Jammu, September 23
Several schoolchildren had a narrow escape at Channi Rama today, when a speeding school bus hit an electricity pole after which a low tension wire fell down. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident. The incident highlights how schoolchildren are left to the mercy of reckless drivers of overcrowded buses. The administration turns a blind eye towards rampant violation of road safety norms.

It has become a threat for the residents, as the electricity poles may fall anytime.

Though the department has laid down stringent guidelines concerning vehicles belonging to educational institutions, they are rarely followed. Most vans, autos, mini-buses and buses are crammed with tiny tots.

"We see vehicles carrying children driving so fast that I am myself afraid at times about the safety of kids. Today it could have been a major tragedy if the electricity pole had fallen on the vehicle after the incident," said Ganesh Dass, an eyewitness.

As per rule, for vehicle owners to be authorised to carry schoolchildren they have to first get commercial licences and then get special permits. It is a long-winded process as there are multiple requirements that have to be met, but there is no checks are special training for the drivers. Around 30,000 students being ferried by around 850 privately run buses, cabs and auto-rickshaws and parents are always concerned about safety of their wards.

"There should be special training for the drivers who ferry children. The administration must take effective steps to curb reckless driving," said Ashok Kumar, a resident.

Parents rue that they are forced to send their children in these vehicles due to a lack of choice. “I have a nine-year-old son who goes to school in a van and I have told driver several times to limit the speed, but he seldom pays any heed," said Bharti Bhat, a housewife.

SSP (Traffic), Manmohan Singh said they were aware about the problems and have booked van drivers several times and the installation of speed limit devices is now mandatory.

“All new vehicles are fitted with such devices and educational institutions have been asked to install them in old vehicles on priority basis. We will investigate today's incident," said Singh.

There should be special training for the drivers who ferry children. The administration must take effective steps to curb reckless driving
— Ashok kumar, a resident

We are aware about such problems and have booked van drivers several times. The installation of speed-limit devices has been made mandatory. All new vehicles are fitted with such devices and educational institutions have been asked to install them in old vehicles on priority basis. We will investigate today’s incident
— Manmohan singh, ssp, traffic

Jammu, September 23
Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Ajit Kumar Sahu, has tendered an apology to the State Information Commission (SIC) after his office made a considerable delay in providing information to an RTI applicant.

In the single-page letter addressed to the Deputy Registrar of the Commission, the Deputy Commissioner claimed that a considerable delay had been noticed in providing information to a Jammu-based RTI applicant, Raman Sharma, and the responsibility had been fixed on a junior assistant of his office.

Sahu said the displeasure had also been conveyed to the erring official.

"The undersigned own responsibility of delay as well as non compliance of the Commission's order in time and apologise to the Commission for this omission," the letter states.

On April 9, 2013, Information Commissioner, Dr SK Sharma, had directed the Deputy Commissioner to hold a probe within a month time and fix the responsibility on the officer for causing delay in furnishing the information under the Right to Information Act to the RTI applicant vide his RTI application filed on September 17, 2012, where he had sought information related to a total number of licenses issued under J&K Cinematographic Act 1989 during the last three years.

The RTI applicant had also sought the details of action being taken against the defaulters who violated the various sections of the J&K Cinematographic Act.

When the applicant got no relief despite the clear directions of the State Information Commission following his complaint, he moved another complaint before the Commission seeking action for non-compliance of the orders of the order of the Information Commission.

On August 22, the Commission had sought personal appearance of the Deputy Commissioner along with counter statement.

The undersigned owns up responsibility for the delay as well as non-compliance of the Commission’s order in time and apologises to the Commission for this omission
— Ajeet Kumar Sahu, dc , Jammu in a letter to state information commission

Jammu, September 23
After pulling up the state for not convening a state-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees (VMCs) meeting of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its Performance Audit Report has claimed that the actual labour demand was far below than the projection made by the state. The report said in J&K, UP, Goa and Bihar it was below 60 per cent.

