Jammu, April 24
Even as the controversy over the government’s decision to curtail monthly quota of kerosene oil has refused to die down, the supply of food grains and ration has been hit adversely across the state due to non-availability of funds and the alleged nexus between traders and some officials of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department.

Official sources said the CAPD department coffers were running dry as it was yet to get funds from the state treasury for lifting of ration and food grains from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns.

“The FCI has denied issuing of food grains and ration to the states on the credit-based system. The state CAPD department is not in a position to lift ration and food grains from FCI godowns following non-availability of funds, causing delay in the supply of ration to public,” said a source.

Sources claimed that a few dealers of fair price shops, especially in rural belts, in connivance with CAPD officials resorted to malpractices, wherein they sold a ‘sizeable quantity’ of subsidised ration and food grains to traders (in their vicinity) for “petty gains” and it deprived common masses of their “share”.

“There is a need to identify black sheep and break the nexus so that genuine people get their share,” a source said, adding that as many as 64 officials of the CAPD department had been booked for their involvement in embezzlement of ration in recent times.

They said an amount of Rs 1.54 crore was to be recovered from these officials. “Till December 2012, the department had recovered an amount of Rs 47.31 lakh from accused officials,” the source said.

Sources, however, claimed that the department had sought the cooperation of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to identify and recommend deletion of bogus, fake or ineligible BPL and AAY ration cards with the assistance of CAPD employees concerned in their respective panchayats so that only deserving people got ration from depots. “The pilferage of ration takes place through bogus and fake ration cards,” said a source.

The state has been facing a shortage of 16,500 metric tonne (MT) ration every month. It has been getting 63,067 MT of ration against the total requirement of 79,567 MT per month at the scale of 35 kg per family from the Government of India. As many as 3.02 lakh out of the total 22.73 lakh families have been facing acute shortage of ration.

M Abass Dar, secretary, CAPD department, said the department had already started the process of lifting ration and food grains from FCI godowns. “There was some delay in this process because of delay in the transfer of funds from the treasury. We have now sufficient funds to procure ration from the FCI and there is no shortage of ration at depots,” Dar said.

On a question about the shortage of ration to over three lakh families, he said the state was getting ration from the Centre as per the Census 2001 but the gap between the demand and the supply had widened over the years.

The secretary said the state government had taken up the matter with the Government of India for providing additional ration for covering the remaining families.

Jammu, April 24
The J&K Olympic Association (JKOA) has objected to the recent categorisation of various sports disciplines in the sports policy draft, saying the J&K State Sports Council has listed non-Olympic disciplines under category A.

As per Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s directions at the recently held 53rd general council meeting, the State Sports Council had listed various sports disciplines under Olympic and non-Olympic charters on the basis of players’ performances at the state and the national level. The Chief Minister is also the president of the State Sports Council.

JKOA president Rangil Singh said it was imperative for the autonomous sports body to get viewpoints of all the members before implementing it. “After a detailed discussion on the sports policy draft with the members, it has to be approved in the general body meeting before its implementation. Unfortunately, that has not happened,” he said.

“Those sports associations which had earlier arranged funds from their own pockets to conduct championships will not get reimbursement of the full amount just because the disciplines have been listed under different categories,” he said.

“In fact, I called up State Sports Council secretary Dilip Thusoo to apprise him about certain objections but he said he was going out of state for some official work,” the JKOA president claimed.

Ashutosh Sharma, general secretary, JKOA, had claimed that the sports policy draft was inspired by the Himachal Pradesh Sports Policy and the Haryana Sports Policy etc. “The performance of sportspersons in the non-Olympic disciplines, which have been included in category A, is not very impressive and so the categorisation is not justified at all,” he said. “The JKOA will take up the matter with the authorities concerned and brief them about all our objections pertaining to this proposed sports policy,” he said.

According to the proposed sports policy, the Olympic disciplines which have been included in category A are athletics, badminton, boxing, volleyball, football, hockey, wrestling, handball and table tennis. Non-Olympic disciplines such as squash, chess, power lifting, baseball, softball, bowling and polo have been included in category A.

Jammu, April 24
A local resident has claimed to have found a fake note of Rs 500 in cash withdrawn from the State Bank of India (SBI) ATM in Shastri Nagar. However, the bank has refused to own responsibility.

Dharmesh Gupta, who runs a mobile repair shop, had withdrawn money to pay his distributor. However, he alleged, when he checked the notes, one of them was fake.

“I visited a branch of the bank and met some officials but they refused to accept their fault and instead asked me to approach the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),” he said.

“Due to the bank’s inefficiency, I had to lose money. It was not my fault. The bank should be accountable for it. Why should a common man suffer because of such a thing? Moreover, it shows that even banks are not safe these days.”

