The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Inquiry panel finds minister’s brother guilty of youth’s death Minister of State for Health promises action against doctor Ranjit Thakur Rajouri, May 18 Despite mounting pressure on Health Minister Shabir Ahmed Khan to save the skin of his real brother, Dr Bashir Khan, the minister has assured strict action against the alleged doctor. He said the doctor’s negligence led to the death of 18-year-old Shariq Shahdab, nephew of Dadral MLA Choudhary Zulfiqar in District Hospital, Rajouri, during an operation on May 1. The Magisterial Inquiry Committee that conducted a probe into the death of Shariq has clearly indicted Dr Bashir Khan, real brother of the Health Minister, and Dr Vijay Gupta for negligence. While talking to The Tribune, the Health Minister said, “I was at Ajmer and did not receive the report. But action will be taken against the guilty.” A two-member inquiry panel comprising Assistant Commissioner (R) Rajouri, Sachin Dev Singh and the DySP Headquarters, Rajouri, Sanjay Sharma, submitted a report to the Rajouri Deputy Commissioner yesterday evening. The committee has concluded that the death of the boy has been caused either by the over dose of anaesthesia or the reaction of drugs provided during the surgery process. Both the medicos also admitted the fact before the inquiry panel with the claim that death could have also been caused due to suppression of heart movement because of anaesthesia. Meanwhile, working of the main district hospitals in Rajouri, Sundarbani and Nowshera remained affected today, as doctors, paramedical and other staff of the hospital went on strike against the inquiry report that found negligence on the part of doctors, reports said. Hospital sources said no patient has been treated by the doctors except emergency cases since morning. The staff members, including doctors, raised slogan against the report. All essential services of the Rajouri hospital remained paralysed and patients who had travelled miles in a hope of treatment had return untreated. On the other hand, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Rajouri District Hospital, Anis A Nabi, said, “There was no strike but just a resentment of doctors against the report. They were not satisfied with the report and have also submitted memorandums to me, other senior officials of the district and the Health Department.”
	Mufti kick starts poll campaign from Jammu, targets NC, Congress Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, May 18 Patron of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today kick-started a campaign from Jammu for the 2013 Assembly elections, seeking mandate for establishing a transparent and accountable system in the state. The PDP patron was addressing a public meeting at the Misriwalla area on the outskirts of Jammu city where he delivered an address similar to an “election speech” and seized the opportunity to undermine the ruling National Conference (NC) by asking the people to compare his performance of three years with the NC’s decade-long governance. Mufti told the people that the coming Assembly elections were not just an exercise to change a government. “Your vote in the next Assembly elections is going to change the history of Jammu and Kashmir due to the historical importance of the coming elections,” Mufti said. He indirectly told the people that they had not reciprocated the good work done by the PDP in the 2008 Assembly elections. He minced no words in attacking the Congress today which is a part of the ruling alliance in the state. “The Congress is equally responsible for depriving the people of Jammu and Kashmir of their legitimate democratic rights,” Mufti said while mentioning the failure of the coalition government to conduct the much-awaited urban local bodies elections in the state. “This government cannot survive for a minute without the Congress’ support but the party leaders (of the Congress) are projecting before the people that they are exerting pressure on the government to hold the civic body elections,” he said, adding, “The Congress is adopting double standards and playing a dubious role as far as the strengthening of the democratic institutions in the state is concerned.” In an obvious reference towards the much-publicised deadline set by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz for holding the urban local bodies elections, Mufti chided the Congress leaders for being a party to the nefarious designs of the NC to “brazenly trample” the democratic institutions in the state just to remain in power. Mufti maintained that the Congress leaders were trying to hoodwink the gullible people by giving statements on the 73rd and 74th Amendments. “If Congress leaders are so serious about strengthening the local self government, why are they hesitating to take up the issue in Cabinet meetings?” he asked.
