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Digging of roads for laying sewers inconveniences Jammu residents
Edu Dept decides to create specialist cadre of teacher educators
INDIA VOTES 2014 JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Poll preparations: Security personnel and polling staff in Anantnag on the eve of polling on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Amin War
Terror attacks to impact voting in Valley: Omar
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UPA will pay for its mistakes: Farooq
NC banking on poll boycott: Mufti
Key Players: Stakes and Strategy
BJP, PDP polarising society for power politics, says Omar
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah shakes hands with a National Conference leader during a rally
in Ganderbal district on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Amin War
Voters in rural areas of Anantnag upbeat about elections
Separatist leaders decry detention of youths ahead of Lok Sabha polls
Hurriyat terms Tral killings unacceptable
Ladakhis push for polling facility in Jammu
MAKING A DEMAND: Ladakhi students hold a protest in Jammu on Tuesday. Tribune photos: Anand Sharma
Govt responsible for killings of panchayat members, says BJP
Don’t venture out at night, panchayat members told
Inspection of old vehicles mere formality in state
Kupwara residents protest against power dept
5 years on, school building awaits completion
Women participation under MGNREGA in J&K less than 33%
Shutdown hits life in Baramulla
Commuters miffed as buses go off road for ‘election duty’
Without power supply for two days, residents block national highway
Seven injured in road mishap
Hizb militant arrested in Baramulla
Lawyers continue boycott of court work
Anti-smoking drive around educational institutions loses steam in Srinagar
Play on importance of blood donation staged at JU
Doctors discuss new guidelines for managing cholesterol
Army holds drawing, painting competition
Sports meet concludes at KCS College
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Digging of roads for laying sewers inconveniences Jammu residents
Jammu, April 23 The digging of roads is a part of laying sewerage pipes in the city and the process has been going on for past five years. The project of laying of sewerage pipes in Jammu was started in 2009-10 and it was to be completed in 2012, but the deadline has been extended four times. As per the new deadline, the work will be completed in April, 2015. The work was restarted today after a gap of around six months when the civil secretariat opened in Jammu during November last year. Now, when the Durbar is scheduled to close on Friday and offices associated with the civil secretariat will move to Srinagar for next six months, the NBCC has restarted the work. This time one of the busiest markets in the city, Rajinder Bazaar, has been chosen for digging and all traffic on this route has been suspended till the work ends. Residents of the area in and around Rajinder Bazaar on Wednesday woke up with dug-up road outside their homes. "All our vehicles have got stuck inside and there was no prior notice by the authorities about the digging work. General public is suffering and the government is not paying any attention to it," said Ashok Kumar, a shopkeeper in the area. The NBCC authorities are putting the onus on the government and said they got only four months throughout the year to work. "When the Durbar is in Jammu, the government doesn't allow us to go ahead with the digging work citing the problem of traffic. During the monsoon period, the government stops us from digging any major road," said Muhammad Rafiq, general manager, NBCC. Rafiq said they only got four months to work and that too in two spells of two months due to which the work had got delayed. "Either the government say don't work or gives us freedom of work, but there is no communication like that. We are the one who suffer. If the work has to be done, major roads will be dug up, but the deadline will be extended as we don't get enough time to work," Rafiq said.
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Edu Dept decides to create specialist cadre of teacher educators
Jammu, April 23 Sources said in order to draft recruitment rules of the (proposed) J&K Teacher Education (Gazetted) Service, the department had invited views of the civil society, including students, teachers, teacher educators, academics/educationists, scholars, researchers, educational planners and administrators. The sources added that the JRM inter alia recommended creating a cadre of teacher educators within the university system as well as in the state institutes of educations (SIEs), district institutes of education and training (DIETs) and all other institutions concerned with teacher education to ensure their professional development and capacity development at all levels of the school system. In the (proposed) service, there will be a provision for 10 per cent leave, training and deputation reserve over and above the sanctioned cadre strength. For the initial constitution of the J&K Teacher Education (Gazetted) Service (by virtue of a new set of recruitment rules), all members of the (existing) J&K School Education (Gazetted) Service, holding substantive positions of lecturer and above would be offered an option as to whether they would like to be considered for inclusion as members of the (proposed) J&K Teacher Education (Gazetted) Service. The sources said, "The options that may be exercised, thus, for inclusion in the (proposed) J&K Teacher Education (Gazetted) Service will be examined by a committee which is to be constituted by the government, for acceptance or otherwise. The promotions will also be regulated by way of selection (from among the eligible officials in the feeding cadre) by a committee to be constituted by the government in consultation with the State Public Service Commission (SPSC)." The Tribune had reported that in an initiative under the Centrally-sponsored scheme for teacher education, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) had appointed the JRM to examine issues related to coverage, content and quality of the whole teacher training paradigm, including the institutional foundations and framework in J&K. During its visit to the state, the JRM had an extensive interaction with DIETs, SIEs, teachers, teacher educators and educational administrators, besides with the university system.
