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Junior doctors continue protest for third day
GCW organises AIDS awareness rally
Students of Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, participate in an AIDS awareness rally in Jammu on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh
‘Go Green’ campaign concludes
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Guv addresses probationers Jammu, February 12 Governor NN Vohra today addressed Foreign Service probationers of 2012 and 2013 batches at the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi. — TNS
Sopori stages concert at SaMaPa festival
Tehsil status sought
AIDS society workers’ strike enters Day 12
Omar agrees to relook at admn unit report
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addresses the Assembly in Jammu on Wednesday. Tribune photo PDP walks out of Upper House
MOLESTATION CASE
State 24th on growth list, fiscal deficit on rise
Ruckus continues in Assembly over administrative units
Rail connectivity to Katra welcomed
Pro-Azad MLCs launch veiled attack on Tourism Minister
Shiv Khori employees call off agitation
Six-hour traffic jam on highway
Doctors hold protest, demand former minister’s arrest
Medical and paramedical staff of a hospital in Rainawari demand former Health Minister Shabir Khan’s arrest.
Tribune photo: Amin War
Govt schools in Rajouri short of teachers
Daily wagers hold protest
Lack of infrastructure mars postal services in Pulwama
Life in Valley back on track after 3 days of restrictions
Urs of Dastgeer Sahib observed
Devotees offer special prayers at the Dastgeer Sahib Shrine in Srinagar on Wednesday.
Tribune photo: Amin War
Government tightens noose around LPG dealers
Kashmiri Pandit woman entrepreneur sets an example
Engineers XI, JK Bank Academy win matches in football tourney
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Junior doctors continue protest for third day
Jammu, February 12 They were demanding the rejection of the recommendation of the the Union Government of making it compulsory for the medical students to go for one-year rural posting to get eligible for admission to postgraduation course. To register their protest against the MCI, junior doctors boycotted their classes for the third day and announced that they would not attend any class till the MCI revert its decision. About 300 medical students of GMC today marched towards the Super-speciality Hospital to lodge protest against the MCI. The Union Government has sent a recommendation to the MCI that it should make it compulsory for the medical students to work in a rural area after one-year internship. Only after the rural posting of one year, the student will be eligible for admission to the postgraduation course. A junior doctor of GMC said, "The MCI has accepted the recommendation. It will be a harassment for the students as rural posting should be voluntary, not compulsory." "For their own interests the government is trying to exploit medical students, they should appoint doctors for rural areas through Public Service Commission (PSC)," he added. Doctors also alleged that no one wanted to go in rural areas just because of lack of infrastructure, medicines, staff and other facilities there. "Doctors are always at the service of the people without any disparity, but it requires sufficient medicines, infrastructure and staff to treat a patient. The government is only concentrating on sending doctors to rural areas, but it should focus on infrastructure and other facilities first," said a junior doctor. "When the government will start providing facilities and infrastructure in rural areas, doctors themselves will come forward to go for rural postings. Then they will not require students for rural areas," he added.
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GCW organises AIDS awareness rally
Jammu, February 12 Prof Kiran Bakshi, principal of the college, flagged off the rally in which a large number of students participated. The rally passed through Presentation Convent Senior Secondary School, Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar and finally culminated at GCW, Gandhi Nagar. Prof Kiran Bakshi in her address stressed upon the need to educate the masses about the deadly disease. She urged upon the student community to help eradicate the disease by making people aware of it. |
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‘Go Green’ campaign concludes
Jammu, February 12 During the campaign, various activities were conducted by the organisation which included awareness rallies, painting competition, exposure trips and plantation drives. The valedictory function was held at KL Saigal Hall, wherein MLC BR Kundal was the chief guest. Kundal presented awards to environment lovers in recognition of their commitment and dedication towards saving trees. — TNS
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Sopori stages concert at SaMaPa festival
Jammu, February 12
The ninth festival of classical, Sufi and folk music is being organised by the Sopori Academy of Music and Performing Arts (SaMaPa) in collaboration with the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, J&K Police and Department of Tourism. Jasbir Brar was the chief guest, while Principal Sonal Sharma along with staff of the institute and other eminent music critics were present during the concert. The programme began with "Saraswati vandana", presented by the Army school choir, featuring a number of students under the guidance of Anil Sumbria. It was followed by the traditional lighting of lamp ceremony by the artists and the eminent guests. The chief guest acknowledged the efforts of the SaMaPa in conducting the special festival for the youth of the state and complimented Abhay Sopori for his spellbinding recital. Abhay selected Raga Charukeshi, which is equally famous in the Hindustani as well as Carnatik style, presenting Aalap and Jod followed by compositions in Madhyalaya Teentaal, Drut Ektaal and Atidrut Teentaal. He was accompanied on tabla by Durjay Bhaumik.
