Jammu, May 19
To beef up security ahead of Amarnath Yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir Police is going to install more CCTV cameras at the camp locations.

It was learnt that the focus would be on increasing surveillance at the camp locations from Lakhanpur, which is the gateway to the state, to Nagrota. Also, there is a proposal to step up CCTV vigil at Jammu Railway station. Dilbagh Singh, IGP, Jammu, told The Tribune that surveillance would be increased at the camping sites for the Amarnath pilgrims.

He said: “Millions of pilgrims from across the country throng our region during the yatra season and their security is our prime concern. We always try to do our best to provide them safety and security.”

Asked about the outcome of the existing CCTV cameras, he said the gadgets were quite useful in strengthening monitoring at those locations.

“Surely, we have been observing the benefits of these cameras, as these helped us in screening a wider area with comparatively less deployment of personnel. All the happenings and activities are observed in the control room. It becomes easier to consistently keep an eye on crowded areas. Surveillance would be increased at the main camp at Bhagvati Nagar and the entrance at Lakhanpur and at some other locations, which witness huge crowds,” he added.

He also said the best quality cameras were being installed in order to step up surveillance.

Vijay Kumar, SSP, Police Control Room, Jammu, said after seeing the better results of using CCTV cameras for security purposes, there were proposals to install these at more regions.

He said: “The proceedings are under way. We can not disclose the exact status. But, the surveys are being carried out to install the gadgets at the most prominent spots. Even the existing cameras have made a difference to monitoring as it has become easier to keep a vigil at crowded spots. These cameras have been helpful in checking thefts and other crimes.”

The SP (Railways), Shiv Kumar Sharma, said at present the cameras installed by the Railways were being used at Jammu Railway Station for effective surveillance.

He said: “Proposals for installing more cameras at the station have been moved. The cameras are more effective as we can trace the subject up to a range of 1km. New high-tech cameras will make surveillance more effective.”

Jammu, May 19
Following notices issued to some prominent businessmen and industrialists by the State Subject Inquiry Commission, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has reacted sharply, terming the entire exercise as “unjustified and malicious”.

It may be stated here that following reports of non-permanent residents having obtained permanent resident’s certificates fraudulently, the state government had constituted an inquiry panel.

“It (final notice issued to businessmen and industrialists) has created an atmosphere of uncertainty, insecurity and undue harassment,” said president of the JCCI YV Sharma, in a statement issued here today.

Putting the onus of proving the authenticity of their state subjects on some prominent citizens whose forefathers had been living in the state for generations and who had been running their businesses for years, on the basis of complaints by some vested interests was totally unjustified and uncalled for, said Sharma.

The president of the JCCI said all the names mentioned in the final notice pertained to Jammu and no other area of the state.

We are of the view that on the first instance the antecedents of the people, who had lodged complaints, should be checked and the motive behind such complaints should be looked into, he said, adding that the onus of proving their claims should be put on them and serious punitive action taken against them if they fail to prove their claims.

Sharma argued that the state subject certificates were issued by the state government and therefore, instead of issuing notices to people, the government should verify from its official records whether the complaints were justified.

“In case some fraudulent cases are detected, the disgruntled officials, who indulge in such malpractices, be punished suitably. Harassing people simply on the basis of complaints is not justified by any stretch of imagination,” said Sharma.

The chamber went on to say that some deep-rooted conspiracy behind this exercise was suspected to destabilise the business, industry and peaceful atmosphere of Jammu as the notice contained the names of some established businessmen, industrialists and prominent leaders, including its president YV Sharma.

The JCCI has urged the ministers, MLAs and the MLCs from Jammu to realise that this type of treatment to the prominent citizens of Jammu is fraught with social, economic, communal, religious and political implications which will harm the overall atmosphere of the state.

The chamber called upon the state government to direct the probe panel to proceed in a way which does not compromise on dignity of the respectful residents of the region.

Jammu, May 19
With the genetic studies proving that brain-related disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia are hereditary, the people with such family histories are breathing easy now. The doctors are pointing out that the cure for Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia are yet to be fully developed, but the patients suffering from Parkinson’s can be treated easily.

The treatment is based on reviving the dying cells in the spinal cord through a stem-cell therapy. In this, the stem cells, known for producing new cells in the body while dismissing the dead ones, become the active agents in reviving the growth of dopamine cells, which control the neuromuscular coordination of the brain and body.

Parkinson’s usually affects those people who have a family history of the disorder where one begins to lose concentration with ageing. Severe shivering can also affect daily work and concentration. In such families, the parents are now getting chord stem-cell therapy wherein the blood from the umbilical chord is preserved in a stem-cell bank after delivery. These cells found in the stem cells are known for curing several variants of genetic diseases and other disorders that may set in with ageing.

