Jammu, October 13
As the court granted bail to three youths who were arrested for creating ruckus in the Assembly over unemployment, the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Front (JKDF) has decided to felicitate them during a function. The JKDF wants to project the youths’ action as “bold”.

The JKDF also wants to corner the Congress, the BJP and the Panthers Party for maintaining silence on unemployment among Jammu youths.

Three activists of the youth wing of the JKDF - Ambedkar Gupta, Munish Khajuria and Sunny Malhotra - had entered the Assembly on October 8 and raised slogans against the non-implementation of government schemes for unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

The trio was in jail since October 8 and was granted bail by the court this evening.

“We will felicitate them in a function because they have vociferously highlighted the plights of the unemployed youth,” said JKDF chairman Anil Gupta.

He said the JKDF had decided to intensify the fight for the unemployed.

Gupta said his party would also expose the Congress, the BJP and other parties for maintaining silence when the three youth of the Jammu region were arrested by the police.

“The BJP, which is claiming to be the champion of the cause of Jammu, has been exposed after this episode,” Gupta said, adding that the next target of the JKDF was to expose those parties which were claiming to protect peoples’ cause.

Sources said the JKDF had decided to organise meetings of the three youth in various parts of Jammu city. Such meetings would also be organised in various educational institutions to enroll more and more youth in the JKDF.

Meanwhile, the police used force on JKDF activists who were holding a protest in the Maheshpura area, demanding release of the youth at Maheshpura chowk this morning.

The protest was led by district general secretary of JKDF Rakesh Gupta. As soon as the protesters started a march, they were cane-charged by the police. Some JKDF activists received injuries in the police action.

He said the government was resorting to use force on protesters to curb the voice of people and to scare JKDF activists.

“Our workers are mercilessly beaten and injured. Even women have not been spared. The JKDF will not be deterred by such tactics,” he said.

Jammu, October 13
To implement the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (PC-PNDT) Act in letter and spirit in the state, the government has decided to constitute special squads to track pregnancies in the Jammu region.

Health and Medical Education Commissioner Secretary Manoj Kumar Dwivedi stated this while chairing the monthly review meeting of the Health Department at Gandhi Nagar. He directed the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to evolve a better monitoring and tracking system to keep a track on each pregnant woman in their districts.

National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) Mission Director Dr Yashpal Sharma and Director, Health Services, Jammu, Dr Madhu Khullar were also present in the meeting along with CMOs of all the districts.

In the meeting, Dwivedi took up some issues for thorough discussions. The key components of the discussion included school health check-up programmes, implementation of the PC and PNDT Act, establishment and functioning of Sick Neonatal Care Units (SNCUs), setting up of the blood banks in all district hospitals, rationalisation of staff, functioning of the NRHM, AIDS Control Programme, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna and other issues.

“Constitute special squads for regular inspections of private clinics and government institutions. They should go for both surprised and announced visits. The Block Medical Officers concerned should report the details of pregnancies and the deliveries and the cases should be discussed in every 15 days in a district,” he stressed.

Dwivedi also stressed on the rationalisation of staff and sought detailed proposals from the CMOs in this connection.

“Submit comprehensive plans and proposals to improve manpower in the existing institutions,” he said.

Jammu, October 13
The National Secular Forum (NSF) has lambasted the state government for its failure to conduct police recruitment drive for youths belonging to border belts, especially the RS Pura Sector.

Talking to mediapersons, Surjit Choudhary, state senior vice-president, NSF, said the government had ignored border villages in RS Pura vis-à-vis the police recruitment drive for youth.

He also took on Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde for not announcing a special package for the drive during his visit to border areas. He alleged that it had hurt the sentiment of youth belonging to poor families in these areas.

“It was promised by the state government that youth residing in border villages would be given preference in the police recruitment and a drive would be conducted for them.

While other villages in Jammu were covered under the recruitment drive, the areas falling in the RS Pura Sector were ignored,” the NSF leader said.

He regretted that most of the youth in these villages have crossed the age limit for recruitment in the Police Department.

“The government should look into the demands of the border youth and an immediate recruitment should be conducted for them,” Choudhary said.

NSF activists also staged a demonstration outside the office of the Director, Health Services, Jammu, and raised slogans against the authorities for the “inordinate delay” in declaration of the results of paramedical exams.

Jammu, October 13
In protest against non-acceptance of their long-pending demands, employees’ unions have announced to march towards the Civil Secretariat on November 5, the opening day of Darbar in Jammu.

Employees of the government, public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies held a protest near the Press Club and demanded immediate implementation of the agreement signed between the union representatives and the sub-committee established by the administration.

