Jammu, April 12
The Traffic Police seems to be on a challaning spree in the wake of a spurt in the number of road violations and deaths in the city in recent years. Statistics of the Traffic Department suggest that the number of vehicles challaned has recorded a significant increase in the first quarter of this year.

“Till March 31 this year, over 30,000 challans have been issued by the Traffic Police, which has resulted in revenue collection of Rs 65 lakh in Jammu district. The Traffic Department had issued 28,394 challans in 2011 during the first quarter, realising Rs 42.77 lakh from the violators,” the statistics suggest.

Giving the month-wise break-up, the statistics revealed that as many as 10,351 vehicles were challaned in January this year, while the number of violators came down in February, when 9,624 vehicles were issued challans for violating the road safety norms in Jammu district.

“Around 12,000 vehicles were issued challans for different violations in March,” the department figures suggest.

A senior traffic department official said: “The department seems to have taken upon itself to teach a lesson to violators. Its revenue collections will also go up if it continues to issue challans in this manner.”

He admitted that violation of traffic rules on city roads had been on the rise in recent times.

“The department has laid its thrust on penalising offenders for speeding, using mobile phone while driving and failing to wear helmets, as most deaths take place due to these violations. Besides, we have also intensified our drive against wrong and haphazard parking on busy roads in the city, which is a major cause of obstruction in the smooth flow of traffic,” the official stated.

He also attributed the increase in revenue collections to the hike in the amount of challans being issued for different violations.

“The department has recently hiked the amount of fine for various traffic violations in the state. The decision was taken to get tough with offenders so that they don’t repeat their mistake,” the official said.

The traffic department has, however, come under sharp criticism from road users, who allege that the police is issuing challans only to “mint money”.

“The traffic department is least bothered about streamlining the flow of traffic on city roads. They seldom make efforts to educate people about the traffic rules. Instead of streamlining traffic, they harass motorists by issuing challans for no fault of theirs,” said Rajat Parkash, a college student.

Jammu SSP (Traffic) Manmohan Singh said the department had intensified its drive against the violators and the increase in number of challans had nothing to do with making money through challans.

The SSP said the department had been facing severe shortage of manpower.

“As against the required strength of 550 policemen in Jammu, we are managing the affairs with just 283 policemen. In spite of the limitations, we have been keeping a tab on violators and booking them under the law.”

Jammu, April 12
Almost a week after the Jammu University Teachers’ Association called off its strike and resumed classes, the university today scheduled the examinations for May.

Speculations about examinations getting delayed due to pending syllabus had been rife during the strike. Putting the speculations to rest, the university has decided to go ahead with the examinations as scheduled earlier i.e. beginning in mid-May and culminating by May 31.

The university had conducted the examinations on May 14 last year.

Most departments like social sciences, Information Technology and science are on the verge of completing the final section of their respective syllabus. They are expected to complete the final syllabus for the examinations by the last week of April.

The students are heaving a sigh of relief as their course is expected to be finished on time. Also, they will get 10-day preparatory leave before the start of the examinations.

“The strike hasn’t had any adverse effect on the academics, as most people feared. Not many lectures were left when the staff went on strike. In fact, the first round of internal evaluation had been completed by then. We are now preparing for the second round, which should take place by the end of this month,” said Deepankar Sen Gupta, a member of JUTA.

The teachers are busy completing their course syllabus by taking extra classes to make up for time lost on account of government holidays that have been coming in between.

The students are more relaxed about preparing for their examinations now, as their course is nearing completion and the examination schedule is out.

“Teachers are on the verge of finishing their course. Otherwise it would have been difficult to prepare for the examinations and expect a good result,” said a third-year student of the Department of Sociology.

With half a month left to complete the course, teachers are comfortably placed in their schedule to finish taking classes, conduct the second round of internal evaluation and then give students a 10-day off to prepare for the examinations, said a member of JUTA.

Jammu, April 12
Members of the PHE Workers Welfare Association continued with their relay fast for the 12th day today in support of their demands.

The protesters demanded wages at the rate of 125 per day for all workers, regularisation of daily rated workers every five years on the lines of Rehbar-e-Taleem and transfer of Class IV employees back to their sub-divisions.

The protesters asked the state government to fulfil their demands at the earliest. They threatened to go on a pen-down strike from April 20 in the Jammu region if their demands were not fulfilled.

Meanwhile, Sushil Sudan, president, Jammu and Kashmir Medical Employees Federation, Jammu Province, said the department did not have any recruitment or promotion rules.

Jammu, April 12
A newly married woman lost her life after a mini-bus driving rashly hit a boundary wall and turned turtle near the Government Guest House on the Canal Road this evening.

