Jammu, May 5
Natrang today staged a Hindi play “Woh Naak Se Bolte Hain” written by Surinder Verma and directed by Neeraj Kant at its Studio Theatre, Kachi Chawni, in its weekly theatre series.

The play dealt with human emotions in a very sensible manner. A middle-aged woman was looking after her only daughter with all possible care as a single parent as she had separated from her husband long ago because their relationship did not work.

Now after long, she looked for some emotional support as she was tired of her bland life. She found a companion who was very caring and also wanted to marry her. But the young daughter of the lady was against it as she was still having a strong emotional bond with her real father.

She tried to convince her mother that she was not doing the right thing, but the lady was still confused whether to choose her own happiness or that of others. The old lady in the home, maternal grandmother of the young daughter, tried to settle the matter with her wisdom but the situation was too severe to be set right by mere advices.

The artists who performed at the play included Aarti Rajput as ‘Woman’, Vineet Sharma as ‘Daughter’ and Subha Rajput as ‘Grandmother’.

Lights were designed and operated by Ankush Lakhnotra. Sakshi Prakash rendered the music.

The sets were designed by Mohammad Yaseen, Vishal Sharma and Ashwani Bali.

The presentation was done by Sajra Qadir and the show was coordinated by Sumeet Sharma.

Poonch, May 5
The Poonch police arrested a youth hailing from Bhera Jhullas village, on the charge of cheating customers at ATM booths by withdrawing cash from their accounts.

The accused has been identified as Liaqat Ali, a resident of Jhullas Bhera.

The Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Shamsheer Hussain, today said, “A complaint was received that a boy had cheated an ATM user and withdrew Rs 30,000 from his account.”

According to the complainant, when he went to the ATM booth for withdrawal of the cash, he found a boy inside the booth who offered him help to carry out the transaction at an ATM of the J&K Bank, Poonch. After the cash withdrawal, the boy retained the original ATM card and deceitfully returned a duplicate ATM card to the victim. After a few days, when the victim again went for cash withdrawal, he found that the ATM card was duplicate. The victim rushed to the police station and registered an FIR. On the base of the complaint, we started investigations and after a struggle of two months, we caught the boy red-handed, when he was reportedly cheating another ATM customer at the ATM booth. A cash of Rs 30,000 with 5 ATM cards were recovered from his possessions, the police said.

“Now, he has confessed the crime and we have registered a case under Sections 379 and 420 of the CrPC,” the police said. He has conned four to five victims in the past one month and stolen over Rs 60,000 from them,” the SP said. The investigations were conducted under the supervision of inspector Sanjeev Salathia, SHO, Poonch. Other members of the investigation team were Hardeep Singh (SI), Midassar Ahmed (SI) and Vinod Kumar (SI). 

Jammu, May 5
The performance of artistes in Balwant Thakur’s “Rangla Jammu” mesmerised the jampacked audience at the General Zorawar Singh Auditorium of the University of Jammu. The event was organised by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) in collaboration with JU, wherein Raman Bhalla, Minister for Horticulture, Housing and Culture, was the chief guest.

Natrang Director Balwant Thakur said it was on the special request of Raman Bhalla that this bouquet of cultural diversity was presented to Jammuites.

He further said a lot of research and thought had gone into the creation of this presentation, which was aimed at giving the people of the city of temples a sense of pride in their cultural legacy.

The event began with Late Dinu Bhai Pant’s poem ‘Mere Des Daa Shelepa Meri Akhi Kane Dikh’ followed by performance on instruments like ‘King’, ‘Narsingha’, ‘Flute’, ‘Sarangi’ and ‘Dogra Dhol’.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said such cultural presentations were true representatives of J&K’s composite culture and they should be presented time and again. He said such programmes will surely bring about a cultural revolution in the state.

Artists who performed in Rangla Jammu included Neeraj Kant, Anil Tickoo, Subash Jamwal, Gaurav Jamwal, Manoj Dhamir Shammi, Pawan Verma, Mohd Yaseen, Sajra Qadir, Sushil Raina, Ankush Lakhnotra and Ashwani Bali. — TNS

Poonch, May 5
The Department of Animal Husbandry has taken up the task of eradicating livestock diseases with its mass vaccination drive currently underway in the Poonch district.

