Jammu, February 19
The Power Development Department (PDD) has served two-week disconnection notices to hundreds of “habitual” defaulters who have not cleared their pending electricity bills despite several warnings. The department has also decided to print their names in newspapers for illegally drawing electricity.

Most of the defaulters, who have avoided repeated reminders, owe more than Rs 1 lakh. The notices have been issued under Section 50 of the J&K Electricity Act, 2010.

Officials said the list include defaulters from Jammu region, while a separate list would be published in Kashmir valley.

“These consumers are requested to liquidate their balance electricity charges within two weeks, failing which their installations shall be disconnected without further notice. The supply will not be re-connected unless the consumer deposits the pending dues. After the consumer deposits the pending dues, the installation will be re-connected within two days as prescribed under the J&K SERC Supply Code Regulation, 2011,” states the notice.

It says that in case of a dispute between a consumer and the PDD, supply of the electricity will not be cut off if the consumer deposits an amount equal to the sum claimed from him or the electricity charges due from him for each month calculated on the basis of average charge for electricity paid by him during the preceding six months.

Further, other consumers having arrears less than Rs 1 lakh against them are also requested to liquidate their balances to avoid similar notices and subsequent disconnections.

After getting approval from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, notices were also served upon 137 VIP defaulters, including hoteliers, owners of commercial establishments, and industrialists from both Jammu and Kashmir provinces. The pending dues against these defaulters (104 from Jammu province and 33 from Kashmir province) amounted to Rs 53.87 crore.

In the past few years, the state government has spent crores of rupees in improving the power sector but to some extent, these measures have failed to curb the losses because government departments, ministers, MLAs are themselves major defaulters.

Power losses due to ineffectiveness of reforms have become a major problem for the government which at times has invited strong reprimand from the Centre.

Jammu, February 19
The detection of yellow rust in some areas of Kathua and Samba has sent alarm bells ringing among officials of the Agriculture Department, which has issued directions to field staff to conduct survey of their respective areas. The department has formed a special monitoring cell to contain further spread of the disease.

Yellow rust is a fungal disease that attacks leaves of wheat crop by forming yellow stripes and affects their photosynthesis activity, causing shrivelling of grain size (small size of the grain).

Agriculture experts say the disease usually occurs early in the growth season when temperature ranges between 2 degrees to 15 degrees Celsius.

The disease is recognised by small yellow pustules on leaves running in rows and forms stripes. Later, they turn black and rapidly spread by transmission of spores through air. It has to be contained in initial stages otherwise it goes out of control.

Officials said the disease was caused by Urediospores of Puccinia Striiformis and high humidity and low temperature provides the most favourable ground for the spread of the disease. There are only two fungicides which can deal with the threat, Propiconazole 25 EC and Mancozeb. In 2011, crop on 25,000 hectares was affected in Jammu district, 5,000 hectares in Samba and 5,000 hectares in Kathua, 4,000 hectares in Udhampur and 1,000 hectares in Reasi.

“We have sent teams to visit villages of Ramgarh and Vijaypur areas to assess the severity of yellow rust and to monitor various measures being taken by functionaries of the department and farmers,” said Ajay Khajuria, Director, Agriculture.

Khajuria said teams had so far visited Karaliyan, Chak Salarian, Kolepur, Gagore, Kalendrian, Malsha, Abtal, Dagg Channi, Chak Balotra, Khore Salarian, Khor, Jerda and Kotli Matkalian villages and interacted with the farmers.

“Nearly 3,500 litres of Propaconazole has already been stocked in different stores of Jammu, Samba and Kathua which are prone to this disease to be distributed among the farmers at 50 per cent subsidy and 2,150 litres has been stocked in the central store of the department to meet emergency requirements,” said the Director.

Jammu, February 19
To ensure greater transparency in evaluation of answer sheets, the University of Jammu has initiated a novel mechanism by providing access to the examinees themselves.

To begin with, the new mechanism was started today from the Department of Botany in the presence of Vice-Chancellor Mohan Paul Singh Ishar. Controller of Examinations Prof MK Dhar said the mechanism would be adopted in other departments in a phased manner in the coming days.

Spelling out the broad contours of the mechanism, Prof Dhar said this would give larger satisfaction to those appearing in various examinations and reduce the scope for time-consuming process of re-evaluation by the aggrieved candidates.

Students were shown answer sheets of various courses in which they had appeared in the third semester examinations held in December last year.

