|
|
|
|
|
Death of infants in Baramulla hospital
CM downplays Mirwaiz’s remarks on ‘unification’ of Kashmir
|
|
|
Ravi-Tawi canal project fails to get Cabinet nod
Cross-LoC trade
PDP to unite all regions of J-K: Mufti
PDP leaders at a party meeting outside the PDP office in Jammu on Monday.
Tribune Photo: Inderjeet Singh
Gulmarg a hot spot for adventure sports, and more
The ski resort of Gulmarg is all set to host winter carnival, skiing contest
and New Year celebrations. Tribune photo: Amin War
Govt devoted to uplift of far-flung areas: Minister
Two youths held with intoxicants
Governor, CM express grief
Lone survivor of Doda mishap dies
Guv condoles death of soldiers in Siachen
Bharat Bhushan is Rajouri BJP chief
|
|
Death of infants in Baramulla hospital
Jammu, December 17 Omar also said that if he was not satisfied with the action taken by the health department, which had already ordered a probe into the incident, he would step in to take appropriate action. “We are still not able to give proper healthcare to the people of the state. It is a matter of anguish that two infants in the Baramulla hospital died due to cold because the doctors and paramedics couldn’t perform their duty with responsibility despite being provided with latest equipment, gensets, specialised training and everything,” Chief Minister said while addressing a gathering after inaugurating a health camp at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu University. Omar said the state government had recently provided ventilators and two generators to the hospital and even sent three nurses for training to New Delhi. “It is the duty of the government to provide better facilities but doctors and medical staff haven’t acted responsibly. If the doctors and nurses are getting salaries but are not performing their duties, they should leave their jobs and not make a mockery of the system,” Omar said. On December 14, two infants had died in Baramulla district hospital due to the alleged negligence of doctors. The families of the infants had alleged that the babies were on ventilator support when electricity in the hospital went off and the hospital staff failed to restore electricity to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) for four hours. The Chief Minister also expressed displeasure over the prevailing healthcare services and said a lot had to be done in this direction. “We have to make some positive steps to improve the health sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Doctors working in cities are getting more salary than doctors working in rural areas. Why will a doctor work in rural areas when he gets better facilities in urban areas?” questioned Omar. Meanwhile, thousands of people from all over the Jammu region had thronged the Jammu University campus to take benefit of free medical camp, which was sponsored by J&K Bank and organised by the Gurgaon-based Medanta hospital. Local doctors and nursing and paramedical staff pitched in to examine the patients. CMO suspended, nurse dismissed Taking note of carelessness on the part of hospital management, which led to the death of two infants at Baramulla district hospital on Friday, the Director Health Services, Kashmir, Dr Salim-ur-Rehman, today placed under suspension the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and a generator operator. The Director also dismissed the nurse who was on duty in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. Negligence alleged
|
||
|
CM downplays Mirwaiz’s remarks on ‘unification’ of Kashmir
Jammu, December 17 “There is nothing new in it. If Mirwaiz says something new then ask me on that,” Omar responded on being asked about the statement of the Hurriyat leader in Muzaffarabad. He was talking to the media after inaugurating a mega health check-up camp at Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu University here. He said the Hurriyat leader had been issuing such statements for long. The issue of making the LoC (Line of Control) irrelevant also figured in the four-point formula of former Pakistan president General Pervez Musharraf. Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah too had advocated a hassle-free movement across the LoC for people of both sides. More routes between the two sides (J&K and PoK) need to be opened, Omar added. Yesterday, Farooq had advocated “unification” of divided parts of Kashmir and urged India and Pakistan to organise an intra-Kashmir conference so that people of the divided parts of Kashmir could meet frequently. On a question regarding the Meteorological Department’s avalanche warning in the Kashmir valley and some parts of the Jammu region vis-à-vis preparation of the government, Omar said: “One can’t stand against nature’s fury but still we have done our preparation to deal with any kind of situation.” Fielding media queries on the next budget session in view of the collapse of a part of the Assembly complex on the intervening night of December 10 and 11, the Chief Minister said the government would make alternate arrangements if it was not considered suitable to hold the budget session in the existing complex. The Chief Minister said his government would examine the report submitted by the inquiry committee on the damage to the historical legislature complex in the winter capital here before taking a call on holding the next budget session scheduled for February 2013. “The inquiry committee has completed the survey of the damaged portion of the building. It has submitted the report to the government. We will study and examine the report and then arrive at a conclusion,” Omar said.
|
||
|
Ravi-Tawi canal project fails to get Cabinet nod
Jammu, December 17 It was a dream project of Public Health Engineering Minister Taj Mohiuddin and he was expecting administrative approval to the project during the meeting. However, new queries raised by the Finance Ministry, headed by Abdul Rahim Rather, could further delay the project. The Cabinet had in February 2010 accorded an approval to the construction of a canal from Basantpur to upstream of Ranjit Sagar Dam near Satwain village falling in Kathua district. The proposed canal was to be constructed from the Satwain side of the reservoir without help from Punjab, which has denied the state its water share since 1979, when the dam was constructed. The Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today, sanctioned creation of 322 posts of Dental Assistant in the Health Department and the roll-out of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), a poverty eradication programme through the J&K State Rural Livelihood Society. The NRLM is a universal social mobilisation programme under which at least one member from each rural, poor and vulnerable household, preferably women, will be brought within the net of self help groups in a time-bound manner. The scheme will facilitate creation of a platform and provide continuous capacity building support. “The mission aims at reducing poverty in rural areas by building strong grassroots institutions for the poor, engage them into gainful livelihood intervention and ensure appreciable improvement in their income on a sustainable basis,” a statement said. The expenses for the mission will be shared by the Centre and the state initially in the ratio of 75:25.
