Jammu, June 24
The digging work by Reliance Jio Telecom to lay optical fibre cables has damaged newly blacktopped roads in the city. The workers of the company have also damaged the underground cables of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

Reliance Jio Telecom has started digging roads in the city with the permission of the Public Works Department (PWD) for laying optical fibre cables. But the residents allege that the company started digging work without any prior notice to them.

Satnam Singh of Nagar said, “When I woke up in the morning, I was shocked to see that the road in front of my gate was dug and my vehicles were inside the house. However I managed to get a bike out of the house using some wood pieces. They should have at least informed us before digging the road.”

“This road was blacktopped just two month ago after approaching MLAs and ministers. If there was some plan to lay cables, it should have been done earlier. Isn’t it the wastage of money and resources?” he added.

The company has not only created trouble for the residents, but also damaged the underground wires of BSNL.

Anil Sharma, General Manager, Telecom, BSNL, Jammu, said, “The digging work by the Reliance Jio has damaged many of our underground cables, leading to snapping of landline connections of BSNL.”

“Our team has received many complains of cable breakage due to digging work by Reliance Jio,” he added.

Sheikh Hameed, Chief Engineer, PWD, said, “We have given permission to Reliance Jio, but it was a restricted permission. I will check if they are doing any kind of violation in this regard.”

The company has dug roads of most of the posh localities of the city, like Gandhi Nagar, Nanak Nagar, Trikuta Nagar and Channi.

No official of Reliance Jio could be contacted for comments.

Srinagar, June 24
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International India has welcomed the Central government’s proposed rehabilitation plan for the migrant Kashmiri Pandits.

The organisation, in a statement issued today, said it welcomed the recent overtures made to rehabilitate families of Kashmiri Pandits ‘who were forced to leave’ the state between 1990 and 1994 due to ‘threats and intimidation’ from armed groups.

“Amnesty International India…urges the new government to take a comprehensive approach towards implementing proposed policies, including consultations with all communities living in Jammu and Kashmir, and those looking to return there,” it said.

The welcome statement from the Amnesty comes even as the hardline separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, have opposed any move to create separate settlements or satellite cities for the migrant Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir valley.

“The organisation is also concerned that proposed steps do not adequately address India’s obligations under international and domestic law to provide effective remedy and reparation to victims of human rights abuse, a necessary measure according community leaders to build confidence in the state and promote long-term stability,” it said, adding that the recent statements made by armed groups, including a video released by the Al-Qaida, have raised concerns within the government and civil society of heightened conflict in the region.

“The government should ensure that any response to these threats respects the human rights of those living in J&K and the rule of law. These principles must be held in the highest regard even in the most challenging times,” the Amnesty India said in its statement.

Though the state government has promised “dignified” return of the migrant Kashmiri Pandits settled in Jammu and other parts of the country, the Amnesty in its statement noted that it was concerned that there had been ‘insufficient measures to build confidence and ensure the safety and smooth integration of families’ returning to the Valley.

Stating that since 2003, the state and Central governments have made several attempts to persuade Pandit families to return to their homes, the Amnesty said according to the head of the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti, Sanjay Tickoo, not a single family had returned to the Valley.

Demanding an ‘impartial and independent’ investigation into human rights abuses, including the 2003 Nadimarg massacre, in which 24 Kashmiri Pandits were killed by unidentified gunmen, it said ensuring accountability and remedy to victims of human rights abuses, such as unlawful killings, was a crucial 
confidence-building measure according to Pandit groups to restore faith in the government’s ability to protect their community in Kashmir.

Jammu, June 24
Irked with the power cuts and water crises, hundreds of workers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today came on the road to protest against the coalition government in the city.

The protesters were led by vice-president of the PDP TS Bajwa, senior leader Ved Mahajan, Daman Bhasin, Hussain Ali Waffa, Jagjeet Singh Jagga and Jammu district president RL Bali.

During the protest the party workers raised slogans against the National Conference (NC)- Congress coalition government and PDD and PHE Department.

“The unscheduled power cuts started immediately after the Darbar move. The government is not concerned about the welfare of the public in this sweltering heat and is mindful of its own comforts and wellbeing," Bajwa said.