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INDIA VOTES 2014 JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Srinagar, April 23 The constituency spread over Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts is a PDP stronghold and was instrumental in dethroning the National Conference in the 2002 Assembly elections. This time the stakes are high for both Mehbooba and Beg in the Lok Sabha polls, which will set the tone for the Assembly elections later this year. Meanwhile, the authorities say they are ready for the polling day. “All necessary preparations and security arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the elections,” said District Election Officer, Anantnag, Saugat Biswas. The recent attacks on sarpanches may impact the voting in the Valley. Three persons, including a Congress sarpanch and his son, were killed in Pulwama district on Monday evening. The killing has spread panic in various parts of the district. Sources said 35 to 40 militants were active in the four districts of south Kashmir and there were apprehensions that they might try to target the polls. The security in sensitive areas has been tightened and the Army’s counter-insurgency units, stationed in various areas, have been asked to intensify area domination in volatile areas. “There will be efforts to disrupt the elections, but we are fully prepared to handle the situation. We will ensure free, fair and peaceful polls,” said Nalin Prabhat, Inspector General of Police, CRPF (Operations), Kashmir. Apart from the district police, around 250 additional companies of the Central Armed Police Force have been deployed in four districts to ensure peaceful polling. Sixteen CRPF battalions stationed in south Kashmir will also be put on poll duty. Separatists have called for a poll boycott and strike in the poll-bound districts. Polling staff attacked in south Kashmir Srinagar: The polling staff was attacked by youths in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian district on Wednesday evening. Sources said youths attacked vehicles carrying the polling staff with stones at Sambora, Tahab, Kundalan and Pinjora. There was, however, no report of injury to anyone. Out of nearly 600 polling stations in Pulwama and Shopian districts, not a single station has been designated as normal.
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Terror attacks to impact voting in Valley: Omar
Srinagar, April 23 Omar’s statement came a day ahead of the elections to the Anantnag parliamentary constituency of Kashmir. “There will be an impact (of recent attacks and killings),” Omar said. He asked separatist leaders why they were forcing people to adhere to their poll boycott call. “When you (separatists) call people to boycott (elections) then people should be allowed to choose whether they want to boycott or not. When we don’t threaten people to vote, why do they threaten (people) to boycott,” Omar said. Four people, including two sarpanches affiliated with the Congress and the People Democratic Party and a lambardar have been killed in recent militant attacks in south Kashmir and security across the entire constituency has been stepped up to ensure smooth elections. The attacks, carried out days ahead of the polling date, have spread fear in the area and people are reluctant to be part of the democratic process. Over a dozen of panchayat members have already announced their resignation. “Why are they (separatists) using fear to keep people away from election? They don’t believe their own boycott call and that is why they are using guns. If this is the thing then let it be. I think they actually don’t believe in their own boycott call,” Omar said. Omar, who was on a whirlwind electioneering tour of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, also reiterated his willingness to “migrate to Pakistan” for criticising BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. “From time to time, they (BJP leaders) are threatening Muslims of this country and opponents of Modi…they have created an impression that opposing Modi is now to be considered a crime,” Omar told reporters. |
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UPA will pay for its mistakes: Farooq Srinagar, April 23 Abdullah severely criticised the UPA, of which his party is a constituent and he is a Cabinet minister, for failing to contain the price rise and its inability to “fight hard” against corruption, which led them being referred to as “thieves”. “What we should have done, we did not do. They will pay for it. There is no use digging the grave. They (UPA) have made mistakes,” Abdullah said. His remarks painted a grim picture of the UPA’s performance and hinted towards a bleak possibility of the alliance’s comeback for a third consecutive term. In an interview to a news channel, Abdullah also criticised Congress party’s second-in-command Rahul Gandhi. “I think he (Rahul) is the future. How does it matter. He may not win this time...but one day he is going to become the PM of this nation,” Abdullah said, a day before the first constituency in the Kashmir valley is going to the polls, where the NC is facing a tough battle against PDP candidate Mehbooba Mufti. Abdullah, who is a NC-Congress candidate from Srinagar constituency, criticised the Nehru-Gandhi family scion for his reluctance to join the government. “Rahul is doing everything possible. My only complaint is that he should have done it three years ago. He should have been part of the government, fought hard, but he chose to build the party,” Abdullah said. Farooq, who has emerged as a vocal critic of the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, said Rahul’s reluctance to take a proactive role led the UPA to lose “momentum”. Abdullah also accused the UPA of failing to contain the price rise, which he termed as “one of the biggest” mistakes. This, he said, was the reason for the defeat of the Congress in Delhi. “Poor Sheila Dixit lost not because of her fault or what she did in Delhi, but because of the price rise that we, at the Centre, could not control. We are responsible for her defeat,” he said. Abdullah also said the UPA government had faced a tough time facing allegations of corruption. “We should have fought it (corruption) hard, but we failed,” he said. Key Opposition PDP termed Abdullah’s comments as an “expression of total confusion”. “Farooq is behaving
like a rat on a sinking ship, blaming all others except himself. Their defeat in Kashmir imminent,” PDP spokesman Naeem Akhtar said. NC chief blames Rahul n NC chief criticised Rahul Gandhi for his reluctance to join the government n Rahul’s reluctance to take a proactive role
led the UPA to lose momentum, he said n Accused the UPA of failing to contain price rise, which he termed as ‘one of the biggest’ mistakes .