	Panthers Party forms panels to select candidates in Kathua Tribune News Services Jammu, May 18 A meeting of the Panthers Party was held here yesterday morning under the chairmanship of MLA Harsh Dev Singh who is also the chairman of the party. The meeting appointed a five-member committee headed by Shanti Swaroop Basotra to make recommendations for candidates for the Bani, Basohli and Billawar Assembly constituencies of Kathua district within 15 days. Founder and chief patron of the party Bhim Singh was also present. Another committee to recommend candidates for the remaining two Assembly constituencies of the district, Hiranagar and Kathua, was also constituted under the chairmanship of MLA Yashpaul Kundal. The meeting also expressed regrets that the government had deliberately ignored the plight of earthquake-affected people in erstwhile Doda district. A three-member team comprising Balwant Singh Mankotia, MLA Faqir Nath and MLC Syed Mohammed Rafiq Shah was sent to Doda to study the existing situation and report it to the party chairman. The meeting was attended by Daljit Singh, Sudarshan Singh Jamwal, Anita Thakur, Yashpaul Kundal, Shanti Swaroop Basotra, Faqir Nath, Syed Mohammed Rafiq Shah and Jagdev Singh.
	BJP contributes Rs 2.76 lakh for Chamel Singh's family Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 18 The BJP today demanded that the Union Government should treat Chamel Singh, the Indian prisoner who died in a Lahore jail, on a par with Sarabjit Singh as two citizens could not be treated separately. Addressing mediapersons here, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna said, "A compensation of Rs 1 crore should be given by the Jammu and Kashmir government while Rs 25 lakh should be given by the Centre." He also urged the Centre to ensure the safety of other Indian inmates lodged in Pakistani jails. The BJP handed over an amount of Rs 2.76 lakh to Chamel SIngh's family members, including his wife Kamlesh Devi and son Dara Singh. Chamel Singh had died in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail on January 15 after being attacked by fellow inmates. Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Bhikhiwind in Amritsar, was also lodged in the same jail and had also been attacked there by fellow inmates leading to his death at a hospital in Lahore later. Khanna said he had written to President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on the matter. "I have requested that like Sarabjit Singh's family, Chamel Singh's kin should also be given compensation," he said.
	Spurious drugs scam Fake medicines sold in open market Apart from hospitals, Maximizin-625 also seized from chemists in Srinagar, Sopore Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 18 The ongoing probe into the spurious drugs scam has revealed that the drugs had also entered the open market. The officials of the Drug and Food Control Organisation (DFCO) in Srinagar and Sopore seized the drug in question, Maximizin-625, from many private chemist shops and distributors. Documents submitted by the DFCO in the court reveal that the spurious antibiotic drug, Maximizin-625 was tracked and seized by its field staff from 37 places across the state. These include hospitals, dispensaries, primary health centres and many private distributors and the chemist shops. The large scale seizure indicates that the drug was widely available in the open market. “The field staff of the DFCO tracked the distribution pattern of the drug in question and reported the seizure of un-utilised stocks. The field staff investigated the matter and found that MS Lifeline Pharmaco Surgicals had supplied the drug in question to various health institutions,” the Drug Controller of J&K, Satish Gupta, has revealed in his status report submitted before the court, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) calling for a thorough probe into the spurious drugs scam. As per the furnished list of 37 places from where unused stocks of the spurious antibiotic were tracked, the officials had seized 198 tablets of Maximizin-625 from MS Anzar Pharma, Maisuma and 126 tablets from MM Medicate Kawdara in Srinagar. In north Kashmir, un-utilised supplies of Maximizin-625 were seized from eight places, including the District Hospital, Baramulla. The officials of the DFCO also seized 120 tablets of the said drug from a private shop Brilliant Enterprises, near the Water Tank in Sopore, which proves that the drug was also available in the open market apart from the government-run hospitals. According to the DFCO, after it was discovered that Maximizin-625 was spurious, a “drug alert” was sounded in the state on April 2, 2013, to stop further consumption of the same by patients. During subsequent raids across the state, officials of the DFCO were seized 61,276 unused tablets of Maximizin-625 out of a total of 2,65,000 supplied by the accused company Lifeline Pharmaco Surgicals.