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Tehsil status sought
Jammu, February 12 They also demanded the establishment of Block Development Officer (BDO) office, creation of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office and constituency headquarter there. The inhabitants claimed that they had already submitted a file for the grant of tehsil status to the Chairman, Delimitation Commission. — TNS
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AIDS society workers’ strike enters Day 12
Jammu, February 12 General secretary of the association Ritu Sharma, while addressing the gathering, said the employees of Centrally sponsored schemes were rendering their services as per the instructions of the Central government as well as the state government, but they were neither owned by the state nor the Centre. She added that the associations had decided to continue their strike till their demands were met. — TNS
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Omar agrees to relook at admn unit report
Jammu, February 12 The Chief Minister announced that the government would constitute a committee of experts to identify deserving ignored areas. Winding up discussions on the motion of thanks for the Governor for his address to the joint session of both Houses of the legislature on February 10, Omar said the panel would submit its report within three months to present it before the Cabainet for approval. He said the government would constitute the panel without any political consideration. “I appreciate the members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee, led by the Deputy Chief Minister, for visiting every nook and corner of the state and finalising the report regarding creation of administrative units, taking into consideration norms and other parameters. However, it is being felt that the genuine claim of a few areas, which have not found place in the report, needs consideration so that justice is delivered to the people,” he said. While paying his gratitude to Governor NN Vohra for delivering the address, the Chief Minister expressed dismay over the behaviour of the principal opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for disturbing discipline and decorum of the joint session and compelling the Governor to shorten his speech. Omar said the PDP was used to creating pandemonium in the House as they did not tolerate truth about peace and development which had rooted fast in the state during the last five years and was visible on the ground. “It is painful and shameful that the members of this party (PDP) created an unpalatable and disturbing situation in the joint session of the two Houses and disturbed the address of the Governor,” he said. He said the members of the party were of the wrong notion that their habit of noise making, furniture breaking and dancing on the tables in the well of Houses earned them praise. He termed the PDP and the BJP as propagandist parties, nurturing on fooling the people through misinformation and falsehood. He said both parties were hobnobbing secretly and hatching conspiracies against democratic forces in the state. Omar referred to the decision of the Army to look into the Machil killings and appreciated it. He, however, said the decision of the Army regarding closing of the Pathribal case needed a revisit. He said some innocents had been killed in the incident and justice demanded that the culprits were identified and punished. “I am not satisfied with the decision of the Army to close the case,” he said. The Chief Minister castigated the BJP for carrying the false bogey of abrogation of Article 370 whenever the elections drew near saying it slept over the issue when in power. He said like the PDP, the BJP wanted to contest the elections by raising a false propaganda. |
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PDP walks out of Upper House
Jammu, February 12 As soon as the question hour started at 11 am, PDP MLC Muhammad Ashraf Mir asked the Legislative Council chairman to direct the government to address the disparity which they felt the Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) had created in its report on creation of administrative units. The chairman tried to defuse the situation and told Mir to raise his question listed for the question hour. Nayeem Akhter, another PDP MLC, raised the CSC issue but didn’t get a favourable response from the chairman. He along other two PDP MLCs staged a walkout and said they would meet the Governor and apprise him about the situation. Since the start of the Budget session on February 10, the PDP has been raising the issue of disparity in creation of administrative units and has disrupted the proceedings in both Houses of the legislature. The Legislative Assembly witnessed noisy scenes again today while the Legislative Council proceedings continued without any disturbance. |
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MOLESTATION CASE
