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Heavy rain throws life out of gear
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JMC authorities work hard to check manual scavenging
Day 8: IMFA students protest outside V-C office
Students of the Institute of Music and Fine Arts demonstrate in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office at Jammu University on Monday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Hotel body blames Kashmir lobby for delay in
Mubarak Mandi Complex construction work
Sports dept like a rudderless ship
Torrential rain blocks national highway in Ramban
Katra faces acute drinking water shortage
Vanshika, Om excel in Dist Sambo Championship
Samba girls clinch volleyball title
Three held for bovine smuggling, vehicles seized
ICCR stages ‘Kauva Chala Hans Ki Chaal’
A scene from the play ‘Kauva Chala Hans Ki Chaal’ organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, at Gandhinagar College for Women in Jammu on Monday. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh
Clerk caught accepting bribe
Apatee school win kho-kho title
Taekwondo
championship from Sept 23
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Heavy rain throws life out of gear
Jammu, September 17 Commuters’
plight Areas located on the Janipur-Ambphalla road were the worst-affected as the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), which had undertaken digging work for laying sewer lines, failed to repair the damaged roads thus subjecting the residents to great hardships. Slush made the entire stretch slippery, hitting severely the vehicular movement. Other parts of the city where the digging work has been undertaken also faced the problem of slush. The residents of Subash Nagar staged a protest against the agencies concerned for their failure to repair the roads where the digging work had already been completed. “The unmindful and indiscriminate digging of roads by various agencies has made our lives miserable. Several scooterists have already sustained critical injuries due to slippery conditions created by the slush. Many a times, rainwater gushes into the houses and shops as debris and construction material chokes the drains. Though we approached the authorities, including local MLA and Deputy Commissioner, our grievances have remained unheard,” Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Subash Nagar, said. Kumar said the authorities were forcing the residents to adopt the path of agitation. “It is very difficult to walk and ride a two-wheeler in the area. If the administration does not take immediate measures, we will intensify our agitation and will not allow any digging work in near future,” he warned. Similarly, commuters on the Janipur-Ambphalla road blamed the administration for turning a ‘blind eye’ towards the hardships being faced by the residents due to indiscriminate digging of roads and lanes. “Almost a month has passed since the ERA completed the work initiated for laying sewer lines in the area but the agency has failed to restore the road into its original shape. Traders have been suffering losses for the past six months, while the stretch has already witnessed some fatal road mishaps but the authorities are in deep slumber,” Ankush Sharma, a resident of
New Plot, said. Mahesh Sharma, a college student who was on way to his destination at Tali Morh, said, “A continuous rain since last night compounded the problems of commuters on the Janipur road. There was a huge traffic jam in the afternoon and it took me almost an hour to reach home, a distance otherwise covered in 15 minutes.” A senior IMD official said that Jammu experienced nearly 10 mm rainfall while Katra, the base camp of holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi, received 58 mm rainfall. The official predicted more rains and thundershowers across the Jammu region in the next 24 hours. |
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JMC authorities work hard to check manual scavenging
Jammu, September 17
— KL Khajuria, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation KL Khajuria, Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), said, “The problem is more prevalent in Srinagar. Jammu city is relatively free from the scourge.” “We have worked hard to stop the practice. Though in some interior areas of the city, many families do not have modern flush toilets,” Khajuria said. He claimed that modern equipments have been brought in for use by the corporation to deal with the sanitation issue. “The apex court has asked the state and a meeting will be soon held to take steps with a view to eradicate the problem,” Khajuria said. “Manual scavenging is largely related to the issues of caste and untouchability in India. The practice is still going on at several places in Srinagar,” said Nadeem Qadri, a social worker. Qadri said that Jammu has large number of people who are still associated with the job. The state government had announced schemes for the rehabilitation of these people in 2000. Even if they leave the job, the stigma is still there and their integration into the mainstream society becomes difficult. The state had passed the J&K Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Probation) Act 2010 but it has failed implement it in its letter and spirit. Officials said the menace of manual scavenging is even still prevalent both in Jammu and Srinagar where hundreds of people carry human waste on their shoulders every day. Data reveals that a total of 7,94,390 households are served by human waste carriers in India with majority of them in Uttar Pradesh (3,26,082), Jammu and Kashmir (1,78,443), West Bengal (1,30,330), Tamil Nadu (27,659), and Odisha (26,496). |
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Day 8: IMFA students protest outside V-C office
