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City to house modern zoo
Ban goes up in smoke
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Pandits threaten stir over Temple Bill
Dalit Christians want quota in jobs
University of Jammu declares result of global understanding course
Jagjit Club cruise into hockey finals
Three arrested for temple burglary
Anantnag devoid of parking space; commuters suffer
competitive exams
Gul reviews arrangements for Eid-ul-Fitr
18 sub-inspectors promoted
‘Grenade’ causes panic in Kishtwar
FCC Blues thrash Bogtipor XI
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City to house modern zoo
Jammu, August 14 Sources said more than two years after the Wildlife Department had sent a revised proposal after the rejection of its earlier one, the CZA had decided to conduct a survey of the identified land. Earlier, lack of coordination and poor planning had derailed the much-hyped development of Manda Deer Park into a full-fledged zoo, with experts raising doubts over the feasibility of the proposed plan approved by the CZA. The sources said work on the project was to start about two years ago. However, officials entrusted with its execution had expressed dissatisfaction over the way the project plan had been formulated and its workability in providing comfortable space for animals at the proposed zoo. While at present, the Manda sanctuary also acts as a rescue centre for wild animals who survive the man-animal conflict, the new place will be totally dedicated as a zoo. “It is a big step in establishing a world-class facility in the state, which can house major wild animals found in the state and other parts of the country,” said Tahir Shawl, Wildlife Warden, Jammu. Shawl said a team from the CZA would visit the site in the next few weeks after which work on the project would start. “Till now, Jammu and Kashmir does not have a full-fledged zoo and it will be one of its kind. We hope to make and design it on international benchmarks,” Shawl said. He said besides an isolation ward and visitor education facilities, arrangements would be made for civic amenities, service roads, administrative blocks, entry plaza and car parking. At present, there are around 85 animal species at the Manda sanctuary, which include jungle cat, civet cat, black bear, blue bull, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, goral, porcupine, peafowl, ducks, guinea fowl, turkey, cinerous vulture, eagle and owl. “We are trying to bring reforms which will facilitate us in keeping some rare species from outside the state in this zoo,” said a official. First of its kind
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Ban goes up in smoke
Jammu, August 14 “I can’t believe this; nobody seems to be bothered. Garden waste is being burnt at the same time when people come here for jogging. The authorities concerned seem to have turned a blind eye to this illegal practice. Those who use the park daily for jogging should register a protest,” she said. Bhusahn Parimoo, president, Environment Awareness Forum, said it was a “crime” to burn garden or agriculture waste in the open. He said, “There is a proper way to dispose of such waste as it can be reused as manure. It is a crime under the Pollution Control Act to burn such waste in the open. Garden and other agro waste is dumped by forming composts and later the decayed material is used as manure. I feel the authorities are not concerned about environment degradation.” Arun Tickoo, Secretary, State Pollution Control Board, said the practice was illegal and the offenders would be dealt with under the law. He said, “We will verify the information and send a notice to the department concerned in this regard. The practice is hazardous as sometimes non-biodegradable waste is mixed with the burnt material.” |
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Pandits threaten stir over Temple Bill
Jammu, August 14 A meeting of the Trust today expressed anguish over the failure of the government to enact a law for the protection, maintenance and management of the Hindu temples in the Valley, in the absence of which religious places of Pandits were being encroached upon and allegedly vandalised. Speaking on the occasion, Trust president AN Pandita expressed resentment against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for not fulfilling his promise to members of the community that an ordinance would be promulgated by the Governor to provide for protection of religious places of Kashmiri migrants in Kashmir. Pandita said the Chief Minister had given an assurance to the apex committee of Pandits, appointed by the government, that in the first Cabinet meeting to be held after opening of the darbar in Srinagar, the government would draft an ordinance for the purpose and recommend it to the Governor for promulgation. “Following it, the government had said that the Assembly would rectify the ordinance to make it a law. Several meetings of the Cabinet have been held since then, but the government has not moved ahead in the matter,” said Pandita. Strong resentment is brewing among the community over the government’s alleged apathy towards it on the issue. The Trust, which has been appointed unanimously by all Kashmiri Pandit organisations as a nodal body to chalk out the line of action to get a law enacted for the protection and management of the Hindu temples and shrines in Kashmir, has convened a meeting of all Kashmiri Pandit organisations. |
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Dalit Christians want quota in jobs