He said the entire Jammu region had been facing scarcity of drinking water, but the state government was adopting a casual approach towards this unending problem.

Bajwa said instead of resolving public grievances, the NC-led government was indulging in promoting political corruption. He said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s admission that the BJP legislators bargained and voted for National Conference (NC) candidates in 2011 polls for six Legislative Council seats had brought out the fact that how the NC was having a simultaneous alliance with the Congress and BJP in the state.

He said the Chief Minister’s revelation about bargaining by BJP legislators also pointed to the disturbing fact that how political corruption was being promoted by this government at the highest levels.

“The PDP has right from the beginning maintained that while the NC is having an overt coalition with the Congress in the state, it is enjoying a covert alliance with BJP simultaneously,” Bajwa said, while addressing the protesting workers.

“Doesn’t Omar Abdullah’s admission of purchasing BJP votes make it a fit case of corruption against not only those who got the money, but also those who paid it for buying votes,” Bajwa said, adding that it had been the NC’s trait, right from the beginning, to misuse the state and its official organs for power.

He said had such a thing happened in any other state, the culprits, how so ever powerful, would have been behind the bars, “but unfortunately the rule of law could never cross the Lakhanpur toll post to make the individuals and institutions accountable in J&K.”

“This is one of the primary reasons why people in J&K have least faith in the institutions of governance and the democratic system,” Bajwa said.

“The gross anti-people measures of this government are pushing people towards the wall and frustration and alienation is mounting dangerously among the young generation,” he said, adding that J&K was again being pushed into a state of anarchy that could lead to another phase of disorder, if corrective measures are not taken immediately.

Surjeet Kour, Chaman Angral, Puneet Jamwal, Rafiq Malik, Chaman Manyal, Chatter Saini, Virender Singh Sonu, Harmeet Singh, Vikas Bhatti, Yashpal Bhagat, Getta Thakur, Yashpal Sharma, Ranbir Singh Manga, Sunil Bhat, Vikram Singh, Dhayan Singh, Chaudhary Chuni, Sham Lal Bhagat, Bhushan Gupta, Vijay Anand and others participated in the protest.

Jammu, June 24
Stung by the sharp criticism from Kashmir-based mainstream political and separatist groups after a controversy over Article 370, the BJP, the main votary of discussion on the controversial law and its abrogation from Jammu and Kashmir, appears to have put the issue on the back burner for now.

The party’s local leaders as well as Central leaders are not only avoiding taking direct queries on the party’s stand vis-à-vis abrogation of Article 370 but are also not discussing the issue in any public forum these days.

The discussion with all stakeholders and abrogation of Article 370, which imparts special status to J&K, was one of the main poll planks of the BJP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. The party won three of the six parliamentary seats in J&K for the first time, and is now gearing up for “Mission 44 Plus” to form the next government in J&K.

“I think, we should concentrate on the issue that we are here for. We are having Core Committee meetings to discuss only about ‘Mission 44 Plus’ and we are working on it,” said BJP general secretary Jagat Prakash Nadda while evading a query on the party’s stand on Article 370 here today.

Nadda, who is one of the frontrunners for the BJP president’s post, was in town to attend meetings of the state working committee of the party being organised to chalk out a strategy to accomplish “Mission 44 Plus” in J&K.

The party is also not disclosing whether the abrogation of Article 370 would be part of the BJP’s agenda for the forthcoming state Assembly elections scheduled for November-December this year.

When Minister of State (MoS) in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh, who was also part of the party’s state working committee, was asked whether Article 370 would be an important poll agenda for the party, he said: “All issues are important for the party. There is no issue in the BJP manifesto which is more or less important. We are an organisational party but we will give special attention to development issues. We are devising our strategy as per the aspirations of the people.”

The national and local leaders of the party have been evading media queries on the issue after Jitendra had stirred up a hornet’s nest on May 27, saying that the BJP had started speaking to stakeholders to repeal the Act in Jammu & Kashmir.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a series of tweets, had said “Article 370 is the only constitutional link between J&K and the rest of India” and “talk of revocation is not just ill-informed, it’s also irresponsible”. He had also tweeted, “Long after Modi govt is a distant memory, either J&K won’t be part of India or Article 370 will still exist”.