Jammu, April 24
Members of the Jammu West Assembly Movement (JWAM) held a protest against Chinese incursion in Ladakh, in Jammu today. The activists burnt an effigy of Chinese President Xi Jinping and demanded a befitting reply to Red Army soldiers and their eviction from Daulat Beig Odle.

Holding Congress-led UPA government responsible for the failure of foreign policy, JWAM president Sunil Dimple said the Central government had no policy on border management.

“The Red Army has erected a tent on the Indian side but our leaders in New Delhi are silent. The Indian Army should be ordered to evict the Chinese by force and strengthen the troop presence in eastern Ladakh,” he said.

The protesters also demanded a strict policy against Pakistan and its supporters in Jammu and Kashmir, who they said were “the main enemies of the nation”.

He said China had illegally occupied approximately 38,000 sq km of the Indian territory. He said Pakistan had illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of land in the Shaksgam valley to China in 1962.

“People of the state demand action against the move. We should not forget the year 1962, when the Chinese stabbed us in the back. The government needs to take tough decisions and show its presence on ground,” he said.

He said he regretted that the leadership in India had never cared to bring these facts to the notice of the international community despite various opportunities.

Jammu, April 24
Despite their concerted efforts, Zonal Physical Education Officers (ZPEOs) expressed displeasure over the alleged inordinate delay by the Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) in providing a separate office premises to run affairs smoothly.

Sources said during the recently concluded sports scholarship distribution function on the office premises at Gandhi Nagar, Naveen Aggarwal, Director General, Youth Services and Sports, had convened an introductory meeting of all offices, including ZPEOs, to have a general view of the overall functioning of the department.

Sources added that before the commencement of the function, ZPEOs had decided to put forth their demand for allotting a full-fledged office. However, after the function, the DG held a meeting but their problem remained unsolved.

“In order to bring centralisation in the DYSS, the state government had created 199 posts of ZPEOs in 2006, including 102 for Kashmir division and 97 for Jammu division. Sources claimed that due to the lack of proper planning, the sports department had failed to provide a separate office complex to the newly-promoted officers. “Though some officers have been provided with accommodation to set up office, they lacks manpower”, sources said.

“Ever since the creation of posts of ZPEOs by the authorities, we are demanding a separate office for all the officers, but we got nothing. Besides conducting domestic activities in addition to the implementation of the centrally-sponsored Panchayat Yuva Khel Krida Aur Abhiyan (PYKKA), it is difficult for a single officer to manage all the affairs and that is why the the role of a ZPEO is pivotal in this context,” one of the ZPEOs said.

“Still we are trying to get our genuine right, and for that we will not hesitate in taking up the matter with the higher authorities. The office at Gandhi Nagar is a perfect example of chaos, where you can find more than one ZPEO sitting under one roof,” he claimed.

The number of ZPEOs in different zones:

Jammu Division: Rajouri (15), Kathua (13), Udhampur (12), Reasi (5), Poonch (11), Jammu (15), Samba (3), Doda (14), Ramban (4) and Kishtwar (5).

Kashmir Division: Srinagar (7), Ganderbal (5), Budgam (12), Kupwara (13), Anantnag (11), Kulgam (7), Baramulla (18), Bandipora (5), Pulwama (7), Shopian (5), Leh (5) and Kargil (7).

Jammu, April 24
The senior leader of the BJP, Kuldeep Raj Gupta, today met Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad and expressed concern over the rise in the cases of infiltration in Tarkundi, Mendhar Sector, Nowshera and Lam Kerimarg.

He said people were scared of such incidents and were feeling helpless. He said Pakistan could not be trusted as it had violated the ceasefire pact repeatedly and indulged in unilateral firing and pushing in trained militants.

Gupta told the DGP that the SPOs, who have been serving as guide to the Army and the paramilitary force for many years, had been demanding increase in their monthly emoluments but their voice had not been heard so far. He requested the police chief to personally intervene and forward their case.

He also pointed out the removal of the security forces from Mandirgala (Swari Tarsapri) area, which according to him was not justified as the presence of the security forces in such areas induced a sense of security and safety among the people living there.

He expressed hope that the DGP would understand the ground realities prevailing in the hilly and remote areas and would recommend the government neither to disturb the existing deployment of the security forces nor remove bunkers from such areas.

Srinagar, April 24
As the ongoing strike by Patwaris and Girdawars entered 17th day on Wednesday, the functioning of the revenue department continues to suffer badly. The Patwaris and Girdawars also staged protests in various parts of the Valley, demanding fulfilment of their long-pending demands.