Jammu, September 17 Braving the continuous rain, they raised slogans against the university authorities alleging the varsity officials had turned “mute” to their grievances despite the fact they had been boycotting their classes for the past one week. The students alleged that it was dangerous to sit inside the existing building of the institute as it was in a shambles and it had not been renovated for years together. On September 11, a portion of the building collapsed that had caused injuries to some students besides damage to musical instruments. Mohit Sharma, president of IMFA Students Association, said the protesting students also called on Vice-Chancellor Mohan Paul Singh Ishar but he did not promise immediate relocation of the institute. “The varsity registrar Prof Naresh Padha sought a week’s time to identify a building for temporary shifting of the institute but we have decided to continue our agitation till the varsity finds a suitable place for running the institute,” Sharma said. The university had already expressed its inability to shift the students to some other building citing shortage of funds. |
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Hotel body blames Kashmir lobby for delay in
Mubarak Mandi Complex construction work
Jammu, September 17 A meeting of the AJLHA was held here under the chairmanship of its president Inderjeet Khajuria. Khajuria alleged the completion of full project may take years as no step was being taken to speed up the work. “Those phases which have been completed should be thrown open to visitors without waiting for the completion of the entire project. Unauthorised parking lot for government and private vehicles on the premises of the complex should be strictly banned,” Khajuria said. The AJHLA also expressed concern over non-starting of work on ropeway between Mubarak Mandi Complex and Bahu Fort and from there to Mahamaya hill top. The association regretted the work had been facing bottlenecks due to non-clearance by the Forest and Environment Department with regard to construction of pillar for the ropeway which falls in the wild life area. It said the government was not pursuing the matter vigorously with the authorities concerned to get clearance for construction of the pillar. The hotel association alleged that if the government could get clearance for the construction of the Mughal Road passing through a wildlife sanctuary and also getting clearance for construction of tunnel to link Leh, there should not have been much delay of the project in Jammu division. It also flayed non-seriousness of the government over extension of Manda Wildlife Sanctuary converting it into a National Wildlife Park. It said the extension of the wildlife park from Manda to Nandini would attract a large number of tourists. Ajay Gupta senior vice-president, BS Manhas, vice-president, Pawan Gupta, general secretary, Baldev, treasurer, Sunil Suri and Vikramjeet Singh, both secretaries were among those attended the meeting. Allegations galore
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Sports dept like a rudderless ship
Jammu, September 17 The authorities are yet to appoint the Secretary for the departments of Technical Education and Youth Services and Sports after the transfer of Vinod Koul, which has severely affected the working of these departments. For the DYSS, it came as a severe blow as it had an important task of effective implementation of the PYKKA before 2017. “With the recent appointment of a new PYKKA observer, we are hoping that the department would be able to chalk out a concrete plan for encouraging sports at the grass roots level,” a source in the DYSS told The Tribune. “The position of the Secretary is of utmost importance as he is the person who coordinates between the ministry and the department,” he said. Sources claimed that when the PYKKA scheme was launched in J&K in 2008, the target was to cover more than 4,000 panchayats before the completion of the scheme but only 700 panchayats had been covered so far. “There are hardly any meetings relating to the finalisation of the agenda for taking initiatives to uplift sports at the panchayat level,” a source claimed. “It is high time now that the authorities must appoint the Secretary, Technical Education and Youth Services and Sports so that the functioning of the DYSS does not suffer anymore,” he said. LAGGING BEHIND
Sources claim when the Centrally-sponsored Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyaan scheme was launched in J&K in 2008, the target was to cover more than 4,000 panchayats before the completion of the scheme but only 700 panchayats have been covered so far. |
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Torrential rain blocks national highway in Ramban
Batote, September 17 However, the traffic police authorities had arranged a JCB machine and a crane to make way for one-way traffic to clear the stranded vehicles. Four mules were reportedly washed away in a nullah at Maligam in Banihal today evening. Due to the blockage of a culvert on the Kathni nullah with boulders and landslide at Boon Badi in Batote, the overflowing water entered into several houses and damaged standing crops besides damaging pavements. Twenty two students of the Government High School, Sanasar in Batote, who could not cross the overflowing Tanda nullah were made to stay in the nearby houses by their teachers. The stranded students included 15 girls of primary classes. The villagers of Boon Badi and Sanasar blamed the engineers of the PWD for incomplete and faulty works on the culverts and nullahs thereby causing the recurring losses to their property. Ramban DC SA Bhat said the officers concerned have been directed to reach the affected places. Hundreds of vehicles were reported to have been stranded on the highway at Nashriin in Batote in the evening due to the traffic jams.