	Govt to form committee to check illegal construction at tourist spots Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 18 The state government has decided to constitute a committee to check illegal construction at the tourism spots coming under the purview of various tourist development authorities. The decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir here on Thursday. Minister of State for Tourism and Home Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo was also present at the meeting. “The meeting decided that no illegal construction will be registered and steps for their demolition will be taken for safeguarding the rich environs of the tourism spots. It was also decided that nobody would be allowed to create infrastructure under the jurisdiction of the tourism development authorities in the state," an official spokesperson said. The ministers also took serious note of the creation of haphazard and illegal commercial structures at Pahalgam and Sonamarg. The Tourism Minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure complete ban on raising illegal structures and instructed that no illegal structure should be registered and even the registration of the existing structures found illegal should be cancelled. "The minister has warned that if anybody is found involved in raising structures against the violation of rules under the jurisdiction of the development authorities should be dealt with strictly," he said. The meeting also decided to notify new potential tourism areas under the jurisdiction of the Pahalgam Development Authority and directed the authorities concerned to issue the required notification in this regard. The topic of preparation of master plans for creating tourist-related infrastructure in a systematic manner at various tourist destinations also came up during the discussion. Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Atul Dullo and Additional District Development Commissioner, Anantnag, Ghulam Mohammad Dar attended the meeting.
	Disaster management team to visit quake-hit areas of Doda Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 18 An expert team of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) from Hyderbad is expected to visit the earthquake-affected areas of Doda district in the state that witnessed heavy damage in the recent earthquake to study the seismic effects. Stating this here today, state Congress president Saifuddin Soz said various measures had been taken by the administration following the earthquake in different areas of Doda district on May 1. He said he had been in touch with Vice-Chairperson of NDMA M Shashidhar Reddy and member of the authority Muzaffar Ahmad. They were requested to send a team of experts to Doda to assess the situation and draw a future plan to assure safety,” said Soz. He said responding to the request, Reddy had decided to arrange a team of experts from Hyderabad that will visit the affected areas. Soz said he was in touch with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is the Chairperson of the NDMA. “I have kept the Prime Minister informed about the long-term plan for the safety of Doda district and the adjoining areas that fall in the Seismic Zones IV and V,” said Soz. He held that he had been following the developments in Doda since the earthquake struck the area. “I have been told that the state administration has responded to the needs of the people regarding relief measures,” he said. The state Congress president Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts fell in the Seismic Zone IV and V and required special attention. “It is, therefore, imperative for all constructions in future to have retrofitting. This technology is available and is not very costly,” added Soz said.
	Sarpanch sets himself afire Demands land for government school in Pulwama in South Kashmir Bismah Malik Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 18 A sarpanch, Fayyaz Ahmad Dar, a resident of Kakapora village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, allegedly tried to immolate himself today while demanding land for Government Middle School, Kakapora in Pulwama. Though nearly 200 students are on the rolls of the school, it has been functioning from a dilapidated rented building for many years now. Ironically, a piece of land owned by the state government adjacent to the rented school building is being used by the state Forest Department for storing wooden logs. School teachers, students and village heads, who have been demanding the government land for the school building, took to the streets today and protested against the apathetic attitude of the district administration. The sarpanch poured kerosene over his body and tried to set himself on fire in the morning during protests at the central road in Kakapora. Policemen from the nearby Kakapora police station who were present at the protest site extinguished the flames and rushed Dar to the Pulwama district hospital. Doctors at the hospital said Dar had received minor burn injuries on his neck and was later discharged. The village sarpanch told The Tribune that he was frustrated with the apathetic attitude of the district administration, MLAs and even MP GN Ratanpuri who hails from Pulwama and had thus attempted self-immolation. “This was my last resort. What else could I do? I have been running after the MP, MLAs and the Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, but nobody listened to me. It is the right of the poor children to get basic education. The school building in which they are studying is in a bad shape. If any disaster strikes, their lives will be at risk. It is the responsibility of the sarpanch and panches to fight for the rights of these children,” Dar said. Pulwama Deputy Commissioner Manzoor Ahmad Lone assured that the grievances of the school children would be addressed and adequate land would be allotted for the construction of the school building. “They have genuine demands and we will fulfil them,” the Pulwama Deputy Commissioner said.
