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People have not exonerated Modi from Gujarat riots, says Omar
news analysis
Mehbooba files papers from Anantnag
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BJP star campaigners to visit J&K from April 5
NC looking to cash in on Gujjar vote
Govt diverting funds to appease Kashmir: BJP
BJP’s Anantnag candidate to file nomination papers today
Rajouri district all set for peaceful polling
Tawi lake project awaits completion
Limited intake in J&K varsities leaves PG aspirants high & dry
J-K fails to utilise funds for drinking water schemes
Tulip Garden to open on April 5
Congress reluctant to invite ‘star campaigners’ to Jammu
Unions discuss problems of teachers
Circular Road provides bumpy ride to commuters
Municipal Corporation starts plantation drive
Awami Ittihaad Party lashes out at NC, PDP
Tosa Maidan Field Firing Range
NC returns to Mujahid Manzil, hoists flag on historical building
Security put on alert ahead of polls in south Kashmir
Army, police scan Kathua district for two suspected militants
Pak truck driver’s custody extended till April 21
Extended winter leaves trail of destruction, delays spring in Valley
Madan Lal urges people to vote for Congress
CRPF holds talent show for Kupwara children
Jashan-e-Jammu and Kashmir festival presented at Guwahati
Lecture on domestic violence organised
Duggar Di Dharti staged
J&K Bank share price hits all-time high
Baba is KU library dept head
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People have not exonerated Modi from Gujarat riots, says Omar
Jammu, April 1 Drawing comparison between the two, Omar who is also the working president of the National Conference (NC), said Rahul Gandhi was sincere in his efforts to ensure inclusive and holistic development of all sections of society. “Rahul Gandhi is the pulse of young India and takes along with him people of all age groups in his mission to lead the country towards a modern, prosperous and scientific era and Narendra Modi and his party, the BJP, has the agenda of dividing society on various counts to grab power,” he said, adding that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was a partner to this tactic of the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. Omar was addressing public gatherings at the Darhal, Budhal and Kotranka areas of Rajouri district, organised in support of the joint candidates of the NC-Congress alliance. He also referred to Modi’s refusal to wear a skull cap presented to him by Muslims and said this had exposed Modi’s attitude and his particular thinking. “How can a person possessing this type of ideology lead a nation which is an abode of many religions, languages, cultures and ethnic groups?” Omar asked. The Chief Minister said the PDP knew its imminent defeat and was fighting the parliamentary elections to divide votes, particularly in Poonch and Rajouri districts, to benefit the BJP and Modi. “Normally, there are three types of candidates in the election fray. First type of candidates are those who contest just to be there, second type contest only to put hurdles in the smooth sailing of the winning candidates and the third are sure shots to win the elections,” he said, adding that the PDP represents the second type of contestants who only want to divide the voters in the name of region and religion and benefit its mentor (BJP). Omar said people had experienced misgovernance and nepotism let loose by the PDP during its three-year tenure in the state. “Befooling people on various issues is the handiwork of the PDP and the BJP. The conduct of these parties in the Assembly and outside has amply exposed their duality and deceptive politics aimed at grabbing power,” he said and cautioned the people against elements who wanted to divide society for political gains. |
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news analysis
Jammu, April 1 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the Modi wave as a “hoax” at his rallies in Rajouri district yesterday. Union Minister for Health and Congress candidate from the Udhampur parliamentary constituency Ghulam Nabi Azad has also claimed that the “Modi wave is fake”. In 2002, Omar had resigned as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in protest against the Gujarat riots. However, his resignation was rejected by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Omar never felt comfortable with Narendra Modi and his style of functioning. That is what he is articulating now. But the fact on the ground is that there is a Modi wave in Jammu’s plains and in the cold desert region of Ladakh. The two rallies of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, one in December last year and the other on March 26 attracted large crowds. The first attracted close to 80,000 people in Jammu, and the second in the small border town of Hiranagar had about 20,000 people. It is almost impossible to attract these kinds of crowds in Jammu and Kashmir. A well-known fact is that the state unit of the BJP --- it will be appropriate to call it the Jammu province unit --- cannot attract even 500 people on its own strength. The party is divided and there is hardly any leader with mass appeal. State BJP president Jugal Kishore Sharma recently visited Vijaypur --- part of the Jammu parliamentary constituency from which he is contesting elections --- could not get even 100 people to listen to him. But once he was gone, locals told reporters and independent observers that they would vote for Modi. The local candidate was “inconsequential”. There is a definite wave in favour of Modi in the plains of Jammu, and also among Hindus living in the hilly areas. It is Modi all the way in the highly polarised elections in Jammu and Kashmir, where the regional and sub-regional sentiments have got submerged and religious affinities have come to the fore. “This will be visible on the voting day,” says Shiv Kumar, a resident of Bari Brahamna, an industrial town 15 km south of Jammu. He also has a question for the secular parties, the National Conference and the Congress: “If there is no Modi wave then why are they referring to it as fake and hoax in their speeches?” “They are scared,” he said. “We are feeling the pinch on the ground,” admits a Congress worker without any hesitation. “The more they talk about the non-existence of the Modi wave, the more the people are distancing themselves from us. The Congress has many things to its credit, but we are not talking about them,” he said. In the Kashmir valley, the scene is different. The Valley is more concerned about local and day-to-day issues. The Modi factor is not present there. Modi lives as a symbol of the 2002 riots in Gujarat in the minds of Kashmiri Muslims, who for decades were more concerned about the developments in Palestine and the Israeli aggression there. They woke up to Gujarat riots in 2002. That was the first time that Indian Muslims came in their discourse. Not only had Omar resigned from the ministry, but he had also spoken against the riots and held Modi responsible for the massacre of Muslims after the Godhra incident in which more than three dozen Hindu pilgrims were burnt alive. Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani after quitting the original Hurriyat Conference had made a passionate appeal for Muslim unity and voiced sympathy for the riot victims at his first rally in Baramulla in 2003. That was the time when he said that “Muslims were unsafe in India”. In the Valley, Vajpayee still is recalled as the best Prime Minister, who was “sincere” in resolving Kashmir issue. They have not taken seriously Modi’s promise of carrying on with Vajpayee’s initiatives on Kashmir. Given the situation that exists in Jammu and Kashmir, which is sitting on a powder keg and where radicalism of all sorts is on the rise, the kind of campaign that is being carried out can have disastrous results. |
