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CONGRESS FIRST SESSION IN STATE SINCE OUTBREAK OF MILITANCY
Empower panchayats is the new mantra
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Sonia authorised to rejig state panel
Factions brought together for bigger role in state
Amarnath yatra
SMGS Hospital
GB Pant Hospital
Power Dept introduces amnesty scheme for defaulters
Free cancer screening camp held
in Rajouri
Two summoned for cross-examination
Ex-militant held for abetting terror
Huge cache of arms recovered
in Ramban
Army steps up vigil on NH
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CONGRESS FIRST SESSION IN STATE SINCE OUTBREAK OF MILITANCY
Srinagar, May 19 “It is a moment to rejoice for the Congress,” said Bashir Ahmed Magray, senior party leader and Member Legislative Council. “Delegates along with party leaders showed unity and the Srinagar delegate session has made the party more powerful,” he said. Besides delegates, the four-hour session was attended by Congress’ ministers of the state, Members of Parliament, MLAs, MLCs, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, All-India Congress general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi, JKPCC chief Saifuddin Soz and Congress J&K in-charge Mohan Prakash. “I was happy to see Soz and Azad hug each other and show the party cadres in the state that they were one. The party will strengthen with this unity,” said a delegate from Ganderbal district. Later, both Azad and Soz allayed reports that the two had divergent views. “We have been meeting up frequently and our approach towards party’s issues has been in unison,” said Azad, while Soz pointed out that “minor differences” did not matter. “The Congress, which is part of the ruling coalition, has been suffering at the hands of the National Conference, but things will change after this successful session. The delegate session has strengthened the party from within,” said a delegate from Ganderbal. Ghulam Nabi Monga, vice-president of the JKPCC, said: “We passed two resolutions with unanimity during the session. It will help strengthen the party base in all three regions of the state.” Mangat skips meet Veteran Congress leader Mangat Ram Sharma was conspicuous by his absence at the Congress conclave in Srinagar. Sharma, former Deputy Chief Minister, cited ill-health as the reason for not making it to the historic session. Sources said he was miffed at being ignored for the Legislative Council seat. Sharma’s family had expressed resentment when he was denied mandate for the Legislative Council seat two months ago |
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Empower panchayats is the new mantra
Srinagar, May 19 “Our suggestion to the state government is to take it up and empower the panchayats, which had been constituted last year,” said Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here today. Addressing a press conference after a day-long delegate session of the party, Azad held that the empowerment of panchayats was hampered due to the delay in the conduct of elections to block and district development councils. He added that the delay in the elections to the municipal bodies also hampered development in the urban areas of the state. Azad was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz and All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge J&K Mohan Prakash. Earlier, the delegate session passed a resolution, authorising Congress president Sonia Gandhi to constitute the executive committee and office-bearers of the PCC. Another resolution adopted at the session emphasised on the early implementation of the Amendments 73 and 74 to the Constitution of India to empower the Panchayat Raj system and holding of elections to block and district-level development councils. These councils have not been constituted even after a lapse of over one year since the panchayat elections were completed in the state. Azad pointed out that the delay in holding of municipal elections also resulted in heavy losses to the state on development front, adding that a Rs 2,200-crore project, each for the two capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu, was not being finalised on account of this. These projects relating to the development of drainage, sewerage and roads in other towns could not be carried out in the absence of elections. “The government has stopped development as no elections have taken place to municipal bodies,” Azad said. Saifuddin Soz said the members discussed the party’s point of view on various issues. It sought the empowerment of panchayats to “perfect the delivery system and ensure the participation of people in the process of social and economic development”. “The JKPCC has been impressing, from the very beginning, upon the coalition government that these Amendments (73 and 74) should be adopted,” the resolution stated. |
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Sonia authorised to rejig state panel
Srinagar, May 19 Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand moved the resolution to authorise Sonia Gandhi to constitute the JKPCC. The resolution was seconded by senior party leaders and ministers Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Nawang Rigzin Jora. Those present included AICC general secretaries Mohan Prakash and Janardhan Dwivedi, besides Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and JKPCC chief Saifuddin Soz. Other Congress ministers, legislators, district and block-level leaders from all three regions of the state attended the session. Azad said the resolution was adopted by all nominated block-level Congress members. Since no block-level elections had been held in the state, all those present were nominated at the block and district levels. “Since they are not the elected members, they cannot elect the JKPCC members,” he said, adding that the resolution was adopted authorising AICC president Sonia Gandhi to constitute the executive committee. With this resolution, the party high command is all set to give a nod to the re-election of JKPCC chief Saifuddin Soz and other office-bearers. Soz had already completed his two-year term as JKPCC chief last year and had been asked to continuing to hold the position. Resolutions adopted n
