Jammu, June 27
The science stream remained the favourite among the students seeking admissions to undergraduate courses in degree colleges, as the cut-off percentage for biotechnology and functional English recording 92 and 88.4, respectively.

The first-cut off lists for undergraduate courses were released by all government degree colleges today.

Many students had to face disappointment as their names did not appear in the first cut-off list for various graduation courses released by different colleges of the city.

Hordes of students, who had applied for the admission to various courses, thronged the colleges of the city to check the lists. According to officials, the cut-off percentage for popular subjects witnessed a drastic rise.

There are nearly 10,000 seats in various government-run colleges within the municipal limits of Jammu.

There are around 3,000 seats in GGM Science College, 2,000 each in Government College for Women (GCW), Parade, and GCW, Gandhi Nagar, and 1,200 each in MAM Postgraduate College and SPMR College of Commerce, Jammu.

As per college officials, the cut-off pecentage of GGM Science College was 64.6 for non-medical, 82.4 for electronics, 88.4 for functional English, 92 for biotechnology, 83.8 for geology and 85.8 for geography.

In Women College, Gandhi Nagar, the cut-off percentage for biotechnology was 92, for medical 77.2, food science 80.4, geography 82.4, statistics 72, BCom 80.6, arts 50.8, psychological study 60 and functional English 66.8.

The cut-off percentage of BBA and BCA courses at MAM Postgraduate College in the first list was 77 and 69.4, respectively. However, in the arts stream, the cut-off percentage was 67.8, while for the subjects with combination of physics the highest marks and cut-off percentage were 91 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively.

The subjects with combination of electronics also witnessed high cut-off percentage and the admission will start from 95 per cent and conclude at 51 per cent in the first merit list. Similarly, the subjects with statistics combination had 91.2 per cent highest marks and 51 cut-off percentage.

In Commerce College, the cut-off percentage for commerce was 63.6, BBA 79 and BCA 71.

At Women College, Parade, the cut-off percentage for BCA was 73, arts 55, medical 74.2, arts 71, biology 81 and commerce 62.

The selected candidates will be allowed to take admission till July 1. The second merit list will be declared on July 2, while the third merit list will be released on July 5. The selected candidates can take admission without late fee till July 6 and thereafter they will have to pay late fee.

Rajouri, June 27
The general line government teachers in the state have resented the recent decision of the state government to give five-year service benefits to Rehber-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers.

The general line teachers of Rajouri district have decided to hold an emergency meeting in this regard at Rajouri on Saturday to discuss their further course of action.

Reports said the general line government teachers of the state were up in arms against the Omar-led government’s decision to provide five-year service benefit to ReT teachers.

Hundreds of general lines teachers from the district are expected to attend the meeting on Saturday which will be held at the Children Park near the PWD bungalow.

Some general line teachers termed the decision of the government as politically motivated. They alleged that the decision had put the future of thousands of general line teachers in the dark.

“The coalition government has violated the norms/regulations of the ReT policy just to get benefits in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

“The decision has not only derailed the system of the Education Department but has also forced the teachers from both categories to stand against each other,” said a general line teacher. — OC

Jammu, June 27
The All PoJK Displaced Persons Front has demanded reservation for their children in government jobs and admission to academic and professional institutions to ensure the economic uplift of those belonging to families uprooted during Partition.

The front demanded that the youth belonging to these families should be provided bank loans on low rate of interest or financial assistance for self-employment.

Yash Pal Gupta, Virender Gupta, RC Ratta, SK Bali, Kulbhushan Gupta, PL Gupta, Ashok Kumar Gupta and Vijay Gupta discussed the issues confronting refugees during Partition.

The members welcomed Narendra Modi government hoped that issues related to the POJK displaced would be resolved at the earliest.

The members said their enormous misery and difficult situation after being uprooted should be taken into consideration while deciding cases of one-time compensation for the POJK displaced.