Jitendra’s statement had also drawn sharp reaction from the PDP, Congress and separatist groups. Later, Jitendra issued a clarification saying that he was misquoted by the media on his statement about Article 370.

Srinagar, June 24
Giving clear hints that he is not content with the functioning of Omar Abdullah-led coalition government, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday regretted that many initiatives taken during his tenure were yet to see the light of the day.

Talking to mediapersons, Azad pointed out that around nine years back, his government had made around 5,000 ad hoc Rehbar-e-Ziraat appointments. He regretted that they were still awaiting regularisation and said an eight-year-old scheme for employment of the Jammu youth was awaiting policy change.

Azad expressed disappointment that the state government had not implemented the Food Security Bill, that had been passed by the previous United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre.

“We had told ministers in Jammu and Kashmir about the scheme. Seventy per cent of the states have implemented it, but Jammu and Kashmir has not implemented it. It will benefit 80 per cent of the population of the state,” he said. He added that the Land Acquisition Bill needed to be implemented.

Asked why the state government had only recently ordered a commission of inquiry into a series of killings in 2010, he said: “Better ask the Chief Minister. He is the head of the government and the Home Minister as well. We cannot give a reply, it is the work of the state government.”

Azad smiled and avoided an answer when told that he was talking like the member of an opposition party and not a coalition partner.

Pointing to slow pace of implementation, All-India Congress Committee general secretary Ambika Soni stated that unemployment continued to remain a burning issue and the state needed to work on the Rs 24,000-crore package announced by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“Unemployment remains a burning issue. A lot of infrastructure was created by Manmohan Singh through the Rs 24,000-crore package. It needs continuous sustainability,” she said.

Azad said the directive of the University Grants Commission on a rollback of the four-year undergraduate programme was a decision taken in a hurry and would boomerang on the Centre. Soni underscored the need to debate the matter across universities nationwide.

Rajouri, June 24
Felicitating Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates from the four Assembly constituencies in Rajouri district, former Chief Minister and party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Tuesday advised party leaders to follow in Narendra Modi’s footsteps while dealing with the welfare of the people and development projects.

“Peace is imperative for development and lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir and in the subcontinent,” he said, adding that his party would like to act as facilitator thereof.

Addressing a rally in Rajouri, the PDP patron said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had high hopes from the new National Democratic Alliance government led by Modi while dealing with problems of the state.

“Jammu and Kashmir needs a holistic approach, like the one adopted by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to help it solve its immense problems. Misgovernance of the present government has added more hardships to the lives of the people in the state,” Mufti said.

He added that his party was committed to bridging the gap between different regions and between the people of the state and other parts of the country, as had been done during its short regime.

Mentioning the results of the recent General Election, Mufti said, “The PDP has successfully challenged the domination of the National Conference and emerged as a credible voice of the people in all three regions.”

He asserted that he was not against any person or party, but his sole aim was to remove the walls of hate. “I will like the people to work as a bridge between India and Pakistan,” he said.

Mufti added that his main aim would be restoring peace and providing an environment for the unemployed youth to get jobs if his party was voted to power. He added that the government had failed to maintain the Mughal Road, which remained closed for more than five months.

Srinagar, June 24
Peoples Democratic Party president and Member Parliament Mehbooba Mufti today warned that “atrocities” committed by security forces and the state government’s policy may provide a breeding ground for international militant groups.

“At a time when there are concerns over troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and happenings in Iraq, where the ISIS may also have India agenda, the state government’s policy and atrocities committed by security forces may provide a breeding ground for militants groups here,” Mehbooba Mufti said during a press conference in Srinagar.

She said the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan had a potential of spillover to Jammu and Kashmir due to the anti-youth policy of the state government.

The MP said the state government policies were pushing Kashmir towards militancy.

“The government policies are pushing youth into a raging fire for which they are not otherwise ready,” Mehbooba said. — TNS

Jammu, June 24
With Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has decided to focus on the Jammu region. The party will field candidates on all the 37 constituencies in Jammu and the list will be declared in the first week of July.

The BSP has no plan to field candidates in Kashmir, but has given authority to local leaders in the Valley to decide the constituency from where they wish to contest.

