Jammu, September 16
Grappling with the problem of shrinking space to cater to the ever-growing rush of students and visitors on the campus, the University of Jammu has identified 122 kanals of land at Bajalta on the outskirts of the city, for expansion of the varsity campus.

The varsity has also laid thrust on the construction of multi-storey buildings in the wake of shrinking space due to “unplanned and mindless” construction of buildings on the campus over the years that had given it (institution) a scruffy look.

“The University is yet to retrieve its land, adjacent to the main campus, which is under the occupation of the Army. The state government has also not handed over the land belonging to the mechanical division of the Army to the university so far. Besides, the unplanned construction of buildings over the years has led to the problem of shrinking space. We have identified 122 kanals of land at Bajalta under expansion plan,” Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, the Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University, said.

Ishar said the university had decided to construct multi-storey buildings on the campus so that many departments were accommodated in a single structure. “The existing buildings are either one or two-storey and occupy a lot of space. The varsity is virtually left with no space to construct more buildings in the wake of the growing rush of the students. We will construct multi-storey structures to house different departments in single structure,” he said.

It may be placed here that the varsity had failed to retrieve its hundreds kanal of land from the Army’s occupation till date as the latter had agreed to vacate the land only if they were given an alternate land of equal market value, which was estimated nearly Rs 400 crore.

The existing University campus spreads over 118.70 acres and it presents a scruffy look because of shrinking space due to “unplanned” construction over the years.

Sources said the University authorities had taken up the matter with the state Higher Education Department several times for handing the 32-kanal land of mechanical store outside the main campus to the varsity but they had yet to get positive signs from the state government.

Recently, the University had suffered a major setback when the State Planning Department had turned down its request to transfer about 500 kanal of land belonging to the Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), Jammu.

The Planning Department had reservations that the extension of an institution couldn’t be allowed at the cost of the college under development as the GCET authorities would have to shelve its major development activities in near future in such case.

Jammu, September 16
Students and scholars of the Jammu University today boycotted classes and took out a march in protest against the alleged “failure” of the police to arrest the “absconders” responsible for “murderous attack” on a Ph.D scholar on September 13.

The protesters demanded immediate arrest of the accused and threatened to intensify their stir if they were not brought to justice.

The Jammu University Research Scholar Executive Association (JURSEA) members, activists of the National Secular Forum (NSF) and other student organisations, raised slogans against the police for allegedly adopting a ‘soft approach’ in arresting the accused despite having identified them. They took out a protest march on the campus and visited various departments of the varsity to garner support of students on the issue.

“It is unfortunate that the police have not arrested the fourth girl who was involved in the assault and violence on the campus. Besides, the absconders mercilessly beaten up the scholar and damaged university property are still roaming free. We demand immediate arrest of all the culprits so that a strong message is given to the miscreants,” a protester said.

He said they had warned the university administration about the alleged “ulterior motives” of the group involved in the incident of assault four years back but it remained spectator to their designs which resulted into “murderous attack” on the scholar and repeated incidents of violence on the campus.

On September 13, the University administration had expelled two students and suspended four girl students following assault of a Ph.D scholar from the Sanskrit Department.

The police had arrested four activists of the Progressive Students Association (PSA) on the charges of attempt to murder, while some outsiders, who were allegedly involved in the attack, are absconding.

Meanwhile, the youth wing of the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Front (JKDF) has demanded immediate arrest of “miscreants and absconders” from the Progressive Student Association.

Talking to mediapersons, Munish Khajuria, state president JKDF Youth Wing and Abhishek Slathia, state president JKDF student union and Raman Sharma, condemned the attack on the scholar. They alleged that the attackers were more than a dozen in number.

“The activities of the PSA were under scanner for a long time but the Jammu University administration has banned it only after the occurrence of the incident. We demand immediate arrests of the PSA members accused of the attack and thorough investigation of the matter,” they said.

Jammu, September 16
To provide dependable power supply system in several institutions of the state, the government set up a 100-kW solar power plant at the Government Polytechnic, Bikram Chowk, here today. Minister of State for Technical Education and Power, Vikar Rasool, inaugurated the plant.

The plant has been installed at a cost of Rs 2.68 crore by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission which will augment the round-the-clock power requirement of the institution.

Rasool said the government was keen to harness new and renewable energy potential in the state and use it as an instrument to improve the socio-economic condition of the people. He said the government had decided to install solar plants at all important government institutions to make round-the-clock source of energy available at these institutions. He said with the installation of solar power plant, the institutions will get uninterrupted power supply.

