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Parking woes of city residents deepen
Sports Council to act tough against erring office-bearers
Poll in mind, politicos make beeline to meet terror attack victims’ families
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BSNL asked to lay telephone line at Shiv Khori shrine
Finally, CT scan machines start working at Govt Medical College after a month
Govt to develop research centre for fish farming at Reasi
Transporters to go on strike
Rs 600 crore to boost power infrastructure in Jammu city
Panchayat body flays govt over development fund
Rana Club beat Ranjit Club 3-2
Ganderbal thump Doda in volleyball
JU organises photography contest
Symposium on drug abuse organised
Sikh front rues delay in gurdwara polls
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Parking woes of city residents deepen
Jammu, September 28 Many of them have encroached upon the roads to meet parking needs, thus creating a chaos-like situation in every nook and corner of the city. In absence of any long-term planning, the Jammu Development and Authority (JDA) and the Municipal Corporation have failed to create any additional parking space. About 5 lakh vehicles ply on Jammu roads and there is a serious crunch parking space here. Be it the government agencies or the shopping complexes and malls, little or no attention has been given to the problem so far. There are nine parking lots under the JDA with a capacity to accommodate 1,200 cars and 500 two-wheelers, while the JMC has lent roadsides to to contractors to be used as parking spaces in about a dozen places. It is an arduous task for the pedestrians to walk in Jain Bazar, Panjtirthi, Parade Shalamar, Purani Mandi, Raghunath Bazar, BC Road, High Court Road and Canal Road of the old city. Honking of horns and screeching vehicles are a common sight here. “Just look at the chaos outside the cinema halls and super malls in the city. People fight for space to park their vehicles. The situation is even worse outside many prominent eateries. At many places, taxi operators have created their own unauthorised parking spaces,” said Sudeep Choudhary, a businessman. Jammu Development Authority (JDA), created about 40 years ago for maintaining the urban infrastructure, has so far created parking space for just 1,700 vehicles in the city. Other ambitious projects, including multi-parking buildings, are delayed as the agency has failed to identify land for the purpose. Recently, with the management of rising number of vehicles becoming a nightmare for the administration in the rapidly growing urban centers of Jammu and Kashmir, the government had decided to formulate a comprehensive City Transport Policy for scientific management of the vehicles. Traffic congestion in the city is emerging as the biggest problem as over 50,000 vehicles are being added every year to the already overcrowded roads of the city. Vice-chairman, JDA, KL Khajuria said there had been some problems in the past but parking places have been given a priority under a new master plan. “All the private organisations establishing big malls and shopping outlets now have to construct their own parking space. We are waiting for the funds to establish multi-parking buildings,” Khajuria said. Sources, however, said plans for creation of multi-parking structures at the city bus stand and Shalimar Chowk among others are struck at the survey level for the past five years. No headway has been made to make them functional despite several official statements from ministers holding the charge of Urban Development.
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Sports Council to act tough against erring office-bearers
Jammu, September 28 Dilip Thusu, Secretary, State Sports Council, said the department would ensure that the guidelines of Union Ministry of Sports would be implemented in a proper manner. As per the new guidelines, the office-bearers of any affiliated sports association can hold office for a maximum of 12 years (3 terms) while no person beyond 70 years of age can be an office-bearer of any sports body. Further, the sports body in its recently convened Standing Committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for Youth Services and Sports, had decided to follow the guidelines. “It is high time that we acted tough against those who have occupied positions in different affiliated sports associations. The department is soon going to take initiative in this regard. Despite being office-bearers of multiple sports associations, it is their responsibility to contribute as much as they can to improve the standard of sports in the state,” the Sports Council secretary maintained. “After the guidelines will be implemented, no person beyond 70 years of age will be allowed to become an office-bearer of any affiliated sports body,” he added. Meanwhile, the J&K Olympic Association (JKOA) has refused to accept the guidelines regarding age and tenure claiming that they have yet to receive any specific circular from Indian Olympic Association. “As sports associations are governed by their respective sports federations, they are not bound to amend their constitution through the dictates of the Sports Council. It would be better if the State Sports Council sets its house in order first by bringing changes in its approach towards sports associations and adhere to the council guidelines,” a JKOA official said.
