Jammu, May 24
At a time when entire political class and the state bureaucracy are camping in the cool climes of Kashmir Valley, unbridled power cuts and night outages are turning pernicious for city residents amid record breaking mercury that had been hovering around eight notches above normal.

Most of the areas, including 100 per cent metered localities in the city, have been experiencing four to eight-hour long power cuts, blacking out the state government's claims of a round-the-clock power supply after e-metering. Frequent tripping of transmission lines have affected the normal life of the people severely as the residents especially children and elderly are unable to take proper sleep.

The people complained that apart from health hazards, unpredictable power outages will have an adverse impact on expensive electronic equipment such as televisions, air conditioners, refrigerators and stabilisers.

"With the rise in mercury, outages have also increased which have made our lives a living hell. We were left with no option but to fan our kids with handmade fans," Parshotam Khajuria, a resident of Pacci Dhaki area in old city said. He said the power cuts had made a good night's sleep very difficult for residents leaving them exhausted. Vishal Sharma, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, said, “Despite the fact that power consumers in Jammu pay more tariff than the Kashmir division, they are being supplied less power than their counterparts in the Valley which is reflective of the state government's discriminatory approach."

He also alleged that the elected representatives and bureaucrats, who had been enjoying cool climes of Kashmir Valley during summers, were least bothered about the miseries faced by Jammu residents due to unscheduled power cuts.

Quoting the Power Development Department (PDD) figures released during the last Budget Session, Sharma said the revenue collections from the Jammu division was Rs 58,717 lakh while the Valley consumers contribute Rs 36,322.74 lakh in the financial year 2010-11. “The power consumed in Jammu was 3,981 whereas the Kashmir consumed 5,917 MUs," he said. The figures for 2010-11 showed that Jammu had paid Rs 22,394.26 lakh more than Kashmir even as the units consumed by Jammu residents were 1,936 MUs.

"During 2011-12, the revenue generated in Jammu was Rs 72,132 lakh while in Kashmir the power tariff for the same period was Rs 47,982.69 lakh. The consumption in Jammu was 4,266 units while in Kashmir it is 6,136 units," he said.

A senior officer of the PDD said the power requirement of entire Jammu and Kashmir was 2,300 MW but the state had a shortfall of 650 to 700 MW as against the availability of 1,650 MW of electricity from all sources.

"Given the shortfall of electricity and old infrastructure, the department has been enforcing power cuts to ensure the power supply. The power cuts will be enforced till the improvement in heat weather conditions," the officer said. 

Rajouri, May 24
Temperature rose to an all-time high here today as it crossed 41°C on Friday. For past one week, the temperature has been hovering around 40°C. The weather has affected normal life in the mountainous region. A majority of residents are staying indoors in the comfort of desert coolers and air conditioners.

Dr Panth of Baba Gulam Shah Badshah University Centre for Bio Diversity Studies said, "We recorded 41°C temperature today which is all-time high in the region since 2006 when the Metrology Department was setup at the University. Since then we have been recording temperature, but today the mercury broke all previous records."

"We recorded the highest temperature of 40°C and the lowest at 21°C on May 21. One May 22 we recorded the maximum temperature at 40°C and the minimum at 22°C. On May 23 the highest temperature was recorded at 40°C and the minimum at 24°C. Today we recorded 41°C as which is the highest of all time and lowest 26°C," Dr Panth said.

He said, "In the corresponding period last year, the weather was pleasant in the hilly areas, but the temperature has increased manifold due to the heat wave from the plains. We recorded 31°C on May 21, 2012, but now this year the temperature crossed 40° Celsius.

No respite is expected anytime soon, as the dry heat is likely to continue till May 28 here and rain is likely in the beginning of the next month, he said. "This year we are expecting timely and normal monsoons, it will start from Kerala between June 1 and 3," Dr Panth said.

Dr Panth said, “The temperature is rising because of global warming or climate shifting. Due to increase in atmospheric pollution, the weather is changing fast.”

