Jammu, November 12
The digging work on the circular road is adding to the woes of commuters, especially during peak hours, in the old city. Getting stuck in the traffic for hours together has become a routine affair for residents of Panjtirthi after the Durbar shifted in Jammu from Srinagar.

National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) is laying sewerage pipes here and only two wheelers are allowed ply on the road.

To avoid the rush in the old city, commuters take the circular road route, which connects Tawi Bridge, Gujjar Nagar, DC Office, Panjtirthi Sidhra and the national highway to Srinagar.

However, now with the circular road closed for four wheelers, there is excess traffic on other routes in the city, especially in the old city and on Mubarak Mandi road.

The NBCC has taken up this work at a time when Muharram is being observed and the Darbar has shifted to Jammu.

"It should not have been started at this point of time. The government should take such steps after considering all the aspects. It seems no efforts are being made by the administration and the government to give relief to Jammu residents," said Rajan Bali, a resident of Panjtirthi.

"We get stuck in traffic jams for hours at Mubarak Mandi, Jain Bazar and the Panjtirthi road. After the Darbar Move, these jams have become a daily affair," he said.

"I have to go from Nagrota to Bahu Plaza for my duty. I have been using the circular road for a hassle-free journey but since the work has started on this stretch, I have to take a much longer route on the Sidhra bypass," said Sandeep Sharma, a resident of Nagrota.

Kashmiri Pandits living in the Jagti area who work in Jammu, too, are facing problems.

The situation is similar in other parts of the city, especially near Chand Nagar where whole road has been dug up by the Economic Reconstruction Agency. Last year too, this road had been up. The road was laid but the road has been dug up again this year, posing inconvenience to local residents.

Manmohan Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic), said, "The NBCC has taken permission from us to close the circular road for ten days, but the work lingered on. We have refused to give them more time. Now, they have assured us that the work would be completed in three-four days."

"The load of traffic on other rods is obvious, but the road will be open to commuters soon," he added.

Jammu, November 12
Vendors near the Jammu railway station today held a protest against the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) for removing their rehris "without any prior notice".

Earlier today, a JMC team, under the supervision of Joint Commissioner (Administration) Kapil Sharma, seized about 16 kiosks from outside the station.

Kiosk owners alleged that the JMC had seized their kiosks without any prior notices.

Manoj Kumar, a kiosk owner, said, “It was our off day today. We were in a relaxed mood when a team of the JMC suddenly arrived and started seizing our kiosks and other items. If they wanted to remove kiosks from here, they should have issued a prior notice to us.”

Jammu, November 12
After a delay of almost five years, Jammu is all set to have a modern abattoir in Jagti on the outskirts of the city next year. The Urban Development Department has given the Rs 21-crore contract for the project to a Ghaziabad-based company.

The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is awaiting the formal approval from the state government. The file pertaining to the project is lying with Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey for vetting.

“We have awarded the contract for construction of a modern slaughter house on scientific lines in the Jagti area to Ghaziabad-based Ess Dee Enterprises. The company will construct the abattoir within a year and it will operate it for another year before handing it over to the civic body,” Dr Zaffar Iqbal, Municipal Veterinary Officer (MVO), JMC, told The Tribune.

The MVO said the file pertaining to the project had been sent to the Chief Secretary, who will give the final approval. “The work will be started soon on the project and we are hopeful it will be completed by the end of next year,” Dr Iqbal said.

Jammu, November 12
Following a strong protest by taxi drivers against the alleged “assault” on their colleague, the police today arrested the owner of a famous sweet shop of the city.

Earlier, the protesting taxi drivers had a heated exchange of words and a minor scuffle with the police as the latter had allegedly adopted delay tactics to register a case against the owner of the sweet shop, Satish Abrol.

Later, the police arrested Satish for assaulting the driver, Jasbir Singh.

A case under Sections 323, 341 and 34 of the RPC was registered against the accused in the Gandhi Nagar police station here.

Jammu, November 12
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a scheme under which free education would be provided to players performing well in sports events. The move aims at motivating sportspersons to achieve higher levels of performance. The UGC guidelines in this regard were recently issued to all colleges and universities for its effective implementation.