The refugee leaders said the urban displaced did not receive any compensation from the government even after six decades. They demanded registration and computerisation of data of all Chhamb refugees.

They sought widespread publicity so that the POJK displaced not covered could pursue their cases. They demanded Rs 50 lakh as compensation to each displaced family.

Jammu/Poonch, June 27
Barely 12 hours after exchanging sweets and pleasantries at the Chamliyal mela on the international border in Samba district, Pakistan troops today violated the truce deal. They targeted Indian posts with small arms and automatic weapons fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Tarkundi area of Balakote sector in Poonch district, prompting the Indian Army to retaliate effectively.

“Unsuccessful in their attempt to push a group of six militants, Pakistan troops of the 640 Mujahid Regiment initially opened small arms fire and then switched over to automatic weapons fire in a bid to give cover to the ultras and to divert the attention of the Indian troops,” said an Intelligence source.

The source said that around midnight a group of six militants tried to infiltrate near the 479 FDL (forward defence location) post in the Tarkundi area of Balakote sector in Mendhar Tehsil of Poonch district.

“However, alert troops of the 6 Rajput Regiment noticed the movement on their night vision devices and challenged the intruders. The troops opened five to seven rounds of fire and then followed a brief lull,” he said.

Around 12.30 am, the same group of infiltrators made another bid and Indian troops again opened fire on them. This time, Pakistan troops of the 640 Mujahid Regiment opened small arms and automatic weapons fire from their New Digining post near the 479 FDL post, said the source.

Consequently, Indian troops responded and the gun battle lasted till 1.30 am, he added.

The Indian troops not only foiled the intrusion bid but also responded in equal measure to the unwarranted act, he said.

Today around 10 am, the Army launched a search operation in the area and senior Army officers also reached the site.

This is the 32nd violation so far this year on the LoC south of the Pir Panjal range.

Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta, however, said the Pakistan army violated the ceasefire agreement opening unprovoked firing using small arms and automatic weapons in Bhimber Gali (BG) sector. They used LMG, MMG and BMG (Browning machine gun).

“But no heavy weapons were used by them this time. Our troops gave a befitting reply using weapons of similar calibre,” he said.

There were no casualties or injuries on our side, he added. The spokesperson described it an incident of the Gambhir Battalion area under the 25 Infantry Division.

On June 17 and 18, Pakistan Rangers had violated the ceasefire along the international border in Samba district opening fire in the Suchetgarh area.

On June 13, Pakistani troops had resorted to heavy firing of mortar shells and automatic weapons on Indian posts all along the 25-km stretch of the LoC to the north and south of the BG sector.

Last year, 12 Army personnel were killed and 41 injured in ceasefire violations and firing by Pakistan on forward posts, civilian areas and patrolling parties along the Indo-Pak border. The truce violations last year were a record 149.

Jammu, June 27
Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmed Mir flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from the yatri nivas base camp on the banks of the Tawi on Friday morning.

A batch of 1,160 pilgrims left for the Amarnath shrine in a convoy of 23 buses and 19 light motor vehicles at 5:30 am amid tight security arrangements.

The pilgrims were escorted by protection teams of the CRPF. They performed ‘puja’ before the flag-off.

Mir was accompanied by Jammu Divisional Commissioner Shantmanu and Jammu IGP Rajesh Kumar.

The first batch comprised 957 men, 187 women and 16 children. The batch would reach the cave shrine via the Baltal route. The Pahalgam route would remain closed for three more days due to heavy snow.

After flagging off the pilgrims, Mir said, “I think it will be one of the best yatras as far as weather and arrangements are concerned.”

“The Pahalgam route has not been opened due to heavy snowfall, but hopefully, will be opened by June 30,” he added.

Shakeel Beig, DIG, Jammu Kathua Range, said, “We have deployed sufficient troops for the security of pilgrims, All yatri nivas structures, the route to Baltal and highways are under strict vigil.”

Pilgrims were excited about the pilgrimage. They chanted ‘bam bam Bhole’ and danced to bhajans while boarding the buses.