Authorised Congress president Sonia Gandhi to constitute the executive committee and office-bearers of the JKPCC n
Early implementation of Amendments 73 and 74 to the Constitution of India to empower the Panchayat Raj system and holding of elections to block and district-level development councils |
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Factions brought together for bigger role in state
Jammu, May 19 The conclave of the party in Srinagar was organised to give a message of unity and revitalise the party cadre in a bid to emerge as a single-largest party in the 2014 Assembly elections. Buoyed by unexpected success in the panchayat elections, the Congress now wants to play a bigger role in the state politics and the effort to bury the differences among party leaders is the first step towards achieving the target. The Congress leadership claimed that a majority of party supporters had won the panchayat elections in both Jammu and Kashmir regions despite the fact that the elections were held on a non-party basis. Although Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz is all set to get another term in office, the party high command has also given equal importance to Ghulam Nabi Azad, as all his supporters have been put on the list prepared after a six-month exercise. The state Congress has been divided between two warring factions - one headed by Saifuddin Soz and the other by those who owe their allegiance to Ghulam Nabi Azad. Sources in the Congress said the leaders who were JKPCC delegates when Azad was president of the state unit of the party were accommodated on the list, as Azad had taken a stand for them. “The high command wants to end factionalism in the party, so the list given by Azad was also given importance,” a source said. “There is no factionalism in the party. It is not the question of how may supporters of a particular group figure on the list of delegates. All genuine and dedicated Congress workers and leaders have been included in the list,” Ravinder Sharma, a spokesperson for the JKPCC, told The Tribune. “The decision to send all senior leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, to the conclave is a clear indication that the Congress now wants to play a bigger role in the state politics,” a source said, adding that a comprehensive policy would be formulated to see the party emerge as a single-largest party in the state. Azad, while addressing a function at Jammu on April 1, had directed all Congress ministers to reach every region of the state to achieve the target set by him. |
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Amarnath yatra
Srinagar, May 19 The Governor was scheduled to undertake an aerial reconnaissance of the Pahalgam-Chandanwari-Sheshnag-Mahagunas and Top-Panjtarni axis to assess the latest status of snowmelt along the traditional yatra route, but the helicopter could not proceed beyond Chandanwari due to inclement weather. He would make an another attempt to undertake the aerial reconnaissance of the Sheshnag route in the coming days, an official spokesman said. Various arrangements were reviewed at a meeting at Chandanwari with senior officials wherein the Governor was briefed about the construction of an entry gate at Chandanwari. He issued instructions for the construction of shelters and toilet blocks near the gate to facilitate visiting pilgrims and other visitors. He walked upto the take-off point of Chandanwari-holy cave track which was buried under a glacier. Later, he travelled from Chandanwari to Pahalgam to inspect the road condition. He directed engineers working under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana scheme to urgently improve the entire Chandanwari-Pahalgam road to meet the heavy yatra and tourist related vehicular traffic. The Governor took an extensive round of the Nunwan base camp and inspected various ongoing works, including those relating to the installation of baths and toilets, water and power supplies, repair of paths and drains, sanitation, treatment plant, repair and painting of huts and creation of other requisite facilities for the yatris. He directed all the departments and agencies concerned to ensure the commissioning of all required facilities by June 10. He also called for making adequate arrangements for installation of sufficient number of garbage bins, daily garbage collection and deposit in designated dumps, illumination, fire-fighting arrangements, public address system and information and guidance centre at the base camp. The Governor directed the CEO of the SASB to ensure that all required sanitation-related measures, including the functioning of the sewage treatment plant at the Nunwan base camp, were completed well in time and particular attention was given to ensure that all solid and liquid wastes were effectively treated before disposal. Many such review meetings are planned in the coming days to determine the earliest possible date for commencing the repair of facilities en route to the camps and for launching full-scale track clearance operations to ensure that all the yatra-related arrangements were in position ahead of the commencement of the pilgrimage.
