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Panel directs administration to make traffic lights functional
Awareness programmes mark end of energy conservation week
Evangelical Society takes out Christmas procession
Anton Chekhov’s play A Happy Man staged in city
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Women painters in state get a chance to discuss emerging trends in fine arts
Dogra Degree College organises placement drive
Dogra Higher Secondary School wins aerobics contest
Snow shuts Jammu-Srinagar highway, Mughal Road
Vehicles wait at Jawahar Tunnel near Qazigund in Anantnag district on Sunday after snow and landslides. Tribune photo: Amin War
2 girls die in avalanche
on the frontline
Patients shiver in Anantnag hospitals
Demand for woollens picks up as mercury dips
A vendor selling kangris does brisk business in Batmaloo in Srinagar. Tribune photo: Amin War
Ladakh region remains cut off
10 killed as vehicle rolls down gorge in Kishtwar
Omar: Militant attacks failed to demoralise forces
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inspects the guard of honour during the CRPF’s attestation-cum- passing-out parade at the CRPF base camp in Srinagar on Sunday. Tribune Photo: Amin War
Casualties not due to any complacency, says CRPF IG
2013
Review security
Meet held to review functioning of home dept
State to revamp teacher education institutes
Weak laws make begging a lucrative business in state
FIR against Mobile Magistrate denounced
Srinagar gets season’s first snowfall
substandard food controversy
335 CRPF recruits pass out from Humhama Training Centre
CRPF recuits during the passing-out parade at Humhama Training Centre in Srinagar on Sunday. PTI Bhalla to listen to grievances at Secretariat
Tourist, cab driver killed in road mishap
NSG U-14 volleyball nationals
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Panel directs administration to make traffic lights functional
Jammu December 22 A Department Related Standing Committee (DRSC-II) headed by Member of Legislative Council (MLC), Vijay Bakaya, had expressed concern for the delay in constructing parking lots to decongest roads, as it leads to total chaos in city. The committee is headed by legislators, Ravinder Kumar Sharma and Jehangir Hussain Mir. Dharambir Singh Oberoi was also present in the meeting. “It is matter of concern that traffic lights installed in city are almost non-functional. They should be repaired so that vehicular movement can be streamlined,” Bakaya said. The traffic police had made plans to abandon traffic lights as a means to control vehicles’ movement in city and had decided to shift back to manual mode to ensure that the order is restored on roads. Officials said despite conducting several surveys before installing lights at 30 places around the city, which become operational in September 2012, most of them proved useless just weeks after their installation. At present, traffic scenario is in total chaos with lack of staff at the disposal of traffic police making it an uphill task to deal with the problem, but at the same time the increased influx of vehicles has further compounded the problem. These lights were installed by Onnyx Electronics, a New Delhi-based company at the cost of about one crore of tax payers’ money. The project was one of priority areas to get rid of traffic chaos in twin capital cities and to augment shortage of police personnel manning vehicular movement, but electronic signals created further mess with frequent stopping of vehicles. The bottleneck |
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Awareness programmes mark end of energy conservation week
Jammu, December 22 Awareness was created at various telephone exchanges in state. A seminar on energy conservation was also organised at the office of Telecom District Manager, BSNL, Udhampur. Among others who attended the programme included Awanish Kumar Shukla, CE (E), BSNL, Jammu; AK Mishra, GM (CM), BSNL, J&K Circle; Avnish Sharma TDM, BSNL, Udhampur; RS Bhatia, SE (E), BSNL, J&K Circle; RC Meena EE (E)-I, BSNL; Deepak Kumar, DE (P&A), Udhampur; Laxmi Chand, DE (CFA-1),Udhampur and Vijay Sharma, DE (DE-NS), Udhampur. AK Shukla, chief engineer (E) BSNL gave a presentation on energy conservation. Focus was laid on measures required to be taken up for energy conservation particularly in BSNL. Effects of global warming, use of non-conventional energy resources and free cooling were some of the issues that were discussed. |
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Evangelical Society takes out Christmas procession
Jammu, December 22 A press conference was also organised later, wherein Rev Vicky Mooman told the media that Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, had promised cooperation from the government for smooth conduct of Christmas Day activities. Others present on the occasion, included Rohit Kumar, Dand, Elder Buta Masih, Sabbi, Elder Sabbi, Kashmira, Elder Gurnam, Manjeet, Pardhan,
Rinku Gill and Jagdish Khokhar. |
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Anton Chekhov’s play A Happy Man staged in city
Jammu, December 22 Neeraj Kant directed the play, which opens in a second-class train compartment where passengers are busy talking to each other to pass their time. Suddenly, they find a person boarding the running train, who later joins them in their conversation. He was drunk and did not belong to their compartment. In high spirits, the man reveals that he has his seat booked in the first-class compartment of the train and that his beautiful newly-wed wife was waiting for him. The train had left the station before he could return and he fails to get into his compartment, following which he decides to return his seat in the next station. Till then, he does not want to spend time regretting and instead wants to be happy. His idea of staying happy is to find happiness everywhere and he strongly preaches his ideology to the fellow passengers. He asserts to see the positivity everywhere, as this is his prospective which
