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Azad raises pitch against Modi in Anantnag
With no response from EC, Ladakhi students look to Pranab, Modi
BJP wants to create new Pakistan: Farooq
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Basic amenities to dominate election battle in Baramulla
BJP, Cong leaders defy orders to be with party bigwigs in Punjab
17 nominations okayed for Baramulla constituency
Kashmir observes shutdown over detention of separatist leaders
4 more panchayat members resign in Pulwama
Army rescues nine trapped in avalanche
Audit report paints dismal picture of Kashmir varsity
NC pays tribute to Bodh Raj Bali on death anniversary
CBSE schools told to check every claim in document for quality assessment certificate
District Jammu Rope Skipping Championship concludes
Workshop on teaching aids ends
CRPF personnel to be housed in city’s Super Speciality Hospital
Petrol bomb hurled at NC worker’s residence
Convert socially backward castes in Valley to OBCs: AAP
City youth coordinator at Indian Student Parliament
Five gamblers arrested
Cong sarpanch among 3 shot in south Kashmir
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Azad raises pitch against Modi in Anantnag
Anantnag, April 21 “It is a shame that some people in Kashmir are helping the BJP prime ministerial candidate (Narendra Modi),” Azad said while addressing election rallies in support of National Conference-Congress alliance candidate for Anantnag Lok Sabha seat Mehboob Beg. “The United States has not allowed that man (Modi) to set foot on its soil for 12 years now. That is only because it has clear evidence of his involvement in the Muslim genocide in Gujarat,” Azad said. The coalition partners today held joint rallies at the Verinag and Kokernag areas of Anantnag, considered to be Congress bastions, and urged voters to support the alliance. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz, Tourism Minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir and NC provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, besides Beg were present on the occasion. Azad told the PDP to come clean about its alliance with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). “They (PDP) are not accepting it (alliance with the BJP) and they are not denying it. I understand diplomacy is an integral part of politics, but they are overdoing it. They are playing with fire,” the senior Congress leader said. He said while the NC was a part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), he failed to understand what purpose a single PDP member in Parliament would serve. “The fight is between the UPA and the NDA. The PDP has to choose a side. We cannot endorse one ideology during the day and another during night,” he said. This was the first joint campaign rally that Azad attended in the Valley. Azad also criticised the BJP for being “anti-minority” and “anti-Muslim”, saying that every “pro-minority scheme” from the UPA government met stiff resistance from the “right-wing party”, in Parliament and outside it. “Modi is the only Chief Minister to have refused the implementation of schemes by the Planning Commission of India for the betterment of Muslims,” the Congress leader alleged. Talking to mediapersons later, Azad said the Congress-led UPA had been pro-active in taking confidence-building measures (CBMs) in Kashmir. He refuted the claims that the UPA government had failed to work on the CBMs. “Confidence-building measures do not mean handing over Kashmir to Pakistan,” he said. Azad said the work done by the UPA government on the economic, educational, developmental and political front to bring stability in the state were all part of the
CBMs. |
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With no response from EC, Ladakhi students look to Pranab, Modi
In a letter submitted to the President yesterday, the All Ladakh Students Joint Action Committee (ALSJAC) - an apex body of students and scholars studying outside Ladakh - said there were more than 10,000 students and scholars from Ladakh studying in Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Dharamsala and Varanasi and they were eligible voters for the Lok Sabha elections. The committee said it had received no response from the Election Commission to their request for setting up special polling stations in Jammu so that they could exercise their votes for the lone Lok Sabha seat for the Ladakh region. The ALSJAC has also written to BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Aam Adami Party and J&K Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, urging them to make a personal request to the Election Commission for a polling facility for them in Jammu. “Every student and scholar from Ladakh knows the importance of his or her vote in the Lok Sabha elections. We have sent letters to Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and the Aam Adami Party, requesting them to make efforts at their own level so that we can participate in this democratic process,” said Tsering Norphel, an ALSJAC member. He said the ALSJAC would hold demonstrations if its demand was not met. The ALSJAC, in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, and the District Election Officer (DEO), Leh, had requested that either all students from the Ladakh region, who were above 18 years of age, be airlifted to their respective native places or special polling stations be set up in Jammu for their convenience. Students and scholars had been pleading that they could be a deciding factor in the elections. The sitting Member of Parliament Ghulam Hassan Khan had won the 2009 parliamentary polls by just 3,708 votes. The polling for the Ladakh seat will be held on May 7. Highway closed
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BJP wants to create new Pakistan: Farooq
