to avalanches were Keran, Machil, Kupwara and Gurez near the Line of Control. People living in these areas have been advised to take precautionary measures and not venture near snowbound slopes. |
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Govt not serious about holding civic poll, says Opposition
Jammu, March 4 “The government has neither carried out the proper delimitation of local bodies nor has it removed the discrepancies from the electoral rolls,” said BJP leader and MLA Ashok Khajuria. He said there was no reason to conduct the local bodies elections without extending to the state the 74th Amendment to the Constitution of India. “Earlier the state government had conducted panchayat elections without incorporating the 73rd Amendment to the existing Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, and now the government wants to conduct the local bodies elections without extending the 74th Amendment,” he said. Former Mayor of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta said the government had not done its homework for conducting local bodies elections. “I fail to understand how the elections would be held when the existing electoral rolls are full of discrepancies,” he maintained and added that the elections would just be a formality. Senior PDP leader Ved Mahajan, while doubting the intentions of the government on the civic bodies elections, said many areas that deserved to be included in the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) were deliberately excluded. “Instead of conducting proper delimitation to include all deserving areas in the municipal limits, the government seems to be adopting a casual approach,” he said. Mahajan said the Central government had blocked funds meant for urban development due to the failure of the state government to constitute local bodies. “Now the government wants to do the formality of constituting local bodies just to get the funds.” |
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‘Bichoo’ has audience in splits
Jammu, March 4 The play revolves around the Munne Miyan and Banne Miyan families, who while being rich are miser to the core. Their sons Munir and Afzal are close friends and without the knowledge of their fathers have love affairs with Razia and Nilli, respectively. Their servants Rehmat and Hashmat are their “partners in crime”. While Munne Miyan has fixed his son Munir’s marriage with Banne Miyan’s daughter, Rehmat, Banne Miyan’s servant, alters the plans in cahoots with Afzal and Munir by fooling the two fathers. Vikram Sharma, Anil Tickoo, Pawan Verma, Rahul Singh, Uplaksh Singh, Sajra Qadir, Shivika Verma, Sushil Raina and Atin Tikka enacted the play and had the audience in splits. Gaurav Jamwal executed the lighting while Sumeet Sharma rendered music. |
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Man held for theft
Jammu, March 4 A police spokesperson said a woman, Ravena, of Ramzan Pura in Janipura locality had lodged a complaint with the police on February 25, claiming that she had left her bangles in the kitchen while working there. After sometime, she found the bangles missing. She suspected it to be the handiwork of one of
her relatives. After questioning the relatives, the police arrested Saleem Jafir, a resident of Beragoea in Rajouri, and recovered the stolen bangles.
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Jagati township: For Kashmiri Pandits, it’s home away from home
Jammu, March 4 The Jagati township is nestled in the lower Trikuta hills, away from the hustle and bustle of Jammu. “Something is better than nothing. Though we are still awaiting our return to the Valley, the township has at least brought us out of the misery of living in shanties for over 20 years,” says Chaman Lal Koul, a township resident, while enjoying sunshine with his friend in a park. On March 4 last year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had inaugurated the township under the Prime Minister’s relief and rehabilitation programme by handing over the keys to the flats to those living in different migrant camps. While there were apprehensions among the beneficiaries about living in the township initially, the community seems to be at ease with the new place and its environs a year down the line. “Things are better here. We have lived in one-room tenements for 20 years. We know the pain of living in such conditions. The place has offered us better conditions and environment to live,” says Koul. The residents, however, have had their fair share of inconveniences, like receiving irregular supply of electricity. The residents had to take to the streets after the government asked them to pay for electricity if they wanted an uninterrupted supply of power. The issue was later resolved. This was followed by the issue of allotment letters. While the government issued authority letters to the residents, the latter, feeling insecure about the ownership of flats, demanded the issuance of allotment letters. The issue was subsequently resolved. Bimla Bhan, originally from Saeli, Anantnag, says: “It is not easy to build a home, and its even harder to leave one. But we did it. We have no regret staying in the new township. It has offered us a better place to live. But we are still awaiting our return back home (Kashmir) one day.”