|
||
|
PDP to unite all regions of J-K: Mufti
Jammu, December 17
He said the PDP had played a historic role in reviving the people’s faith in democracy and emerged as an only alternative to the National Conference (NC) in the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions. Addressing a day-long convention of party workers of Jammu province, Mufti claimed the PDP had translated its promises into reality and the people of the state had high hopes with the party. He said it was the duty of the party workers to come up to the expectations of the people. Although coalition candidates registered a sweeping victory in the Legislative Council poll, the PDP was at the number two position, leaving behind the BJP in the Jammu region. “The PDP, through its works, has earned the credibility of the people and they are looking towards the PDP to get their aspirations fulfilled,” Mufti said. He mentioned about the recent election results in which his party had emerged as an alternative to the coalition alliance in the state. “The PDP’s formation in 1999 was a turning point in the state’s history and it emerged as the biggest political force in the state,” he said, adding that from 1947 to 2002, the NC has never allowed the strengthening of democratic institutions in the state because instability in the state suits the party. In her address, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the peace process initiated by the government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was an “irreversible process” and the roadmap laid by the party was the only way to establish sustainable peace in the sub-continent. Seeking the support of people to change the present alleged corrupt and inefficient system, Mehbooba said the credibility of the NC-led coalition regime had reached its lowest ebb because it had lost the faith of the people with its misdeeds. Mehbooba, while expressing her gratitude to panches and sarpanches for casting votes in their favour in the just concluded Legislative Council elections, said the results were encouraging and declared that 2013 would be the year of consolidation for the party. Former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh said the PDP had scripted a new chapter of peace and development in the state and changed the political discourse in the state through its visionary and pro-peace policies. “It is unfortunate that the present government has not only failed to carry forward the peace process but has also wasted all the gains of the previous regime,” Beigh said. Former Finance Minister Tariq Hamid Karra claimed the PDP would form the next government because the people were fed up with the misgovernance of the present regime.
|
||
|
Cross-LoC trade
Jammu, December 17 While nothing has been done to improve trade between the two sides, the state government on Saturday asked the trans-LoC traders to fix rates of merchandise on export and import lists. “At a high-level meeting, the state government on Saturday asked us to fix rates of export and import items despite knowing that prices of merchandise, especially being traded via Chakan-da-Bagh and Salamabad, keep fluctuating every 24 hours,” said Pawan Anand, president of the Chakan-da-Bagh cross-LoC Traders’ Association. “Now, the government has agreed upon another meeting in the first week of January involving all stakeholders to evolve a consensus on rates fixation. It is not practical to fix the rates of merchandise and if the government goes ahead with its plans then the trade, which is already on a life-support system, may come to an abrupt halt,” said Anand. The meeting was attended by Commissioner, Commercial Taxes; Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution; Director, Agriculture; Joint Director, Industries and Commerce; representatives of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Chakan-da-Bagh cross-LoC Traders’ Association and Salamabad cross-LoC Traders’ Association. Anand expressed regrets that despite the Union Home Minister’s visit to the Chakan-da-Bagh Trade Facilitation Centre in October, nothing healthy had happened to trade. “The Home Minister had assured us of including coconut in the trade list, telephone facilities for the traders on both the sides and short term travel permits to us for visiting PoK markets to see the quality of their merchandise before placing the orders. Nothing of this sort has happened so far,” said Anand. “We have been urging the government to increase items on the trade list from the existing 21 to 50 but things seem bleak,” he said. In 2008, the Centre under the standard operating procedure had given its consent to the Indian traders to export 21 items to PoK, which kept shrinking, he said. The trans-LoC trade had started in October 21, 2008, via Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch district and Salamabad in Baramulla district. |
||
|
Gulmarg a hot spot for adventure sports, and more
Srinagar, December 17 The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, which has already received moderate snowfall much before the “chillai kalan” (Valley’s harshest 40-day winter period beginning December 21), will be the hub of adventure sports activities. Talking to The Tribune, Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Talat Parvez said the main winter activities will start with an ice skating camp for children on December 23 that will be followed by a special New Year gala on December 31. And while Gulmarg would be fully draped in a snow blanket later, a skiing competition is scheduled from January 15. Parvez said a winter carnival would be held in the first week of February in which ambassadors of various countries would take part. He said the list of ambassadors of foreign countries would be announced following confirmation from them. The plan to invite ambassadors comes after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently stated that the government intended to showcase Kashmir as the “best destination” for adventure tourism to woo more tourists, especially foreigners as countries like Japan, Germany and Britain had already modified travel advisories. Even as the stakeholders of the tourism sector have already given the thumbs up to the government’s plan of promoting Kashmir as the “best destination” for adventure tourism amid the present footfall, they at the same time want improvement in the existing infrastructure. Hoteliers for upgrading medical facilities While welcoming the government’s efforts towards promoting adventure tourism, Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Owners Federation (KHAROF) president Faiz Bakshi underscored the need
