The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Traffic goes haywire as violators go scot-free
Total chaos prevails on city roads belying tall claims of traffic police
Sumit Hakhoo

Jammu, June 15
A crumbling traffic infrastructure coupled with increasing number of vehicles is leading to chaos on roads in the city. But the traffic police are yet to wake up from their slumber to streamline the vehicular movement in the city. They have largely failed in taking any stringent action against the violators so far.

Pertinently, it has raised question mark on the tall claims of the traffic department claiming that strict action is being taken against those who are violating the rules on the roads.

Rash driving, two-wheeler riders without helmets, illegally parked vehicles and overtaking by rashly driven matadors and buses has become norm of the day while personnel deployed on the roads hardly do anything to tackle the menace.

"Since the Darbar has moved to Kashmir, the police personnel seem to have slowed down in their drive against the violators who are causing road accidents," said Kalpana Gupta, a college student.

It is also pertinent to mention here that the city traffic police had created a Facebook page and also installed cameras at various points in the city but it has yielded little result. In absence of modern traffic management techniques, every effort of the administration to streamline the same has proved futile.

The department is blaming the shortage of manpower as the main reason for personnel not being present at key areas. But there is other side of the story as well. Sources say the corruption at various levels in the department is the reason why traffic management is becoming so difficult to achieve for them.

“Department has been ruing about the shortage for last many years but what is being done to overcome this shortage and recruit more manpower. Technology can help in dealing with the problems,” said Hari Krishan, a senior citizen.

“Only 283 traffic policemen are regulating nearly 4.75 lakh vehicles in Jammu. Besides, thousands of vehicles from other states enter the city thereby adding to the chaos. There is need to increase the strength,” said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.

“At times, policemen have been seen taking money from the violators and also the matador drivers allowing them to indulge in overloading,” said Krishan Chand, a local resident.

When contacted, Jammu SSP (Traffic) Manmohan Singh said, “Manpower shortage is a problem but a huge influx of vehicles on road is a major challenge. With thousands of vehicles hitting the road every month, it is not humanly possible to deal with every vehicle”.

Amphalla-Shakuntala, Canal-Bohri stretch a nightmare for commuters
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 15
A complete chaos prevailed today from Janipur to Jewel Chowk as the Amphalla-Shakuntla road was closed down for laying sewerage pipes here. The other road is already closed and all the vehicles were routed through Kachi Chawni area.

The journey on Janipur-Jewel chowk and Canal road stretch has become the nightmare of any motorist or commuter. The narrow Canal road was jammed with traffic with no sign of any immediate relief as there has been delay in construction work on the flyover.

After the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) closed down one portion for laying sewerage line, the situation has deteriorated further on Amphalla-Shakuntala road in the last month.

However, no traffic personnel were seen to direct the movement of vehicles or clear the mess. The cars, matadors and two-wheelers were lined up in long hold-up for the whole day.

"Whatsoever the reason behind the routine traffic snarls, the mess on Janipur road has assumed alarming proportions. City needs new roads and flyovers," said Sanjay Sharma, a commuter trapped in the jam.

“Every day travelling on public transport from Talab Tillo, Kachi Chawani, Bantalab, Burnai is worst nightmare for the people and most of them reach their offices late. It is indeed harrowing,” said Akhil Sharma, a local resident.

Previously, Link Road, Jain Bazar, Purani Mandi, Kanak Mandi and Moti Bazar areas of the old city were known for traffic jam but now every area of the city is facing the problem.

Traffic congestion in city is emerging as the biggest problem as over 50,000 vehicles are being added every year to the already overcrowded roads of the city. The total road length in the city is 704.22 km and per kilometer density of vehicles is 574 and the situation has been worsening with every passing day.

4,500 students collect application forms on Day 1
City colleges witness heavy rush; two ‘elite colleges’ start online registration for first time
Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 15
The city colleges witnessed heavy rush as students thronged to get the pre-admission forms on the first day of registration for first-year undergraduate courses here today. Over 4,500 students managed to collect application forms for 2012-13 academic session in six city colleges.

Two city colleges- Government College for Women, Parade, and Government MAM Post Graduate College- recently declared as ‘elite colleges’ in Jammu division, have started online registration this year. However, students preferred to collect the forms from the counters set up on the college premises.

“For the first time in Jammu division, we have started online registration. We have received good response from the students. The students who don’t have any access to cyber cafes or internet, we have set up a centre in the college complex where they can easily avail the benefit,” Hemla Aggarwal, principal, GCW Parade, told The Tribune.

Prestigious Government Gandhi Memorial Science College also witnessed heavy rush with students thronging the college complex to get the pre-admission forms.