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Mehbooba files papers from Anantnag
Anantnag, April 1 Before filing her papers, Mehbooba visited the shrine of Sufi saint Baba Naseeb-ud-din Ghazi, situated near her father’s ancestral home in Bijbehara town of Anantnag. She was the first candidate from the constituency to file the nomination papers. She arrived at 1 pm and completed the formalities in two hours. Later, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Dr Tanveer Dar and Awami Ittehad Party’s Tanveer Hussain also filed their nominations papers today before the Returning Officer in Anantnag. Mehbooba was accompanied by the party MLAs from south Kashmir. Around 100 PDP workers waited outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office while Mehbooba was filing her papers. In the Anantnag constituency, which is going to the polls on April 24, Mehbooba will be up against National Conference (NC) sitting Member of Parliament Mehboob Beg. The PDP president has represented Anantnag in the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009. While interacting with the media after filing her nomination papers, Mehbooba said her party was the only regional party from Jammu and Kashmir which will be entering Parliament with a sound agenda. “We have our work cut out for Parliament unlike the parliamentarians from the NC who cannot think beyond ministerial berths,” said Mehbooba. She said her party would work towards bridging the gap between Kashmir and the rest of the country. The PDP faced defeat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections when Mehboob Beg won by a margin of 5,000 votes. South Kashmir is a PDP stronghold with 12 of the 16 Assembly seats in the party’s kitty. Mehbooba said different laws governed Kashmir when compared to the country. She criticised New Delhi for granting pardon to the 1993 Delhi bomb blast case convict and Khalistani militant, Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, and executing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in haste. |
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BJP star campaigners to visit J&K from April 5
Jammu, April 1 The star campaigners include BJP national president Rajnath Singh, former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, respectively, chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states, and actors, Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha and Smriti Irani. They are expected to campaign for the party candidates from the Jammu-Poonch and Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seats from April 5. The party has fielded Jugal Kishore Sharma from the Jammu-Poonch and Jitendra Singh for the Kathua-Udhampur-Doda segments. The elections for the six parliamentary seats of the state will be held in five phases starting April 10. “We are yet to receive the detailed list of senior leaders visiting Jammu and Kashmir for campaigning. They will start visiting J&K from April 5 onwards. To my knowledge, around 40 star campaigners of the party, including national president Rajnath Singh, Lal Krishna Advani and Sushma Swaraj, will campaign for the party candidates to reach out to the people and boost the morale of the party workers,” said Nirmal Singh, overall election in charge in the state. Party insiders said there was enthusiasm among the BJP workers following the “grand success” of both rallies of Narendra Modi —‘Lalkar rally’ in MA Stadium on December 1, 2013, and ‘Bharat Vijay’ rally in Hiranagar on March 26 —and the BJP wanted to carry forward this “momentum” till the elections in the state, particularly on three seats, the Jammu-Poonch, Kathua-Udhampur-Doda and Ladakh seats. “The star campaigners will visit J&K in a phased manner. They will address election rallies in the Jammu, Udhampur, Anantnag and Ladakh belts to seek public support in favour of Narendra Modi,” a party source said. |
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NC looking to cash in on Gujjar vote
Jammu, April 1 The National Conference has put known Gujjar face and Minister for Forests Mian Altaf Ahmad to campaign for the party candidates in the Valley and coalition representatives from the Congress in the Jammu region. As per a seat sharing pact between the coalition partners, the NC would be contesting on all the three parliamentary seats of Kashmir, while the Congress will fight on the two Lok Sabha segments of the Jammu region and a lone seat of Ladakh constituency. “I have so far campaigned in the Kathua area of the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha constituency and I am hopeful of getting good support for alliance candidate and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad,” Altaf told The Tribune. “Apart from Kathua, wherever my party wishes I will campaign,” he said. Gujjar and Bakerwal population, which falls under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category forms a major portion of Jammu and Kashmir’s population. As per the 2011 Census, the ST population in the state stood at 1,493,299. Rajouri district tops the list with 2,33,815 followed by Poonch at 1,76,101. Anantnag has 1,16,006 STs. The numbers in Leh, Reasi and Kargil stood at 95,857, 88,365 and 12,336 respectively. The electorate from the ST community has traditionally been a great factor on the outcome of poll results in the state and Altaf is hopeful that he would be able to convince the community members to vote for the alliance. “For the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, I am confident that 99 per cent of the ST community will vote for the NC candidate Farooq Abdullah. In coming days I will be campaigning in Anantnag and Baramulla constituencies as well,” he said. Secretary, tribal Foundation, Javaid Rahi, however, said that there were many issues concerning the community which need to be addressed by the political parties. “There are many issues concerning the ST population, especially the nomads, which need to be addressed by political parties,” Rahi said. “The main demand of the ST population is that of political reservation in the state like in other parts of the country, rehabilitation of nomads, implementation of the ST status in employment and promotion and much more,” he added. ST vote base