Srinagar, April 21 If they continue with this mindset then it will be difficult for them to save Hindustan,” Farooq told reporters on the sidelines of an election rally in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. The Union Minister was replying to a query on the statement of BJP leader Giriraj Singh, who has said that those opposing BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had no place in India and should go to Pakistan. “It is a very bad mindset and whatever voices can be raised against it should be raised, and such people should be exposed who want to destroy the Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Christian unity,” said Farooq. Farooq is contesting election from the Srinagar constituency, which will go to the polls on April 30. Commenting on VHP leader Praveen Togadia’s reported comments about evicting Muslims from Hindu areas, Farooq said: “We will not be cowed by such threats”. “We have chosen the path of Allah and we will never fear (them). Inshallah (God willing), we will succeed and they will never succeed,” the Union Minister said. Farooq refused to comment on the latest bout of infighting within the separatist camp, saying that “both have said too much”. “(I hope) they (separatists) rectify it and reach some understanding,” he said. He, however, lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for filing a complaint before the police against him for his comments that he would have attacked the PDP if he had the “authority and power”. “They say these things when they are nearing defeat. Otherwise tell me, which bomb, which gun, which rocket do I have that I will fire? We only have one thing, that is vote, which we will use,” Farooq said. |
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Basic amenities to dominate election battle in Baramulla
Kupwara, April 21 Basic amenities like power, road, water and healthcare would remain a priority for the voters in Kupwara district. “I will cast my vote keeping in view the performance of sitting Member of Parliament Sharifuddin Shariq and the ruling party National Conference,” said Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, a contractual lecturer. “The past record of candidates in the fray and the performance of the political parties they belong to will also remain a
factor,” said Bhat. The segment will witness a direct face-off between the Peoples Democratic Party candidate Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and sitting MP and NC-Congress nominee Shariq. Awami Itihad Party chief and MLA from Langate Engineer Rashid, who is also contesting from the segment, would also
have a bearing on the final outcome. Apart from Rashid, Peoples Conference’s Salam-ud-Din Bajad is also
in the fray. People in Kupwara district feel “discriminated” by Shariq, who has been conspicuous by his absence in the district after 2009 parliamentary polls. “We have never seen Shariq after the last elections. He never bothered to pay a visit to Kupwara and see the problems people are facing in this backward district,” said Ghulam Mohammad Dar. “We learnt that he donated a few ambulances for hospitals in Baramulla and Sopore, but not a single vehicle was given to Kupwara,” Dar alleged. The poll boycott call given by the separatist groups might also play a role in this north Kashmir constituency. “There will be little impact of the poll boycott call in villages and possibly a decent impact in major towns. Keeping this in view, the participants have asked voters to cast their ballot during morning hours,” said a political activist. There are 11,51,744 lakh voters in the Baramulla parliamentary constituency which includes 5,45,219 females. Direct fight
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Poll campaigners up the style quotient
Srinagar, April 21 “The Abdullah father-son duo has been the trendsetter and has tried to keep a balance between formal and casual wear. They make it a point to dress up for the occasion, be it a roadshow or a rally,” said Sehar Jamsheed, Srinagar-based fashion blogger. Sehar said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had been wearing some eye-catching attire, including pherans (traditional Kashmiri gown worn in the winter), designer bandgalas, kurta-pyjama and formal suits. “We have even seen him wearing karakuli (traditional Kashmiri cap). Abdullahs often wear the cap during public gatherings,” she said. For NC president Farooq Abdullah and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, pheran and safari suits are must-haves for campaigning. Among women politicians, new women entrants promise a sense of style. “Poonch MLA Shehnaz Ganai, Habba Kadal MLA Shameema Firdous and newcomer Hina Bhat have proved to be women of style and substance in the state. They are keeping it elegant with the designer salwar kameez. Using matching accessories, however, is a welcome change among women politicians,” Sehar said. Mehbooba Mufti, president of the People Democratic Party, however has a distinctive dressing style. Sources say Mehbooba, also the party’s candidate for the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, boasts of a wardrobe which includes 80 abayas (loose overgarment worn by women). She uses matching scarves with her abayas. “Mehbooba is experimenting with the fabric and colour of her abayas which shows that she is becoming fashion conscious. She cannot afford to be casual about her dress, especially when a suave Omar Abdullah is her rival,” Sehar said. |
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Youth hold the key to elections in J&K