Himakshi, a college student from Jaipur, said, “I am undertaking the pilgrimage for the first time and am eagerly waiting for the moment I reach the holy cave.”

“I have not seen snow in my life and experiencing the first ‘darshan’ of the ice ‘lingam’ will be a a sort of lifetime achievement,” she added.

Ishwar Singh from Delhi said, “I am coming for the 15th time and the yatra is being managed well. There has been a continuous improvement every year.”

“Every year, the administration is doing something to make it more convenient for the pilgrims. There is no fear in our heart as blessings of Lord Shiva are with us,” he added.

Kupwara, June 27
Residents of Regipora in Kupwara district today protested shortage of kerosene oil.

Protesters, including women and children, blocked the Kupwara-Chowkibal road and raised slogans against the district administration.

“The fasting month of Ramadan is arriving and we are facing shortage of kerosene oil at the local depot for the past three days. On Tuesday, we approached the Assistant Director, Food, Kupwara, with a request to make kerosene oil available but nothing has been done so far,” said Mohammad Shafi, a local.

Locals said the village was reeling under power outages and shortage of cooking gas and in such a situation, kerosene oil was the only option available with them for cooking and lighting.

“We are living in the town and cannot even think of using firewood for cooking. Kerosene oil is an affordable cooking fuel. We appeal to the authorities to make kerosene available at the depot at the earliest,” said Sayeeda Begum, another local.

Officials said kerosene would be made available by Tuesday.

Jammu, June 27
Overloading of buses has resulted into several fatal accidents claiming a number of precious lives, but it continues unabated in Jammu.

Despite the fact that all the traffic rules are broken openly, the traffic police seem to be turning a blind eye toward the whole mess on city roads. The traffic police have failed to punish the erring minibus drivers, who seem to break rules with impunity.

Buses and Matadors operators are making money by overloading, risking the lives of people, but the traffic police seem to be sleeping over this important issue.

The city is grappling with the worst congestion on roads, but the traffic policemen deputed on important points in the city have simply become mute spectators. The minibus operators have developed a nexus with traffic police personnel, paying them “entry charges” at several points on monthly basis so that they could easily ply their vehicles despite violations of rules.

“It is an open secret that minibus operators in the city violate the traffic rules, be it overloading of their vehicles, skipping signals, plying vehicles without requisite permit or just halting in the middle of the road to take more passengers,” said Balkar Singh, a local resident.

“Measures are not being taken effectively. Though several drives have been initiated against violators, but the violations continue mainly due to failure of week laws. Mere imposing of fine on drivers will not solve the problem,” said a traffic police inspector.

Jammu, June 27
The Dogri Sanstha today released two new books in Dogri language — “Sat Banna” by Puran Chand Bargotra and “Desai Di Rooh” by Taramani.

Padma Shree Prof Nilamber Dev Sharma, veteran Dogri writer, presided over the function, while Arvinder Aman, Additional Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, was the guest of honour.

“Sat Banna” is a collection of “Kundaliyan”, a rare form of Dogri poetry, and “Desai Di Rooh” is collection of Dogri poems based on the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi.

Professor Veena Gupta, general secretary of the Dogri Sanstha and Shiv Nandan Sharma, a noted Dogri writer, presented scholarly papers on the two books. Both the poets, whose books were released, also recited a few couplets from their books.

Prof Nilamber Dev Sharma, in his presidential address, said both the books were valuable addition to the Dogri literature due to their unique form and content.

He said this would bring diversity in the Dogri literature, which was a healthy sign for the growth of literature.

Arvinder Aman, while speaking on the occasion, said the increasing number of Dogri publications by writers was good for the language. He said the Jammu office of the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) was poised to initiate many projects and schemes for the promotion of languages of the region. He sought help and cooperation of all writers in these endeavours of the academy.

Prof Lalit Magotra, president of the Dogri Sanstha, while welcoming the audience, congratulated the authors whose books were released.