Jammu, August 14 The meeting expressed concern over the “continuous neglect” of Dalit Christians, mostly engaged in manual scavenging for generations together. “To uplift their lot, it is imperative that they be given reservation in professional educational institutions and in government services,” Peter said. The association rued that there was hardly any Dalit Christian who had joined the KAS or the KPS or become an engineer or doctor. Peter alleged that they had remained neglected and had not been provided enough opportunities to progress and as such they were not in a position to compete with members of the upper castes. “Therefore, giving them reservation in all fields was necessary,”
he said. Peter said Dalit Christians had always remained peaceful and had proved their secular credentials. Besides, they had been rendering valuable services to society. He said it was the duty of society and the government to provide them a sense of dignity and honour. He appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take personal interest in the matter and take steps to improve the lot of the Dalit Christians. While reservation had been granted to many other backward communities such as the Gujjars, the Bakarwals and tribesmen, no such provision had been made for the Dalit Christians, Peter said. |
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University of Jammu declares result of global understanding course
Jammu, August 14 The successful candidates were awarded certificates by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu, Prof MPS Ishar, at a function. The coordinator for course, Dr Parikshat Singh Manhas, said: “The course on global understanding was started in August 2005 by the University of Jammu, keeping in view the importance of networking and collaborations.” The initiative to collaborate with East Carolina University was undertaken to make University of Jammu a hub of academic, research, and extension activities. According to official spokesperson, varsity had been constantly working towards the promotion and growth of such short-term courses for the benefit of students. He said, “Currently, 45 foreign universities from 28 countries are participating in the global understanding course. These partner institutions are diverse and for this reason they communicate through live video-chat technology.” Later, 14th batch of the global understanding course interacted with the students of three foreign universities, including, East Carolina University (ECU), Greenville, NC, USA, China Agricultural University (CAU), China, and Tomsk State Pedagogical University (TSPU), Russia, under the international collaborative programme. |
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Jagjit Club cruise into hockey finals
Jammu, August 14 In the final match Jagjit Club will play against Singhpora Sports Club. Earlier, in the stipulated time, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Bikram Club scored its first goal in the 5th minute which was later equalised by Pardeep Singh of Jagjit Club in the 55th minute. In the tie-breaker also the score remained 5-5. The winner was then decided through sudden death wherein Jagjit Club emerged winner as Pardeep and Gurpreet successfully converted the penalty strokes. The semifinal was officiated by HP Singh, Manjit Singh, Pardeep Singh and Ranbir Singh.
— TNS |
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132 take part in painting contest
Poonch, August 14 Over 132 students participated in the painting competition. The winners of the competition will be felicitated at an Independence Day function tomorrow. Col Nagrajan said, “The aim of the painting competition was to identify young budding artists of the area and encourage them by providing
guidelines.” |
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Three arrested for temple burglary
Jammu, August 14 On August 5, Dilaber Singh of Hari Bihar Kunjwani had lodged a report at the Greater Kalash police post that some miscreants had burgled a temple. A case had been registered at the Gangyal police station in this connection. During the course of investigation, the police rounded up some suspected persons. One of the suspects confessed that he was involved in the burglary, along with his two accomplices, who were also arrested by the police. They confessed that they had committed some previous burglaries too. Those arrested have been identified as Avtar Singh and Sonu of Amritsar, Punjab, who were staying at Gorkha Nagar, Jammu, and Sunny Singh of Gorkha Nagar, Jammu. 2 BELONG TO PUNJAB
Those arrested have been identified as Avtar Singh and Sonu of Amritsar, Punjab, who were staying at Gorkha Nagar, Jammu, and Sunny Singh of Gorkha Nagar, Jammu |
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Mir Behri residents demand road connectivity