“We have almost finalised the list of candidates from the Jammu region. The names of 30 candidates are ready, but the party is making sure that all 37 constituencies are decided upon before announcing the list of candidates,” said Narinder Kashyap, BSP national general secretary.

“We are expected to be ready with our list of candidates by the first week of July, after which the list will be made public,” he said. He said 10 of the 11 constituencies in Jammu district had been finalised and deliberations were on for the Chhamb Assembly segment.

“Nine districts of Jammu province, except Poonch, have been almost covered and candidates finalised. Names are being worked out in some constituencies in Kathua and Reasi districts. We have decided to focus on the Jammu region instead of fielding candidates throughout the state,” he said.

The BSP had emerged as a strong party in parts of the Jammu region during the 1996 elections, when it won four seats and secured 6.42 per cent of the votes. In the 2002 elections, the party had won only one seat. In the 2008 Assembly elections, it could not open its account.

Srinagar, June 24
Governor NN Vohra inaugurated the international conference on “Sustainable Resource Development in the Himalaya” in Leh on Tuesday. The conference was organised by the Institute of Energy Research and Training of Jammu University in collaboration with the Geological Society of London.

Voicing concern about consequences of rapid depletion of groundwater and receding glaciers as a result of climate change and global warming worldwide, the Governor stressed the need for immediate initiatives for tackling emerging environment challenges which threatened human survival.

Recalling flash floods in Ladakh in 2010, the Governor said more time could not be wasted before preserving natural resources and ensuring use in a manner which yielded sustainable dividends.

The Governor suggested that every responsible individual and organisation should synergise efforts to sensitise people against imminent dangers of over-exploitation of natural resources.

He urged government agencies, civil society groups and responsible citizens to work closely together for dealing with environment challenges. The Governor hoped that the deliberations would engender practical recommendations and sound approaches for dealing with challenges of the fragile ecology of the Himalayas in general and the Ladakh region in particular.

The Governor urged wide publicity of outcomes of the conference and stressed an inter-disciplinary approach to tackling environment problems. He suggested that universities, research organisations and industrial houses should come up with researched recommendations for developing Ladakh as a model of sustainable resource development, which would demonstrate best practices available.

Hakam M AL Alamithe, a representative of the Prince of Jordan, spoke on water and sanitation. MPS Ishar, Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University; David Shilston, former president, Geological Society of London; Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies; and Jonathan Craig presented their views on safeguarding natural resources and using those in a sustainable manner.

Chewang Norphel made a presentation on “Life in Ladakh”. GM Bhat, Director, Institute of Energy Research and Training, read out the welcome address.

Juergen Thurow, professor of geology, University College, London, proposed the vote of thanks. Later, the Governor visited the poster exhibition and interacted with students who had won prizes.

Rigzin Spalbar, chief executive councillor, LAHDC, Leh; Simrandeep Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Leh; Sunil Gupta, SSP, Leh; Trundup, president, Ladakh Buddhist Association; and Saif-ud-Din, religious head, Moin-ul-Islam; were present. — TNS

Srinagar, June 24
The authorities today imposed curfew in Sopore town to prevent further protests over the killing of a youth on Monday afternoon.

Arshid Ahmad Shah of Seer village was killed and four others were injured after the security forces allegedly opened fired at civilian protestors, who had took to streets soon after the operation was called off in the Krankshivan locality of Sopore on Monday afternoon.

One militant was killed was killed in the operation.

Normal life across Kashmir was affected due to the shutdown call by the separatists over Arshid’s killing. However, there were no reports of any untoward incident from any part of the Valley.

Shops, business establishments and schools in Srinagar city and other major towns of the Valley, including Baramulla, Pattan, Pulwama, Ananatnag and Bijbihara, remained closed today to protest the killing. Government offices in the Kashmir valley also witnessed thin attendance.

The public transport remained off the roads in most parts of the city. However, private vehicles plied normally in the civil lines area of Srinagar. The inter-district traffic, barring Sopore which was put under curfew, also remained unaffected. As per reports, security forces did not allow any civilian movement in the town.

The authorities also imposed restriction in the volatile Palhalan area of north Kashmir and there was heavy deployment of police and CRPF personnel to maintain order.

The shutdown call given by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani was backed by moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the breakaway Hurriyat group lead by Shabbir Ahmad shah.