Srinagar, June 27
The high-powered committee on operationalisation of the new administrative units met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey.

“The committee examined and deliberated upon proposals of various departments regarding the creation of posts and necessary infrastructure for making the units operational at the earliest,” an official spokesman said.

“Once finalised, the recommendations of the high-powered committee will be placed before the Cabinet for its consideration and approval,” he said.

The committee was constituted by the government following the Cabinet decision to create administrative units in the state.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Planning and Development, BR Sharma, Principal Secretary, Finance, BB Viyas, Commissioner Secretary, Revenue, Vinod Koul, Secretary, Rural Development, Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed, Secretary, Government Administrative Department, MA Bukhari and other senior officials.

Jammu, June 27
The Mahila Congress has started a campaign against price rise to revive the confidence of the party workers at the grass-roots level.

The party has started holding small meetings to educate people about hike in the prices of essentials. It has started the campaign keeping in view the coming Assembly elections in the state. All India Mahila Congress secretary and in charge of J&K Netta D’souza arrived in Jammu yesterday on a three-day tour to chalk out programmes with Pradesh Mahila Congress president Indu Pawar.

She visited various blocks of Jammu district and held meetings to review situation at the block level in the organisation. They were accompanied by other senior party leaders. Netta D’souza also visited blocks on the Indo-Pak border.

Addressing state office-bearers and district presidents of the region, Indu Pawar told them to work sincerely and wholeheartedly at the grass-roots level for establishing strong links with voters and people by looking into their problems and issues related to development. She instructed the office-bearers to work for the Assembly elections to ensure that the Congress won more seats and formed a stable government in the state. 

Jammu, June 27
With the countdown to Assembly elections having started, supporters of former Congress Lok Sabha member Choudhary Lal Singh have raised the banner of revolt, demanding that former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saifuddin Soz should not be given any important responsibility.

Singh has been avoiding direct confrontation with either Azad or Soz, but his loyalists have cautioned the high command that the party will face a debacle if the two “defunct stalwarts” are not relieved of their important positions.

Denied the mandate from the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat, Singh started a mass contact programme to showcase his strength to the party leadership before the Assembly elections. In the last two days, he addressed a series of meetings at Basholi and Kathua to mobilise support. In the meetings, his supporters openly blamed Azad and Soz for the present plight of the party.

At Basholi, a Singh loyalist alleged that it was the result of factionalism in the party that the Congress had lost the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat with a record margin and failed to retain the Udhampur-Doda seat, once considered as a citadel of the party. A sarpanch said instead of strengthening the Congress in the state, Azad and Soz had been fuelling factionalism by projecting their respective camps.

Singh’s supporters in Udhampur demanded that both Azad and Soz should resign from their respective posts because they had failed to perform in the General Election. They warned the high command against projecting Azad as the chief ministerial candidate.

When contacted, Singh said there was strong resentment among Congress workers against factionalism in the party. “Wherever I go, there is anger among workers against the leaders who encourage factionalism. Party workers are demanding that instead of providing more opportunities to “spent forces”, persons with a clean image should be projected,” he said.

Asked about his absence from the meeting in Srinagar last week to devise a strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections, Singh said he was not invited to the meeting despite winning two successive elections from the Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat and having been a minister in the state government. “I fail to understand what the criteria for inviting people to the meeting was,” he said. 

Srinagar, June 27
Restrictions in Sopore town continued for the fourth consecutive day today, where a youth was killed in a firing on protesters by security forces on Monday.

However, the authorities said the restrictions might be lifted on Saturday following an assessment of the situation by different law-enforcing agencies, including the police.

Arshid Ahmad Shah of Seer village was killed and four others injured after security forces allegedly opened fire at civilians protesting an operation against militants in the Krankshivan locality of Sopore on Monday. One militant was killed in the operation.

Though on Thursday, curfew was relaxed in the town for almost the entire day, the authorities decided to continue with the restrictions in sensitive parts of the town today, where the security forces, including the CRPF and police personnel remained deployed in strength.