Another advantage of saving the stem cells is that the cells from the umbilical chord can be used to cure the child and the parents since the genetic make up of the chord will support both the child as well as the parents.

It is for this reason that people are now investing in this therapy as it is more accurate, less invasive (in terms of surgery) and the rate of revival in most cases has been close to 100 percentage.

As Dr SC Gupta points out that stem-cell therapy is the future of curing genetic diseases as well as organ failure.

“Stem-cell therapy is helpful in the cases where the organ fails to function, since new cells are not being produced in the organ and the dead cells are causing its failure. In such a case, where kidney or liver is packing up stem cells act as active agents in prompting the body to produce new cells, which revive the organ automatically. It is less cumbersome and more effective,” says Dr Gupta.

Jammu, May 19
Attribute it to unholy nexus or lackadaisical approach of the district administration, the brick-kiln mafia continues to fleece gullible people with the owners of brick-kilns charging as per their will and authorities turning a mute spectator to the ongoing malpractice.

The owners have not been adhering to the government notification under Section 13 of the J&K Brick-kilns (Regulation) Act-2010 and resorting to several malpractices like overcharging and manufacturing poor quality bricks.

“Under the notification, the district administration had fixed a rate of Rs 3,400 per thousand bricks, besides fixing the same freight charges from brick-kilns to different destinations. These rules are being violated with impunity as a nexus between government officials and brick-kiln owners is operating across the district,” a senior official told The Tribune.

He added that gullible people were being duped by the owners of brick-kilns as the latter charged exorbitant rates from them. “Though it is open to all that brick-kilns are charging anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000 per thousand bricks, the authorities are reluctant to initiate action because they are hand in glove with the owners,” he said.

The official disclosed that the owners have devised a new strategy to dupe people. “If somebody asks for a receipt of Rs 5,000 per thousand bricks, the owner doesn’t issue the same. If the buyer insists for the receipt, the owner misbehaves with him,” he said, adding “the demand for revision of rates is still under consideration of the administration”. The government notification states brick-kiln owners would get their samples approved by the Design Directorate and keep them in the offices of the Director, CAPD, Jammu, the District Superintending Engineer, Jammu, the Deputy Controller, Legal Metrology, Jammu, the Assistant Director, CAPD, Jammu, and the tehsildar concerned.

Mahesh Kumar, 27, a resident of Jandrah village, complained: “I went to the nearby brick-kiln where they charged Rs 5,000 per thousand bricks from me. The rate was higher than what has been fixed by the administration and when I asked for a receipt, they refused to issue one. There is no check on brick rates as well as the quality of bricks”.

He also blamed the administration for keeping a “stoic silence” over the malpractice. “It is impossible for a poor man to construct even two rooms in present time. The administration should act and break the nexus between government officials and brick-kiln owners who are bent on duping the common man,” the villager said.

Yesterday, a delegation of the J&K Brick-kiln Association, comprising members from Jammu and Kashmir, called on the Chief Minister. They pleaded that the royalty had been hiked by 60 per cent and there was a five-fold increase in the licence-renewal fee. Besides, they said, the labour costs have doubled in the past few years.

The Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, said he would look into the matter.

Jammu, May 19
Pressing for their demand for the Schedule Tribe (ST) status, the Paharis of Jammu and Kashmir today warned the government of extreme step if their long-pending demand was not conceded by the government.

“Our patience is running out. Except promises nothing concrete has been done to grant the ST status to Paharis because successive governments at the Centre and in the state have been adopting dilly-dallying tactics,” vice-chairman for the Board of Pahari Speaking People Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari told The Tribune.

He cautioned that any further delay in granting the ST status to the Paharis would be proved disastrous for the state government because there was strong resentment among the community, which has a population of more than 12 lakh all over the State. Bukhari was hopeful that their demand would be fulfilled but he hastened to add that they would go to any extend if any ‘hurdle’ was created in the way of granting the status to them this time.

“Both the state and Central governments are very positive to our demand,” he said, adding that the Paharis make better case for the ST status than the others who had already got it.

Bukhari regretted that the Paharis had been facing discrimination in every sphere of life due to their socio-economic condition. “Our demand for getting the ST status is genuine because it is a must for their uplift and betterment of their socio-economic conditions,” he said.

Bukhari, who is a senior leader of the ruling National Conference, said process for grating the ST status to them had been on. “The Central government has sought some clarification from the state,” he disclosed, adding that the state would reply to the Centre in this regard very soon.

The Paharis of Poonch, Rajouri and Kupawara districts of the state are agitating to get the ST status. They have made a number of representations to the Union as well as the state government in this regard.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Pahari-speaking people of Rajouri, Poonch and Kupwara districts, led by the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Shabir Ahmed Khan, called on the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, today. The delegation presented a memorandum to Rahul Gandhi and pleaded for granting the ST status to the Pahari community of the state.