Students were asked to go through all the answers given by them and the marks awarded by the evaluators, thereby, accessing the evaluation on the whole. Students welcomed the step and expressed satisfaction over the evaluations. They termed it a positive step in redressal of their issues concerning the evaluation system of the university.

Among others present were Prof Geeta Sumbli, Prof Abha Chauhan, Prof NK Tripathi, Prof DN Sahi, Jai Kumar Sharma, special secretary to VC, Prof Namrata Sharma, Dr Yashpal Sharma, faculty and students.

Rajouri, February 19
Leaders of various political parties, panches and sarpanches in the district lambasted Education Minister Tara Chand for appointing and transferring Chief Education Officer (CEO) overnight.

District president, People’s Democratic Party, Abdul Quoom Dar alleged that Altaf Hussain, who was appointed Rajouri CEO, was retransferred within a day under political pressure by the Education Minister. He said it was unjustified and would not be tolerated at any cost by the people of the district.

He said instead of following rules or regulations, the government was following its own whims and fancies. He demanded that Hussain be brought back as CEO of the district. He threatened to launch an agitation if Hussain was not brought back.

Not only the PDP and the BJP criticised the government, Congress Sewa Dal district president Sanjeev Kumar Mangu also slammed the government’s decision.

Mangu said, “It’s painful and insulting. How can the government change its decision overnight? They have to think again about his appointment.”

Putting the entire responsibility on the shoulders of local MLA and Health Minister Shabir Ahmed Khan, National Conference sarpanch Darbar Choudhary said Shabir Khan was responsible for it. He had already suspended many officers who were not of his choice when he was the PDD Minister, he alleged.

Jammu, February 19
The Department of Youth Services and Sports has instructed the district officers concerned to ensure maximum participation of students of government schools in the upcoming competitions to be organised by the department at the district and state-level commencing in May this year.

Sources said the department had expressed concern over the meagre participation of students from the government educational institutions in medal winning games like badminton, judo, table tennis.

Sources added that initiative was being taken by the department after getting directions from the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports to ensure preparing of at least three sports disciplines in each school. The circular also directed the officers concerned to ensure that every institution participates in the games at inter-school, inter-zonal and district level.

The Tribune had already reported that Jai Pal Singh, director, Youth Services and Sports during a recently concluded valedictory function had stressed upon the need to strengthen the sports infrastructure and asked the officers to prepare a strong team for competitions of national repute.

“Athletes hailing from rural and hilly areas of the district are physically more fit than their counterparts from urban areas but unfortunately the DYSS has not been able to utilise their maximum potential. Their participation confined to traditional disciplines like kabaddi, kho-kho and volleyball,” sources in DYSS said.

“No doubt, the same problem persists in the government schools in Jammu city wherein the students were not getting opportunities to participate in medal-winning individual disciplines like badminton, table tennis, judo, fencing,” he added.

“Now, the authorities at the helm of affairs have taken a decisive measure for availability of students from government schools in important disciplines. The recent decision of the department not to send weak contingents for participation in the National School Games is a right one. Because unless and until our sportspersons have well prepared, it is not wise to select the team just for the sake of a mere attendance,” a senior DYSS officer said.

Jammu, February 19
In a bid to ensure focused attention for balanced development of various disciplines, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today directed for categorisation of sports and emphasised on formulation of the J&K Sports Policy under its provisions.

Chairing the 53rd meeting of the J&K Sports Council, the Chief Minister, who is also President of Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, said the standing committee headed by the Minister for Sports should work out categorisation of sports in the state.

The meeting discussed matters pertaining to engagement of statutory auditors for preparing of balance sheet, recognition of new sports associations, action taken in constituting the District Sports Councils, infrastructure development and other administrative matters. In a power-point presentation, sports council secretary Dileep Thusoo informed the meeting that the Union Ministry of Youth Welfare and Sports had sanctioned two mega projects for J&K at the cost of Rs 11.5 crore.

It was also informed that the Union Government has agreed to the proposals of the state government for construction of new Indoor Sport Complex in Kashmir Province at a cost of Rs 15 crore, laying of artificial turf for football at Baramulla at a cost of Rs 4.50 crore and two sports training centres at Jammu and Srinagar, respectively at a cost of Rs 10 crore.

He said during the current financial year, an amount to the tune of Rs 153.90 lakh had been adopted by the Finance Department in revised budget estimates for grant-in-aid to sports associations and other aspects. He also sought enhancement of the grant-in-aid for the said purpose.