“Around 1,000 pre-admission application forms have been sold on the first day. We have made elaborate arrangements for fresh students willing to take admission in the college,” Dr Satinder Singh, principal, GGM Science College, said.

He added that an admission committee would look into the entire admission process while a newly-constituted grievance cell would solve the problems of the students.

The last date of sale and submitting pre-admission forms for the first-year of three-year BA, BSc, B Com, BBA and BCA (general) courses for academic session 2012-13 is June 20. The first merit list will be released on June 25. The seats will be allocated strictly according to the candidates’ merit and intake capacity of the college.

As already reported, the two elite colleges have decided to cut a 30 percent on total number of seats in different courses to maintain quality.

Ramesh Chander, the principal of MAM College, said, “We have also started the online registrations for the first time. Students, however, preferred to collect application forms from the counters at the college. As our college has been named as elite college, the government has decided to cut a 30 per cent intake capacity of the students to ensure quality education in the college. Today, we sold around 550 application forms.”

Similarly, around 1,000 applications were sold at GCW Gandhi Nagar and 700 forms in SPMR Commerce College, Canal road. The Government Degree College, Paloura witnessed a lackluster response on the first day as only 30 students turned up to the college for collecting application forms.

“Over 1,000 application forms were sold to the students and we are expecting heavy till the last date of the admission process. The number of seats may increase this year keeping in view a cut of 30 percent seats in GCW Parade College,” Kiran Bakshi, principal, GCW Gandhi Nagar said.

There are around 1600 seats in GGM Science College, 1800 in GCW Parade, 1200 in GCW Gandhi Nagar and 1000 in MAM College.

Villagers living under constant leopard scare in Rajouri area
Ranjit Thakur

Rajouri, June 15
Villagers in the border areas of Rajouri belt are living under a constant scare from ever increasing leopard attacks. The threat perception is so grave that people do not dare to venture out of their houses once it starts getting dark.

The movement of children in and around their houses has been severely restricted since they can turn victim of a leopard attack at any time of the day.

Pertinently, the residents of the far-flung villages of Thanamandi, Kalakote and main Rajouri town have been attacked by leopards time and again.

According to information, the residents of Panjnada village are the worst affected in Kalakaot area of the district where stray incidents of leopard movement are a regular feature. It is not only the humans but the cattle and other livestock of the villagers are also targeted by leopards day in and day out.

Ratan Lal, a resident of Panjnada village, said, “I saw a leopard in the fields before it killed my dog and thereafter it also attacked livestock of other villagers.” Another villager Mohammed Adris said that every month over 25 incidents took place in Kalakote village alone.

The poor farming community is severely affected by leopard attacks on their livestock. In the past months, the leopards attacked several horses, cows, dogs and sheep in these villages.

A minor child was picked up by a leopard in Dral last year. Four other villagers were injured badly in Khurhad village of Dral.

In Mangote village too, people and their livestock were targeted by leopards from time to time. In the wake of this, locals had demanded the Wild Life Protection Force must catch the predators soon but to no avail.

Locals say the main reason behind leopard migration towards the populated areas is that their water needs are not fulfilled in jungles. The forest fire is the second major reason.

The Department of Wildlife and Conservation is yet to take any action in this regard.

Jammu region Wildlife Conservator AM Sagar admitted that leopard attacks are on a rise in Rajouri. He added that several areas in Doda, Ramban and other hilly regions are also facing the same problem as the habitat of the wild cat has been disturbed.

“A leopard needs 30-35 kilometer territory as its habitat which is not possible given the shrinking forest area these days,” Sagar said.

Despite limited resources, several of their teams were rushed to the affected areas along with equipment to minimise leopard scare and their teams, he added.

Leopard attacks in Rajouri in past one year

November 16, 2011: Livestock in Nadia attacked

March, 2012: Four domestic animals killed in Kalakote

January 2012: A child attacked in Dhral

A few months back, four people were attacked in Dhral

‘Zero infiltration along LoC’
Desperate Pakistani troops resorting to ceasefire violations
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 15
With the Army and the BSF maintaining zero infiltration all along the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border across Jammu region this year so far, a desperate Pakistani Army, in tandem with the ISI, has started resorting to frequent ceasefire violations and infiltration attempts so as to try and push armed militants into the Indian Territory.

“Their frustration has reached such a level that they now try to snipe Indian troops along the LoC and the international border. On a couple of occasions, they succeeded in their evil designs,” said an Army source.

The source referred to the sniping of BSF jawan PK Mishra and Lance Naik Harvinder Singh in the KG sector of Poonch district and injuries to three other soldiers in the past five days. A BSF jawan was sniped in the Samba sector a fortnight ago by the Pak Rangers.

