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BOPEE scam
Pricey veggies weigh heavy on common man’s pocket
More power cuts to add to winter woes in Srinagar
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Uncertainty on borders casts shadow on tourism
Erratic power supply irks bat manufacturers
Girl impersonator, cousin try to end life in Udhampur
illegal quarrying
on the frontline
Army holds medical camp at remote Udhampur village
42 years on, family awaits Army captain’s return
ADGP visits Rajouri, extends support to people
National Lok Adalat held at Majalta
Poppy straw seized
Inadequate funds nix efforts to reduce man-bear conflict
NABARD holds financial literacy camp at Kupwara
Protest against power dept in Pulwama
State training institutes for teachers lack qualified staff, claims report
Former Peoples Conference spokesperson joins NC
One killed, 11 injured in road accidents
Officials told to expedite beautification of Jhelum
Linesman electrocuted
Tributes paid to sculptor Gayoor Hassan
PM urged to appoint chairman of 7th pay panel
Two GHSS students felicitated
Residents cry foul as Bahu Plaza area turns into unauthorised dumping yard
Natrang celebrates Anjali Abrol’s success to stardom
belt grading test for ‘unrecognised’ martial arts
157 Territorial Army win inaugural tie in hockey tournament
Youth on ‘slam dunk’ mission want to promote basketball
Valley’s team leaves for rafting championship
Kashmir Gold Cup Tae kwon do C’ship begins
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BOPEE scam
Jammu, November 24 "Meritorious and deserving people of the state are the worst victims due to erosion of the sanctity of institutions in Jammu and Kashmir," Mufti said, while addressing a function to welcome activists from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), who joined the PDP under the leadership of Madan Lal Chalotra here this afternoon. The PDP patron gave example of recent exposure of scam in the Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), which established the sale of question papers of the Common Entrance Test (CET). How the poor, deserving and meritorious students would get justice when the sanctity of institutions like BOPEE was also eroded and illegal means were adopted to accommodate undeserving candidates? he asked and expressed surprise that a person, who was reportedly to be the main accused in the scam, had been given extension after extension by the present regime. Mufti mentioned that during the last five years all institutions had been systematically bulldozed by this regime just to fulfil its own evil designs. "Who are the victims of systematically erosion of the sanctity of institutions?" he asked, adding that
poor and deserving people were bearing brunt of the misdeeds and corrupt practices being adopted by the present government. The BJYM, youth wing of the BJP, has also decided to take this issue on the streets. The BJYM has decided launch an agitation on the issue after December 1. |
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Pricey veggies weigh heavy on common man’s pocket
Jammu, November 24 Despite assurances by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, that retail prices for vegetables and fruits would only be 40 per cent more than from the wholesale price, vendors in various vegetable and fruit markets continue to charge exorbitantly with impunity. A single visit to various vegetable markets is enough to see that vegetable and fruit prices vary from vendor to vendor and market to market. “There is no uniformity in the prices of vegetables and fruits in the city as the rates vary from vendor to vendor. The daily-use vegetables like potato, tomato and onion have gone out of common man’s budget. Families have even cut down on having more than one dish on the table, courtesy failure of the administration to book the vendors and traders fleecing the consumers,” said Amit Sharma, a government teacher of Kachi Chawni area. A wholesale trader in vegetable and fruit market, Narwal, said the prices of green vegetables and fruits were stable in the market, but the retailers were driving the rise in vegetable prices owing to the failure of various departments to keep a constant monitoring on overcharging and continuous fleecing of common man. On November 18, the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shantmanu, while chairing a meeting of officials of various departments had enjoined upon the functionaries to streamline their working for maintaining the rates of essential commodities, especially fruits and vegetable in the markets of Jammu province. It was decided in the meeting that the retail prices for vegetables and fruits would be 40 per cent more than the wholesale price. He had asserted that market checking squads would be constituted for intensive check of market rates of vegetables and fruits and curb black-marketing, hoarding and profiteering of essential commodities. Vikram Gour, president, Consumer Welfare Association, said it was the weakness of administration that vendors and shopkeepers were still charging at their will. “There is a need to ensure strict implementation of the orders issued by the divisional commissioner. The police and other allied departments should conduct regular visits of various markets so that some relief is provided to common man,” Gour said. Shantmanu, divisional commissioner Jammu, when contacted, claimed that various agencies were conducting random checks so that uniformity in rates of essential commodities, especially vegetables and fruits in ensured. |
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More power cuts to add to winter woes in Srinagar