make things either good or bad. But all his convictions are laid to rest, when he finds himself in trouble, as in hurry, he had boarded the wrong train, whereas his wife was waiting for him in some other train. In brief The protagonist's idea of staying happy is to find happiness everywhere and he strongly preaches his ideology to fellow passengers. He asserts to see this positivity everywhere, as this is his prospective which make things either good or bad. But all his convictions are laid to rest, when he finds himself in trouble, as in hurry, he had boarded the wrong train, whereas his wife was waiting for him in some other train. |
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Women painters in state get a chance to discuss emerging trends in fine arts
Jammu, December 21 The participating artists are young and budding women painters drawn from different parts of the state. The workshop was inaugurated by secretary academy, Khalid Bashir Ahmad, whereas Rita Jitendra presided over the inaugural session. Among others, noted author and artists, ND Jamwal and secretary J&K Red Cross, Roma Wani, were also present. Resource person Lalit Gupta presented a paper on the works and contribution of women artists of Jammu & Kashmir with special reference to the national scenario. Sunanda Khajuria, a Delhi-based freelance artist, whose work deals with human psychology, would conduct the workshop. Speaking on the occasion, Khalid Bashir said the idea was to hold an exclusive workshop for female artists to provide them a platform to interact with each other and with experts and discuss the emerging trends in
fine arts. In her presidential address, Rita Jitendra hailed the academy’s
initiative to hold an event exclusively devoted to women. She asked the participants to make painting their passion and not
let their domestic responsibilities dampen their spirit in the pursuit of
their hobby. The workshop will, among other things, feature interactive sessions, lectures, slide shows of works by individual participants, engaged in creative work, discussions on contemporary trends in art, interaction with students of Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar and Parade and visit by faculty of Institute of Music & Fine Arts. What's in store The five day long all-women artists' workshop being organised by the Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture & Languages will feature interactive sessions, lectures, slide shows of works by individual participants, engaged in creative work, discussions on contemporary trends in art for young and budding women painters drawn from different parts of the state. |
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Dogra Degree College organises placement drive
Jammu, December 22 Vinay Kumar, HR associate and other representatives visited the college and conducted personal interviews of students. The aim of organising the drive was to provide a new career path to newcomers for their bright future.—TNS The visitors Leading direct sales company Eureka Forbes Ltd was invited to recruit candidates. HR associate Vinay Kumar and other representatives conducted personal interviews of students. |
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Dogra Higher Secondary School wins aerobics contest
Jammu, December 22 Those who participated, included New Era Environmental School, Lawrence Public School, JK Montessori School, Mayur Public School, SD Tarapuri High School, Bikram Memorial School, J&K Police Public School, International Public School, Dogra Higher Secondary School and host Alexander Memorial School. Sports teacher Usha Chunni and Monika from Women Alive were the judges for the competition. Dogra Higher Secondary School secured the first position, while Lawrence Public School and SD
Tarapuri High School came second and third, respectively.—TNS |
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Snow shuts Jammu-Srinagar highway, Mughal Road
Srinagar/Jammu, Dec 22 The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the Valley’s only road link to the rest of the country, was closed to traffic today following snowfall at Patnitop and Jawahar Tunnel. Around one foot snow accumulated near Jawahar Tunnel, which links the Valley to Jammu region, this morning. A police official said some light vehicles were allowed to cross the tunnel for around an hour in the afternoon, but the highway was completely shut 3 pm onwards due to slippery road conditions. He said no heavy vehicle was allowed to cross the tunnel while a large number of trucks loaded with essentials and other vehicles carrying passengers remained stranded on either side. While the Border Roads Organisation, which looks after the road’s maintenance, has pressed its men and machinery into service to clear the snow, the police official said vehicular traffic on the highway would be allowed following improvement in weather conditions. Snowfall also forced suspension of traffic from Srinagar to the tourist resort of Sonamarg in Ganderbal district. Sonamarg received around two feet snowfall. Traffic on the 84-km Mughal Road that connects Shopian in Kashmir Valley with Bafliaz in Poonch district of Jammu region remained suspended for the second straight day today. Light rains, however, provided some respite from the dense fog, as almost all flights -- barring those operating between Jammu and Srinagar -- operated on time from the Jammu Airport. “All flights, except Jammu-Srinagar, operated on time from Jammu Airport. However, a chartered flight was cancelled. The flight operating between Jammu and Srinagar was delayed by two hours after accumulation of snow at Srinagar Airport,” said Ashok Sharma, superintendent of police (anti-hijacking), Jammu Airport. Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar was suspended late last night following heavy snowfall at Jawahar Tunnel and Patnitop resort. No vehicle was allowed to move from Jakhani Chowk near Udhampur towards Srinagar following slippery road conditions due to snowfall on the highway. Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on highway, while authorities pressed into service snow cutting machines near Patnitop to clear the road. The historic Mughal road also remained closed for traffic for the second consecutive day following heavy snowfall at Peer-Ki-Gali and several other places. In Poonch, Loran Top and Sabzian belts also received fresh snowfall, thereby intensifying the chill in plain areas of the district. The Trikuta hills nestling Mata Vaishno Devi also witnessed the season’s first snowfall. The pilgrimage was, however, being undertaken smoothly with over 15,000 pilgrims paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine on Sunday. Helicopter services for the pilgrims were suspended in view of the continuous snowfall. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Boad Chief Executive Officer Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari said over 15,000 pilgrims were undertaking the yatra to cave shrine on Sunday, while snowfall has led to intense cold en route. There was also a slight improvement in the movement of trains. Almost all trains, except Pooja Express, were moving one to two hours behind schedule. Pooja Express, which was scheduled to arrive at Jammu Railway Station at 8.10 am, reached here at 6.30 pm. The maximum temperature in Jammu dipped by eight degrees below normal to settle at 12.3°C while the minimum temperature also plummeted to 8.4°C, one degree below normal. (With inputs from Devinder Thakur in Reasi, Darshan Bharti in Poonch and Deepanker Gupta in
Udhampur) Some respite in Jammu |
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2 girls die in avalanche
Srinagar, December 22 Two teenaged girls identified as Dilshada and Shafiqa were killed after being hit by an avalanche at Gund Sheikh village of Gurez near the Line of Control, Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, M Y Zargar said. Gund Sheikh village, around130 km from Bandipora town, is an avalanche prone area. Reports said the girls had gone to fetch water from a stream when they came under an avalanche and died on the spot. The Gurez sector remains cut off from the rest of the Valley during winters. — TNS Only 4x4 vehicles allowed to Gulmarg: IGP Jammu: The Inspector General of Police
(IGP), traffic department, today ordered that no vehicle without 4x4 gear system and chains fitted on the tyres would be allowed to proceed beyond
Tangmarg. This decision was taken keeping in view the safety of the passengers and tourists traveling to Gulmarg following slippery conditions triggered by heavy snowfall. — TNS
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on the frontline
Omar Abdullah, the man who came to be known as the youngest Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in January 2009, was delighted that the number of his followers on Twitter had crossed four lakh. He was so happy he tweeted on December 18, the day he achieved what many may consider a landmark: “Hey, I crossed 400,000 followers today.” In a sign of humility, he acknowledged a long list of followers with the words: “Thank you 1 and all” and then declared: “I’m thrilled to have U there & hope I make the effort of hitting ‘follow’ worth it.”
This thrilling moment for Omar Abdullah was preceded by countless tweets, which spoke of his accomplishments, like the one in which he said: “Between ’47 & ’08 the state added only 750 MW of generation capacity. Since ’08, we have laid the foundation of 1,750 MW. 1000 MW more in 2014.” He was speaking on hydro-electric projects in the state. While drawing parallel pictures of electricity generation in this water-rich state, which has the capacity to generate more than 18,000 MWs, he forgot that his government in coalition with Congress came to power in the beginning of 2009 and not 2008. Perhaps, he was referring to commissioning of the 450-MW Baglihar power project in 2008. The project was started during his father Farooq Abdullah’s regime (1996-2002). There’s a story hidden in it: One of hope and promise and the other of the sad past. Omar has revealed how irresponsible the political governments had been in the past, not caring to channelise the water resources into power and irrigation dams. All the governments, including that of his own party, have spent a lot of time in damning the Indus Water Treaty and demanding compensation from the Central Government for losses suffered since 1960 when the Treaty was signed. It is true that Omar’s grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was not in the government when the Indus Treaty was signed and subsequently executed. The treaty grants the right of monitoring of the usage of water of three rivers, Chenab, Jhelum and Indus -- flowing from Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan -- to Pakistan in lieu of similar rights to India for Ravi, Sutlej and Beas. This also confronts another reality: the political instability, perpetuated by political groups, including Omar’s National Conference – the party originated as Muslim Conference and used a secessionist agenda under the banner of Plebiscite Front for 22 years before scaling down its own agenda to gain political power -- always pointed towards greener pastures across the border in Pakistan. That legacy was picked up by some, who call themselves the leaders of the movement Hurriyat Conference (S), and others sitting on the fence looking for their pound of flesh as and when an opportunity comes their way. Political instability is the biggest factor that has not allowed development to take place in the state where political stability could have written a script of high success. Who kept the state in the grip of political instability? The answer to this lies in unfolding the pages of history. Omar knows it better than others that mere laying of foundation stones -- though considered an auspicious beginning to a project -- is not an end in itself. Projects in this state have taken not years but decades to take the perceived shape. There was a need of political will, which was missing. Now, when the Chief Minister has summoned that political will, he shouldn’t be surprised if he crosses the half-a-million followers’ mark in 2014 on Twitter. But is Twitter the yardstick for measuring success? May be! |
