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Air India to operate direct Haj flights from Srinagar
Two police guards of minister held
Administrative nod awaited for Ravi canal project
The Ranjit Sagar Dam over the Ravi river in Kathua. |
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Cricketers concerned over preparations ahead of Ranji Trophy matches
Amendments to RTI Rules
Trouble erupts twice within six hours along Line of Control
Vaishno Devi Gurukul now affiliated to Sanskrit varsity
Mughal Road revives cultural ties between
Rajouri, Valley
BJP mulls national executive meet in Valley next month
Protest by locals halts work on Kishenganga power project
Governor lauds forum’s efforts to promote Hindi
Govt sets up panel to examine proposals of industrial board
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Air India to operate direct Haj flights from Srinagar
Srinagar, September 11 The information was given at the state Haj Committee meeting here today, which was presided over by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also the Chairman of the Haj Committee. Omar said the direct operation of Haj flights would make the pilgrimage smooth and relieve the intending Haj pilgrims of the burden of trans-shipment from one aircraft to another. Those present at the meeting were told that the highest number of over 9,100 pilgrims would perform Haj this year, as the quota for the state had been increased from 8,441 last year to 8,670 this year, which is the highest in the last four years. In addition to this, private Haj operators are facilitating 500 intending Haj pilgrims. Asking the Haj Committee to provide best possible facilities to the Haj pilgrims, Omar said care should be taken for their accommodation, stay at the Haj House, immigration and customs clearance. He directed the Haj Committee to publish a guide book for the pilgrims giving details of facilities, emergency service, inquiry and related issues that would prove helpful to them in Saudi Arabia. He said the guide book should be provided to all the Haj pilgrims. He also directed the officials concerned to provide SIM cards as introduced during the Haj in 2011 to ‘Khudam-ul-Hujaj’ so that they could be contacted by the pilgrims in the hour of need. Presenting a brief about the preparedness and operational schedule of Air India, the airlines authorities said the Haj flights would take off from Srinagar and land in Sharjah for refuelling and then fly to
Madina. Minister of State for Haj Ajaz Ahmad Khan informed the meeting that the return of Haj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia had been arranged so that pilgrims do not have to bear hardships that may occur due to weather vagaries during winter. The meeting was attended by legislator Jahangir Mir; former minister Nissar Ahmad Khan; members of the Haj Committee; Principal Secretary, Planning and Development, BB
Vyas; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon; Commissioner Secretary, Haj and
Auqaf, Bashir Ahmad Runiyal; Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar and Budgam;
IG, Traffic; and Director, Srinagar Airport.
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Two police guards of minister held
Srinagar, September 11 The two were part of the escort team guarding the minister last evening when the minister’s motorcade “jumped” a traffic signal to stop at the tourist reception centre near the Dalgate. When a traffic sub-inspector identified as Mohan Lal asked the minister’s motorcade to stop, the two police escorts were enraged and “cocked their guns” and assaulted him severely, sources said. They said the minister was present in another vehicle when the policemen were beating up the traffic cop. The two policemen, identified as constables Mohammad Shafi and Mohammad Abbas of the security wing of the J-K Police, have been arrested and are lodged at Kothi Bagh police station. They have been booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder). The sub-inspector’s face and head were severely injured, the sources said. A senior police officer today said the two constables had been suspended from duty and a formal inquiry has been ordered against them. Lal, who was hospitalised for facial and head injuries, said he was beaten up ruthlessly with rifle butts by the cops. Omar calls for ‘strongest action’ Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while commenting on the incident said he has ordered “strongest possible” action against the two policemen. “The cops who beat up the traffic police officer have been arrested and booked. I have asked for the strongest possible action under law,” Omar said on micro-blogging site Twitter |
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Administrative nod awaited for Ravi canal project