The secretary said the preliminary exercise for formulation of the J&K sports policy had been initiated under the directions of the Chief Minister and the task was expected to be completed shortly. 

Jammu, February 19
With a view to boost local industry, Minister for Industries and Commerce Sajad Ahmed Kichloo today ordered strict enforcement of price and purchase preference by all the government departments and state owned public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies to the local industries, including power equipment industry.

Kichloo said marketing support was imperative for promoting local industry in view of the state’s topographical and locational disadvantage.

Kichloo impressed upon the unit holders to focus on quality parameters of the products to withstand stiff market competitions. “It is our responsibility to explore all the possible marketing channels for industrial unit holders but they shall have to produce quality and cost-effective products to capture its share from the open market as the government support only is not enough to make these self-sustained ventures.” 

Jammu, February 19
Agriculture technocrats, who have been promised regularisation under Rehbar-e-Zirat(ReZ), today demanded batch-wise regularisation in the department.

Under the plan, the state government has decided to start regularisation of eligible, selected Rehabar-e-Zirat (ReZ) candidates from April 1, 2014 (Phase -I), April 1, 2015 (Phase-II) and April 1, 2016 (Phase III).

Addressing a press conference, association president Surinder Randotra said the state government had promised them to fulfill their genuine demands by absorbing them under the Rehbar Zirat Scheme, but some people were out to derail the process.

The state Cabinet had approved the regularisation of the technocrats on August 4 last year, and had decided to start the regularisation process in 2014 to give merit priority over the seniority of the technocrats.

Initially, some of the candidates had opposed the decision saying that candidates, who were about to cross the age bar should be accommodated first.

After a six-month long agitation, the state government had constituted a high-level committee headed by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather to prepare a comprehensive proposal for absorption of unemployed agriculture technocrats, which was later cleared by the Finance Department, Planning Department which was later cleared by Cabinet on August 4, 2011. 

Jammu, February 19
Minister for Housing Raman Bhalla today launched the renovation work on the Shastri Nagar housing flats involving a cost of Rs 15 lakh. Housing Board managing director Kiran Wattal, executive engineers, JMC, R&B and Housing Board were also present on the occasion.

Bhalla asked the officers to provide improved basic amenities to the tenants. He asked for improving the condition of recreational park in the area by installing benches and illumination facilities.

Responding to the demands of the residents, the minister asked the executive engineer, R&B, to immediately start the renovation work of compound wall so that the residents do not face any inconvenience.

He asked the officers to prepare the inventory of housing board assets, besides available land across the state, adding that the state government was keen to develop new colonies as per the master plan under self financing schemes. He stressed the need to put the assets of the board to best use and revenue generation.

The minister said development of housing colonies in urban as well as in rural areas of the state was receiving main focus of the government. He said the colonies would be developed on modern lines with all basic amenities like safe drinking water, road connectivity, electricity, parking, playfield, super bazaar and recreational parks. 

Rajouri, February 19
An awareness camp on “Use of Technology in day-to-day life” was organised by the DIET, Rajouri, in the Himalayan College complex Thandi Kassi, Rajouri today, which was sponsored by the state council for Science and Technology.

Hundreds of students and teachers participated in the awareness camp. Lectures were delivered by eminent scholars and academicians about the use of technology in various fields of life.

Dr Rakesh Kumar Sharma, a scientist from Krishi Vigyan Kendra, SKUAST, Rajouri delivered a lecture on the use of technology in the field of agriculture.

Rakesh Kumar Sharma, senior lecturer, Botany, delivered a lecture on biotechnology. Prof Mohammad Saleem Wani of Degree College, Budhal, also delivered lectures and stressed upon students to make use of technology and equip themselves and the society with the modern technology.

Abdul Rauf Dar, programme coordinator, while speaking on the occasion said the development of science and technology and its use had changed the whole world.

Principal Mohammad Sharief appreciated the state council and programme coordinator Abdul Rauf Dar for organising the awareness programme for the promotion of use of technology in day-to-day life.

He appealed to the Department of Science and Technology to organise such programmes in far-flung areas also. 

Jammu, February 18
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Ali Mohammad Sagar today said a vibrant Panchayati Raj System would ensure socio-economic transformation of the state, maintaining that necessary mechanism had already been put in place to achieve this goal.

The minister was speaking at a one-day interaction organised by the Department of Rural Development to review the status of devolution of powers to the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRI)s here today at Samba.