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Patients shiver in Anantnag hospitals
Anantnag, December 22 The sub-district hospitals and the primary health centres (PHC) remain the worst affected. “Even in the District Hospital, Anantnag, the biggest hospital in south Kashmir, gas heaters are being used to keep the wards warm,” a source said. “The use of gas heaters not only affects the patients, battling one ailment or the other, it also affects the health of attendants,” the source added. The same gas heaters are being used even in the lone children hospital in south Kashmir, putting newborn babies at the risk of suffocation and other complications. Healthcare centres in far flung areas, however, have been left without even these gas heaters, putting patients to severe inconvenience. “As a result patients, who could have been treated at the primary health centres, prefer the bigger hospitals, putting extra burden on the already burdened healthcare institutes in major towns,” a health department source said. Some hospitals have power operated heaters, but the pathetic scenario of electricity, particularly in the rural areas, has left these heating systems defunct. “Gas heaters are our only option. There is nothing we can do about it. However, we are taking care that every hospital has these heaters,” a senior health official said on the condition of anonymity. The official, though, conceded that there might be some smaller health centres which are functioning without proper heating facilities. “There might be some of the smaller centres which are functioning without the facility, but then these centres do not have much footfall and patients are rarely admitted there,” the official said. |
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Demand for woollens picks up as mercury dips
Kupwara, December 22 "The sale of woollens, including sweaters and jackets, has picked up during the past few days. I am doing a good business and ordered more stocks today. The sale is likely to pick up further if chill intensifies in coming days," said Nazir Ahmad, a garment seller at the Jamia Masjid road, Kupwara. Traders were seen warming themselves by lighting fires in Kupwara and Handwara towns. "The mercury has dipped considerably in the last few days and chill has set in. The harsher chill has raised the sale of woollens, especially jackets and sweaters,"" said Ashiq Ahmad, a trader in Kupwara town. The cold has also brought a good demand for shawls, furnishings, heavy curtains and heating gadgets like blowers and room heaters in major towns of north Kashmir. Mohammad Sayid Malik, a shopkeeper in Handwara, said, "Presently there is a huge demand for pullovers, jackets, sweaters and other woollens. We get dozens of customers daily and our sales have improved considerably." Many ready-made garment sellers expressed satisfaction with considerable increase in their business in Baramulla and Sopore towns as well. The demand for blankets has picked up equally. |
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Leh, December 22 “All the three scheduled flights from Delhi to Leh have been cancelled today due to the inclement weather,” a source at the Khushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport in Leh said. Hundreds of Delhi-bound passengers were stranded at Leh due to cancellation of flights and Ladakh remained cut off with the rest of the country. During the winters flights are the only link to the region. The snowfall also had an impact on the vehicular traffic. The minimum temperature in Leh, however, improved a bit with the mercury settling down at -6.2 degrees Celsius as compared to -12.4 degrees Celsius recorded on the previous night. The data was not available for Kargil. The weatherman, meanwhile, predicted an improvement in conditions in the coming days. — OC |
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10 killed as vehicle rolls down gorge in Kishtwar
Doda, December 22 Sources said the vehicle engaged for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) scheme work skidded of the road and rolled down into the gorge due to dense fog and heavy snowfall. Nine people engaged with PMGSY work died instantly while two others were seriously injured. One of the injured later succumbed to his injuries while being treatment at Wadwan. The Wadwan area is nearly 250 km from Jammu and lacks basic facilities such as communication, electricity, besides proper road connectivity, which hampered rescue work for hours. Sources said heavy snowfall, rain and dense fog in the area hampered the shifting of the injured to the nearby Anantnag district hospital or to Kishtwar hospital. The Army along with area residents and the police carried out the rescue operation in dense fog and shifted the bodies and the injured to the local community health centre. A preliminary report said the deceased were identified as Riyaz Ahmed, Tanvir Ahmed, Shezad, Ashiq Hussain, Mudassir Ahmed, Mohammed Latif, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shabir Ahmed, Mangal Singh and Muzzaffar. The lone surviving passenger, Farooq Ahmed, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Wadwan. Snow in Chenab valley Doda and Kishtwar districts of the Chenab valley received the season's first snowfall last night. The districts, including Bhaderwah town, have been reeling under intense cold conditions due to heavy snowfall, rain and dense fog. Normal life has been thrown out of gear as many roads in the upper reaches of Kishtwar, Bhaderwah and Doda have been blocked due to heavy snowfall and rain. Electricity and telephone connectivity has also been snapped at many places in the two districts. — OC . |