Though most of the markets and commercial establishments, banks and schools remained closed in the area today with public transport remaining off the roads, private cars and other vehicles plied on the main highways in the town.

“Restrictions remained in place in some areas of Sopore today. However, the day passed off peacefully,” a senior police official said.

“We assess the overall situation in the evening today and there is every likelihood that the restrictions may be lifted altogether from the town,” he said.

On the other hand, the government has already announced a magisterial probe into the incident, which is being conducted by the Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, who has summoned witnesses, if any, for deposition till June 30.

However, the government probe has been rejected by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani as an “eye wash and a tactic” to pacify the situation.

Jammu, June 27
Already a shambles, the State Human Right Commission (SHRC) is likely to become defunct next week as the only two members of the panel are going to complete their tenure on June 29.

At present, out of the sanctioned strength of four members and a chairman, only two members, Amolkh Singh and Rafiq Fida, are manning the affairs of the rights panel. These two members are going to retire this month.

Sources said Rafiq will complete his tenure on June 28 and Amolkh on June 29. “The government has not yet initiated any steps to appoint new members for the rights panel,” a source said, adding that the SHRC was already in a shambles due to non-availability of adequate infrastructure. Amolkh and Rafiq are looking after the SHRC offices in Jammu and Srinagar, respectively.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Human Rights Act, 1997, the panel must consist of a chairman and four other members. However, for the last three years the panel has been without a chairman and for the last eight months only two members have been managing its affairs.

Justice Bashir-ud-Din retired as chairman of the rights panel on October 2011, and since then the state government has not taken any initiative to appoint another chairman. “What to say of appointing a chairman, the government has even failed to appoint members who have completed their tenure,” an official said.

“What will the fate of the rights panel when the only two serving members will complete their tenure next week?” asked a senior official on condition of anonymity even as he added that the government was adopting causal approach towards strengthening the panel.

According to official sources, nearly 2,000 complaints (1,500 in the Kashmir valley and 500 in Jammu) of human rights violation cases are pending before the panel.

Since the inception of the SHRC in J&K in 1997, the panel continues to get numerous complaints of human rights violations, including those of custodial killings and disappearances. 

Rajouri, June 27
A 15-day medical camp at Nowshera, which was organised by the Nowshera Brigade under the aegis of the 25 Infantry Division and the district administration, concluded on Thursday.

Several senior Army and civil officers, including Brig Satinder Singh, Deputy GOC, 25 Infantry Division, and Dr S Chodhry, BMO, Nowshera, were present.

The camp was inaugurated on June 11 and offered free eye, dental, general OPD, immunisation and medicines to the needy.

A spokesman of the brigade said 22 people had registered themselves for free artificial limbs at the camp. “Three children suffering from congenital disorders were sent to the PGI, Chandigarh, by the Army for free treatment,” he said. — OC

Jammu, June 27
The Dulhasti power station organised a three-day eye camp in association with the KLSM Rotary, Eye and ENT Hospital at National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Hospital in Kishtwar on Friday.

The camp was organised by the NHPC under its corporate social responsibility and sustainable development scheme. It was inaugurated by Arvind Bhat, General Manager, Dulhasti.

Ajay Mathur, Chief Engineer (Civil), NHPC, and Parvez Wani, Medical Superintendent, District Hospital, Kishtwar, were present.

A total of 327 patients from Kishtwar and surrounding areas suffering from eye problems were examined, of which 58 were identified for small incision cataract surgery.

Reasi, June 27
The Motor Vehicle Department in Reasi organised an awareness-cum-medical check-up camp in Mahore on Friday to  eradicate the menace of drug abuse.

Mahore Subdivisional Magistrate Ashwani Kumar, SDPO Shakeel,  Dr RP Singh, Dr Varinder, Gopal Shri and a large number of people  were present.

Speaking on the occasion, Reasi ARTO Rajesh Gupta said such awareness camps had been given priority in order to make drivers and conductors aware about the ill-effects of drugs.