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Poll in mind, politicos make beeline to meet terror attack victims’ families
Jammu, September 28 Their visits, however, are being seen by many as a politically motivated gesture in view of the forthcoming parliamentary and assembly elections scheduled next year. The public resentment over the “politically motivated visits” was also evident yesterday when hundreds of people blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway at Kootah Morh and raised slogans against the politicians. The protesters said they would not allow anyone to get “political gains” out of the killings of innocent civilians and policemen at Hiranagar police station. Four policemen and two civilians were killed in a fidayeen attack on September 26 at the police station. “These politicians were inaccessible for people for five years. Now they have started visiting the victims’ families because the parliamentary and assembly elections in the state are drawing near. People should boycott such visit as politicians do not miss opportunity to make political gains out of such tragedies,” Ravi Kumar, a youngster from Kootah village said. Ashwani Sharma, a Hiranagar resident, remarked, “The frequent visits of politicians to the victim’s families have nothing to do with their grief. Have you ever heard that any politician was killed in a terror attack? They have been making a beeline to the victims’ families in view of the forthcoming parliamentary and assembly elections”. A large number of politicians from different mainstream political parties yesterday visited the aggrieved family of Shiv Kumar Sangra, a police constable from Kootah village, to “express their solidarity and condolences” with it. On September 26, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also visited the house of martyred police personnel Suresh Kumar. He conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved family. He also interacted with the family members of other deceased policemen, consoled them and conveyed sympathy. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Legislator and provincial president, NC, Jammu, Devender Singh Rana and senior officers of police and state administration. In a press statement issued here today, the Panthers Party said a team comprising Balwant Singh Mankotia, state president, Anita Thakur, general secretary, Jagdev Singh, coordination secretary and others visited the families of the police martyrs who were killed by the Pakistani terrorists at Hiranagar police station and expressed their sympathy to the aggrieved families. They visited the families ASI Ratan Singh, Head Constable Pardeep Singh Jamwal and Shiv Kumar of Kootah last evening. “The leaders expressed condolences with assurances that justice would be done to the martyrs who were brutally assassinated by the terrorists,” the release said. A score of BJP leaders also visited the slain policemen’s families to extend their condolences.
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BSNL asked to lay telephone line at Shiv Khori shrine
Reasi, September 28 Taking serious note of lack of basic connectivity at the religious place and also from security point of view, the BSNL has been asked to provide a PCO with four connections for pilgrims and also one WLL connection for the management office. Officials were instructed to improve mobile connectivity in Katra, Reasi, Arnas and Mahore areas. |
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Finally, CT scan machines start working at Govt Medical College after a month
Jammu, September 28 The hospital is dependent on engineers from outside the state to carry out even a minor repair as J&K does not have a bio-medical engineering department. Sources revealed that recently a team of German engineers rectified the fault in machines due to which patients had to face huge problems since they were asked to get the tests done at the Super-Specialty Hospital, Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital and CD Hospital. The machine at the emergency block was rendered dysfunctional by rats, which cut down the critical wiring while one at the radiology department was not working due to a technical fault. Dr Shashi Guptam, principal GMC, said engineers from Germany visited and repaired the machines. “They are operational now and we are already having annual maintenance contract with manufacturers. There is a proposal to establish separate engineering wing,” Dr Gupta said. In August, SMGS Hospital, the only government-run specialised gynecology and paediatrics hospital in the region, shut down its bio-chemistry lab after it developed an electrical snag, which was repaired following protest by the residents. Sources said an ambitious proposal to establish a separate bio-medical engineering wing in the Government Medical Colleges of Jammu and Kashmir was grounded allegedly due to the failure of the Medical Education Department (MED) to pursue the case with the General Administration Department. The proposal was aimed at benefiting specialised engineers and technicians and to save the public exchequer from unnecessary annual maintenance costs.
