|
|
|
|
|
Border provocations to get befitting reply:
Army
General Officer Commanding-in-
Chief of Northern Command Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra during the wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial at Drass on Friday. Tribune photo Amin War |
|
|
Sarpanch shot at by militants in Sopore
Jammu’s groundwater ‘polluted, unfit for human consumption’
Entrance exam board to come under lens
Efforts to unify Cong fail to impress Soni
Two-day CET begins today
Budgam remains peaceful for 4th day
Chinar Corps remembers Kargil War victory
Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, General Officer Commanding, Chinar Corps, pays tribute at the war memorial at Badamibagh Cantonment in Srinagar on Friday. A Tribune photograph
Infiltration bid thwarted in Mendhar sector
Over 3.15 lakh pilgrims at Amarnath shrine so far
Protest in Gool against Ramban killings
|
|
Border provocations to get befitting reply:
Army
Drass, July 26 The Northern Command guards the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the Ladakh region where recent incursions by Chinese troops have become a cause of concern for the country. “In eastern Ladakh while there have been some reports of incidents along the LAC with China, I wish to assure that our existing border management procedure and mechanisms with the Chinese are well in place. We have hot lines, flag meetings and border personnel meetings that enable us to resolve issues peacefully. The border situation is well under control,” said Lt General Chachra. The commander said the recent upsurge in militant activities indicated that there was a determined attempt to revive militancy in the state. “There is an increase in ceasefire violations and infiltrations, which indicate a determined attempt as also the rising frustration of the perpetrators of the proxy war. It also indicates that the terrorist infrastructure that has been put in place by our adversary across the border is still intact. To counter the ongoing proxy war, we are committed to launching intelligence specific and people-friendly operations as also concerted counter-infiltration operations along the Line of Control. Let me say very candidly that we are largely successful,” he said Lt General Chachra said on the occasion of Vijay Diwas they would make a resolve to safeguard the country borders. The Northern Command GOC-in-C told soldiers that the victory in Kargil and the way the Army defended the territory had given inspiration to the young generation. “The remarkable victory has naturally given inspiration to our young generation across the country. The country will never forget the sacrifices of soldiers who laid down their lives for our tomorrow.” The commander said the Kargil War was thrust on the country and Indian soldiers. “The infiltrators were pushed back through the valour shown by our soldiers. I thank the contribution of the nation and the gallant martyrs who made the victory possible. This is the Army’s modest homage to the martyrs and a way of remembering the contribution of the units and the formations which had participated in the conflict and gave India its finest victory in recent times,” he said. Former Army Chief V P Malik, retired senior officers who were part of the Kargil War and serving Army officers paid floral tributes at the memorial.
|
|||
|
Sarpanch shot at by militants in Sopore
Srinagar, July 26 Parry is the sixth panchayat member to be attacked by militants this year. He has been admitted to a hospital here. The police said preliminary investigation suggested that the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit was involved in the attack. “We have also identified the militants,” the police official said. A police spokesman said the sarpanch’s face was severely injured when he was fired at by militants. Parray was leaving the village mosque after offering Friday congregational prayers when he was shot at by the militants. Immediately after the attack, the police and security forces cordoned off the area to track down the assailants.
Panchayat members have been frequently targeted by militants in the Kashmir region since they were elected in the 2001 landmark elections. In January this year, militants killed the sarpanch of Goripora village and critically injured a panch of Hardshiv village, both near Sopore town. In February, militants shot dead a sarpanch of Kalantara village of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. In April, militants shot at and injured the sarpanch of Bomie near Sopore town and killed another sarpanch in Pulwama district of south Kashmir. Chairman of the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference Shafiq Mir has blamed the Omar Abdullah government for attacks on panchayat members. Mir has accused the Chief Minister of having “failed to protect” the elected members “despite their requests for a security cover”. Mir appealed to human rights groups to take note of the killings of elected panchayat members.