He appreciated the functioning of the polytechnic. He said both the institutions in Jammu and Srinagar were running well and providing quality education to the students. He hoped that the college would continue its efforts to shape the future of students in the right direction. Mementoes were also present to the Minister and Director School Education.

sunny supply The government has installed a 100-kW solar power plant at the Government Polytechnic, Bikram Chowk The plant has been installed at a cost of Rs 2.68 crore by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission

Jammu, September 16
The poor continue to suffer as the government has failed to establish fair price medical shops at the Government Medical College (Jammu) and Gandhi Nagar Hospital, under Jan Aushadhi Drug Stores (JADS). Sources said a strong lobby of pharma companies was opposing the move, as it will benefit patients admitted in hospitals who will be able to buy medicines at subsidised rates.

Officials said though space to establish the fair price shops had been identified, but so far the project had not taken off, which was one of the priority scheme started by the state. Sources said some officials of the Health Department had ensured that the Red Cross Society, implementing the project does not get the required supply of drugs and hurdles are put in the way of getting the required approvals.

Under a central scheme, fair price shops, JADS, were to setup to provide quality medicine at genuine rates. It is under a scheme sponsored by the Union Health Ministry and the first phase these stores were to be opened at SMHS Hospital, Srinagar, Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, and one each at Leh and Kargil and Government Medical College, Jammu, and later the central scheme was be extended to other districts of the state. “A benefit of opening these shops would have been to ensure quality medicines at affordable prices to people particularly the poor, who are the main sufferers of the rising medicine prices," an official said.

Director, Health, Dr BS Pathania, claimed the space has been identified for the purpose and drugs will be made available soon. “The delay was because of unavailability of space for the purpose, but that has now been solved and drugs will be soon made available," he said.

Katra, September 16
The Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, Sarh, under the aegis of Headquarters Counter Insurgency Force (Uniform), distributed furniture and volleyball and cricket items at the Government Middle School, Budhan (Kote), Government High School, Lancha, Government Middle School, Chohan Mohalla, Government Middle School, Kote Katha, Government Middle School, Mahasal and Government Middle School, Purna Jander in Tehsil Mahore, as part of Operation Sadbhavna today.

The aim is to improve the basic infrastructure and atmosphere at the schools. The schools in the remote area of Tehsil Mahore lack basic infrastructure and amenities for the students. The Army has been regularly providing a helping hand for the uplift of the schools in the region, said Ashwini Kumar Khajuria, SDM and the Zonal Education Officer, Mahore.

The Sarpanch of Budhan village inaugurated the event. The Commanding Officer of the Rashtriya Rifles Battalion conveyed his good wishes to the residents. He thanked them for their support towards eradication of militancy and for their support to the security forces.

He urged the residents to allow the youth to venture out of the Tehsil and pursue higher education. The views were seconded by the SDM and other civil dignitaries. The principals of the beneficiary schools thanked the Army for this noble gesture and said that it would go a long way in providing basic amenities in the schools.

Jammu, September 16
The premier show of Hindi movie 'Damini, the victim' was screened here today. The film was inspired by real life event, the December 16 Delhi gang rape case.

Jammu-based production house, 999 Production Limited, made the film which has its entire cast from the state.

The film is a tribute to the victim. The movie also has a special appearance of Bollywood actor Raghubir Yadav.

The film, shot in Jammu city, has breathtaking views of the city of temples by cinematographer Atul Vinod Duggal. The movie is set to release in mid-October in the state and in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi etc.

The film directed by Sahid Kazmi, and produced by Parvinder Pal Singh 'Lucky' with 999 Production Limited.

Soman Manhas plays the main character. She researched on the subject, including reading journals online and meeting therapist in Jammu, to grasp the mental state of a rape victim.

Director Sahid Kazmi said, “People were talking about the gang rape - questioning the act, whether the girl was responsible for what happened with her, etc, which got us thinking. So, we thought of making a movie portraying the aftermath of any rape case, about what a woman goes through, physically and mentally."

Others who acted in the film are Shammi Malhotra, JR Sagar, Lilita Tapsvi, Arjun Manhas, Parvinder Pal Singh, Vansheen Suri and Raja Sarfraz.

Katra, September 16
When the nation was thinking that the death penalty to the perpetrators of the Delhi gang rape would act as a deterrent to others, another 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three policemen last Friday in Reasi district sparking outrage across the state.