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NC banking on poll boycott: Mufti
Srinagar, April 23 Mufti said innocent blood-letting was timed only to benefit the NC in the elections as the party was solely banking on bloodshed and boycott for its survival. “Dr Farooq Abdullah’s threat of attacking the PDP cadres with bombs and bullets is being implemented by targeting party activists. The recent killings at Dogripora, Gulzarpora, Amlar and Butgund are part of the same gory game plan of the NC,” the PDP patron said while addressing a rally in the Khan Sahib Assembly segment of the Srinagar parliamentary constituency today. He said perhaps not content with shedding innocent blood, NC cohorts were using all dirty tricks to ensure a poll boycott. “We have information that several areas in south Kashmir have been flooded with threatening posters and rumour-mongers are having a field day by creating panic among people,” he said. Mufti said the NC fuelled a full-fledged armed uprising in the late eighties, with massive rigging of the 1987 Assembly polls, resulting in a trail of death and destruction across Jammu and Kashmir. “Desperate for survival, they (NC) are now trying to re-enact the same misadventure through bloodshed and poll boycott,” he said and added that any such machination this time would have more dangerous consequences than after the 1987 rigged polls. Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, during a roadside meeting with party workers at Kangan, today said the elections offered a historic opportunity to the people to liberate themselves from the exploitation of the NC which has been thriving on their blood and misery for more than eight decades. |
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Key Players: Stakes and Strategy
Tribune News Service As the former chief minister of the state (November 2, 2005, to July 7, 2008), Azad’s supporters have built an aura around him, projecting him as a man who has brought development and has impeccable secular credentials. He also has his loyalists in other political parties, who swear by him and are keen to see him return as the chief minister of the state. There lies a dilemma for him. Azad has to prove a point to his party high command and his baiters in the party at the Centre that he is a man who has his roots in the whole of Jammu and Kashmir and at the same time has the capacity to play a national role. The stakes are high for him because he is a man from the Congress, the party which is loved by the Kashmir-centric parties when they need its support to come to power. Both the National Conference (from 2008 to date) and the Peoples Democratic Party (2002 to 2005) took its support to form the government. The same Congress is hauled over the coals by these parties when they are out of power. There is a complete disequilibrium in the approach of the two regional parties. Azad has to prove both of them In Kashmir, the Congress is synonymous with Indian politics. Anything going wrong with Kashmir vis-à-vis the Centre is more often than not blamed on the Congress. And at the moment, the Congress has aligned with a party that spits venom against the Centre. The National Conference has accused the UPA government of “killing” Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in “a hush-hush manner, thus hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Kashmiris”. Moving further, the NC leaders have been in the lead in questioning the status of the state’s accession to India. Azad has to reconcile with these differences, and to do so, he has started using some portions of the NC’s campaign slogans which say that the PDP is helping the BJP. He has demanded answers from the party on its relationship with the BJP, whose prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is evoking mixed feelings of extreme hatred and extreme love in Jammu and Kashmir. There is an echo of the speeches of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah in Azad’s speeches when he says that a vote for the PDP is a vote for the BJP. The Kashmir valley’s voters are mostly Muslims. Azad knows that he is addressing purely Muslim audiences in the Valley. And as a Congressman, it is his divine duty to hit out at Narendra Modi right, left and centre and that is what he is doing. Since the audience is mostly from one community in the Valley, he sees merit in BJP-bashing. Since the BJP does not have much of a base in the Valley, the PDP has become the whipping boy for him. Azad has a task cut out for himself. Today, he stands tall among Congress leaders in the state, and he has to increase his height some more, politically. There lies the real test of his strategy. |
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BJP, PDP polarising society for power politics, says Omar
Srinagar, April 23 Omar, who is also the working president of the National Conference, cautioned people against “machination and conspiracy” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the BJP. Omar accused the two parties of polarising society for power politics. “Both these parties are hand in glove to create a wedge between different sections of society and grab power,”? he said. The Chief Minister alleged that the PDP complimented the BJP in this clandestine design and provided it tactical support for paving the way for Narendra Modi to be the Prime Minister of the country. Omar, who along with the party president and other senior leaders addressed the public meeting at Lar, Watlar, Chunt-Waliwar, Wakura, Peerpora and other places in Ganderbal district, said the NC represented the aspirations of the people. Senior NC leader and state Cabinet minister Mian Altaf Ahmed also addressed the meetings in the district and said the Omar-led