Among the diseases being targeted is brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and HS, which are transmissible and has the potential to enter the human chain.

As a part of the state government's disease control programme and directed by Minister of State for Animal Husbandry Nazir Gurezi, Rs 2 lakh have been sanctioned to vaccinate cattle and small ruminants against brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and HS - all bacterial and viral diseases.

"There is an increased emphasis by the minister on enlarging the disease control programmes to include brucellosis and PPR for vaccination. The objective is to control and ultimately eradicate brucellosis, FMD and HS in a phased manner,” said Dr Mohammed Ismail, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Poonch (CAHD).

He said, "The mass vaccination of the livestock against the FMD and HS is currently underway across the district and the week-long drive against brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and HS will conclude on Friday."

The FMD is one of the most devastating viral diseases of cloven-footed animals. It is extremely contagious and has a great potential for causing severe economic loss to both the livestock and agricultural production.

"For brucellosis, we are looking at vaccinating 50,000 doses in the week-long drive. The vaccination against the FMD, which is currently underway, aims to cover 50,000 animals,” Ismail said. 

Work underway at the north portal of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel. Photo by writer

Batote, May 5
The two-third work on Asia’s longest twin road tunnel-Chenani-Nashri road tunnel- has been completed. This was stated by Bruce Neave, project director of Leighton Wellspun Construction Pvt Limited (LWCPL), the Australian firm constructing the 18 km-long Chenani-Nashri road tunnel, while giving away certificates to the 20 women trainees, who underwent a six-month-long tailoring course at the LWCPL’s Women Empowerment Training Centre at the Panchayat Ghar, Champa, in Batote today.

He said out of the 18 km, work on more than 12 km, had been completed. He said no other project work had been going on at such a pace in the country.

He also assured the villagers of Laandri, adjoining the north portal of the tunnel, that as soon as their applications were cleared by the district administration regarding the assessment of damage to their 23 houses, they would be paid their due compensation.

Clearing the misunderstanding among some local residents, Bruce said 97.3 per cent of the locals had been employed in the project instead of 50 per cent as promised by the LWCPL in agreement with the government.

Gen Maj General Suresh Khujuria (Retd), chief security and liason officer of LWCPL, sarpanach, Champa, and other prominent citizens were also present on the occasion.

Besides the certificates, the trained women were also given incentives of Rs 500 each. The trainer was paid Rs 1,100 as an incentive, besides her salary. He also assured them that he would think over their request of opening more such centres and about giving a sewing machine to each of them.

Bruce said LWCPL would organise more such social works under its community development programme. The company has so far held 10 such vocational courses in Batote and Chenani areas and 89 more are in the pipeline.

Jammu, May 5
After registering their protest over the categorisation of sports disciplines in different categories in the proposed sports policy draft, the affiliated sports bodies have now strongly criticised the recent tariff hike for utilisation of stadium facilities by the trainees.

JKOA general secretary Dr Ashutosh Sharma had claimed that a letter has been written to the Chief Minister and Sports Minister to show their resentment.

During the meeting which was chaired by Dr Ashutosh Sharma, who is also the chairman of Indian Olympic Association Affiliation and Recognition Committee on the office premises of the J&K Olympic Association (JKOA), office bearers had showed their concern about the alleged unsporting role of the J&K State Council towards sportspersons by enhancing the tariff.

The members had alleged that injustice has been done to sportspersons of the state who are not getting adequate infrastructural facilities on the stadium premises, but still had to pay extra. They further claimed that the draft sports policy, which was still to be adopted, had been implemented by the secretary, who was bent upon to ruin sports in the state.

“We have written a letter to the Chief Minister, who is also the President of Sports Council and Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for Youth Services and Sports to apprise them about our objections which are genuine,” Dr Ashutosh Sharma told The Tribune.

“The recent tariff hike has nothing to do with the strengthening of existing sports infrastructure at the MA stadium. It is just an eye wash. Infact, the amount which has been lavishly spent by the authorities on the renovation of office complex of the sports council will now be compensated through the extra fees being charged from the trainees,” said one of the office bearers of the sports body wishing anonymity.

