Jammu, June 10
For more than two hours on Monday, chaos prevailed on the Janipur to Gandhi Nagar route, as hundreds of vehicles got stuck in a jam. The intensity of chaos and confusion can be gauged from the fact that even traffic policemen found it difficult to clear the traffic jam and were seen losing temper while trying to regulate vehicular movement at several places.

Despite claims of taking innovative measures to streamline traffic movement in the city, traffic scenario is worsening with each passing day. Commuters remain caught in traffic snarls for several hours everyday.

Traffic congestion in city has emerged as the biggest problem as more than 50,000 vehicles get added every year on the already overcrowded roads of the city.

“It was very frustrating. The weather mad it worse for drivers who had to stay inside their vehicles during the traffic jam,” said Pankaj Kumar, who was among commuters who got stuck in the jam near Jewel Chowk.

“It took me an hour to reach Trikuta Nagar from Rehari and the flyover was blocked by heavy jam. Nobody knew the reason,” said Arjit Dhar, a student.

Except the construction of the flyover two decades ago, there has been no expansion of the roads in the city. Construction of flyovers is still a distant dream, which has led to massive vehicle concentration on the existing roads.

Similar situation is witnessed everyday on the Link Road, Jain Bazar, Purani Mandi, Kanak Mandi and Moti Bazar areas of old city which have now become synonymous with traffic jams.

The total road length in the city is 704.22 km and per kilometer density of vehicles is.

Data released by the Home Department recently points out, 4,453 people lost their lives in 25,000 accidents across the state since 2009.

Government data states 7, 96, 493 vehicles were registered in the state till December 2010. Among the vehicles, 10,310 buses, 15,348 mini-buses, 48,983, trucks, trailers, 24,729 taxis, 39, 294, three wheelers, 1,87,170 cars, 11,749 jeeps, 4,24,768 two-wheelers and 34,142 other kinds of vehicles.

Rajouri, June 10
Relatives of a youth, who was electrocuted after an 11-KV live wire snapped on Sunday night, blocked the Jammu-Poonch National Highway for more than four hours today.

Pankaj Sudan of Thanadapani area in Sundarbani tehsil was a post graduate student and was the son of Khem Raj, a local Congress leader.

The 11-KV livewire suddenly snapped and fell on another wire, causing a short circuit resulting in Pankaj's death.

Residents of area and relatives of the victim put the body on the Poonch-Jammu National Highway at Thandapani near Sunderbani tehsil and held a massive demonstration along with other local leaders.

Sarpal Pal Sharma, Sarpanch, Lower Bajwal and Chander Mohan Sharma, human rights activist have slammed the PDD for their callous attitude. They questioned the department's working in laying down the wiring system which had become grave threat for the residents.

Senior PDD officers, including Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), PDD, senior officers of the police and the administration rushed to the spot and met the victim's family.

MLC, General Secretary and Spokesperson Pradesh Congress Committee, Ravinder Sharma, also asked the District Development Commissioner, Rajouri, Faqir Chand Bhagat, to provide compensation to the family. DDC, Rajouri, also deputed officers and asked them to submit a report in this regard.

Meanwhile, long queue of passengers and private vehicles was seen on the highway and traffic was paralysed on both sides of the highway. ASP, Nowshera, Parshotam Sharma, said the police has registered a case .

Doda, June 10
As the temperature is rising every passing day, there is shortage of safe drinking water in two major towns of Doda and Kishtwar districts. The erratic power supply further irks people who have to face unscheduled power cuts day and night.

Non-completion of the Dessa-Doda water scheme and non-functioning of filtration plant at Kishtwar are forcing people of these two towns to drink contaminated water being supplied through tankers. These tankers get water from open streams where the quality of water is always at stake.

Despite having approved water supply schemes, the Public Health Engineering Department has failed to complete the work on these schemes since years. As for Doda town, the scheme of bringing water from Dessa was announced and pipes were laid, but the PHE Department couldn’t complete it so far.

Similarly in Kishtwar town, people are forced to drink the contaminated water coming from Lalla and Nai Ghar streams, which is supplied to the own without filtration.

“We have been drinking water being supplied by tankers for the past more than one decade and the government has only given assurances of completing the Dessa-Doda water supply scheme, which is yet to get materialised,” said Firdous Ahmad of Doda town.

During previous minister’s tenure, water was supplied in Dessa-Doda pipe line, but not from the actual source, Dessa stream, but from tankers. This was aimed to give the impression that the scheme has been completed and the people of Doda will soon get safe and enough drinking water.

Similarly in Kishtwar, a filtration plant was installed to filter the water coming from the Lalla and Nai Ghar streams but this filtration plant is not working.