The deceased was identified as Monica, wife of Amit Kumar, resident of Sainik Colony. The police said the driver of the mini-bus lost his control over the vehicle and hit it with a boundary wall. The woman, who was travelling in the vehicle, died on the spot. The police said the driver fled from the spot. A few other passengers also suffered minor injuries. — TNS

Jammu, April 12
The Kashmiri Pandits celebrated “Vaital Sheyam” at the Chakreshwar (Hari Parbat), Paloura, and vowed to fight for the restoration of the Vaital Bhairava temple, Rainawari, Jammu Chapter, and Shree Vaital Bhairava Sewa Sabha and Kala Mandir, Motiyaar.

The celebrations started with the “samoohik pooja” followed by the “prasad vitaran”. The religious teachers apprised the devotees about the significance of “Vaital Sheyam”. Prof ML Kaul, member advisory, Rainawari, Jammu chapter, delivered the keynote address and highlighted the value of “Vaital Sheyam”.

Keeping in view the situation that has emerged out of the alleged illegal sale of the Vaital Bhairava temple by Dharmarth Trust, a special meeting was chaired by Ramesh Handoo to intensify the sensitisation of the masses about the issue.

The meeting was attended by activists and senior members of the temple committees of Rainawari to extend the scope of the Rainawari, Jammu chapter, as a comprehensive body having a say in all affairs related to temple properties and other issues.

Jammu, April 12
A mock test for Masters in Computer Application (MCA) course was conducted for the first time at Science College recently. The drill was an attempt by the college authorities to prepare the students for the entrance test to be held in May.

The mock test was attempted by 100 students and some had their first-time experience with the Optical Mark Sheet (OMS) and the pattern of the question paper. The students were taught how to fill the form and attempt the question paper, which was divided into three sections - logic, reasoning and mathematics.

Since, it was the first time for the students at the Science College, they cleared all their doubts related to the entrance test preparation.

“Most students were not familiar with the pattern of the examination. The mock test gave them an idea of how to prepare for the exam and gauge their own potential as well. Now, they can prepare for the exam by focusing on the three sections and enhance their speed as well,” said Praveen Singh, in charge of conducting the mock test at the college.

Jammu, April 12
The municipal corporation destroyed 70 kg of stale food during an inspection conducted in 75 shops in various areas here today.

A team of food safety officers conducted a tour of Bahu Fort, Gandhi Nagar, Narwal, Digiana, Gangyal and Kunjwani areas and inspected food establishments like sweets/milk shops, dhabas, meat and bakery shops and cafeterias.

A sum of Rs 3,000 was realised as compounding fee from the defaulters.

The team also seized polythene carry bags being used by the shopkeepers in these areas. The team advised people not to smoke at public places.

The food establishment owners were instructed to adhere to the norms and provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and maintain hygiene on their premises to ensure good quality of food items. — TNS

Jammu, April 12
The Physical Education Department won over the MCA Department by 2-0 in volleyball in the ongoing Inter-Department Competitions at the University of Jammu here today. The spikers of the Physical Education Department unleashed flurry of smashes to unsettle the rival team from the word go. They pocketed the opening set with a convincing margin of 25-8 and then sealed the issue with 25-5 win in the next.

Sahil Jamwal and Rakesh Singh Rahi were the star performers of the winning team. In the second match, the Physical Education Department scripted another win against the Education Department with an identical margin. The set score read 25-15 and 25-18.

Law School toppled School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM) by 2-0 with utmost ease. Law School fetched the inaugural set by 25-17, followed with another thumping win in the next with 25-22 margin. The matches were officiated by Shashi Sharma, Mulkh Raj Khajuria, Arti Sharma and Waseem. — TNS

Jammu, April 12
Jammu and Kashmir Tae Kwon Do team bagged the top honours in the junior boys’ and girls’ category recently in the 5th National Tae kwon do Poomsae Championship at Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium, Guwahati. Also, the team finished second in the senior boys category. The team bagged gold medal in the senior individual category and senior team event, followed by two bronze medals, each in senior individual event and senior pair event.

The junior boys’ team fetched bronze medal, besides a silver in the individual and pair event. Girls’ team clinched gold medal in the team event, silver in the pair event and bronze in the individual, event to emerge as champions. During the championship, the Tae kwon do Federation of India had also selected five best players for the Asian Tae kwon do Championship slated to be held at Hochinmin City, Vietnam, from May 3.

Atul Pangotra bagged one gold medal in the individual category and one in the senior team event. He will compete with four other players, namely Ugen Gurung (Sikkim), Rahul Jain (Maharashtra), Tanvi Nadkerni (Goa), and Anamika Walia (Delhi) in the seventh World Tae kwon do Poomsae Championship to be held at Colombia. The medal winners of the state tae kwon do team include Atul Pangotra, Sanjay Kumar, Mohammad Ali, Brinder Manhas, Tashi Tundup, Sanket Sharma, Vishal Malhotra, Ashish, Manpreet Singh, Priyanka, Shehnaz Parveen, Ambreen Fatima and Narmita Katoch.