According to the information, they told the AICC general secretary that way back in 1989, the state cabinet had recommended the case for conferring ST status to the Pahari-speaking people of the state along with six other communities but only the Pahari community was not granted the same.

Batote, May 19
Thanks to the soft and flexible state laws, cattle, especially buffaloes, are being smuggled into the valley, particularly during summers when nomads migrate to higher meadows.

Since in J&K the slaughtering of buffalo invites only a fine of an amount five times the price of the slaughtered animal under section 298 of the RPC compared to cow slaughtering, which is punishable with an imprisonment of up to 10 years, the slaughtering of buffalo, albeit clandestinely, is rampant in some parts of the state.

“This is an organised nexus. Certain unscrupulous policemen in Jammu and Udhampur districts rarely stop nomads carrying diseased and unproductive cattle illegally on vehicles despite restrictions on their movement on the highway,” alleged a police officer.

“Because of the legal loopholes in the related laws and the compulsion of the authorities in providing shelter and fodder to the seized cattle and the risk of their death in detention, particularly during inclement weather, which may amount to sin for a Hindu or a Sikh, the accused are always bailed out,” said Irshad Ahmed Sheikh, Chief Prosecution Officer, Ramban.

The bovine traffickers are usually booked under Section 188 of the RPC, for violation of Section 144 of the CrPC, which is bailable by court, and under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act (PCAA),1934 (stuffing of too many cattle in a vehicle, beating them up mercilessly, herding them for several miles without fodder and water) but rarely under section 295-A (hurting religious sentiments).

“The PCAA is no deterrent as the accused always get away with a fine under,” said Irshad. “Our duty is to maintain law and order by acting according to the law and it is up to the courts whether to exonerate or punish the guilty,” said SP, Ramban, Anil Magotra.

Some unscrupulous policemen, allegedly in connivance with one or the other veterinarian, get the ‘clearance certificate’ manipulated accordingly to save the guilty. “We can not tolerate cattle being taken ruthlessly from rough hilly terrains for slaughtering, beaten up mercilessly in full public view or the sick ones being abandoned to die on the way. The offence should be non-bailable and the vehicles involved in the crime should be impounded as was done during the tenure of Governor Jagmohan,” said Jagdish, Sarpanch, Chakwa, Batote.

As many as 110 cattle have been seized along with seven vehicles and 11 persons arrested since May 1 in Ramban.

Katra May 19
To mark the first ever “Fascination of Plants Day” being celebrated worldwide under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO), School of Innovation and Community Development (SICD), Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) at Katra here organised an interactive awareness session.

The “Fascination of Plants Day” is being observed by 39 countries, 29 from Europe and 10 from North and South America, Asia, Australasia and Africa. More than 580 institutions, ranging from botanical gardens to plant research centres, are hosting different kinds of public and media events which are all closely related to basic plant science, agricultural research, environmental conservation, biodiversity, education and arts.

The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible round the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture in sustainable production of food as well as for horticulture, forestry and all other non-food products.

On the occasion, lectures were delivered by the members of the faculty and plant scientists from various institutions in and around Jammu, including Dr Gandhi Ram and Dr Suphla Gupta from IIIM Jammu; Prof DP Abrol, SKUAST, Jammu; Dr Aftab Mir, State NMPB, Jammu; and in-house faculty members Prof V Verma, Dr Sharada Potukuchi and Dr Samantha Vaishnavi.

A total of 100 participants interacted with the distinguished faculty to further the cause of plants and plant science research. Teachers and students from Delhi Public School, Katra, Government Higher Secondary School, Panthal, and faculty, staff and research scholars from SMVDU participated in the event.

Jammu, May 19
The volunteers of the National Service Scheme wing of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry of SKUAST-Jammu, along with Dr Rajinder Kumar Bhardwaj, Programme officer, NSS, visited the Sahyog Institute of Rehabilitation and Research at Miran Sahib.

The volunteers interacted with the special children of the Sahyog India and distributed juices, fruits and other eatables to them. They played and interacted with the children. Some of those children danced with the volunteers. Dr Ashwani Jojra, Founder president of Sahyog, appreciated the regular activities carried out by the NSS wing of SKUAST-Jammu. 

Katra, May 19
J&K Police wrestler Benia of Basantgarh clinched the 36th Annual Gran Mord Kesari Dangal 2012 by defeating wrestler Vikarant (Vicky) of the Guru Hanuman Akhara, Delhi, in the 1st main bout that lasted for 27 minutes at Gran Mord, Reasi.

The Vishal Dangal, a mega wrestling event, was organised by the Gran Mord Dangal Committee under the aegis of J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association.

The event was organised under the overall supervision of the J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association President Shiv Kumar Sharma.

