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Cong miffed at NC for ignoring it while highlighting achievements
Pak yet to respond to
Indian Army’s hotline message
Biggest ‘freeze mob’ in India for acid attack victims on Jan 13
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Govt to focus on far-flung areas, says Deputy CM
CPM concerned over skirmishes on border
Girl alleges rape in Pahalgam
Escalation in ceasefire violations on border by Pakistan: Army
ST status demanded for Paharis
Importance of 6th Economic Census highlighted
Corruption persists in state despite anti-graft bodies in place
Mirwaiz visits victim in Delhi hospital
Family of victim says ‘need prayers’
Minister appeals to youth to abide by traffic rules
HIV+ woman was not denied treatment, says ART Centre
Employees to go on strike from today
Week-long vacations for Jammu schools
Jammu-Kargil air service
launched by Omar
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Cong miffed at NC for ignoring it while highlighting achievements
Jammu, January 7 Though senior party leaders were hesitating to come on record to criticise the behaviour of National Conference, the party has deputed its frontal organizations, especially the Youth Congress and the NSUI, to lodge their protest against the coalition partner publicly. “Due to coalition dharma we are not publicly criticising the National Conference for trying to marginalise the Congress while highlighting the achievements four-year tenure of the government”, said a senior Congress leader on the condition of anonymity. He, however, said senior party leaders have already registered their protest before the high command against the “attitude” of the National Conference. Sources said local Congress leaders have taken serious note of ignoring both Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz in highlighting the achievements of the coalition government. “Furthermore the local Congress leaders are infuriated over the way National Conference has hijacked agenda of the party to hold panchayat conference at Srinagar and Jammu in January and February, respectively,” sources said adding instead of involving senior Congress leaders in the panchayat conference, which was at Srinagar a couple of days ago, the National Conference has turned the official function into a party gathering wherein only a Congress MLC was present. Sources in the Congress leadership have also taken exception of not giving importance to the PCC chief in a function which was held today to inaugurate to and fro flight for Kargil. To mark his presence in the function, the PCC issued a separate statement in which he (Soz) stated that he has represented Rahul Gandhi in the function. In the statement, Soz tried to give an impression that it was all due to the efforts of the Congress leadership that flight for Kargil has been started. Meanwhile, Pradesh Youth Congress president Shahnawaz Choudhary and NSUI state president Uday Chib issued a joint statement yesterday to “object the action to marginalise the Congress while highlighting the achievements of coalition government of J&K”. They expressed anguish on the advertisement given by the state government on the achievements of four years of coalition government in J&K in national and local newspapers. “The coalition dharma demands that there should be a moral sincerity between both the parties where they work together to achieve common goals. But this kind of action from the National Conference to marginalise the Congress hurts the sentiments
of party workers, particularly the youth”, the statement stated. |
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Pak yet to respond to
Indian Army’s hotline message
Srinagar, January 7 “The situation remained peaceful in the sector,” the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 19 Infantry Division, Maj Gen VG Khandare, told The Tribune. “We had sent a hotline message on Sunday after the unprovoked firing on Churanda village near the LoC in Uri sector, but they (Pakistan) are yet to respond,” he added. Sources said throughout the day today many Pakistani helicopters were seen hovering on the other side of the LoC. “It looks like senior Pakistani Army officials came to the sector,” said an Army officer in Uri. “I hope the Pakistan army will take a sensible decision and not open fire again in the sector that is aimed at infiltrating militants,” he added. The Pakistani army on Sunday had blamed the Indian troops for conducting a raid across the LoC on a Pakistani checkpost in Haji Pir sector in which one of its soldiers was killed and another injured. The Pakistan army had claimed that its troops effectively responded and repulsed the attack successfully. The Indian Army, however, had blamed the Pakistani troops for violating the ceasefire in Churanda village of Haji Pir sector and opening fire first, which, it said, was aimed at infiltrating militants. Meanwhile, many villagers from Churanda, who had fled the village after yesterday’s firing, returned home today. “After yesterday firing, we were scared. But, thankfully the marriage of my daughter was solemnised today,” said Abdul Lateef, a resident of Churanda village. Indian and Pakistani troops have been regularly exchanging fire in
Churanda village, which is only 120 metres from the LoC for the past over
two months. |
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Biggest ‘freeze mob’ in India for acid attack victims on Jan 13