	Forum of J&K Vice Chancellors honours Governor Jammu varsity to host first Indian Science Congress Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 18 The vice-chancellors of six universities of the state felicitated Governor NN Vohra for sustained guidance and support in the past five years and for taking keen interest in the development of all the universities in the state for the promotion of quality education and research. The Forum of Vice Chancellors of various universities of Jammu and Kashmir, led by Dr Tej Partap, Vice Chancellor of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST), met Governor NN Vohra here last evening to honour him on his extended involvement with the affairs of the state. The Vice Chancellors thanked the Governor and hoped that his continuing support to the universities goes a long way in promoting higher education and the development of centres of excellence in the state. The Forum of Vice Chancellors of the Universities of Jammu and Kashmir is currently chaired by Dr Tej Partap, the Vice-Chancellor of the SKUAST-K. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Abdul Wahid, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir; Tej Partap, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir; AR Trag, Vice Chancellor, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipore; MPS Ishar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu; and IA Hamal, Vice Chancellor, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, presenting a memento to the Governor. The Governor thanked the Vice Chancellors for their good wishes. He also informed them of the decision of the Indian Science Association that the next Indian Science Congress would be hosted by the Jammu University in February next. He said, this would be a historical occasion for the state and the Governor urged all the Vice Chancellors to support the successful organisation of the mega science event that would involve the participation of several top scientists from within and outside the country, including at least five Nobel Laureates. This is the first time in 110-year history of the Indian Science Congress that it would be held in the state. The Governor reiterated the importance of the varsities entering into effective mutually beneficial collaborations in areas of teaching, research, libraries, extension projects, sports, cultural activities, sharing infrastructure and exchange of students and faculty.
	BSF sees spurt in intrusion bids along Pakistan border Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, May 18 With Nawaz Sharif all set to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the BSF, which mans the 198-km-long international border in the Jammu region, is all set to tackle any misadventure in the form of intrusion bids and smuggling attempts. The BSF anticipates a spurt along the 776-km-long Line of Control (LoC) and the international border in the state after the new government in Pakistan settles down. The ISI had slowed down its activities in terror camps in the wake of the elections in Pakistan. “We have inputs about the presence of militants on the other side of the international border and we know specific places of their presence. Though their number keep changing, we are alive to the situation,” said BSF IG, Jammu Frontier, Rajeev Krishna after flagging off a special rail bogie with Kolkata-Jammu Tawi Express for personnel belonging to the Central Armed Police Forces here this evening. The BSF IG, however, refused to share the number of militants and the specific areas of their presence on the other side of the international border. “The international border in the Jammu region has always remained sensitive and active and there have been attempts of infiltration and smuggling in the past, but for the past three years we have ensured zero infiltration,” said the IG. On a failed attempt to push Pakistan mobile phones and SIM cards in the Abdulian area of RS Pura yesterday, he said they might have been thrown to this side for using them for pushing consignments of narcotics or converse about some militancy-related activity. “The police and the BSF are working in tandem and we have come across some names. Some of them are Indian nationals and we are working on the case,” he said. He said equipment and gadgets could be employed at such sensitive places to block the network of Pakistan telecom companies.
	Omar meets PM; seeks relief for quake victims Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 18 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi today and demanded a relief package for the victims of the recent earthquake in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban. He also discussed various matters pertaining to the peace and development in the state, an official spokesman said. Omar presented details of the damage caused by the earthquake to a large number of people as well as private property, including essential public service infrastructure and demanded a relief package for the affected people on the pattern of the one announced by the Centre had sanctioned for Leh cloudburst survivors.
	Man dies of shock after daughter’s abduction Suhail A Shah Anantnag, May 18 A man today allegedly died of shock after his married daughter was abducted by the son of a deputy sarpanch in the Qazigund area of the district. Reports said widespread protests were witnessed in the area after the word of the abduction and the subsequent death spread. The deceased father of the abducted woman (name withheld) has been identified as Ghulam Hassan Gorsi, a resident of Lamad village of the Qazigund area. “The deputy sarpanch’s son, Manzoor Ahmad Gorsi, abducted Hassan’s married daughter and when he visited the panchayat member’s house, Hassan was beaten and humiliated,” the protesters alleged. The protesters said Hassan could not take the humiliation and died of a heart attack as soon as he returned to his residence. The angry protesters carried the dead body and raised slogans against the police force, alleging inaction in the case. The agitated people were pacified only after some senior police officials visited the village and conveyed that the accused had been arrested and a case had been registered against him. “A case under Sections 109 and 366 of the CrPC has been registered against the culprit,” a senior police official from the area said. He said the investigation had been initiated in both the death of the father and the daughter’s abduction. “We will make sure that the facts come to the fore and the guilty get punished,” he added.
	Sikhs lodge protest Srinagar, May 18 The Sikh community in Baramulla has blamed some persons with vested interests for trying to create hatred among the different communities of the area. In a statement, the community members said it was a matter of great concern that some individuals were trying to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in Kashmir. — TNS