Srinagar, November 24 They have been already complaining about long-hour unscheduled power cuts in evening hours. The new curtailment schedule will affect power supply to metered and non-metered areas. People in the non-metered areas will face weekly power cut of 57 hours and the metered areas will reel under darkness for 17 hours per week. Officials said the power distribution system in Kashmir was under stress due to overload. Consumers had been bearing the brunt of the unscheduled power cuts. The crisis had affected the business community, especially the tourism sector. The new schedule has angered residents who are facing shortage of LPG. “I feel like I am back in 90s when there were blackouts and we used to have candle light dinners. Nowadays, routine life has been disturbed and paralysed due to prolonged outages, which aggravated other problems. Unscheduled power cuts have multiplied our miseries,” said Waseem Ahmad from Srinagar. The new power schedule in the non-metered areas will be: twice a week cut from 5 am to 8 am, thrice a week cut from 8 am to 1 pm, four times a week cut from 1 pm to 6 pm, twice a week cut from 6 pm to 8 pm and 8 pm to 10 pm, alternately and once a week cut from 10 pm to 5 am. The schedule in the metered areas will be: once a week cut from 5 am to 8 am, and once a week cuts from 8 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 6 pm, 6 pm to 8 pm and 8 pm to 10 pm alternately; from 10 pm to 5 am. Earlier this week, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Ali Muhammad Sagar during his visit to Srinagar urged the power authorities to ensure adequate power supply in the city and consumers should not suffer due to unscheduled cuts. The schedule
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Uncertainty on borders casts shadow on tourism
Jammu, November 24 In 2009, the Union Tourism Ministry, under the plan to develop Suchetgarh and the shrine of Baba Chamyal in Samba district along the Indo-Pak border, had sanctioned ‘Development of Border Area Tourism Circuit, Jammu’ project to attract tourists to the area. However, the venture still remains far from being complete. It was proposed to develop the Suchetgarh Octroi outpost on the lines of the Wagha crossing in Amritsar, Punjab, but the uncertainty along the borders has sowed seeds of doubt among the authorities, who are now hesitating in organising trips to the villages close to the international border. “I cannot comment when Suchetgarh will turn up like the Wagha, but nearly 100 people visit the area daily. Work on other projects is going on,” Director, Tourism, Sojanya Sharma said. He added that the final decision in this regard rests with the government. Though the Minister for Tourism GA Mir inaugurated the newly built infrastructure along the border in Suchetgarh earlier this year, several other schemes related to the project, particularly the widening of roads, tourist accommodations and children’s park close to the post has not come up till now. A sum of Rs 3.5 crore has been spent on upgrading the infrastructure in Suchetgarh and its surrounding areas since 2010. Suchetgarh was an important trading point between Sialkot and Jammu before the partition and after the 2003 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, the state government submitted a plan to the Centre in 2005 to develop the area on the lines of the Wagah border crossing in Amritsar. Hundreds of tourists visit the outpost every month, but the uncertainty along the fence has made tourism officials hesitant about organising border trips to some of the prominent sites in the villages close to the international border. The Tourism Department had claimed last year that around 2,000 tourists visit Suchetgarh every month, while thousands of people from both the countries pay obeisance at the Chamyal shrine annually. Member of Legislative Assembly from Suchetgarh, Sham Choudhary alleged that government was never sincere about developing the sector. “Government is not sincere in completing the project. Leave aside the border tensions, I have never been consulted and nothing has been done to create infrastructure around this constituency to tap tourism potential,” Choudhary said. Border tourism
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Erratic power supply irks bat manufacturers
Anantnag, November 24 Most of the bat manufacturers are based in Bijbehara, Sangam and Halmulla villages along the national highway. They rue that the unscheduled power cuts in most parts of the Valley, including in their areas, have marred their chances of compensating the losses incurred by them during the relocation process. “The power scenario is for everybody to see. We (bat manufacturers) and other small-scale industrial units have been at the receiving end,” said Shakeel Ahmad Dar, a cricket bat manufacturer, from Sangam. Reports say the demand for cricket bats in most parts of the country has been on a rise in the wake of the hype around Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement. “The media hype around Sachin’s retirement has increased the demand for bats manifold and the orders we are receiving are overwhelming,” said Ali Muhammad from Halmulla village. Ali says this is the season when cricket is played the most in the plains as the day temperatures drop significantly. “However, the issue is that we do not get enough power supply to cater to the orders in time,” Dar said. “As a result, we are losing both business and the clientele.” Unit-holders say to keep the work going, some of them have installed generators which is shooting up the manufacturing cost. “Our rates remain fixed but raising them at the eleventh hour means a confrontation with the client, which is not in the best interest of our business,” Ali Muhammad said. People who do not have alternate electricity sources fail to meet the deadlines. “It is a double-edged sword and it’s a pity that we can do nothing about it,” said Tanseer Ahmad, a bat manufacturer from Bijbehara. The unit-holders say they have been pleading for essential supply lines for their units but the pleas have been falling on deaf ears. |
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Girl impersonator, cousin try to end life in Udhampur
Udhampur, November 24 The girl, Babli Devi, was allegedly caught by the invigilator yesterday while she was appearing in the class Xth examination in place of her cousin Pramila Devi. Fearing action against them, both the girls today attempted to commit suicide by consuming some poisonous substance, police said. Both the girls were shifted to the district hospital Udhampur where their condition is stated to be critical, it said. A case has been registered in this regard and investigations are going on, police said.