Benia was awarded a cash prize of Rs 10,000, while a cash prize of Rs 8,000 was given to runners-up Vicky. Total 77 bouts were played in the dangal. The second main bout was won by wrestler Sagar of Sat Paul Akhara, Delhi, by defeating wrestler Vikas of Khanna (Punjab). Sagar was awarded Rs 4,000, while a cash prize of Rs 3,000 was given to Vikas. The third bout was won by Parveen of Khanna who defeated Farooq of Jammu. The winner Parveen was awarded Rs 3,000, while runners-up Farooq was given Rs 2,000. Followed by it, the fourth bout was won by Sukha of Rajasthan who defeated Rafiq of Ludhiana. In the fifth bout, Ranjeet of Ludhiana beat Jakker of Jammu.

Reasi ADC S Tara Singh was the chief guest on the occasion and distributed cash prizes among the winners.

Jammu, May 19
Simran Arya bagged gold medal in Open Sabre individual girls’ event on the second and final day of the 11th Jammu District Fencing Championship at MA Stadium here today. Priya had to settle for silver medal, while Harpreet Kour and Roshni Gupta clinched bronze medal each.

In Open Epee individual girls’ event, Anchal Gupta and Ashmita bagged gold and silver medal, respectively, while Gazal Gupat and Rupali Sharma had to be contend with bronze medal each. Saijal struck gold in Open Foil individual girls followed by Anchal who bagged silver medal. Shreya and Tamana claimed bronze medal apiece in the same category.

In U-14 Foil individual boys, Aanish and Saksham Gadyal clinched gold and silver medal, respectively, while Dinkar and Saksham Gupta claimed bronze medal each. Teja Singh and Shubham Sharma bagged gold and silver medal, respectively, in U-17 boys’ Epee individual event, whereas Gipsun and Shubham had to settle for bronze medal each.

However, the valedictory function of the championship was marred by power shutdown. The function was scheduled to start at 5.30 pm but the unavailability of power at the indoor complex forced the organisers to delay the function when last reports came in. The championship was organised under the aegis of the Jammu District Fencing Association.

Jammu, May 19
Rakesh Kumar of Dudu zone fetched a gold medal in 50kg weight category in under-14 boys by defeating Basharat Ghulam in the wrestling event in the ongoing District Level Inter-Zonal tournaments in the disciplines of kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball and wrestling at Udhampur, here today. Mohammad Saleem of Tikri zone won a gold in 40kg category by defeating Rashpal of Dudu zone in the final. Also, in 30kg weight category a gold medal went to Raghu Kumar of Udhampur zone who defeated Amandeep of Jib zone in the final.

Meanwhile, in kho-kho final, Udhampur overwhelmed Jib by three points to claim the title. In kabaddi, Tikri bagged the top honours by defeating Pancheri by 14 points. The volleyball title was bagged by Tikri by trouncing Udhampur by 2-0 sets. In other matches, Jib defeated Tikri by one inning and one point in kho-kho while Tikri got the better of Udhampur and Pancheri drubbed Majalta by 13 points in kabaddi.

About 200 boys drawn from various zones of Udhampur participated in the event. Balwant Singh Mankotia, Member Legislative Assembly (MLA), Udhampur, was the chief guest. He stressed upon the students to play with sportsman spirit. The tournament is being organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports, under the overall supervision of Sukhdev Singh, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Udhampur.

Prominent among others present were Zonal Physical Education Officers Bhushan Sethi, Champa Devi, Balwant Singh, Mohinder Singh and Ram Lal Badyal. 

Jammu, May 19
The District-Level Inter-Zonal Tournament in the disciplines of kho-kho, volleyball and kabaddi for U-14 and U-17 age groups concluded at Sports Stadium, Poonch, here today.

In U-14 kabaddi (boys), Poonch zone got the better of Surankote by five points, while in volleyball and kho-kho events in the same age group, the titles went to Poonch and Surankote zones by defeating Mendhar and Poonch zones, respectively.

In U-17 kabaddi and volleyball, the titles were won by Poonch with victories against Mandi and Mendhar zones, respectively. The kho-kho title was clinched by Surankote by beating Poonch in the summit showdown by one point.

In girls’ section, the U-14 kho-kho title was bagged by Surankote by defeating Poonch by five points, while the volleyball title went to Poonch. The U-14 kabaddi trophy was also bagged by Poonch by defeating Mandi in the final.

In U-17 girls, kho-kho and kabaddi titles went to Poonch by defeating Mendhar in the title clash in both the events. Harni claimed the volleyball title.

The matches were officiated by Amresh Kumar, Gurvinder Singh, Mohd Tariq, Narinder Singh, Vijay Kumar, Jasmeet Kour, Sarla Rani, Narinder Kour, Darshan Kour, Neeraj Kumar, Sourab Sharma and Pawan Kumar.

The tournament was organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports under the supervision of organising secretary Nazir Charak.