He said the government was committed to put in place a three-tier system of governance to ensure the decentralisation of powers and to meet this end the elections to the Block Development Councils would be held very soon. He said the orders of empowerment of the PRIs with the powers of 14 vital departments had already been issued and a close monitoring system was being maintained to oversee that these were being implemented in letter and spirit.

The minister, while asking the officers to involve the Panchayati Raj representatives in the formulation and execution of various welfare programmes, maintained that the same was necessary to ensure sustained and need-based development of various rural areas.

Sagar said the government had been holding these types of interactions across the state so as the bottlenecks, if any, in the proper empowerment of the PRIs were removed and a much-needed feedback was received about the same. 

Katra, February 19
The Department of Floriculture, Reasi, organised a one-day training programme for farmers on commercial floriculture at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Tanda, Reasi. The major aim was to encourage farmers towards adopting floriculture as an enterprise.

KVK experts provided the technical backstopping for the said programme. District floriculture officer S Kotroo inaugurated the programme.

A group of progressive farmers from Kargil also attended the programme. He elaborated the scope of floriculture in the district. Programme coordinator Dr Vikas Tandon gave detailed information on package and practises for the cultivation of marigold and gladiolus. He also discussed the role of protected cultivation in the district and urged farmers to adopt floriculture as an enterprise.

Floriculture specialist Dr Banarsi Lal discussed the disease and pest management in floriculture and suggested measures to conserve moisture and guided farmers about the role of cooperatives. RK Sharma, assistant floriculture officer, Reasi, made a detailed presentation on departmental schemes and incentives given to the farmers for promotion of floriculture.

Lalit Upadhyay discussed the importance of aromatic plants in the district. Farmers took a keen interest in the programme and assured of taking this enterprise on commercial scale. They were also provided with some seeds and fertilisers as incentive for promotion of floriculture. 

Jammu, February 19
The 18th prize distribution function was organised by Elite Public High School, Udhywalla, here today. The programme was held under the supervision of principal Sanjay Sharma and vice-principal Vasudha. 

Students presented colourful cultural items to enthral the audience. Students, who excelled in the field of academics and co-curricular activities, were felicitated on the occasion. Chairperson of the school Mala Sharma was also present on the occasion. — TNS

Jammu, February 19
As many as 22 university teams from across the country comprising 450 players and officials would vie for top honours as the University of Jammu (JU) is all braced up to host the All-India Inter-University Korfball Championship from tomorrow.

The six-day long coveted championship will be inaugurated by Sports Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din at the university grounds at 11 am. Governor NN Vohra is likely to be the chief guest in the valedictory function.

Prof Dhian S Bhau, director, Directorate of Sports and Physical Education, JU, while confirming the development said, “We are all prepared to welcome the participants from 22 teams, who will fight it out in the middle to bag top honours. JU has also constituted a management-cum-advisory committee for the sporting event. Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohan Paul Singh Ishar is the chairman of this committee.”

“The committee comprised K Rajendra Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Law and Order, JP Singh, Director, Youth Services and Sports, OP Sharma, Zonal Head, J&K Bank, Anil Suri, president, Small Scale Industries, Bari-Brahmana, Manjeet Singh, general secretary, Korfball Federation of India, Prof Deshbandhu Gupta, director, Colleges Development, Prof Vijay Dev Singh, director, Distance Education, Prof Meenakshi Kilam, director, Internal Quality Assurance Cell and Prof JP Joral from Statistics Department, JU and Prof Dhian S Bhau, director, Directorate of Sports and Physical Education, JU,” Prof Bhau added.

In reply to a question regarding the confirmation of teams, the director said “We have confirmation from all the teams and I am pretty confident that all the teams are eager to compete.” “The University of Jammu is taking several initiatives to provide a perfect launch pad for its sportspersons to showcase their skills at higher level and hosting of this championship is among one of them to achieve the desire results in Inter-Varsity competitions held across the country every year,” he maintained.

Besides, construction of state of art sports complex, JU is also aiming to have its own own exclusive swimming pool of international repute, basketball and lawn tennis courts in a bid to host various national and inter-varsity competitions in future.

Katra, February 19
Four car-borne youths were on Tuesday arrested for allegedly eve-teasing and attempting to kidnap a girl at Lamsora village of Reasi district, the police said.

The police said Rajan Kumar, Surjit Singh, Rakesh Kumar and Vishal Kumar attempted to pull the girl inside their car.

The village sarpanch, who informed the police, said when the girl was returning home, the accused attempted to pull her inside their car. However, she was rescued by a passerby, he said. — OC