Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar has replaced Sheikh Nazir, who is Farooq Abdullah’s cousin and was the party’s general secretary since the early 1990s

Srinagar, June 2
The ruling National Conference (NC), which faced a rout in the recently held parliamentary elections, has initiated the process of restructuring the party and appointed Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar as the new general secretary.

Highly placed sources said Sagar, a senior party leader and legislator from the Khanyar Assembly constituency of Srinagar district, had been appointed as the general secretary at a high-level meeting today.

The meeting was chaired by NC president Farooq Abdullah, the sources said. Sagar replaced Sheikh Nazir, who is Farooq’s cousin and has been the party’s general secretary since early 1990s.

Sagar is an NC loyalist and is considered close to the party’s “old guard”.

The sources said Nazir — the oldest member of the Abdullah family — had been appointed as the party’s patron.

There was, however, no official confirmation or statement from the National Conference about the development and most of the party officials neither confirmed nor denied the new appointment.

The restructuring of the ruling party comes a few weeks after it faced a rout in the parliamentary election in which it lost all three constituencies on which it contested.

Following the defeat, the NC held a lengthy introspection amid growing clamour for change in the party administration and government policy.

Sources said several “large-scale” changes in the party were likely to take place in the coming days. They said a major overhaul of the administration, including the Police Department, was also expected soon.

“We have held deliberations in recent days and weeks and identified the reasons for our debacle. Now, change is must and it will happen,” said a senior party official on the condition of anonymity.

Sagar’s new appointment is the likely beginning of the transfer of the party’s administration to the “old guard” ahead of the Legislative Assembly elections.

The National Conference is struggling against time to prevent a repeat of the result of the parliamentary elections in the Assembly polls, scheduled at the year-end.

Mustafa Kamal, who is the additional general secretary of the party, is likely to be given an important decision-making post in the party while the fate of the incumbent provincial president for the Kashmir zone is in a limbo, the sources said.

After the rout in the parliamentary elections, Farooq took over the active command of the party. He chaired a series of meetings with the party’s core group, workers and the youth wing to assess the cause of the “debacle”.

Kulgam, June 2
Peoples Democratic Party president and Member of Parliament Mehbooba Mufti today said that her party would act as a bridge for the betterment of India-Pakistan relations if voted to power.

Mehbooba was addressing a gathering in Kulgam.

“People have shown faith in us by voting for us in the parliamentary elections and I hope that they repose the same faith in the upcoming Assembly elections.” said Mehbooba while thanking the people of Kulgam for voting in her favour.

She said that her party's prime agenda would be the resolution of the Kashmir issue and eradication of unemployment in Kashmir.

“We will try and act as a bridge between India and Pakistan to strive and make the bilateral ties between the two neighbours better,” Mehbooba said, adding that friendly Indo-Pak ties were imperative for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Mehbooba said the PDP would ensure a corruption-free Kashmir, where youth would get opportunities to build their careers.

She said people in Kashmir wanted a change in governance and that was evident from the way the people had voted in the parliamentary elections.

“Our party, if voted to power, will not firefight in the last four months,” she said taking a dig at the ruling National Conference. “We will work for the betterment of the Kashmiri people all through our tenure.” 

Jammu, June 2
The BJP today said the ruling National Conference-Congress coalition in the state had lost the moral authority to take any policy decision after its debacle in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

“The failure of the coalition to even open its account in the Lok Sabha elections is a clear indication that people had lost faith in this corrupt regime and those who are ruling the state have no moral authority to govern,” Nirmal Singh, former state president and national executive member of the BJP, said in a statement issued here.

The BJP leader said, “During the last five and a half years, this government has done nothing to fulfil the promises that both the NC and the Congress had made to the people during the 2008 Assembly elections.”

He termed the NC-led government a “non-performing liability” and maintained that people of the state were fed up with the present dispensation. “The masses are looking for an opportunity to get rid of this corrupt regime,” he said. — TNS

Srinagar, June 2
Minister for Agriculture Production Ghulam Hassan Mir called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today.

The minister briefed the Governor about various initiatives taken to enhance productivity and generate employment in the agriculture and allied sectors.

Mir also discussed with the Governor various issues relating to the forthcoming Assembly elections and growth and development of the state.

