Jammu, September 25
Dengue fever is slowly spreading in Jammu as more than 71 persons have been detected positive at the Government Medical College (GMC) laboratory. The Health department has issued a general alert to the district hospitals and community centres to monitor the situation.

Keeping in view the gravity of situation, Health department has taken emergency steps to contain its spread and has started 'search and destroy' campaign against breeding grounds of mosquitoes while 50 homes around the house where case has been detected is sanitised. Health education teams have been constituted for the awareness campaign.

In Jammu district alone 12 people have been detected with the fever while bulk of patients belong to Samba, Purmandal, Bari Brahmana, Vijaypur and border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

Health Officials said that heavy monsoon rains and poor sanitation is major reason for the spread of disease as stagnant water became breeding ground for the mosquitoes.

Dengue is an acute fever caused by a virus. It occurs in two forms-Dengue Fever and Dengue Hemorrhagic fever -which is more severe with bleeding and sometimes with shock, which may lead to death also.

Symptoms include severe and continuous pain in abdomen, bleeding from nose, mouth and gums or skins bruising, frequent vomiting with or without blood, excessive thirst, pale cold skin, restlessness, sleepiness and black stool like coal tar are the main symptoms. Bleeding generally takes place three-four days after fever. It is more dangerous for children.

Director Health Jammu, Dr BS Pathania confirmed that dengue fever was a major concern for the Department of Health. Such huge number of positive cases was unexpected, he added. "Teams have been constituted by department to create awareness among the people so that timely help is provided to the patients. Door-to-door campaign has been started in venerable areas while a check point has been established at Lakhanpur, the entry point to J&K," said Dr Pathania said.

The Health officials said major concern was the people visiting the state from other parts of the country. “Many people go out of the state for work and when they come back, they carry pathogen with them, identifying and providing assistance to those is a major challenge,” said a health official.

Jammu, September 25
Unemployed ayurvedic BAMS doctors from the region held a protest under the banner of the Unemployed Ayurvedic BAMS Doctors Association (UABDA) here today.

They alleged that there was no one to heed to their problems.

UABDA chairman Dr Sahil said the ayurvedic doctors from the Jammu region were not being included under the AYUSH scheme of the Union Health Ministry under the guidelines of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

He urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to constitute a separate directorate for Ayurveda and UNANI doctors and also immediate advertisement of the posts for ISM Ayurveda doctors.

The other leaders of the Ayurvedic doctors include Dr Shrikant, Dr Sahil Pandoh, Dr Amit Gupta, Dr Devinder, Dr Ankula and Dr Ruchika Raina.

Jammu, September 25
The Relief Commissioner (migrant) office has allegedly withdrawn allowances of three employees of darbar move without sending them to Srinagar with summer secretariat. The office of the Relief Commissioner has withdrawn the allowances of the liaison officer, assistant director planning and chief accounts officer, who were not sent with summer secretariat to Srinagar in May this year.

Sources said the Relief Commissioner hadn't sent these three officers to Srinagar with the secretariat but had withdrawn the allowances of Darbar move of these employees. "The liason officer RK Sumbli, was not part of the darbar move office of the Relief Department to Srinagar but office withdrew his allowances of darbar move," sources said.

Jammu, September 25
The labour laws and schemes are not being implemented strictly by the Labour Department in Jammu city. From 2010 to 2013, only less than five per cent people have been punished and less than one per cent convicted for serious crimes under the law.

The Child Labour Act, 1986, is not being strictly implemented by the Labour Department. This Act is suffering from inadequate survey to identify child labour, insufficient inspection and non imposition of penalties against offending employers and failure to fix target for rehabilitation of child labour.

According to data, in 2010, 190 inspections were conducted by the Labour Department in the district. Only 20 persons faced trial but no one was convicted.

In 2011, only 379 inspections were conducted. A total of 21 persons were prosecuted from which six were convicted and two were acquitted.

Last year, 344 inspections were conducted and 10 persons were prosecuted out of which only one was convicted.

Till July this year, only 240 inspections were conducted in the district. Only four persons were prosecuted till June and no one has been convicted till now.

Due to poverty, some poor children are forced to work even if they are below 14 years of age. The state government has not shown any interest in giving them proper education and taking them out of their "burdened childhood."