Srinagar, January 7 The event is being organised after a 30-year-old crèche teacher was attacked by a stalker in Srinagar on January 2, leading to serious injuries on her face and eyes. In the backdrop of Srinagar being the fresh victim of an acid attack incident, Kashmiri students camping in Delhi are also registering themselves for the event. Although wide protests from political, trade and civil society bodies erupted in the Kashmir valley after the incident, Kashmiri students say an event held at the national level against the acid attack incidents would have far-reaching consequences. “It is a different concept and will surely attract attention. We are all facing such brutal attacks, be it in Srinagar or Delhi. So, no matter from where I am, as a girl I will join the event for this cause in Delhi on January 11,” says Sana Beigh, a Srinagar-based Communications Engineer working in Delhi. Though freeze mobs are regularly carried out in many parts of the world by student communities for conveying social messages, in India, such activities are rare. Participants are supposed to freeze in their respective positions at places such as near inner circle, Connaught Place and near Metro gate-6 (Palika Bazar parking), sporting black goggles and yellow arm
band/ ribbon on their left arms for 15 minutes (4.00 to 4.15 pm). The participants have been asked to make placards with slogans such as acid attack is as bad as rape. Just because I said no, you destroy my face. Why hasn’t Parliament
passed the acid attack law? Spare a thought for the acid attack victims and who compensates for my surgery? “This is our way of awakening people and the government in support of an acid attack victim, who is scarred psychologically as well as physically after the incident. Even after the Union Cabinet approved amendments in the Criminal Law, 2012, which involves the inclusion of acid attacks in the criminal offences, Parliament is yet to pass the Bill,” says Abhay Chawla, one of the organisers of the freeze mob, who is a visiting faculty at Delhi University and a national consultant with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). “Exactly at 4pm on January 11, we will freeze for 15 minutes in the heart of Delhi. You freeze in a position you desire. It could be bowling, batting, swinging a club, holding on to a person, reading a newspaper etc,” says Chawla. But why Freeze? “Because the life of an acid attack victim freezes after the incident,” says Abhay. And why yellow ribbons and black goggles? “Because yellow is the colour of fire that burns the hearts and minds of the girls after an acid attack. And black goggles since the attack normally blinds the victims,” he adds. What is freeze mob? A freeze mob is a demonstration that is organised where people freeze in a place in a public area while passersby look on and wonder what is happening. This is done to attract attention of the authorities. |
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Govt to focus on far-flung areas, says Deputy CM
Jammu, January 7 He said the coalition government has embarked on a path of development for the entire state, especially far-off and border areas. He said the government had launched several welfare schemes for the betterment of the people and told the people to take benefit of these schemes. He exhorted upon the officials to ensure that benefits of various development and welfare schemes reached the beneficiaries on time. He said the UPA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was providing liberal funding to the state for its development and prosperity. While reviewing the performance of the Kisan credit card scheme at Khour, he directed the SDM to make coordinated efforts in collaboration with the departments concerned for its 100 per cent implementation. He also stressed for organising regular awareness camps for ensuring benefits of the Labour Act to the skilled labour class. Speaking about various state and Centrally sponsored schemes being implemented in the state, the Deputy Chief Minister asked people to take maximum benefit of these schemes to empower themselves socially and economically. He directed the officials concerned to create awareness about various state and Centrally sponsored schemes among the people. He stressed upon panches and sarpanches to render their services with utmost zeal and dedication. |
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CPM concerned over skirmishes on border
Jammu, January 7 While referring to the latest exchange of fire in the Uri sector of Baramulla district between India and Pakistan, in which a residential house was partially damaged at Churunda village, Tarigami said the heads of the two neighbouring countries must arrest the down slide in the border situation which had generated fear and panic among the people. The CPM leader said the border skirmishes - whoever was to blame, whatever the cause - risked the prosperity and security of the two countries that had far more in common than the areas of suspicion and discard. Tarigami said the silencing of guns along the border had made other important initiatives possible which included trade and travel across the LoC. “But unfortunately, the incidents of skirmishes and hostilities along the border derail the efforts leading to the formation of better understanding and amity between the two countries,” he said. He said for the last couple of years there was a genuine commitment to better the relations among political leaders in both New Delhi and Islamabad, although some sections of society in both the countries were skeptical, given the long history of conflict and mutual suspicion. “The tragedy of the fragile relations between the two countries is that the painstaking progress at different levels can be overturned in an instant by violence. The leadership of both the countries must rise to the occasion and ensure cessation of hostilities across the border,” he said. |