— TNS |
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illegal quarrying
Srinagar, November 24 It has also directed the Commissioner Secretary, Industry and Commerce, and the department to file a report indicating as to whether the extraction of stones from proprietary or barren lands was permitted. The directions were passed by a division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar on Thursday in a public interest litigation (PIL) by Sofi Arif, seeking a ban on illegal quarrying in the forests. Quarrying operations in forest areas of the state have already been banned by the High Court. In April this year, the court had directed all Deputy Commissioners to ensure strict implementation of its orders on illegal quarrying in the forests across the state and had made it clear that any laxity to implement its directions in letter and spirit would be viewed seriously. “The Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, in his affidavit, has stated that quarrying has not been stopped on private, barren land except in some cases where slope stability was involved and landslides were detrimental to the nearby population or roads,” the bench observed in its orders made available yesterday. The Commissioner Secretary, the court said, had also submitted in his affidavit that at present, the extraction of stones from private/barren lands was being permitted, which met the demands of construction works and provided jobs to quarry owners, labourers and transporters. The Commissioner had also suggested that the Forest Department be asked to identify any barren area within the forest lands for rehabilitating the quarrying owners effected by closing down of their quarrying operation in the forest areas. However, the court took exception to the suggestion by the Commissioner/Secretary, saying, “any positive response by the Forest Department will run contrary to the judgment of the Apex court”, which has banned quarrying operations in forest areas. “Some parameters have to be adopted in compliance with the judgment of the Apex Court, titled Deepak Kumar versus State of Haryana… the relevant rules for quarrying and other minor mineral activities have been revised and updated after having concurrence from forest, irrigation, flood control, revenue and fisheries departments. The General Administrative Department has submitted (these) draft rules to the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for vetting,” the bench observed in its orders while quoting from the status report of the Commissioner/Secretary, adding that “the rules shall be thereafter submitted for approval so as to have a government policy on all types of land where such activities can continue.” To check illegal quarrying in the forest areas, the state government has drafted minor mineral rules that have been submitted to the Law Department after receiving objections from all departments concerned. “The Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, shall file latest status report, wherein it shall be clearly indicated as to whether the extraction of stones is permitted from private, proprietary/barren lands or otherwise. In addition, latest status of the finalisation of the rules, if any, formulated by the government, shall also be filed,” the HC directed in its orders. |
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on the frontline
Separatists are hoping against hope that this time the electorate would not let them down and will stay away from the polling booths. They are terming the successful Assembly elections of 2008, despite the heightened communal and regional tensions that preceded the polls that recorded over 60 per cent of participation of the voters, and the 80 per cent participation in the 2011 panchayat polls as a forgotten chapter in the history. This group of hardline separatists, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who during his brief spell of his liberty went from place to place asking people to boycott polls, despite his bitter experience in the past, as his boycott calls were rejected by a vast majority of the people. The other faction of the Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, believes that electoral politics would not change the colour of the Kashmir landscape. So they are indifferent. The fact of the matter is that after the success of the 2008 Assembly polls, he had admitted the separatists’ failure. There is another fact that his own party Awami Action Committee had contested elections
and so had Syed Ali Shah Geelani. If separatists are having toast with the poll boycott, there is an element of scare among the mainstream parties over the "NONE OF THE ABOVE (NOTA)" option. They are putting up a brave face, but in their inner circles they are extremely worried. The ruling National Conference and Congress are mulling what if the electorate opt for this option. There is a little bit of dichotomy too. Those interested in boycotting the polls would not walk up to the polling stations just to exercise the NOTA option. In any case, they would not like to be seen queueing up outside polling booths. If they would walk up to the polling booth, they would exercise their right to vote and press the button of the party or candidate of their choice. In the other case, if they go to the polling booths and say NOTA, there would still be the hardcore cadres of the parties who would vote and make their candidates win. Even if there is 10 per cent of voting, the candidates would be elected and the government would be formed. But NOTA can give some kind of perverted satisfaction to them. The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is only 13-year-old, has acted clever. It is not having as many committed cadres as the ruling National Conference, which is nearly 75-year-old, is having. The party may be ageing but it has die-hard cadres across the Valley, hence it is having upper hand over the PDP. But the PDP has moved ahead of its rival in naming candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, with a clear objective of identifying the candidates of the party with the issues concerning the people. The corruption that has eaten away the vitals of governance is its major issue. The strategy is clear --- to make its candidates march ahead in the game of raising issues before others field their candidates. However, there is a flip side to it, the party activists would get tired by the time the elections take place. The PDP patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, perhaps, didn’t think of it before naming candidates, including his daughter and the party president Mehbooba Mufti and his close confidant Tariq Hamid Karra. He has made things tough for his own party candidates and is in search of issues that would appeal to the electorate. It, however, is certain that if the voters come out, it will sail through. Will that happen? The answer is, leave it to Kashmiris. |
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Army holds medical camp at remote Udhampur village
Jammu, November 24 The camp was inaugurated by Lt Gen HS Sachdev, Chief of Staff, Northern Command, and a local woman. A large number of civil and military officers were present. Villagers availed themselves of the super-speciality treatment along with latest diagnostics for the first time in their lives. The camp was organised on the request of the villagers as the area is geographically backward and deprived of medical facilities. No medical camp has been held in the area in the past 10 years. A total of 2, 538 patients benefited from the camp. The services of super specialists in the field of ophthalmology, ENT, gynaecology, paediatrics, medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, dental and pathology were provided to people along with ECG, x-ray and laboratory facilities. Free of cost medicines were also provided to the patients. The civil administration and the villagers thanked Maj Gen Bipin Puri, Commandant, and all doctors of the hospital for rendering the yeoman service in providing health care to the people in far-flung areas of the state. Free aid The camp was organised on the request of the villagers as the area is geographically backward and deprived of medical facilities. No medical camp has been held in the area in the past 10 years. A total of 2, 538 patients benefited from the camp.