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Govt diverting funds to appease Kashmir: BJP
Jammu, April 1 “This was evident from the poor condition of roads, absence of basic amenities, lack of health facilities and rising unemployment among youth,” Jitendra said. He was addressing election rallies in the Basantgarh area of Ramnagar in Udhampur district. Referring to the scenic beauty of the area, the BJP candidate said: “The Kashmir-centric government has ignored the prospects of developing the tourist potential of the spots in the vicinity of this area. This is a glaring instance of cultural discrimination against the area. Monuments and scenic spots of the area deserve to be developed as tourist spots.” He said there was no optimum implementation of Central schemes even though the constituency had been represented in the Lok Sabha by the Congress all these years. “Not only this, but the present Congress candidate has been a minister in the Central Cabinet for the last many years,” he said. He said the BJP would strive for justice and due attention for the region and reiterated the demand for an exclusive package for hilly areas. — TNS |
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BJP’s Anantnag candidate to file nomination papers today
Srinagar, April 1 Malik, who is the president of the party’s minority cell, will file papers at the Deputy Commissioner's office, Anantnag, tomorrow at 11.00 am, spokesperson for the BJP’s Kashmir unit Altaf Thakur said. Malik, a businessman and hotelier, has been associated with the BJP since 1996, the party spokesman said. He hails from Damhal-Hanjipora in Kulgam district. The main contenders for the Anantnag constituency are National Conference’s sitting MP Mehboob Beg and opposition Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti. The constituency is going to the polls on April 24. Political analysts say the BJP poses no challenge to other parties. “We will give the NC and the PDP a tough fight. During campaigning, we received overwhelming response and we may even surprise with victory,” Malik told The Tribune. The BJP has so far failed to win any seat in the Valley. The Anantnag constituency comprises 16 Assembly segments spread over four districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam. There are 12.72 lakh voters in the constituency. The BJP had on Sunday made public its agenda for Kashmir. BJP state vice-president and in charge of the party’s Kashmir affairs Ramesh Arora had said the party wanted a solution for all issues and if voted to power, would develop tourism, provide financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to unemployed youth (Class X pass) and Rs 50,000 to women at the time of 'nikah' (marriage). The BJP has fielded GM Mir from the Baramulla constituency and Arif Majid Pampory from Srinagar. |
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Rajouri district all set for peaceful polling
Rajouri, April 1 Rajouri district - comprising four Assembly constituencies Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakote — is a part of the Jammu-Poonch parliament ary constituency and has 3,64,018 voters, including 1,93,154, male and 1,70,864 female voters. “Rajouri district has 4,501 service voters, including 562 female voters, and the ballot papers have been dispatched to their respective destinations,” said the nodal officer, postal ballot papers. The whole district has been divided into 16 zones and 61 sectors, where the Zonal and Sector Magistrates have been deployed to implement the guidelines of the Election Commissioner of India. At least 499 polling stations have been set up at 420 locations, out of which 49 polling stations at 42 locations have been declared hypersensitive, while 131 polling stations at 112 locations fall under the sensitive category. AK Atri, IPS, DIG, Rajouri-Poonch range, and Rajouri Superintendent of Police (SP) Mubassir Latifi said the security arrangements for the polling was in force and as of now there was no information about any attempt by the militants to disturb the polling. Fourteen polling stations in Rajouri district are situated in inaccessible areas and polling parties will be dispatched from the district headquarters two days ahead of polling. Eighteen polling stations in Nowshera constituency and 17 polling stations in Rajouri constituency exist near the Line of Control (LoC) and some of them fall between the fencing and the LoC. One polling station each in Darhal and Rajouri constituencies and three polling stations in Kalakot constituency have been relocated for the Lok Sabha elections as the existing buildings of panchayat ghars have been damaged. There are 21 polling stations in the district where no communication facility is available and for that the district election authorities have demanded the services of 21 satellite phones. As far as the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are concerned, the district has 455 control units and 911 ballot units for the smooth conduct of polling. According to official information, there are 3,64,018 electors in Rajouri district, excluding 4,501 service voters, out of which 3,20,956 electoral photo identity cards (EPICs) have been captured in the electoral rolls and the remaining 43,062 are yet to be captured. However, many electors from all four Assembly constituencies have been complaining that either their EPICs have not been given to them or their photos have not been taken for the electors rolls. “All security arrangements for the peaceful conduct of the Lok Sabha elections have been made and we are fully prepared to meet any challenge from anti-national elements. “As far as connectivity problem at polling stations falling under the jurisdiction of inaccessible areas is concerned, the police have made all alternative arrangements,” said Rajouri SP Mubassir Latifi. |
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Tawi lake project awaits completion
Jammu, April 1 With funds shortage and unplanned approach to deal with the project, city residents may not get to see the lake in coming years. The work on the prestigious Tawi barrage (lake) project was left midway last year following failure of the government to divert 18 drains and connect them with sewerage lines. Rs 69.70-crore Tawi barrage project was expected to be completed in 2012, and till now an amount of Rs 37.32 crore has been incurred on the project. "The first deadline of the artificial lake project expired on October, 2012, which was extended to March 30, 2013. Later, it was further extended to July, 2013, as the department failed to complete the remaining work on time. Since then the work has been stopped and a few pillars have been left incomplete," said an official of the Irrigation Department. However, Minister for PHE and Irrigation Sham Lal Sharma claimed that there were some minor hurdles and they would be sorted out soon. "It will be completed by the end of the next year," Sharma said. The design of the artificial lake project on the Tawi was approved by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi, to make the city more attractive for the visitors, while using the barrage water to augment the irrigation facilities in the paddy-growing areas of the district. The reservoir will enable lifting of 700 cu secs of water from the Tawi to recharge the Ranbir canal to irrigate 8,000 kanals of agriculture land at the tail-end villages, still dependent on the rainfalls. The lake project, which was approved by the then Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Jagmohan, in 1986, witnessed much delay and it was in 2010 that the government initiated the process for its construction. |