Srinagar, June 2
A writ petition has been filed before the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) seeking directions to various security agencies to remove concertina razor and barbed wires from main roads and link roads in Srinagar city and other towns to clear way for pedestrians and vehicle movement.

The PIL argues that the concertina razor wire has become a health hazard as many pedestrians have been injured after getting entangled in it.

In March this year, the civic authorities in Srinagar had told the paramilitary forces to remove barbed wires from the city while terming it a health hazard.

Since militancy started in Kashmir in the early 1990s, coils of concertina razor and barbed wires have been laid by the Army, paramilitary forces and the police to secure their bunkers and other security installations.

Though the wires may have helped to secure these installations, civilians and animals often find it difficult to negotiate the security barriers.

In his petition filed before the SHRC today, activist Manan Bukhari has submitted that apart from being the ‘manifestation of militarisation’, these wires have also become a ‘serious health hazard.’

“The spools of concertina/razor wires may be a source of relief for the government forces but the common man continues to bear the brunt of the harmful wires spread on roads, footpaths and busy marketplaces in every nook and corner of the Kashmir valley,” he submitted in the petition while quoting recent instances and newspaper reports about pedestrians getting injured due to these wires.

“Recently, one Nazir Ahmad Khan, a resident of Maloora locality on the outskirts of Srinagar, received a big cut on his head due to the razor wire placed by the CRPF on the pavement of the Budshah Bridge in Srinagar… (a) most touching incident happened when a 10-year-old girl of Wazir Bagh in Srinagar, namely Muskaan, was caught in concertina/razor wire, as a result of which she received 10 stitches on her head,” it said.

In his petition, Bukhari has stated that the authorities in Kashmir have worked out many novel ways of curbing the freedom of movement, with the laying of the concertina razor and barbed wires on roads being one on them.

The petition has sought the SHRC to direct the police, CRPF and the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to “remove the dangerously” laid concertina razor wires from main and link roads to clear the way for pedestrians and vehicles.

Srinagar, June 2
The Awami Muttahida Mahaz (AMM), an amalgam of several political parties in the state, today condemned what it described as “provocative overtures” of the BJP-led Central government regarding the abrogation of Article 370.

“The provocative overtures regarding the abrogation of Article 370 by the RSS-BJP government at the Centre are condemnable. It is an effort to implement the communal, divisive and anti-Kashmiri agenda of the RSS-BJP combine,” CPM state secretary MY Tarigami, who is the convener of the AMM, told mediapersons here.

The AMM convener said the “provocations are nefarious and aimed at rousing passions” ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, scheduled to take place later this year.

The AMM was formed last year.

“It has to be borne in mind that Kashmir opted for India in 1947 not only by virtue of the Instrument of Accession but also for the secular credentials of India and on the promise of being granted a special status and maximum degree of autonomy,” said Tarigami, who was accompanied by former parliamentarian AR Kabuli.

The controversy around Article 370 was triggered last week when Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh said the process to repeal it had been initiated.

Jitendra Singh’s statement, issued on the first day of the Narendra Modi-led government and withdrawn in the evening, drew a storm of warnings and threats from the state’s political parties, including the ruling party and the separatists.

Tarigami said the grant of the special status, enshrined under Article 370, and maximum autonomy to the state “is not a favour but a constitutional obligation”.

“If this obligation is not met, the Instrument of Accession would itself be rendered meaningless. If this fact is denied as is done by the RSS and the parties affiliated to it, the logical conclusion would be undermining the Union itself,” the AMM convener said.

Baramulla, June 2
A stone-thrower, evading arrest for the past several months, has surrendered before the Baramulla police.

Sources said the youth, Abdul Rashid Mir, was wanted by the police in Baramulla for his alleged involvement in various cases of stone-throwing and disturbing law and order. They said he surrendered before the police yesterday.

The sources said Abdul Rashid was presented before the police by his father, Ghulam-u-Din Mir.

Baramulla Superintendent of Police Suhail Munawar Mir said the youth was wanted since long. He said the family facilitated his surrender.

The police officer said since the youth was wanted by the police, his family had been assuring them that they would produce him before the police.

Abdul Rashid’s family had earlier accused the police of ransacking their house during a night raid to arrest their son.