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42 years on, family awaits Army captain’s return
Jammu, November 24 “I wish I could see him again before I breathe my last,” Nirmal Kour, wife of Assa Singh, said. The 70-year-old recalled the day when the Army informed her that Assa Singh had gone missing and was presumed to be dead. “It was the most tragic moment of my life, when the Army informed me that my husband was missing and was presumed to be dead,” she said. Assa Singh was arrested by the Pakistan Rangers in the Chhamb sector during the 1971 war. “No one can feel the pain and agony of a woman, with two sons and five daughters, when she gets the news of her husband’s death,” Nirmal said in choked voice. “I cannot forget those testing times. How I managed with an amount of Rs 300 per month, which I got as pension from the Army,” she recalled. In December 1971, the Army declared that Assa Singh was missing and presumed him to be dead. He was a Subedar and was later given the rank of honorary Captain. While the family was busy performing the last rites of Assa Singh, in absentia of his mortal remains, a neighbour informed them about the announcement being made on Radio Pakistan, according to which the Indian soldier was in a Pakistan prison. “Neighbours told us that Assa Singh himself appeared on the Radio Pakistan broadcast from Karachi and Rawalpindi on December 19 and 20, 1971, giving information of his well-being,” Nirmal recalled. “Since then, I made every possible effort for his return. But all my efforts went in vain,” she rued. The family, meanwhile, expressed its regret over the state government’s attitude towards the sensitive issue. “Only the Army has helped us. Nothing has been done by the state government to know about the whereabouts of the missing prisoner,” said Baldev Singh, Assa Singh’s elder son. Nirmal also lashed out at the Centre for a “totally insensitive” approach. “In the past, many Indians who were freed from Pakistani jails confirmed his presence there. But the Union government never took up the issue of 54 PoWs in the right way with Pakistan,” she said. Baldev, however, expressed hope that his father was still alive and would return home one day. “In 1988, a spy from RS Pura, who was working in a Multan hospital, informed us about my father,” 55-year-old Baldev said. “He had met my father in the hospital and told us that he was alive,” he said. Baldev said there was ample evidence that his father was still in Pakistan. “Later in 2002, another spy Bhogal Ram from Purmandal told us that he met my father in a Pakistan prison, where they both were tortured by the Pakistani Rangers. This is enough to believe that my father is alive,” he said. Baldev, meanwhile, said he along with Bhogal Ram had met the then President APJ Abdul Kalam, following which Nirmal Kour was allowed be a part of the 14-member delegation that visited Pakistan. The delegation visited 10 Pakistan prisons, but they could not locate any of their relatives. “They must have hidden them when we visited those prisons, but we know that they are there,” Nirmal said. The family has now registered the matter with the Missing Defence Personnel Relative Association, a group in Delhi which takes up the cause of the missing defence personnel with the Union government. The family, meanwhile, expressed their gratitude to the Army for giving them all benefits that a family of a martyr deserved. |
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ADGP visits Rajouri, extends support to people
Rajouri, November 24 SM Sahai thanked the people of the Rajouri and Poonch districts for helping security forces in their fight against militancy. “The experience I gained from these highly infested militancy districts played a major role in bringing militancy to its lower level during my tenures as the IGP in Kashmir,” said Sahai. He extended his full support to the people from the two districts whenever any of them approached him. Later, the ADGP inaugurated a musical programme for the promotion of traditional folk art organised by the district police and the National Development Foundation, an NGO, in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Culture. Mubassir Latifi, Superintendent of Police, highlighted the achievements of the ADGP during his various postings in J&K. Politicians, social workers, including Shafiq Mir, Shahbaz Khan, Liyakat Choudhry and Shahjad Khan, organised a get together at the PWD Guest House in the evening to honour the ADGP. MLAs, MLCs, senior civil and police officers and leaders from various political parties and social organisations were also present. |
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National Lok Adalat held at Majalta
Jammu, November 24 The National Lok Adalat was held the directions of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). The day is also observed as NALSA Day. In a day-long Lok Adalat organised under the chairmanship of Chairman, Tehsil Legal Services Committee, Munsiff Sudesh Sharma at the court complex, Majalta, Rs 1,39,000 was given to petitioners on the spot, settling dispute between the parties amicably in the cases registered under Section 488 of the CrPC and Section 279 of
the RPC. An amount of Rs 5,000 was also realised as fine after deciding 89 traffic challans and other petty offences on the spot. The Tehsildar, Block Medical Officer and the Station House Officer of Majalta and Bar members participated in the Lok Adalat. Munsiff Sudesh Sharma said the idea behind the Lok Adalat was that people should not get into unnecessary litigation. Sharma added that the Lok Adalat had proved to be an efficient way of disposing of the cases, which had been pending for years in various courts. |
