Jammu, November 6
Two volunteers of the J&K National Youth Corps (JKNYC) received minor injuries while four others were detained by the police after they tried to march to the Civil Secretariat demanding extension of their service.

The protesting youth were hired by the government in 2010 under a scheme aiming to use services of the unemployed youth in rural development.

In a scuffle between the policemen and the NYC youths, a protester Wassem Ahmed fainted after he was slapped by a police officer. He was taken to the Government Medical College (GMC).

The police also arrested four youth for violating Section 144 imposed around the Civil Secretariat.

State president of JKNYC Asif Ali Bhat said 8,000 unemployed youths were engaged to provide them employment avenues and to monitor developmental activities, particularly in the rural and militancy affected areas, but their services were being terminated.

“Volunteers were selected from all the 22 districts of the state and they have done their services honesty over the past two years. But now their services are being terminated without giving any reason,” Bhat said.

The protesters demanded that they should be given an extension as most of them were working with dedication in their respective areas, despite being paid Rs 2,500 as monthly wage.

In an appeal to the state government, Bhat said they were not back-door entrants but recruited under a transparent policy and were serving in 14 different departments.

They also threatened to sit on a hunger strike from November 8 if their demands for regularisation and extension of services were not accepted by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

“There is no option before us but to intensify our agitation and hundreds of youth have no other employment avenue as they live in the far-flung areas. The government is talking about various central schemes, but it is taking away employment from youth,” said Mohinder Kumar, a protester.

Jammu, November 6
With just a few months left for the conduct of the matriculation and higher secondary annual examination in the Jammu division, the J&K State Board of School Education (JKBOSE) is yet to initiate the process to conduct the bi-annual examination. More than 40,000 students have thus been left in the lurch.

Sources say, resentment is brewing among the students owing to an inordinate delay on part of the School Education Board to conduct Bi-Annual examination for matriculation and higher secondary classes. The examinations were otherwise conducted between September and October every year.

Sources said there are 20,000 students who will appear in the bi-annual higher secondary exams while more than 25,000 candidates were likely to appear in the matriculation examination.

Sources said the students were earlier informed that the bi-annual examination will be held as per routine but the results of private candidates which were declared in September has delayed the entire process.

“It is not for the first time that the candidates are facing this problem,” a candidate Anamika said on the condition of anonymity.

“Students who got compartments in the last annual examinations of matriculation and higher secondary held in March-April had filled the examination forms hoping that they would clear the papers they had failed in to be eligible for admission in colleges,” she said.

“It is difficult for the candidates hailing from far-flung areas to get information about the examination or other important announcements made by the JKBOSE,” said a candidate Karun. “We were informed by one of our friends about the delay in the bi-annual examination,” he said.

VR Sharma, Joint Secretary, Examination, JKBOSE, said the dates to conduct the exams were likely to be finalised soon. “The department is trying its best to conduct examination by the end of this month,” he added.

Katra, November 6
Development Commissioner, Reasi, and vice chairman of the Shri Shiv Khori Cave Shrine Board Nirmal Sharma today assessed the development works being carried out from Ransoo, the base camp of the cave shrine.

In a meeting with the officials, Sharma discussed various issues pertaining to the development of the shrine, including the master plan for Ransoo village, construction of a helipad and allied infrastructure along the approach road, creation of amusement park, ropeway, bus and taxi stand, parking lots and other facilities for the pilgrims.

The DDC stressed the need for developing Ransoo in a planned manner to cater to the needs of an ever-increasing rush of pilgrims. She said the Ransoo village master plan had already been prepared by the chief town planner. She also asked the officials to take development works as per the land use prescribed in the master plan.

She instructed the executive engineer, R&B, to speed up work on the approach road linking the cave site. She also directed the officials concerned to maintain fencing at unsafe points along the track.

She asked the vice chairman of the shrine board to identify suitable land for the construction of pony shed on way to the shrine. She also emphasised on the need to create toilet facilities near Dhood Ganga. She instructed to start a first-aid centre near the holy cave.

A meeting of the shrine board will be convened soon about the development of the shrine, she said.

Jammu, November 6
Unable to meet the increasing demand for power in view of the winter season, the Power Development Department (PDD) has gone back to its ‘old formula’ of enforcing unscheduled power cuts.