Union leaders Subash Verma, Sushil Sudan and Suresh Sharma said over 4.5 lakh government employees, workers and daily workers had been forced to adopt the path of agitation after the administration failed to implement the agreement signed about two years ago.

Verma said enough time had been given to the government to think over the issues but nothing happened.

He said the working class was suffering due to skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and devaluation of the currency.

Sudan urged the government to accept all their demands, including enhancing the retirement age from 58 to 60 years, regularisation of daily workers engaged before 1994 and policy for those engaged after 1994 and ending pay anomalies of various categories of employees.

In 2010, a committee of ministers had assured the unions that all their demands would be accepted before the annual Budget was presented in the Legislative Assembly, but this year, the government did not mention much for the workers. Apart from clearing pay commission arrears, the employees have been demanding removal of pay anomalies in clerical grades, extension of retirement age by two years and an increase in the house rent allowance equivalent to the Central Government employees.

Jammu, October 13
Government Girls Middle School at Chak Desa Singh in Kathua district today witnessed a unique protest from students and their parents after the School Education Department transferred the Headmaster, Sanjay Sehgal, who is a recipient of the President’s Medal, from the school.

Though the transfer was made under laid down norms, the students and their parents, mostly belonging to the Scheduled Caste and poor section of society, resented the move of the department as the headmaster had brought a significant change in the education scenario of the area.

Sehgal’s popularity in the village could be gauged from the fact that young toddlers broke down in tears and villagers, who were busy in their fields, left the farming activity and rushed to the school. The sarpanch, who is the head of the Village Vigilance Committee, also joined the young toddlers in protest against the move and urged the authorities to revoke the order.

“We will not allow the transfer of our teacher who inspired the poor children for education. When he had joined this school, village children had less liking towards education but he inspired them and took innovative measures to get good enrollment in the school. If somebody is doing a tremendous job, there is no reason to shift him just for the sake of rules,” a village woman said.

Sanjana Mehra, a Class 8th student, said, “We will not go to school if our teacher is transferred from there. He helped the students in purchasing books and copies from his own salary. This institution is a model school in the district because of his sincere efforts and we will not allow anybody for separating us from him.”

Sehgal was recently awarded with the President’s “Best Teacher Award for 2011” for his contribution in improving the education standard in the area. He was shifted to a government school in Billawar area of the district.

Interestingly, the government school has witnessed this unique protest a few days after the Supreme Court had rapped the Jammu and Kashmir for poor infrastructure in government-run educational institutions. Nearly 60 per cent government-run schools still don’t have proper drinking and toilet facilities for students. The court had fixed six months deadline for raising infrastructure in all the schools.

Jammu, October 13
Chakraborty Tamojit of West Bengal, Dubey Dheraj of Madhya Pradesh and Manuja Piyush are jointly leading the points tally with 4.5 points apiece after the completion of five rounds today in the ongoing Patnitop FIDE Rating All India Chess Tournament being held at picturesque Patnitop here.

As far as hosts Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, there is not much to cheer as the players are still struggling to get into their groove. Rather Adil Ashraf of J&K scripted a win over his compatriot Singh Ajit to take his points tally to 4. Another state player, Chatanya Sharma had to suffer defeat at the hands of Sumi Itokhu.

Taranjeet Singh of J&K put up a spirited fight against T Kumaran of Tamil Nadu who proved too good for him. Taranjeet dominated the proceedings from the onset by making decisive moves but Kumaran kept his cool and eventually sealed the issue.

Another state player, Rohit Bhardwaj managed to script a win against Sahil Mehta of Gujarat. With that win, he fetched 1 point. Ankush Singh Pathana of J&K lost to Iyeer Mahalaxmi Nishi while Meenal Gupta drew with Jitender Rawat.

Kanav Gupta and Soham Gupta of J&K lost their matches tamely while Sangam Angural managed to restore some pride for J&K by notching up a win against Paryul Jain. With just two days to go in the championship, J&K players will really have their task cut out to finish among top ten players.

Other Results: Deep Kapoor (Delhi) drew with Niklesh Kumar Jain (M P), Mughaho (Nagaland) lost to Piyush Manuja (Chandigarh), Somil Randheliya (MP) drew with Mahendra Singh Rathore (Rajasthan), Akshat Aggarwal (MP) beat Mrudul Gattani (MP), Raghav Aggarwal (MP) beat Dewang Gupta (J&K), Eshat Gupta (MP) beat Shivanshu Aggarwal (MP), Sahil Choudha (MP) lost to Suresh Kumar, Rishika Jain (MP) lost to Puneet Choudhary (J&K), Rounak Sarawagi (MP) lost to Dwivedi Rupesh (MP) and Surinder Taneja (Delhi) lost to Ashok Kumar Anand (J&K). 