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Poppy straw seized
Jammu, November 24 Reports said a police party intercepted a truck loaded with fruit boxes at Jakhani in the wee hours today. Noticing some unwarranted behaviour of the driver, policemen got the whole truck unloaded and subjected it to a thorough search, seizing four fruit boxes filled with poppy straw. The accused, Sher Partap Singh, a resident of Gurdaspur, Punjab, and Sant Ram, a resident of Amritsar, were arrested on the spot.
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Inadequate funds nix efforts to reduce man-bear conflict
Jammu, November 24 Last year, the death toll for the corresponding
period was seven. “This year, the death toll has so far reached 19 in man-bear conflict,” said a senior official of the Wildlife Department,
who attributed the spurt to the inadequate and irregular funding. “Though we have set up rapid action centres in vulnerable areas to avoid man-animal conflicts and we have been able to avoid conflicts with timely intervention but the problem lies in the erratic and inadequate funding,”
he said. The official disclosed that the major chunk of the Union government’s funds that come to the state were primarily meant for preservation of endangered species, especially the cat family. “As a result, we could not focus satisfactorily on measures to minimise the man-bear conflict, which have assumed serious proportions due to the depleting forest cover vis-à-vis increased human activities,” he said. The official said the fragmentation of their (bears’) habitats, especially of black bear, has led to
an increase in man-bear conflict. In 2011, the man-bear conflict had caused 35 deaths and injuries to 500 people in the state, particularly in Kashmir, and the death count had come down to seven last year but this year the
death count has already reached 19. However, following public outcry, the Wildlife Department had constituted 19 quick reaction teams. These were deputed in vulnerable areas and fetched positive results. The teams were spread from Kokernag to Kupwara and came to the rescue of the people at the time of conflict without harming the wild animals. Pulwama, Anantnag, Kupwara, Handwara, Doda and Rajouri districts in the state have the presence of Asiatic black bear and higher altitudes of Gurez and Kargil has Himalayan brown bear. Both species, it may be stated here, fall in schedule 1 of the J&K Wildlife Act and they are listed in the vulnerable category. |
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NABARD holds financial literacy camp at Kupwara
Kupwara, November 24 The camp was aimed at spreading financial literacy among the people of the area and to encourage and develop financial awareness at the grass roots level. Deputy General Manager, NABARD, Dinesh Kapila was the Chief Guest on the occasion. “The NABARD is an institution fully owned by the Government of India and the RBI. It is known for its continuous support and active involvement in the development of rural sectors through various schemes and credit support,” Kapila said. He added that the financial literacy campaign has been started by the NABARD in Kashmir with an objective to create awareness about the importance of associating with banks. District Development Manager, NABARD, Kupwara, Rouf Ahmad Zargar, on the occasion, urged people to open bank accounts, as it was necessary to ensure the direct transfer of subsidies on LPG, ration, kerosene and other subsidised commodities to the beneficiaries. |
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Protest against power dept in Pulwama
Pulwama, November 24 The residents took to the streets and demanded that the department should stop curtailments and provide electricity as per the schedule. “We have failed to understand what the government and the department wants from us. They asked us to set electricity metres, we set them up. But it had no effect on the curtailments,” said one of the protesters. The residents alleged that they were being provided only five hour of electricity a day and that too with frequent interruptions. “The PDD has sent us in the dark ages. There is no electricity, we have to manage with alternate sources like lanterns and candles,” said another protester. Meanwhile, the executive engineer, Pulwama, said the curtailments were due to the load shedding, as the demand exceeds the supply. “People themselves are responsible for the curtailments as they are involved in power theft. They use more power, but pay less,” he said. |
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State training institutes for teachers lack qualified staff, claims report
Jammu, November 24 “Even though the primary mandate of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) is to train teachers, lack of trained teacher educators is a matter of grave concern,” the report said while raising the questions over the nature and quality of training being imparted at the institute. Although the DIET institutions are mandated to carry out research, it seems to be a much neglected activity, the report claimed. “There is no opportunity or platform for teachers in the school system to acquire research skills or to follow any research interests. They are neither encouraged nor expected to engage in research,” the report added. It further pointed out that there was no mechanism of providing feedback to State Institute of Education (SIE) trainers on the quality and applicability of their training programmes. Given the new demands that the DIET faces, the annual training is inadequate if not outdated, the report said. It further stated the institutes lacked proper documentation of trainings, the modules used for training teachers by the faculty, recording of activities and processes adopted by the trainers. “There is no institutional memory or resource that exists,” it said. “In the light of regular transfers, this becomes a major drawback as new faculty clearly has to start right afresh to create knowledge based resources,” the report added. The nine-member Centre-sponsored mission which visited the state earlier this year comprised of Farida Abdulla Khan, Geeta Menon, Nandini Manjrekar, Habibullah Shah, Azra Razzack, Dipta Bhog, Anita Rampal, Shabda Bedi and Suhail-ul Islam. |