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‘Satellite city only viable option for return’
Jammu, March 4 The delegates participating in the meet passed a resolution demanding a city self-sufficient in terms of overall infrastructure, economic avenues, land, accommodation, educational institutions, healthcare, recreation centres, commercial infrastructure, etc. Representatives of mainstream organisations representing the Kashmiri Pandits from across the country and overseas participated in the meet. The participants included Moti Kaul, president of the All-India Kashmiri Samaj; Dr KN Pandita, president, Jammu and Kashmir Nationalist Movement; RK Raina, senior vice-president, All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference; KK Khosa, senior vice-president, Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, Jammu; and HN Jattu, president, All-India Kashmiri Pandit Conference, among others. The delegates urged the government to constitute a commission of enquiry, headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, to probe the circumstances and fix the responsibility for the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in the early 1990s. As political empowerment was an instrument for protecting and promoting the identity of a minority community, adequate reservations should be made in Parliament, Assembly, and local bodies, they added. The members demanded a minority status for the community. They also felt that those who had stay on in the Valley had lived a miserable life under the fear of gun. The delegates urged the government to take steps to protect and preserve the age-old heritage of the community handed down in the shape of temples, shrines, places of worship and pilgrimage sites, etc. |
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Governor lauds steps taken for police welfare
Jammu, March 4 Usha Vohra, who inaugurated the day-long Police-Public Mela in the presence of the Governor, the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony, also interacted with stall owners. Indu Koul Khoda, chairperson, Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association, and Kuldeep Khoda, Director General of Police, were prominent among those present. Usha Vohra lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the commencement of the mela. Students presented a welcome song on the Later, the Governor and his wife along with Indu Khoda and Kuldeep Khoda went around 40 stalls put up in the mela and evinced keen interest in the items on display, particularly the handicraft products from Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu regions which were on sale. A cultural programme based on folk songs and dances of the three regions of the state was presented on the occasion. The Governor and his wife were briefed by the DGP and his wife Indu Khoda about the aims of the mela, and the activities of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association that were aimed at securing the welfare of the police parivar. The mela was attended by a large number of people from all walks of life. |
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Usha Vohra joins folk celebrations
Governor NN Vohra’s wife Usha Vohra joined the Dogri folk dancers at the mela with some impromptu steps at the Police Sports Stadium here this morning. As soon as she joined the other dancers, just for a few seconds, it drew applause from the dignitaries, including chief guest of the function Governor N N Vohra, DGP Kuldeep Khoda, DGP’s wife and chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association Indu Khoda, and the audience.
The dancers from the cultural troupe described it as a lovely gesture, saying, “Such gestures encourage us to perform better”. Usha Vohra also appreciated the traditional ‘Thali Dance’ presented by Ramban district. Meanwhile, cultural troupes from various districts enthralled the audience with their performances based on folk songs and dances of the three regions.
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Facelift drive by postal dept from March 9
Srinagar, March 4 “‘I Love my Post Office’ campaign will start across the state from March 9. It aims at improving customer relations and giving a presentable look to the post offices,” Samuel said, while addressing the Mega Postmasters Conference here. Around 600 postmasters of the Valley participated in the conference held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre on the banks of the Dal lake. Samuel said post offices at tourist spots would sell traditional articles like shawls, saffron and souvenirs of the Valley. He urged the postmasters to maintain good relations with customers and keep the post office “as beautiful as Kashmir”. Later, guest lectures on motivation, communication and marketing were delivered by professors of the Business School of Kashmir University. Senior officers of the J&K Postal Circle also spoke. Amit Sharma, Director, Postal Services, urged the postmasters to provide best services to the customers. Samuel distributed prizes to the best performing postmasters of the Valley. |