Though no proper schedule has been announced by the department for metered and non-metered areas, but eight-hour cuts have been enforced in the non-metered areas in the city. In others, cuts are being enforced as per the specific load. The power requirement of entire Jammu region is 700-800 MW, while Kashmir Valley requires more than 1,000 MW during winters and it leads to overloading at the receiving stations, forcing the PDD to enforce power cuts, especially in the rural areas to reduce overloading. “In Kashmir curtailment schedule was announced few weeks back and in the coming days, same will be announced in the Jammu region, keeping in view the low generation in the power projects, due to less water flow,” said an official.

Kachi Chawni, Janipur, Roop Nagar, Paloura, parts of Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Channi and Bari Brahman are facing regular cuts. “We have unscheduled power cuts in the morning and evening hours. Students are the worst affected,” said Bharti, a housewife.

Jammu, November 6
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said self reliance in power generation has great impact on the economy and a multi-pronged strategy has been put in place by his government to take necessary steps towards better power generation and distribution.

On the power projects being executed by the Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd, he said the joint venture company is helping increase power generation in the state.

Chairman CVPP, Mohammad Yusuf Khan, presented a resume of the power projects being executed by the company. He assured that the company would stick to the targets fixed for completion of these prestigious projects.

The company will be initially involved in development of 2220-MW hydro electricity from three projects of Pakuldul, Kiru and Kawar besides the second phase of the 450-MW Dulhasti HEP. The Pakuldul HEP involving an expenditure of Rs 8,847.81 crore is likely to generate 1,000 MW of power. The completion schedule of the project is six years from the date of award of works. 

Jammu, November 6
A pen down strike by All J&K Technical Department lecturers here entered the second day today.

Seeking pay revision, contractual and academic arrangements lecturers from various polytechnic colleges struck work and gathered at the Government Boys Polytechnic, Jammu, and marched towards the Government Women Polytechnic College. — TNS

Batote, November 6
Increasing incidents of thefts of transformers, transformer oil, aluminum wires, steel poles etc, in and around Batote has added to the losses incurred by the fund-starved Power Development Department (PDD).

Following a spurt in the thefts, the PDD has ordered that the transformer taps be sealed.

“After the second incident of theft of transformer oil at Champa in Batote on October19, I have ordered that all oil outlet taps of all the transformers be sealed by wielding,” said Surinder Singh Manhas, Executive Engineer, PDD, M&RE, Division, Batote.

Over the past few years there has been a spurt in the number of incidents of thefts of oil from the transformers at Ladhwal, Tringla, Champa, Nashri, Chakwa, Assar and Batote-near Higher Secondary School. “Though an FIR was registered in each of these theft cases yet no suspect has so far been arrested,” rued Manhas.

Sources said such crime incidents have become common in the area.

“A 25-KV transformer contains 60 to 70 litres oil, 63-KV transformers have 100 litres and 100-KV about 150 litre oil. This oil is not only very costly but also unavailable here. It has to be arranged from the PDD store at Jammu. Residents have to face power cuts because of these thefts. So I had to take this step,” he added. He didn’t rule out the connivance of ‘insiders’ in selling transformer oil to the locals or private construction firms engaged in the ongoing projects here.

 

What the Committee says The government had decided to shift only the idle buses to a new place accepting the concerns of business community in 2007 The government had then agreed to continue making the bus stand a starting and terminus point for passengers of all routes There was no question to shift the bus stand from its present site which could hit hard the business community

Jammu, November 6
To monitor the use of funds in the schemes under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in the state, health centres have been asked to monitor the same. The NRHM, Jammu and Kashmir organised a training programme on the implementation of the Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS) in the state.

At the two-day training programme which concluded today, the participants were given information about the decision support system and the online management information system for the smooth working of the department.

As many as 30 participants from Financial Management Group of State Health Society NRHM, Jammu and District & Block Accounts Managers attended the training programme.

Mohd Yaqoob Ittoo, FA& CAO, H&ME Department, presided over the programme.

Yaqoob Ittoo said, “The Central Sector Plan Scheme of the Planning Commission is being implemented by the Office of the Controller General of Accounts. The scheme aims to establish a suitable online Management Information System and Decision Support System for the Plan Schemes of the Government of India.”