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Limited intake in J&K varsities leaves PG aspirants high & dry
Srinagar, April 1 The intake capacity of Central University Kashmir (CUK) and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) is nearly 650 seats combined together and is not sufficient to accommodate the rest of the students. Nearly, 30,000 students are hence left high and dry every year with a majority of them compelled to pursue PG courses outside the state, which by all means is high- budgeted. The state government has no comprehensive higher education policy to check the regular brain drain from the state and address the academic needs of thousands of students. There is no private university in the state which offers PG courses and can pave an alternative way for these students. Experts have been emphasising on the need to privatise the education sector in the state so that the students are not forced to move out. Besides, 40 per cent reservation quota for various categories has also irked students from the open merit category, which according to them limits their chances of getting through in the largest seat of learning in the Valley, Kashmir University. “The reservation quota for the OBCs in Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia is not as high as here. Many deserving students have no other choice, but to take admission in private universities outside the state which offer the same courses at huge prices,” said Munazah, a PG aspirant. Centrally sponsored Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme, which is specially meant to reserve the quota of the state students in private universities, has already come under severe criticism for not being able to provide quality education to the students. “The problem is only growing worse with each passing year as the state government seems to be in no mood to solve the problem of the students. Besides, infrastructure, faculty strength and intake capacity of various universities in the state has not seen any improvement,” said Qurat-ul- Ain, an educationist. Insufficient seats
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J-K fails to utilise funds for drinking water schemes
Jammu, April 1 As per records, out of the 2,107 schemes taken up between 2009 and 2013 under the National Rural Water Drinking Programme (NRWDP) 1,405 schemes remain incomplete. The government has so far completed just 702 schemes through its Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department. Sources said lack of planning, corruption and inefficiency at various levels has kept lakhs of people from the direct benefit of getting safe drinking water. “As against the target of covering 5,045 habitations, only 2,992 habitations (59 per cent) were covered during the 2009-13 period,” an official source said. An audit has also revealed that the PHE Department does not have district-wise mapping and data of groundwater resources. There is no monitoring of availability and exploitation of groundwater resources to ensure optimum utilisation, the source said. Officials said the cost effectiveness of the programme was not being monitored, adding that no data analysis was done on unit cost of water supply projects. Even against the target of testing of 33,470 water samples during the 2011-13 period, only 24,648 water samples were tested, exposing lakhs of people to water borne diseases. Commissioner Secretary, PHE, Pawan Kotwal, however, claimed that there was delay in conveying the Union Government about the completed schemes. “I will check the records, but only 200 projects are pending and those will be completed in next two years. The figure of pending works will be checked again,” Kotwal said. He claimed that most of the Centre-sponsored schemes were taken up on the priority basis and delays in the past by contractors have been taken seriously and action has been initiated against the offenders. However, the PHE Department does not have ready access to the information about how many projects were based on what type of water source, spring, shallow tube well, deep bore well, river and canal. Limited monitoring system does not provide information on how many projects are based on deep bore wells, which have a high unit cost that affects the NRDWP coverage and also results in faster depletion of natural resources, an official said. Number crunch
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Tulip Garden to open on April 5
Srinagar, April 1 An official of the Floriculture Department said it was decided at a meeting today that the garden would be opened on Saturday. Even though the garden usually opens in the last week of March, bad weather delayed its opening this year. The garden, besides attracting film and TV crew, is credited with having extended the tourism season in the Valley. The Floriculture Department official said this year, 25 new varieties of tulips had been planted in the garden. The Tulip Garden, formerly known as Siraj Bagh, was first opened to the public in 2008. |
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Congress reluctant to invite ‘star campaigners’ to Jammu
Jammu, April 1 With nearly a week left for the campaigning ahead of the first phase of elections, the Congress high command has yet to finalise a list of “star campaigners” for the state. Congress leader and Member of Parliament Madan Lal Sharma is seeking re-election from the Jammu-Pooch constituency, which is scheduled to go to polls on Aril 10. Sources said there was a feeling among Congress leaders that inviting someone from outside for campaigning would affect the poll preparations as party workers would then be required to make arrangements for the high profile visitors. “There is also a feeling among the state Congress leaders that except party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi no other leader has the potential to influence voters,” a source said. “As such the state leadership is not enthusiastic to invite other national leaders,” the source said. A senior Congress leader, meanwhile, told The Tribune that since Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was contesting from the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha segment there was no need for any other leader to campaign in the region. “Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is himself contesting election so it is obvious that he would campaign for party on both the Lok Sabha seats in the region. There is no need to invite any other national leader from outside the state,” the leader said on the condition of anonymity. “We have requested the high command to arrange the visit of either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi for election campaign, but there is no need of any other national leader,” the leader added. Azad had earlier campaigned for the party candidate for Jammu-Poonch seat. The Congress is facing a direct challenge from the BJP in the Jammu region and the “saffron party” had sent a list of nearly 40 national leaders and celebrities for campaigning for the party candidates. This apart from the couple of visits made to the region by prime ministerial nominee Narendra