The police, however, refuted the allegations. — OC

Jammu, June 2
For the Amarnath yatra, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) gets down to task in January every year, six months before the yatra starts. The yatra on an average attracts 4 to 5 lakh pilgrims from across the country and abroad.

“We get down to the task at least six months in advance. The planning aspect begins in January. We minutely look into every issue such as the registration process for the intending pilgrims, medical camps and langars (community kitchens) on the two routes and every other issue that needs to be debated for further streamlining the pilgrimage. It’s a constant endeavour on our part,” Chief Executive Officer of the SASB RK Gupta told The Tribune.

During the planning phase, the SASB looks into issues such as insurance cover for the yatris, procedure of registration for NRIs, group registration, list of bank branches for registration, application form for registration, how to get registration, format of the compulsory health certificates, list of authorised doctors and health institutes which issue the compulsory health certificates, food menu, online booking of helicopter tickets and advisory for the pilgrims.

Security of the pilgrims and the sanctum sanctorum has always been accorded a top priority, he said.

The CEO, however, said: "For the actual work on the ground, including snow clearance from the tracks up to the shrine, setting up of medical camps and langars, we do not get more than a month and a half as it depends upon fair weather conditions."

During the yatra, the SASB along with the state government and security forces puts in place all requisite arrangements for the pilgrims.

This year, there has been more snowfall on the twin tracks of Baltal and Chandanwari, leading to the cave shrine compared to the last year.

The weather remains unpredictable at the cave shrine and on the twin tracks.

The yatra is scheduled to begin on June 28 and conclude on August 10 on Raksha Bandhan.

The Amarnath yatra also shores up the economy of Kashmir, providing livelihood to nearly 50,000 ponywallas on the Baltal and Chandanwari routes, who ferry pilgrims to the cave shrine and back to the base camps.

On an average, a ponywallah earns between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 during the pilgrimage and a novice has to contend with anything between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000. Palanquin carriers, pithus and shopkeepers at the twin base camps and at the cave shrine area also earn their livelihood via this pilgrimage.

Now, high-end pilgrims have started adding to the economy of Kashmir. They stay in hotels and lodges in Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg and other tourist places before flying to the cave shrine in helicopters.

Pilgrimage planning The Amarnath yatra is scheduled to begin on June 28 and conclude on August 10 on Raksha Bandhan. On an average, the yatra attracts 4 to 5 lakh pilgrims from across the country and abroad. The planning for the yatra begins in January. The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board looks into every issue such as the registration process for the intending pilgrims, medical camps and langars on the two routes.

Kupwara, June 2
Truck drivers working for the Consumer Affairs and Pubic Distribution (CAPD) Department on the contract basis on Sunday held a protest against the authorities for "depriving" them of their livelihood.

The drivers raised slogans against the Assistant Director, Food, Kupwara, and blocked the Kupwara-Sopore road near the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown in Bumhama for hours. They said by virtue of a recent order, the Assistant Director, Food, Kupwara, has entrusted truck drivers from Punjab with ferrying ration (rice, flour and sugar) from the godown of the Food Corporation of India in Kupwara to border towns of Tanghdar, Machil and Keran, depriving them of work.

“Since 2008, we have been ferrying ration to the border towns and feeding our children, but a week before we were shocked to know that the Assistant Director, Food, Kupwara, has asked drivers from Punjab to ferry ration, which is sheer injustice to our families. We want such order to be revoked,” said Ghulam Nabi Dar, president, truck drivers' union.

“We have bought trucks on loans from banks to earn livelihood, but by this order our children will be forced to face starvation-like situation,” he added,

The drivers said during unrest in 2008 and 2010, they risked their lives and trucks, but ferried ration to the border towns during night hours. “We still owe lakhs of rupees to banks and ironically the authorities are forcing us to abandon work. We will be forced to intensify protest if we were not allowed to resume the work,” said another protesting driver.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kupwara, Mohammad Afzal Bhat pacified the protesters and assured them that their demand would be looked into.

There is nothing to fear about the BJP govt as there is not an iota of difference in the policies of the two (BJP and Congress) parties. Syed Ali Shah Geelani,  hurriyat conference chairman

Srinagar, June 2
Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said there is nothing to fear about the BJP government at the Centre as there is not an iota of difference in the policies pursued by the current dispensation and the preceding regime.

