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10 killed as Jeep falls into gorge in Kishtwar
Delay in local bodies elections
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Hurriyat factions hail Moon’s take on Kashmir
SKUAST creates vaccine
for foot rot disease
Fund embezzlement issue resurfaces in BJP
Nearly 20 Pak militants near the border, BSF on alert
One-day spring festival
Sajjad Lone launches students union
of Peoples Conference
Mass cleanliness drive in Leh today
Seminar focuses on enhancing
pride of J-K
Bandipora-Gurez road opened
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10 killed as Jeep falls into gorge in Kishtwar
Jammu, April 28 Six of those killed belonged to a single family, while two seriously injured passengers were battling for life in hospital. Sources said a Tata Sumo (JK 17 163) was on its way from Dhar Saroor to Drabshala when it skidded off road near Dugga Saroor. Fourteen persons were travelling in the vehicle at the time of the accident. Two of them, seated on the rooftop, jumped to safety as the Jeep rolled into the gorge. “Six members of Desh Raj’s family, including his wife, two daughters and a son, besides two sons of his brother Om Raj, died in the accident. Des Raj was shifted to a hospital in serious condition,” said an eyewitness. Those killed have been identified as Govind Ram, Pardeep Kumar, Sapna, Anita, Mukta Devi, Sandeep Kumar, Sheetal, Joghinder and Ranjeet. The tenth victim, Vishal, died while being shifted from Thathri to Jammu. The injured included Des Raj, who was first shifted to the Kishtwar Hospital but was later referred to the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu. Another passenger, Vikram Kumar, was taken to the district hospital at Thathri but was later shifted to the GMCH. The roads in the erstwhile Doda district, comprising Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda, have become death zones for passengers in spite of measures taken by the government to prevent accidents. Close shave Fourteen persons were travelling in the vehicle at the time of the accident. Two of them, seated on the rooftop, jumped to safety as the Jeep rolled into the gorge |
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Delay in local bodies elections
Jammu, April 28 Omar, while addressing a series of meetings in Poonch and Rajouri districts two days ago, had argued that elections to block and district committees of panchayats had been delayed because elections to four Legislative Council seats reserved for panchayat members had to take place before the constitution of these bodies. He had stated that decks had been cleared for holding the election to MLCs reserved for panchayats, which would be follow by the constitution of block and district councils. Mufti, while addressing a public meeting in the Kot area of Raipur-Domana Assembly segment, dubbed Omar’s logic “deceitful”. He argued that holding of elections to Legislative Council and constitution of block samitis and zila parishads were two separate things. “Empowering panchayats and conducting elections to the Legislative Council seats are two separate things. There is no reason for the government to delay the empowering of panchayats by taking the excuse of holding Legislative Council elections,” he said while questioning the intension of the government over empowering panchayats. Skirting the issue of extending 73rd or 74th Amendments to the state, Mufti said the real issue was delegating powers to the panchayats like other parts of the country to strengthen the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state. The National Conference, the PDP, the Congress and the BJP have been indulging in politics on the issue of empowering panchayats. The Congress, as a partner in the government, has been demanding the extension of 73rd and 74th Amendments to the state, whereas the ruling National Conference has repeatedly been claiming that adequate powers have already been given to the panchayats. |
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Hurriyat factions hail Moon’s take on Kashmir
Srinagar, April 28 An executive committee meeting of the hardline APHC, led by Syed Ali Geelani, which met here today, appealed to the Secretary-General to take measures for the resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of the people of the Valley. The meeting also demanded concrete measures in this direction. A spokesperson for the hardline APHC, after a meeting of representatives of all constituent parties, also sought to remove “hurdles in the implementation” of the UN resolutions on Kashmir. The moderate APHC, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also hailed the Secretary-General’s statement and hoped that Moon would take steps for the implementation of the UN resolutions on Kashmir. The Mirwaiz lamented that the UN resolutions had not been implemented even after the lapse of several decades. The Mirwaiz also urged Moon to impress upon India to take measures for an end to the alleged human rights violations, revocation of AFSPA and other such laws granting special powers to the security forces in the trouble-torn state.