Modi. |
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Unions discuss problems of teachers
Jammu, April 1 During the meeting, the members discussed various problems being faced by the teachers in all the three regions of the state. The participants observed that the government was engaging teachers in different works like election duties, survey duties and collecting data for the other flagship programmes, which affected the standard of education in the schools. The participants said the rationalisation process was not being properly implemented and the blue-eyed persons were enjoying serving in schools near their residences, while the teachers not having any political influence were working in far-flung areas. “The teachers are engaged in schools for necessary submission of statements throughout the month, pay budget are being released very late and it has increased corruption in the treasuries for the release of the pay as well as arrears,” a press note said. They added that schools were suffering because important files were lying pending in both the directorates. “Some of the teachers from Jammu and the Valley are working in far-flung areas of Leh and Kargil district and are not able to reach their stations well in time due to bad weather condition, so respective Chief Education Officers are requested to grant special leave to these teachers so that they do not suffer,” the organisations maintained. The participants urged the government to fulfil the demands of employees pertaining to all departments, especially the problems of ReTs, EVs, undergraduate trained teachers and masters promoted as lecturers, so that classroom work did not suffer. Those who were present on the occasion included Maheshwar Prasad, general secretary, AJKLTF, Gulzar Hussain, Mohammad Qasim Malik and Kuldeep Singh. |
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Circular Road provides bumpy ride to commuters
Jammu, April 1 The road is providing a bumpy ride and also creating heavy traffic jams. Getting stuck in traffic jams for hours together has become a daily routine for residents of Panjtirthi, Residency Road and Gujjar Nagar. NBCC had laid sewerage pipes on the Circular Road about five months ago, but left the road unpaved after covering the pipes with debris. "The road has become so dusty that we are forced to close windows of our houses to prevent dust from entering our premises," Sarita Gupta, a resident of Mast Garh, said. "Children are also facing the problem of throat infection and allergy from the dust, but nobody is bothered to repair the road, which has been left just like that for the last five months," she added. Raman Bali, a shopkeeper said, "It has become a threat to the bikers as two-three bikers daily get injured by falling from their vehicles due to bad road. The authorities seem to be waiting for a major accident to happen." To avoid rush in the old city, people take the Circular Road route, which connects Tawi Bridge-Gujjar Nagar-DC Office-Panjtirthi-Sidhra and national highway to Srinagar, but due to the bad condition of the road, these people have to face long traffic jams in Jammu city, especially in the old city and on the Mubarak Mandi road. "We daily get stuck in long traffic jams at Mubarak Mandi, Jain Bazar and Panjtirthi road. Especially after the Darbar move, these jams have become a daily routine in our lives," he added. "I have to come from Nagrota for my job at the university. I have been using the Circular Road to get easy passage to the city, but since the road is not good, I have to take a longer route from the Sidhra bypass," said Saurabh Sharma, a resident of Nagrota. Most of the Kashmiri Pandit migrants living in Jagti and working in Jammu also take the same route. They have also been facing problem after the digging work was started. Officials of National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd were not available for comments. |
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Municipal Corporation starts plantation drive
Srinagar, April 1 The drive which was launched by SMC Commissioner GN Qasba that began at the Municipal Landfill Site, Achan, where over 200 chinar trees were planted, an SMC official said. The drive was organised by the floriculture and landscaping division of the SMC under the supervision of Environment Officer, SMC, Zahoor Ahmed Shah and Executive Engineer, Right River Works, Ishtiyaq Ahmed. Social activist and environmentalist Nazir was also present on the occasion. Qasba said besides adopting various scientific methods for garbage disposal and stench reduction, the SMC was focusing on beautifying the surroundings of the landfill site. “Such motive will not only beautify this place, but will also give vent to clean and fresh environment to the people living in the vicinity and make it people friendly,” he added. Qasba said fast expansion of Srinagar necessitated frequent plantation drives. He appealed to the people to help promote SMC’s “Clean Srinagar Green Srinagar” mission by planting more and more trees. Meanwhile, the civic body also planted trees at Bub Bul Sahib Shrine, Bahraar, Tibetan Colony, Eidgah, Lal Bazaar and other areas. Different species of trees, including cuprous, conifer, chinar and other ornamental trees, were planted on the occasion, the SMC official said. Meanwhile, a plantation drive was started in the Zabarwan and Harwan range by the “Save Environment, Save Life” group. |
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Awami Ittihaad Party lashes out at NC, PDP
Srinagar, April 1 Addressing public meetings during the election campaign for his party candidate for Anantnag constituency in south Kashmir, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, termed the role of the two main political parties of the state as “sheer hypocrisy”. The MLA said on the one hand, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had termed Afzal Guru hanging as injustice and on the other hand, he criticised hardline APHC leader Syed Ali Geelani. “The National Conference has no right now to draw comparisons between Bhullar case and Afzal Guru as their regime miserably failed the people of this browbeaten nation on this crucial issue,” Rashid said. On the PDP’s role, Sheikh Rashid said the MLA pointed out that charges against Afzal Guru were framed by the Jammu and Kashmir police in the PDP era, but the PDP never bothered to provide any legal aid to Afzal Guru, but now they were talking high of Guru.