government had changed the entire development scenario in Ganderbal. The minister said Ganderbal district reflected the urge of the present government to usher the state into a corrective era of equitable development and growth. Meanwhile, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today accused hardliner elements within the BJP of sabotaging the 2001 Indo-Pak Agra summit. New Delhi and Islamabad had come close to mutually resolving the Kashmir issue, but hardliner elements in the BJP sabotaged the summit at the crucial moment, Abdullah said addressing a rally in Ganderbal district. He claimed that the NC was the biggest votary of friendly relations between India and Pakistan and for the resolution of the political issue of the state. “Today, the same hardliners in the BJP are openly advocating the regressive abrogation of Article 370 to harm the interests of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. Had the Agra Summit happened during Mufti Sayeed’s tenure as the Chief Minister, he would have gone to the extent of claiming that it was him, who made General Musharraf and Atal Bihari Vajpayee sit across the negotiation table, Abdullah said.
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Voters in rural areas of Anantnag upbeat about elections
Anantnag/ Pulwama, April 23 Recent killings of panchayat representatives and poll boycott call given by various separatist organisations would have an impact on the polls in major towns like Anantnag, Bijbehara, Pulwama and Shopian, but people in rural areas are upbeat about the democratic process. “Holidays for us are hard to come by and I find it perfect to spend the day with my family,” said Saeed Ahmad, a shopkeeper from Anantnag town. The scene is no different in Bijbehara, the Assembly constituency and native place of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. But a significant number of Mufti’s supporters are expected to exercise their right to franchise in this area. People in rural areas of the Bijbehara Assembly segment, however, are expected to vote in good numbers. Voters here have shown great interest in election campaign and were upbeat about political rallies. Electorate in the Assembly segments of Dooru, Kokernag and Shangus are also expected to come out in decent numbers to be a part of the democratic process. In Kulgam district, barring a few villages, people area expected to vote in rather good numbers. Voters in his part of the constituency have clear political motivations and the area has historically remained politically very active. The situation in twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama might be a stark contrast to that of Kulgam. Three persons, including a panchayat member and his son, were killed by militants in the area recently. Besides, the posters put out by various militant outfits calling for poll boycott would likely affect the voter turnout. “I want to vote in this election so that the best representative can be elected to Parliament, but the recent killings have left me in dilemma,” said Ghulam Hassan (name changed) from Pulwama town. “Not only he but many more persons have now decided not to vote…jaan hai toh jahan hai (world is till you are alive),” he said. People in Shopian have not seen much of violence of late, but people here remain apprehensive about elections. The district remains one of the most volatile areas in the constituency and people don’t want to create any chaos by being a part of the poll process. However, some enthusiastic voters are upbeat tomorrow’s elections. “Fear spread among the people will definitely stop some desirous voters from exercising their right to franchise, but I am not going to be among them. I will cast my vote at any cost,” said Parvez Ahmad (name changed) from Tral. There is also a section of people who do not want to vote because they feel that the representatives elected by them during previous parliamentary elections did nothing for their betterment and were “insensitive”. Meanwhile, a shutdown was observed today against the arrest of many youths in south Kashmir’s Tral and Shopian town. |
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Separatist leaders decry detention of youths ahead of Lok Sabha polls
Srinagar, April 23 Condemning the arrest, the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, which held a meeting of its executive members here today, said the people in the Valley have been left at the mercy of security forces. “The meeting of the Hurriyat executive, which was chaired by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, today condemned the arrests and detention of resistance leaders, activists, youths and other people,” a Hurriyat spokesman said in a statement. “In view of the so called elections, people are being subjected to atrocities and left at the mercy of forces and the Army. It depicts the attitude of India towards the people of Kashmir,” the statement added. The separatist group reiterated its election boycott call and urged people to stay away from the poll process. “Elections held under the Indian Constitution cannot be a substitute for the right to self-determination,” the Hurriyat stated. In a separate statement, the Jammu Kashmir National Front, led by Nayeem Khan, rued the arrest of members belonging to the breakaway Jammu Kashmir Hurriyat Conference. “The continuous detention of Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Shabir Ahmad Shah and Mushtaq-ul-Islam has exposed the claims of the government that pro-freedom leaders will not be arrested,” a National Front spokesman said. He said a rein of terror and fear was unleashed by the government by resorting to arrests, detentions and harassment of political activists in different parts of Kashmir.