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SKUAST creates vaccine
for foot rot disease
Srinagar, April 28 “It is a major scientific achievement as we have come up with a vaccine for the foot rot disease. It should bring a huge relief to the farming community across the country as the disease has been causing huge economic losses to them,” said Tej Partap, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST. A vaccine to cure the disease of the livestock is not currently available in the country. The disease is being effectively managed in countries like Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Nepal and Bhutan. However, the vaccines from these countries have failed to cure the disease in India. Shakil Ahmed Wani, Head, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, veterinary division, who headed a team of scientists of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry to develop the vaccine said the trials of the vaccine had been successful. “We are in the process of mass-producing the vaccine. The vaccine has undergone successful tests to ensure sterility, safety and potency. We are in touch with the development cell of the sheep department and a Hyderabad-based semi-government department for the mass production of the vaccine,” Wani said. “The vaccine can be administrated after the disease is detected, besides using it as a preventive measure.” The scientists had been working on the vaccine since 2005. In 2007, the university scientists had isolated the organism responsible for the disease and it was the first step in the making of the vaccine. The foot rot is a highly contagious disease that afflicts the feet of small ruminants, especially sheep and goat. The disease is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus and causes a loss of Rs 20 crore annually to the state, which, in turn, affects the mutton productivity of the Valley. The symptoms of the disease include severe lameness, loss of body condition, reduced wool and meat production, impaired movement and inability to breed. Besides J&K, the disease is widespread in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and other hill states. LIVESTOCK DISEASE n
Foot rot is a highly contagious disease among sheep, goat n
Symptoms include lameness, reduced wool, impaired movement, inability to breed n
Causes loss of Rs 20 crore annually to the state The disease is being effectively managed in countries like Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Nepal and Bhutan. However, the vaccines from these countries have failed to cure the disease in India. |
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Fund embezzlement issue resurfaces in BJP
Jammu, April 28 Close on the heals of the conviction of BJP former national president Bangaru Laxman in a graft case, a group within the state unit of the party has decided to “expose” financial irregularities in the functioning of the party by brining the issue to the notice of the new organising secretary. “Some party workers have brought the issue of alleged financial irregularities to my notice but it is too early to say anything on it,” said Ashok Koul, newly appointed organising secretary of the state BJP. Koul, however, admitted that the present system of election bred corruption and there was a need to take steps to check corrupt practices during elections. He said he would take up the issue with the party cadre in a meeting of the state executive committee, which began here this evening. Sources in the BJP said during the 2008 Assembly elections, a huge chunk of party fund was allegedly embezzled by those at the helm due to lack of transparency and accountability. Some BJP candidates, who had lost the elections by a narrow margin, had alleged that they were not given adequate funds at the time of elections. It was further alleged that huge funds were “allocated” to some candidates who were not in a position to win the elections. To substantiate his allegations, a senior BJP leader pointed out that funds worth crores were officially “handed over” to candidates who were contesting elections on party mandate from the Kashmir Valley. “In order to get more funds at that time, a fake impression was created that the party would perform well in Kashmir,” the leader said, adding that the party candidates could not even secure a few thousands votes. Although all senior BJP leaders remained tightlipped on the issue, MLA from Basholi Jagdish Raj Sapolia, who was expelled from the party, pointed out that there was no transparency and accountability while allocating funds to the candidates. Sapolia was a party candidate in the 2008 Assembly elections. |
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Nearly 20 Pak militants near the border, BSF on alert
Jammu, April 28 “Though they (Pakistani militants) usually stay away from the international border during the summer because of its location in plains, the past experiences suggest that they attempt to infiltrate during the winter because of fog and poor visibility. We have observed the movement of 15 to 20 militants in three to four groups on the other side of the international border,” a senior BSF officer said. In the wake of this development on the other side of the international border, the BSF is taking suitable precautions, he added. “Intelligence inputs keep coming to us at regular intervals and we take precautionary measures accordingly,” he said. About the specific arrangements to thwart possible intrusion bids by militants during the summer, the officer said the BSF had removed its past deficiencies. “We are now well-equipped and have acquired sophisticated surveillance devices to effectively guard the border. The strength capability has also been enhanced at the border,”
he said. The officer said to maintain a strict vigil on the activities and developments on the other side of the international border, regular surveillance via covert operations was being undertaken. In 2008 and 2009 at least 14 people, including a senior officer of the rank of the DIG in the BSF, had fallen prey to the bullets and an IED explosion of Pakistani militants, at the behest of the Pakistan Rangers. Painful memories about the intrusion by two heavily armed Pakistani militants from the Bainglad area of the Samba sector on May 8, 2008, followed by a suicide attack in Kaily Mandi on May 11, 2008, are still etched in the minds of people. Similarly, the Chinore encounter on August 28, 2008, and the killing of the DIG, BSF, OP Tanwar, in an IED explosion in the Ramgarh sector on November 16, 2009, cannot be forgotten. |