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Rather to present Budget today
Jammu, March 4 This will be the 12th Budget to be presented by Rather in the State Legislature. |
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Man jumps in front of train, dies
Jammu, March 4 SPO receives bullet injury A Special Police Officer (SPO) on Friday received bullet injuries under mysterious circumstances in Bhaderwah town of Doda district. The police said an SPO, identified as Rajesh Kumar, 27, a resident of Bhaderwah, received bullet injury on his leg under mysterious circumstances when he was on duty at the Khilad Post in Bhaderwah. Rajesh was rushed to the District Hospital, Doda, and later referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu. Teenager killed in road mishap A teenager was crushed to death when a speeding truck hit his motorbike in Ranbir Singh Pura town on Friday. The victim was identified as Gagandeep Singh, a resident of Kadhyal in RS Pura. The police said critically injured Gagandeep was shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, where he was declared brought dead. |
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Cleanliness drive by NSS volunteers at Reasi
Katra, March 4 Geeta Manhas, Coordinator, NSS, SVDCE, said the volunteers took a keen interest and worked together in small groups. They removed the undesired growth of grass in the park, around the Shiv temple. Lecturer of the SVDCE Anju Malhotra also joined the volunteers and worked with a spade, stacking grass into small heaps. She interacted with the participating boys and girls and appreciated the volunteers for the noble cause they had undertaken. |
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Oppn corners govt over delay in providing infrastructure
Jammu, March 4 During the Question Hour in the state Legislative Assembly, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) MLA from Samba, Yash Paul Kundal raised a question mark on the functioning of the government vis-à-vis its failure in completing the transfer of land for setting up of the Central Universities. “Even after the lapse of three years since the Ministry of Human Resource Development sanctioned two Central Universities for the Kashmir and Jammu regions, the government has failed to transfer full land for these universities. How many years would the government take in making these institutes of higher learning functional?” Kundal asked. Minister for Higher Education Abdul Gani Malik said the land acquisition was the biggest challenge for the government. “About 4,641 kanals and 4,325 kanals had been identified for the establishment of the Central Universities at Jammu and Kashmir, respectively. A total of 3,000 kanals and 3,321 kanals were transferred to these universities at Jammu and Srinagar,” he disclosed. “The process of transferring the remaining land is in progress,” Malik said and admitted that the Central Universities were functional in rented accommodations till date. “We have introduced four courses in the Central University of Jammu and six more courses are likely to be started during the next academic session,” he maintained. The MLA, who was not satisfied with the Minister’s reply, sought to know the specific reasons for delay in transferring the land to the varsity during the past three years. He was joined by his party colleague, Harsh Dev Singh; PDP MLA, Abdul Rehman Veeeri; CPM legislator, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami; senior legislator Chaman Lal Gupta; MLA from Langate Engineer Abdul Rashid; MLA from Kathua Charanjeet Singh; MLA from Bishnah Ashwani Sharma and PDP MLA Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, who also questioned the government’s functioning vis-à-vis the establishment of university campus across the state. Harsh Dev said, “The government has failed to spend funds sanctioned by the UGC and the Central government for satellite campuses of the University of Jammu. What had stopped the government to spend funds for the establishment of infrastructure in these campuses?” Other legislators also raised concern over the slow pace of the government, in providing staff and infrastructure to all the institutes of higher learning across the state. The Minister assured them that all possible steps would be taken by the government to make these universities fully functional in the state. |
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Docs remove 3 safety pins from toddler’s nose
Jammu, March 4 Shouriya, son of Ashish Anand, a resident of
Trikuta Nagar, had put three safety pins in his right nostril two months ago without his parent’s knowledge. Noticing that Shouriya was in pain, the parents approached the ENT unit of the Shri Maharaja
Gulab Singh Memorial Hospital with complaints of nasal discharge and obstruction. After diagnostic investigation and an X-ray, multiple safety pins were noticed in Shouriya’s nose. The patient was then immediately taken up for removal of the foreign
bodies under general anaesthesia. Three safety pins were removed endoscopically by a team of doctors. The child was discharged from the hospital after three hours of surgery.