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Girl alleges rape in Pahalgam
Anantnag, January 7 Police reports said the accused, Mushtaq Ahmad Hajam, a resident of Frislan village, allegedly sneaked into the house of the victim on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 and raped the girl (20). “We were informed about the incident by the victim and her family on January 2,” Pahalgam SHO Tariq Ahmad said. The Pahalgam SHO said taking cognisance of the complaint, the police swung into action and arrested the culprit on the same day. “An FIR under Sections 376 (rape), 451 (house trespass in order to commit offence) and 452 (house trespass with preparation for assault) of the RPC has been registered against the accused,” said the SHO. He said the accused was in police custody and his statement had been recorded under Section 164-A of the CrPC. This is the second incident of rape reported in a week from the south Kashmir area. Earlier this month, a girl from Shopian district alleged that she was abducted and raped by a 32-year-old man at his house, following which the accused was arrested and a case registered against him. |
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Escalation in ceasefire violations on border by Pakistan: Army
Jammu, January 7 “The Pakistan army has been attempting to push a maximum number of militants across the LoC, under the cover of heavy fire and poor weather conditions,” Defence PRO of the Northern Command Lt Col Rajesh Kalia said here. The Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire by firing mortar shells in the Uri sector yesterday. Lt Col Kalia said the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army had escalated in the recent times. In the last one month, the Pakistan army has violated the ceasefire agreement nearly 12 times, the officer said. Most of the firing incidents were reported in the Rajouri, Uri and Keran sectors to assist infiltration attempts by terrorists. “In October 2012, three civilians were killed in the Uri sector due to Pakistani mortar firing on Churunda village,” the Defence spokesman said. The Pakistan army has also been assisting militants in planting mines on tracks across the LoC, Lt Col Kalia said. He said the Pakistan army “opened unprovoked heavy machine gun and mortar fire on the Indian posts in the Uri sector to help militants infiltrate” at 3.30 am. The Indian Army gave them a calibrated response and foiled their attempt to sneak into the Indian side, he said, adding that the firing continued till 8 am. “Some residential houses were damaged due to the Pakistani firing. There has been no cross border movement by the Indian troops,” he said. — PTI |
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ST status demanded for Paharis
Jammu, January 7 “We demand the ST status for the Pahari community, which is living in remote and mountainous belts of the state and is backward,” JKPPM leader MA Sagar said. Sagar said the state government should take a decision at the earliest. — PTI
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Importance of 6th Economic Census highlighted
Srinagar, January 7 BR Lachotra, Director, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, while inaugurating the workshop at Bemina, highlighted the role of the 6th Economic Census in providing detailed information on operational and other variables of all establishments of the country for comprehensive analysis of structure of the economy. Lachotra said it would be useful for estimation of district domestic product and to provide an up-to-date frame from which samples could be drawn for collecting detailed information. He also emphasised for its timely completion. The Regional Joint Director, Economics and Statistics, Kashmir division, Athar Hussain Qadri, described the importance of the 6th Economic Census for the overall development of the country. He impressed upon all district statistical agencies of Kashmir for its early completion in order to make it result-oriented for planners and policymakers. Deputy Director, Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, JS Tomer also highlighted the role of the 6th Economic Census for planners and policymakers, researchers and other agencies at the national and international levels. Officials of the District Statistical Agencies were present on the occasion. |
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Corruption persists in state despite anti-graft bodies in place
Srinagar, January 7 The Chief Minister, who took over four years ago with a clean image, continued to accord priority to present a clean image of his coalition government. But, the credibility of several of his Cabinet ministers and bureaucrats has come under scanner over the years for reports of varied malpractices. Various institutions, set up as watchdogs to ensure transparency in governance, did not prove effective in this direction over the past four years. During the first year of his tenure, the Chief Minister brought up the J-K Right To Information (RTI) Act-2009 to bring transparency in the government, and was hailed for introducing an element of accountability in the system. But of late, his government is faced with criticism for trying to make the RTI ineffective and toothless by amending the Act. Having remained headless for some time, two members were appointed to the State Accountability Commission (SAC). Though initially the SAC tried to take up corruption cases against politicians in particular, its functioning was rendered ineffective by challenging its decisions before