The Ministry of Rural Development has suggested all these states to adhere to the provisions of the process of preparing labour budget provisions of operational guidelines to ensure that labour budget will be realistic.

The report said as per the performance during the first quarter of the financial year, the state (if required) could come up for revision of the labour budget. Thereafter, the ministry will do a detailed examination of Labour Budget and write to Chief Minister for necessary steps to improve the performance.

Sources said instructions were issued to the state to take necessary measures to reduce the time lag in Management Information System (MIS) data entry. Sources added that there was a significant time lag (varies from 30-90 days) in MIS data entry.

“The important changes of the revised Ombudsman Advisory were discussed. The state was suggested to expedite the appointment of Ombudsmen for effective implementation of the scheme,” report claimed.

The state authorities were also asked to immediately notify detailed rules for payment of unemployment allowance and relevant procedure be drawn up for payment of allowances to the eligible MGNREGA workers. Instructions were also issued to frame detailed rules on compensation for delay in payment of wages by the state.

The Audit Performance Report has claimed that the State has been asked to prepare specific strategy, annual plan and quarterly deliverables and then share it with the Ministry of Rural Development. Not only that, J&K along with other states of the country would create facebook IDs page. States would link their facebook page with their websites and keep updating it with photographs, comments and write-ups about MGNREGA activities.

Jammu, September 23
The first phase of the Display Your Talent (DYT) 2013-14, an inter-collegiate and departmental cultural extravaganza, organised by the Department of Students Welfare, University of Jammu, started with the Rangoli contest here today.

First lady Lida Singh inaugurated the event at Brigadier Rajinder Singh Auditorium. Professor Neelam Saraf, Dean Academic Affairs of the varsity, presided over the function while Professor. MPS Ishar, Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University, also lauded the efforts of the students in conceiving various innovative concepts of Rangoli.

Khasbhu Sharma of the Institute of Music and Fine Arts (IMFA), Jammu, was adjudged first in the event, while Rimpla Kumari of the Department of Commerce, Jammu University, and Anjuman Ayoub of the Government College for Women, Parade, bagged the second and third prizes, respectively.

The certificates of merit were awarded to Aarti Slathia, Department of Psychology, Gurpreet Kour Soni of Government MAM College, Sangeeta Shigotra of the Department of Environment Science and Sugandha Sharma, Department of Computer Science and IT. The flower arrangement and collage contests will be held tomorrow.

Jammu, September 23
Apart from the construction of a multi-purpose hall at Leh in Ladakh, the Centrally Sponsored Urban Sports and Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) of the Union Sports Ministry is aiming at addressing the entire sports eco system holistically. This includes training and development of players, coaching and infrastructure in the state.

Sources said in the past, a series of schemes were announced by the authorities to address each of these objectives separately but it did not happen. In the Central Government, the Sports Authority of India was mandated to cater to all three aspects, but was constrained by shortage of staff and funds. The present scheme will be in operation for two years as a pilot before it is considered for conversion to a regular scheme after due evaluation by the Ministry.

Under this scheme, the authorities concerned in the state have been asked to promote and support a mechanism at the state-level to encourage, assist and preserve community play fields, besides utilisation of infrastructure already available in the state at all levels by filling up critical gaps.

Creation of need-based infrastructure subject to fulfilling all requirements for its optimal utilisation, including financial viability and to promote capacity building among coaches, including community coaches was also suggested in the USIS.

"Community sports facilities are necessary to provide universal access to sports facilities at the grassroots level. An effective administrative and regulatory mechanism at the state level is a necessary pre-requisite to achieve this objective," the scheme states.

It stated that given the multiple benefits that sports offer in terms of promoting health and well being, child development, youth development, community development, social inclusiveness, and community safety, it is desirable to have mandatory provisions for play spaces in schools.

It may be mentioned here that this Central Scheme is expected to promote a number of pilot projects across the country, which integrate the complete sport eco-system, and serve as models for states to replicate and up-scale through their own resources.

