Jammu, June 19
The much-hyped proposal of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to bring 50 per cent doctors for running Superspeciality Hospital, Jammu, from outside the state has found no takers. Despite several advertisements, doctors are not willing to work in the state, mostly because of salary package offered and ‘unprofessional environment’.

Officials said the recently opened superspeciality hospital was facing a staff crunch due to delay in recruitment of more than 800 doctors and paramedical staff.

They said despite several advertisements medical professionals from other parts of the country were not showing any keenness to work here.

Last year, the Union Health Minister had announced that till the state completed recruitment process, half the posts of specialised doctors would be advertised across the country so that patients in the state get the best possible medical help.

“Nobody responded to our advertisements mainly because of salary package and due to political interference prevailing here. The plan has now almost been shelved and we are looking for the state to speed up recruitment,” said a senior doctor.

The hospital constructed at the cost of Rs 120 crore was made operational on May 6 and runs faculties like neurology, cardiology, urology, cardio-thoracic and vascular surgery, neuro surgery, nephrology and renal transplant. However, the construction of the hospital was approved in 2006 when Azad was the Chief Minister of the state.

Dr Shashi Gupta, Principal, Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, said posts were to be filled by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and they were waiting for the completion of the process. “Posts have been advertised and will have to be filled by the government. As far as engaging doctors from other parts of the country are considered, we are trying to bring them,” Dr Gupta said.

Sources said the state government had even approached Medanta, a Delhi-based hospital, to run some of the specialities, but it had said it would also provide doctors, which was not acceptable to the state.

Jammu, June 19
Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is on a mission to educate eateries about the need to improve hygiene and the quality of food served to the people in the city.

Though the state government has introduced the amended Food Safety and Standard Act-2006, still most of the restaurant owners, dhabas and traders selling public consumption comedies are not adhering to the rules.

A first such awareness camp was organised at the Shiv Market, Railway Station, Jammu, for food business operators.

Dr Vinod Sharma, municipal food safety officer, spoke about hygienic conditions they should maintain on their premises. “Eating point owners should get their licences / registrations from the office of the health officer, JMC, and they should get registration certificate from the office of the Commissioner, JMC”.

Those who were attending the camp were told to wear mask, apron, cap and gloves to maintain hygiene. They were told to use only potable filtered water to customers and use two types of covered dustbins to separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage.

“They were also told about typhoid vaccination on a regular basis (after 2-3 years) and use of soap and running water for cleaning of utensils,” Dr Sharma said.

After the awareness camp, the team also visited the market and checked the eating points.

The food business operators assured the authorities that the irregularities would be removed within a short span of time. Such type of awareness camps will be organised in the near future by the JMC.

In the absence of stringent laws, cumbersome testing process and required food analysts, there is no check on eating points in the city and at times officials overlook adulteration and unhygienic conditions under which they are prepared.

Sources said corporation’s claim about regular anti-adulteration drive was a mere eyewash as there was no stoppage in influx of adulterated raw material in the city and samples lifted in the recent past remained unchecked for months together.

Jammu, June 19
The suspended train services have been restored today by the Northern Railways, which were affected by floods in Uttarakhand. The only train from Jammu to Rishikesh, Hemkunt Express, which was suspended and others which were diverted for the last two days, have been restored today.

The Hemkunt Express has finally been moved towards Rishikesh after two days from Jammu, and heavy rush was observed at the Jammu Railway Station. However, many passengers had already cancelled tickets due to the uncertainty about the departure of the train.

“We were eagerly waiting for the announcement at the railway station with our fingers crossed about the departure of the Hemkunt Express. Finally, we are relaxed when the authorities have confirmed that the train will depart at right time from Jammu,” said Sushil Yadav, a passenger from Rishikesh, who was here to pay obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

Eight trains from Jammu following this route were affected due to the damage of the railway line on the Ambala-Saharanpur route. Hemkunt Express was suspended, and seven others, Begampura Exp, Jat Anvt Spl, Sealdah Express, Archana Express, Shalimar Exp, Lohit Express and Uhp BSB Spl were diverted to the Ambala-Panipat-Delhi route. The route has been cleared this morning and all the trains have been restored on the said route.