“The government had promised to fulfil the demand for removal of pay anomaly in 2012, but it has been not done. We had been left with no option but to go on an indefinite strike,” said Provincial President J&K Patwar Association M Yaseen.

Yaseen said the government had approached them on Tuesday and asked them to call off the strike, but they have told them categorically that till fulfilment of their demands, they would continue their strike.

“We told the government officials that in past, similar promises were made but never fulfilled. This time, we will call off our strike only when government at least removes the pay anomaly of the patwaris,” he said.

J&K Secretary Revenue, Vinod Koul said, “As I have taken over just three days back, I told the striking employees to allow three to four weeks’ time to solve their demands. I have assured them that their issues will be addressed.The strike of over 3000 Patwaris and Girdawars in the state had badly hit the functioning of the department. —TNS

Rajouri, April 24
A middle-aged man was killed in a tragic road accident at Sundarbani in Rajouri today. the accident took place when an Army vehicle crushed him to death. He was trying to cross the road when incident happened. The victim has been identifies as Krishan Lal,a resident of Bajwal, in Sundarbani.

Jammu, April 24
Shree Amrit Kund Pokhribal Hari Parbat (Trust) today organised a havan in connection with Chaitra Purnima. Hundreds of people, particularly the Kashmiri pandit community, participated in the religious ceremony and prayed for peace and prosperity.

The “kalash pooja” and “yagna” started at 9 pm on Wednesday evening and the puran ahuti will be performed on Thursday.

The original shrine of mother goddess Sharika is in the Kashmir valley and a replica of it has been constructed by the displaced Kashmiri Hindus in Jammu. The day was marked by religious fervour as a large number of people came for the havan.

Jammu, April 24
To celebrate the Manav Ekta Divas, the Sant Nirankari Mission organised a blood donation camp at Satsang Bhawan, Shastri Nagar, tiday. Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand was the chief guest on the occasion.

Describing blood donation as selfless service to humanity, Tara Chand said all the volunteers, who came forward for the cause were heroes in the real sense. He said serving humanity through blood donation was a noble cause.

“Those who donate blood, donate life. It is the highest form of donation through which we can show our commitment and compassion for mankind,” he added.

The day is celebrated in the remembrance of Satguru Baba Gurubachan Singh Maharaj and other missionaries, who laid down their lives for the mission.

The camp was organised with the collaboration of the Indian Red Cross Society and Blood and Transfusion Department, Government Medical College, Jammu.

Lauding efforts of the mission, Tara Chand said that the mission had been continuously involved in serving society by way of preaching spirituality as well as organising medical and blood donation camps. A satsang programme was also held on the occasion.

Jammu, April 24
The Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, Mian Altaf Ahmad, today inaugurated the Manda Deer Park and a souvenir shop, constructed at a cost of Rs 49 lakh here today. He also inspected the park which had been upgraded recently.

The Manda Deer Park, also called as Manda Zoo, has been upgraded by the addition of a recreation park, souvenir shop, partition walls and parking place adjacent to the office of the Chief Wildlife Warden besides laying of tiles on the tracks.

A nature interpretation centre, museum, display halls and entry gate are also being constructed under the CAMPA with an estimated cost of Rs 42 lakh.

Jammu, April 24
The Science Express Biodiversity Special train (SEBS) will reach Jammu on April 28 and will remain stationed at the Bajalta Railway Station till May 1.

The train is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. It is a unique science exhibition focussing on biodiversity and climate change.

The exhibition timings have been fixed from 10 am to 5 pm and there is no entry-fee for the exhibition. Teachers and students and other visitors have been asked to visit the train and can contact the team members on the train on mobile number 09428405407 or log on www.scienceexpress.in for details.

Jammu, April 24
The Volleyball Club, Muthi, is going to organise a volleyball tournament from April 26 to 28 at Government Higher Secondary School, Muthi. The tournament will be organised in the memory of Late Karan Singh under the auspices of the Volleyball Association of Jammu and Kashmir.

The club would give a cash prize of Rs 7,000 to the winning team while Rs 5,000 will be awarded to the runners-up. The matches will be played on the knock-out basis according to the rules of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI).

The organisers will also provide lunch free of cost to all the teams and officials. About 16 teams are likely to participate in the event. The teams that are going to participate in the tournament, included J&K Police, CRPF, BSF, 4- Madras (Army) SMS Volleyball Club, Poonch, Shastri Volleyball Club, Sidhra Volleyball Club, Ghurah Mundian Volleyball Club, Hira Nagar.

K S Bhandari, I G, CRPF Group Centre, Bantalab, Jammu, will be the chief guest during the opening ceremony while Johny William, DIG, Armed Police, will be the guest of honour.