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Former Peoples Conference spokesperson joins NC
Srinagar, November 24 Mattu was welcomed by NC Additional General Secretary Mustafa Kamal, NC Provisional President Nasir Aslam Wani and other senior leaders, Kamal said he was happy that Mattu had joined the party and saw a bright future for him. Wani said Mattu would get all possible support from the party cadre and functionaries in serving the people of the state. Mattu thanked the party for putting faith in him. —
TNS |
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One killed, 11 injured in road accidents
Srinagar, November 24 A passenger fell off a minibus near Soura locality of the city, resulting in critical injuries to him, a police spokesman said. The injured passenger, identified as Mohammad Hayat Dar, a resident of Daren village of Ganderbal district, died on his way to hospital. Two cabs collided at Dandipora village of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, resulting in injuries to six passengers, the spokesman said. All injured were taken to hospital. In another accident at Dandipora village, a truck collided with a passenger cab, resulting in injuries to five persons. All injured were shifted to hospital, the spokesman said.
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Officials told to expedite beautification of Jhelum
Srinagar, November 24 The minister chaired a meeting of senior officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control, the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, the Health Department and the Gardens and Parks Department yesterday to discuss the status of various development works. Sagar directed officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control to speed up the work of the beautification of the Jhelum and its embankments, an official spokesman said. The minister said the beautification up to Chattabal Veer should be completed on a fast-track basis. “He also directed them for the proper rehabilitation of residents who have been dislocated as a consequence of the same,” the spokesman said. Sagar also directed officials of the Health and Mechanical Engineering departments to ensure the central heating of the hospitals. He asked for the immediate restoration of heating facilities of JLNM, Gousia, and other hospitals. “Necessary care should be taken to ensure the availability of medicines and other related things to the patients so that they do not face any inconvenience,” the minister said. Sagar directed the LAWDA to complete the bridges connecting the areas of Bagh-i-Roop Singh, Reshi Mohalla and Bhat Mohalla. The minister also asked officials of the Gardens and Parks Department to carry out the work on various parks of the Srinagar city and beautify the area around the Khankhai Moula shrine and the park at Dastigeer Sahib at the earliest, the spokesman said. |
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Linesman electrocuted
Srinagar, November 24 The linesman who has been identified as Gulla Mir (50), a resident of Rawalpora, was electrocuted while repairing a high-tension supply line in the city, a police spokesman said. He got electrocuted and fell off from an electricity pole at Karfalli Mohalla locality while doing some repair work. He was shifted to the SKIMS in Srinagar, where he died, he said. — TNS
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Tributes paid to sculptor Gayoor Hassan
Srinagar, November 24 Prominent artists, writers and admirers of Gayoor Hassan highlighted his contribution in the field of art and culture at the function. They said Hassan was instrumental in drawing sketches of various luminaries of the state, including Sultan Zain-ul-Abideen, Sultan Shuhab-u-din, Sheikh Sadi Sheerazi, Habba Khatoon and many more. Ghulam Nabi Khayal, former academy secretary Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, former principal of the Institute of Music and Fine Arts Shabir Mirza, Nowshad Gayoor (Gayoor Hassan’s son) and additional secretary of the academy Arvinder Singh Amn were present at the function. Zaffar Iqbal Manhas said Gayoor had illustrated many title cover designs for publications of the academy and strengthened the art faculty. —
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PM urged to appoint chairman of 7th pay panel
Jammu, November 24 While addressing a day-long workers convention at Rani Park today, Shastri said early notification for appointing chairman and other members of the 7th Pay Commission was the need of the hour. The NMC has also demanded merger of 50 per cent DA into basic pay and pension to provide some relief to the salaried class. The NMC demanded that the daily-rated workers in various departments should be regularised along with casual and seasonal labour. He also appealed to make amendments in SRO 64.