RN Meena, divisional traffic manager, Jammu, said, “As the track was damaged due to flood in Uttarakhand, we had to suspend the Hemkunt Express and divert other trains towards the Ambala-Delhi route via Panipat on Monday and Tuesday. However, it has been restored today”.

Jammu, June 19
As LK Advani’s scheduled visit to Jammu has been cancelled, the BJP has diverted all its energy in mobilising the public for Madhopur function on June 23 in which Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi would address party workers of J&K, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Advani was scheduled to visit Jammu on June 23 and Modi is also visiting Madhopur on the same day.

To mobilise public for Modi’s programme, the BJP has divided the Jammu region into four zones to ensure the participation of maximum number of workers and public in the programme. Newly appointed in charge of the state BJP Avinash Rai Khanna is visiting Jammu on June 20 to address a series of public meetings at Samba, Billawar and Kathua to finalise preparation for the programme.

Addressing a press conference here today, state president of the BJP Jugal Kishore Sharma urged the workers to join in large numbers for the function to be addressed by Modi.

He said this was going to be the first visit of Modi to any state after taking over as the chairman of BJP’s National Election Campaign Committee.

Sharma said June 23, when Modi is scheduled to arrive at Madhopur, holds special significance for the BJP and the people of the state because it was on this day in 1953 that the Jan Sangh founder, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, died under mysterious circumstances in a Srinagar jail after being arrested by the state government.

He was arrested for entering the state without a permit to protest against the law of separate constitution, separate flag and a separate Prime Minister.

Udhampur, June 19
The District Development Board (DDB), Udhampur, that met here today under the chairmanship of Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture Raman Bhalla, approved an outlay of Rs 99 crore for the district under the current year Annual Plan.

Member Parliament, Lal Singh, vice chairman, J&K Advisory Board for the Development of Gujjar and Bakkerwal, Bashir Ahmed Naaz, MLAs Harshdev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Krishan Chander Bhagat, Baldev Raj Sharma, District Development Commissioner, Yasha Mudgal, besides district heads of line departments officers of the police and the Army attended the meeting.

The plan included capital component of Rs 62.29 crore and revenue component of Rs 33.39 crore against the last years’ annual plan of Rs 95.69 crore.

Addressing the meeting, Bhalla, who is also the chairman of the DDB, told the officials concerned to focus on core sectors ,including road connectivity, supply of safe drinking water, power supply, education and healthcare. He also stressed on time-bound development of far-flung areas.

The minister asked the officers to perform their duties with dedication, so that the funds approved for the current fiscal year were also utilised in full and development scenario of the district was improved. He impressed upon them to take on-board the public representatives while formulating any development project of public utility. 

Rajouri, June 19
Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmad Khan today announced the release of Rs 10 lakh for the construction of a sub-health centre (SHC) at Pangrian Paryali village of Rajouri.

He was addressing public meetings at the Pangrian Paryali border villages here. He said a project report of Rs 1.40 crore had been mooted to the Centre for funding under R-APRDP to upgrade the power infrastructure in the area.

Reiterating the commitment of the government to ensure holistic development of all regions of the state, with special focus on border and hilly areas, the minister said the government’s pro-people policies and exemplary initiatives had marched the state on the path of peace and prosperity.

He said the construction work on the 6.3 MVA receiving station at Ghambair Brahmana was apace and the executing agency concerned had been directed for its time-bound completion. He said after its commissioning, it would benefit a large number of people. He said the construction work on a water supply scheme at Pangrian had started at an estimated cost of Rs 4.78 crore and assured the people that it would be completed in the stipulated time.

The minister said, “Being a local representative, it is my duty to work for the development of all areas of the district. No injustice would be done to any area of the district on the developmental front.” He assured the people that their genuine demands would be fulfilled in a phased manner.