"The only difference between the two governments is the way of talking," the hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman said during a seminar at his Hyderpora residence here today.

"Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was soft-spoken while the new leader (Narendra Modi) talks tough," he said.

"There is nothing to fear about the BJP government as there is not an iota of difference in the policies of the two (BJP and Congress) parties," he said.

Mainstream political parties like the National Conference, PDP and the Peoples Conference, headed by Sajad Gani Lone, were all same, he said.

Geelani flayed Lone for participating in the elections. "He (Lone) cannot be looked at differently. His father Abdul Gani Lone used to wholeheartedly work for the anti-poll campaign." — PTI

Srinagar, June 2
Protests erupted at the Kashmir’s only maternity hospital today after an on-duty security man allegedly threw a dead baby on the floor from the hospital bench. A patient from Kupwara, who was admitted to Lal Ded (LD) hospital here, delivered a dead baby, reports said.

Eyewitness said the security man came in the corridor in the morning hours and told all attendants to clear the place. They said the attendants from Kupwara were about to leave and they had kept the dead baby wrapped in a blanket on the bench.

They alleged that even though they told the security guard that they were leaving and have kept the baby on the bench for a while, but the security man didn’t listen to them. “We told him that we are waiting for a vehicle and will leave after some time, but he didn’t listen to us,” said a protester.

“Showing no sympathy, he pulled the blanket and the baby fell on the floor. This is how they treat the dead here,” said a protesting relative of the infant.

The protesters demanded action against the security personnel and questioned their behaviour with the people who travel from far-flung areas for medical help to Srinagar. “They always misbehave with people mostly women and the authorities seem to be doing nothing,” they said.

Though the baby was dead, attendants questioned the mandate of the security personnel who according to them show “high handedness” in the hospital.

Keeping the baby’s body in the middle of the road, the protesters gathered on the road at Lal Mandi outside the hospital and sat for two hours. They also raised anti-administrative slogans.

The protests led to traffic jams on the busy road. Later, the police team arrived on the spot and closed the gates of the hospital and dispersed the protesters.

Medical Superintendent of LD hospital Dr Mushtaq Ahmad, while admitting that the security man misbehaved with the infant’s family, said they had formulated an inquiry committee to look into the matter.

“A security official had some argument with a female attendant of the infant. We have formed an inquiry committee and we will take action against the guilty,” said Dr Ahmad.

LD hospital, Srinagar, is the only maternity hospital in the Valley that provides exclusive services and emergency and interventional care in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, besides providing facilities of antenatal and post-natal care for women from all over Kashmir.

Srinagar, June 2
Inaugurating Rs 890-crore Restructured Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) for Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asked the Power Development Department (PDD) to make public satisfaction its priority.

“Public satisfaction and customer care should be the benchmark of your functioning,” he told the functionaries of the PDD, laying stress on strengthening call centres and grievance redressal units recently established at the two data centres inaugurated by the Chief Minister under R-APDRP at Srinagar and Jammu last week.

The Chief Minister said remarkable measures had been taken in the past five and a half years of his government to address power development both on generation and distribution fronts.

He said as against 750 MW projects, including Baglihar-I of 450 MW capacity, completed in the state since 1947 to 2008, his government initiated generation of 1,600 MW capacity hydroelectric projects in the past five and a half years while projects of 2,220 MW capacity were ready to be awarded for construction.

The Chief Minister said, “There are 1.5 lakh unregistered consumers getting electricity which is not reflected in the power supply system as such there is high percentage of transformer damages.”

He said he has asked the department to register all these unregistered consumers and incentivise the performance of grass-roots paraphernalia, including linemen of the PDD, so that they are encouraged and given incentives for their performance in improving and reforming the distribution system.

In a comprehensive powerpoint presentation, Principal Secretary, PDD, A K Mehta said among the key objectives of R-APDRP, 24x7 power supply on affordable tariff with improvement in quality and grievance redressal were the prime targets.