As per the latest electoral rolls, out of the total voters in the state, more than 55 per cent of the electorate is in the age group of 18-39 years. Therefore, all political parties are trying to impress the young voters. In the first phase of the elections in the state that was held on April 10, a large number of youth turned up to exercise their right to franchise. The Congress has already assigned this job to the Youth Congress and the BJYM, the youth wing of the BJP, has constituted committees to work among this huge chunk of voters, who hold the key in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP is hopeful that due to ‘Modi wave’, the party would successfully attract the youth. Similarly, the Congress is projecting its leader Rahul Gandhi as the youth icon to woo young voters. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is projecting Rahul Gandhi as a youth leader, who represents the aspirations and wishes of the modern India. The PDP is repeatedly raking up the issue of MBBS entrance examination scam and failure of the National Conference to fulfil its promise of recruiting Matric pass youth to woo the youth. The Youth Congress, the youth wing of the National Conference and the National Student Union of India (NSUI) had intensified their activities to target young voters. The Youth Congress has constituted teams to visit different institutions to mobilise the youth. During their campaign, Congress workers only mention the name of Rahul Gandhi to target the youth. The BJP on the other hand has given greater responsibility to its youth wing, the BJYM, to target young voters. The BJYM has set up teams at booth level so establish contact with the youth at the grass-roots level. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organisation having affiliation with the Sangh Parivar, has also intensified its activities to mobilise the youth. The BJP is hopeful that Narendra Modi’s image will help the party in getting a maximum number of young voters. As far as the National Conference is concerned, the party is trying to project Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as the youth icon of the state. The party is hopeful that Omar’s image would help the party in getting support of the maximum number of youth. However, instead of openly supporting any political parties, the youth are looking for good candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. As per the updated electoral rolls, out of the total 69,33,118 voters in Jammu and Kashmir, 56.01 per cent voters fall in the age group of 18-39 year, thus holding key position in the Lok Sabha elections. |
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BJP, Cong leaders defy orders to be with party bigwigs in Punjab
Jammu, April 21 The Congress leaders allegedly defied the orders of the party high command to move to the Valley to support the alliance partners National Conference and rushed to Anandpur Sahib in Punjab to help Congress general secretary Ambika Soni in her election campaign, sources told The Tribune. The BJP representatives, on the other hand, have preferred to be with senior party leader Arun Jaitley, who is pitted against Congress’ Amarinder Singh from Amritsar parliamentary constituency. State BJP leaders were told to move to Kashmir after the polls in the Jammu region to support party candidates, sources said. “The BJP leaders probably thought that it will be better to support Jaitley rather than rush to campaign for its candidates in Kashmir, where the party has negligible chance of winning,” a source said. As per the pre-poll agreement between the alliance partners, NC and Congress, the later would contest the two parliamentary seats of the Jammu region and the lone Lok Sabha seat of Ladakh, while the former would represent all the tree parliamentary constituencies of Kashmir. Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda seats of the Jammu region went to polls during the first two phases of elections in the state and various NC leaders, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, were witnessed campaigning for Congress candidates. It was the turn of Congress leaders to campaign for NC in the Valley, but they preferred to please their top bosses rather than work for alliance partners, sources said. “Our senior leaders are on the job and are helping the NC in the Valley. Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz, few ministers and other senior leaders are trying their best to help the NC,” a Congress leader said wishing anonymity. He maintained that party leaders were committed to support alliance candidates, but said those who had “prior commitments outside the state” have gone out. However, according to sources the party had only sought services of Union Health Minister and Congress nominee for Udhampur-Doda seat Ghulam Nabi Azad and rest of the state leaders had gone out of their own. Sources in the Congress party told The Tribune that not every leader from Jammu would go to the Valley to help NC candidates. “Not every NC leader and minister from the Valley had come to Jammu to help Congress candidates. Likewise, every Congress leader will not travel to Kashmir and everybody is well aware of it,” a source said. |
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NC, PDP rope in folk artistes
to drum up support in rural areas
Srinagar, April 21 Sources said the NC had hired a specialist dance troupe (locally known as bhand), which performs at rallies held by party leaders. Bhands, dressed in multi-coloured traditional attires, sing compilations of Kashmir’s political satirists combined with Sufi and traditional genre of music in the background. Recently when NC’s Srinagar parliamentary candidate Farooq Abdullah addressed public rallies in Budgam district, the stage was set for a fun-filled cultural show rather than a conventional speech by a political leader. People who waited to listen to Farooq were enthralled by performances from local bhands. A group of women later sang the famous Kashmiri song, “Aakho Shahrek Sheerazo (Here comes the city’s prince)” for Farooq who usually is seen dancing to the tunes of Kashmiri music. The PDP is also not holding back on mixing entertainment value to their election campaigning. On Sunday, a famous local dancer entertained PDP supporters in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. Women in the Anantnag constituency, from where PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is contesting, sing “Wanwun” (traditional Kashmiri choir songs) in praise of the strong woman candidate. Kashmir’s historians term the embodiment of music and dance into the political campaigning as a historical fact. Valley’s political satirist and historian Zareef Ahmad Zareef said since the times of NC founder Sheikh Abdullah, the tactic of entertaining people for votes was hugely popular. In 1953, around 20,000 people walked behind Sheikh Abdullah dancing and singing to the tunes of local bhands all the way to the city’s commercial centre, Lal Chowk, to listen to the NC leader. Entertainment has always played a huge factor in wooing voters. Currently, the focus is on rural areas of the Valley. |