Jammu, September 23
Insisting that the report on the Army trying to topple the Jammu and Kashmir Government was of serious nature, the National Conference today said the time was ripe to bring in the truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) to probe the matter.

“The truth and reconciliation commission will bring to fore all that has happened in Jammu and Kashmir for the past many years,” NC provincial president, Jammu, Devender Singh Rana told reporters.

“I think time is right to go for the commission so that all state and non state actors, who have meddled in J&K, know what the truth is. Claims and counter claims are being made and the commission will bring out the truth,” Rana said while pointing to the reports of phone tapping of Omar Abdullah allegedly by the Army.

It has been reported that the former Army Chief General V K Singh used a special intelligence unit to topple the Omar Abdullah government by funding J&K minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir.

“What has been reported, if that has happened, it is very serious. It is a breach of national security. If the snooping instrument has been installed and phone of J&K Chief Minister has been tapped, that means some agency through some means is trying to breach the national security,”? Rana said.

“If the phone of Omar Abdullah has been tapped, who has authorised the tapping, who brought that equipment and who was hearing that phone?” Rana asked. He also pointed out that there is a protocol for phone tapping.

“There is a protocol of both state and Central governments to allow the phone tapping. And if phone tapping has been done without informing or following the protocol it means there is a domain outside the Army, state and the Ministry of Home Affairs,” the NC leader said, adding that you can’t have “islands and domains of your whims and fancies” outside this.?

The NC is demanding a judicial enquiry by a sitting Supreme Court Judge in the alleged conspiracy hatched by the Army to topple the Omar Abdullah government in the state.

When asked about General Singh’s comments that Omar is trying to put blame of his blunders and misgovernance on Indian Army, Rana said: “General Singh is trying to act clever.”

“I don’t think Army was party to what he did. He is getting Army deliberately into it. The intelligence unit was reporting directly to General Singh and even some senior Army officers were not aware of it,” he said.?

“Our Army is of high morale and the former Army Chief had some personal bias against Omar Abdullah and it has come to fore many a times,” he alleged.

General Singh has some personal bias with Omar Abdullah since he was General Officer Commanding, Victor Force, he added.

“Rana also said General Singh didn’t behave like a General and had some personal bias against Omar Abdullah. It is blot on world’s biggest democracy and the black sheep must be identified and isolated and be brought to the forefront,” Rana said.

When asked that the former Army Chief has dismissed the report as rubbish, Rana said: “If Gen Singh is terming it rubbish, he must make it clear whether the money was paid to Ghulam Hassan Mir and if yes, then for what purpose.”

On why the NC-Congress government is not taking action again G H Mir, Rana said: “The government may be looking into it, but it must be put on the conscience of Ghulam Hassan Mir.”

Batote, September 23
Mohd Rafiq alias Pappu has been booked for abetting suicide by his wife Nahida Begum (25). She was found hanging from the ceiling at her house in at Baggu Nallah in Batote on May 31 last. The report of her post-mortem examination arrived yesterday. She had two minor sons.

The police was accused of trying to hush up the case and let the accused roam freely and run his business as usual and even allegedly get married a woman from Bhaderwah early this month. He is absconding since the registration of a cas yesterday. —OC

Rajouri, September 23
A two-day Pahari Conference aimed at the preservation and promotion of the Pahari language began here today.

During the opening day of the conference, organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, writers and scholars stressed on the promotion of the Pahari language and its literature. The literary event is the fourth in the series of language conferences organised by the Academy since October last.

Earlier, conferences were held on Kashmiri, Dogri and Punjabi languages, even as similar activity is in the offing with respect to Gojri, Urdu, Hindi and Bodhi.

The event was inaugurated by vice chairman, J&K Advisory Board for Development of Pahari Speaking People Kafil-ur-Rehman.

The speakers were optimistic about the richness and development of the language and appreciated the Academy’s initiative to focus on the challenges and opportunities for the Pahari language.