Jammu, May 24
The striking Jammu University employees have been called for talks by the varsity authorities tomorrow.

The four-hour long token strike by the non-gazetted employees, including Class IV and sweepers of the Jammu University, entered the eleventh day today.

The employees took out a rally on the campus.

“The varsity authorities have taken no initiative to resolve our long pending issues. We will take future course of action after tomorrow’s meeting with the authorities and if our demands are not met, we will intensify our agitation from Monday,” Krishan Chand, president of the association said. He also alleged that the university authorities had backtracked from the promise it made in February last.

Over 700 non-gazetted employees comprising Class IV and casual workers have been protesting in for their demands.

Jammu, May 24
The Voice for Rights (VR), J&K Muslim Welfare Trust (MWT) and the National Panthers Student Union (NPSU) have demanded a high-level probe into the case of a 13-year old girl from Chennai, who was found in a critical condition at the house of a lawyer Surinder Singh on May 8. The victim worked as a domestic help. She is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the Government Medical College, Jammu. The organisations want the probe to be conducted under attempt to murder against the lawyer.

Director, VR, Deepika Singh Rajwat, told mediapersons today that the district administration had adopted delaying tactics to hush up the case. “The lawyer is using his influence to hush up the matter and the administration is doing the same. Investigation is being delayed to protect the accused,” Rajawat said.

Rajawat, along with MWT president Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed and NPSU president Partap Singh Jamwal demanded that the Chief Minister must take action in the case. “We urge Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take cognisance of the matter and order a probe into it so that justice is delivered to the girl who is struggling for life in the ICU,” Deepika Rajawat said.

Ahmed alleged dilly dallying tactics were being used to save the main accused and the matter was not being investigated properly.

On May 8, the 13-year girl was found critically injured in the house of a criminal lawyer Surinder Singh. She was admitted to the GMC for treatment where she is struggling for life. “We want this case to become an example to deter other criminals and all child abuse cases should be solved,” Rajawat said.

Jammu, May 24
Their health and the sweltering heat notwithstanding, the Department of Finance has asked all pensioners to appear before the Treasury officers and bank staff for verification.

Treasury officers have been instructed to conduct physical verification of the pensioners by the end of June.

The Finance Department has started the process two years back after fraud cases were detected in which some family members had drawn money even after the death of the pensioners. But many view the directive as unwarranted during the summer season, which could adversely affect the pensioners who have to wait for hours in long queues for the verification process. “The process can be completed during the winter months or before April, so that old people may not have to wait for hours before the officers in the scorching heat and humidity,” said Chet Ram, a former officer of the Revenue Department.

Though a circular issued by the Finance Department states the Treasury officers will have to visit the pensioners who cannot walk or are too sick to come for verification, but the process is harassment for them. “It is a time-consuming process. Standing in queues in the heat is very difficult. Sometimes even the officers are rude to us,” said Hari Krishan, 78.

“Why do I need to appear before the bank officers, when this can be done by producing an attested letter by a gazetted officer? It is funny for the bank officer to ask a person if he is alive or dead,” said Tara Devi, a draws a partly pension of Rs 3,000.

The notification in this regard states in terms of the Rule 5.71 of the Jammu and Kashmir Treasury Code, Volume 1, every pensioner either drawing pension from the Treasury or the J&K Bank is supposed to present in person before the Treasury officer for once in a year physical verification.

Pensioners unable to appear in person due to illness, old age or other valid reasons are exempt from personal appearance. In such cases the Treasury officers will send an officer to their respective houses for verification,” the notification states.

Batote, May 24
As many as 19 employees, including a headmaster, 11 teachers and three physical education teachers (PET), of various government schools in Doda have been chargesheeted after an inspection team found them absent from duty yesterday.

The surprise checks were conducted at government schools at Beoli, Sekwan and Bhelli in Doda. A team headed by Additional DC, Anil Koul, and Chief Education Officer, Doda, Mohd Ashraf Rather, had found a headmaster Noor Mohd, 11 teachers, three PETs, a library assistant, two peons and a Class IV employee absent from duty.