The minister exhorted the panchs and sarpanches to work sincerely for the welfare and development of the people. He said the primary responsibility of the public representatives was to go to the people, listen to their problems and address them before government.

Srinagar, June 19
The Valley-based hoteliers today complained that erratic power supply was taking a toll on the tourism sector.

“As electricity is playing hide and seek, the tourists staying at our hotels face several problems,” J&K Hoteliers Club (JKHC) joint secretary-general Tariq Rashid Ghani said today.

He said various issues, including power problem, faced by the tourism sector were discussed by the hoteliers during a JKHC meeting held here last evening which was chaired by the head of the club, Mushtaq Chaya.

Ghani said it was decided in the meeting that the hoteliers would soon meet the ministers concerned, including Finance Minister AR Rather and Tourism Minister GA Mir, and raise the issues faced by them.

He said they had for long been demanding industrial benefits for the tourism sector. “Tourism sector was granted industrial status in 1996, but we are yet to get industrial benefits,” he said.

The JKHC also urged the government to ensure that cars were not wrongly parked on the roads at tourist spots, especially on the Boulevard Road on the banks of the Dal Lake as it was causing a lot of inconvenience to the visitors. “Some roads have been widened, but are being used for parking,” Ghani added.

The hoteliers also said they were being ‘wrongly’ levied entry tax on goods imported for hotels and that the government should take steps in this regard.

Srinagar, June 19
With an aim to expedite the process of library automation at the Allama Iqbal Library, the University of Kashmir today started a five-day regional training programme for library professionals in collaboration with the Information and Library Network, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Inaugurating the programme, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Talat, said the process of automation was the need of the hour. “People today prefer to access the research material, journals and books online,” he said.

“There is a great need for updating and expediting the process of automation in our libraries, as the problem of housing the ever-increasing number of books, journals and research material is being faced by library professionals and educational institutions all over the world. It is due to space constraints and our case is no different,” said Prof Talat.

He also thanked INFLIBNET, an autonomous inter-university centre of the University Grants Commission, for its support.

University Librarian Abdul Majid Baba said the seeds of INFLIBNET were sown in the campus when Prof Yash Pal was the chairperson of the University Grants Commission.

He said, “The University of Kashmir had a privilege of representing the northern region for holding the regional consultation meeting on INFLIBNET on July 15, 1998.”

He further said three regional consultation meetings were held in the country that gave birth to INFLIBNET.

Divyakant Vaghela, Swapnil Patel and Niraj Kumar will be imparting training during the programme.

College Principals and other heads of various educational institutions of the state have deputed their librarians for the programme.

The participants have come from distant places to attend the programme.

Srinagar, June 19
A day after senior Congress leader ML Fotedar called restoration of autonomy in the state a closed chapter, a Sikh body today urged UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to make clear Congress party’s official stand on the issue.

In a statement, All-Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairperson Jagmohan Singh Raina said, “Fotedar’s statement has created confusion among the people and it needs to be cleared by the Congress high command. Only the party president can make it clear if he was speaking on behalf of the party or his own self. If it is the stand of the party, then the Congress should make it clear to the National Conference that there is no scope for autonomy in the state.”

“Disciplinary action should be taken against Fotedar if he was speaking in his personal capacity and not as a Congress leader,” he said.

Stating that the Congress leaders had, in the past, said they were ready to look into options that would act as confidence building measures for the people of state, Raina said, “Former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao had said sky is the limit when it comes to satisfying the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Fotedar’s statement seems contrary to the view held by the Congress leaders in the past and the record needs to be set straight so that there is no more confusion among public.”

The APSCC chairperson said the people of the state, especially the minorities, had to bear the brunt of conflicting statements in the past, with the members of a minority community forced to leave the Kashmir valley. 

Srinagar, June 19
The Department of Nephrology, SKIMS, will organise a three-day 17th annual conference of North Zone Chapter of Indian Society of Nephrology at the SKICC here from June 21.