the High Court. Another anti-corruption body, the J&K Vigilance Commission, continues to remain non-functional despite the government having cleared the name of former Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda for the post of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner of the state. A Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on December 20 had asked the state government to explain how much time was required for making the State Vigilance Commission functional. The court had directed the state chief secretary to file a fresh compliance report. The chief secretary, in his earlier compliance report to the court, had submitted that the government was soon constituting a committee to examine and recommend fresh amendments to the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act to make it “more stringent”. In July, 2012, the High Court had directed the state government to take steps for amending the J-K Prevention of Corruption Act or make new laws for retrieving money and wealth and confiscate properties accumulated through corrupt practices. On the other hand, several ministers, all of them from the Congress, were in the dock for varied reasons. GM Saroori had to step down, relinquishing his PWD portfolio, which has been retained by the Chief Minister. From former Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed’s examination scandal to the ‘land grab’ scandal, involving PHE Minister Taj Mohiuddin, the bureaucracy and the government were on their toes throughout last year. Taj was accused of land grab in the autumn session of the state legislature. He claimed that the SAC, which was probing charges against him, had given him a clean chit for which he was first slapped with a contempt notice and consequently charges were framed against him. A scandal related to alleged financial irregularities also surfaced in JK Cricket Association (JKCA) in March last year, which not only put the JKCA officials in the line of fire but also threatened to drag its president Farooq Abdullah into the issue. Now that the coalition government, led by Omar Abdullah, has completed its four year, the biggest challenges ahead for the Chief Minister in 2013 would be to ensure rapid development and reforms in various sectors. But equally important for the Chief Minister would be to weed out corruption from the state and strengthen laws aimed at transparency, accountability and good governance. |
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Mirwaiz visits victim in Delhi hospital
Srinagar, January 7 During the visit, Mirwaiz was accompanied by another Hurriyat leader Bilal Gani lone. “Both the leaders expressed sympathies and solidarity with the affected family and prayed for the fast recovery of the injured girl”, a Hurriyat spokesman said. The Hurriyat chairman, he said, also exhorted the doctors to provide all possible medical help to the victim during her treatment at the hospital. She was injured on January 2, when a youth threw acid on her face in Baghat locality of Srinagar. Subsequently, after undergoing treatment at SK Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, she was flown to the AIIMS, Delhi, by her family on January 4, from where she has now been shifted to Apollo Hospital. |
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Family of victim says ‘need prayers’
Srinagar, January 7 “She is turning blind gradually. Doctors say there are only 10 per cent chances of retrieving
her sight,” said the victim’s brother. The family is currently at New Delhi, where the victim is undergoing
treatment at Apollo Hospital. She is being monitored by the Valley’s renowned surgical oncologist, Dr Sameer Kaul. Over the past few days, many leaders, ministers and bureaucrats have visited the acid attack victim, as there has been a public outcry in the Valley over the attack on the woman. Meanwhile, the victim’s family has put its trust
in God. “The doctors say prayers only will help. We appeal to everybody in Kashmir to pray for us. Today it is my sister. Tomorrow it could be anybody else’s,” the victim’s brother said. He said the family was exploring all possible options of best available treatment in the country to help her sister regain
sight and could even move outside the country, if required. “We are keeping our fingers crossed. We will wait for some time and see if she recovers. We cannot see her losing her sight. My father died a year back and I think I am trying to fill his shoes. But his presence would have made all the difference,” he said. Various political parties and the state government have promised financial aid to the victim. “The man, who had promised to marry her, didn’t turn up. Neither did his family. She is also going through psychological trauma,” he says. He says her sister’s silence had led to the shocking incident. She was being stalked by the accused, Reyaz Ahmad Nath, for a long time. “The acid thrower has a criminal background. He was a drug addict. He used to harass her, but she suffered quietly, fearing that society would outcast her and the family,” he said. |
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Minister appeals to youth to abide by traffic rules