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Omar: Militant attacks failed to demoralise forces
Srinagar, December 22 “There was a decrease in the overall attacks in 2013 as compared to 2012. But in 2013, the security forces were specifically targeted, in which there were more (militant) successes,” Omar told mediapersons on the sidelines of a function here. The Chief Minister said the increased targeting of security personnel by militants suggested that the latter were under “immense pressure”. “They want to diminish the morale of the security forces and by targeting them, militants think their (own) morale will go up. But they have failed on both. Neither their morale has gone up nor has the morale of the security forces diminished,” Omar said. Kashmir has witnessed several deadly attacks this year, giving semblance of resurgent militant activity in the region, where
violence had declined to record levels in recent years. Omar further said mechanisms had been prepared to scuttle such attacks in the future. On the ongoing Indo-US diplomatic row, Omar said there was a need for “reciprocity”, if relations between the two nations had to progress. “I think if this relationship is to progress, reciprocity has to be the key word. If they treat our diplomats well, we will treat their diplomats well. And, that is the way this relationship will go forward,” said Omar, who has formerly been the Union Minister of State for External Affairs. The Chief Minister said New Delhi had taken a “strong stand” on the arrest of its diplomat in the US. “This is a serious issue that the US and India need to work together to resolve… I think this is the first time that India has actually taken a strong stand on an issue like this, for which I think we should compliment the Government of India,” he said. “I think it is in the fitness of things that the US recognises that this woman was a diplomat. She should have been treated like a diplomat. More so, when we go out of our way to treat their diplomats very differently, than we otherwise would. You take an example, when even mid-ranking US officials visit India, we open all doors for them,” he said. While commenting about Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan quitting the post, Omar said seeking resignations of ministers before the elections was not a “new” trend and had happened in the past. “It is the need of the hour. Which ministers have been asked to resign and who else will be asked is the Congress’ internal decision. As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, we will see that one or two months before the elections.” CMspeak * Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the increased targeting of security personnel by militants suggested that the latter were under “immense pressure” *
Omar said mechanisms had been prepared to scuttle such attacks in the future *
On the ongoing Indo-US diplomatic row, Omar said there was a need for “reciprocity”, if relations between the two nations had to progress |
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Casualties not due to any complacency, says CRPF IG
Srinagar, December 22 “There was no complacency on the part of security forces,” Inspector General (IG) of CRPF said in an interview to The Tribune. A total of 53 security men were killed this year and the casualties were three times more as compared to the last year. “However, militants are always in an advantageous position to attack security forces personnel in populated area as it is difficult to identify militants among civilians. On the other hand, the security forces personnel are clearly identified and militants take the advantage of this and mix up with civilians after the attack, thus giving no chance to the security personnel to retaliate as that would result in collateral damage,” the CRPF IG added. Senior police officers in the state believe that the standard operating procedures were not followed during various incidents which resulted in more casualty to the security forces this year. The senior CRPF officer, however, stressed that militants in Kashmir had been attacking security men in crowded areas so that civilians were killed in retaliation by security forces, resulting in a law and order problem. The IG said 2013 had seen a rise in militant activities and law and order problems. “There were militant-related incidents in which security forces were attacked in and around Srinagar, in which few security personnel were killed. But security forces displayed maximum restraint to avoid collateral damage as most of the attacks took place in civilian areas,” he said. On apprehension of the fallout of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in Kashmir, Singh said, “There is no question of worry as we are equipped and trained to meet any situation.” |
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2013
Review security
Srinagar, December 22 As per the figures compiled by a Kashmir-based human rights group, the J&K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), as many as 47 civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir during the current year so far as compared to 31 civilian deaths registered in the corresponding period last year. The figure includes killing of civilians by suspected militants. “The year 2013 has brought a sharp rise in the violence in the state. As of today, a total of 47 civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year. It includes the civilian killings in Ramban, Kishtwar and Baramulla by the armed forces this year,” JKCCS coordinator Khurram Parvez told The