Srinagar, February 12 While reserving the final orders on Khan’s anticipatory bail plea, the single bench of the High Court in its interim directions passed today also barred the accused former minister from leaving the jurisdiction of Srinagar city or the state without the permission of the investigators if he is released after surrender and interrogation. These directions were passed by a single bench of Justice Janak Raj Kotwal while responding to an anticipatory bail application filed by Khan, who has been booked under Section 354 and 509 of the Ranbir Penal Code at Shaheedgunj police station. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, had issued arrest warrants against Khan on February 8 after the former minister failed to respond to the police summons. “In the meantime, as interim, the petitioner (Khan) shall appear before the Investigating Officer (IO) at the police station concerned by tomorrow (Thursday) evening. The petitioner shall offer himself for investigation/interrogation,” Justice Kotwal said in his interim directions passed today after concluding the arguments in the anticipatory bail application. ‘In case the IO arrests the petitioner, he shall be released on furnishing personal bonds with a surety in the amount of Rs 25,000 each,” the court observed in its orders while leaving it to the discretion of the IO to either arrest Khan or set him free after he surrenders. The court further directed that in case the former minister is released, he will not leave the territorial jurisdiction of Srinagar or J&K state without the IO’s permission. The court reserved its final orders on the interim bail application of Khan till February 18. |
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State 24th on growth list, fiscal deficit on rise
Jammu, February 12 “Revenue from state’s own resources, including tax and non-tax revenue, is very low, constituting just 30.49 per cent of the total revenue receipts. Analysing the revenue situation and the expenditure over the year, there has been a deficit,” the report pointed out. “The fiscal deficit is increasing year by year and has reached to Rs 2,975 crore during the year 2012-13, registering an increase of 5.01 per cent over previous year’s deficit,” it added. The report also mentioned that the fiscal deficit as percentage of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the year 2012-13 amounts to 5.5 per cent and suggested immediate measures to arrest the slide. “The state needs to adopt a multi-pronged approach in terms of mobilisation of additional resources, greater tax and non tax collections, cost of recovery of user charges and full funding of the plan and expenditure,” the report suggested. Measuring the growth of economy in terms of GSDP at constant prices, J&K with 6.19 per cent rate is not placed at a desired level. “As per this indicator J&K is the 24th state in the inter-state comparison of 32 states/UTs,” the report mentioned. “J&K is far behind the rest of the country in industrialisation. Though, share of industry to the states’s GDP is 23.50 per cent as per advanced estimates for the year 2013-14, it is constantly decreasing,” it said. “It has decreased from 29.06 per cent in 2007-08 to current level losing 5.56 per cent share on the same base. Apart from this, share of industry in employment is very less especially in the rural areas. In rural areas out of 1000 persons only 84 are employed in industry and this indicator for urban J&K is 227 as per the employment-unemployment report,” the report pointed out. It further stated that not only the share of industry was decreasing in the state’s GDP, but the share of agriculture and allied activities was on the decline as well. In 1970-71, the share of agriculture and allied services in J&K’s GDP was 56.64 per cent which came down to 32.58 per cent in 2000-01 and then to 28.06 per cent in 2004-05. It hit a low of 19.96 per cent as per advance estimates for 2013-14, the report mentioned. “Growth in agriculture, which is the backbone of an agro-based economy, still remains somewhere less than 2 per cent, which is woefully very low,” it said. Slump in economy * Revenue from the state’s own resources, including tax and non-tax revenue, constitutes just 30.49 per cent of the total revenue receipts *
The fiscal deficit is increasing year by year and has reached Rs 2,975 crore during the year 2012-13, registering an increase of 5.01 per cent over previous year’s deficit *
J&K is far behind the rest of the country in industrialisation. The share of industry to states’s GDP is 23.50 per cent as per advanced estimates for 2013-14, it decreased from 29.06 per cent in 2007-08 |
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HOUSE IN SESSION
Jammu, February 12 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and BJP legislators staged a walkout from the Assembly demanding inclusion of deserving areas in the list of new administrative units. The PDP later submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding administrative units in deserving areas. As soon as the House assembled this morning, opposition members resorted to sloganeering. Keeping in mind yesterday’s pandemonium, adequate number of watch and ward staff was deputed today in the Assembly. PDP members trooped towards the well of the House while BJP, Panthers Party, Jammu State Morcha (JSM) and People’s Democratic Front members stood on the front row and raised slogans against the state government. Carrying placards and posters, opposition members shouted “we want justice”. The demand for a separate state for Jammu also echoed in the House. Lone JSM MLA Ashwani Kumar was repeatedly shouting “Jammu ko alag state banao”. Despite pandemonium by the opposition, the Assembly Speaker allowed the question hour. The PDP members tore answer sheets and threw them into the well of the House while some other legislators stood atop opposition benches resorting to anti-government slogans. After his appeal to the agitating members to maintain calm proved futile, the Speaker threatened three PDP members with suspension from the House, if they did not desist from their behaviour. Amidst the din, a PDP