Jammu, September 11 Water drawn from the river will irrigate 1.05 lakh acres of agricultural land across the state. “Though the state Cabinet had already approved the project in principle, we now await administrative approval. In this context, I signed a detailed memo yesterday. We hope to get the administrative approval in the next Cabinet meeting,” PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Taj Mohiuddin told The Tribune. After the initial survey and land acquisition process, tenders have also been received. A detailed project report (DPR) at a cost of Rs 2.50 crore stands prepared. The project will be executed by the Ravi Tawi Irrigation Complex, added the minister. The DPR prepared by Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS), a Government of India concern, had already been approved by the state Cabinet. Ravi Tawi Irrigation Project Chief Engineer Varinder Badyal said that after administrative approval a 9.1-km-long link canal at a cost of Rs 275 crore on the right bank of the Ravi river, 2 km upstream from the Ranjit Sagar dam site, would be constructed. The total cost of the project has been worked out to be around Rs 540 crore, he said. Badyal said the project would include a network of 100-km-long distributaries and extending the Ujh Barrage by another 350 metres. Since 1972-73, the state government had spent Rs 134 crore on the existing canal, he said. On the funding of the project, the Chief Engineer said 10 per cent of the funds would be sanctioned by the state planning department. For the 9.1-km link channel, the finance department would provide 10 per cent of the revenue earned every year by charging water usage charges from various agencies like the NHPC. “For the remaining Rs 125 crore, the Centre has already been approached under Accelerated Integrated Benefit Programme,”
he said. On August 20 chief secretaries of Punjab and J&K had met at a high-level meeting to iron out their differences vis-à-vis
the Ranjit Sagar Dam and the J&K’s share. Under the Ravi River agreement in 1979, the Punjab Government had to provide Jammu and Kashmir 20 per cent free electricity besides getting the Shahpur Kandi barrage completed. However, Punjab backtracked from its promise causing the state a loss of Rs 8,600 crore till date - Rs 6,250 crore on account of losses in food grain productivity and Rs 2,350 crore on denial of electricity. River plan
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Cricketers concerned over preparations ahead of
Jammu, September 11 The cricketers, who had high expectations from the J&K Cricket Association working committee meeting regarding the resumption of cricket activities in the state, have expressed displeasure over its outcome. “We were very hopeful about the resumption of cricket activities in Jammu that had come to a grinding halt, but it did not happen,” said a cricketer. “We welcomed the announcement of Dr Farooq in the working committee meeting regarding the conduct of elections within a month but resumption of activities in Jammu was also important because not even a single tournament was conducted here so far,” he said. “With Ranji Trophy matches commencing from November 2, the JKCA has just succeeded in constituting a committee to select the team. A decent number of tournaments had been conducted by the Kashmir wing of the JKCA and it would be easy for the association to pick probables from the Valley for the state team based on their performance but what about the players of the state who hardly participate in any tournament,” another cricketer said. “Although, the JKCA president has stressed to ensure selection of talented and skillful players to represent the state in the upcoming BCCI tournaments, including the Ranji Trophy, but it could be possible only when the players have participated in maximum number of tournaments,” a cricketer said. A senior official of the JKCA said, “We really feel sorry for the cricketers of the state who were deprived of precious practice due to non-resumption of activities, but we are hopeful that the association will select the best possible team to represent the state in the upcoming Ranji Trophy.” The J&K team is placed in group C in the upcoming edition of the Ranji Trophy along with Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura, Goa, Jharkhand and Assam. |
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Amendments to RTI Rules