for upgrading medical facilities in case of eventualities during adventure sports besides putting
in place proper rescue operations. The KHAROF also wants helicopter service for rescue operations besides the to and fro movement of tourists between the airport and Gulmarg. The hoteliers of Gulmarg have also been demanding uninterrupted power and water supply besides prompt clearance of roads during snowfall so that the tourists do not face any problems. |
||
|
Govt devoted to uplift of far-flung areas: Minister
Rajouri, December 17 The Education Minister was addressing public meetings at Koteranga Budal after inspecting various under execution projects in these areas. He said the state government had taken up massive projects for providing adequate power and safe drinking water facilities to the people, besides road connectivity by the active financial support of the Centre. Directing the officials of various departments, who accompanied him, to perform their duty with dedication, Malik said ration, kerosene oil, LPG and other essentials had been stocked in snow-bound areas of the district and steps were underway to maintain smooth traffic flow in these areas by putting in service snow clearance machines. The Minister inspected Government Degree College, Budal, and took stock of the functioning of the college. The Minister was accompanied by ex-MLC Liyaqat Ali. He assured the college authorities that the college would get more faculty members, besides solving other problems confronting the college. Malik also presided over an officers meeting at Rajouri and reviewed the progress on various development and welfare schemes under execution in the district. Responding to the demands of providing higher education on the door steps of the people, the Minister said the opening up of a degree college at Koteranga would be given due consideration. He directed officials of the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments to provide pesticides and other logistic support to farmers and orchardists for better cultivation of fruits and vegetables.
|
||
|
Two youths held with intoxicants
Rajouri, December 17 He said on a tip off, the police conducted a raid in the city and recovered the capsules from Shenaz’s possession. The police has registered an FIR under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) in the police station concerned and the investigations are on. The police recovered 250 intoxicant capsules inside a car in the Thanamandi area of the district yesterday. Sources said on a tip off, a police team under the supervision of the SDPO, Thanamandi, Muzbir Rehman, laid a naka at the Thanamandi bridge, and arrested a drug peddler, Toqir Razzak Mirza, a resident of Behrote tehsil, Thanamandi, presently living in Rajouri. During questioning, Mirza disclosed the name of the medical shop from where he had bought the capsules. The sources said he had taken the police to the shop where he had purchased the capsules. They said a police team accompanied by the Naib Tehsildar raided the shop. The owner of the shop, however, managed to escape. The police today registered an FIR under Sections 8/21/22 of the NDPS Act in the police station concerned.
— OC |
||
|
Governor, CM express grief
Jammu, December 17 In his message, the Governor has conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved family and hoped that
those injured were receiving the best possible medical attention. The Governor expressed deep concern and dismay over the recurring loss of lives in road accidents in certain areas of the state. In this context, he recalled the discussions held at Raj Bhawan with key experts from the Central government several months ago. The Governor hoped that the DGP would urgently enforce the strictest
possible measures to reduce the incidence of tragic accidents. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in his condolence message, expressed sympathy with the bereaved family and prayed for the early recovery of the injured. He directed the district administration for providing the required medicare to the injured. |
||
|
Lone survivor of Doda mishap dies
Batote, December 17 The minibus, Tata Winger, which met with the accident, was carrying the victims from Bhaderwah town to
Chinta. The minibus skidded off the link road into a 400-ft-deep gorge at Rainda near Lower Thuba in Bhaderwah tehsil of Doda district last evening. Most of the victims belonged to Dugga Chinta village on the Bhaderwah-Chinta link road.
|
||
|
Guv condoles death of soldiers in Siachen
Jammu, December 17 The Governor spoke to Lt Gen KT Parnaik, Northern Army Commander, to convey his deep sympathies to the families of those who had lost
their lives. The Governor observed that such tragic incidents should remind everyone of the extremely challenging conditions in which our defence personnel work and maintain a constant vigil to protect the country’s territorial integrity and even lay down their lives in the service of the nation.
|
||
|
Bharat Bhushan is Rajouri BJP chief
Rajouri, December 17 The party is currently electing new district presidents across the state. The BJP held a meeting at Rajouri yesterday which was attended by hundreds of party workers. Vaid congratulated the party workers for electing him for the job. He said, “My first duty towards the party will be to enrol more people into the party so that it is strengthened at the grass-roots level. He said, “We need to work for society.”
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Jammu, December 17
With the Kashmir valley witnessing an early snowfall amid a booming tourist season this year, the authorities are planning to host a whole lot of events in the winter season to woo more visitors. The Tourism Department is also inviting several ambassadors during the winter carnival in an effort to attract foreign tourists following the lifting of travel advisories to Kashmir by a few European and Asian countries.
