Men walk along a bridge. Tribune photos: Anand Sharma

Jammu, November 29
Cold wave gripped the entire Jammu region after upper reaches experienced season’s first snowfall today. Light to moderate rain lashed several districts leading to a decline in day’s temperature by several notches. Normal life came to a grinding halt due to intermittent rains with the people preferring to remain indoors.

The vehicular movement on the 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway- the only road link connecting Kashmir with the rest of country- was slowed down due to slippery conditions and accumulation of snow in Patnitop, Ramban and Banihal areas.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that there would be a significant improvement in prevailing conditions by tomorrow.

Reports said moderate to heavy snowfall was witnessed in the Pir Panjal ranges and other hilly areas of the region. Trikuta hills, where the famous cave shrine of Vaishno Devi is located, also witnessed season’s first snowfall.

“Helicopter services for the pilgrims going to pay obeisance at the holy cave shrine were suspended in view of the snowfall in Trikuta hills. Due to the snowfall, cold conditions are prevailing en route the cave shrine but there has been no disruption to the pilgrimage and it is being performed smoothly. Over 20,000 pilgrims are undertaking yatra to cave shrine today,” said a senior official of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB).

Reports also suggested that snowfall was also recorded in Mahore and other remote hilly areas of the district since this morning resulting in chilly conditions.

“We have recorded 5.4 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours in Chatta area of Jammu, while Poonch district received 16 mm rainfall. The day’s temperature was four degrees below normal and the entire belt was reeling under cold conditions,” said MK Khushu, chief scientist agrometeorology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST).

He, however, claimed that there would be slight improvement in prevailing weather conditions by tomorrow.

Sonam Lotus, J&K IMD director, said the higher reaches of the state, particularly in the Valley had witnessed 1.5 to 2 feet snowfall.

“At some places, it was still snowing which led to a sudden fall in mercury. Light to moderate rains have also lashed all plain areas of Jammu region. The weather will remain cloudy but things will improve by this weekend,” the director said.

He further said the people in Drass in Kargil district shivered to biting cold, the coldest in state.

“Fresh snowfall has been witnessed in Drass region. Till last reports, the region had experienced half-a-foot snowfall,” he said.

A senior traffic officer posted in Ramban informed that fresh snowfall along the highway, particularly in Patnitop, Ramban and Banihal areas, disrupted the normal movement of traffic. “In Banihal area, about 10 inches of snowfall was accumulated on the highway. More snowfall may close the traffic on the highway,” the officer said.

(inputs from Davinder Thakur in Reasi)

Jammu, November 29
The traffic scenario in Jammu is worsening with each passing day as commuters get caught in traffic snarls for hours before reaching their destination. This, despite claims of the Traffic Police Department of taking measures to streamline the traffic movement in the city.

Earlier, long jams were witnessed during the peak hours, particularly during the morning time, but people are seen caught in the chaos even during the day of late.

Travelling by public transport from Talab Tillo, Kachi Chawani, Bantalab, Burnai and Satwari is a worst nightmare for the commuters and most of them reach their offices late.

Hundreds of vehicles can been seen moving at a snail’s pace to reach their respective destinations everyday. It is not only irritating for the commuters but also leads to chaos-like situation at several places.

The Darbar move has already put an additional load of VIP and government vehicles on the Jammu roads, which is a major reason behinds traffic jams as police personnel remain busy clearing cars with red beacons. Ultimately, it is the common man who bears the brunt of the situation.

The chaos can be gauged from the fact that even policemen find it difficult to clear the traffic snarls. There are reports of many traffic personnel losing their temper while regulating the vehicular movement.

"The problem has assumed alarming proportion. Traffic snarls have become a routine thing here. The worst one was on the Janipur road this morning. We cannot always blame the traffic police but city needs new roads and flyovers," said Arvind Sharma, a commuter trapped in a jam.

"It took one hour for me to reach Shastri Nagar from New Plot despite using the flyover since it was also blocked due to a heavy jam," said Yash Khajuria, a university student.

The "Traffic Police on Facebook" and installation of cameras have also not yielded much positive results as the pressure on roads is huge. In absence of modern traffic management techniques, every effort of the administration to streamline the traffic is proving to be futile.

Earlier, Link Road, Jain Bazar, Purani Mandi, Kanak Mandi and Moti Bazar areas in the old city were synonymous with the traffic jam but now the problems has spread to all corners.

Over 50,000 vehicles are added to the already congested roads in the city every year. The total road length in Jammu is 704.22 km and per kilometer density of vehicles is 574. The situation has been worsening with every passing day with the addition of cars, tractors, motor bikes, trucks and buses.

Jammu, November 29
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of ETT Colleges today started their hunger strike-cum-protest demonstration outside the J&K State Board of School Education (JKBOSE) premises against the alleged malpractices by the board chairman and the state government being a mute spectator to it.