Despite ban on child labour in the country, poverty has affected the families of these minors and they call it their 'fate', they work to earn for their families.

Raju, 13, works as a maize seller at Trikuta Nagar said, "We are three brothers, me being the eldest, we all three work time to time here at this stall so that our family expenses can be fulfilled easily. Besides selling maize, I am a student of Class X. and work part time here. Two of my brothers also work here. I earn Rs 250 per day only and with this much amount I fulfil my family's needs. My father also contributes to this work.

"The state government should strictly implement schemes to help poverty struck children like us so that we can taste the merriment of our childhood days," he added.

Children below 14 years of age are prohibited legally by the Government of India to work but this law is not being applicable in Jammu city as many children who were below this age can be seen working at tea stalls, cigarette shops, opting for begging and more. In many homes they work as domestic help.

Shiva, 12, who works at a food stall said, "I have been working here for five years. I have to earn for my family. I didn't get time to study so I stopped going to school. I know this is my fate and government does not pay serious attention to children like us."

Chairperson Social Welfare board Prof Indira Rathore said, "Children are forced to work to earn for their family. Their childhood thus gets ruined. We are doing our part in one way or the other by helping them. Our board works for these children by providing them with free nutrition from the money which comes from the government."

"I am also associated with the Vasudev Kotumkam Welfare Society which does its work in two simple steps. In the first step, it encourages minors to come to school to divert their minds from work to study and provides them with free education. In second step, it provides computer education to them so that they can be well trained in the technology."

"We also conduct counselling of these children and their parents so that the parents earn well without interfering into their child's education and child can be free from any burden of work."

Jammu, September 25
Activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and students of the Jammu University today staged a demonstration on the campus to protest against the alleged manhandling of a law student during alleged ragging by his seniors.

The protestors demanded strict action against the "culprits" who allegedly slapped and manhandled a first semester student of the Law Department yesterday after he refused to follow the "diktats" of his seniors during the ragging.

"A first semester student of law, Kanav Sharma was slapped and manhandled by his senior, Deepu Charak, who is also NSUI leader, and his associates, that too, in front of the head of the Department of Law after he refused to follow their diktats during ragging. The victim approached the Dean Students Welfare and the head of the Law Department but his complaint was not taken up for reasons best known to them," Arun Dev, an ABVP leader alleged.

Dev said the victim was threatened with dire consequences and even his complaint letter was torn by the "culprits" in front of the head of the Law Department.

"The university administration has been shielding the accused which will not be tolerated at any cost," he said. He also demanded that strict action be taken against those involved in alleged ragging on the campus.

"We have asked the authorities that if the culprits are not punished immediately, we will be forced to start an agitation on the campus and the responsibility of it will lies on the varsity," Dev said.

They protesters met the Dean Students Welfare (DSW), Prof NK Tripathi and demanded an impartial probe into the matter. The DSW told the protestors that they have constituted an inquiry committee to look into the matter, he said.

Jammu, September 25
Panun Kashmir (PK) urged the Centre to take tough measures against rising terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir as minority community is the worst victim of violence.

The political affairs committee which met here today to discuss the current political scenario has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to meet his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharief, as terrorist activities have shown considerable increase after his elevation as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, PK president Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo said the meeting would be contrary to mood of the nation and was at complete variance with the national policy on dialogue with Pakistan.

“We are of a strong view that terrorism and talks cannot go simultaneously. Pakistan has to assure India that it will reign in the terrorist industry operating from its soil against India which it considers as its strategic asset,” he said.

Prof ML Raina said the recent series of programmes conducted by Panun Kashmir has given the organisation an added responsibility to carry forward the mission further with renewed zeal. “It would be perfect for Panun Kashmir to organise an annual yatra to Anandpur Sahab and Chamkaur Sahab, simultaneously, to pay respects and obeisance at the great places of reverence as it is connected with the survival of pandits during the Muslim rule in Kashmir,” he said.

Virender Rain, a spokesperson, said that organisation would continue to strengthen contours of its Homeland policy. He said return and resettlement in Kashmir was purely a political issue and cannot be linked with any other issue of day-to-day needs. 