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Two GHSS students felicitated
Jammu, November 24 Principal Anchal Dass Verma congratulated the students and wished them best of luck for the upcoming national games. The principal also appreciated the efforts of PEM Sumant Singh in training the students.
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Residents cry foul as Bahu Plaza area turns into unauthorised dumping yard
Jammu, November 24 Adding to it is the insufficient parking space within the vast area housing several state government, central departments and private concerns, creating chaos outside the road network. Though the outer areas and buildings are receiving regular maintenance from the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), but interior lanes are abundant with garbage dumps and stray cattle. Heaps of garbage, potholed road, stagnant water, blocked drains tells the tale of indifferent attitude of authorities towards the place created exclusively for the office space and high-end shoppers. Lack of effective mechanism, failure to place garbage containers by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and shortage of safai karamcharies is the major reason for the poor condition of the area. There is no coordination between the JDA and JMC,” said Sourabh Kapoor, a local resident. “It surprises me, where is the civic body. Our area has become a garbage dump. It seems that authorities have no concern to make the area as major attraction for shoppers,” said Bhagwan Singh, another resident. City is already facing a huge challenge where to dump solid waste generated by residents as the JMC has failed to find a suitable place for the purpose. Few months back, the plan to dump it at Kot Bhalwal area was resisted by the people living around the area. However, none of the official from the municipality and the JDA was available for the comment. |
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Natrang celebrates Anjali Abrol’s success to stardom
Jammu, November 24 Anjali came into limelight with her lead role in popular TV serial ‘Raja Ki Aayegi Baarat’. Later, she did serials like ‘Chhajje Chhajje Ka Pyaar’, ‘Nach Baliye’ and ‘Mahadev’. Before moving to Mumbai, she was a part of the Natrang theatre group where she performed in Dogri play ‘Ghumayee’. She has performed in the plays like ‘Bawa Jitto’ ‘Kanjoos’, ‘Natak Nahien’, ‘Holi’, ‘Aap Hamare Hai Kaun’ and ‘Sab Chakkar Hai’. As a dancer, she has participated in Natrang’s much-acclaimed programmes like ‘Jashan-e-Kashmir’ and ‘J&K Utsav’ at the India International Trade Fair-2006 in Delhi. “Her success in Bollywood is seen as a boost to the acting talent of Jammu and will inspire many young aspirants to join theatre,” said Balwant Thakur, director, Natrang. Thakur said Anjali’s success would inspire many youngsters to take up acting as a profession. Jammu has got immense talent but the same is required to be explored, promoted and projected in the right direction.
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belt grading test for ‘unrecognised’ martial arts
Jammu, November 24 Sources said martial arts instructors being engaged by the institutions were misleading the management to conduct belt grading tests and suggested them to charge fees from them for purchasing belts and certificates which have no relevance either in helping aspirants to seek admission in a professional college or getting a job in the government department under the sports quota. Sources said the rates of belts were starting from a minimum of Rs 250. Ironically, this phenomenon is more common in reputed private educational institutions where the belt rates were so high and the ignorant parents of the students who have little knowledge about the sport had no option, but to submit fee to the school management. “Yes, we are often being told by the school management that they are going to organise belt grading test for their children and for that, we have to deposit a certain sum of rupees. Recently, I was asked to deposit Rs 750 as fee for my ward to participate in the belt grading test,” one of the parents told The Tribune. “My child is studying in pre-nursery and I fail to understand the logic behind conducting of the test by the school management. Even I am sure that my child will hardly know the spelling of belt grading test for which he was asked to deposit the required fee,” he added. Sources claimed that the matter was not just confined to the big educational institutions, but majority of academies in the City of Temples were now following the similar pattern to earn money on the pretext of conducting the fake belt grading tests. Sources said after the students participate in the test, they were promoted to the next rank by the so-called instructors and certificates were also distributed to them. After getting them, students were informed in advance that they would be promoted to the next rank, but for that, another belt grading test would be conducted in the future. Tirath Ram, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Jammu, told The Tribune “Not once, but the department has informed many times that both educational institutions and parents should not get trapped in such fake sporting events which have no concern with the sports career of an aspirant.” |
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157 Territorial Army win inaugural tie in hockey tournament
Jammu, November 24 Territorial Army dominated the proceedings from the onset by slamming as many as three goals in the first half. Young Star Club tried their level best to minimise the margin, but in vain. At the half time, Territorial Army was comfortably placed with 3-0 lead. In the second half, Young Star Club managed to score two goals, but Territorial Army had added four more goals to their kitty to make it 7-2. A total of 16 teams, including the J&K Police, Gurdaspur Hockey Club, 157 Territory Army, Baramulla Hockey Club and Poonch Hockey Club, are participating in the championship. |