“Though the authorities have installed a filtration plant, it usually remains non-functional because it lacks the capacity to filter the quantity of water being supplied to the town. A high-capacity filtration plant be installed instead, but the authorities are not serious in this regard,” said Kuljit Kumar, a businessman of Kishtwar town.

As on one side people are bearing the scarcity of water in these two major towns of Doda and Kishtwar districts, the frequent power cuts are making the lives of people miserable in the scorching heat in Doda. “Apart from six-hour power cut during the day, we have to face unscheduled cuts day and night, making the living difficult. The government must look on our side as well like other districts of the state,” said Abdul Rashid, a resident of Doda.

Meanwhile, the senior Congress leader and former minister Ghulam Muhammad Saroori has lashed out on government for not addressing the concerns of people. “In the scorching heat when the temperature is hovering between 44°C and 45°C, people are struggling to get power and drinking water. I will not remain a mute spectator to the apathetic attitude of the government,” Saroori said, while addressing a public meeting at Thakrie village in Kishtwar district.

He said there was acute shortage of the electricity in the Jammu region. People are on roads because erratic power supply and situation is very grim. 

Jammu, June 10
The Jammu University Entrance Test (JUET-2013) being conducted by the University of Jammu for admissions to the post graduate courses at main campus, offsite campuses and affiliated colleges of the varsity, began today. As many as 6,531 students appeared in the examination.

A spokesperson said 1,509 candidates appeared for the subject of environmental sciences, while 1,435 students appeared for admission in the Mathematics Department. “At least 1,268 candidates appeared for admission in the Physics Department, while 1,072 students appeared in the subject of chemistry. In MCA/M.Sc IT/PGDCA courses, 938 aspirants appeared, while 190 students appeared for admission to B.Com (H) course,” he said.

Merely 35 students appeared for Punjabi subject. “More than 13,000 candidates will appear in the entrance examination to be held from June 10 to 15 at various centres in Jammu. Five sessions will be conducted per day," he said.

JU Vice-Chancellor, Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, along with Manoj K Dhar, Registrar, Neelam Saraf, Dean Academic Affairs, Professor Keshav Sharma, Controller of Examinations and Rajnikant visited the centres at the Government Woemn College, at Gandhi Nagar and Parade.

Jammu, June 10
Row over the shifting of the old bus stand has acquired political colour as traders opposing relocation of bus stand claiming support of two Congress Minister's Sham Lal Sharma and Raman Bhalla. They have threatened to launch an agitation if the government decides to go ahead with the plan.

Action Committee General Bus Stand, Jammu, has decided to oppose the shifting of the bus stand to any route from the BC Road, Jammu, to Narwal, which is on the outskirts of the city.

Action Committee convenor Indeerjeet Khajuria said, "MP from Jammu-Poonch, Madan Lal Sharma, Minister for Irrigation and PHE Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Housing and Culture, Raman Bhalla and BJP have supported our demand not to shift the bus stand."

The general body meeting chaired by Khajuria expressed resentment against the adamant attitude of the authorities who are trying speed up the relocation process.

“The new place lacks basic facilities leading to hardships for the passengers," Rakesh Abrol, chairman, General Bus Stand Shopkeepers Association said.

A deputation of various trade organisations led by president, CCI, Jammu, YV Sharma had recently called on the Union Health Minister and former CM Ghulam Nabi Azad seeking his support.

The bus stand was inaugurated in 1971 and most of the shopkeepers were allotted shops. Apart from being one of the dirtiest spots, lack of proper parking space for the vehicles results in frequent road jams as the buses are forced to park on the roads. One could witness the grim scenario at BC Road everyday in the morning and in the evening hours, which witnesses a heavy influx of buses plying both on interstate and routes within the state.

All inter-state and inter-district vehicles operate from the bus stand spread over 7 hectors of land and in the absence of parking space, these can been seen parked haphazardly.

Batote, June 10
A man and his son died after they slipped from a hill at Ghagwan in Ramban yesterday.

Police sources said Gurmel Singh (40), an employee of Jai Prakash Associates Ltd, was taking a stroll along with his family along a narrow footpath on a hill at Ghagwan when his son Anuj Kumar (4) slipped and rolled down into a 20-feet gorge.

When Gurmel tried to rescue him, he also fell into the gorge. Both died on the spot. His wife, son Gurprit Singh (10) and daughter (6) couldn’t do anything, but to cry for help. The family hailed from Dhamli, Haryana.

After the postmortem, the bodies were handed over to the family and sent to native place.

This year, eight persons have slipped to death in Ramban district so far.