Jammu, September 25
The All-J&K Mazdoor Kissan Vikas Party demanded a tehsil status for Jandrah in view of tough geographical terrain and density of the area.

A team of organisers, led by state president Vijay Kumar, vice-president Bansi Lal and general secretary Arjun Singh, visited Jandrah and interacted with local residents.

Since Jandrah is a backward area and is about 55-km from district headquarters, local residents demanded a tehsil status for the area.

They said public of the area had been facing a lot of hardships and inconvenience due to its long distance from district headquarters.

They informed that they had already submitted a representation to deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who is the head of the Cabinet sub-committee constituted to look into the creation of new administrative units in the state, seeking his personal intervention in this regard.

Kumar said the total population under Niabet Jandrah was about 40,000. As many as 13 panchayats fall under Niabet Jandrah.

He said the Jammu and Kashmir Government should declare Jandrah as a tehsil and a tehsil office be established at Jandrah at the earliest.

Jammu, September 25
To discuss the arrangements for ensuing Navratra festival commencing from October 5, the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu, convened a meeting of senior officers and members of the Navratra Festival Celebration Committee, here yesterday.

The meeting was informed that the Tourism Department was making special arrangements for the upcoming festivals of Navratra, Dasehra to attract pilgrim tourists from across the country.

The Deputy Commissioner directed the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to ensure sanitation in and around the temples, while the PHE Department was asked to make adequate water supply at the main venues for the convenience of the devotees.

He also instructed the Power Department to ensure proper lighting arrangements in addition to un-interrupted power supply to all temples in the Jammu city thoughout the Navratra festival.

He enjoined upon the departments concerned to make available adequate medical facilities, proper security and traffic regulation arrangements.

Sahu said that during the festival, the rich heritage of Jammu region would be showcased and all steps were being taken by the administration and the organisers to make the event a grand success.

He stressed upon various agencies involved in the Navratra festival arrangements to work in close coordination for the successful conduct of the celebration.

Later, the Deputy Commissioner also held discussions on the arrangements for Dasehra and Mahanavami festivals with the officers and other agencies concerned. He also discussed the arrangements for taking out the chhari yatra procession of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi on October 5. 

Jammu, September 25
In view of the forthcoming World Blood Donation Day on October 1, Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, today organised a mega blood donation camp here today.

The camp was inaugurated by Director, Health Services (DHS), Jammu, BS Pathania.

The camp was organised in association with Indo-Oman Shotokan Karate-Do Association of J&K. As many as 30 persons of the organisation donated the blood.

Speaking on the occasion DHS Jammu emphasised on the importance of the blood donation for saving the lives of people.

Medical Superintendent Dr Romesh Gupta said between the age of 18-55 one can donate blood at least three times in a year if he is healthy and not suffering from any disease. 

Jammu, September 25
The Department of Students Welfare, University of Jammu, organised poster-making and clay-modelling contests on the third day of Display Your Talent (DYT) 2013-14, here today.

In the poster-making contest, the first prize was won by Roshi Devi from Government Degree College, Reasi, while the second and third prizes were bagged by Rimpla Kumari from the Department of Commerce and Bharti Sharma from the Department of Mathematics, University of Jammu, respectively.

The certificates of merit were given to Vaneeka Gupta from the IMFA and Anjuman Ayoub Government Women College, Parade.

The topics for the clay-modelling competition were “Bull Fight, By Pond and Celebration any Festival”.

The first prize was won by Rimpla Kumari from the Department of Commerce while the second and third prizes were won by Nitin Dubey from Government MAM College and Anjuman Ayoub from Government Women College Parade, respectively.

The certificates of merit were awarded to Aashima Sharma, Institute of Music and Fine Arts, and Raghav Dev Jamwal from Government MAM College. 

Jammu, September 25
Ram Imagine Art, EHA Mobile World, Samsung smart cafe, National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD), Nirvana Academy, a cultural club, in association with Style Bhai Media Management jointly organised the auditions for the talent hunt 'Talaash-e-Hunar' Season-2 semifinal at NIFD.

Around 100 participants came for the auditions to showcase their talent in different fields.