A senior Army officer informed that so far, there had been 14 ceasefire violations along the 224.5 km long LoC in Jammu region this year.

There have been nine infiltration bids along the LoC in Jammu region this year. Going by the trend, we anticipate more misadventures by the Pak Rangers in the coming days, said the officer.

South of Pir Panjal range in Jammu region has 272 km of LoC, out of which 224.5 km is guarded by the Army, 192 km of the international border is guarded by the BSF and 14.5 km of the international border is under the Army’s control.

The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir has 293 km long international border, 776 km long LoC, 121 km long AGPL with Pakistan and 804 km long LAC/international border with China.

“Latest intelligence inputs suggest that Pakistan’s ISI, in tandem with the Pak Rangers, has shifted militants from Muzaffarabad division to Mirpur division on the other side of the LoC,” said another Army source.

Therefore, their strength has now gone up in various launch pads on the other side of the LoC opposite south of the Pir Panjal range in Jammu, added the source.

“While political class in Pakistan has reconciled to the fact that Pakistan has to set its own house in order before pointing fingers at others, the Pak Rangers and the ISI have not shown any change in their intent and strategy towards India,” summed up a source about what lies in store for Jammu and Kashmir.

DGP visits Doda district
Varun
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 15
K Rajendra Kumar, Director General of Police, dedicated the new Police Public Gymnasium on the premises of Doda Police Station to the youth of the town today. The DGP also inaugurated administrative block of the Armed Police Battalion at Beoli, Doda.

People at large, especially youth community, appreciated the DGP for dedicating the gym to the youth of Doda. People also remembered the valuable service rendered by Rajendra Kumar during his tenure as SP, Doda, at the peak of militancy.

Speaking on the occasion, DGP urged the youth to come forward and help police in making the society crime-free. They were told to feel free to come to police stations and report their grievances.

After the inauguration ceremonies, DGP handed over appointment letters to about 60 SPOs of DKR Range who have been absorbed in JK Police as constables for their outstanding operational performance.

It was followed by a darbar of officers and jawans in which GOs, NGOs and about 400 jawans of the entire DKR range participated.

Superintendents of all the three districts, including CO of IRP 5th Bn, were also present on the occasion. DGP stressed that jawans should work to provide a crime free society and come forward to help the public.

He also asked them to ensure proper criminal justice system and use non-lethal weapons and minimum force during operations.

Rajendra Kumar further stressed on latest technical know-how to all the jawans, particularly in cases of cyber crime.

Other prominent officers accompanying the DGP included SP Vaid, ADGP Headquarters PHQ J&K; Dilbagh Singh, IGP Jammu Zone, Jammu; and Garib Dass, DIG DKR Range.

Banks asked to improve services for development
Ranjit Thakur

Rajouri, June 15
District Development Commissioner, Rajouri, Saugat Biswas, chaired the District Level Review Committee meeting here on Wednesday. RBI AGM Gopal Das, NABARD DDO Des Raj, district officers of line departments and bankers attended the meeting.

LDM Arvind Kapoor briefed the meeting about the achievements of the banks under Annual Action Plan (2011-12).

He informed that Rs 3,788 lakh were disbursed to agricultural sector, Rs 3,817 lakh to small scale industries, Rs 723 lakh under micro credit, Rs 41 lakh under education and Rs 1,236 lakh were distributed to housing sector.

The deposits of the district have risen to Rs 1509 crore from Rs 1231 crore the previous year and advances have grown to Rs 350 crore from Rs 309 crore, he said.

Presently, the credit deposit ratio of the district stands at 23.17.

The reasons for delay in extending banking services to the panchayats were reviewed in detail and the banks were asked to extend coverage under first phase at the earliest. Banks were also asked to sanction sponsored cases strictly as per guidelines and make the process hassle-free for the beneficiaries.

The DLRC also formed two committees, one to prepare action plan to enhance Credit Deposit Ratio of the District to 40% (as laid out by the Reserve Bank of India), and the other to prepare the District Financial Plan.

The DDC impressed upon the bankers and the line departments to work in close coordination for the development of the district.

Cultural shows will help de-stress CRPF jawans
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 15
The CRPF in Jammu and Kashmir has planned to rope in cultural troupes from across the country to de-stress its personnel and inculcate a spirit of communal harmony and brotherhood among them.

On June 9, the CRPF had invited Ayodhya-based Indian Harmony Foundation, which presented performances on communal harmony and brotherhood for CRPF jawans at the Nagrota training centre.

“In the coming days we will try to bring in more cultural troupes from across the country, which will perform for our jawans at various training centres across the state,” said CRPF spokesperson Vinay Anand Prakash.

“The purpose of these performances is to beat the stress of CRPF personnel and inculcate a spirit of communal harmony among them,” said Prakash.