Those chargesheeted include, Ayaz Ahmed, Master, teacher Arif Hussain, PET Farooq Ahmed, at Middle School Beoli; teachers Sanjay Kumar, Shakeela Begum of Primary School, Sekwan. Headmaster Noor Mohammed, Masters Autar Krishan, Mumtaz Tabassum, Ashwani Sharma, Tarik Malik, PEM, Toiba. Teachers Swarn Lata, Jagdish Raj, Shazada Begum library assistant, peons Mohsin Ahmed, Kelu Devi, Altaf Husain Class IV of High School Bhelli and Jaleei Ahmed Tak PET, Farida Begum Teacher of Girls Middle School, Beoli.—OC

Jammu, May 24
As many as 280 para jumps by the trainees and trainer marked the conclusion of the basic sky diving course conducted on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the 130 Helicopter Squadron today. Group Captain S Sridhar, Station Commander, Jammu, presided over the valedictory function.

The event started with a course report by Wing Commander Vasant Raj Director, Air Force Adventure Cell.

A total of 31 Air Warriors, including three women officers, attended the 10-day course and all trainees completed the course without any injury. He thanked for the support of the 130 HU and the administration of the Air Force Station, Jammu. He said those who jumped minimum five jumps were eligible to get the para wing, a feat achieved by all the course participants. The para wings and certificates were given to the participants.

Jagati (Nagrota), May 24
More than 20,000 Kashmiri Pandits (KP) have been living in the Jagati Tenement without proper security as no police post has been established at the township.

Following an announcement about a package for migrants in 2008, as many as 4,000 families have been shifted to the Jagti Township from migrant camps.

A township of 4,224 flats was made for the KP migrants in Jagti, 12 km from Jammu. As many 3,858 two-bedroom flats were allotted to them in April, 2011. But the administration has failed to establish a police post at Jagti till date.

Shadi Lal Koul, a KP leader, said, “We are living in an unsecured atmosphere as there has been no police post established here for the past two years. This government does not care for the Kashmiri Pandit community. It should establish a police post here as soon as possible.”

“In the absence of police patrolling and other security measures, women cannot go out in the evening. Most of the time, some miscreants create ruckus in the township. The Nagrota police station is also far away from here,” Said Som Nath Gurtoo, 73, a resident of the Jagti Tenement.

The nearest police station to the Jagti Township is the Nagrota police station. In the wake of the increasing crime rate in the region, the Kashmiri migrants want a police post to be established in the township in order to provide proper security to 20,000 residents.

Inder Ji Labroo, 52, another resident of the township, said, “We have asked the administration to establish a police post here, but to no avail. We had also sent a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission.”

Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajeshwar Singh said, “We have the provision for a police post at Jagati. I will look into issue and we will establish a police post at the township soon.”

Jammu, May 24
Expressing his concern over the recent unfortunate incidents in the Valley, the Jammu Province Peoples forum (JPPF), an amalgam of more than 50 organisations, has asked the state government to keep a check on the activity of some fundamentalists forces threatening the Sikh community.

Addressing a press conference here today, JPPF president Pavitar Singh warned the fundamentalists to resist from creating disturbance and law and order problem by adopting such nefarious designs as the Jammu province irrespective of cast and creed was supporting the Sikh community in Kashmir.

These anti-national elements would never be allowed to succeed in their anti-national activities, he said.

Reminding the state government of their constitutional obligations to protect the minorities, the JPPF president urged the government to provide full protection to the Sikhs in the Valley.

Inderjeet Khajuria, Narayan Singh, MS Katoch, Gajjan Singh Khajuria, ML Sharma, Avinash Bhatia, Amrit Magotra, Rajiv Mahajan, Sunita Sharma, Prithvi Raj Singh, Vinod Kumar Gupta, Kulbir Singh and Yashpal Singh Mangal were also present at the press meet. 