Tribune. “During the previous year the figure stood at 31,” he said. “The increase in the number of civilian causalities, particularly the manner in which the killings were carried out and dealt with, indicate an escalation of violence,” Khurram claimed. He added that so far this year 84 security forces personnel, majority of them from the Army, have been killed in the state in different anti-militancy
operations. “These include the Army personnel killed along the Line of Control. It also incorporates the recent killing of a J&K police official by the suspected militants in the Chadoora area of Budgam,” he said. Khurram added that during the previous year 36 armed forces personnel were reported to have been killed in the entire state. The JKCCS coordinator, meanwhile, said so far this year 77 militants have been killed. “Apart from the civilian and the security forces casualties, 77 militants have been killed in different anti-militancy operations in J&K so far this year, slightly higher than the figures registered last year,” Khurram said, adding that last year 75 militants were killed across the state. A senior Army officer, when asked about the increase in casualty of men in uniform, attributed the figures to three major militant attacks in the Valley —Huygam attack in which four J&K police personnel were killed, Bemina attack in which five CRPF personnel were left dead and militant attack on an Army convoy in Hyderpora in which eight soldiers lost their life. “These three incidents changed the statistics, otherwise these figures don’t indicate any major jump in the armed forces’ casualties,” the officer said. Casualty count * 47 civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir
during the current year so for as compared to 31 civilian deaths registered in the corresponding period last year *
84 security forces personnel, majority of them from the Army, have been killed in the state in different
anti-militancy operations in 2013. During the previous year 36 security forces personnel were reported to
have been killed in the entire state * 77 militants have been killed in different anti-militancy operations in J&K so far this year as compared to 75 ultras neutralised by the security forces in 2012 |
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Meet held to review functioning of home dept
Jammu, December 22 Legislators, Ravinder Kumar Sharma, Ajatshatru Singh, Jehangir Hussain Mir and Rani Gargi Blowria were present at the meeting. A threadbare discussion was held on traffic management. The Committee expressed concern over the growing number of road accidents, especially in the Chenab valley and National Highway 1-A, 1-B and in Rajouri-Poonch stretch. The Committee directed the authorities to take all possible steps to prevent road accidents by deploying extra manpower and frequent checking of overloading of vehicles and taking measures to check traffic congestion in Jammu city. — TNS |
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State to revamp teacher education institutes
Jammu, December 22 The Tribune had reported that in an initiative under the Centrally sponsored Teacher Education scheme, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) had appointed a team of the Joint Review Mission (JRM) to examine issues related to coverage, content and quality of the teacher training paradigm, including the institutional foundations and framework. During its recent visit to the state, the JRM team had extensive interaction with DIETs, SIEs, teachers, teacher educators and educational administrators, besides with the university system. Sources said based on that, the JRM inter alia had recommended creating a cadre of teacher education both within the university system and in the SIEs and DIETs and all other institutions concerned with teacher education to assure their professional and capacity development at all levels of the school system. “Consistent with the changes and challenges emerging in the contemporary educational scenario and with due regard to the state-specific needs, it has now become imperative to carve out a separate cadre of teacher educators with a built-in scope for horizontal and vertical induction of the core inter-disciplinary faculty from the school and university systems and research institutions,” a statement from the School Education Department said. “Creating a separate cadre of professionals in teacher education, with desirable experience, expertise, orientation and acumen would involve bifurcation of the (existing) J&K School Education (gazetted) Service in a two-fold process,” it said. Sources said creation of a separate cadre of teacher educators was a decisive initiative by the state government, which would enable the long-awaited revamp of the SIEs and DIETs. Separate cadre soon * The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) had appointed a Joint Review Mission to examine issues related to coverage, content and quality of teacher training *
The team had extensive interactions with DIETs, SIEs, teachers, teacher educators and educational administrators *
It recommended
creation of a cadre of teacher education both within the university system and in SIEs, DIETs and other institutions concerned with teacher education |
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Weak laws make begging a lucrative business in state
Jammu, December 22 Sources said not only people from states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, but several illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and members of Rohingya community are finding begging a lucrative option. Ahmed Ali, a physically challenged from Murshidabad district of West Bengal, earns Rs 300 to Rs 500 per day and he feels happy about it. “I am handicapped and back home it was even difficult to have two square meals a day. A friend brought me here few years back, since then life has become better. There are hundreds of people which arrive in Jammu and Srinagar every month,” said Ali, who spends his nights in the open. Though most of them shy away from the questions like do they pay money to any begging mafia, which brings these people to the state and even suggesting Bangladeshis and Rohingyas to settle down in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said there was a well connected network in North India that runs