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Two swept away at Mahore
Katra, March 4 Both were said to be relatives and their bodies were recovered 2 km downstream by villagers. The victims were identified as Shamima (14) and Sakina Bano (24) of Badar village. The incident took place when both were crossing the Nandoli nullah. Eyewitnesses said the two slipped into the nullah while crossing it and were swept away by the strong currents. Some labourers and a tipper operator working nearby tried to save the two but to no avail. Later, the villagers recovered the bodies 2 km downstream. The police has registered a case in this regard. 2 killed in road mishaps
Srinagar, March 4 In another incident, an Alto car met with an accident, leaving Abdul Salam Lone injured at Tral in Pulwama district. The injured later died while being taken to a hospital. The police has registered a case in this regard. Four arrested
Four persons were arrested in the Maisuma area of the city today, a police spokesperson said. Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid in Maisuma and arrested four persons for gambling. The police recovered Rs 23,540 in stake money from the scene. The police has registered a case in this regard. — OC
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Dateline Jammu
It is always easy to preach something but difficult to practice the same. Organisers of a conference on preserving historical routes of the state displayed this in ample abundance at the Gen Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu University recently. The compeer and speakers harped on preserving the culture of those tribes that lived along the routes and kept these tracks alive. This was followed by special dances of the Gaddi tribe. Just as the Gaddi women had begun to dance, they were signalled from backstage to wrap it up, as they were running out of time and the VIPs had to leave. The women refused to budge, while the gestures and whispers from backstage grew stronger. Finally, the audience broke into laughter and many VIPs couldn’t help joining them, forcing the poor women to make a reluctant exit. So much for preserving culture! (See photo) Fatal attraction Chief Minister Omar Abdullah this week stated on the floor of Lower House that unlike the PDP patron and former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, he was not good enough in the art of engaging mediapersons by hosting luncheon and dinner meetings where “wazwan” (multi-course meal) was served to keep them in good humour. “My colleagues often tell me to copy media management from Sayeed, who throws sumptuous lunches and dinners with ‘wazwan’. But I tell them I am not of that grain,” Omar had said. Abdullah was speaking on the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address. A senior scribe couldn’t help commenting: “Well, the so-called white-collared ministers, including Omar, can stoop to any level when it comes to scams of various sorts, but the time has come for some amongst us, who are fatally attracted to ‘sarkari wazwan’, to do some soul-searching.” Both Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council are seen as vital components of the democratic fabric of the state. However, in reality the value of the Council has been undermined on several occasions. During the ongoing session, the non-serious approach of bureaucrats towards the Council came to the fore, as hardly any higher official was left in the officers’ gallery just after the question hour. A perturbed MLC from the ruling National Conference even demanded the Chief Secretary of the state to be summoned to the Council. That the council is called “Upper House” seems a perfect misnomer. — Contributed by Jupinderjit Singh, Varun Suthra, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria DATELINE KASHMIR The people from the Valley who are working in Durbar offices in Jammu (the winter capital) find it cumbersome to visit their homes in Kashmir during weekends. But it is easy for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who through his social networking tweets divulges his personal programmes. “No Assembly for the next three days. Will head home to Srinagar this weekend”, he tweeted last week. Mostly, people prefer to stay away from the Valley during the harsh winter months, but the Chief Minister finds solace in the cold, serene and “temporarily calm political atmosphere” during this period. Haj pilgrimage
packages Last year, there were many protests against private travel agencies offering Haj and Umrah services. Many locals, who intended to undertake the holy pilgrimage to Mecca, were cheated by these companies. After street protests, the government promised action and cracked down on these agencies. However, this year, once again many private companies have started issuing advertisements that offer attractive Haj and Umrah packages. The government must verify the credentials of these companies right now and not wait till they cheat Haj pilgrims once more. The pilgrims, too, should not get lured by the attractive offers and check the credentials of these companies before making the bookings. Interlocutors’ report The team of interlocutors led by journalist Dileep Padgaonkar was appointed to talk to all shades of opinion in the state after the violent street protests of 2010. Even though the interlocutors’ report was submitted in October last year, it has not been made public yet. As Padgaonkar had said their report ‘provides a broad framework for evolving a consensus for political settlement of Kashmir,’ the Centre should ensure that the same is made public as early as possible so that it is debated by all stakeholders. Any further delay in releasing the report would only add weight to the claims of those groups that have accused New Delhi of showing urgency in dealing with the Kashmir issue only when there is a crisis on the streets. — Contributed by Ehsan Fazili, M Aamir Khan |
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The state unit of the BJP is concentrating on the Jammu West assembly segment to keep a check on the activities of the rebel group.
A comedy play, ‘Bichoo’, originally written in French by Moliere and directed by Sumeet Sharma, was presented by Natrang here today.
Jammu, March 4
Jammu, March 4