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Govt to develop research centre for fish farming at Reasi
Katra September 28 Sharma, who was here to inaugurate the national-level workshop on ‘Conservation and Gene Banking of Mahseer’, said Jammu and Kashmir has got immense potential for the development of recreational fisheries, especially that of Mahseer, and stressed effective conservation and propagation of the specie. The workshop was organised by the Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai, in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, Government of Jammu and Kashmir. The Minister on the occasion also emphasised the need to draw strategies for rehabilitation of the prized Mahseer by different fisheries institutes. Manohar appreciated the efforts of Dr WS Lakra, Director and VC, CIFE, and his team for holding the workshop at Reasi, which will not only be helpful for Jammu and Kashmir, but also for the surrounding states with similar ecological conditions for conservation of Mahseer. Minister on the occasion assured all the support for the collaborative projects initiated for the development of fisheries in the state. More than 50 eminent scientists from all over the country and experts from the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and Jammu University, apart from officers of state Fisheries Department participate in the workshop. RK Dogra, Director Fisheries, Jammu and Kashmir, apprised the participants about the profile of the department and stressed the need for establishment of more Mahseer hatcheries to rehabilitate the endangered breed. Dr Lakra, while thanking the Department of Fisheries for their keen interest in organising the program, said the CIFE would provide all the technical assistance to the government develop and promote the fisheries in the state. Member of Legislative Council Jugal Kishore, besides District Development Commissioner, Reasi, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary was also present on the occasion. Such workshop will be a guiding force for new generation of researchers, as well as, the experts associated with the job of conservation and rehabilitation of Mahseer, said Kishore.
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Transporters to go on strike
Jammu, September 28 The transporters said no passenger vehicles will be allowed to ply on the road from Lakhanpur to Srinagar and if their demands were not fulfilled within a week they will go on an indefinite strike. They said transport sector is burdened with various taxes, which causes problem to poor transporters of the state. The association said the transporters are not in a position to ply their vehicles at the existing rates as they are forced to pay 13.5 per cent VAT, 12.5 per cent service tax on insurance, 13.5 per cent entry tax at Lakhanpur and have to also contribute towards the passenger welfare fund. “The Central government is increasing the rates of the petroleum products. Diesel prices have gone up by Rs 5.50 per litre and that of petrol have shot by Rs 15 per litre in last 6-7 months. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has also increased the rates of the third party insurance from April this year, it has become difficult to survive for a transporter,” said Pritam Singh, a transporter. “We approached to the state government for revision of fare on various occasions, but nothing has been done. We demand that the fare should be increased by 40 per cent,” he said. Those present in the meeting included S Pritam Singh, president Banihal Bus Union, Bharat Bhushan Gupta, president Poonch Bus Union, Kuldeep Singh, president Kathua Passenger Bus Service, Sukhvir Singh Bajwa, president R S Pura Bus Union and Bharat Bhushan Sharma, president Chammb Bus Union. |
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Rs 600 crore to boost power infrastructure in Jammu city
Jammu, September 28 Interacting with the people after assessing the problems related to the power supply in Lower Gaddigarh, Bhour Camp, Karan Bagh, Rohi Morh, Indira Nagar and Dharap areas, here today, Bhalla said the project will be started soon after the completion of the codal formalities by the Power Development Department. Superintending Engineer, Power Development Department (PDD), Gurbachan Singh, apart from other senior officers of the department, was present on the occasion. For providing immediate relief to the people from unscheduled power cuts in these areas, Bhalla asked the PDD officers to upgrade the existing 6.3 MVA station at the earliest. The government has earmarked Rs 96 lakh for this purpose, the minister said. The Minister asked the officers to shift the 5 MVA load from the Ashok Nagar station and 3 MVA from the Satwari power station to the newly constructed 10 MVA Shastri Nagar station, so that the people of Ashok Nagar, Sanjay Nagar, Akali Kour Singh Nagar, Preet Nagar and Satwari areas would get relief from frequent breakdowns. Bhalla said the government was committed to provide improved power supply in metered areas across the state by augmenting and upgrading the infrastructure base. He, however, called upon the people to use power judiciously and pay power tariff regularly.
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Panchayat body flays govt over development fund
Rajouri, September 28 Reacting sharply over the statement of the minister that the amount was being given to panchayats due to the efforts of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Shafiq Mir said the minister was misleading the people as Omar had no role in this regard. Mir said, in fact, the panchayat development fund was demanded by a delegation of the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference during their meeting with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on September 27, 2012. A written proposal was given to him by the AJKPC in which Rs 10 lakh for each panchayat was demanded and the same was agreed by the Congress vice-president. He said the proposal was also discussed by Panchayat Conference leaders with the then Minister of State for Home Jatindra Singh on September 28, 2012 at Jawahar Bhawan in New Delhi. Mir said while fulfilling his promise, the Congress vice-president had announced Rs 10 lakh for each panchayat as the development fund on June 15, during his visit to Budgam in presence of Union Rural Development Minister Jai Ram Ramesh.