The main focus of the event was on singing competition in which 31 people showcased their talent. As many as 12 people got selected for the finale.

Ram Imagine Arts president Ram Kumar said, "It was great to see such talent in the city, but due to lack of opportunities, people are not being able to convert their talent into profession. Our aim is to provide platform to them."

The finale of "Talaash-e-hunar" will be held on October 1 at the Police auditorium near Panama Chowk.

Jammu, September 25
Even though the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) is yet to come up with an official announcement regarding the anticipated acceptance of coaching offer by former team India skipper Mohd Azharuddin recently, the office-bearers of the state cricket association say they do not have enough information about the issue.

It may be mentioned here that there were reports claiming that former team India skipper and MP from Muradabad had accepted the job offered by the JKCA president on the condition that he will not take the job on a full-time basis because of his political engagements.

"I am not aware of the latest developments which have taken place in the state cricket body. If any meeting was held between JKCA chief and Mohd Azharuddin, I have absolutely no idea about that," an office-bearer of the JKCA said.

"Players of the state have been able to prove their worth at international level and Parvez Rasool and Shubam Khajuria are the perfect examples. I am hopeful that the other budding cricketers of the state will take inspiration from these two cricketers to work hard to achieve new heights," he added. JKCA Treasurer Manzoor Wazir declined to comment.

Sources said Azharuddin's appointment depends upon the approval of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which had banned him for life for alleged match fixing. The ban was overturned last year by the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Jammu, September 25
Tae kwon do player Atul Pangotra has bagged the gold medal in the senior individual category in the recently concluded 6th National Taekwondo Poomsae Championships held at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium, Imphal (Manipur).

The championship was organised by the Taekwondo Federation of India.

Atul has also been selected for the 8th World Taekwondo Poomsae Championship slated to be held at Bali in Indonesia from October 31 to November 3. Pertinently, he was selected for the world championship in Colombia, but could not compete.

J&K Taekwondo Association chairman Anil Gupta congratulated Atul and other members of the team for excellent performance in the championship.

Jammu, September 25
PG Department defeated Government College for Women (GCW), Parade, by 18-4 in the final to emerge victorious in the Inter-Collegiate Basketball Championship in the women section at the J&K Police Stadium.

Sangita Bhatt and Amarpreet Kaur were the star performers from PG Department while Sonia and Sapna from GCW Parade also played well. Prof NK Tripathi, Dean of Students Welfare, University of Jammu, was the chief guest in the final match. Prof Dhian Singh Bhau, Director, Directorate of Sports and Physical Education, Jai Bharat, Raj Kumar Bakshgi, VikasKarlopia, Ravish Vaid and Sanjeev Jamwal were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, in the boys section, MAM College will take on PG Department in the final. Earlier, in the semifinals played, MAM College beat GGM Science College by 32-18 and PG Department beat SPMR Commerce College by 43-5. The matches were officiated by Aman Sharma, Amarjit Singh, MohdShafi, Rajinder Magotra, Shaktish Chopra, Rajesh Bandral and Nisha Sharma.

Earlier in the quarterfinals played, MAM College outclassed GDC Kathua by 33-15 whereas SPMR Commerce College beat GDC Paloura by 29-23. PG Department beat GCET Jammu by 39-7.

Meanwhile, host GGM Science College and Government SPMR College of Commerce have cruised into the quarterfinals of the ongoing inter-college men's football tournament.

In the pre-quarterfinals, GGM Science College overcame the challenge of Government Degree College (GDC) Paloura by 3-0. Anuj Singh struck twice 
in the 21st and 50th minutes, respectively for the winner team.

In another match, Commerce College eased past Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET) by a solitary goal scored by Rajinder in the 45th minute.

Earlier, in the stipulated time, the match ended in a 4-4 draw. From Bhargwa College, Arun Nangyal was the star striker with as many as here goals which were scored in the 40th, 45th and 67th minutes while Gaganjot chipped in with one goal in the 42nd minute.

From MBS, Sunil (10th), Nikhil (20th and 65th) and Sourab (47th) were the scorers.

The matches were officiated by the technical panel of Ajay Sharma, Rohit Gupta, Pardeep Katoch, Dhananjay Sharma, Sanjay and Gagan Kumar.