Jammu, September 11 The government has been drawing flak from various quarters, including the civil society, RTI activists, social groups and students, for what they call an “attempt of the government to weaken anti-graft bodies” in the state. Difficulties of the ruling party will surely get compounded as its main coalition partner, the Congress, too has objected to the amendments to the Rules by describing the move as “unnecessary”. “There was no need to make the changes. In my opinion it was not necessary. It was a comprehensive formulation of ideas, woven into the Act and the rules were comprehensive,” Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz recently told mediapersons. Under Section 26 of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009, the state government is under a legal obligation to present a copy of the Rules to each House of the Assembly while it is in session for a total period of 30 days which may be comprised of one, two or more successive sessions. The state legislature can arbitrary reject the amendments, if any, made by the government. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has said the government’s latest move on the RTI was part of the organised attempt by the coalition government to demolish all instruments and institutions of transparency, accountability and probity in public life. Mehbooba said, “Instead of removing the loopholes, if any, from the accountability law, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his Cabinet colleagues are using these as a fig leaf to seek judicial intervention to hide their misdeeds and corruption acts.” BJP chief spokesperson Jitendra Singh said, “All institutions to check corruption in the state are being deliberately rendered defunct. The government is not honest about its proclamation to fight corruption in the state. We will raise the corruption issue, including diluting of the State Information Commission’s powers, in the House effectively.” Leader of the Panthers Legislature Party Harsh Dev Singh said his party would seek a “thorough debate” on the new amendments and would ask the government “what necessitated it to bring such changes in the law.” Singh said, “The government has to clarify what was the logic behind such amendments without seeking an approval from the Assembly. We will ask the government why and who drafted the
previous rules, if these were beyond the mandate of the Commission.” CPM legislator MY Tarigami said, “It (government) should have waited for the legislature session, which is about to convene. Had the government brought changes in the Act after the debate in the Assembly, it would have given more credibility to
the government.” He said he would try to seize the opportunity to raise the issue vociferously in the House. “I have a suggestion for the government. Be more prudent and transparent,” he said. RTI activists to move court With voices against the government’s decision to bring changes in the Right to Information (RTI) Rules growing louder, some Jammu-based RTI activists have planned to move court to defeat the state government’s “attempt to render the State Information Commission a toothless tiger”. “We have been receiving reports of protests (on government move) from various parts of the region. Apart from intensifying our agitation, we are planning to move the court against the unilateral decision of the government. We are consulting legal experts,” said Balwinder Singh, convener of the Sangarsh, which is an organisation of RTI activists.
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Trouble erupts twice within six hours along Line of Control
Jammu/Poonch, September 11 However, Intelligence sources said the latest firing in the dead of night was actually an infiltration attempt by a group of five or six suspected militants. The Army denied the infiltration bid outrightly and maintained that it was just another ceasefire violation by Pakistan. Pakistan troops had last evening opened unprovoked fire for an hour from 4:45 pm to 5:45 pm in the Sabjian area of Poonch district targeting Kundana forward post. The sources said around 11 pm yesterday Indian troops observed movement of suspected militants in a rivulet between the Ghora post and Dogra post in the KG sector. Consequently, the troops opened fire and the suspected ultras fled back to Pakistan, the Intelligence sources added. However, the Army maintained that around 11.15 pm Pakistani troops opened fire on the KG sector that invited a calibrated response from the Indian troops. “It was a ceasefire violation compelling us to give them a calibrated response. The exchange of fire lasted till 11.45 pm before guns fell silent on both sides,” said a senior Army officer. He further said there were no casualties or injuries to the Indian troops. “Whenever Pakistani troops try to push ultras to this side, they open heavy fire during the night for a long time and that, too, in an entire sector. Last night’s incident was a minor LoC skirmish,” he claimed. The Jammu-based defence PRO, SN Acharya, also described it as a truce violation. “It was a ceasefire violation and we didn’t see any movement of ultras on the other side of the LoC,” said Acharya. The official, however, said that Pakistani troops used heavy automatic weapons and LMG fire in the latest truce violation. |
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Vaishno Devi Gurukul now affiliated to Sanskrit varsity