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Tosa Maidan Field Firing Range
Srinagar, April 1 The high-powered panel, sources said, has asked the Army to come up with its requirements for the firing range in place of Tosa Maidan, whose lease ends on April 18. “The Army has agreed to look at alternative sites and we have asked them to submit their requirements for the alternative firing range,” said a senior J&K official. The Army was told this by the J&K officials during a high-level meeting, which was chaired by Chief Secretary Muhammad Iqbal Khanday recently. The meeting was attended by top J&K civil officials and the Army authorities. Sources said the government also asked the Army to examine alternative sites for the firing range. The government suggested two locations one in north Kashmir and another in Jammu division. A senior official of the Army in the state said the relocation of the firing range was a sensitive issue and it was not proper to speak on it. “It is a sensitive issue. However, our stand is clear that we are willing to look at alternative sites should they be offered,” the Army officer said. The J&K Government in 1965 had given a portion of Tosa Maidan on lease to the Army for artillery firing. The firing range remains operational from April to November every year. The Army last year had applied with the Budgam Deputy Commissioner for the re-notification of over 11,000 kanals of land in Tosa Maidan for 20 years. The Budgam Deputy Commissioner had later sought No Objection Certificate (NOC) from various departments. However, immediately after the Army applied for re-notification, residents of around 16 villages surrounding the Tosa Maidan formed a committee – Tosa Maidan Bachao Front (Save Tosa Maidan Front) - to oppose the lease extension agreement and to press for the shifting of the firing range to some other place. “Due to this firing range, scores of people have died and many lost their limbs over the years. Despite being scenic, the area has proved to be a death trap for many people due to the firing range,” said Bashir Ahmed, a resident of Budgam. “We want it to be shifted,” he added. The district authorities in Budgam say they have no idea about the status of the case. “After a high-powered panel was formed, we submitted all files to them,” Budgam Deputy Commissioner Khursheed Ahmed Shah said. In November last, Defence Minister AK Antnoy in a written reply to the “special mention” in the Rajya Sabha had said the Tosa Maidan Field Firing Range (TFFR) was the only high-altitude area range in the entire Kashmir valley used by the Army, Air Force and the paramilitary forces. “It falls on the traditional infiltration route to the Valley and is essential for training needs of the units deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) in the sector. You would appreciate that regular firing and maintenance of operational preparedness is critical for maintaining security of the Valley and firing in this range is acting as a major deterrent to infiltration,” Antony had said. Residents press for shifting of firing range The J&K Government in 1965 had given a portion of Tosa Maidan on lease to the Army for artillery firing. The firing range remains operational from April to November every year. The Army last year had applied to the Budgam Deputy Commissioner for the re-notification of over 11,000 kanals of land in Tosa Maidan for 20 years. The Budgam Deputy Commissioner had later sought No Objection Certificate (NOC) from various departments. However, immediately after the Army applied for re-notification, residents of around 16 villages surrounding the Tosa Maidan formed a committee - Tosa Maidan Bachao Front (Save Tosa Maidan Front) - to oppose the lease extension agreement and to press for the shifting of the firing range to some other place.
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NC returns to Mujahid Manzil, hoists flag on historical building
Srinagar, April 1 NC leader and Eidgah MLA Mubarak Gul led the party workers of his Assembly constituency and hoisted the party’s red flag on the dilapidated building. The building, located in Srinagar’s old city, was constructed in 1938 and housed the headquarters of NC before it was shifted to Nawa-e-Subh complex at the inception of militancy in the region. “Mujahid Manzil occupied a very special place in the history of this state and the history of National Conference,” Gul said at the flag-hoisting function. Meanwhile, the NC’s Srinagar District President and Zadibal MLA Peer Afaq addressed a convention of party workers at Hawal in the city here. Afaq said, “The upcoming parliamentary poll provides a historic opportunity to give longevity to the unprecedented initiatives taken by the coalition government in the state.” “The National Conference has played a frontline role in transforming this state with pro-people governance at every crucial juncture in our history,” Afaq said, asking the workers to ensure a historic win for Farooq Abdullah, who is the party president and its candidate for Srinagar constituency in the upcoming elections. |
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Security put on alert ahead of polls in south Kashmir
Srinagar, April 1 Sources said they have inputs that a module of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), headed by Pakistani militant Qasim, was contemplating carrying out the attack and, subsequently, an alert had been sounded. “This militant module has carried targeted attacks over the past one year on the stretch from Anantnag to Srinagar bypass and is desperate to carry out an attack this time around. However, we have sounded an alert,” a top security officer said. “The securitymen patrolling the highway have been asked to be extra vigilant and ensure they maintain high alertness while on duty,” he said. The officer added that militants in the past have adopted hit-and-run method to attack the securitymen on this highway. Last year, in various attacks on the Awantipore-Srinagar highway, over a dozen security forces personnel were killed. These attacks were mostly carried out by the LeT, the officer said. He said in the wake of fresh inputs, the Army has also increased the night patrol in the sensitive areas of south Kashmir and neighbouring central Kashmir districts. South Kashmir’s Anantnag constituency is scheduled to go to the polls on April 24. The parliamentary constituency comprises 16 Assembly segments spread over four districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam. The police figures show that nearly 40 militants of Hizbul Mujahideen, LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad are operating in south Kashmir and they suspect these ultras might try to disrupt the election process. |
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Army, police scan Kathua district for two suspected militants
Jammu, April 1 “After getting information from a villager about two suspected terrorists in Army uniform, the police and Army immediately launched a search operation in the upper reaches of the Ghatti area today. However, after a daylong operation, they could not find anything and the operation was called off,” said Kathua district Superintendent of Police Mohan Lal. “But we are on a high alert,” he added. The SP said the villager had informed the police about the movement of two suspected terrorists in the Ghatti area, prompting them to launch a search operation. “We thoroughly searched the area but didn’t find the suspected terrorists,” he said. The villager had claimed that he had seen two terrorists near a temple in the Ghatti area. An official source said the police had also launched a search operation in the Jakhole area under the jurisdiction of the Rajbagh police station in Kathua district following a similar input. On March 30, the security forces had scanned the Dinga Amb area following similar information by a local about two suspects near a tube well. The Jammu-Poonch parliamentary constituency will go to the polls on April 10 and the Udhampur-Doda constituency on April 17. Intelligence agencies have already issued alerts to the state police and other security establishments in the state about terror strikes in the backdrop of the General Election. |