member raised some slogans which were countered by BJP members in a chorus. PDP and BJP members resorted to sloganeering and counter-sloganeering. Some members also raised religious slogans, followed by a walkout by the BJP. After the BJP staged a walkout, PDP members continued their protest in the Assembly. Talking to the media, state BJP president Jugal Kishore Sharma said the BJP wanted an answer from the government but no assurance was given. “The government should do justice with the people who have been staging protests in various areas over the demand (administrative units),” he said. PDP Legislature Party leader Mehbooba Mufti told reporters nobody was listening to them from the government and the only option left was to request the Governor’s intervention. Later, PDP MLAs submitted a memorandum to the Governor and sought his intervention. “We the PDP members, taking cognisance of protesting people of the state on having been neglected in the recent expansion of the administrative network, presented a list of demands to the Speaker. We had to press the demands hard against the resistance of the government. During the process, one of our members was injured and the House was adjourned,” the memorandum said. “Today also, in the larger public interest, we reiterated our demand and raised it on the floor of both Houses for proper response from the government. However, the presiding officers were unmoved and the government was callously apathetic. “Since our voice is being muzzled and the public interest is ignored, we are deprived of our right to represent. It is under this compulsion that we have been compelled to walk to Raj Bhawan and seek you intervention so that justice is done and the areas that have been left out in the arbitrary distribution of the administrative units in the state are also given their due. We take this opportunity also to seek your intervention to restore the dignity of the legislature and uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and law,” the memorandum read. |
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Rail connectivity to Katra welcomed
Katra February 12 Listing out the achievements of the Railways during the second term of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the Railway Minister said the opening of the Udhampur-Katra section under the ambitious Kashmir Rail project would enable lakhs of pilgrims from across the country to visit the Vaishno Devi shrine. The rail service to Katra has been welcomed by the business community of the town. It said it would not only boost the local economy, but also provide employment to people. Rakesh Wazir, vice-president, Hotel and Restaurants Association, Katra, said on an average 35,000 pilgrims visit the town every day. "Commercial and real estate values on the station road have gone up five to six times during the last three years." MLA Baldev Raj Sharma said he welcomed the move by the Union Minister, "It will allow more people to reach the holy town without having to travel from Jammu by road. Sonu Soni, a devotee from Jaipur, said, "It will be good if we can reach Katra direct by rail. It will add to our comfort.” — OC |
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Pro-Azad MLCs launch veiled attack on Tourism Minister
Jammu, February 12 Congress MLCs from Bhaderwah and Reasi, Naresh Kumar Gupta and Jugal Kishore Sharma, respectively, termed the Tourism Minister’s answer on improving the tourism infrastructure in Doda and Kishtwar and not including MLCs as members in various tourism development authorities in the state, as bogus. Though the attack of the MLCs was not violent, they conveyed their grievances to the chairman of the Legislative Council and the Tourism Minister. Sharma even called for constituting a House Committee to enquire why MLCs were not included as members in various development authorities but his wish was not accepted and the chairman didn’t pay heed to it. Constituting a House Committee puts a question mark on the working of a Ministry and the department. Mir replied that as the term of members of the development authorities was of two years and it had been decided as a matter of policy, that as and when,
the term of members expired, the inclusion of local MLCs should be considered. The answer was acceptable to the MLCs. |
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Shiv Khori employees call off agitation
Jammu, February 12 Reasi Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the employees had called off their strike after the administration agreed to hike their salaries by 20 per cent with effect from January 2014, regularise services of the employees who had completed seven years with the board, and put in place bylaws in the next
board meeting. The employees were on strike since February 9. Ninetytwo employees, who were getting a wage of Rs 137.50 per day, had been demanding a hike in their salaries and regularisation of service. Choudhary said, “All their issues have been resolved and now from January onwards they will get a hike of 20 per cent in their salaries while those who have completed seven years of service will be regularised. The bylaws, enacted in November last year, will be approved in the next board meeting.” Earlier, an employee, who insisted on anonymity, said, “We have been working for the past over 10 years on a monthly salary of Rs 4,125 and despite promises and written agreements nothing has been done to revise our salaries.” He said the Additional DC, Rajinder Singh Tara, who is vice-chairman of the shrine board, had promised a suitable hike in their salaries on January 1 when Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand had visited the cave shrine. Another employee claimed that the Shiv Khori Shrine Board to date had not constituted any service rules for the employees. The Shivratri festival will be celebrated this year from February 26 to 28 when devotees from across the country throng the cave shrine. |