“We have been demanding the road connectivity for long and the collapse of the bridge has only accentuated our woes. We want road connectivity to Saidakadal,” said Nasir Ahmad, a resident of Mir Behri. A wooden footbridge had collapsed at Mir Behri on Saturday last during protests over drowning of two minor siblings. While several persons, including police and government officials, had got injured during the bridge collapse, the locals, who have been cut off, are now demanding road connectivity. Mir Behri is located in the interiors of the Dal Lake and is an island of sorts. It connects to the main city through a road to Rainawari. The bridge, which collapsed recently, connected it to Saidakadal and now people are reaching the area through boats. Another resident of Mir Behri, Ghulam Hassan, said the collapsing of the bridge had created immense problems for them. “People who have to travel to Saidakadal are now forced to go via Rainawari now, which means an addition of two kilometres. People who own bikes can manage but the pedestrians are facing problems. The worst hit are schoolchildren and also those wishing to pray at Saidakadal mosques in view of the holy month of Ramadan,” he said. Minister of State for Roads and Buildings Javed Ahmad Dar said fresh tenders would be issued for the construction of the road. “The construction of the road had been delayed due to objections filed by the Lake and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) but now the high court has cleared the decks,” he added. The wooden bridge, according to the government, collapsed due to excessive load as the protesters, police and government officials were standing over it at the same time. However, the residents, on the other hand, claimed that the bridge was in ramshackle condition and had been left un-repaired for the last 10-12 years. |
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Srinagar gets first radio taxi service
Srinagar, August 14 Launched earlier this month with a fleet of 75 “luxurious cabs”, the service is so far limited to Kashmir’s main city and Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar. Kehwah Xpress Private Limited, the company which introduced these cabs in the city, is planning to extend the service to Jammu city also, which has comparatively relaxed commuting services available as compared to those in the Valley. “We have started service for the benefit of people. The rates are fixed and the customers are not fleeced,” said Sheikh Abdul Wahid, vice-president, Kehwah Xpress. He said 392 people have availed the service so far in the first fortnight of operation and they had received 734 inquiry calls since August 1, when the company started the service. The cab service can be booked through a website and also through a toll-free number, handled by a call centre managed by an all-Kashmiri team, thus providing employment opportunities in the region. “The radio taxis are fitted with a meter and global positioning system (GPS). This is a good facility and people can even avail the cab services at odd hours,” state Transport Commissioner Meraj Ahmad Kakroo said. Kehwah Xpress has so far hired 100 drivers who work in a 12-hour shift to ensure that the service runs round-the-clock. “We have done verification of all the drivers to make commuting by the taxis safe and secured,” Wahid said. He said they have hired the services of Global Then - a travel, hospitality and education network - engaged in training drivers and handling customers. “Global Then is providing basic training to our drivers and how to present themselves and behave with the customers. They are also making them aware about their rights,” Wahid said. The cab service will also streamline the commuting system in Kashmir - which over the past 60 years has shown little signs of development - by introducing electronic billing system, driver verification and installing “panic buttons” in the taxis for customers in case of an emergency. “All cabs feature security equipment like panic button, with which a customer can contact the control centre in case of an emergency,” he said. The new cab service has come as a major leap in the transport service in the Valley where traffic system is abysmal and the government has over the years failed to introduce even the basic metering system for auto-rickshaws and passengers cabs. |
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New arrangement to avoid snarl-ups in Srinagar
Srinagar, August 14 No passenger vehicle was allowed to ply through the city’s main commercial centre from the Residency Road to Hari Singh High Street, which is
witnessing a rush of Eid shoppers. The new traffic arrangement will remain in effect till Eid-ul-Fitr. Eid will be celebrated a week from now. Srinagar’s roads had yesterday witnessed massive traffic snarls as travel restrictions were placed on several key roads around Bakshi Stadium - the main venue of Independence Day celebrations. Checkpoints and security barricades put in around the city put more pressure on the city’s traffic corridors. A police spokesman said an “elaborate arrangement” has been devised to “discourage traffic gridlocks” as thousands of vehicles were expected to throng the city hub, Lal Chowk, and the area “will get converted” into a “shoppers’ paradise” ahead of Eid. As soon as the new traffic plan was put into action from today morning, the traffic congestion on the city’s roads was limited its movement was smooth. “The arrangement has been very successful and beyond our expectation. The traffic movement has remained very normal. There have been no major gridlocks,” Superintendent of Police, city traffic, Haseeb-ur-Rehman said. He, however, acknowledged there was “pressure” around the Bakshi Stadium where rehearsals for the Independence Day celebrations are being held since yesterday. The entire area of Lal Chowk and major markets around it has been declared as “vehicle-free zones”. Diversions have also been made for passenger vehicles, re-routing them to the roads which circle around the major markets. The police has also appealed to people “to pool in their vehicles” to reduce the traffic rush from the city roads. |
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Anantnag devoid of parking space; commuters suffer