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17 nominations okayed for Baramulla constituency
Srinagar, April 21 However, three candidates from the Ladakh parliamentary segment withdrew their nominations later in the day, bringing the total number of participants in the fray to five. Nomination papers of one each candidate from the respective constituencies was, however, rejected by the concerned Returning Officers. Both the Baramulla and the Ladakh segments are scheduled to go to polls in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir on May 7. Out of 18 candidates in Baramulla, nomination papers of 17 candidates were found complete in all respect. The papers of one woman candidate, Saba, were rejected during the scrutiny by the Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Farooq Ahmad Lone. The educational qualification of three candidates, including two Independents, was below intermediate level as per the affidavits submitted by them to the Returning Officer. While Prototype Revolutionary Innovative Sanskrit Movement’s Bashir Ahmad Gojer Jagar is just a primary standard pass, Independent Ashique Hussain Ganaie has studied till class IX. Another Independent Mohammad Abdullah Chatwal is a matriculate. In Leh, the scrutiny of the nomination papers of all the candidates was done by Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Simrandeep Singh in presence of general observer Naveen Mahajan. Those whose candidature has been confirmed are Congress’ Tsering Samphel, BJP’s Thupstan Chhewang and Independents Syed Mohammad Kazim, Anayat Ali, Mohammad Amin, Ghulam Raza, Mohammad Hassan and Mohammad Abbas. Nomination papers of Chhering Dorjey, covering candidate of the BJP was rejected after the authorities confirmed Thupstan Chhewang’s nomination. Meanwhile, Haji Anayat Ali, who was a covering candidate for Islamiya School Kargil backed Aga Syed Kazim Sabri; Haji Hassan Lal, a covering candidate for Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust supported Ghulam Raza, and Independent Mohammad Amin Poyen from Kargil withdrew their candidature later in the day. The last date for withdrawal of candidature in the two constituencies is April 23. A total of 1,59,631 voters, comprising 80,994 male and 78,637 female voters, would exercise their right to franchise at 531 polling stations for the Ladakh
segment. (With inputs from Javid A Malla in Baramulla and Arteev Sharma in Jammu) |
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Kashmir observes shutdown over detention of separatist leaders
Srinagar, April 21 Public transport service was affected and lesser number of private cars and buses plied on the roads. All major markets in and around Lal Chowk, the commercial nerve centre of Srinagar city, remained closed and most schools also remained shut. The shutdown was called by Syed Ali Geelani, chairman of the hardline Hurriyat Conference, to protest the detention of separatists ahead of the elections. Geelani has been put under detention at his residence since his arrival from New Delhi last week. While the day passed off peacefully in the city here, there were reports of stone-throwing in some areas of the Valley, including in north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Bandipora districts. Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength at critical places in the city to prevent any law and order problem. Several separatist leaders, including Yasin Malik, chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, and Shabir Shah, who leads the third faction of the Hurriyat Conference, have been put under detention in recent days and prevented from carrying out election boycott campaign. The shutdown comes amid infighting among the the hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference. Geelani had last week told reporters that BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s emissaries had met him on March 22. He claimed that Modi had also established communication with other separatists. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who leads the moderate separatists, rejected Geelani’s assertions as “baseless and mischievous”
and accused him of making “irresponsible statements”. Life comes to halt
While the day passed off peacefully in Srinagar on Monday, there were reports of stone-throwing in
some areas of the Valley such as Baramulla and Bandipora districts. |
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Guv directs Home Dept for early disposal of pending cases
Jammu, April 21 He said this while presiding over the 76th meeting of the J&K Rajya Sainik Board here at Raj Bhawan today. The Governor observed that through its district and zonal officers, the Department of Sainik Welfare should extend all required help to encourage and enable youth, who were desirous of joining the armed forces and assist institutions, which train students to qualify for appearing before the Service Selection Boards. The Governor directed Ajit K Sahu, District Collector, Jammu, and Rajinder K Verma, District Collector, Samba, to expedite land acquisition processes for enabling the early establishment of sainik colonies at Patti village in Samba district and Barn village in Jammu district. The Governor directed the officer representing the state Home Department to ensure that all pending issues relating to the Sainik Welfare Department were settled soon. The Rajya Sainik Board approved the establishment of a committee chaired by Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary, Home, for the selection of ex-defence service officers to posts under the Sainik Welfare Department. The board also approved amendment of the existing recruitment rules to enable the Sainik Welfare Department to fill up all the existing vacancies. For promoting employment of ex-servicemen in various departments of the state government, the Governor said the Home Secretary should settle the pending proposal for providing vertical reservation on most urgent basis. Later, the Governor chaired the meeting of the State Managing Committee for Funds, which discussed issues relating to the budgetary support being provided by the state government to the Department of Sainik Welfare. The Governor emphasised the need for evolving strategies for maximising welfare of ex-servicemen and their families. A detailed powerpoint presentation was made by Brig (retd) RS Langeh, Secretary, Rajya Sainik Board, giving details of measures taken for the welfare of ex-servicemen, financial status of the board, status of construction of sainik bhawans and implementation of various decisions taken in the last meeting of the board. |