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SMGS Hospital
Jammu, May 19 The main paediatric care hospital in the Jammu region has witnessed over 2,400 deaths in the past three years, with an average of 65 infant deaths every month. The hospital has recorded over 170 deaths in the first three months of this year. Dr Rajinder Singh, Principal, Government Medical College, Jammu, while reacting to the death count in the SMGS said: “On an average, 1-2 deaths occur per day at the hospital. The mortality rate cannot go down, as this is the only tertiary care hospital serving the people of the entire Jammu region. These deaths will continue to happen and we are helpless in bringing down the number.” “We are the only tertiary care hospital in the region and cater to a large number of patients. A new maternity care hospital is coming up in Gandhi Nagar. Until that hospital comes up, the situation cannot improve at the SMGS.” While the Chief Minister has stepped in and initiated measures to lower the mortality rate at GB Pant Hospital, nobody seems to be worried about the dying infants at the SMGS, where over 2,400 infants have died in the past three years. The hospital is facing an acute shortage of paramedical staff, which hampers the quality of heath facilities being provided to the people there. There is a shortage of around 500 staff members in the hospital. Of the 174 vacant posts of junior staff nurse, 35 have joined recently. |
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GB Pant Hospital
Srinagar, May 19 The relatives and attendants blocked the Jammu-Srinagar highway for nearly two hours, alleging negligence on part of the hospital authorities. The protesters expressed their anger by placing the infants’ bodies on the road. “Even after so many deaths in the past fortnight, we have not seen any change in the hospital. The fact remains that infants continue to die and the government keeps making tall claims,” said Ghulam Rasool, an attendant from Anantnag district, who was part of the protest. He said the government was only addressing the “symptoms” and not the root cause of the problem by removing officials after infants’ deaths. “I believe the root cause is that the hospital is not in a position to handle the rush of children from across the Valley for want of space, infrastructure and staff,” he added. With the death of two more infants, the death toll in the only childcare hospital, which caters to children in the age group 0-15, has risen to 368 this year. The protesters later dispersed after senior police officers assured them that the government had taken measures to improve the functioning of the hospital. The doctors at the hospital said the two infants who died during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday were critically ill. “There has been no negligence on part of the doctors and they (newborns) were brought to the hospital in critical condition,” said a senior doctor at the hospital. Meanwhile, the government has appointed former head of social and preventive medicine at Government Medical College, Muneer Masoodi, as the new Medical Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital. Masoodi was appointed two days after the state government removed the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Javeed Chowdhary, for his “casual administrative response” to the situation. |
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Power Dept introduces amnesty scheme for defaulters
Jammu, May 19 Under the VLDS, consumers have been given time till July to declare their actual load and the department has decided not to take legal action against defaulters. Sources in the PDD said few weeks ago the government had decided to take tough action against people involved in power theft and drawing electricity more than the agreement signed with the department. The new move seems to provide an ‘escape route’ for defaulters and consumers habitual of using various illegal methods to draw power. Officials said if people, who were illegally drawing the electricity from power lines, declare their actual load they can avoid fines, disconnection and imprisonment according to a clause in the Electricity Act 2010. “Field staff of the department is already conducting routine checks in various localities and imposing fine, but few steps have been taken to recover dues from MLAs, politicians and various government departments. This move is beneficial for them,” an official source said. The department had recently issued a circular under the Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Act 2010, under which it was announced that people involved in power theft could be jailed for a month or fined. According to the department, against 2600 MW demand, the load agreement is around 1600 MW for all categories of consumers, mainly because people are drawing electricity in excess. The department supplies 11 billion units of power, costing the state Rs 3,000 crore annually and only 4 billion units worth Rs 1,200 crore are billed by the consumers. The data collected by the government says out of the total 40,000 transformers installed in the state, around 15,000 get damaged annually and are repaired which implies a damage rate of 37 per cent. Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmad Khan said it was not amnesty, but a final warning to the people who misuse their agreement signed with the PDD. He said every effort was being made to streamline the system. “As long as general consumers do not disclose their actual load, it is difficult for the department to design a system. Overloading eventually results in overheating, snapping of wires and damage to transformers,” the Minister said. |
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Free cancer screening camp held
in Rajouri
Rajouri, May 19 Dr Rajive Gupta (oncologist and hematologist) was the consulting doctor of the camp. The camp was inaugurated by Saugat Biswas, District Development Commissioner (DDC), Rajouri, at 9.30 am in the conference hall of District Hospital, Rajouri. Dr Zahoor Ahmed Shawl, Chief Medical Officer, Rajouri, presented the welcome address and highlighted various achievements of the Health Department in Rajouri district. The DDC, who is the chairman of District Health Society, welcomed Dr Gupta and asked him to conduct such awareness camps in remote areas so that maximum people could be benefited. A technical session on continuing medical education was also held, in which Prof Irshad Ahmed Hamal, Vice-chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, was the guest of honour. Dr Gupta examined nearly 135 patients and recommended about 30 patients for further check up.