The Director, SKIMS, Showkat A Zargar, complimented the department for hosting the conference, saying such events not only provide a world-class scientific programme, but also reflect the unique role of the national and international societies' efforts to advance renal care in both the developed and the developing world.

The conference will be attended by more than 100 delegates from the country and abroad, who will deliver lectures and share experiences on various aspects of kidney diseases.

The organising committee said the conference would deliberate on critical topics such as infections of the urinary tract, kidney transplantation, acute and chronic kidney diseases, prevention of various kidney diseases, nutrition and chronic renal failure.

Deliberations will also be held on the preventive nephrology. 

Srinagar, June 19
The Postgraduate Department of Chemistry, Kashmir University, will organise a workshop on ‘Chemistry Popularisation’ in collaboration with the Indian Association of Chemistry Teachers, Mumbai, tomorrow. "This workshop is a step forward towards popularising chemistry education at primary and secondary level of school education and to strive for overall excellence in basic science education at grass-roots level," said GM Peerzada, head and workshop convener.

Giving details, organising secretary of the workshop said the event would begin with an inaugural function, presided over by KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad and attended by dignitaries and prominent scholars of the university. Certificates of merit would be given to 40 students, who had shown an extraordinary performance in the National Standard Examination (NSE) and the Australian National Quiz in chemistry, conducted last year by this department. This would be followed by technical sessions, in which the resource persons from various research institutes would deliver lectures, conduct experimental demonstrations (chem-magic) and quiz among the participating teachers and the students. 

Srinagar, June 19
Hardline Hurriyat chairperson Syed Ali Geelani today said Kashmiri militants and civilians posed no threat to the Amarnath pilgrims. He stated after the Army launched ‘Operation Shiva’ to keep the track secure.

“There is no danger to the pilgrims from militants or Kashmiris,” Geelani said in a statement. The separatist leader termed the Army’s operation as a ‘political manoeuvre’.He said the announcement of the Army operation was a conspiracy to ‘defame’ the separatist movement.— TNS

Rajouri, June 19
In a major setback to the efforts of reviving subversive activities in the Rajouri-Poonch area, the police unearthed a major hawala module involved in the distribution of terrorist funds for various terrorists and separatist activities.

On June 17, the police booked Mohammed Farooq Khan alias Farooq Dullia, resident of Potha, Surankote. He was apprehended by the Rajouri police with hawala money worth Rs 95,000 at Manyal Gali, Thanamandi.

During investigations, it was found that Farooq Khan, a released militant, was the president of the Jammu Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM) for Poonch district, which is patronised by Pakistan and headed by GA Mir, resident of Thanamandi.

Farooq Khan is one of the oldest militants from Poonch district, who crossed over to Pakistan for arms training in 1990 and was arrested along with pistol and grenades. He remained in jail for more than two years. In 2001, he joined the JKPM.

For six months, he has been working as an active conduit in transporting money to terrorists through hawala transactions received from Saudi Arabia and further handing it over to vice-chairperson of the JKPM Qasir Sajad Mir, son of GA Mir, for its further distribution to Hurriyat leaders.

It has been found that an amount of more than Rs 11 lakh has been received by Farooq Khan from Saudi Arabia through various banks. 

Srinagar, June 19
The quarterfinal lineup has been drawn in the ongoing State Championship in Football which started on June 16. The lineup was drawn after four matches were played.

In the first match AG office defeated Arfat FC by a solitary goal and entered the quarterfinal round.

The second match was played between the J&K Bank Academy and the Kashmir United, which the academy won 3-0.

In the third match the J&K PDC Blue defeated DFA Baramulla in tie-breaker. The fourth match played between Mahraja Sports and Jahangir Sports was won by Jahangir Sports.

Quarterfinal lineup:

Jammu XI take on JK PDC XI on 20th June at Hajan, Bandipora.

J&K Police take on Iqbal Sports on 20th June at Polo Ground, Srinagar.