Doda, June 10
Thieves decamped with cash and jewellery worth Rs 2 lakh from a house at Khai Mohalla in Bhaderwah, just 500 meters from the police station. The police said thieves stuck at the house of Abdul Majeed Butt at Mohalla Khai in Bhaderwah when the family members were away to work.

“We had locked the main door of the house but when we came back at 2 pm, we found a broken window and cash and jewellery worth lakhs missing,” said Aijaz Ahmad, the son of Abdul Majeed.

Rajouri, June 10
A huge rush of students was witnessed at the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University campus on the first day of counselling for admissions to five engineering courses at the College of Engineering and Technology of University.

There are 300 seats in the five B-Tech courses viz computer science and engineering, electronics and communications, electrical and renewable energy engineering, information technology and telecommunication engineering and civil engineering.

VC, Irshad Ahmed Hamal along with Registrar Mohammad Rashid Choudhary, Dean of Academic Affairs Prof AK Koul, Principal CoET Prof Mohammad Asghar, supervised the admission process.

Katra, June 10
Arrangements for the smooth conduct of three-day historic Agar Jitto Mela commencing from 22 June at Agar village in Reasi were discussed at an officers’ meeting held under the chairmanship of Reasi District Development Commissioner (DDC) Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.

Additional Superintendent of Police MS Chouhan, Chief Agriculture Officer RK Safaya, Assistant Director Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Kewal Krishan, Reasi Block Deployment Officer Tina Mahajan, Tehsildar Reasi Gopal Singh, Reasi Distrist Information Officer Parvinder Kour, Assistant Regional Transport Officer Shammi Kumar and district heads of PWD, PDD and Health Departments etc, including prominent persons from Agar, were present in the meeting.

Detail discussions with regard to the arrangements for the melam including provision for drinking water and power supply, medicare, sanitation and security, transport, accommodation, repair of road, checking of rates of essentials and parking of vehicles etc were held during the meeting.

The DDC directed the PHE to erect adequate number of public points at the mela well in advance, while the PDD was asked to ensure uninterupted power supply during the mela. The BRO was directed to make temporary speed breakers at both sides in the Aghar Jitto Market.

The BMO, Katra, was asked to make available a team of doctors with ambulance & required medicines round-the-clock during the mela. The BDO, Reasi, was asked to erect separate temporary toilets for males and females at the mela site for convenience of pilgrims. Adequate deployment of security personal enroute and around the mela site would be made by the district police. The Fire and Emergency Department would ensure their services during the mela. DDC Dr Choudhary directed different departments like agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and employment to install awareness camp-cum-stalls at the mela site.

The Tourism Department would ensure publicity of the mela well in advance to attract maximum visitors, said Dr Shahid. Naib tehsildar Katra has been appointed as the Mela officer to supervise all arrangements. The DDC told the officers concerned to make coordinated and concerted efforts to make mela a grand success.

Jammu, June 10
A six-day training of trainers (ToT) programme on basic life support began today at the Regional Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Nagrota, Jammu.

The programme is being organised by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), J&K, in collaboration with the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).

About 25 doctors from various health institutions across the Jammu division and Government Medical College, Jammu, participated in the programme.

Dr Yashpal, Mission Director, NRHM, J&K, said the training programme was a part of various skill enhancement trainings being imparted to doctors in the state.

“The participants are being trained on crucial life saving techniques, which are indispensable at the time of emergencies. International trainers are imparting requisite training to the future trainers, who would further benefit the masses with their skills,” said Dr Yashpal.

ICRC team showed a short film on the onset of event and also briefed about the ICRC activities in the state through a power point presentation.

Simone, ICRC team leader, J&K, and Rizwana Rashid, Communication Officer, ICRC, enlightened the participants in international humanitarian laws.

Dr Eric Bernes, trainer from the ICRC, Geneva, took the detailed sessions and imparted skills to the participants.

He said, “Whatever is taught here will help you in field and we will focus on practical more. Aim of the whole training programme is to save precious human lives during emergencies. During the five-day training programme we will lay more stress on practical aspects as our chief aim is to empower our trainers.”

Rajouri, June 10
Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmad Khan has said the government has sanctioned construction of two road projects of Rs 5 crore to connect Badi Bhehik and Kundan villages with Shadara Sharief.

He said the construction work of these projects would be taken up soon after completion of all necessary formalities. Addressing public meetings today at Kundan and Bagla Rajdani, the minister said the government was abreast that road connectivity was pivotal for socio-economic transformation of the hilly and border areas and had started massive road connectivity and upgradation across the state with focused attention towards the unconnected areas.