He said Anantnag, Budgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Bijbehara, Dooru-Verinag, Ganderbal, Handwara, Kargil, Kulgam, Kupwara, Leh, Pattan, Pulwama, Shopian, Sopore, Srinagar, Sumbal and Tral towns were being covered under R-APDRP.

Srinagar, June 2
The government has indicated that it is going to prosecute and file a chargesheet against four doctors, who had been named in a public interest litigation (PIL) that has accused them of accepting freebies and gifts from different pharmaceutical companies in lieu of prescribing their medicines.

This was revealed today by the government counsel before a Division Bench of the High Court, which has now granted the authorities concerned two weeks’ time.

In the PIL filed by three persons, Naseer Ahmad Shah, Lateef Panjabi and Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah, the petitioners have highlighted the nexus between the doctors and the pharmaceutical companies offering and taking cash, freebies, kickbacks or gifts for prescribing medicines.

In this connection, they had also named several doctors for taking gifts from a particular pharma company for prescribing its medicines.

“We are going to file a chargesheet against all doctors named in the PIL,” the state counsel submitted before the Bench comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Muzaffar Husain Attar, which heard the matter today.

The state counsel further submitted that this would be done within two weeks, following which the Bench granted two weeks’ time to the authorities concerned.

Earlier on April 9, 2014, the government in its “statement of facts” had stated that it had already initiated an inquiry against the doctors accused in the PIL.

In the statement of facts before the high court, the government had stated that it was inquiring into the allegations against the doctors, including Firdous Ahmad Vaid (Medical Officer, Yaripora), Fayaz Ahmad Peerzada (in-charge, CMO, Budgam), Abdul Ahad Wani (Consultant, medicine, Baramulla) and Javaid Ahmad Zargar (Medical Officer, Chadoora).

Acting on the PIL, the court had on December 23 last year, restrained doctors from accepting free-of-cost gifts and had also asked all pharmaceutical companies to restrain themselves from giving gifts of any kind to doctors. The Bench had also directed the pharmaceutical companies not to arrange tours for doctors within India or abroad.

Srinagar, June 2
Valley hoteliers today called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and discussed with him various issues especially the problems they were facing due to absence of common Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).

"We informed the Chief Minister about the importance of common STPs not only for the tourism sector, but also for Kashmir's fragile environment. We informed him that there is no point in setting up individual STPs by hoteliers which is just wastage of money and land. Hoteliers will pay the user charges to the government for taking the facility of the common STP," said a joint statement of the Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Association (KHARA), Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) and Pahalgam Hotels and Restaurant Owners Federation (PHAROF) after the meeting.

The hoteliers also discussed the suspension of the ban on the operation of the hotels having more than 19 rooms and running without a STP.

President of KHAROF GM Dug demanded granting of extension of the lease to the hotels under the Roshni scheme.

President of KHARA Showkat Chowdhary said the delegation also apprised the Chief Minister about the expiry of the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) packages for J&K and requested him to take up this matter with the Centre for its further extension.

"The LTC package for Central government employees visiting J&K is expiring in July and it has benefited Kashmir. We want that the LTC package be extended so that the tourist flow to Kashmir continues to rise," said Chowdhary.

The hoteliers further demanded drafting of comprehensive tourism package for the promotion of the tourism industry and increase in the tariffs of estate-run hotels in the state.

The hoteliers said the Chief Minister gave them a patient hearing and assured them of all possible help for the promotion of the tourism sector.

Earlier, the delegation had also called on National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.

Srinagar, June 2
A day after a top militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba was killed in north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district, security forces busted a militant hideout in the area.

The hideout was busted by the Army and the police in the Kralsanger forests of Kupwara.

“Based on a specific intelligence input, a joint operation was launched by the Army and the police today. During search, one AK-47, one AK-56, two AK magazines, 22 rounds of AK ammunition, three Chinese hand grenade and three RPG rounds were recovered from the cave hideout,” a defence official said.

Lashkar’s divisional commander Abu Ukasha Afghani was killed in Sudal village of Handwara, Kupwara, in a joint operation by the Army and the police yesterday.

Jammu, June 2
The prestigious project of modernisation and expansion of the Jammu Airport from existing 200 to 700 passenger holding capacity has gathered pace after the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department tightened its noose around the executing agency for its "sluggish approach" in execution of the project.