Srinagar: The State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motto conginsace of the killing of a Sopore youth allegedly by the security forces on Monday and termed the incident “unfortunate” and “unwarranted”.

Issuing notices to the authorities concerned, including the state police chief and Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, the rights body directed them to file their respective factual reports about the incident.

Arshid Ahmad Shah of Seer village was killed and four others were injured when security forces allegedly opened fire on civilian protestors, who took to streets soon after the operation was called off in the Krankshivan locality of Sopore on Monday afternoon.

Jammu, June 24
Ahead of the Amarnath yatra, security forces have taken over vantage positions across Jammu and Kashmir.

The security has been tightened right from Lakhanpur — the gateway to the state — to the Jammu-Pathankot and Jammu-Srinagar highways, Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu, Chandanwari and Baltal base camps, two yatra routes and the shrine area.

“Besides deployment of the police, we have got 95 additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces for this year’s pilgrimage, which have already been deployed. The security arrangements are adequate,” said Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra.

One company on an average has 80 to 100 personnel.

”Besides the CRPF, BSF, ITBP and the SSB, we have also got additional deployment of the Army. It has been deployed on the higher reaches (of the cave shrine area),” the DGP said.

He said the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force teams had also landed.

“All the set up has been put in place and a review will be done tomorrow,” he said.

On the Jammu-Pathankot highway which lies close to the international border, the DGP said special focus was being given to the security of the highways.

Hundreds of pilgrims will travel on this highway so a well-conceived security grid has been put in place, said Rajendra.

The highways are being dominated by the security forces and will be sensitised before allowing convoys of the pilgrims, he added.

Superintendent of Police (SP),Kathua, Mohan Lal said: “The highway in my district has been divided into five segments and will be dominated by quick response teams and highway patrols while all infiltration routes are being physically dominated.”

The Kathua police are working in synergy with the BSF, Army, village defence committees and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Kathua SP said.

A joint reception centre of the police, Traffic police and the Health Department has also been set up at Lakhanpur where mandatory health certificates and yatra permits of the pilgrims will be checked before allowing them entry into the state, he added.

Samba SP Anil Magotra said, “Apart from routine deployment, two companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed for performing the task of quick response teams, mobile nakas and check posts.”

“Besides providing round-the-clock security to 13 lodging centres in my district and langars, we have also set up four additional check posts and increased night patrolling,” the Samba SP said.

Meanwhile, over 500 CRPF personnel have been deployed in and around the Yatri Niwas base camp on the banks of the Tawi in Jammu.

“The CRPF has also deployed its personnel on the Kashmir highway and like every year, the batches of the pilgrims would be escorted by us from the Yatri Niwas base camp,” said a CRPF officer. “We have also deployed two women companies for the convenience of women pilgrims.” 

Jammu, June 24
The Jagti Coordination Committee (JCC) has asked Kashmiri Pandits to stand by the “Margdarshan” resolution adopted by community in 1991.

The resolution decided to strive for Homeland in Kashmir valley with Union Territory status.

In this regard a meeting of the executive council of the JCC was held at Jagti camp, Nagrota.

Addressing the activists, JCC member Ravi Zutshi said: “The Kashmiri Pandit community is going through a very crucial phase in exile. It is our paramount duty to consolidate the rank and file of the community when every attempt is being made to destabilise the socio-political and economic interests of the community.”

“The only solution to reverse the holocaust and the religious cleansing of the community is carving out a separate ‘Homeland’ with union territory status in Kashmir. The only document and model that can deliver justice to our community is the ‘Margdarshan’ resolution,” Zutshi said.

Srinagar, June 24
Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology Mian Altaf called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today.

During their meeting, the duo discussed various important issues relating to preservation of environment and increasing total area under forest cover in the state.

Altaf apprised Vohra about to date status of environmental clearances in respect of several important state and central developmental projects to be implemented in Jammu and Kashmir. The two also discussed issues relating to the forthcoming Amarnath yatra. — TNS

Srinagar, June 24
The ongoing summer festival being organised by the State Tourism Department in collaboration with various adventure sports, travel groups and event management companies has drawn flak from locals for poor arrangements.

On June 22, during one of the Sufi music festivals held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), groups of locals clashed inside the auditorium for seats.