Shabir said Shahdara Sharief village was being developed as modal village at a cost of Rs 4.67 crore, adding that Rs 1.82 crore had been expended for upgrading several facilities in the village under the project so far. He said Rajouri was rich in varied tourism potential and the government was endeavoring to tap it fully by creating tourist related infrastructure and development of serene spots along the historical Mughal road and pilgrim sites in the district. He said work on an eco-tourism project at the Dera-ki-Gali had been already taken up at a cost of Rs 9.20 crore and so far Rs 2.25 crore had been expended on creation of infrastructure in the area.

Shabir said pilgrim tourist influx was rising in the area due to opening of the Mughal road and to provide added facilities to the pilgrims at Zairat Shadara, a Bait-ul-Zairen complex is under construction at a cost of Rs 5.50 crore at Shadara Sharief.

He said additional accommodation for the TRC at the site was also being upgraded at a cost of Rs 52 lakh for the convenience of visiting tourists.

The minister apprised the people about the historic Public Service Guarantee Act enacted and implemented by the government to make public service delivery time bound. He told the people that if they would not receive the prescribed service within the time limit, the erring officials would be fined up to Rs 5,000.

JAMMU, June 10
Friends Cricket Club (FCC), Ghat overcame the challenge of Zakir Eleven Club, Doda by 28 runs to secure a berth in the semifinals of the ongoing All India 9th Gufran Memorial T20 Cricket Championship 2013 being organised by Young Star Cricket Club (YSCC), Doda at Sports Stadium, Doda.

Earlier, FCC won the toss and elected to bat first on a batting wicket. FCC gave a target of 185 runs, which they made for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted quota of 20 overs. Ashish was the main scorer with 72 runs while Aditya contributed 55 runs.

For Zakir Eleven, Maaz was the most successful with a haul of three wickets, whereas Abid Nabi took two wickets. In reply, Zakir Eleven could not chase the target and managed to score 157 runs in 20 overs by losing six wickets. Ikram Pathan played a fighting knock of 92 runs while Naveed Javed contributed 25 runs to the total.

For FCC, Aditya and Prashant shared two wickets each. Aditya of FCC was declared the man of the match for his all-round performance. He was presented a cash prize and trophy by the chief guest, Sanjeev Sharma, Station House Officer (SHO) Doda.

The match was officiated by BCCI Ranji trophy umpire Subash Mathur and Ifroz Rather, while Shahid Pampori was the scorer.

Jammu, June 10
Pardeep Bali played a scintillating knock of 62 runs to help the Laxmi Cricket Club (LCC) beat the Advocates XI by 32 runs with consummate ease in the opening match of “Salute and Tribute to the Players Veteran T20 Tournament”, which commenced at Parade Ground.

Earlier, batting first, the Laxmi Cricket Club garnered 148 runs in the stipulated 20 overs. Pardeep Bali played a fine knock of 62 runs that came off just 44 balls. He pierced eight delectable hits to the fence and one hit for the maximum.

Vicky contributed a quick-fire 19 runs off 8 balls with the help of three boundaries and a six. For the Advocates XI, Ravi was the wrecker-in-chief with a six-wicket haul, including a hat trick while Ajay and Ashwani Goswami took one wicket each.

In reply, Advocates XI could manage only 116 runs in the allotted overs losing six wickets in the process. Sushil and Ravi contributed 25 runs each. For the Laxmi Cricket Club, Munish grabbed two wickets while Ajeet, Amarjeet Singh, Pardeep Bali and Vicky chipped in with one wicket each. Bali was adjudged the man of the match.

The match was officiated by Sadiq Hussain Malik and JD Singh as umpire while Ajay Sharma was the scorer.

Earlier, the tournament organised by the Parade Sports Association, Jammu, was inaugurated by the senior cricketers of the state, including Sant Singh, Randhir Singh (Beeru), Ganeshwar Sharma, Romesh Gupta and Ajit Silval, in an impressive function. 

Jammu, June 10
The Rashtriya Rifle battalion at Sarh has been conducting a number of vocational training classes for local youth.

A three-month long course was conducted at Mahore on hospitality management, under the aegis of the Counter Insurgency Force (Uniform) wherein five youth were trained in cooking, stewardship and housekeeping, which ended on May 15, a defence spokesperson said.

A number of hotels were contacted in Katra and with the efforts of the Commander, Mahore garrison; all five trainees are working at Hotel JMK International, Katra. “Presently all of them are working and earning a handsome salary,” he added.

One of the youths, Mir Muhammad, 24, is very thankful to the Rashtriya Rifles. “Coming from a poor family, I was unable to earn much. Now with this salary, I will able to take care of my ageing parents and ensure education for my three sisters,” he added.