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Pak truck driver’s custody extended till April 21
Baramulla, April 1 The judicial custody of two local traders allegedly involved in the trafficking has been extended to April 15. Principal Sessions Judge, Baramulla, Rashid Ali Dar, granted the further extension in the judicial custody of Mohammad Shafeeq Awan, who was apprehended along with the contraband on January 17, by 21 days. Awan, who belongs to Sarad Muzaffarabad in Pakistan, is presently lodged in Central Jail, Srinagar. The extension was granted after the police cited incomplete investigation. Meanwhile, the court was informed that the driver was allowed to write to his family in Pakistan. The court was also informed that two letters written by the accused were dispatched to the family, however it was not mentioned whether the said letters were delivered or not. Earlier, the court had ordered the police and the jail authorities to ensure the communication between the accused and his family in Muzaffarabad. The directions were issued after the accused had submitted that he be provided the opportunity to communicate with his family so that they are ensured about his well being. Subsequently, the court in its order on February 18 had directed the Superintendent, Central Jail, Srinagar, and inquiry officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kameshwar Puri to ensure the interaction/conversation of accused with his family under rules. The court had also last Thursday extended the judicial custody of Tariq Ahmad Sheikh of Baramulla and Showkat Habib of Bandipora by 20 days till April 15. The duo is lodged in Sub-district Jail, Kupwara. The cross-LoC trade between the two neighbouring countries had remained suspended for over a month following the seizure from a Pakistani truck on January 17. The incident lead to a standoff between the two sides and the trade was resumed only after serious deliberations between the authorities of the two sides. |
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Extended winter leaves trail of destruction, delays spring in Valley
Srinagar, April 1 The total precipitation in the summer capital this March, one of the coldest months in the last decade, was recorded at 220.1 mm. In 1983, 365 mm of rain was recorded. A massive snowfall, which caused avalanches and collapsed houses, continued for three days in mid-March. It damaged 4,395 structures across all 10 districts of the Kashmir valley, official figures said. The worst-affected districts included south Kashmir’s Kulgam where four people were buried under an avalanche and Anantnag and central Kashmir’s Budgam which accounted for half of the total damage. Twelve people, including five non-state subjects, were killed by avalanches and structure collapses caused by the snow. Figures compiled by the Divisional Commissioner’s office, Kashmir, said 2,452 houses were damaged in the region due to heavy snowfall. Eightyone houses were fully damaged, 159 severely damaged and 2,212 partially damaged. 760 non-residential houses were also damaged in the region while 852 cowsheds, 165 sheds, 98 'kuthars' (nomadic settlements), 20 huts, 15 religious buildings and Six private schools in Baramulla, two in Pulwama, one in Bandipora and one in Kulgam districts were damaged by the snow. The police on March 30 had to evacuate many families from six villages of Baramulla district to safer places, fearing landslides after incessant rainfall. The Power Development Department (PDD) also suffered widespread damage to its infrastructure in the region as 193 High Tension and 270 Low Tension poles, 20.50 km of conductor wire, 255 pin insulators and 77 cross arms were damaged in Pulwama district. In north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the damage caused to the PDD infrastructure was estimated at Rs 30 lakh, said the official records. A senior government official said Rs 5 crore had been disbursed among affected residents of 11 of the 12 districts in the Kashmir and Ladakh regions, excluding Leh, where there was no damage due to bad weather. “We have disbursed Rs 5 crore to all deputy commissioners in Kashmir division except in Leh,” said Assistant Commissioner, Central, Tasaduq Hussain Mir. The snow and rain also triggered landslides which blocked connectivity at many places and damaged roads. An official of the Roads and Buildings Department said the damage to the tarmac was widespread. The long winter also delayed the almond bloom, which marks the arrival of the spring in the region. “There has been a delay in the (spring) season. Due to low temperature, the trees could not come out of their dormancy,” said Deputy Director, Horticulture Department, Akhtar Hussain. The official said the damage to the region’s horticulture was minimised due to the delay as trees were yet to bloom. “However, there is some percent of damage in areas which received heavy snow and where trees were not pruned, especially in areas hit by avalanches,” the official said. The Meteorological Department today advised farmers to halt the farming activity from April 5 to 7 due to rain forecast. Damage by snow, rain
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Madan Lal urges people to vote for Congress
jammu, April 1 Sharma, while addressing a series of public meetings at Sai Kalan, Dewangarh, Bega Bera and roadshows from Jammu Airport to RS Pura Bazaar, said the UPA government had raised economic stability for poor and marginalised sections of society by introducing various Bills and implementing various Acts. He said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employee Guarantee Act had raised the economy of rural pockets and women were also benefited by it. |
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CRPF holds talent show for Kupwara children
Kupwara, April 1 A large number of senior citizens present on the occasion lauded the CRPF for providing a platform to the children of the area. Deputy Inspector General (DIG), CRPF (Operations), north Kashmir, Hanumant Singh Rawat, senior officers of the police, the Army and the Border Security Force, besides officials from civil administration were also present. Commanding Officer of the 98 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force, Sham Sunder Dey said the programme was aimed at providing children a platform to showcase their talent and better the relations between the people and the force. “The Central Reserve Police Force is always at the service of people. Programmes like this bring people closer to the CRPF and strengthen the bond of love and trust between the two,” the officer said. Deputy Inspector General, CRPF (Operations), north Kashmir, thanked people for attending the day-long programme. “I am happy to see large number of audience here. I want to compliment the Commanding Officer for organising such a wonderful programme,” the officer said.