During the conference, several paper reading sessions will be held and issues relating to the Pahari language will be thoroughly discussed and debated. Three papers, including Pahari Zaban: Masayil Te Mawaqe by Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Pahari Zaban Te Isna Nasri Adab by Ghulam Haider Nadeem and Pahari Zaban Naway Daur Ni Darwatni Ver by Fida Rajourvi, were presented on the first day today.

Seven papers will be presented on the concluding day of the conference.

KD Maini, Raja Nazar Boniyari, Dr Jahangir Danish, Nazir Qureshi, Nisar Rahi, Dr Abdul Haq Nayeemi and Abdur Rashid Qureshi will present the papers tomorrow.

The papers will cover various aspects of Pahari language with special reference to contemporary challenges confronted by it. Former ministers, Mirza Abdur Rashid and Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhari, besides prominent writers and poets were present on the inaugural day of the conference. The former ministers dwelt on the efforts of individual writers and literary groups in bringing Pahari language and literature to its present level and hoped these efforts would continue.

Jammu, September 23
The Christian community in Jammu today expressed shock over the killing of more than 70 people in the deadly Church attack in Pakistan and urged the international community and the Government of Pakistan to save the minorities living there.

During a meeting held under the chairmanship of S Peter here today, the Jammu and Kashmir Christian Dalit Society urged the international community and the Government of Pakistan to save the minorities, who were being butchered by the Islamist terrorists.

The society also appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Union Government to lodge a strong protest with Pakistan over the persecution of minority Christians.

They also made an appeal to the Secretary General United Nations Ban Ki-moon to take serious note of the incident and take initiative to censure Pakistan on this count.

“Untold atrocities are being committed on the Christian community and we appeal to Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif to provide full security and protection, as well as a sense of dignity to the religious minorities, particularly the Christians, in that country”, Peter said.

The society demanded that perpetrators of the heinous crime should be severely punished.

The meeting also condemned Pakistan for adopting terrorism as a state policy.

The society further said despite conducting as good citizens and patriots, Christians were feeling insecure in many countries where they are in minority.

“Any untoward incident taking place anywhere in the world has its negative fall out on the members of Christian community, who are targeted by the religious fanatics,” said Madan Gill, senior vice-president of the society.

}Untold atrocities are being committed on the Christian community and we appeal to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif to provide full security and protection, as well as a sense of dignity to the religious minorities, particularly the Christians, in that country
— S Peter, Chairman, J&K Christian Dalit Society

Rajouri, September 23
Launching an attack on the National Conference by terming it responsible for Kishtwar incident, Bhartiya Janta Party state vice-president Advocate Vibodh Gupta said if the NC was not responsible then why the Chief Minister removed his Home Minister.The party has also questioned Omar Abdulah’s character saying that when Gujrat riots were held, why he did not resign from BJP’s Council of Ministers in the Centre.

Addressing party workers at Doongi area in Rajouri yesterday, Advocate Vibodh Gupta said National Conference provincial president had targeted PM’s nominee of the BJP, Narender Singh Modi and used unparliamentary language against a National leader. He said the NC is crossing limits and this will not be tolerated. He added that not the BJP but the NC is going to polarise Kishtwar issue by raising it during

its Rajouri tour. Gupta said what is the need to raise the issue at Kotranka and the intension behind it was to polarise the people and make a way for communal violence.

He said they have not understood the double standard of the NC. He said the NC was part of the NDA government led by the BJP and Omar Abdullah was minister at the time of Gujarat violence and why he did not resign from the NDA at that time. “This is double standard of the NC people and they have always played double game in this state”, Gupta added. Reacting upon the Musftafa Kamal’s statement on the Indian Army over National Television, he said Omar Abdullah is governing the state because the Indian Army is guarding the borders. He said terming the Indian Army as war wagers against people is unfortunate because this party has a cabinet minister in the Indian Government. He said the NC should mind his language and should not speak against the national interest.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Pashori Lal , Sanjay Sharma ,Balbir Sharma, Babu Ram Sharma and Kewal Sharma.