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Hurriyat terms Tral killings unacceptable
Srinagar, April 23 In a statement, the hardline separatist faction said the killings in the Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, where three people, including a sarpanch and a nambardar, were shot dead by militants were “unacceptable and condemnable”. The hardline group delinked itself from militants, saying the latter’s “field of work and the activities are totally different from that of Geelani”. — TNS
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Ladakhis push for polling facility in Jammu
Jammu, April 23 The All Ladakh Students Joint Action Committee (ALSJAC) — an apex body of Ladakhi students and scholars studying outside the Ladakh region — claimed that more than 10,000 Ladakhi students studying in different universities of North India would be deprived from exercising their right to vote as the region remained cut off from the rest of the country due to snow. “We will not be able to participate in this democratic process. We want to cast votes, but there is no arrangement for the people living outside their homeland to exercise their right,” said Tsering Norphel, an ALSJAC member, adding the organisation would continue to hold demonstration. The students’ organisation, in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, and the District Election Officer, Leh, had earlier requested that either all the 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.
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Govt responsible for killings of panchayat members, says BJP
Srinagar, April 23 “On the one hand there was delay in the implementation of the 73rd amendment of the Indian Constitution, while on the other hand, despite repeated pleas, the NC-led government refused to give them adequate security,” Jitendra Singh, BJP’s national executive member and nominee from Udhampur-Doda segment, told reporters here. BJP’s candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency Fayyaz Ahmed Bhat was present. Singh said the BJP was the first political party to have demanded introduction of 73rd and 74th amendments soon after the panchayat elections were announced three years ago. He also alleged that Article 370 had been used by parties such as the National Conference as an alibi to suit their convenience at the cost of the interest of a common Kashmiri. “The case of panches and sarpanches is a fit example to prove the point,” the BJP leader said. — TNS
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Don’t venture out at night, panchayat members told
Srinagar, April 23 Two panchayat members and two of their relatives have been shot dead in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district since March 8 by suspected militants in three separate attacks. The killings have spread panic among the panchayat members and over 50 panchayat members have submitted their resignation in south Kashmir and many have gone in hiding.
A few panchayat members have shifted to police stations in Pulwama district for their safety. After the recent attack, panchayat members have been issued do’s and don’ts for their safety in many parts of the Valley. “We have been advised by the police not to venture out during night hours in sensitive areas,” the chairman of the J&K Panchayat Conference (JKPC) Shafiq Mir told The Tribune over the phone. “The panchayat members have also been advised to contact the police in case they fear any suspect movement in their respective area,” he added. A senior police officer said various measures had been taken by the security forces for their security. "We are taking measures to ensure their safety. Apart from issuing advisory, we have intensified patrolling during the nights in sensitive areas to ensure safety of panchayat members,” he said. The police officer said it was impossible for them to provide security to every panchayat member. The panchayat elections were held in 2011 in the state after a gap of over 30 years. Since the panchayat election, eight panchayat members and two of their relatives have been shot dead by gunmen.
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Inspection of old vehicles mere formality in state
Jammu, April 23 Issuing certificates has become a mere formality as the Board of Inspection in the RTO in Srinagar and Jammu are functioning without recommended equipment like apparatus system, wheel alignment, compressors and requited workshops to inspect vehicles. Officials said this had raised a question mark over the campaign launched by the state government to ensure safety of vehicles carrying passengers after series of accidents killing hundreds of people in the recent years. Of the 70,000 commercial and passenger vehicles, thousands have crossed their working life, but are still operational in the state and efforts to curb their movement has failed to yield desired results. “Inspection procedure has been reduced to a mere formality as there is corruption at every level. Crucial details are never taken into account. Even several schools are still using old vehicles, which have outlived their lifespan. RTOs should have its own workshop and technical manpower with gadgets,” said an official. Section 56 of the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, read with Rule 62 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, provides that a transport vehicle should be deemed valid only if carries a certificate of fitness issued by the prescribed authority and prescribes the period of its validity and mode of renewal. “The Transport Commissioner office did not have the position regarding number of certificates pending for renewal and outstanding revenue on account of issue/renewal of fitness certificate. Recent audit has revealed that an amount of Rs 39.11 lakh was outstanding on account of non-renewal of fitness certificates in respect of 4,245 transport vehicle,” said an official source. However, the RTO, Jammu, Arvind Kotwal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Sources claimed that lack of coordination between concerned departments and indulgence in blame game were the main reasons behind the failure of the government to check road accidents, particularly involving old vehicles. A House Committee of the Legislative Assembly has also recommended constitution of a full-fledged traffic regulatory authority having the responsibility and accountability for the regulation and management of vehicular traffic and to avoid rolling of responsibilities from one department to another. The sources said the administration was aware of the fact that a majority of vehicles used by educational institutions were plying without physical fitness certification, helpers, trained drivers pre-requisite for carrying children, but officials were turning a blind eye towards it keeping in view that owners were influential persons. |
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Kupwara residents protest against power dept
Kupwara, April 23 The protesters disrupted traffic movement on the Kupwara-Sopore road for about two hours. “For the last two weeks, we are facing power issues due to the negligence of the department. The employees of the power department had taken the transformer for repair work, but it had not been installed till date,” said Rayees Ahmad Malik, a protester. The protesters said despite a few representations to the Executive Engineer, power division, Kupwara, power supply had not been restored. “What is the point in paying power tariff for April, when we have not seen electricity for the last two weeks. We will be forced to intensify our protest, if the electricity supply is not restored at the earliest," said Raja Begum, a protester.