|
|||
|
Jammu’s groundwater ‘polluted, unfit for human consumption’
Jammu, July 26 Incidentally, at least 80 per cent of the population in the Jammu region relies upon ground water. Pragya conducted her research on 13 parameters of physico-chemical analysis such as pH (measure of acid, base properties) , electrical conductivity (EC), carbonate (CO3), bicarbonate (HCO3), chloride (Cl), sulphate (SO4), nitrate (NO3), fluoride (F), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), iron (Fe), total hardness (TH) as per
standard methods (APHA, 1989). “For the present study, various samples of groundwater, from hand pumps and tube wells, were collected from the different locations of Jammu city. The results were compared with drinking water specifications of WHO and
IS (International Standards): 10500, 1991 (reaffirmed in 1993) and BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards),” said Pragya. While pH was found in the range of 7.15 to 8.35 (permissible range is 6.5 to 8.5 as per IS:10500 for potable drinking water), the carbonate concentration was almost zero at all places except Sidhra and bicarbonate ranged from 134 to 836 mg/litre. The acceptable limit of carbonate and bicarbonate is 75 mg/litre and 30 to 400 mg/litre, respectively. The presence of high concentrations of bicarbonate in Satwari, Digiana, Kunjwani, Kaluchak, Greater Kailash, Narwal Bala, Nagrota, Gura, Company Bagh, Nai
Basti, Ram Pura, Trikuta Nagar can cause nutritional disturbances, such as reducing the availability of calcium and the uptake of iron, she said. While chloride and sulphate were well within the permissible limits, nitrate content varied in the range 0 to 92 mg/litre, which was higher than the prescribed limit of 40 mg/litre at selected places like Digiana, Kunjwani, Narwal Bala, Sidhra, Nagrota, Bohri, Company
Bagh, Shastri Nagar and Nanak Nagar. Similarly, the fluoride content in groundwater was found from 0.0 to 1.6 mg/litre, which was towards the higher side
at Satwari. Though a small concentration of fluoride in drinking water has beneficial effect on human health for preventing dental caries, concentration of fluoride higher than that of 1.5 mg/litre carries an increased risk of dental fluorosis and even higher concentration could lead to skeletal fluorosis, she said. The groundwater samples of Jammu do not meet the standards set by IS:10500, WHO and BIS, she said. Crossing permissible limits Carbonate and Bicarbonate: The carbonate concentration is almost zero at all places in Jammu except at Sidra. Bicarbonate ranges from 134 to 836 mg/litre. The acceptable limit of carbonate and bicarbonate is 75 mg/l and 30 to 400 mg/l, respectively. The high concentration of bicarbonate can cause nutritional disturbances, such as reducing the availability of calcium. Nitrate: The nitrate content in certain areas varied in the range 0 to 92 mg/litre -- higher than the prescribed limit of 40 mg/l. The high nitrate content can cause gastric problems. Calcium: Human body requires approximately 0.7 to 2.0 grams of calcium per day as a food element but excessive amounts can lead to the formation of kidney or gallbladder stones. The desirable limit of calcium in water is 75 mg/l while in the present samples it ranged from 38 to 162 mg/l. Sodium: The sodium content of groundwater samples ranged from 6.5 to 170 mg/l while the permissible limit is 50 mg/l . An increased intake of sodium can be problematic for people with hypertension, heart disease or kidney problems.
|
|||
|
Entrance exam board to come under lens
Jammu, July 26 “In the wake of a public outcry and allegations of large-scale irregularities and wealth accumulated by board officials during the past four years, the government has made up its mind to approach the crime branch for an indepth probe. A formal order in this regard is likely to be issued in the next few days,” sources in the Civil Secretariat said. The sources said the government would urge the crime branch to submit the inquiry report in the shortest possible time so that strict legal action could be initiated against the guilty. “All examinations and selections of the BOPEE in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 will come under scrutiny. The role of former BOPEE chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, who was given an extension twice, is also under the scanner,” the sources said. The sources said there were several allegations of favouritism and nepotism against the former BOPEE chairman. “The needle of suspicion is revolving around him and he may be grilled for his role in the selection of some undeserving candidates for professional courses,” the sources added. The decision of the government to give an extensions to him twice had drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Peer completed his tenure on June 17, 2011, and was given a one-year extension. After completing this period, he was given a two-month extension on June 20 last year. Incumbent chairman RD Sharma was appointed on August 18, 2012.
|
|||
|
Efforts to unify Cong fail to impress Soni
Jammu, July 26 After skipping the unity rally organised here on July 14, Soni warned state leaders against indulging in factionalism. Sources said a group of Congress leaders from Jammu and Kashmir met her in New Delhi a couple of days back on the direction of the leader of their
faction. During their meeting with Soni, they reportedly tried to undermine the credibility of their rivals in the party. Interestingly, the leaders of both warring
factions met her the same day and complained against their respective rival groups. A leader who met Soni said on the condition of anonymity that the national general secretary of the party was not impressed with the unity efforts of the local leadership and she emphasised on working at the ground level to make the Congress a united and strong force instead of
trying to politicise the unity move. “During her interaction with the visiting leaders, Soni said she had not been formally invited to the unity rally organised by the Jammu (Urban) District Congress Committee on July 14,” sources said. They added that Soni told them that a number of banners carrying her photographs had been put up at the venue of the rally without her consent to give the impression that she would attend the rally. A delegation of Congress leaders owing allegiance to Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin
Soz, comprising state Congress spokesman Ravinder Singh, former minister Mula Ram, Member