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4 more panchayat members resign in Pulwama
Pulwama, April 21 Four more panchayat representatives have resigned today and announced it through loudspeakers of local mosques. They included sarpanches Badar Thokar from Gadoora and Ghulam Nabi Bhat, and panches Khursheed Ahmad Najar and Bashir Ahmad. Eleven sarpanches had tendered resignation soon after the killing of Mohammad Amin Pandith from the Wachi area of Pulwama a few days ago. |
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Reasi residents protest bad roads
Katra, April 21 “There are a couple of approach roads to our area on which repair work is being carried out simultaneously. It has left us with no option but to take a detour to reach our homes,” said Ajay Kumar, a resident of the area. Dharam Singh, another resident, said a large number of students who study in various educational institutes in the area are also suffering. “The road work is progressing at a snail’s pace and this has made commuting to educational institutes difficult for students,” he said. “The repairs were supposed to be completed in six months but the work is incomplete,” he said. |
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Army rescues nine trapped in avalanche
Srinagar, April 21 A defence spokesman here today said the nine persons, including a woman and child, were travelling from Tangdhar to Kupwara in north Kashmir on Sunday afternoon when their vehicle was trapped under an avalanche. An avalanche rescue team of the Army at the Nasta Chun Pass launched a rescue operation
and saved the trapped passengers. Within 15 minutes, the team successfully pulled out all passengers. The passengers were taken to the Nasta Chun Pass and provided medical help. This is the third rescue operation undertaken by the Army in the past six days, the spokesman said. |
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Governor briefed on industrial promotion
Jammu, April 21 Ganai briefed the Governor about issues relating to industrial promotion, obtaining entrepreneurial environment and status of cottage and village industries, handicrafts and handloom sector in the state. The Governor stressed the importance of every possible effort being made to secure balanced growth through sustainable utilisation of all available natural resources in the state. The Governor urged Ganai to take early steps for the scientific exploitation of sapphire mine at Padder. |
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Usha Vohra urges welfare society to promote adult literacy
Jammu, April 21 Usha Vohra, chief patron of the VKWS, was speaking at a function organised by it at Jammu Club today. She urged the members of the society to promote adult literacy. The First Lady said members could launch a campaign to teach uneducated adults who live near to their homes. She congratulated the society for providing computer education to needy students by charging a nominal fee. She said computer education enhanced employment opportunities of girls. She said no child should remain uneducated for want of funds and appealed to the affluent segments of society to sponsor education of underprivileged children. Usha Vohra appreciated the VKWS for identifying girl students and providing them scholarships. On the occasion, she released “Surging Steps”, a souvenir brought out by the VKWS as part of its silver jubilee celebrations. Earlier, Prof Ved K Ghai, president of the VKWS, read out the annual report (2013-14) which gave a brief account of the activities of the VKWS. He also presented the action plan (2014-15). The First Lady said the welfare society had launched “NIVIDA” as
its silver jubilee project to help underprivileged children. Sneh Chopra, patron of the VKWS, Kailash Gupta, working president, Indira Rathore, vice-president, and Ruby Sharma, secretary, were present. |
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Audit report paints dismal picture of Kashmir varsity
Besides, 11 research projects were abandoned midway after being taken up, that even after incurring an expenditure of more than Rs 62 lakh, revealed the CAG report-2014, which was released recently. In the report under chapter "Kashmir University", it has been further pointed out by the CAG, that "delay in submission of thesis resulted in continued usage of infrastructure facilities by the same scholars thereby blocking the opportunities for other aspirants" at the university. The university received a grant of Rs 3.16 crore from the University Grants Commission between 2008 and 2013. However, the audit noticed that no research activities were undertaken in 15 postgraduate departments, including clinical bio-chemistry, history, education and three other research centres at Kashmir University. In the report by the CAG, it has also been observed that while submitting utilisation certificates with respect to the completed projects, the unutilised funds were not refunded to the funding agencies. Besides, out of unspent amount of Rs 18 lakh, only Rs 10 lakh was refunded to the funding agencies, it said. The report further observes incorrect utilisation certificates with respect to UGC released funds under different schemes for improvement in the infrastructure and publication of thesis and research papers were submitted by the university authorities. Against an expenditure of Rs 4.43 crore under general development assistance scheme and Rs 4.3 crore under merged schemes, the university had furnished utilisation certificates for Rs 12 crore and Rs 6.18 crore, the CAG report observed while pointing out submission of utilisation certificates for amounts in excess of amounts released by the university authorities. ‘Irregularities’ exposed