this syndicate. “People here are good and the police also don’t bother us like in other big cities. I was in this business in New Delhi for five years before a friend suggested that I travel to Srinagar. I am there during the summer and shift my base to Jammu in winter.,” Suri Mundal, from Muzaffarpur district of
Bihar, said. Be it Monday, Friday or Saturday, beggars, mostly children can be found outside temples and mosques seeking money from the visitors. Other favourite destinations for them are bus stand, railway station, taxi stand, Jewel Chowk and Kachi Chawani areas that remain abuzz with visitors. Although there exists the Prevention of Beggary Act-1962 in the state, but it has failed to deter
beggars. The state government has also conceded that it has failed to curb the begging and rehabilitate the people involved in it. “It (begging) is a source of nuisance and causes tremendous annoyance among the public. But due to turmoil in the past two decades, the infrastructure in the shape of homes for sick, beggars and children could not be set up. Due to this enforcement of the act has not been possible in letter and spirit,” an official said on the condition of anonymity. Section 3 of the Prevention of Beggary Act provides that if any person is found begging within an area to which the act applies, he will be guilty of an offence under the Section 4 of the Act which provides for arrest of any person without a warrant. The ‘nuisance’ * Not only people from states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, but several illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and members of Rohingya community are finding begging a lucrative option *
Sources suggest there exists a well-connected network in North India that runs this syndicate *
The Prevention of Beggary Act-1962 in the state has been rendered dysfunctional. Lack of infrastructure in the shape of homes for sick, beggars and children in the state has not allowed the executing agencies to enforce the act in letter and spirit |
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FIR against Mobile Magistrate denounced
Srinagar, December 22 The court and the government are holding separate probes into the allegation that Traffic Mobile Magistrate Manzoor Ahmed Khan on December 10 stopped an ambulance for nearly half an hour on the Handwara-Sopore road, which led to the death of Abdul Rahman Dar, a resident of Yansoo in Handwara. After the allegation, Manzoor Ahmed Khan was transferred to Jammu. "We have not taken in good taste the transfer of the Mobile Magistrate pending the probe,” said president of the Baramulla Bar Association Ghulam Mohideen Wani. — TNS |
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Srinagar gets season’s first snowfall
Srinagar, December 22 An official of the Meteorological Department said Srinagar recorded 1.8 cm snowfall due to which the night temperature rose to 0.3 degree Celsius last night as compared to minus 3.9 degrees the night before. For the past few days, the city had been witnessing sub-zero temperature while the minimum temperature had been hovering around minus four degrees Celsius. While the sun shone in the afternoon, the weatherman has predicted dry weather conditions during the coming days. Srinagar recorded the maximum temperature at 5.7 degrees Celsius. Director, Meteorological Department, Sonum Lotus said the weather was likely to remain dry here during the next five to seven days. However, a Meteorological Department official said light snow/rainfall was likely at a few places across the state. Even though the city received light snowfall, it cheered up the residents. People were seen greeting each other especially through text messages after the season’s first snowfall in the summer capital as the upper reaches had already received snow earlier. Social networking websites too were splashed with pictures of snow as 'Chilai Kalaan' — Valley’s harshest 40-day winter period had started
yesterday. Meanwhile, light to moderate snowfall was also received at other parts of the Valley. Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, received 13 cm snow while Pahalgam ski resort in south Kashmir received 17 cm snowfall. Similarly,
ski resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir received 15 cm snow. Qazigund, Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded the minimum temperature at 0.2, minus 2.4 and minus 6.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. Snowfall also led to the suspension of vehicular traffic on the 300-kilometer-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway — Valley’s only surface link to the rest of the country. |
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substandard food controversy
Srinagar, December 22 The SMC was directed to furnish details of the samples after Kanwal Foods and Spices and Khyber Milk had maintained that their products were not substandard. The orders were passed by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Shalindra Kumar during a meeting held here yesterday. The meeting was convened to take stock of the situation arising out of complaints against some manufacturers of food stuff in the Valley. He also directed the SMC authorities to get full details of the samples already analysed. Earlier, after finding a number of widely consumed food products substandard, the health wing of the SMC had decided to initiate legal action against several leading business groups. After sending several food samples to a Kolkata-based laboratory, the SMC had declared saunf powder of Kanwal group and Khyber packaged milk unsafe for consumption. However, both the groups had maintained that their products were safe for consumption. Meanwhile, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, said the health of masses was the primary concern of the divisional administration and there would be no compromise on the issue. “Come what may or whosoever will be involved in malpractices or adulteration of food stuff will not be spared and stern action shall be initiated against the violators under the law,” he added. An official said the meeting also decided that a committee already framed in this regard would continue to take four samples of various food stuffs from different places and will confidentially sent them to various reputed laboratories of the country for testing and accordingly on obtaining the results, further action will be taken as per Food Safety and Standard Act. |