Batote, September 23
Panun Kashmir (PK), convener, Dr Agnishekhar has accused the Union Home Ministry (UHM) for hobnobbing with its detractors to hoodwink the national and international opinion makers for the symbolic rehabilitation of 300 to 400 displaced Kashmiri Pandits through a stage-managed return to the Valley.

While addressing a joint activists’ meet of the Panun Kashmir, its women wing-Kashmira Vahini and youth wing Youth for Panun Kashmir at Jammu yesterday he flayed the dubious role of these leaders for demanding the homeland during their meeting with the UHM.

He also condemned the divisive politics of the state government over the passage of the Temples and Shrines Bill.

Referring to the performance of ‘Mahashraddha’ by a five- member team of the Panun Kashmir at Gangbal (Kashmir) recently on the Balidan Diwas on September 14, in memory of Kashmiri Pandit martyrs, the securitymen and many of those Kashmiri Pandits who died while facing the ‘genocide like life’ in Jammu camps and elsewhere.

While praising the role of Vinod Pandita ,president, APMCC for his support in making the ritual function at holy Harmukut Ganga (14000 ft fsl) successful.

He recounted how the Panun Kashmir’s plan of Mahashraddha in Mattan,Kashmir,in 2006 was foild by a terrorist outfit and non-cooperation of the local authorities and the function was later held at Jia Pota Ghat, Akhnoor.A martyrs’ memorial was also established there. He called it the Panun Kashmir’s commitment to perform Mahashraadh at Gangbal, where the Kashmiri Pandits have been immersing the ashes of their dead ones and performing the shraadh.

Sanjay Dhattatreya, National Coordinator,the Panun Kashmir lauded the support of securitymen (Rashtriya Rifles,CRPF and J&K Police enroute Naran Nag base camp to Gangbal via Bhuteshwar Mountain (modern Butsher) and Trinkul.

Agnishekhar also dwelt on the celebration of ‘Vitasta’ Diwas (‘Veth’ ‘trovah’) - birthday of river Goddess Vitasta, at Ganpatyar temple by Panun Kashmir under the chairmanship of Co-ordinator(West Zone) of Kashmira Vahini,Vrishali Kaul. The team of Sanjay Dattatreya, Rahul Kaul, Vrishali Kaul and Vithal Chowdhary led by Agnishekhar had later assessed the situation there vis-à-vis Kashmiri Pandits’ religious and educational institutions.

Srinagar, September 23
Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad today reviewed the arrangements for Police Golf Tournament which will begin next month here.

The three-day national event will begin from October 8 at Royal Springs Golf Course.

Prasad chaired a high-level meeting of police officers to review the arrangements for the tournament, an official spokesman said.

More than 100 players representing 26 states and central police organisations of the country would be participating in the tournament.

This is 17th event of the tournament and Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) is hosting the national event for the third time, the spokesman said.

The first tournament was held at Shillong in October 1996 and previously JKP hosted the tournament in 2002 and 2005.

Prasad sought progress reports from the organising committee regarding arrangements made for the event. The DGP stressed upon the members of the organising committee to review the arrangements after maintaining close co-ordination at different levels and conduct the tournament smoothly.

He said elaborate arrangements should be made for the visiting players and the staff coming from different states of the country.

Earlier, the ADGP (Armed) S M Sahai, who is also the Organizing Secretary for the tournament, briefed the meeting about the arrangements made for the grand event. 

Jammu, September 23
The Government Dental College defeated the Institute of Dental Sciences by four wickets to lift the IDA Cricket Cup, 2013 at the University of Jammu grounds here today.

Electing to bat, Institute of Dental Sciences could only muster 105 runs for the loss of eight wickets from their stipulated quota of overs.

The team lost wickets at regular intervals and never gained any momentum to pose a challenging total.

The Government Dental College achieved the target within 16 overs.

However, there were a few hiccups in between, as the winners lost six wickets in their chase. Government Dental College’s Fayaz was adjudged man of the match. — TNS