The police has arrested an assistant sub-inspector and a special police officer while the third accused is still on the run. Protests rocked the area with people blocking the road demanding death penalty to the rapists.

Family members said the trio abducted the girl after raiding their house at Talwara migrant camp. The father of the girl lodged a complaint with the police which immediately raided a suspected hideout at Mari village.

The police rescued the girl and arrested two of the accused while the third policeman, who is working as personal assistant of a senior police officer, fled the scene.

The girl belongs to a poor family who had migrated to Talwara after facing militant threats. “I am a poor man. They have ruined the life of my daughter,” said her father.

Massive protests rocked Reasi as hundreds of people, including NGO volunteers, took to streets and blocked the road to bus stand at Reasi demanding justice. “Death to rapists, we want justice,” rent the air as people staged a sit-in on a strategic bridge on the Chenab. Senior officers of the area rushed to the scene and assured the people that action would be taken within 48 hours.

Fact File A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three policemen last Friday in Reasi The police has arrested an assistant sub-inspector and a special police officer while the third accused, who is working as personal assistant of a senior police officer, is still on the run The girl belongs to a poor family who had migrated to Talwara after facing militant threats Massive protests rocked Reasi as hundreds of people, including volunteers of NGO, took to streets and blocked the road to the bus stand at Reasi, demanding justice.

Jammu, September 16
The National Panthers Party (NPP) has proposed several amendments in the Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regulation) Bill 2009 and placed the same before the select committee of the Legislative Assembly constituted for the purpose.

NPP chairman and MLA Harsh Dev Singh, while presenting his written proposals before the select committee, said the Bill had been conceptualised with a noble objective of protecting and preserving the religious places of Kashmiri Hindus which had remained unattended or were in ruins or were encroached upon due to the mass migration of Kashmiri Hindus after the outbreak of militancy in 1989.

Singh, who is also member of select committee, said there were several organisations, trusts and associations which had expressed reservations and these were required to be thoroughly debated and deliberated by the select committee, including summoning of various state holders, before finalising the draft proposals. The NPP said the J&K Dharmarth Trust Council, which claims to be one of the major stakeholders in the management of Hindu temples and shrines in the Kashmir valley, has alleged non-consultation over this vital issue.

Singh said the management comprises eminent personalities with Dr Karan Singh as its chairman trustee. "This trust is managing 25 temples in the Valley for more than a century and a half. The Dharmarth Trust would like the temples run by it to be excluded from the purview of the Bill," he said.

He said the Chander Chinar Bada Akhara Udasin Trust was also running an ashram which was a famous holy place, especially for the followers of Udasin Tradition.

Another institution Ramakrishna Mission has an All-India character and has to be treated accordingly, he said, adding that it was also suggested by certain scholars and intellectuals that the word Hindus was an inclusive expression and should not be broken into Kashmiri Hindus and Dogra Hindus through the legislation.

The government should also take the opinion of prominent and representative Kashmiri Hindu organisations and groups into the matter of constitution of the management board.

He called upon the committee to deliberate upon all proposals in view of concern shown by various stakeholders and to further ensure the passage of the Bill at the earliest in the coming Autumn session of the legislative Assembly in Srinagar beginning on September 30.

Rajouri, September 16
The Forest Department has seized sleepers worth lakhs of rupees from Peer ki Gali about 43 km from Bufflaiz on Mughal Road and registered a case against three government employees, including, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Rajouri.

According to unconfirmed reports, Dr Anees, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Rajouri, had deputed a class IV employee of Health Department, Abdul Qayoom and Mohammad Maqbool, a PHE employee, to cut the green trees at Nilana Top (dani) about 2 km from Chatapani.

The Forest Department received a complaint from local people that some persons were cutting green trees in the Chatapani forest, especially the Nilana Top. Forester Fazal Ahmed, along with other officers of the department makes a surprise visit and seized all the sleepers.

Confirming the reports Ahmed said, “We have registered a case against Dr Anees and two other persons, health department employee Abdul Quoom and a PHE employee”. He however, said, “We are still collecting information how many people are more involved in this.”

Unaware about the reports neither District Forest Officer, Poonch, Ram Rattan Sharma, nor Ranger Azmat gave satisfactory reply about the incident. Talking to The Tribune, Dr Anees Altaf showed his unawareness about the incident and denied the charges.

He said, “I have also heard about the thing, but I, really not aware about the facts, not even I received any call from the police or the Forest Department.”