Doda, May 24
National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana on Thursday welcomed the decision of the Centre to depute a fact-finding team to the earthquake-hit Chenab valley districts in the wake of the memorandum on a relief package submitted by the Omar Abdullah-led government.

He exuded confidence that the assistance of Rs 607.77 crore would be released soon and help sufferers to construct and renovate their damaged houses ahead of the winter.

“The Leh type package is imperative for the affected districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban, keeping in view the extent of damages caused by tremors and backwardness of the mountainous hilly region,” Rana said while addressing the people at Thelala and Bhella villages of Doda district.

Rana said the approval to the relief package would bring cheer in the lives of the sufferers. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was working on all the fronts to seek and ensure maximum possible assistance for the people.

The provincial president, however, said the efforts could prove counter-productive if the genuine sufferers fail to get the compensation, as per actual damages caused to their assets. 

Rajouri, May 24
Terming an increase in power tariff as an anti-people move, Bhartiya Janata Party state vice president Vibodh Gupta has said this step of the government will prove a final nail in the coffin of this NC-Congress coalition government as people are annoyed with the decision.

Many BJP leaders led by Vibodh Gupta met people who complained against the hike in power tariff and showed resentment against the government at a mass contact programme of BJP in Manjakote and Mankote area of Rajouri.

Vibodh said more than 80 per cent of the people of Rajouri-Poonch area would suffer with the decision of a hike of 150 per cent in power tariff.

He said earlier people had to pay a flat rate of Rs 109 with a minimum consumption of 200 watt but now the minimum consumption has been increased to 500 watt and the flat rate had been fixed as Rs 360 which is a big amount for a common man here.

Vibodh said the NC-Congress government had failed on all fronts due to its anti-people policies.

He said this time most of the people had got bills of approx Rs 1,000 according to the new power rates. “It is difficult for a labourer who is earning Rs 3,000 per month to pay a bill of Rs 1,000 per month,” he said.

Tendering an ultimatum to the government, the BJP leader said his party would corner the government on the power tariff issue. “We will hold demonstrations if the government will not reconsider the decision of hike in power tariff,” Gupta said.

Jammu, May 24
Many trade unions have opposed the move to shift General Bus Stand to new location. They appealed to the administration to not to shift the bus stand to any other location as it would affect their earnings from the present site

In a joint statement issued here today Jammu Development Council president Kamal Gupta, Border Tourism Union president Rajesh Sharma, Shia Federation Jammu president Ashiq Hussai Khan, Shastri Pujari Sang president Rampal Shastri and Kranti Dal president Tarsem Sharma have appealed to the authorities to desist from taking the provocative step at a time when the Amarnath Yatra is going to commence.

The shifting of the bus stand will cause hardship to the visitors to Jammu from outside the state, said the statement.

Forced to launch a movement against this step, the business community of Jammu and other stake holders will take to the streets, which will disturb peace and normalcy in Jammu during the Amarnath Yatra.

They demanded that instead of shifting it, the present bus stand should be upgraded, modernised, and converted into multi storeys as it would solve the parking problem. They have also demanded that the authorities should adhere to the decision, which was taken earlier after taking all stake holders on board, to make the present bus stand as a terminus point for buses of all routes to pick and drop passengers there and then move on to their respective yards for parking.

Similarly, all motor workshops should be removed from the premises of bus stand and further no bus should be allowed to be parked outside the bus stand and also not to drop or pick passengers between the main Tawi Bridge and Amphala.

Unions’ take They appealed to the authorities to desist from taking the provocative step at a time when the Amarnath Yatra is going to commence. They demanded that instead of shifting it, the present bus stand should be upgraded, modernised, and converted into multi storeys as it would solve the parking problem.

Jammu, May 24
The Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) has expressed concern over unscheduled power cuts in the city during the summer as it has also affected the drinking water supply.

A meeting under the chairmanship of BAJ president MK Bhardwaj was held to discuss the issue confronting the people of the Jammu region and failure of the department concerned to deal with the issue.