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Six-hour traffic jam on highway
Udhampur, February 12 Passengers were stranded for over six hours along the highway after two trucks collided with each other near Tamatar Morh, 4 km short of Kud town early today, police said. “As passengers were allowed to move towards Srinagar today morning, the movement of vehicles came to a halt near Kud after two trucks collided with each other at 8 am near Tamatar Morh,” SSP, Traffic, Haseeb Mughal said. He said the collision resulted in doubling of vehicles from both the sides due to which the blockade was witnessed. “Our men cleared the traffic in the afternoon,” Mughal said.
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Doctors hold protest, demand former minister’s arrest
Srinagar, February 12 The protest had been called by an amalgam of doctors’ and paramedic associations which have been seeking the immediate arrest of the
former minister. The protests were held at hospitals in north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Kupwara districts, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The hospitals’ staff wore “black bands” as a mark of protest and also held
brief demonstrations holding placards to press their demand. “It seems the former minister has been provided a hideout by the government as a man living under security cover cannot give the state police the slip,” the amalgam later said in Since last week, when the case was filed at a police station here, the former minister has been evading arrest and his whereabouts have remained a mystery. The amalgam of doctors and paramedic associations which held the protest include the Dental Surgeons Society, Health and Family Welfare Employees Confederation, Society of Consultant Doctors, State Contractual Doctors, Field Doctors Welfare Association Kashmir, NRHM Doctors Association, and the Doctors and Patients Welfare Association. Khan resigned last week following allegations of molestation by the doctor who claimed the minister acted like a “sexual predator” at the winter
secretariat, where she had been called for an official meeting. The former minister has been booked under Sections 354 and 509 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). Section 354 deals with assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intention of outraging her modesty, while Section 509 deals with words, gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman. The amalgam, earlier this week, had complimented the government for filing the case against its minister. It had also threatened an agitation if the former minister was not arrested. |
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Govt schools in Rajouri short of teachers
Rajouri, February 12 “The shortage of staff at these schools is badly affecting students, who are scheduled to appear in their final examination in March,” said one of the villagers. The villagers alleged that the schools, under the Kalakot education zone, were operating with just “three teachers”. If the Chief Education Officer (CEO) and the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) fail to provide the required staff to these schools within next ten days we will take to roads and the (education) department would be responsible for any
consequence, said the agitated villagers. CEO Choudhary Lal Hussian said he has received complaints about the frequent absence of teachers at the Government High School, Mithyani, and added that he has directed the ZEO to look into the matter. “I have directed the ZEO concerned to investigate the allegations. If any teacher is found absent from his/her duty without permission, suitable action under the law would be taken against him/her,” Hussain said. Regarding Government High School, Gallan, the CEO said: “Two-three teachers have been directed to join their duties at earliest. I will enquire whether they have joined or not.” Mithani sarpanch Ashok Kumar, meanwhile, criticised the functioning of government schools in the area and said despite the claims of providing education to each child, the government has failed to even provide the required staff for the smooth functioning of schools, especially in remote and inaccessible areas. “Just three teachers are running the affairs of high school at Mithyani. And in all this students remain the worst sufferers as they could not even complete their yearly courses,”
he said. Gallan sarpanch Mani Ram alleged that most of the time some teachers remained absent from their duty due to which students find it difficult to carry out their routine class work. He added that it was difficult for the headmaster of the school along with few other teachers to conduct all the classes. The CEO, meanwhile, said the department has been facing acute shortage of teachers and soon some teachers who have been promoted as masters will join their duties in the schools situated in far flung areas in various education zones. |
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Daily wagers hold protest