of Legislative Council Bashir Ahmed Magray, Hari Singh Chib and Hari Singh, met Soni. Former minister Suman Bhagat and former state Youth Congress president Amin Bhat, supporters of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, also met Soni. The sources said Soni bluntly told the visiting leaders that she was aware of the functioning of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir and was aware of the situation. “During the meeting, most Congress leaders cautioned her against a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference before the Assembly elections in the state,” the sources said. They added that the leaders claimed that the Congress would emerge as the single largest party because there was a strong wave in its favour. Her message to rival groups
|
|||
|
Two-day CET begins today
Jammu, July 26 The invigilating staff distributed the biology question paper instead of the chemistry question paper at some centres in Srinagar on June 22. "We are satisfied with the arrangements in place for the CET beginning tomorrow. We have inspected all 33 centres, 19 of which are in Kashmir and 14 in Jammu," Farooq Mir, Controller of Examinations, BOPEE, said. He had recently taken charge as the Controller of Examinations. He said they had held meetings of coordinators and observers to be deployed at examination centres and told them to ensure a hassle-free CET. A total of 24,825 candidates will appear in the test. "I am hopeful and confident that the test will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner and will be incident-free," Mir said. He said he had proposed the installation of close-circuit television cameras in counselling halls to bring about more transparency in the selection process. On July 24, the state government appointed MA Bukhari, Secretary, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, as the inquiry officer to look into various aspects related to the conduct of the CET on June 22 and 23. On July 23, the High Court directed the state government to institute an inquiry into the causes and reasons for cancelling the CET and fix responsibility. The High Court directed the state government and the BOPEE to ensure a fair, transparent and hassle-free conduct of the CET. |
|||
|
Budgam remains peaceful for 4th day
Srinagar, July 26 Restrictions were in force in nearly 20 villages between Khomeini Chowk on the outskirts of Srinagar and Budgam. The trouble had started due to a scuffle between some individuals at Khomeini Chowk more than a week ago. The trouble had then spread to other villages in the district on the periphery of Srinagar. “Mild restrictions have been imposed only about 10 per cent of the Budgam tehsil,” said Khursheed Ahmad Shah, Deputy Commissioner of Budgam. Residents of areas around Budgam said police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel were deployed around villages of Dardpora, Dangarpora, Razwen and Chhoon. Officials said the deployment was made to instil confidence among residents. Political parties, separatists and social, religious and civil society organisations had been appealing to the people for peace and harmony, particularly in the wake of Ramadan. The High Court Bar Association today appealed to the people in the Valley, particularly in Budgam, to maintain peace and harmony. Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, general secretary of the association, said there was tension in Budgam at a time when there was mourning over the death of four persons in Ramban district.
|
|||
|
Chinar Corps remembers Kargil War victory
Srinagar, July 26 Addressing officers and soldiers, he said, "It is a day of divine reverence for all of us. We rededicate ourselves to the cause for which 527 brave hearts laid down their lives, serving the cause of national security. They have blazed the trail of supreme sacrifice for all of us." The Kargil war began in May, 1999, and lasted more than two months before Pakistani soldiers, most of them drawn from its Northern Light Infantry, and militants withdrew from the mountain peaks overlooking the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway. Operation Vijay was launched on May 8, 1999, to evict Pakistani forces from the mountains of Drass and Batalik sectors and push them back to the Line of Control, a defence spokesman said. By the last week of July, Pakistani intruders were completely evicted from
the two sectors, the spokesman said. Four soldiers had been awarded the Param Vir Chakra, eight the Maha Vir Chakra and 51 the Vir
Chakra. |
|||
|
Infiltration bid thwarted in Mendhar sector
Jammu, July 26 The Army denied the incident. "No such incident took place in Poonch and the reports are baseless," said an Army officer. Intelligence sources claimed firing between a group of militants and troops in the Phagwari Gali area along the LoC in the Mendhar sector on the night of July 25. "There was an infiltration bid from across the LoC that prompted the troops to open fire. In the gunbattle that lasted nearly two hours, a couple of troops sustained minor injuries. Reports said there were two or three casualties among the militants," they said. The sources added that two senior Army officers went in a helicopter to the Mendhar sector around 9:55 am today, stayed there for nearly an hour and returned around 11 am. The area was being manned by 5 Grenadiers.
|
|||
|
Over 3.15 lakh pilgrims at Amarnath shrine so far
Srinagar, July 26 A total of 3,12,562 yatris had darshan at the cave shrine till last evening, an official said, adding that another 3,350 pilgrims had darshan till this afternoon. He said 11 deaths had taken place during the pilgrimage this year. He said nine yatris and two sevadars had died so far and all deaths were caused due to cardiac arrest. The Amarnath yatra started on June 28 and was scheduled to conclude on August 21. The Chhari Mubarak journey was scheduled to commence from the Dashnami Akhara here on August 16. While puja at the holy cave shrine was scheduled to be held on August 21, the holy mace would be back at the Dashnami Akhara on August 23.
|
|||
|
Protest in Gool against Ramban killings
Jammu, July 26 Hundreds of protesters assembled after prayers and raised slogans against the BSF and the government. They demanded
that the BSF men responsible for the killings should be arrested and brought to book. On July 18, four protesters in Dharam village of the Gool area were killed in alleged firing by the BSF when they were protesting against the alleged desecration of a holy book.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Drass, July 26
Srinagar, July 26