Chandigarh, October 13
The excitement of young girls from the government school, Raya, a tiny village in Samba district was, however, palpable as they visited Chandigarh as part of the citizen outreach programme of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Along with them were girl students from the Madr-e-Meharban Institute of Health Sciences, Jammu, and J&K Public School, Jammu.

“It was a lifetime opportunity for us to see high-rise buildings and spick and span roads,” says Tanzing Dolma, a student.

A CRPF officer escorting them said all these girls, about 30 in number, hardly went out of their area and the reason behind this excursion was to give them practical knowledge about historical and other places, which they only read in their books.

Before their day-long halt in Chandigarh today, these girls were taken to Amritsar where they visited the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh. Earlier, on a three-day trip, they were taken to the Parliament and other historical places in Delhi.

A girl, Nusarat, said a visit to the Parliament made her feel proud being the citizen of this country. Another girl student said the visit to Jallianwala Bagh was very intersting.

In Chandigarh, they visited the Rose Garden, Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake and other tourist spots.

Three teachers, Heena Jaur, Amita Goswami and Neeru sharma, were also the part of the trip.

Heena said this trip definitely gave these girls a chance to experience India beyond their books.

Des Raj, Deputy Commandant of 51 Battalion, CRPF, Chandigarh, said this trip was aimed to give an opportunity to students to see new places. Most of the participating students had never travelled beyond Jammu.

These girls had their stay at Pinjore in before their brief excursion to the Pinjore Garden. Tomorrow, they will return to Jammu.

Jammu, October 13
Principal Sessions Judge, Udhampur, A K Koul today awarded simple imprisonment of two years to Ganesh Kumar, Naresh Kumar and Munawar Hussain and also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 each. The court cancelled the bail of the accused and directed the authorities to take them in custody.

On March 11, 2004, the informant was discharging his official duty at about 10 pm at Kulwanta Resin Depot when the accused assaulted him. A case under Sections 332 and 333 of the RPC was registered against the accused.

Mohd Ashraf, Range Officer, stated that the informant was posted as a helper in the Forest Department at Kulwanta Forest Check Post and Resin Depot and it was his duty to check vehicles passing through the barrier. The accused wanted a passage for their vehicle through the barrier which the informant declined without checking vehicle. This infuriated the accused and they assaulted him with feet and fists which resulted in fracture to the nasal bone of the informant apart from other minor injuries on his eye and throat.

Jammu, October 13
Multi-purpose workers of the Health Department have demanded regular salaries and promotion avenues for them.

Mahima Devi, president of the J&K Female Multi-Purpose Workers’ Welfare Association, has announced a one-day protest in front of the Health Department.

“We are not receiving our salaries on time and at times hospital heads fail to consider our applications for leaves. At present, promotion avenues are also not there for us,” she said. It also demanded creation of new posts of worker in the newly established primary health centres. — TNS

Jammu, October 13
“Dakghar” (Amal)--- a Dogri play staged by the Trikuta College of Computer Science and Management Studies was today adjudged the best play in the “0ne- act play” competition conducted under the “Display Your Talent” by the Department of Students Welfare, University of Jammu at Brigadier Rajinder Singh Auditorium.

“Daamaad”--- a play in Hindustani presented by the team from Government Women College (GCW), Parade and “Pasina-Pasina”---a play in Hindi performed by the team from GCW, Gandhinagar, Jammu, were adjudged as second and third best play, respectively.

Arpana Kapoor from GCW, Parade, bagged the best actress award for playing the character of “Maa” in the play “Daamaad”. Poornima Shrivastava from Trikuta College of Computer Science and Management Studies, Jammu as “Sudha” in Play “Dakghar” and Padmini from GCW, Gandhinagar, as “Mukhia” in the play “Pasina-Pasina” bagged the second and third best actress award, respectively.

Hempreet Kour for playing the character of “Amal” and Mridual Anand for character of “Sadhu”, both from Trikuta College of Computer Science and Management Studies in the Play “Dakgarh” bagged the first best actor and third best actor award for playing the male characters, respectively whereas Sayma Tabassum from Government Women College, Parade, as “Himmat Singh” in play “Daamaad” was adjudged as second best actor.

The certificates of merit for individual acting were awarded to Komal Bazaz from Trikuta College of Computer Science and Management Studies for her performance as “Father” in play “Dakghar”, Poonam Kumari and Niharika Sharma, both from GCW, Parade, for their performance as “Inspector” and “Bachno” in the play “Daamaad”.