He added that drivers and conductors were checked for sugar, blood group, blood pressure and eyesight and ECG was conducted free of cost.

The medical check-up of over 200 drivers and  conductors was conducted by the Transport  Department.

The Mahore Sub-Divisional Magistrate asked the participants to get regular medical check- up conducted.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate asked drivers to refrain from driving  under the influence of intoxicants for the sake of their safety and of their passengers.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate directed the drivers to adopt safe driving habits so that loss of  lives in mishaps could be minimised.

He asked them to follow traffic rules for safety  and security.

Doda, June 27
In order to assess security, law and order scenario in Doda, K Rajendra Kumar, Director General of Police (DGP), Jammu and Kashmir, held a police darbar and told the police to perform duty selflessly within the ambit of law of the land.

The DGP convened a darbar of policemen at the District Police Lines, Doda, and redressed their grievances. He was accompanied by IGP, Jammu province, Rajesh Kumar.

The DGP urged policemen for greater synergy among all stakeholders to serve the people in a better way. He emphasised that a continued vigil needed to be maintained taking the people into confidence.

He said the police had to act as a catalyst to divert the positive energy of youth in development and sports activities for their moral, physical and mental development which would lead to the multi-faceted development of the state. — OC

Poonch, June 27
Asserting that the government has ensured good governance for the effective implementation of various welfare programmes so that more and more people get benefited, Minister for Rural Development, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar claimed that the opposition was resorting to falsehood as well as divisive propaganda.

Sagar was addressing a gathering at a function after laying the foundation stone for the Block Development Council, Poonch.

He claimed that the previous government had provided only 26,000 jobs to the youths, whereas the present government had provided over 1 lakh jobs and 50,000 more jobs would be provided to them.

Referring to the initiatives undertaken by the government, Sagar said, “We have introduced several revolutionary measures for the welfare of the youth of the state like unemployment stipend, SKEWPY and other schemes so that they come up in a big way”.

Jammu, June 27
The state Vigilance Organisation today effected minor reshuffle and adjusted two newly appointed Superintendents of Police in the Kashmir region.

According to an official spokesperson, the Director, Vigilance, adjusted newly appointed two SPs, Altaf Ahmad Shah and Mohammad Majid Malik in the Anantnag-Budgam-Pulwama and Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora branches of the organisation in the Kashmir valley.

In addition to it, the Director, Vigilance, has also redistributed the work to other SP of the organisation.

The spokesperson said MS Punoo, SP, would look after the Srinagar-Ganderbal-Leh-Kargil branch, while Nisha Nathyal, SP, would look after the Samba-Kathua branch.

Furthermore, MY Kichloo, SP, would look after the Poonch-Rajouri branch, Koshal Kumar, SP, would function as the Additional Inspector General (headquarters) with additional charge of Superintendent of Police (Central) and Shabir Ahmad Malik, SP, would look after the Udhampur-Doda-Reasi branch of the organisation.

Pulwama, June 27
A minor and an elderly woman died after slipping into a rivulet in Gadpora village of the Tral area this morning.

The deceased have been identified as Sumaya Jan, daughter of Abdul Ghani Mir, and 75-year-old Rehmati, wife of Mohammad Ramzan Mir, both residents of Gadpora.

Eyewitnesses said Sumaya and Rehmati slipped into a rivulet while crossing over a temporary and unsafe wooden bridge that was installed by the locals. Villagers said the two were going to their garden when the incident happened. 

Srinagar, June 27
Three persons were killed and 12 others injured when a passenger bus fell into a stream near Uri town in Baramulla district.

A police officer said a minibus skidded off the road and fell into a stream at Fojal near Uri town resulting in injuries to all those onboard. Three passengers died instantly and 12 others, including the driver of the vehicle, were injured, the officer said.

The injured were shifted to hospital, he said. The identity of the dead was being confirmed. — TNS