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Dilapidated school building poses threat to lives of students, staff
Jammu, April 21 The school, which is situated in 3 acres and has a covered area of 884 sq m, is being run by the state government, but the building comes under the Jammu Cantonment Board and all the repair and maintenance-related works are the responsibility of the cantonment board. As per the officials of the Archaeological Department of the state, the building is more the 125 years' old. During the British rule, it was Jammu Cantonment railway station and trains used to go to Lahore from here via Sialkot. The ticket window is still there in the building. The Archaeological Department listed the building in the survey list of heritage buildings of Jammu in 2008-09, but it still has to be announced as a preserved monument. The lives of 145 students and 38 staff members of the schools are under threat as the building has developed major cracks and due to drainage problem the roof may collapse any time. "Nirmala Raina, Headmistress of the school, said, "This building has a historical value and it might be declared as a preserved monument, but It may also collapse before the declaration by the ASI." "Despite writing many letters to the cantonment board about the dilapidated condition of the building, no repair work has been done in the school," she added. The school has done some small renovation works like flooring and installing some windows with the funds given by the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), but nothing has been done by the Cantonment Board. BS Khatri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jammu Cantonment Board, said, "There are five buildings of schools which belong to the cantonment board. We have repaired four of them, but when tenders for the repair of this building were invited, the rates were on the higher side, so it was not repaired." "It requires an extensive repair. We are planning to invite tenders for the work in May, after the elections, when the schools will be off," he added. The school was started in the building in 1932. After Partition in 1947, the school was under the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and now the Education Department of the state runs the school, but the building belongs to the cantonment board and it takes care of the building. One room of the building is also being used by the cantonment board as its store. |
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Samnotra elected hony secy of Jammu Club
Jammu, April 21 Samnotra got 1,801 votes, while other members of the team AK Kakkar bagged 1558 votes, Manish Gupta 1,496, Neeraj Puri 1,481, KK Khosa 1,455, Dr Nirmolak 1,294, Dr Bhupinder Singh Pathania 1,253, Kangan Bhagotra 1,247, Viney Gupta 1,208, Dr Satish Sharma 1,208 and Dr Nira Singh 1,189 votes. The Returning Officer was Vinod Sharma. The foundation stone of the club was laid on April 13, 1978, by the then Chief Minister late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Sohan Singh was the first elected vice-chairman, while late Col Ram Singh was the first secretary of the club. In the past decade, the club has expanded with addition of a rooftop restaurant, continental restaurant, renovated squash court, swimming pool, health club and billiard-cum-pool room. Information and technology services were also introduced in the Jammu Club. |
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NC pays tribute to Bodh Raj Bali on death anniversary
Jammu, April 21 In this connection a meeting was held at the party headquarters under the chairmanship of state vice-president Rattan Lal Gupta, which was attended by senior party leaders and workers. Addressing the gathering, Gupta said Bodh Raj Bali worked for the uplift of the poor and downtrodden people of the state during his tenure as a minister. "He served the party for a long time as president and in other capacities also and he was a guiding force for the NC workers in the Jammu province," Gupta added. Speaking on the occasion, provincial secretary of the party Sheikh Bashir Ahmad asserted that the NC was a disciplined organisation and senior leaders who had served the party in various capacities should be remembered on their anniversaries and young workers should follow in their footsteps. He said Bali was a disciplined leader in the party and worked for the uplift of the party in the Jammu province. |
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CBSE schools told to check every claim in document for quality assessment certificate
Jammu, April 21 Sources said the documents required for accreditation consist of some thousand pages and there are hundreds of conditions that the schools have to comply with before they are granted the mandatory certificate. "It has been witnessed by the schools that have their applications for SQAA made that the agencies survey and check records in the SQAA process very minutely. A team visits the schools and crosschecks all the claims in the documents. The schools should document even the smallest activity that has taken place," the sources said. "There are number of conditions that the CBSE imposes on schools. Thus a lot of care has to be taken in order to prevent the accreditation from being rejected. These include things like having rounded bench edges, a terrorist attack-proof building, maintaining detailed paperwork, etc. Principal, Army Public School, Akhnoor, and president of the Jammu Sahodaya School Complex (JSSC), a body of CBSE schools, KCS Mehta told said, "There are more than 40 CBSE-affiliated schools in the state which have most of the facilities as per the new directions to seek the accreditation, but still there are some areas on which we need to focus." "This new accreditation process certainly helps in further raising the standard of education in all the affiliated schools," he added. Keeping in view the concerns regarding quality of education, the CBSE on the directions of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has issued a circular to all its affiliated schools in the state to apply online for the mandatory accreditation process. To apply online for accreditation, the schools need to fill the "Form of Intent" on the CBSE's website.The accreditation process entails three phases with the first being the submission of online application along with relevant evidence to support the data. |