According to sources, the tickets sold for the Sufi music festival were much more than the available seating arrangements at SKICC, which left a majority of the audience high and dry.

Even during the performances, mayhem was spread due to fighting over the seating arrangements. Mediapersons were also disgruntled because there was no separate space available for them.

The summer festival is taking place simultaneously at various venues in the city. Various events that are taking place in the city include arts exhibition, jewellery show, music concerts and adventure sports.

At Zabarwan Park in Boulevard, visitors alleged that the swings used were unsafe for children.

“We bought tickets for the entry into the children park, but there was no point because the swings were unsafe for children,” said Muhammad Ashraf, a resident of Srinagar.

The Summer Festival has been organised by the government to attract tourists to the Valley by organising cultural and sports activities at various venues.

Although the festival is registering a reasonable presence of locals and tourists, poor arrangements are proving to be a bane for this major tourism event of the year.

The festival started on June 21.

Srinagar, June 24
The six-day Kashmir Lavender Festival and art camp was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) here today.

An official said the festival would conclude on June 29 and was being organised for the first time in the state to showcase and highlight the indigenous rich biodiversity of medicinal and aromatic plants.

The event was jointly inaugurated by Jyotsna Singh, Director, Dara Shikoh Centre for Arts, and Tej Pratap, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST (Kashmir).

In his keynote address, Ramarkant Harlalka, CEO, Shankubaba Private Limited, Mumbai, said the festival would open new business avenues for the farmers and entrepreneurs and have positive effect on the economy of the state.

He informed the audience that the lavender festival originated from France and now it was being celebrated in Australia, USA and the UK.

“In these countries now even individual farmers organise lavender festivals in their farms and earn a lot of money,” he added.

Pratap in his presidential remarks appreciated the lead taken by IIIM in organising the first-ever lavender festival in the country. He added that the event would help develop Kashmir lavender as an international brand.

Srinagar, June 24
The Department of Physics, University of Kashmir, in collaboration with the Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, organised a one-day acquaintance programme on “Frontiers in Accelerator Based Physics” at Kashmir University today.

According to the organisers of the programme, the main aim of the workshop was to bring awareness among the students, research scholars and faculty of KU about the various facilities and opportunities in research in physics which are available at IUAC, New Delhi.

The inaugural function of the programme was presided over by the interim Vice Chancellor, KU, AM Shah, who stressed on the importance of holding such programmes so as to bring together the faculty/research scholars of KU and scientists from different disciplines of physics at a joint platform for establishment of long lasting fruitful collaboration in the field of accelerator-based physics.

Shah urged the research scholars to take benefit of the facilities such as IUAC, New Delhi. He added that the faculty and the students should actively get themselves involved in collaborative research programmes of such nature so that the collaboration might turn out to be a service to society, besides helping their upward movement in academics and career.

Director, IUAC, New Delhi, D Kanjhi Lal expressed his happiness over the growing interest of students from Kashmir in taking up research in physics as their career.

Srinagar, June 24
Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Kashmir range AG Mir flagged off the sports triathlon comprising cycling, mountaineering and swimming in the city here today. The event is part of a nine-day Kashmir Summer Festival.

The triathlon is sponsored by the Tourism Department, Kashmir, and organised by the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM), Gulmarg. Teams from different schools of the Valley participated in the event, an official spokesman said.

Speaking at the flagging off ceremony, the IGP highlighted the importance of sports events for the physical and mental development of the youth.

Director, Tourism Kashmir, Talat Aziz and Director, IISM, Gulmarg, Kashmir, JS Dillon were present at the event. 

Srinagar, June 24
US-based rheumatologist Professor Michele Meltzer from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, delivered a special lecture on “Systemic Lupus Erythematosus” which was organised by the Department of General Medicine, SKIMS Medical College and Hospital, Bemina.

Michele said, she was working on a project called “Rheumatology Live” with Dr Mohsin Bin Mushtaq and Prof Rakesh, where they try to video-graph the patient interactions to disseminate the knowledge of rheumatology to the distant parts of the world and emphasised the need for more rheumatologists all over the globe.

Jammu, June 24
A meeting of was held at Khour, near Akhnoor, which was attended by more than 300 ex-servicemen of the Khour Assembly constituency.