The department has asked the executing agency, GVR Infra Projects Ltd, to complete the modernisation work by September 30 this year.

"The R&B Department had served a notice to GVR Infra Projects Ltd and warned it to terminate the original contract if it did not submit Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) analysis for completion of work by May 15. The company has submitted the PERT report and assured the department that it would complete the work by September 30," official sources said.

Sources said the GVR Infra Ltd had also multiplied and accelerated the pace of work manifold by increasing manpower to achieve the new deadline of completion of project.

In 2011, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his visit to J&K, had announced Rs 70 crore to expand and upgrade the Jammu Airport to increase its landing surface and passenger holding capacity.

Under the project, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) would be able to increase the length of the runway from the present 6,700 feet to 8,000 feet allowing bigger aircrafts such as Airbus to land at the airport, which is not possible at present as the runway length is inadequate for the operation of bigger aircrafts.

The expansion plan also includes creation of modern parking space, accommodation for airline employees and other modern facilities.

The GVR Infra Projects Ltd was allotted the project in 2012. The company was assigned the task for construction of aircraft hanger, annex building along with VIP lounge and the compound wall. The fire fighting, plumbing, electric works and finishing works are also to be executed by it.

Hamid Sheikh, Chief Engineer, R&B, Jammu, said they had retained the GVR Infra Ltd for executing the modernisation and expansion project and it had been asked to complete the work by September 30.

"They have accelerated the pace of work on the project and have increased the number of labourers. We are hopeful that the company will be able to complete the work by September 30," he said.

Rajouri, June 2
Jawans of the Palma-based Territorial Army rescued passengers when the tempo they were travelling in overturned at Pharwal near Charran village today.

Sources said the vehicle (JK02AE-8271) was on its way to Rajouri from Kotranka and the driver lost his control over the vehicle and it overturned.

“Soldiers of TA Battalion took out the passengers trapped in the vehicle,” said an Army spokesperson.

He said some jawans, including a woman, were injured and they were admitted to the Rajouri Civil Hospital.

Jammu, June 2
The Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS), Udhampur, today disqualified Bandipora and Kulgam teams from the ongoing State-level Inter-District Cricket U-14 Tournament after two Bandipora players were found overaged.

Sources said, after the completion of quarterfinal match on June 1 at Subash Stadium, the Jammu team complained to the organisers (DYSS) that the Bandipora team had fielded overaged players.

They said similar objections were raised by the Kishtwar team ahead of their match against the Kulgam team at the same venue.

Earlier, while chasing 101 runs, Bandipora yesterday won the match by four wickets.

Sources said the Jammu team was told to lodge a written complaint. Acting on their complaint, the organisers conducted medical tests (bone fusion test) of “suspected” Bandipora players to determine their age and two Bandipora players were tested positive.

Sukhdev Singh, DYSSO, Udhampur, said the department had taken note of the incident and corrective measures were adopted immediately.

“After objections were raised by the Jammu team, we conducted medical test of six players to determine their age. Two players were found overaged,” he said.

Sukhdev said, “It is not possible to conduct medical test of the players to verify their age because they reached the venue on May 31, a day before the match.”

Earlier, when contacted, Navin Agarwal, Director General, Youth Services and Sports (YSS), said, “It is better if you can get the information from the district department where the tournament is being played.”

Srinagar, June 2
Governor NN Vohra inaugurated the Kashmir Invitation Football Cup-2014, organised by the J&K State Sports Council at Bakshi Stadium here today.

On the occasion, the Governor was introduced to members of the organising committee and the players of the inaugural match.

The first match was was played between Air India Foot Ball Club XI and Jammu and Kashmir Police XI.

The Governor witnessed the match and appreciated the high level of play by both teams.

Raman Bhalla, Minister for Youth Services and Sports, SM Sahai, Additional Director General of Police, Armed, Parvez Ahmad Malik, Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Amit Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Dalip Thusu, Secretary, J&K Sports Council, and Zameer A Thakur, president, J&K Football Association, were present.

Jammu, June 2
Former spy and president of the Jammu Ex-Sleuths’ Association Vinod Sawhney today sat on a fast at Hari Market after he lost his kiosk in the Jammu Municipal Corporation’s (JMC’s) anti-encroachment drive a month ago.