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Rana Club beat Ranjit Club 3-2
Jammu, September 28 Rana Club started in a brilliant fashion by pocketing the first set by 25-15.The Ranjit Club responded well in the next set. The team managed to pocket the second set by a margin of 25-18. With both teams levelled at 1-1, it was difficult to predict the best between the two as spikers of In the third set, Rana Club had to fight hard to earn 25-19 win but it failed to get the momentum going. Ranjit Club drew parity by winning the fourth set by 25-21. In the decider, both teams played their heart out to emerge victorious and it was Rana Club which had the last laugh with 21-17 margin. Later, organising committee of the match distributed trophies and mementos among the spikers of both the participating teams.
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Ganderbal thump Doda in volleyball
Jammu, September 28 In other matches played today, Kupwara got better of Kishtwar district 3-0, while Budgam beat Kulgam by 3-0. Jammu boys piped Samba 3-1. The matches were officiated by Wali Mohammad, Mohammad Hanif, Mohammad Shabir Khan, Jamil Hussain, Khalid Hussain, Gulzar Ahmed, Bharat Bhushan and Anju Sharma. Earlier, the under-19 tournament was inaugurated by Fakir Chand Bhagat, District Development Commissioner (DDC), Rajouri. The Inter District Volleyball tournament is being organised by the Department of Youth Services and Sports under the supervision of Director General, Naveen Aggarwal.
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JU organises photography contest
Jammu, September 28 As many as 37 students representing various colleges affiliated to the University participated in the event. The first prize was bagged by Jasneet Kour, from the Department of English, while the second prize went to Birti Ishar from the Government Women College, Gandhi Nagar. The third prize went to Abhisha Khajuria from the Department of History, University of Jammu. The certificates of merit were awarded to Priya Sharma form the IMFA, Harvinder Singh of The Business School and Idrees Rara of the Government MAM College. Professor NK Tripathi, Dean Students Welfare, University of Jammu, distributed the certificates of participation and prizes to the winners. Professor Neeru Sharma, Chairperson, Campus Cultural Committee, apprised the participants about the rules and regulations of the event and supervised the competition. The topics were landscape of Bagh-e-bahu, life in Bagh-e-Bahu and flora and fauna at the park.
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Symposium on drug abuse organised
Udhampur, September 28 Chief Education Officer Balbir Singh was the chief guest, while Assistant Controller Drug and Food Control Organisation, Udhampur, Munish Gupta presided over the function. As many as 10 students drawn from Government Middle School, Mansar, and Government Middle School, Bhangra Jagir, participated in the symposium. Guddi of Government Middle School, Mansar, was declared the best speaker, while Sagar Kundal and Neeru secured second and third position respectively. While speaking on the occasion, Balbir Singh exhorted the participants to spread awareness about the hazards of drug abuse. — TNS
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Sikh front rues delay in gurdwara polls
Jammu, September 28 “They are same persons, who are controlling the affairs of the District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DGPC) for the last several years and are not interested to hold elections. They are afraid of facing the Sikh voters for their mismanagement and for dividing the Sikh Community on caste basis,” Avtar Singh Khalsa, general secretary of the front, alleged. Mohinder Singh, chief organiser of Bhai Kanahiya Jee Nishkam Seva Society, criticised the ex-president DGPC for the delay of Gurdwara elections in J&K, even after the expiry of the five-year term. Others who attended the meeting included Ramneek Singh Bajral, Manmohan Singh, Kapoor Singh, Darbinder Singh, Rajinder Singh, Tejpal Singh, Dharminder Singh, Dharminder Singh Bhargav, Harbans Singh, Surinder Singh Kala, Kultar Singh and Sarabjeet Singh. — TNS
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Even as an array of multiplexes and big showrooms have came up in Jammu city in the past two decades, majority of them have invested little in creating parking space for vehicles.
Jammu, September 28
The All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association has decided to go on strike on Monday in support of their demand for 40 per cent hike in the passenger fare.
All the transporters of Jammu province in consultation with their counterparts from Kashmir have decided to go on a day-long strike on Monday.
The District Information Centre, Udhampur, in collaboration with the Drug and Food Control Organisation, organised an inter-school symposium on ‘Hazards of Drug Abuse’ at the Government Middle School, Mansar, here today.