Jammu, February 12 Protesters from the Public Health Engineering department, the Power Development Department (PDD) and the J&K National Trade Union (JKNTU) protested the state’s policy on wage and recruitment and asked the government to meet its demands at the earliest. “We demand regularisation of our services, framing of a new recruitment policy and release of our wages,” a protester said. Union leader Gafoor Dar said: “On February 25, our workers will hold protest at Rajouri. If our demands are not met, we will hold protest demonstrations at all district headquarters of the state,” Dar added. — PTI
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Lack of infrastructure mars postal services in Pulwama
Pulwama, February 12 “In Tahab, the post office is not having an office and is operating from a cloth house,” said Tasaduq Yaseen, a resident
of Tahab. Yaseen said most of the branch post offices in Pulwama were without letter boxes. Although the branch post offices can be run from residences, it poses problems to the people using postal services,
he said. “The branch post office at Wahibug does not have a permanent office and is being run from the residence of the postman,” said Rafiq Sofi, a resident of Wahibugh. “People hesitate to visit the house of the postman,” Sofi said. Moreover, people also alleged that the delivery of the posts was often delayed. “I failed to appear in a railway recruitment exam because I got the call letter two days after the exam was held,” said Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Wahibugh. He added that he did not believe in the postal department, particularly the branch post office at his village. People also alleged that postmen asked for money if they were delivered the dispatch on time. However, the Chief Post Master General said he would check out the delays and take stringent action against erring persons. |
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Life in Valley back on track after 3 days of restrictions
Srinagar, February 12 All the shops and business establishments were open and traffic resumed on the roads. There was normal attendance in government offices and banks. However, protests were held in Hajin township of Bandipore district in north Kashmir where the locals were demanding the release of two youth held during the past few days as a precautionary measure ahead of the three-day strike. Soon after shops were opened and traffic started plying on roads, protests were held in the town to seek the release of the two youth. The authorities had kept most of the separatist leaders, including hardline APHC chairman Syed Ali Geelani, JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah and Nayeem Ahmad Khan, under preventive custody in view of the three-day bandh call. Youth, who were detained here during the past few days as precautionary measures, have also been released. The separatist organisations had called for a three-day bandh from February 9 to 11 in view of the death anniversaries of Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Bhat. |
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Urs of Dastgeer Sahib observed
Srinagar, February 12 Devotees thronged the shrines dedicated to the revered saint at the Khanyar and Sarai Bala areas of the city. Shab Khwani (night long prayers) was also held at the shrines from yesterday evening. People praying with tears in their eyes were witnessed when the holy relics of Dastgeer Sahib were displayed. Areas around the shrine wore a festive look as several stalls had been set up. Besides the shrines, nearby market places at Sarai Bala and Khanyar were covered with colourful lights. A renovated shrine was thrown open at Khanyar ahead of the Urs recently after it had been destroyed in a fire incident in June 2012. Devotees traditionally throng the shrine for 11 consecutive days till the main Urs day to get their wishes fulfilled. However, restrictions imposed by the government besides the shutdown call of the separatists had dampened the Urs festivities during the previous three days. Due to restrictions that had been put in place from Sunday to Tuesday in view of the death anniversaries of parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, devotees were not been able to visit the shrines in large numbers. However, main Urs functions were observed like before as normal life resumed today. Though Dastgeer Sahib’s actual shrine is located at Baghdad in Iraq and he never visited the Valley in person, he is highly revered by the locals. |
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Government tightens noose around LPG dealers
Srinagar, February 12 Jammu and Srinagar Deputy Commissioners have directed officials concerned to cancel licences of private LPG dealers, who fail to ensure home delivery of LPG cylinders. However, the state government had assured people of a target completion of 95 per cent coverage of household delivery in twin cities of Jammu and Srinagar by March 2013, which has not been achieved at all. Farooq Shah, DC, Srinagar, said, “One of the major suppliers of LPG cylinders in Srinagar is HP. We have held various rounds of talks with HP and issued strict directions to it for home delivery of cylinders. It is true that we haven’t achieved cent per cent success rate. But the administration will act tough now,” Shah said. He said action would be taken against dealers for failing to abide by regulations. He said people should register their complaints with the DC, Srinagar office. Ajeet Kumar Sahu, DC, Jammu, recently convened a review meeting in Jammu where he
admitted that in Jammu city, the home delivery process of LPG cylinders had suffered.