To get the kiosk allotted, “Agent Vinod”, as he has been called in the city, had to sit on a fast for 11 days in 2009 outside the Jammu Press Club before a police team swooped on him and shifted him to the Government Medical College.

This time around after a JMC team demolished his kiosk on May 2, Sawhney claimed that he had been given an assurance by JMC Commissioner Kiran Wattal of a proper rehabilitation, but nothing has happened even after a month. So, he decided to sit on a fast.

Sawhney (63) said, “Following the orders of the Chief Secretary and subsequent action by the Jammu Deputy Commissioner, I was given a small plot where I raised the kiosk. On May 2, a JMC team demolished without any prior notice.”

While on an espionage mission, the former spy was caught in Pakistan at the age of 21 years and subsequently languished for 11 years in various jails in Pakistan.

“The unwarranted act of the JMC team has put my family at the brink of starvation,” he said. However, JMC Commissioner Kiran Wattal said the former spy was never allotted any plot by the JMC to raise the kiosk. Besides the spy, other persons had encroached upon the road leading to the Raghunath Bazar and we had to decongest it, he said.

Sawhney claimed that he had been issued an official order by a JMC secretary duly allotting him the plot at the Hari Market. “I can produce that order before you. It has a signature and a seal of the secretary,” he said.

Batote, June 2
Tributes were paid to Shaheed Amarnath Bhagat on his 43rd death anniversary at a function in Batote today. Amarnath, a local hero, struggled for the underprivileged people of J&K.

The function was attended by some of his contemporaries and presided over by his daughter, Chanchla Bhagat, president of the Shaheed Bhagat Amarnath Memorial Society, at his native Champa village in Batote. J&K president of the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha Surender Bhagat, a relative of Amarnath Bhagat, said Amarnath had died after an 11-day hunger strike which he had started on May 21, 1970, along with a large number of activists of the All India Depressed Classes League. — OC

Jammu, June 2
The heatwave continues to grip Jammu as the Meteorological Department predicts a further rise in temperature in the coming days.

The scorching heatwave has been continuing unabated in Jammu for the past 15 days with the maximum temperature touching 40°C, According to Met Department officials in Srinagar, the temperature will remain around 40-44°C till the next week.

The department, however, forecasts, “Mainly clear sky, with maximum and minimum temperatures around 40°C and 24°C, respectively, in the Jammu region.”

"The heatwave will continue across the Jammu region. The hilly areas may get some thundershowers, that too after June 8, but temperature will increase in the Jammu region in the coming days,” said a Met Department official in Srinagar.

Due to the rising temperature, roads in Jammu are presenting a deserted look, mostly during afternoon, and people prefer to stay inside homes or offices. Those who are seen on the roads are either looking for shade or using umbrellas to protect themselves from the heat. Those riding two-wheelers are covering their faces with clothes or masks.

A heavy rush was seen on the banks of the Ranbir Canal. People were sitting on the bank of the canal under the shadow of trees and enjoying chilled watermelons and mangoes.

“I would have preferred to stay home, if I could miss my class today. The scorching heat is burning the skin,” Shifali Gupta, a student of Jammu University, said.

Jammu, June 2
A meeting of the Block Congress Committee (BCC), Bishnah, was held under the chairmanship of its president Capt (retired) Harshvardhan Sharma.

The meeting was attended by a large number of Congress leaders of the constituency, including sarpanches and panches, office-bearers and members of the BCC, Bishnah. Gulchain Singh Charak, former minister was the chief guest.

The speakers, while highlighting the various problems being faced by the public in the area, said the residents were suffering due to erratic electricity supply for household and irrigation purposes.

They claimed that dilapidated condition of roads, lanes and drains in the area and non-cooperative attitude of the authorities concerned had further worsen the situation.

"There is malfunctioning of the educational system in whole of the constituency as the grown-up boys and girls studying in government degree college are facing hardships for want of adequate accommodation and other facilities," a BCC statement said.

"Despite repeated demand of the people of the area to strengthen the Public Health Centres and Sub-District Hospital, Bishnah, nothing has been done so far by the authorities to solve the problems," it added.