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Youth on ‘slam dunk’ mission want to promote basketball
Srinagar, November 24 “Basketball is an international sport and is played almost in every country. There is a lot of talent available in Kashmir, but players do not get the required platform to display their skills and that is why we want to set up a basketball academy,” said Sameer Gojwari, founder member, Change Basketball League (CBL). He said the CBL was currently organising a basketball tournament at the Indoor Sports Stadium here that was the first step towards setting up an academy. “Eight teams are participating in this five-day-long event that will conclude on November 27. The main idea of the CBL is to create a new image for sports in Kashmir by giving recognition to young basketball players. Two national level players are participating in the event and this will be the first step towards setting up an academy,” Gojwari said. Aukif Khan, a Valley-based basketball player, who has participated in a few national events, said the tournament was an effort towards presenting the game in an attractive manner as it would encourage others to take up this sport. “As basketball is one of the most popular games in the world and is gaining more pace with every passing year, we felt the need of initiating a very cool and attractive way of presenting the game,” he said. Gojwari said the tournament had already started attracting the attention of local youngsters and they were confident that the sport would gain more popularity in the due course of time. |
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Valley’s team leaves for rafting championship
Srinagar, November 24 The Himachal Pradesh Rafting Association, under the aegis of the Flat and White Water Rafting Federation of India, has organised the championship from November 24 to December 1 on the Sutlej. Members of the team are Mohamamd Yousuf, Gowhar Ahmad, Mohammad Rafi, Muzafar Ahmad, Mohammad Iqbal and Reyaz Ahmad. They were working as assistant raft guides during summer with adventure sports companies. Ahad Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Shahanshah and Damna Adventures have sponsored the team. “The Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir appreciated the sponsors. The state is presently taking the services of raft guides from Nepal. Thus, we need to train the manpower for adventure tourism,” JKSMA spokesperson said. The JKSMA has conducted various activities, including the Jhelum Cleaning Campaign and a training camp for 175 boys and girls of Green Valley Educational School. The association is planning to field its junior team in the forthcoming rafting championship. |
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Kashmir Gold Cup Tae kwon do C’ship begins
Srinagar, November 24 The championship was held to celebrate the silver jubilee of the JK National Sports Club. Addressing the inaugural function, Sadiq congratulated the players. “It is a matter of pride that many of our young players have brought laurels to the state,” Sadiq said. “Tae kwon do has its own importance like other sports,” he said. Sadiq asked the youth to take benefit from the sports facilities being provided by the government and appreciated the role of JK National Sports Club in organising such activities. |
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At a time when spiraling prices of vegetables have taken flavour out of dining tables, authorities appear to be in no mood to initiate action against vegetable and fruit vendors fleecing.
The Command Hospital, under the directions of the Northern Command headquarters, conducted a
multi-speciality medical camp today at Sudhmahadev village in the Chenani area of Udhampur district.
The camp was inaugurated by Lt Gen HS Sachdev, Chief of Staff, Northern Command, and a local woman. A large number of civil and military officers were present.
It has been a long wait for the family of Captain Assa Singh, a 1971 prisoner of war
(PoW), who are yearning to see him return to his home. “I wish I could see him again before I breathe my last,” Nirmal Kour, wife of Assa Singh, said.
Jammu, November 24
157 Territorial Army (TA) got the better of Young Star Club, Simbal Camp, by 7-2 in the opening match of Sant Gurbaksh Singh Danna Memorial Hockey Tournament which commenced at KK Hakoo Astro Turf Stadium here today.
A rafting team of the J&K Ski and Mountaineering Association (JKSMA) today left for Shimla to participate in the first Colonel BS Sandhu Memorial Rafting Championship.
The Himachal Pradesh Rafting Association, under the aegis of the Flat and White Water Rafting Federation of India, has organised the championship from November 24 to December 1 on the
Sutlej.
The Kashmir Gold Cup Tae kwon do Championship was inaugurated by Political Secretary to Chief Minister Tanvir Sadiq at the Indoor Stadium in the city here today.
In the electoral climate that is building up in the Kashmir valley, an option after another is being thrown on the table by the mainstream and the separatist leadership, with no clarity as to who wants what. This absence of clarity is adding confusion to the puzzled Kashmir politics. The leadership that should have steered the masses out of this perplexity itself is in a state of disorder.
Inadequate and irregular funding has hampered the state Wildlife Department’s quest to minimise man-bear conflict in Jammu and Kashmir where the death toll this year has reached 19 so far with nine deaths reported from Kupwara district alone.