Jammu, September 11 Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), had evinced keen interest in establishing the Gurukul and ensured its affiliation to Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. The Governor had been pursuing the matter with the Vice-Chancellor and the Chancellor of Sanskrit University. Members of the SMVDSB were happy to learn that Sampurnanand Sanskrit University had granted affiliation to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul. Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Navin K Choudhary said the Governor had personally thanked the Vice-Chancellor and the Chancellor of Sampurnanand Sanskrit University for granting recognition to the Gurukul. He has also written to Chairman of the Governing Council of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul Dr SS Bloeria and members of the Council for their concerted efforts to place the Gurukul on a sound footing. The institution, fully funded by the SMVDSB, provides education and training to select youth and grooms them for preserving the traditional Vedic culture. In the next few years, a group of scholars and practitioners would be available for discharging their duties in various institutions of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. They would provide useful services in organisations located in the region. The Gurukul imparts education in Vedas, Karamkand and Puja rituals. Students undergoing training at the institution are also taught English, mathematics, science, social studies, computer sciences and music. The CEO said after qualifying the entrance examination and interview, 20 successful students of the first batch were admitted to Class VI in the Gurukul, in July 2010. A third batch of 20 students was admitted to the institution a month ago, raising the total strength of students in the fully residential Gurukul to 60. The CEO stated that while the Governor had been guiding and advising the officials concerned about the future growth and development of the Gurukul, the day-to-day functioning of the institution was being closely monitored by the Governing Council chaired by Dr Bloeria, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Jammu. The affiliation of the Gurukul with Sampurnanand Sanskrit University up to the level of “acharayas” (masters level) would open new vistas for students. While appreciating the work done so far, the Governor has called upon the Governing Council and the acharayas (teachers) to develop the Gurukul with dedication so that its students receive education of the highest standards and the institution emerges as one of the leading Gurukuls in the country. |
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Mughal Road revives cultural ties between
Rajouri, Valley
Jammu, September 11 It has not only strengthened business ties between traders of the two regions, but there is a surge in matrimonial alliances between people of the two border districts and the Valley. The road has also acted as a bridge for lovers from both the sides. A recent case of Rubina and Showkat is one of the many examples. Rubina from Rajouri and Showkat from south Kashmir fell in love and got married after convincing their families. Rubina and Showkat’s story is just one example of how the highway is bringing people together who were earlier divided by the Pir Panjal Range. So far, the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was the only route connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country. The Mughal Road has shortened the distance between the two places from 500 km to 100 km. “Some years ago, families from the Valley or Poonch and Rajouri would not prefer matrimonial alliances with each other, keeping in view the distance and lack of road communication. But things are changing now,” said Shafiq Mir, a local sarpanch. “During the 1960s and ’70s, many people got married into the other side. But that stopped as both districts began to be considered remote because of poor road communication. Now there is a revival of ties,” said Dr Tanvir Rather. The road connecting Kashmir with the Jammu region will be formally commissioned by March 2013. The expected date of completion of the road has been shifted to October this year. The project retraces the route traversed during the Mughal era from Lahore to Kashmir via Rajouri and Poonch border districts. The project started in March 2006 at a cost of Rs 159 crore. About Rs 516 crore was spent on the project till February this year. The road, passing through Bufliaz, Poshana, Chattapani, Peer Ki Gali, Aliabad, Zaznar, Dubjan, Heerpora and Shopian, will reduce the distance and travel time from 32 hours via Jammu to seven hours via Bufliaz-Shopian. The work on the road that starts from Bufliaz in the Jammu region and lands in Shopian, covering a distance of 84 km, had started in the late 1960s when Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq was the Chief Minister. The work on the project was stopped and was only taken up in 2005 when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became the Chief Minister of the state.