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One-day spring festival
Srinagar, April 28 Speaking on the occasion, Mian Altaf said during the last three years a number of projects, including the state-of-the-art Sonamarg club for high-end tourist, youth hostel for adventure tourists, yatri niwas and a Tourism Reception Centre were constructed at a cost of Rs 9 crore. On the occasion, adventure sport events like zorbing, all-terrain cycling and baseball were also conducted to showcase the potential of adventure tourism at Sonamarg and attract more tourists. The Minister said several parks and landscape destinations were also developed during the last couple of years. The prominent among them were Sindh View Park, Gadibal Park and Family Park with a fish pond. He said several other projects had already been commissioned to give a boost to tourism in Sonamarg. |
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Sajjad Lone launches students union
of Peoples Conference
Srinagar, April 28 “The politics in Kashmir has been a story of either dynastic or tragic successions,” Sajjad said while announcing the launch of the Peoples Student Union (PSU) at his residence here. While referring to the ruling National Conference and the opposition PDP, Sajjad said his party would involve all students from the state. Sajjad, the son of slain separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone, unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla constituency of north Kashmir. A group of students from the University of Kashmir led by Shafat Sidiqi, who constituted the students’ union, said the move was timely and in view of the present situation it was necessary to empower youth. The chairman of the Peoples’ Conference said the authorities at the university had threatened to take action against the students who joined the union, as student unions had been banned in the Kashmir valley. Commenting on the issue, Sajjad said his party would take a legal course of action as to why the student unions were banned in Kashmir and said the “conflict cannot be an excuse”. The PC chairman took a strong exception to the partisan approach of the authorities and referred to the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to the university for enrolment of the National Students’ Union of India membership last year. “If Rahul Gandhi can be welcomed in the university why not me,” he said. He expressed concern over the “silence” being maintained over the ban on the student unions. The PSU would organise academic counselling, inter-varsity debates, sports championships, gap programs and other initiatives to provide students with the necessary exposure to become informed, active and effective student leaders, Sajjad said. He added that efforts would be made to ensure that the student union elections were held in the university. “The absence of the students’ union elections in the University of Kashmir is an indictment of democracy,” Sajjad commented. “If elections are held to the Assembly, panchayats and the urban local bodies, what is stopping the government from holding the elections to the student unions and inculcating a culture of democracy and evolution of leaders?” |
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Mass cleanliness drive in Leh today
Leh, April 28 In a joint meeting under the chairmanship of the Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, Rigzin Spalbar on April 21, the civil administration, representatives of the Army and paramilitary forces, heads of NGOs and nambardars of the residential colonies of the town had decided to hold a mega cleanliness drive in the town on April 29. The drive would be held in every colony with the participation of residents of the respective colonies. The nambardar of each residential colony in Leh town has been entrusted the job to ensure the maximum participation of the people in the cleanliness drive. The Army will also organise a cleanliness drive along with the residents of Changspa and Tukcha villages. The ITBP has also decided to join the local residents of various colonies of Choglamsar in the cleanliness drive. The cleanliness drives with the community participation are among the steps being taken for the beautification of Leh town. Additional Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Tsering Murup, who is holding the additional charge of the administrator of the Leh Municipal Committee, said, “Every organisation of the town is providing support to make the drive successful. The truck union has committed to provide ten tippers for the collection of garbage from different colonies. The association of travel agents, hotels and guest houses is arranging refreshments for participants.” |
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Seminar focuses on enhancing
pride of J-K
Srinagar, April 28 Speaking on the occasion, GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen SA Hasnain expressed satisfaction over the culmination of the event. The GOC said the aim of the seminar was more than accomplished, as the two days of free and frank opinion received from speakers and the gathering had focused on some of the crucial issues of understanding Jammu and Kashmir’s pride, the security challenges and the way ahead. Lt Gen Hasnain reiterated that it was time to fulfil the expectations of the “Awam” (people) in the post-stabilisation period. He also exhorted the civil administration and the media about the important role to be played by them. He felt that social harmony, overall development and the creation of employment opportunities, including self-employment, were to be brought back to enhance the pride of Jammu and Kashmir. General Officer Commanding of the Counter Insurgency Force (Victor) Maj Gen Gurdeep Singh, who had organised the seminar, highlighted the role of security forces in further enhancing the “pride” and “dignity” in Jammu and Kashmir. Shah Faesal, the IAS topper of 2010 from Kashmir, dwelt on various initiatives to be taken by the civil administration and the people to enhance the pride and dignity of the state. |
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Bandipora-Gurez road opened
Srinagar, April 28 Asgar Hassan Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, flagged off vehicles on the route. Chief Engineer, Beacon, SP, Additional District Development Commissioner, Bandipora, and other senior officers were also present.
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Jammu, April 28
Srinagar, April 28