The scheme will be applicable to sportspersons who win medals in national games or those who participate in recognised international sporting events.

Prof Dhian S Bhau, Director, Directorate of Sports and Physical Education, University of Jammu, told The Tribune that the department had been apprised about the scheme by the UGC.

“Yes, we are well-informed about the scheme. More than five sportspersons who had studied in the department were eligible for this scheme. However, all these students have now been recruited in various government departments under sports quota,” Prof Bhau said.

“The scheme introduced by the UGC will prove beneficial for budding sportspersons of the state, who were earlier unable to pursue studies due to financial problems,” he added.

Sources said the financial assistance, depending upon the eligibility, would be reimbursed by the UGC to the university concerned. The university will be responsible for submitting all relevant documents as per the guidelines of the scheme.

“For the loss of lectures of the sportspersons concerned due to their engagement in sports activities, the university will make special efforts to ensure their attendance and completion of syllabus. The university/college/institution will submit a report regarding the sports performance of the player in a prescribed format for him to avail this scheme,” stated UGC guidelines.

The guidelines added that the institution would also submit the “utilisation certificate” of each student availing this scheme. The grant for subsequent years would be released after the receipt of utilisation certificate pertaining to the grant of the previous year.

The beneficiary of this scheme would not be barred from accepting other scholarships from other sources. A beneficiary who discontinues his studies without prior approval of the UGC will be asked to refund the fellowship amount.

Jammu, November 12
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) today organised a state-level painting competition on energy conservation at Gen Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.

Students of various schools from different districts participated in the competition and six students holding 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions in their respective categories were awarded Rs 10,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively. About 20 students were awarded consolation prizes of Rs 1,000 each in a prize-distribution function presided over by Shantmanu, divisional commissioner, Jammu.

The NHPC was entrusted with the responsibility of organising the painting competition by the Bureau of energy efficiency, Union Ministry of Power. It was a part of the national awareness campaign launched by the Ministry of Power for promoting energy conservation in the country.

Earlier, all the schools in the state were requested to organise painting competition in their schools amongst students of class IV, V, VI (Category-A) and VII, VIII, IX(Category-B) and to send two best paintings from both the categories to the state nodal officer, Ekramul Haque, chief human resource, NHPC.

About 100 students, selected at the school level, appeared in the state-level painting competition in which Shivya Verma of class VI of Shangrilla Public High School, Sarwal, Jammu, Insiya Verma, class IV, Heritage Public School, Jammu and Shazia Fatima, class VI, Classic Public School, Baramulla won Ist, IInd and IIIrd prizes respectively, from Category-A and Vanshee Kaul, class VIII, DPS, Jammu, Harsh Sharma, class VII, KV No 2, Udhampur and Ilsa Muzaffar, class VII Radiant Public School, Anantnag won first, second and third prizes from Category-B.

Jammu, November 12
Minister for Forests Mian Altaf said the monitoring of works had become imperative to know the status and quality of works being carried out by the forest department across the state and asked the administrative department to take necessary measures in this direction.

The minister was reviewing the functioning of the Soil Conservation Department at an officers meeting here today. Altaf said checking of soil erosion should be on priority of the department and asked them to take care of main roads where soil was eroding, particularly on the national highways. He instructed them to take care of the Batote-Doda road where soil was eroding due to recent heavy rains. Altaf asked the officials concerned to complete all ongoing projects within the stipulated time frame.

The director said the department had treated 697 hectares of land for soil erosion during the last fiscal. The department had planted 4 lakh plants of different species in Jammu division while 2.23 lakh plants were targeted to be planted for current fiscal, he added. — TNS

Jammu, November 12
The Red Cross Society in Jammu and Kashmir has decided to impart training at the panchayat level.

This was stated by Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) general secretary Roma Wani at the valedictory function of the two-day youth and junior Red Cross counsellors training event.

The training is first of its kind in Jammu region where over 30 counsellors from different districts of province participated. Wani, who addressed the participants, spoke on the measures to be taken in the disaster management. She elaborated on the significance of the said training to the counsellors.