The CRPF in the past had to grapple with incidents of suicides and fratricides by its jawans.

“The Indian Harmony Foundation led by Yugal Kishor Sharan Shastri, a prominent social worker of Ayodhya, had presented thought-provoking performances for our jawans,” said Anand.

Performances with a strong message of communal harmony and brotherhood hold great value for society at large, particularly in a state like Jammu and Kashmir, he added.

“It is a small beginning and we look forward to more such programmes at frequent intervals by various cultural troupes for our jawans,” he said.

The spokesperson said the performances help shape mind and soul. “Healthy bodies with enlightened minds are always an asset and strength of a society,” said the officer. The CRPF has started two training centres at Nagrota and Srinagar to make its men more humane and battle hardened.

AJHLA favours Kailash Yatra in Doda

Jammu, June 15
Welcoming the holding of Bhaderwah Tourism festival in Doda district, the All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association today demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department should also promote the annual Kailash Yatra in Bhaderwah Valley.

“We welcome the holding of 4-day-long Bhaderwah Tourism festival, from June 25 to June 28, as it coincides with the commencement of the annual Amarnath Yatra,” AJHLA Chairman Inderjeet Khajuria said at a press conference here today.

The association has appealed to the state government to widely publicise this festival, to attract people from other states, he said.

The official machinery should also motivate Vaishno Devi and Amarnath pilgrims to visit Bhaderwah to get acquainted with the culture, art, cuisine and way of life of the people in Bhaderwah and adjoining hilly areas in the Chenab Valley, he said.

The illustrations of beautiful spots of Bhaderwah will also be displayed in the reception lounges of the hotels to catch the imagination of the visitors, he said.

AJHALA also demanded that the state tourism department should develop and promote annual Kailash Yatra in Bhaderwah. “For this a separate Kailash Yatra board should be set up on the patron of Shiv Khori development board”, he said.

Centre may grant ST status to Pahari people

Srinagar, June 15
Jammu and Kashmir government has said the Centre was actively considering the demand to grant Schedule Tribe status to Pahari speaking people in the state.

“The grant of ST status to Pahari speaking people of the state is under active consideration of the Centre,” Power Minister Shabir Ahmad Khan said at a Pahari convention in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district yesterday.

Khan said the state government has already submitted its recommendations to the Central Government.

He said the state government has taken several important measures for all-round development of the Pahari-speaking people.

The demand

Pahari people had earlier held a rally on April 24, 2012 to protest the denial of SC status under the chairmanship of Lokesh Kumar Sharma, president Pahari Welfare Forum
20,000 people including women and children attended the rally

Jammu Bar felicitates new CJ
Varun
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, June 15
Bar Association, Jammu, felicitated the new Chief Justice of the High Court, MM Kumar, on his maiden visit to the city after being sworn-in.

Speaking on the occasion, Vikram Sharma, association’s general secretary, congratulated the Chief Justice and extended a warm welcome on his first visit to the Jammu wing of the High Court. BS Slathia, president, Bar Association, informed the CJ of the healthy traditions of the Bar in cooperating with the administration of justice.

Slathia lauded the role of judiciary, saying that it had succeeded in eradicating corruption and speeding-up the justice delivery with support of the lawyers and supervision of the High Court.

The CJ said that he was overwhelmed by the welcome he was given by the association and thanked the Bar for the gesture. He stressed that a better justice delivery needs a concerted effort of both the Bench and the Bar. He said only such a concerted effort can fulfil the ultimate aim of justice to one and all.

The ceremony was also attended by Justice Virender Singh; Justice JP Singh; Justice Yaqoob Mir; Bansi Lal Bhat, presiding officer, CBI Court Jammu; and Jang Bahadur Singh Jamwal, principal district and sessions judge, Jammu.

55 litres sub-standard milk destroyed
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, June 15
A large quantity of sub-standard milk was destroyed here today during the surprise checking of food joints and milk vending points conducted by a team of food safety officers at different locations on the Tikri-Udhampur road.

Designated Officer Kavinder Choudhary accompanied by food safety officers Bharat Bushan and ZulfiKar Ali Malik conducted surprise checks at Garhi, Rahmbal, Tikri and Chopra Shop to assess the quality of milk. The officials destroyed 55 litres of sub-standard milk on the spot. Four samples of food items were also taken from different food shops and sent for testing. During the drive, the officers also educated people about the Food Safety and Standard Act and asked them to cooperate with the department by providing necessary information about the violators.

Earlier, Adjudicating Officer, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Rajinder Singh, had imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on a supplier, Kulbushan Gupta, for supplying wrongly branded biscuits to the ICDS Centers of Udhampur, under the Act.