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5 years on, school building awaits completion
Poonch April 23 Even after 5 years, the construction of the building of Higher Secondary School is still incomplete. Though huge funds are available under the Sarav Shiksha Abhiyan and the Rasthriya Madhyamika Siksha Abhiyan, the works are going on at a snail's pace due to lack of proper supervision and monitoring. Scores of students of the Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS), Lassana, are forced to sit in the open as they had to vacate two rooms of the school building after its roof started leaking last year. It all happened after the R&B Department failed to complete the construction work on the first floor of the building well in time. The school has over 550 students. Following the demand of residents of the adjoining villages, the district administration had sanctioned Rs 8.72 lakh in 2009. After completion of tender work, the construction work was started in February 2012, but was stopped in March 2012. “We are already lacking a required school building here. We were happy when the construction work on the first floor started, but the work stopped soon after. A roofless structure on the top of the building is putting students’ lives at risk,” said Sudarshan Sharma, the principal of the school. Waterlogging on the roof due to incessant rain has been weakening the ceiling of the ground floor and a round-the-clock leakage has made it impossible for students to sit inside, Sharma said. “The regular seepage coupled with delay in its completion may damage the existing structure further,” he said. “We have over 550 students while there are only six rooms to accommodate them. We need at least five more rooms. On the request of parents and students, the R&B Department had assured us to construct two more rooms last year. For this, we had to vacate two existing rooms and will have to wait for months,” the principal said.“Even as two years have passed, the building is yet to be fully completed. Work on the first floor has been left half way. This has affected the smooth functioning of the school,” villagers said. Students said due to shortage of rooms in the school, they had to attend classes in jam-packed rooms and also in the open at times. However, the Executive Engineer, R&B, was not available for comments.
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Women participation under MGNREGA in J&K less than 33%
Jammu, April 23 It also stated that the analysis of management information system (MIS) data indicated that the participation of women in J&K under the Act was less than 33 per cent. The Ministry of Rural Development suggested that in order to increase the participation of women, district programme coordinators will have to involve women self help groups in different processes of the MGNREGA. It also stated that women need to be engaged in the MGNREGA works and more women-centric works need to be initiated. The analysis of the physical progress of the centrally-sponsored scheme for 2013-14, up to January 24, 2014, also revealed that SC and ST participation in the MGNREGA in J&K was very low. The Ministry has asked the authorities concerned to take up the issue on top priority. Sources claimed that the Ministry also directed the state to monitor the cases of inherent reluctance of the field officials to register the demand to pay unemployment allowance. “Detailed rules for payment of unemployment allowance should be notified immediately and relevant procedures be drawn up for payment of allowance to eligible MGNREGA workers,” a statement from Central Ministry stated. The state has also been asked to take appropriate steps to draw up a more scientific and realistic Labour Budget. It also proposed to conduct training of trainers by the National Institute of Rural Development to get sarpanchs/pradhans sensitised on the entire Labour Budget process. The Ministry stated that the Secretary, Rural Development, J&K, and district programme coordinators would ensure that the assessment of the Labour Budget and demand for work is done once in every five years on the basis of household survey. It also made clear that the annual Labour Budget for the year 2014-15 would be approved only when it is formulated on the basis of a survey of job card holders.