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Katra faces acute drinking water shortage
Katra, September 17 A visit to various streets and markets of the town revealed that shopkeepers were selling bottles of water. Some residents were providing water free of cost to pilgrims. Local residents and hoteliers alleged they had to buy water from tankers to meet their daily requirements. “There is a nexus between companies manufacturing mineral water bottles and officials of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, which has created a water shortage. We are dependent on tankers which cost between Rs 600-700 each,” said hotel owner Rajeshwar Singh. Singh said they had taken up the issue with the authorities but no steps had been taken to solve the problem. “The PHE Department has failed to provide adequate water in the town. It should seek the help of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) which can solve the problem as there is no water shortage on the track from Katra to the shrine,” said Singh.
Local MLA Baldev Raj Sharma expressed his helplessness in the matter. “A large number of tourists visit the town between May and June. The department concerned has failed to take steps to end the crisis. I had even raised the issue in the state Assembly,” the MLA said. “The water supply to Katra is only 5 lakh gallons at present against a requirement of 20 lakh gallons daily. Erratic power supply has added to the problem,” Sharma said. The MLA pointed out that natural water sources from where the authorities used to bring water had turned dry and they were totally dependent on the Jhajjar water lifting project, which is almost 13 km away from the town. Rakesh Wazir, vice president, Katra Hoteliers, Restaurants and Lodges Association, criticised the state government and appealed the concern authorities to take steps to solve the problem. A senior official of the shrine board said that an average 35,000- 40,000 pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine daily. Nirmal Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Reasi, said, “The shortage of water happens in the summer. We have started a number of projects in the area which will solve the problem.” |
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Vanshika, Om excel in Dist Sambo Championship
Jammu, September 17 In the boys’ U-15 below 40 kg category, Nikhil Singh claimed the gold medal, Aryan Gandotra bagged the silver and Tarandeep Singh and Amit Singh claimed the Bronze medals. In the girls’ U-15 below 32 kg category, Vanshika Manhas fetched the gold while Shatini Sani claimed the silver medal. Tanvi and Sakshi Kalsi won the bronze medals. In the boys’ U-20 below 55 kg category, Sahil and Mohammad Ibrahim claimed the gold and the silver medals respectively. The Bronze medal went to Parvinder and Kunal Sharma. In the boys’ U-14, Om bagged the gold, Gurtiz Singh the silver and Vansh Abrol and Rahul Kumar claimed the bronze medals in the below 18 kg category. In the boys’ U-14 below 20 kg category, Shivam Baloria and Vivek Singh claimed the gold and the silver medals respectively. The bronze was claimed by Aditya Choudhary and Manik Sharma. In the below 25 kg section, Bupesh Singh and Nikhil Mangotra won the gold and the silver medals respectively. Vanshvir Singh and Kunal Sharma claimed the bronze medals. In the below 30 kg boys’ U-14, the gold went to Pranav Jasrotia, the silver to Ritik Chib and bronze medals to Tanvir Singh and Tarun Pangotra. In the below 28 kg category, Ayush Parihar and Jaanu bagged the gold and the silver respectively while the bronze went to Ayan and Aryan Sharma.