Anantnag, August 14 Residents and the business fraternity alleged that despite their best efforts the authorities had turned a blind eye towards the parking problems in the town. “The only thing the authorities have been doing all these years is to put curbs on roadside parking but that is not the solution,” said Muhammad Amin, member of the Traders Federation here in Anantnag. “We lose potential customers just because the policemen don’t let them park their vehicles by the roadside. Where are they supposed to park the vehicles then?” asked Sajad Shafi, a shopkeeper. People said an underground parking was to
be constructed beneath the new municipal shopping mall. “We were expecting some of our parking woes to ease off, but the irony is that the mall itself does not seem to get completed in years to come, leave alone the parking,” said Muhammad Akbar, a shopkeeper in the Lal Chowk area of the town. The district administration, however, maintained that it’s just a matter of time before they get this problem solved. “We are trying to solve the parking woes by moving some of the bus stands out of the town. This way we can arrange some space to be used for the parking purpose,” said Farooq Ahmad Shah, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag. He hoped that the plan would be implemented soon without any hiccups while acknowledging the woes of the businessmen of the town. “I am aware of the problems being faced by the locals and the business establishments due to the lack of parking place. I am hopeful that we will be able to get this system rectified soon,” the Deputy Commissioner added. |
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competitive exams
Srinagar, August 14 The state government has decided to exempt BPL women candidates from paying application fee in any competitive examinations held by the state recruiting agencies, which include Public Service Commissioner (PSC) or Service Selection Recruitment Board (SSRB). “To avail the exemption, an applicant will have to produce the BPL ration certificate issued by the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department,” an order issued by the secretary to the government, General Administration Department, Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, read. “The losses, caused to the revolving funds of the recruiting agencies on this account will be compensated by the government, wherever necessary,” it added. In fact, the government decision has been welcomed by those who are engaged in coaching the aspirants of civil services or other competitive examinations. “It is a good decision as poor girls interested in civil services will come forward to appear in the examinations. The government should also ensure free of cost coaching facility to these students,” said a teacher. Mohammad Shafi Pandit, a former chairman of the Public Service Commission, who also runs a coaching centre for civil services aspirants, said it was a token decision and might not help BPL aspirants as such. “It is not a major decision. In the past, there have been many instances where a few BPL candidates have qualified prestigious examinations in the state. However, a lot needs to be done to encourage the BPL population towards competitive examinations,” he added. |
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Gul reviews arrangements for Eid-ul-Fitr
Srinagar, August 14 “Market-checking squads should be constituted for curbing black marketing, profiteering and hoarding so that visible impact is noticed at the ground level,” said Gul while reviewing the arrangements for Shab-i-Qadar, Jumat-ul-Vida and Eid-ul-Fitr at a high-level meeting. The meeting was convened on the instructions of the Chief Minister. Gul also directed the authorities concerned to ensure sanitation around the main centres in Srinagar and other districts where prayers would be offered. Earlier, the adviser was informed that there was adequate quantity of essentials available at all sale outlets of the state and one kg of additional sugar has been provided to the consumers during the holy month of Ramadan. |
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18 sub-inspectors promoted
Jammu, August 14 The promoted officers are Muzaffer Ahmad, Mohammad Fahad Khan, Sunil Kumar, Showkat Ahmad, Chander Mohan, Akash Kotwal, Vishal Sharma, Atul Singh Rakhwal, Ravinder Singh, Mohammad Azmat, Abdul Hamid Akhoon, Sajad Rasool Wani, Ayaz Rasool, Javid Ahmad Shiek, Shafayat Rashid, Sajad Ahmad Beigh, Vaseem Ahmad and Naveen Singh. |
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‘Grenade’ causes panic in Kishtwar
Batote, August 14 DIG Garib Das said, “It was a rusted grenade and investigation is under way whether it was lobbed by somebody or how it reached there.” In a contradictory statement, the SP, Kishtwar said, “It was not actually a grenade but a rusted object resembling a grenade.”
— OC
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FCC Blues thrash Bogtipor XI
Jammu, August 14 Batting first, FCC Blues scored 192 runs in the allotted overs. Feroze contributed 56 runs for FCC Blues. Shabir took three wickets for Bogtipora. Chasing the target, Bogtipora was bowled out for 108 runs in 19.3 overs. Waris waged a lone battle for his team by contributing 40 runs. For FCC, Manzoor took four wickets. Feroze was adjudged the man of the match. The tournament is being organised by the All J&K Cricket Players Association. |
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Srinagar, August 14