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Shutdown hits life in Baramulla
Baramulla, April 23 The slain militants, Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan from Jamia Mohalla, old town, and Tanveer Ahmad Zargar from Bagi Islaam, belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen. Most of the educational institutes in the old town remained closed. Shops and commercial establishments also remained shut. Government offices witnessed thin attendance and public transport was off the roads. — OC
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Commuters miffed as buses go off road for ‘election duty’
Srinagar, April 23 Those coming from distant areas alleged that that the buses have been roped in for election duty to south Kashmir, leaving commuters high and dry. Most affected were students and people going to office who had to reach Srinagar. They said local buses were off roads and a few that plied were overcrowded and students had to travel sitting on the roof of buses. "I had to come from Hajin in Badipora. There was a huge rush of people at every bus stop, but buses were not available. We had to get on the roofs of buses as there was no other option," said a student, Zubair Syed, who is pursuing a post-graduation course in university. People from Baramulla, Sumabal, Hajin and Sopore also complained of unavailability of passenger buses. "Hundreds of passengers and patients, who had to come to Srinagar for treatment, faced difficulty. Some students went back home in the absence of buses. The labourers too were helpless," said a local of Badipora, Aqib Javaid, who came to Srinagar. The students who study in colleges and universities and had their exams today said they had to put their lives at risk due to unavailability of transport. "A few buses that were on roads were overcrowded. The bus drivers ply vehicles according to their whims and fancies," said a local. Labourers who visit Srinagar for work said though some Sumos were available, they demanded high rates which they could not afford. "I had to reach Srinagar for work. I daily board a passenger bus, but today I could not reach my work place," said a labourer. Residents said the buses had been taken by the authorities concerned for election duty. The officials concerned were not available for comment.
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Without power supply for two days, residents block national highway
Srinagar, April 23 Residents of Sheikh Dawood Colony, Batamaloo, blocked the road leading to traffic chaos on the busy road. The protesters were irked with the Power Development Department officials for failing to repair the fault in the electricity lines. "We approached the officials yesterday, but they didn't pay any heed. After we blocked the main road today, they came to check the fault," said a local, Abdul Samad, a resident of Sheikh Dawood Colony. He said, "The locality houses more than 200 households and they are dependent on a single transformer that leads to power crisis in the area due to excessive load on it. We have urged the authorities concerned to install more transformers in the area many a time, but to no avail. We are protesting here because our basic need is not being addressed by the government," said Farooq Ahmad, one of the protesters. When the residents refused to disperse, senior officials of the power department assured them that the power supply would be restored till evening. The villagers faced the problem of power supply in winters too.
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J&K has become victim of ungoverned rage: Karra
Srinagar, April 23 Karra, who addressed various meeting in the city during his roadshows in Khanyar and Eidgah Assembly segments of Srinagar parliamentary constituency, said, "J&K has become a victim of ungoverned rage and anarchy." "The National Conference-Congress coalition government is a misfortune for the state and the people of the state have become the victims of ungoverned rage let loose on them by the Omar Abdullah-led non-performing regime. The present government's formal arrival in J&K in 2009 brought with it worst kind of atrocious miseries for the people as there seems to be complete chaos all around Kashmir," Karra said while addressing a roadshow in Khanyar. Lashing out at the state government for pushing people into an anarchic and distressing situation and bringing back a sense of insecurity and uncertainty, Karra said, "The people have already started running out of patience with this disastrous government as their miseries are multiplying with each passing day." "Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and is father Dr Farooq Abdullah are keeping themselves too busy in making hilarious noises on issues that mostly fall out of their domain," he said and added that the Chief Minister seems to be resorting to such histrionics only to hide his countless failures on the home turf.
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Seven injured in road mishap
Samba, April 23 The police said a car rolled down after
being hit by another vehicle coming from the opposite side. The police reached the spot and with the help of the locals shifted the injured to the district hospital, Samba. The injured have been identified as Sushila Sharma, Usha Devi, Mamta Devi, Pari and
Jatin Sharma. However, two injured couldn’t be identified till the report was filed.
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Hizb militant arrested in Baramulla
Srinagar, April 23 “On specific intelligence input around 9 pm on Tuesday regarding the movement of some suspicious person in Momusa village of Baramulla district, a joint operation by the Army and the SOG was launched. During the operation, Hizb militant Bilal Ahmed Bhat was apprehended,” a defence spokesman said. — TNS
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Lawyers continue boycott of court work
Jammu, April 23 Bar association members staged a demonstration at the Janipur main road and also burnt an effigy of the police. The J&K High Court Bar Association has already resolved in its general house meeting that work in all courts will remain suspended till the officials involved in the attack are suspended and an inquiry initiated against them. The Bar associations of Kathua, Ramban, Samba, Billawar, Reasi, Katra, Basohli and Udhampur also suspended work in courts while showing solidarity with the J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu, against the unfortunate incident.