Gulchain Singh Charak, in his address, said he was committed to mitigate the sufferings of the people of the Bishnah Constituency, in particular, and whole of the state, in general.

He urged upon the government to direct all the departments concerned to take necessary steps to solve the problems being faced by the people of the area.

Jammu, June 2
The Jammu and Kashmir National Trade Union Front (JKNTUF) calls for a massive rally of more than 40,000 casual labourers, need-based workers and CP workers in Srinagar on June 24 to press the government for immediate fulfilment of their demands.

The Jammu and Kashmir National Trade Union Front has been fighting for the cause of 4.5 lakh state employees and workers for the last more than two decades and have the history of achievements in the shape of implementation of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Pay Commissions, beside regularisation of more than 60,000 daily-rated workers (DRW)s and three time-bound promotion scheme for the state government employees through constant struggles, individually and collectively.

Mohammad Gafoor Dar, a senior leader of the JKNTUF urged the state government, headed by Omar Abdullah, to fulfil the promises. Dar said he had personally taken up these issues with the Chief Minister, who had assured him of speedy disposal of the pending issues.

Dar said, "More than 40,000 casual labours, need-based workers and CP workers, who have been engaged in the PHE, Wildlife, Forest, Floriculture, Agriculture, PWD and Soil Conservation Departments needs immediate regularisation policy."

"The JKNTUF has decided to hold a massive rally of casual labours of different departments on June 24 in Agriculture Complex, Lal Mandi, Srinagar, to press the government for immediate fulfilment of their demands," he added.

Dar warned the government not to test the patience of the state government employees and thousand of casual labours, who had already suffered a lot regarding their pending issues.

In the recent past on July 8, 2012, the JKNTUF as a major constituent of the JCC, signed an agreement with the coalition government regarding enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, regularisation policy for the casual labours, need-based workers and CP workers engaged after 1994, regularisation of remaining daily wagers under SRO 64 and remaining ad hoc/contractual/consolidated employees and budgetary support to the public sector corporation.

Jammu, June 2
A meeting of All J&K Plus 2 Lecturers Forum was held under the chairmanship of its state president Narinder Singh Jamwal to discuss the prevailing educational scenario in the state.

In the meeting, the participants criticised the transfer policy being followed by the Directorate of School Education (DSE), Jammu, in ordering transfers of lecturers and other cadres. They demanded that the Director should follow the rational transparent transfer policy and order general transfers by following a definite calendar.

The forum appreciated the statement of Deputy Chief Minister that a comprehensive transfer policy was on the anvil and hoped that it would be implemented in letter and spirit. The speakers also urged the Director, School Education, to adjust the lecturers promoted by Public Service Commission/Departmental Promotion Committee against the existing vacancies so that the teaching and learning activities were carried out properly in the schools.

The speakers criticised the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) and appealed the government to appoint chairman of the board. They demanded that the government should take a stern action against the persons responsible for the leakage of the papers.

The forum demanded removal of pay anomalies of the lecturers and principals, filling of the vacancies of different cadres to bring the education system back to the track, etc.

Jammu, June 2
Achyuta Samanta, founder-director of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), was in the city to launch the office of the Art of Giving, an organisation established by him to help poor and Dalit children to get education.

The Art of Giving is planning to open an educational institute in the state to offer free education to poor and children affected by terrorist violence and other downtrodden sections of society with focus on SC/ST and BPL categories.

Addressing a press conference, Samanta said the basic aim of his organisation was to educate and provide educational opportunities to the children from poor families and those who had no avenue to get education.

“I come from a humble background and have fended for myself all my life. I have attained success only because I have followed this one philosophy - Art of Giving. There was a time when my family couldn’t manage one square meal in two days. I don’t want that to happen to other children,” Samanta said.

Others who were present on the occasion include GA Khawja, former Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, UC Dingra, former Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Soba Ram, former Director, Hospitality and Protocol.

Samantha began KISS with 125 tribal children in 1992-93. Today, the institute educates 20,000 children. KISS provides them not only free residential education, but also vocational training to help them find a job once their education is over.

At present the KISS foundation is the largest residential institute for the tribal population in the world, providing accommodation, food, health care, education from kindergarten to postgraduation, vocational training and all other basic amenities of life absolutely free with a job after completion of education.