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District Jammu Rope Skipping Championship concludes
Jammu, April 21 The results are: Boys' speed hop 30 sec u-11: Abhinav Sharma (Army School, Domana) first, Madhur Gupta (Army School) second and Aditya Sharma (KC Gurukul School) third. U-14: Karan Bakshi (Army School, Domana) first, Ishan Manga (KC International School) second and Prajwal Dutta (KC International School) third. U-19: Arya Verma (KC Gurukul School) first, Ritesh Sharma (JK Public School) second and Shivam Malhotra (JK Public School) third. Speed sprint 30 sec u-11: Aditya Sharma (KC Gurukul School) first, Abhinav Sharma (Army Public School) second and Aryan Tejasav (KC Gurukul School) third. U-14: Karan Bakshi (Army Public School) first, Mohammad Kaif (JK Public School) second and Sidharth Sharma (KC Gurukul School) third. Double u-4: Karan Bakshi (Army School Domana) first, Rahul Dogra (KC International School) and Danish Sharma (Shangrilla Public School) second. Free style 60 sec u-11: Akshit Digra (KC International School) first, Shreesh Raina (KC International School) second and Vishal Samotra (Army School, Domana) third. Endurance three minute u-14: Ashutosh Sharma (Army School, Domana) first, Saksham Mehta (Army School, Domana) second and Prajwal (KC International School) third. Team relay (4X30) sec u-11: Ritvik Gupta, Umar Dar, Raghav Manhas and Sourav Kumar (KC International School) first. Girls' speed hop 30 sec u-11: Sudiksha Sharma (KC International School) first, Mehak Choudhary (Army School, Domana) second and Komal Rajput (Army School, Domana) third. U-14: Riya Bakshi (Army School, Domana) first, Sidhi Bhat (Army School, Domana) second and Niharika Sudan (KC International School) third. U-19: Niharika Sudan (KC International School) first, Afroj Fatima (Army School, Domana) second and Sheita Khanna (KC Gurukul School) third. Speed sprint 30 sec u-11: Jassica Singh (KC International School) first, Arpan Pandita (KC International School) second and Mehak Choudhary (Army Public School) third. U-14: Sinthya Manhas (KC International School) first, Pryanka Sharma (Army School, Domana) second and Vidhur Badera (KC International
School) third. |
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Workshop on teaching aids ends
Jammu, April 21 Prof KB Sethi, former Principal, Government College of Education, appreciated the creativity and intelligence of the students in using waste material for the preparation of teaching aids, especially in mathematics. Chairperson of the college asked the students, particularly girls, to develop creativity in their life through education for better adjustment in the society. A team of faculty members, namely Meena Verma, Sunita Gupta and Vijay Laxmi, adjudged the performance of students. |
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CRPF personnel to be housed in city’s Super Speciality Hospital
As there will be 27 companies of the CRPF deployed in Srinagar ahead of the polls, the additional number of security personnel that have been called to the city in the wake of elections will be temporarily sheltered in the multi-care hospital, sources said. Official sources told The Tribune that with more security forces called to the city for tightening security around the polling centres ahead of the elections to be held on April 30, the security personnel will be housed inside the hospital. "It has been decided that the extra security forces will be accommodated inside the super-speciality hospital in Srinagar," a source said. He said several senior officials were adamantly against the decision of the government. "Many senior officials were opposing this move as the hospital is one of the important hospitals in the Valley for patient care and a major part of which has not been thrown open for patients as yet. Many officials also suggested alternative accommodations, but the decision has already been taken," the source further revealed. The Srinagar Deputy Commissioner while confirming the move said, "It will be temporary arrangement for some days. The hospital is not functional yet. The accommodation for security personnel inside the hospital will be for some days till elections get over in the city." "It will not affect the hospital in any way. Earlier, we used to make them stay in schools and colleges, but that affects the work of students, therefore we decided to house them in the hospital," said DC Farooq Ahmad Shah. The Super Speciality Hospital is located in city's Shireen Bagh in the commercial hub of Karan Nagar and has been constructed at a cost of Rs 137 crore near the Valley's tertiary care hospital - Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS). Once completed, the hospital will provide services such as trauma, neurosurgery, paediatric surgery, cardiology, CVTS, nephrology and gastroenterology through its various centres. The super-speciality hospital has a capacity of 220 beds of which 172 beds are for patients and 26 for Intensive Care Unit. One of the senior consultants at SMHS wishing anonymity said some of the departments in the super-speciality hospital were functional. “How can they accommodate forces inside the hospital, it is semi-functional? Some special surgeries and OPD in the hospital is already in use, though the admissions have not started yet," he said. "It will affect patient care. There are costly machines and gadgetry in the hospital. If you turn it into security zone, doctors and patients will be reluctant to come inside for treatment. Everything will get affected," the senior consultant added. Super Speciality Hospital Super Speciality Hospital is located at Shireen Bagh in the commercial hub of Karan Nagar and has been constructed at a cost of Rs 137 crore. Once completed, the hospital will provide services such as trauma, neurosurgery, paediatric surgery, cardiology, nephrology and gastroenterology through its various centres