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BJP mulls national executive meet in Valley next month
Srinagar, September 11 As the BJP has so far failed to win a single Assembly seat in Kashmir, sources in the party said the high command was keen to hold its national executive meeting here as the top brass wished to “shed its communal image” and set the ground for the scheduled 2014 Assembly elections in the state. “We have set a target of winning six seats in the Kashmir and Ladakh region and the presence of national-level leaders in Kashmir is bound to emit a positive signal regarding our plans to strengthen the party base,” a BJP source said. Top BJP leaders, including Nitin Gadkari, LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh, will visit the Valley. While the final date has not been finalised, the executive meet is likely to be held in the first week of October, sources said. While the BJP does not have much support in the Muslim-dominated Valley, a handful of local party leaders have started making their presence felt by holding rallies in the summer capital. They had recently held a demonstration here near the Lal Chowk in the heart of the city as part of the BJP’s country-wide protests against the coal scam. The state unit of the BJP is also planning to hold protests in support of the unfulfilled demands of pensioners and physically challenged persons later this month. The protests have been planned to strike a chord with locals, especially groups that have been “neglected” by the successive governments. Member of Parliament and senior BJP leader A K Jain during his visit here in the last week of August had said they were endeavouring to shed the party’s communal image in Kashmir.
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Protest by locals halts work on Kishenganga power project
Srinagar, September 11 The Kishenganga project in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district includes construction of a 37-metre-high dam and an underground powerhouse. The work on the dam, which is the most important portion of the project, has also stopped after the protests. The 330-MW Kishenganga project in the past led to a major face-off between India and Pakistan, which went to the Permanent Court of Arbitration to settle the issue as Islamabad claimed the construction of the dam would change the course of the river flowing on its side. The north Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and union territories of Chandigarh and Delhi will benefit from the project once it is commissioned in November 2016. The Kishenganga project, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 3,642.04 crore, will generate 135 crore units annually once it is commissioned. Sources said the NHPC had already provided a rehabilitation package of Rs 500 crore for the locals. They said the locals whose land was utilised for the project were now demanding that they be provided jobs by the NHPC on the pattern of Uri-II power project. Jammu and Kashmir lost nearly Rs 200 crore when a 105-day-long strike by Uri residents in Baramulla district halted the work on the Uri-II power project and delayed its commissioning by a year.
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Governor lauds forum’s efforts to promote Hindi
Srinagar, September 11 They informed the Governor about the ongoing eight-day Hindi writers’ camp jointly organised by the Central Hindi Directorate, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education, and the Hindi Kashmiri Sangam at Srinagar, to train budding writers from various states in the art of translating the literature of various languages into Hindi. The aim of the camp was also to promote the growth of languages. Sapru presented to the Governor a copy of his latest publication “Meera Ki Prem Upasana”, a Hindi translation of “Story of Meera’s Love”, written by Swami Budhanand of Ramakrishna Mission. Dr Budki presented to the Governor a copy of her book “Awadhi Aur Kashmiri Lok Geeton Mein Lok Tatva”, a comparative study of the Kashmiri and Awadhi culture and folk literature. Both the authors also presented to the Governor a copy of the fresh issue of “Kashmir Sandesh”, a quarterly magazine brought out by the Hindi Kashmiri Sangam. The Governor complimented Sapru and Budki for the efforts of the organisation in promoting the Hindi language and literature.
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Govt sets up panel to examine proposals of industrial board
Jammu, September 11 A General Administration Department circular said the Principal Secretary, Finance Department, would be the chairman of the committee while the Principal Secretary, Power Development Department (PDD); Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department; Director, Industries And Commerce, Jammu; Director, Industries and Commerce, Kashmir; Managing Director, J&K SIDCO, Finance Adviser/CAO, PDD, and Finance Adviser/CAO, Industries and Commerce Department, will be the panel members. The circular said the Committee would “examine and consider the recommendations of the BIFR in totality, its delegation, enforcement under law and its applicability to J&K.” It would also examine the waiver of interest and minimum charges in favour of M/S Singer India Ltd, Bari Brahamna, Jammu, besides look into the extension of the Amnesty Scheme 2004 in favour of M/S KG Steel Industry Pvt Ltd, Bari Brahamna, Jammu, in respect of arrears on account of power consumption.
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Jammu, September 11
Jammu/Poonch, September 11