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Samba girls clinch volleyball title
Jammu, September 17 The set score read 25-23, 25-14 and 25-15. Rimaka Jamwal and Nazia were the standout performers from the winning team. From the District Kathua, Parika Sharma gave an outstanding performance. Earlier, in the first semifinal, the Kathua outdid the Udhampur by 25-23, 25-20. Parika Sharma was the top performer for the Kathua while Pinki Kumari and Vaishali of the Udhampur also stood out in the match. In the second semifinal, the Samba had the last laugh against the Rajouri team in two straight sets by 25-6 and 25-16. Nazia Akhter and Rimika Jamwal from the victorious team gave a great performance while Rimpy Mala played well for the Rajouri team. Over 150 girls from six districts of Jammu division participated in the tournament. The Deputy Director of Youth Services and Sports, Ashok Kumar, was the chief guest on the valedictory function. He distributed prizes to the winning and the runner-up teams. The matches were officiated by Tarseem Singh, Jagjeet Singh, Mulak Raj and Ravan Gupta. |
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Three held for bovine smuggling, vehicles seized
Batote, September 17 Sources in the police department said 10 cases of bovine smuggling have been registered at different police stations of Ramban district this month so far. The police said that during a routine checking at a check post near Kowbagh, a Kashmir-bound Tata Sumo (JK02AN-2995) was intercepted. It was illegally carrying five bovines. Its driver Abdul Rashidof Kanga in Ramban has been booked under Section188 of the RPC and Section 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(PCA) Act. During routine checking at a police check post at Chanderkot, another Kashmir-bound truck (0797-JK02AC) was illegally carrying12 bovines. The vehicle was seized and its driver Mohd Hafiz of Kupwara was arrested. The police said after few hours another Kashmir-bound Tata Sumo (JK19-0920) was illegally carrying four bovines. The vehicle was seized and its driver Mohd Abbas of Chandrog Maitra in Ramban was arrested. He has booked under Section 188 of the
RPC. |
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ICCR stages ‘Kauva Chala Hans Ki Chaal’
Jammu, September 17 The storyline of the play was based on one Mr Kumar, a middle-aged “bourgeois” whose father grew rich while working as a cloth-merchant. His sole aim in life is to rise above his middle-class background and be accepted as an aristocrat. To achieve this mission, he orders splendid new clothes, learns the gentlemanly arts of fencing, dancing, music and philosophy, despite his age. In doing so, he continuously manages to make a fool of himself. More comic sub-plots emerge as the play unfolds. The play was well-received by the audience, especially students. The Regional Director of the ICCR, Balwant Thakur, said the objective of the council was to promote global understanding through cultural exchange and to bring nations together through cultural initiatives. |
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Clerk caught accepting bribe
Batote, September 17 The accused, Satpal Sharma, a resident of Metra in Ramban, was caught while he was taking a bribe of Rs 3,000 from a retired Nursing Orderly in Ramban today. Sources said Sharma had demanded Rs 10,000 from Shamas-ud-Din for completing his pension documents. Shamas-ud-Din had retired as a Nursing Orderly from the Public Health Centre, Didda, at Gool in Ramban in July this year. After some bargaining, Satpal agreed to do the work for Rs 8,000. “I paid Satpal Rs 5,000 last month but he did nothing and kept demanding the balance amount. On my complaint, the VOC team led by DSP Devinder Singh laid a trap and caught him red-handed while he was accepting Rs 3,000 from me in the presence of witnesses near the Ramban bus-stand this morning,” said Shamas-ud-Din. The BMO office has a notorious past as Satpal’s predecessor Mohammad Yasin has also been on suspension since December 12, 2010, for accepting a bribe of Rs 3,000 from a retired pharmacist at Batote. |
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Apatee school win kho-kho title
Jammu, September 17 In Archery, Tumail Middel School beat Garpong Middle School in the finals to claim the title. In the 100-m sprint in the boys’ section, Yarbaltak Middle School claimed the gold medal, Tumail Middle School bagged the silver and Garpong Middle School claimed the
bronze medal. In the U-14 girls’ 100 m race, Yarbaltak Middle School claimed the gold medal while the silver and bronze medals were bagged by Doks Chootumail Middle School and Yurbaltak Government Middle School respectively. |
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Taekwondo
championship from Sept 23
Jammu, September 17 The association has invited all the players of Kashmir province to take part in this championship. The gold medalists in this championship will represent the state in the upcoming 30th National Sub-Junior Taekwondo Championship 2012 slated to be held in Lucknow from October 5 to October 7. The last date for submitting entry forms along with the fees, photos and relevant documents is September 22. |
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Jammu, September 17
Jammu, September 17