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Two summoned for cross-examination
Srinagar, May 19 The two NC workers have been asked to appear before the commission on June 3. Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, who hails from Reypora, Ganderbal, and Abdul Salaam Reshi of Akingam, Kokernag, Anantnag, had accused Syed Yousuf of taking bribe from them after he promised them a legislator’s seat and a ministerial berth.Soon after the allegations were made, the two were summoned by the Chief Minister and later taken into custody by the Crime Branch. “The two have been summoned for cross-examination by the commission,” said a source. In April, Mushtaq Ahmed, a lawyer, on behalf of Yousuf’s family, had filed an application before the commission, requesting the cross-examination of 14 persons, including the Chief Minister, his Political Adviser Devinder Rana and Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani. The commission, however, disallowed the plea to summon Omar Abdullah and his aides for cross-examination on April 27. Syed Yousuf, an NC worker, had died on September 30, 2011 allegedly in police custody after he was handed over to the Crime Branch by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Omar had summoned Yousuf to his official residence after party workers alleged that Yousuf had taken bribes from them. — TNS |
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Ex-militant held for abetting terror
Poonch, May 19 Sources said the police had been keeping an eye on the ex-militant for a long time for his alleged involvement in providing information and ration to militants in Poonch district. On the intervening night of May 8 and 9, the police arrested the ex-militant from the Sheen Dara forest area and brought him to his house at Gursai village in Mendhar tehsil, where a AK-47 rifle, six magazines and 30 AK rounds were recovered. The arrested ex-militant has been identified as Mohammed Nisar. He had been working with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) before he surrendered in Poonch a decade ago. The sources disclosed that a group of four to six locals in Poonch district was active in providing shelter, ration and required inputs to militants. They said the police had also arrested two of Nisar’s accomplices from Sanai village last year, who were providing information and weapons to militants. During the preliminary investigation, the police has come to know that Nisar along with his three of his accomplices has been working for the LeT in Poonch district and to arrest them the police has sent its teams to various areas in Poonch district. SP, Poonch, Shamsheer Hussain said, “We have arrested Nisar on May 16 with an AK rifle and a case has been registered at the Poonch police station. The investigations are on and it is too early to comment on his association with the LeT.” The sources say two to three more arrests are likely in the coming one to two days.
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Huge cache of arms recovered
in Ramban
Batote, May 19 The recoveries included one AK-47 rifle, one sniper rifle, three 12-bore rifles, two sniper magazines, two UBGL launchers, six UBGL grenades, six AK magazines, four Chinese grenades, 300 Pika-belted ammunition, one radio set, 20 electronic detonators, 1,000 AK ammunition, eight IED battery boxes, two IED switches, one IED remote, eight plastic explosive cylinders, 1 kg plastic explosive, two matrix sheets, five trip wires, one RPG round, one phone diary, 2,000 Pakistan currency, 5 kg dry ration, one 5 kg cylinder and two blankets.
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Army steps up vigil on NH
Rajouri, May 19 A large number of troops were deployed on the national highway. Sniffer dogs and high-tech explosive tracers were being used detect explosives in the area, especially on the 60-km stretch between Nawshera and Rajouri. Defence PRO RK Palta, however, denied any specific terror threat, saying: “It’s a routine exercise. During the time of passage of convoys, it becomes necessary to check and keep a strict vigil on the route.”
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Srinagar, May 19
Jammu, May 19