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Anti-smoking drive around educational institutions loses steam in Srinagar
Srinagar, April 23 As per the state government guidelines, there is also a ban on the sale of tobacco and related products around schools and colleges of the city. The school/college administrations as well as the city police personnel are supposed to implement the laws as well as fine the smokers, especially the students on finding them smoking outside the institutions. As per the official guidelines, the students will be fined Rs 200 if found smoking in public places. Various banners displayed at educational institutions in Srinagar have, however, made a little impact on ground with rampant sale of tobacco products going on in the vicinity and on the premises of schools/colleges as well as students openly indulging in smoking. The rising cases of smoking in the state were recently indicated by Global Audit Survey which said the state has the highest number of smokers in India. Pulmonologists have been emphasising on the need to check the habit of smoking, especially among children and youngsters, who are at a higher risk for respiratory diseases. “The rate of mortality among patients suffering from respiratory diseases is directly proportional to the duration for which the patient has been smoking. Therefore, if someone starts smoking at an early age, the chances of putting oneself at grave health risks increase,” said Dr Mushtaq, a
pulmonologist. Students, tobacco sellers flout rules *
As per the state government guidelines, there is a ban on the sale of tobacco and related products around schools and colleges of Srinagar *
Banners displayed at educational institutions in Srinagar have, however, made little impact on the ground with the rampant sale of tobacco products in the vicinity of schools and colleges. Students are also openly indulging in smoking
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Play on importance of blood donation staged at JU
Jammu, April 23 Written and directed by Tarun Sharma, the play was based on the importance of blood donation. The play opened with two friends talking about blood donation and one friend trying to persuade another friend for donation. However, the circumstances changed and the friend’s family member was in need of blood. She was unable to find a blood donor. She tried hard to persuade people to donate blood for her brother but nobody was willing to donate blood. Later, she managed to get a blood donor. The actors who performed in the play were Tarun Sharma, Manali Sharma, Sidharath Sharma, Sourav Sharma and Nikhil Sharma. Prof PK
Srivastava, Dean, Department of Students Welfare, University of Jammu, was the chief guest on the occasion. A number of students, scholars, teaching and non-teaching staff members of the university watched the play. In the end, the Nat Manch team was awarded by Jammu University and its blood donors. |
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Doctors discuss new guidelines for managing cholesterol
Jammu, April 23 The detailed guidelines were provided by Dr Dinesh Sudan. During the discussion, it was informed that lowering blood cholesterol is considered a major tool for fighting heart disease. The National Cholesterol Education Programme under the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the US guides the treatment of blood cholesterol. The expert panel formed to update the guidelines for cholesterol management published its recommendations recently, which challenge the prevailing practice of blood cholesterol treatment. Dr Dinesh Sudan explained that treatment of blood cholesterol has to be based on evidence. “The expert panel had collected data from 1995 till 2013 to give guidelines with the aim to define whom to treat, with what to treat and intensity of treatment to be given,” Dr Sudan said. After a detail and lucid multimedia presentation by Dr Dinesh Sudan, a robust discussion was held and question-answer session was conducted. It was noted that the new guidelines challenge the current practice of cholesterol treatment. For example, repeated blood tests to determine whether cholesterol has reached a certain target level are now discouraged. Similarly, only very high levels of triglycerides are to be considered for treatment. By extending treatment to additional patients as per new guidelines, it is expected to lower occurrence of heart disease by an additional 30 per cent. |
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Army holds drawing, painting competition
Jammu, April 23 A total of 65 students of different government schools participated in the competition. Prizes were awarded to the students who stood first, second and third, respectively. Consolation prizes were given to all other participants. Asif Hussain
Chauhan, Headmaster of Government Middle School, Tathyali, expressed his gratitude towards the Army for organising the event for students in this remote border area. He said participation in such co-curricular activities helps the students to develop their skills. — TNS |
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Sports meet concludes at KCS College
Jammu, April 23 He lauded the efforts of the sports committee for the smooth conduct of the meet. The members of the committee were Sneh Khanna, Rohani Sharma, Ruchika Chib and Divya Sharma. Kamal Deep Kour, Principal, Chenab College of Education, was the chief guest on the occasion. In her address, Kamal Deep Kour said sports and games are part and parcel of the curriculum in present scenario. Rajan Suri, convener of sports committee was also present.
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Security has been tightened in four districts of the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, where polling is due tomorrow.
Over 12.74 lakh voters are going to decide the fate of 12 candidates
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the recent militant attacks, in which mainstream political workers were attacked and killed in south Kashmir, will impact the polling in the Valley.
Senior leaders of the ruling National Conference, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and party president Farooq Abdullah, today held public meetings and a roadshow in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district as part of the election campaign for the Srinagar constituency.
Ladakhi students here continued their protest for establishment of special polling booths in Jammu to exercise their right to franchise.
The students have so far not received any reply from the Election Commission to their plea seeking setting up of special polling booths.
The state government has designated more than 83 per cent of the 1,615 polling stations in the Anantnag constituency as hypersensitive or sensitive. The twin militancy-infested Pulwama and Shopian districts have no normal polling booths.