Jammu, October 13
The districts of Jammu and Kishtwar have advanced into the semifinals of the ongoing Divisional Level Inter-District Tennis Ball Cricket Championship which commenced at M A Stadium here today.

In the first match, Jammu pipped Samba by 7 runs in a close contest. Winning the toss and batting first, Jammu district accumulated 35 runs in the stipulated 6 overs. Mohit Gupta (12) and Varun Dogra (7) were the main contributors. For Samba, Amit was the pick of the bowlers with three scalps by conceding 11 runs.

In reply, Samba district made mess of a target and could manage only 28 runs in their allotted quota of overs. Jasbir and Vikas contributed 10 and 6 respectively. Mohit Gupta and Aman Sharma shared two wickets apiece for Jammu.

In another match, Reasi scripted a thrilling win over Doda by 3 runs. Batting first, Reasi garnered 57 for the loss of 4 wickets in 6 overs. Bhanu Pratap Singh made a useful contribution of 32 runs. For Doda, Nayeem took two wickets while Yawar chipped in with one wicket.

Doda, in reply made a desperate attempt to overhaul the target but fell short of just 3 runs. Amit scored a brilliant 28 runs but in vain. Gourav was the chief destroyer for Reasi with two wickets while Ankush took one wicket.

Kishtwar drubbed Samba by 12 runs in another pool match. Kishtwar scored 45 runs in the stipulated 6 overs with Hinan and Arslan scoring 22 and 8 runs respectively. Amandeep and Vikas claimed one wicket each for Samba.

In reply, Samba managed to score 33 runs in the allotted overs. The matches were officiated by Saleem-ur-Rehman, Jagtar Singh, Madan Mohan, Pankaj Sasan, Suresh Singh and Sadiq Hussain Malik.

The tournament wherein six districts drawn from Jammu division are taking part is being held under the overall supervision of Ashok Kumar, Deputy Director Youth Sports, Jammu. The participating districts included Jammu, Samba, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch and Reasi, Doda, Reasi, Rajouri Jammu, Samba and Kishtwar.

Jammu, October 13
Sakshi Koul of MHAC School, Nagbani, clinched gold medal in U-14 girls 100 metre sprint while Reetika of the same school fetched the yellow metal in U-19 girls category in the Jammu District Inter-School Girls Athletic Meet organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports at Sports Stadium, BSF Paloura here.

The silver and bronze medals in U-14 girls went to Kajal of GHSS, Karah, and Kulwinder of APS, Miran Sahib.

The silver and bronze in U-17 girls were bagged by Sapna Devi of GHSS, Karah, and Jasvinder Kour of HS Simbal Camp, respectively.

In U-19 girls sprint, Vishali Sharma of APS, Domana, and Madhu of GHSS, Mubarak Mandi, claimed silver and bronze medals, respectively. In 800 mts in U-17 girls, Ekta Sharma of GHSS, Nadiwara, Zareena of GHS, Sangrampura, and Nisha of GHSS, Gou Manhasa, claimed the first three positions, respectively. In U-19 girls, Shijali Devi of GHSS, Nardiwara, claimed gold, Sunita Sharma of GHSS, Karah, fetched silver and Sheetal of BSF, Paloura, had to settle for bronze.

Palvi Sharma of GHSS, Karah, won gold in 600 mts in U-14 girls while Phalaknaz Manhas and Shashi of BSF, Paloura, claimed silver and bronze medals, respectively.

In 3,000 mts in U-19 girls, Shivani Sharma of GHSS, Nardiwara, bagged gold, Kajal Devi of GHSS, RS Pura, won silver and Uzma Latif of GHSS, Mubarak Mandi, claimed bronze.

In long jump, Riya of MHAC, Nagbani, Kajal of GHSS, Khara, and Rajni Devi of HS Simbal Camp, claimed gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively in U-14 age group.

In U-17 girls age group, Jaswinder Kour of GHSS, Simbal Camp, claimed gold, Faira Kousar of KBPS bagged silver and Meetu Devi of HSS, Arnia, bagged bronze.

In shotput in U-14 girls, Suman Kumari of GHSS, Simbal Camp, bagged gold, Priyanka Sharma of GHS, Bansultan, won silver and Sonia Choudhary clinched bronze medal.

In U-17 girls, Saparsh Bhat of MHAC, Nagbani, bagged gold, Noor Jahan of KBPS claimed silver and Akanksha of JK Public School clinched bronze. In U-19 girls, Mamta Mishra of APS, Kaluchak, Priya Manhas of GHS, Gou Manhasa, and Nidhi of HSS, Gharota, claimed the first three positions, respectively.

Over 300 girls drawn from various governmnt and private institutions of Jammu district are competing in the event.