She said counsellors must strive for giving direction to youth in serving the humanity through volunteerism and should establish Red Cross units and Red Cross first aid centres in schools and colleges.

Roma said we believe first aid training was a life skill that everyone can and should learn. She said IRCS -JK would provide opportunity to everyone to learn the skills and gain the confidence to save life. On the occasion, Wani also announced that the Red Cross would reach to people and impart training at the panchayat level.

She said the Red Cross would impart such trainings in the corporate sector in Jammu region and will also initiate safety assessment for buildings and imparted trainings on disaster preparedness and family news service in the region.

Jammu, November 12
Panun Kashmir (PK), an organisation of the displaced Kashmiri Hindus, today alleged that the Union Government was pampering separatist elements in the state and allowing them to openly challenge the Indian national interests.

Chairing a meeting of the political affairs committee of PK, president Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo alleged that it seems government had abdicated the conduct of its Kashmir policy in favour of separatists.

“It is unfortunate that the Centre is displaying a complete policy paralysis in relation to Indo-Pak affairs. The government has allowed an important multi-lateral conference of the Asia-Europe foreign ministers to be influenced by separatists from Kashmir,” Chrungoo alleged.

He claimed that the present government was justifying one wrong with another on the subject and its actions were aiding Pakistan in raising the Kashmir issue which otherwise had faded into insignificance.

“If the government wants to raise this issue as a vote-bank ploy, it is going to boomerang on them as the nationalist people of this country would never accept such disastrous dealings. Allowing Pakistan a locus standi in the internal affairs of the country is fraught with serious consequences and is tantamount to most awful politics and diplomacy,” the PK president said.

Virender Raina said the nationalist people in the Jammu and Kashmir would never allow any such bargain in the interests of the country and would stand like a bulwark to thwart all such moves. The Kashmiri Pandits as the prime stakeholders of the Kashmir territory made it clear to the recently visited Parliamentary delegation.

Jammu, November 12
Students of Jamia Millia Islamia University met Professor Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, on the campus here today.

Interacting with the students, Prof Ishar said the participation of the students in the cycle rally, to spread awareness regarding safety of women and provide them a safe environment in the country, was encouraging.

He said in the backdrop of the recent cases of violence against women, there was a need for sensitisation and creating awareness about crimes against women.

He said society could be empowered only if all members of the society, including women, were actually empowered. With the theme ‘Building India Safe for Women’ , a team of 37 persons comprising 25 students, 10 support staff and 2 medical staff started from Kashmir and will pass through Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh.

The cycle rally started on November 9 from Kashmir and reached Jammu yesterday and from Jammu, the rally would be flagged off on November 13 by the Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu. — TNS

Jammu, November 12
The Army under the aegis of the Crossed Swords Division organised a tour for 25 senior citizens of remote areas of Sunderbani under Operation Sadbhavana to western India. The aim of the tour was to provide opportunities to senior citizens of border areas to visit Delhi and Jaipur to have an insight into the rich culture and traditions of the country.

During the flagging-off ceremony, the senior citizens expressed their gratitude to the Army for organising the tour. Earlier, the tour was flagged off by the General Officer Commanding, Crossed Swords Division, from Akhnoor. During interaction with the citizens, the officer impressed upon the important role of senior citizens play in nation building. — TNS

Jammu, November 12
Maharaja Hari Singh Agricultural Collegiate (MHAC), Nagbani, school today organised a track field and skating events at cluster level. The school bore a festive look with colourful flags, buntings and balloons. The programme commenced with welcoming of the chief guest Capt Dewan Singh, manager, MHAC, by the principal of the school Alok Betab.

Participants were administered the oath by MHAC sports captain Amrit Kaur. The ceremonial oath was lightened alongwith the chanting of the mantras.

Jammu, November 12
The Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) is organising a month-long Range Police Volleyball Friendship Cup from November 14 at the Range Police Headquarters involving teams from city and rural belts.

The first such competition will be held from November 14 to 15 at Hiranagar, followed by tournaments at Akhnoor (November 23 to 24), Kathua (November 30 to December 1), Samba (December 7 to 8) and Jammu (December 14 to 15).