Srinagar, January 7 He was addressing the concluding function of the 24th Road Safety Week here today. Impressing upon the Traffic Department to organise more such awareness camps, Aga Ruhullah said the people need to know a lot about traffic and road safety. He appealed to parents to educate their children about the disastrous results of rash driving and stressed the need to strictly follow traffic rules for the betterment of society. Appreciating the organisers for holding week-long programmes in length and breadth of the Valley, Aga Ruhullah said the event filled up gap between the people and law-enforcing agencies. Emphasising for necessary measures in view of the increasing traffic day by day, the minister said there is a need of expansion of roads and the government has already taken up the massive project of expansion of roads so that there is uninterrupted traffic flow in Srinagar and its peripheries. Lauding people for their cooperation in adopting the traffic signal system, he hoped that such initiatives would ensure safety of commuters. The function was
attended by IGP, Kashmir, SM Sahai, and other senior officers of the traffic and police departments,
among others. |
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HIV+ woman was not denied treatment, says ART Centre
Srinagar, January 7 “It is not true that the HIV positive couple was shooed away by the ART centre authorities. We were giving free treatment to the couple from Baramulla. Later, we suggested the woman to go for a Caesarean section at the LD Hospital,” Mohammad Lateef, senior medical officer, ART Centre, Srinagar, said. He added he was in regular touch with the couple as they went ahead with the decision of having a child. “It was with the help of expertise from this centre that the doctors, including gynaecologist, anaesthetist and pediatrician, successfully managed the surgery of the HIV positive
woman in delivering her baby,” he added.
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Employees to go on strike from today
Srinagar, January 7 The employee group has also threatened to go on an indefinite strike, if their demands were not met. “If the government continues to ignore our demands after the strike, the next phase of agitation will be long and decisive,” said JCC leader Abdul Qayoom Wani. Stating that the employees were being forced to hit streets, Wani said the JCC was mulling to go for an indefinite strike and a decision would be taken after the three-day strike is over. JCC press secretary Pir Nisar Ahmad said besides going for a pen-down strike, the employees would hold protests at various districts across the state tomorrow and submit memorandums at the offices of the respective Deputy Commissioners. The JCC is planning to hold rallies in Srinagar, Jammu and Kargil on January 10 and present memorandums at the offices of the Divisional Commissioners. After a series of protests and strikes by the employees last year, the government had made an agreement with the JCC, wherein it had assured the employees that a decision on their demands would be announced by September 30. However, the JCC resumed its protests, saying the government had “betrayed” them by not fulfilling their demands. The demands of the employees include release of arrears recommended by the sixth pay commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularisation of daily wagers and casual workers working in various government departments. The other demands are inclusion of five years of contractual service of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book and regularisation of education volunteers after seven years of service. |
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Week-long vacations for Jammu schools
Jammu, January 7 According to the Jammu Directorate of School Education, all the government and private schools in the division shall remain closed from January 7 to 13 due to inclement weather, an official spokesman said here today. The Jammu region has been witnessing severe cold conditions for the past one week and the temperature has further dipped in the last few days. —
PTI |
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Jammu-Kargil air service launched by Omar
Jammu, January 7 The Chief Minister and some state ministers took the first flight of the scheduled regional airline, Air Mantra, from Jammu to Kargil and took stock of arrangements made to air connect the mountainous belt. The air service was required as the national highway, which connects Kargil with the rest of the state, remains blocked for most part of the winter, Omar said at a function in Kargil. The air service will keep people of Kargil connected with the state and also promote tourism, he said. Omar stressed upon the need to put in place all statutory requirements and safety measures for the air service and said he would take up the issue of subsidising the airfare for people to help them utilise the service, especially during the winter months. After the commencement of the construction of the Z-Morh tunnel, the air service to Kargil is another positive news for Kargil residents, he said. Kargil has a great potential for tourism and to explore the opportunity there is an urgent need to improve, upgrade and construct befitting tourist infrastructure which cannot be done by the government alone but people and private parties have to contribute to this task equally, he said.— PTI
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A day after India and Pakistan exchanged heavy firing across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector in north Kashmir, Pakistan is yet to respond to the hotline message from the Army even as the situation in the area remained calm today.
Students from J&K and other states would begin a movement in Delhi on January 11 to press upon the country to wake up for laws against acid attacks and for suitable compensation to victims and stringent punishment to the perpetrators.
The Deputy Chief Minister said this while addressing a monthly public meeting at Khour. He was accompanied by senior officials of various departments.