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Petrol bomb hurled at NC worker’s residence
Srinagar, April 21 The assailants, whom the police termed as “unidentified miscreants”, hurled the homemade bomb towards the house of Riyaz Ahmad Mir, a resident of Safa Kadal locality of Old City. The National Conference had hours earlier held a rally in the vicinity of the attack site during the day yesterday. The attack took place during the night at approximately 12.30 am, the official said. The official said the bomb missed the target and burst on roadside causing no damage to property or life. The police have registered a case under Sections 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). The Sunday night attack is the fourth such incident within a week where unidentified assailants have hurled petrol bombs towards the residences of ruling party workers. Last week, some assailants had hurled petrol bombs at three houses in Jamalatta area of Old City. The houses belonged to National Conference workers. Srinagar constituency, where the four attacks have taken place, is going to the polls on April 30. |
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Convert socially backward castes in Valley to OBCs: AAP
Srinagar, April 21 Party candidate from Srinagar Raja Muzaffar Bhat while addressing various public gatherings in Beerwah area of central Kashmir's Budgam district said, "People belonging to socially backward castes have always been victimised by successive governments in J&K especially the National Conference, as the party has failed to even send a proposal to the Centre for seeking their genuine rights so that they be given status of OBCs." "If dhobi, tarkhan and lohar come under OBC in various states of India why not people belonging to similar castes in Kashmir are covered under the OBC quota? The OBCs get 27 % reservation in rest of India, but people belonging to socially backward castes in J&K get just 2 % reservation, which is sheer injustice with these communities," he said. Muzaffar addressed public gatherings at Check Kawoosa, Dalwash, Palpora, Poshkar and other adjoining areas of Beerwah tehsil. He stressed upon the people that they must support AAP in the elections to ensure corruption-free society and end VIP culture. The AAP leader lashed out at the government for allegedly ignoring the Beerwah constituency as the area faces severe power crisis and pathetic road connectivity especially in Check Kawoosa, Kawoosa Khalisa and other adjoining villages. |
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City youth coordinator at Indian Student Parliament
“I am privileged to represent my state and look forward to the development of educational structure and motivate the youth to actively participate in shaping the future of politics in Jammu and Kashmir. It is an encouraging platform for the youth to participate and contribute to the democracy of the nation,” Kashani said in a statement issued here. He is doing Bachelors in International Business Management from MITSOM College, which is affiliated to Pune University.
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Five gamblers arrested
Srinagar, April 21 The police recovered Rs 10,892 and a set of playing cards from the site. The Shergarhi police have registered a case under the Gambling Act. In another incident, the police raided a gambling site and arrested three gamblers - Manzoor Phaphoo of Natipora, Farooq Daga of Azad Basti, Natipora, and Mohammad Shafi Parray of Suthra Sahi - while gambling at Sutra Shahi. Cash worth Rs 2,250 was recovered from the site.
— TNS |
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Cong sarpanch among 3 shot in south Kashmir Srinagar, April 21 The trio was killed in two separate attacks in the Tral area of Pulwama, where this is the fourth-such attack on mainstream political activists in the past week. Pulwama district, which is one of the four districts that forms the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, goes to the polls this Thursday. Police sources said suspected militants fired at Mohammad Anwar Khanday, a resident and lambardar of Amlar village of Tral area, at around 9.15 pm. Khanday was shifted to a nearby hospital where medics declared him brought dead, sources said. Minutes after the attack, suspected militants fired shots at Ghulam Nabi Mir, a resident and sarpanch of Batgund village of Tral, and his son Firdous Ahmad Mir, sources said. The sarpanch was affiliated with the Congress. The father-son duo was rushed to a hospital where they succumbed to bullet injuries, sources said. Deputy Inspector General of police for south Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, who rushed to the scene of the attacks and was leading the investigation, confirmed that the three men have died. The two villages are separated by several km, which suggests that two separate militant squads had carried out the attacks. A police official in Pulwama district said the police are investigating a report that another sarpanch, who heard shots ring around him, escaped an assassination attempt. There has been a spate of attacks targeting mainstream political workers in recent days in Pulwama. Last week, suspected militants had shot a sarpanch in nearby Awantipora area of Pulwama district while a senior leader of the ruling National Conference party's youth wing survived an attack on his residence near Pulwama's Pampore town. Attacks up as elections near
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Jammu, April
21
Jammu, April 21
Srinagar, April 21
Srinagar, April
21
Srinagar, April 21