Darhal (Rajouri), September 16
Terming sports as an important element to shape up one’s personality, Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services & Sports Taj Mohi ud Din said development of sports infrastructure is a top priority with his department.

Addressing a public meeting here, the minister said the state government had submitted a sports infrastructure development proposal of Rs 1,000 crore to the Centre and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had been kind to approve the proposal.

He said under the proposal, stadia and sports fields would be constructed all around the state.

The minister said the government had made a policy under which every block in the state would be provided with both indoor and outdoor sports complexes. The idea, he said, is to make sports activity and infrastructure available throughout the year. He said many parts of the state, owing to harsh winters, do not have facilities to conduct sports events during winters and youth of these areas have to suffer by remaining idle.

The minister said every panchayat in the state would be provided with a sports field and asked people to look for the available land so that the same is developed as sports fields. He said the other sports paraphernalia like equipment etc. is also being upgraded and strengthened to meet the requirements of present times.

Jammu, September 16
The sports authorities of the state who were in anticipation of getting more projects under the new Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) have suffered a jolt as the Union Sports Ministry has made it clear that the state will not get more than one projects in a single year.

Sources said the directives had been issued by the Union Sports Ministry to all states/union territories.

Sources said the states that had properly utilised facilities created under the erstwhile sports infrastructure schemes would get preference. The grant for creation of sports infrastructure would be released to the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Pertinently, the Tribune had reported that in order to provide major fillip to strengthen the sports infrastructure in different states of the country, including J&K, the Union Sports Ministry had decided to construct synthetic turfs for football, hockey and athletics, besides multipurpose indoor halls across the country under its new USIS scheme. Under this scheme, a multi-purpose indoor hall would be constructed at Leh, Ladakh at an estimated cost of Rs 7.98 crore.

However, the financial rates and norms may be revised from time to time with the approval of Internal Finance Division subject to the overall annual budget allocation.

Sources said with a view to ensure maximum utilisation and sustainability of such facilities, the present scheme envisages development of sports training infrastructure on partnership mode with state governments/ local bodies/ colleges/ universities/ sports control boards on the one hand, and the SAI on the other.

Under the scheme, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) will provide assistance through SAI, or directly, for the creation of need-based sporting infrastructure in the state which will function as the SAI extension centre, but the entire responsibility of maintenance of the infrastructure will be of the state government.

Sources said the Union Sports Ministry would assist the state to depute coaches per year to undergo 1 month refresher course at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. The maximum admissible assistance per coach would be Rs 50, 000 towards training, training material and boarding and lodging. The travel expenses and other allowances will be the responsibility of the state government. Further, the state government will obtain bond from the nominated coaches not to leave service before 2 years of receiving the training.

Jammu, September 16
A religious book titled ‘Ahkaam Aur Amal’ was today released under the banner of Anjuman-E-lmamia Jammu.

Senior BJP leader and MLA Jammu East, Ashok Khajuria was the chief guest at the function, while various scholars from the state and outside participated. Khajuria, while releasing the book, said more religious book should be written in every religion to enlighten the youth about the real preaching of their religion. He also complimented the author of the book Syed Ejaz Zaidi.

Former minister Jagjivan Lal who presided over the function said writing a book and circulating it to society was a service to the mankind. Urdu poet Liaqat Jaffari conducted the proceedings of the function and also presented a brief paper on the book.

He appreciated the efforts made by the author of the book Syed Ejaz Zaidi and appreciated the role of Anjuman-E-lmamia Jammu for giving a platform for the release of the book. Many other scholars also presented their views on the book.

Batote, September 16
Heaps of garbage and carcasses of animals crushed by vehicles on the road troubled the passersby as well as residents in the markets of Batote, Ramban, Banihal and Chanderkot towns falling on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway due to the strike by the Safai karamcharis.

“See what a bad sight and the nauseating stink this dead dog that was crushed by a speedy vehicle four days ago on the road in front of my shop (opposite the Post Office, Batote) is giving. Despite all requests and even monetary offers to the sweepers of the Municipal Committee none of them agreed to lift it from here,” said Shashipal Goswami. “This has not only affected my business as no customer wants to come to my shop and avoids the area,”he added.

“Although we have been cleaning even the human excreta and all the filth to give a cleaner look to the towns, cities, roads and streets to save administrators, legislators, bureaucrats and citizens from diseases none of them bothered to see our services regularised despite the decades of our continuous services,” said Bashir Ahmed, president, Safai karamchari Association, Batote.