JAC members Deep Singh and Hari Dutt Shishu said the fate of thousands of ETT candidates of the 2008-10 special batch was hanging in balance due to non-conduct of their first-year examination till date due to a “revengeful attitude of the education board chairman” towards the ETT colleges. The regularisation of 2011-13 ETT students was also pending, they added.

Criticising the role of the Omar-led government in the state, the JAC members said the school education portfolio was being looked after by the Chief Minister who was keeping mum on the ill-functioning of JKBOSE.

Janak Bharti, JAC member from Kathua, demanded an enquiry into financial depletion of the board during the tenure of current chairman.

Katra, November 29
A three-day course on research methodology for Ph.D students organised by the College of Management, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), is underway in Katra.

With the financial assistance received from the Indian Council of Social Science and Research (ICSSR), New Delhi, the workshop aims at imparting knowledge of research methodology and econometric tools in order to scientifically analyse and forecast business data. The workshop is focusing not only on teaching but also on empirical research and to prepare rational decision makers for better policy implications.

Prof Ashok Aima of Central University of Jammu, Roop Avatar Kaur, Registrar SMVDU, Katra, and Prof BC Sharma, Dean Students’ Placement, University of Jammu, were among those present on the occasion.

The workshop witnessed participation from various places of India such the University of Hyderabad, GNDU (Amritsar), Pondicherry University, Calcutta University, NITIE (Mumbai), Bhatinda, North Orissa University, IIT-Roorkee, BGSB University, University of Kashmir, Banaras Hindu University and University of Jammu. Welcoming the participants to the inaugural ceremony of the workshop, Roop Avatar Kaur asked the participants to exploit the opportunity to the fullest.

The programme director of the workshop, while explaining the focus of the workshop, said knowledge acquired in the three-day course would enhance the user skills of the participants, which in turn could be used by them for empirical research and self-generated knowledge.

Jammu, November 29
Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla said that the coalition government was fully aware of people’s hardships and had taken various initiatives to provide basic amenities such as adequate safe drinking water, electricity, road connectivity, education and healthcare facilities.

This was stated by the minister while interacting with residents of the Bhawani Vihar and Vasant Vihar localities of Trikuta Nagar at a public grievance camp held here today.

Bhalla said the government was striving to upgrade various sectors on modern lines with need-based infrastructural facilities, for which all the departments were working in a more organised manner.

The minister said the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was providing liberal funding under various sectors which had greatly helped in raising the socio-economic standards of the people of the state. He said many more projects to develop both the urban and rural pockets of the state were in the pipeline.

He asked officials to conduct regular inspections of projects to keep a check on the quality of material being used.

The minister said people’s cooperation was imperative to make Jammu and Kashmir a prosperous state. He called upon the people to not pay heed to the nefarious designs of anti-social elements. He asked them to extend their whole-hearted cooperation to the government for maintaining peace and prosperity in the state.

Jammu, November 29
The Army today provided furniture to two government schools in Parbal and Hambal, which are remote areas of the mountainous Doda district.

Students of the Government Middle School, Parbal, and the Government High School, Hambal, expressed gratitude to the Army for their gesture. Students at the Hambal school put up a cultural show on the occasion.

A majority of the population in the Doda region resides in remote areas without basic amenities and infrastructure.

During a recent interaction with the locals, the headmasters from both the schools had requested the Army to provide them furniture under Operation Sadhbhavana.

Subsequently, Army officials at Bhaderwah conceded to their request in order to provide facilities to underprivileged students of remote areas and to gain trust of the residents of Parbal, Hambal and nearby villages.

Over 250 students of Parbal, Hambal and nearby villages will benefit from this initiative by the Army.

Katra, November 29
The District Administration, Reasi, is preparing itself for the smooth conduct of the MLC election scheduled to be held on December 3.

Reasi Deputy Commissioner Nirmal Sharma, who is also the Assistant Returning officer for the said election, said a total of 1,144 panches and sarpanches would cast their votes during the poll in Reasi district and each of them had the right to cast two votes in favour of MLC candidates.

She said the security had been beefed up and an additional number of CRPF and JKP personnel had been deployed. A total of eight polling stations have been set up in Reasi, Mohare, Arnas and Pouni in the district. In each polling station, an officer of DSP rank will be deployed to monitor the election process.

Jammu, November 29
Member Legislative Council (MLC) Jehangir Hussain declared the 17th Waryam Memorial Hockey Championship open at the Government Degree College ground in Poonch today.

In the inaugural exhibition match, the Waryam Club got the better of the Degree College by 5-0 goals. Channi Singh drew first blood in the 17th minute and then struck again in the 21st minute to make it 2-0.

After Channi, Gurdev to slammed two goals in the 35th and 47th minute.

The Degree College tried their to minimise the margin but could not succeed. Meanwhile, the fifth goal was scored by Matinder Pal Singh in the 57th minute.

The championship is being organised by the Waryam Hockey Club under the guidance of its secretary Manjeet Singh. Poonch SSP Shamsher Hussain had earlier appreciated the initiative of the Waryam Club and had assured every possible help from the district police to make the event a success.