The meeting was organised by the Akhnoor Ex-servicemen Cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party and chaired by Brig (retd) Anil Gupta, state convener of the Ex-servicemen Cell.

Daljeet Singh Chib, district president, Akhnoor, Captain (retd) Bishamber Singh Jasrotia, general secretary of the state Ex-servicemen Cell, subedar Ajit Kumar, secretary state cell, and Chaman Lal Kainthia, a local BJP leader, were present in the meeting. The special attendee in the meeting was 88-year-old subedar Devi Singh of Dogra Regiment.

Brig Gupta announced the office-bearers of the Akhnoor District Cell on the occasion. Captain (retd) Chain Singh was appointed president and Captain (retd) Shamsher Singh general secretary. Other office-bearers were also elected on the occasion.

Various issues, including implementation of “one-rank, one pension”, exemption of VAT on goods sold through the CSD, enhancement of widow pension from 30 to 50 per cent, improvement of the ECHS facilities, special recruitment drive for youth of the border belt and voting rights to non-camp refugees, were taken up during the meeting. — TNS

Jammu, June 24
A capacity workshop on the National Tobacco Control Programme was organised at the District Police Lines (DPL) here, in which about 150 police officials of the district participated.

The workshop was conducted by the Jammu Police in collaboration with the J&K Voluntary Health Organisation under the guidance of Dr NC Prabhakar.

Prabhakar along with other resource persons, including Ashutosh Sharma and Dr Nidhi, addressed the workshop, and explained the ill-effects of tobacco in detail to the participants. A presentation was also given to the officials and jawans present on the occasion.

The officials and jawans were motivated to say no to drugs and discourage smoking habits. They were also asked to ensure that the Control of Tobocco Products Act (COPTA), which covers prohibition of advertisements and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products, be strictly implemented and smoking in public places be stopped.

Rahul Malik, SP, South, Randheer Singh, SP, Headquarters, Jammu, and Rajinder Singh, DSP, DPL, Jammu, were present on the occasion.

Jammu, June 24
A BSc student jumped off the Tawi bridge near ever-busy Bikram Chowk in an apparent attempt to commit suicide, but survived miraculously here today.

The student was identified as Shallu Rani, 20, daughter of Ramesh Chander, a resident of Langotian village in RS Pura.

Eyewitnesses said the student, who was riding a Scooty, stopped her two-wheeler all of a sudden on the Tawi bridge and jumped off in no time. “The girl fell in the flowing water and was pulled out of the river by some youths taking bath there,” they said.

The girl was in the water for about five minutes and was semi-conscious when the youths rescued her, they said.

The pedestrians and motorists on the bridge raised an alarm and informed the police. She was taken to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, where her condition is stated to be normal.

The eyewitnesses said the girl didn’t disclose the reasons for taking the extreme step after she was asked by some people on the spot. “She only disclosed that she is a BSc-I student and belongs to Langotian village in RS Pura,” they said.

Srinagar, June 24
A high-level government probe has dismissed allegations of levelled by a nurse against a senior officer of the Health Department earlier this month.

The probe studied evidence, including CCTV footage, and exonerated the Director, Health Services, of any wrongdoing in the case. “It has recommended action against the nurse,” Health Minister Taj Mohiuddin said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police had registered a case against the Director, Health Services, and three other officials of the department earlier this month following a complaint filed by a nurse.

She had accused them of attempting to sexually harass and molest her. The initial police investigation had not found evidence to substantiate the allegations.

Jammu, June 24
The Vigilance Organisation, Jammu, on Tuesday caught red-handed a Junior Engineer (JE) with the Prime Minister’s Gramin Sadak Yojna in Billawar division of Kathua district while 
accepting Rs 1 lakh as bribe from a contractor.

An official spokesperson said the Vigilance Organisation received a complaint from a contractor that JE Mohammad Younis was demanding Rs 1 lakh as bribe for preparing pending bills amounting to Rs 15 lakh for laying the road from Ther to Ghat in Billawar in Kathua.

The total cost for laying the road was Rs 50 lakh, of which Rs 35 lakh had already been released. The bribe amount was recovered from his possession and the accused taken into custody. — TNS