“The system is envisaged to track fund disbursement from the Government of India up to the last beneficiary under the Plan Schemes and a report on the fund utilisation at various levels of implementation on a real time basis,” Yaqoob Ittoo added.

Katra November 6
A five-day Civil Defence Basic Training Camp yesterday started at the Subsidiary Police Training Centre, Talwara, in Reasi district here. The camp is being organised by the Civil Defence Organisation, Udhampur.

Trainees at the Police Training School, Talwara, will be educated about basic relief and rescue operations in event of any calamity.

Deputy controller, Civil Defence, Bodh Raj threw light on civil defence activities. He said the training camp would go a long way in dealing with any eventuality more efficiently.

Jammu, November 6
Governor NN Vohra today awarded prizes to the winners of the Third Annual Inter-state (Northern Zone) Declamation Contest for the Silver Rolling Trophy.

The first prize was clinched by Polina Singh of the Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar and Abhinandan Singh of Government College for Engineering and Technology, Jammu, while Junaid Yaseen of Islamia College, Srinagar and Asma Zahoor of Government College for Women, MA Road, Srinagar were the runners-up. Cash prizes of Rs 11000, Rs 7500 and Rs 5000 were given to the first, second and third prize winners.

In the individual category, the first cash prize was given to Ghulam Mustafa of the GDC, Poonch, second to Polina Singh of the GCW, Gandhi Nagar and the third prize to Junaid Yaseen of Islamia College, Srinagar. Two consolation prizes of Rs 2500 each were given to Asma Zahoor of the GCW, MA Road, Srinagar and Abhinandan Singh of GCET, Jammu. All the participants were also given mementoes and certificates of participation.

Minister for Higher Education, Labour and Employment, Abdul Gani Malik was the chief guest for the inaugural function.

Dr Kiran Bakshi, principal of the college, welcomed the chief guest. Dr Kiran Bakshi referred to the contest as a visionary step for achieving socio-cultural intermingling of states which will go a long way in fostering mutual bonding and understanding between the academia of the participating states.

A number of students from Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigrah, Uttrakhand and J&K participated.

Prof Nalini Kohli, director, Colleges, thanked all the participants of for their overwhelming response and cooperation.

Governor NN Vohra as the chief guest on on the valedictory session while Usha Vohra, first lady of the state, was the guest of honour.

In his address, the Governor complemented students for their outstanding performance and encouraged them to be a motivational force for others. 

Jammu, November 6
Wrestler Abdul Gani of Mallerkotla (Punjab) clinched the 10th Domana Kesari Dangal title by defeating wrestler Shinda of Ludhiana in the main bout that lasted for 11 minutes at Domana here today.

The winner wrestler was awarded a cash prize of Rs 16,000, while runner-up wrestler Shinda pocketed a sum of Rs 12,000 given by SHO Vijay Singh. Shiv Kumar Sharma, president J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association, sarpanch Shamsher Singh and naib sarpanch Raj Hussain were also present on the occasion. The dangal was organised by Baba Mir Shah Dangal Committee Domana in association with the J&K Indian Style Wrestling Association in the memory of Baba Mir Shah.

Jammu, November 6
Vijay Club yesterday defeated Engineers Club by whopping 8-0 goals to secure a berth in the Super League stage of the ongoing Senior Division Football League Tournament being organised by the Jammu wing of Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA) at GGM Science College Football Ground here.

Tanpreet Singh opened the accout for Vijay Club in the 14th minute which was followed by a superb goal netted by Vinay in 36th minute.

Taking a decisive lead of 2-0, Vijay Club strengthened its position further as Vishal Dogra slammed the first hat-trick of the tournament. He scored the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th goals to virtually seal the fate of Engineers Club who had no answer to the onslaught.

Tanpreet Singh then slammed two goals in the 71st and 81st minutes of the match to make it 8-0. In another match, Young Rovers toppled the NGR by a solitary goal to stay alive in the tournament. Vishal Angral was the goal scorer for them who scored it in 20th minute.

Sourav Jangral was shown red card for repeated foul play. The matches were officiated by Moon Stephen, Kaushal Sharma, Sanjay Kumar, Harmanjeet Singh and Ramesh Chander. — TNS