“Even the District and High Court is facing regular power cuts. The water supply has also been affected and it has created problems for thousands of people who daily visit the court for various reasons,” Bhardwaj said.

The association has appealed to the government to stop unscheduled power cuts in the city and provide neat and clean drinking water to the consumers.

Others who attended the meeting include Sindhu Sharma, vice-president, Ranjit S Jamwal, general secretary and Prem N Sadotra, joint secretary.

Meanwhile, several areas in the city are reeling under power cuts. Though the Power Development Department (PDD) cited illegal load and frequent tripping as reasons for the cuts, people allege that the officials concerned are not taking action against the people who are drawing electricity illegally. 

Jammu, May 24
National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana today called for an attitudinal change towards empowerment of women by encouraging them to avail benefits of various schemes designed by the government for their economic emancipation.

He was speaking at a function organised to distribute sewing machines among the destitute. The event was organised by MLA Bimla Lutha at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan.

Rana sought larger participation of socio-political and voluntary organisation in supplementing the efforts to help widows and destitute.

“Even a small step can prove a big stride for achieving the objective of empowering poor women,” he said.

The provincial president lauded the efforts of the government for helping the needy. He said it would go a big way in helping the beneficiaries to supplement their family earnings.

He said an approval to a knitting and tailoring centre at Bishnah would uplift the aspirations of village women who were keen to pursue income generating avocation at their homes.

Earlier, 15 sewing machines were distributed among poor women of Bishnah and RS Pura areas of the Jammu region. 

Rajouri, May 24
Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University’s Centre for Biodiversity Studies (CBS) celebrated International Day for Biological Diversity here yesterday.

The function was chaired by Prof G H Dar, Fellow Professor of the Mahatma Gandhi Chair on Ecology & Environment in the CBS. Vice-Chancellor Prof Irshad A Hamal said every human must save water and water conservation was our responsibility.

“We need to think of future generations who will not have a sufficient supply of water unless we save it today,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the department for organising this programme.

Dr Susheel Verma, Associate Professor, gave a brief background on International Biodiversity Day and impressed upon the audience the importance of biodiversity and the need to conserve it.

The day-long activities included theme-based poster and collage-making competitions, brief speeches by scholars and an awareness programme on the conservation of biodiversity and water resources.

Prof G H Dar emphasised on generating information on different life forms, including microbes, animals and plants.

He said this was necessitated because without having information on biodiversity, no conservation effort could be successful.

He said various other aspects of biodiversity: the species richness of our country and of Jammu & Kashmir, the usefulness of our rich and varied bioresources, the exploitation of these resources beyond their natural regeneration.

Batote, May 24
Villagers of Chakwa, Pachote and Karla panchayats, surrounding Patnitop, led by their sarpanches Jagdish Chand Anthal, Prakash Singh and Pooran Chand respectively besides president, the Patnitop Taxi Union, Mohan Singh protested against the callous and discriminatory attitude of the state government at Patnitop today.

They resented against the selective demolition of kiosks by a multi-department joint team led by the CEO, the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA), Dr RK Kesar and accompanied by the DSP, Gyan Chand Sharma at Padora in Patnitop last evening.

The protesters blocked the traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway for about half an hour before sitting on a dharna in front of a private barrier at the entrance of the Patnitop meadow near the highway. All kiosks and taxi operators of the union remained on strike today.

They shouted slogans against the Forest and the Tourism Ministers for the ill-maintenance, insanitation and non-availability of basic facilities for the tourists at Patnitop. They alleged despite the cause of nuisance, criminal activities, environmental degradation and damaging the public utilities by the nomads, they are allowed to reside in their shanty tents along with their animals in and around Patnitop every year.

Jagdish alleged only because of their destructive activities, thousands of villagers around Patnitop are deprived of drinking water facility every year as they break the gravity water pipe lines many a times in a day for their own use.

“All of them shall be rehabilitated to a proper place soon.The government is raking measures for earmarking places for the stay of the nomads and beautification of Patnitop,” said Kesar.