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Kashmiri Pandit woman entrepreneur sets an example
Srinagar, February 12 She said her aim was to help her family live a prosperous life which they had left halfway in the early 90s. Manju is the only woman running a business enterprise in Hazuri Bagh, the commercial hub of Srinagar. She deals with branded kids wear. Daughter of a retired government employee, Manju is the youngest among four siblings. Born and brought up in Srinagar’s Sanat Nagar, the family later shifted to Jammu due to frequent curfews and shutdowns in the Valley when she was in Class VIII. “There were such circumstances that we had to leave. It was a constant struggle to leave everything,” she said. A graduate in Arts from Delhi University, Manju was married to a Kashmiri Pandit, Anil Koul, in 2000, whose parents later shifted to Kashmir. "Anil did not want to leave his parents alone in Kashmir, so they took a decision of permanently settle in the Valley,” she said. “My husband too wanted to come back, so I had to support his decision. But the question was how to start things here again,” she said. She shifted to Kashmir in 2006. “It was really difficult for me to live here again. On the other hand, my in-laws and husband were also struggling to re-start their lives. I couldn’t see them helpless so I thought of doing something to help the family to sustain,” she said. The idea of starting her business was born out of helplessness, which she shared with her husband. “He supported my idea and I started this shop. Initially, it was difficult, but now it has helped us in settling down. I started it after my in-laws sold a piece of land in Srinagar,” she said. “Being a lone Pandit family in the locality, I never sensed that I was an alien among them,” she said. |
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Engineers XI, JK Bank Academy win matches in football tourney
Jammu, February 12 Earlier, in the first match, Engineers XI defeated Young Star Football Club by 6-5 via tie-breaker. Both the teams managed to score two goals each in the stipulated time. Nawang Stenzin scored both goals for Engineers XI in 11th and 34th minute, respectively, while Shezan Malik and Stenzin were the goal scorers for the Young Star club in the 15th and 22nd minute, respectively. In the tie-breaker, Tashi Gyalpo, Stanzin, Nwang Stanzin and Stanzin Othbal succeeded in scoring goals for Engineers XI, whereas Jigmit Nurboo's strike went off the target. Randhir Singh, Niteshwar Singh and Rahul Singh netted goals for the Young Star club in the tie-breaker. A yellow card was also shown to Tanveer Singh of the Young Star club in the 35th minute. In another match played, JK Bank Academy defeated Young Rovers by 3-0. Arjun drew first blood in the 20th minute, while Aqib Mushtaq and Parveen Kumar scored goals in the 47th and 56th minute, respectively. For dangerous play, Navjeet Singh of Young Rovers was shown a red card. Yellow cards were shown to Nirdosh, Sahil Moman and Arjun of JK Bank Academy and Rahul Verma of Young Rovers. The matches were officiated by Suresh Kumar Gupta, Moon Stephen, Kushey Kumar, Rohit Gupta, Rakesh Kumar, Rickey Kumar and Koushal Kumar. |
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The Red Ribbon Club of Government College for Women (GCW), Gandhi Nagar, today organised an awareness rally on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today admitted that some deserving areas were left out in the recently prepared report of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) on creation of administrative units.
The Chief Minister announced that the government would constitute a committee of experts to identify deserving ignored areas.
Hundreds of doctors and paramedics today held protest demonstrations and wore “black bands” at hospitals across the region to demand the immediate arrest of former Minister of State for Health Shabir Khan, who was booked last week for molesting a doctor.
Normal life was restored in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley after three days of shutdown on the call of separatists to observe the death anniversaries of the Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and the JKLF founder leader Mohammad Maqbool
Bhat.
The annual Urs of the 11th century Sufi saint Shaikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani, known as Ghaus-ul-Azam and Dastgeer Sahib, was observed with traditional fervour today.