“Officials of the sports council are saying that in order to earn more revenue to utilise it for strengthening its infrastructure it has revived its existing fee structure, but there is nothing like that. No doubt, the parents would be able to pay the extra charges to the authorities, but still a sudden hike in fee structure is not justifiable”, another office bearer maintained. “The issue of categorisation of sports/games is yet to be sorted out and this tariff hike has even worsened the situation,” he added. 

Jammu, May 5
Middle School (MS), Mahore, trounced Peer Panchal Public High School by 16-15 in the finals to lift the U-14 boys Kabaddi title in the ongoing tournament of Mahore zone.

In the U-17 age group, Higher Secondary School, Mahore, got the better of Peer Panchal Public High School by 8 points (18-10) to bag the top honours.

In the U-19 age group (kho-kho), Higher Secondary School, Mahore, edged out Higher Secondary School, Shajroo, by 16 points (28-12).

Middle School, Mahore, overcame the challenge of Peer Panchal Public High School by 2 points in the U-14 age group, while in U-17 age group, Peer Panchal Public High School, drubbed Higher Secondary School, Mahore, by 6 points.

In wrestling (U-14 boys), Tariq Ahmed of Higher Secondary School, Shajroo, beat Shamsadin of Higher Secondary School, Shajroo, in the 32 kg weight category. The matches in all disciplines were officiated by Pardeep Nag, Ranjeet Singh, Ajay Billa, Rajesh Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Hussain.

In all, 305 participants comprising 237 boys and 68 girls are participating in the two-day long tournament which was inaugurated by Tilak Raj Sharma, sub-district magistrate, Mahore.

The competitions were being held in the disciplines of kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball and wrestling in all groups The tournament is being organised by the District Youth Services and Sports Office, Reasi, under the guidance of Dr Swaran Singh Chib, DYSSO, Reasi. Principal of Higher Secondary School, Mahore, is the chairperson of this zonal-level inter-school tournament. 

Jammu, May 5
Minister for Housing Raman Bhalla inaugurated Shri Bhagwan Kalyan Parshvnath Eye Centre, a unit of Shree Atam Vallabh Jain clinic, at Jain Nagar Talab Tillo here today.

The clinic has been opened in collaboration with Dr Om Prakash Eye Institute, Amritsar, and Sheela Devi Eye Care Centre, Jammu.

MLA, Jammu (West), Chaman Lal Gupta presided over the function.

While speaking on the occasion, Bhalla appreciated the efforts of the institution for taking the initiative, which would help hundreds of needy, who had not enough money to spend on the eye disorders or to travel outside the state for treatment. He hoped that the centre would provide best services to the people.

The MLA congratulated the team of doctors present on the occasion, especially the committee for taking keen interest to provide all kind of medical help to the needy and the poor.

General secretary of clinic Pradeep Jain said the intention of starting an eye wing was to provide modern eye care to the people of the district.

The clinic aims to improve the accessibility and affordability for quality eye care services.

Among the others present on the occasion included Nirmal Jain, senior vice-president, Atmanand Jain Sabha, Varinder Jain, president SS Jain Sabha, Inderjeet Jain, Varinder Jain, Vishwa Mitra Jain, Vinod Jain. 

Jammu, May 5
Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) CEO Saurabh Bhagat had a detailed meeting with ERA project manager, design and supervision consultants and contractors concerned for finalising the work schedule for construction of the 1.3 km-long four-lane Bikram Chowk flyover.

He also finalised the schedule for construction of the eight-lane widening of road from Bikram Chowk to Convent School in Jammu with a construction cost of Rs 75 crore and channelisation of existing primary drains, construction of new secondary drains in Channi Himmat at Jammu, for a length of 8 km, with a construction cost of Rs 15 crore.

After the meeting, the CEO visited the site of flyover along with the ERA project manager, consultant, contractor concerned and other staff members.

He directed that the work for widening of road and construction of the drain duct be carried out in the first instance and be completed within six months in the stretch from Bikram Chowk to Asia Hotel so that minimum inconvenience was caused to the public.