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Jashan-e-Jammu and Kashmir festival presented at Guwahati
Jammu, April 1 The “Jashan-e-Jammu and Kashmir” will feature internationally acclaimed Dogri play "Ghumayee", written and directed by Balwant Thakur, and a thrilling programme of the diverse traditions of the dances of J&K entitled "Celebrating Diversity". In Guwahati, the festival is being presented at Pragjyoti ITA Centre for Performing Arts today. On April 2, the group will fly to Imphal where the festival will be held at the auditorium of Chorus Repertory Theatre of internationally acclaimed director Rattan Thiyam, who is the chairman of the National School of Drama (NSD). Giving details about the festival, Balwant Thakur said the festival would feature world-class performances of J&K and this distant part of the country would be bridged with J&K through this unique cultural initiative of Natrang, Jammu. The Natrang artistes include Anil Tickoo, Suresh Kumar, Vikrant Sharma, Suraj Singh, Neeraj Kant, Tajasvi Sharma, Sumeet Sharma, Dimple Sharma, Sajra Qadir, Aarushi Thakur, Mohit Sharma, Mohammad Yaseen, Suraj Ganjoo, Pawan Verma, Vanshika Gupta, Surya Salathia, Namrata Chib, Ashwani Bali, Mahikshit Singh Langeh, Uplaksh Singh Kotwal, Ankush Lakhnotra, Suraj Ganjoo, Gauri Thakur, Damanpreet Kaur, Suhasini Antaal, Gurmeet Kour, Preeti Manhas, Srijna Bhasin, Rupali Rai, Aarti Verma, Aarti Slathia, Saroj Manhas, Rupali Jasrotia, Monika Khanna, Tsering Choskit, Dorjay Youron, Stanzin Lamo, Jigmat Wongmo, Dechan Angma, Kunzes Dolma, Deepak Kumar, Anil Sharma, Rahul Manhas, Neetan Kumar, John, Ashwani Kumar, Rakesh Kona, Sartaj Singh, Shagun Charak and Balwant Thakur. |
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Lecture on domestic violence organised
Jammu, April 1 About 20 students of the college visited the Kabir Basti slum area under the supervision of the unit in charge Suman Devi. During the programme, the slum dwellers were given orientation regarding important traffic signs and symbols, besides making them aware of the traffic lights installed in Jammu city. It was followed by a lively interaction in which the queries of the residents were answered by the resource persons. Director, MIER, Dr Renu Gupta appreciated the efforts of the extension unit towards making the slum dwellers aware of important social issues. Earlier, a group of 22 students of the extension unit organised an extension lecture on the effects of domestic violence. The unit in charge, Neha Sharma, deliberated upon the issue of domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV). She said domestic violence has many forms, including physical aggression or assault, or threats thereof like sexual abuse, emotional abuse, etc. She also highlighted the issues related to women like illiteracy, lack of awareness about their rights and schemes to empower them. Student members of the unit talked about the various other triggers of domestic violence like alcoholism, unemployment of the spouse, economic problems, adjustment problems, psycho-social problems, etc. Neha Sharma presented the vote of thanks. |
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Duggar Di Dharti staged
Jammu, April 1 The play was written by Sahil Tilak Sharma and directed by young director of the state Tarun Sharma. The Nat Manch also completed its 104 shows as the part of its ongoing Tuesday series. The story of the play revolves around two friends, who talk about the land of "Duggar Desh" (Jammu). One friend is from a foreign country and the other from the land of Duggar. They are childhood friends and talk about Maharajas, warriors, historical places, rivers, temples, forts and many other stories of the Jammu region. The actors who performed in the play were Tarun Sharma and Sahil Tilak Sharma. — TNS
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J&K Bank share price hits all-time high
Srinagar, April 1 He said the stock recorded an appreciation of 5.56 per cent and 5.04 per cent at NSE and BSE, respectively, during the day. “The share surged remarkably by around Rs 80 on both stock exchanges and stood at Rs 1,623.45 on NSE and Rs 1,614.45 on BSE when the markets closed. More than 1.62 lakh shares were traded during the day. During the bank’s Platinum jubilee year, the bank’s share leaped by around Rs 400 displaying an unshakable market trust in growth and capacities of the bank,” the spokesman added. Notably, Credit Suisse Group, a leading global financial services company, recently had picked J&K Bank among top five organisations in Asia as an interesting investment opportunity. The selection as per the spokesman was made on the basis of business outlook, financial strength, valuation, market cap and trading liquidity. The share of the bank for 2014 has been targeted by the group at Rs 1,700 from Rs 1,226.95 with potential upside of 38.6 per cent.
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Baba is KU library dept head
Srinagar, April 1 An order to this effect was issued on March 24 following which Baba assumed the charge as Head, DLIS, today. Baba is known in academic circles especially in the field of library and information science. He has also been nominated by the state government in drafting the J&K Public Library Act. Baba is a member of several library committees at national and state levels. He has authored four books, including one co-authored in 1982 with late Moti Lal Wali, former Dean and Head, Library Science, University of Kashmir. He has published a large number of papers in national and international publications and all his writings have been well received. Baba has remained the Vice-President of the Indian Library Association (ILA), New Delhi. Currently, he is the Governing Body Member of the Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC), Kolkata. Baba has organised, attended and chaired many national and international conferences and workshops held both in India and abroad. For his outstanding services in library science, achievements and contributions in the area of library science, he has been honoured with Bharat Excellence Award by the Friendship Forum of India, New Delhi. |
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Jammu, April 1
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Jammu, April 1
Srinagar, April 1
Jammu, April 1
Srinagar, April 1