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335 CRPF recruits pass out from Humhama Training Centre
Srinagar, December 22 The Chief Minister, who was addressing the passing-out parade of the CRPF recruits at Humhama Training Centre, advised them to uphold the principles of protecting human rights and extending the best behaviour towards people while dealing with various matters. “Your behaviour towards people is of paramount importance and you should always make the best attitude and positive behaviour towards people the benchmark of your duty,” the Chief Minister said. Omar also congratulated the passing-out candidates and wished them success. An official spokesman said 335 trainees passed out and received certificates. The parade was led by parade commander Pardeep Ranawat and Sub-Inspector Mohammad Azam was the parade second-in-command. The Chief Minister took salute and presented awards of excellence to the best indoor cadet bagged by Kapil Anand while the best indoor award was won by Subash Chander, the best shooter award by Ajmeri Ahmad and all-round best award by Sutendra Kumar. Of the passing-out candidates, 66 were from Uttar Pradesh, 34 from Rajasthan, 16 from Jharkhand, two from Andhra Pradesh, 75 from Bihar, five from Punjab, six from Odisha, two from Karnataka, three from Himachal Pradesh, four from Gujarat, 26 from Haryana, 30 from Assam, nine from Tamil Nadu, three from Madhya Pradesh, 11 from Maharashtra, 10 from West Bengal, three from Tripura and three from Kerala, the spokesman said. The spokesman said 27 trainees who passed out today were from Jammu and Kashmir. |
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Bhalla to listen to grievances at Secretariat
Srinagar, December 22 “All the interested persons are informed to avail the opportunity to interact with the minister and get their grievances redressed,” the official added. While the Cabinet shifts to Jammu in winters in view of the biannual Darbar Move exercise, ministers usually remain available on rotational basis at the Civil Secretariat during the winter months for the convenience of the general public. |
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Tourist, cab driver killed in road mishap
Srinagar, December 22 The 35-year-old Dar, a resident of Zero Bridge locality of the city, was driving the cab, the spokesman said. The other person, who was critically injured in the accident, was identified as tourist Om Prakash. Prakash, a resident of New Delhi, succumbed to his injuries at the Sub-District Hospital, Tangmarg, where he was admitted for treatment. |
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NSG U-14 volleyball nationals
Jammu, December 22 In the first match, Rajasthan got the better of hosts J&K by 2-0 sets (25-13 and 28-26). In another match, Maharashtra overcame the challenge by 25-13 and 25-21. J&K boys too lost their match against formidable Andhra Pradesh team by 12-25 and 15-25. In other matches of the boys’ section, West Bengal defeated
CBSE, Karnataka outplayed Maharashtra by 25-15, 25-11, UP drubbed Punjab by 25-12, 25-19, Andhra Pradesh trounced Chhattisgarh by 25-12, 25-15, Uttarakhand beat Delhi by 25-9, 25-23, Manipur outclassed Jharkhand by 25-14, 25-19, IPSC defeated
CBSE, West Bengal drubbed Tamil Nadu by 25-23, 25-18 and Maharashtra beat Rajasthan by 25-21, 25-16. In boys’ section, Delhi beat Uttarakhand by 25-7, 25-20, Haryana trounced Gujarat by 25-5, 25-15, Maharashtra beat Punjab 25-5, 25-10, Chhattisgarh got the better of West Bengal by 25-21, 16-14, Jharkhand beat Karnataka by 25-23, 25-11, Punjab beat Tamil Nadu by 25-22, 25-11, Himachal Pradesh beat Chandigarh by 25-16, 25-10, Maharashtra defeated J&K by 25-13, 25-21, Vidya Bharti prevailed over Chandigarh by (25-14, 25-14) and West Bengal beat Haryana by 25-23, 25-19. |
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A light drizzle coupled with icy winds today intensified the chill across the region, with the upper reaches -- including Trikuta Hills nestling the holy cave shrine of Goddess Vaishno Devi in Katra and the tourist resorts of Patnitop and Bhaderwah -- receiving the season’s first snowfall.
The dip in mercury during the past few days has raised the demand for woollens (sweaters and jackets in particular) in north Kashmir. The shopkeepers selling woollens are doing a good business as people of all ages are buying
woollens, including loose gowns (locally called pheran) for warmth.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said a string of militant attacks this year, in which nearly 50 security personnel were killed, had failed to demoralise the security forces in the region.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the sacrifices rendered by the security forces, including the personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) and J&K Police, to safeguard lives of the people and maintain law and order were of the highest degree and depicted the bravery and commitment of personnel of all ranks.
With no technical backup, traffic signals were abandoned within months after their installation in 2012 to streamline vehicular movement in city. 
