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Keep Kousar Nag yatra away from politics, say devotees
Overseas Pandits to take up yatra issue with US
PHE caught unprepared as city faces water shortage
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Dentists demand filling of vacant posts
PDP tries to woo youth, farmers ahead of poll
Udhampur candidates secure top two positions in KAS exam
Assembly polls: BJP in dilemma over fielding ‘tainted’ MLAs
on the frontline
16 years on, justice eludes survivors of Sailan-Poonch mass killings
State gets two new colleges under RUSA
Divisional Commissioner, IGP visit Machhail, review yatra arrangements
Shopian LPG agency cheated us, claim distributors
J&K Bank approves 500% dividend for shareholders
Sagar reviews development projects in Srinagar city
Central University of Kashmir to launch six new programmes
Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti mulls panel inspection system
Report highlights chinks in Jammu master plan
Upgrade transformer in Kangwala village: PDP
Demand to regularise services of daily wagers
Two minors drown in Valley
One killed, five hurt in road accidents in Kashmir valley
Girl’s head chopped off, father held
Eight injured in animal attacks in Kupwara
1 booked for raping class XII student
Two men end life in north Kashmir
2,129 pray at Amarnath cave shrine
Film on Mirza Ghalib enthrals Kashmir audience
CM opens pathway at Srinagar airport
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Keep Kousar Nag yatra away from politics, say devotees
Srinagar, August 3 “Unfortunately, the yatra was projected as a new phenomenon that would have an adverse effect on the environment. However, from ancient times to the period before militancy, it was being performed silently by a few but devout pilgrims. A group of devotees only wanted to revive it. Just around 40 to 50 devotees would have started the pilgrimage from Aharbal (in south Kashmir) and returned within three or four days,” said Chunni Lal, spokesman of the Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir (HWSK). He said the yatra was once a symbol of Hindu-Muslim bonhomie and Sultan Zainul Abidin too had visited Kousar Nag in the 15th century. “Zainul Abidin had traversed a long distance from Vijayseswara (present-day Bijbehara) to Kousar Nag in 1463 to express solidarity with Hindus,” Lal said. He regretted that politics was being played from “both sides” over the pilgrimage. “While opposition to the yatra has surprised us, we also condemn the state government’s role and its criminal silence as it did not facilitate the yatra after initial promises. And those who are apparently creating noises outside in favour of the yatra too should not play politics. Instead of issuing provocative statements, they should bring to the fore the essence and significance of the yatra so that misconceptions over it are cleared,” Lal said. Vinod Pandit, chairman of the All Parties Migrant Co-ordination Committee (APMCC), a group which was to revive the yatra, said the pilgrimage to Kousar Nag, the mention of which can be found in the holy Hindu scriptures, was of immense significance to Kashmir Pandits as they believe that Lord Shiva had meditated at this south Kashmir lake. He said Lord Shiva had meditated at the lake, which is also called Kremsar in Sanskrit, and one can also find mention of the yatra in Rajatarangini (Chronicle of Kings), an account of Kashmir’s ancient history written by the 12th-century historian Kalhana. Pandit said the APMCC only wanted to revive the yatra after 25 years from its traditional Kashmir route. ‘State govt’s silence condemnable’ The opposition to the yatra has surprised us, but we also condemn the state government’s role and its criminal silence as it did not facilitate the yatra after initial promises. And those who are apparently creating noises outside in favour of the yatra too should not play politics. Chunni Lal, Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir spokesman
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Overseas Pandits to take up yatra issue with US
Jammu, August 3 The KOA has termed the termination of the yatra to Kousar Nag as an attempt to “curtail the religious freedom of the minority community, which has already been displaced from its homeland since the eruption of militancy in 1990”. The Office of International Religious Freedom seeks to promote religious freedom as the core objective of the American foreign policy. The office is headed by the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. “We will take up the issue with the United States congressmen and senators and will apprise other international bodies of the attempts to curtail the religious freedom of Hindus in Kashmir. The KOA will also convene a general body meeting in California to discuss the next course of action to highlight the plight of our community,” said KOA president Surinder Kaul from California.
Kaul said the KOA viewed the denial of permission for the yatra as a regressive development and condemned it. “The state has a duty to protect and provide religious freedom to its subjects,” he said. Pandits have been alleging that there is an agenda being pursued by separatists in Kashmir to derail the rehabilitation process of the minority community. |
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PHE caught unprepared as city faces water shortage
Jammu, August 3 “Due to rainy season, water in the Tawi (main source of drinking water to the entire Jammu city) is highly turbulent with abnormal silt contents. This is badly affecting filtration at water treatment plants, including Sitlee, Dhounthly and Boria, which has resulted in reduced availability of potable water being supplied to the consumers,” Chief Engineer, PHE, Jammu, said while advising the people to use water judiciously. Much to the common man’s chagrin, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded nearly 47 per cent deficit rainfall so far, while the deficit in rainfall for Jammu district alone was 49 per cent, the Meteorological Department said. Barring a few days, the Tawi had witnessed no major floods during the ongoing monsoon season this year till date. “We have been facing an acute shortage of water since the onset of summer. We barely get half-an-hour drinking water and sometimes on alternate days. Not only drinking water, unscheduled power cuts amid humid conditions have turned our lives virtually hell,” Shallu Sharma, a resident of Pacci Dhaki area, said. Ambika Sharma, a housewife in the Panjthirthi area, remarked, “Situation has turned bad to worse due to erratic water supply during the past five days. We are getting water only for half an hour that too with low discharge and pressure.
We are even unable to take bath amid such harsh and humid weather conditions.” Narinder Singh Jamwal, a former Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), who lives in the Panjthirthi area, said the PHE Department owed an explanation as why it had failed to meet the contingency plans. “The department is giving lame excuses to hide its failure in providing this basic amenity to the people. You can live without power but not without water. The non-availability of water in the old city is the reflection of sheer negligence on the part of the department, which should have taken adequate measures to deal with the situation,” he said. He said former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad while commissioning a phase of the Sitlee filtration plant had announced that Jammu city would get additional 20 million gallon water on a daily basis, but it remained only on papers as the authorities concerned could not take concrete steps to deal with water shortage. “The department is forcing people to come on roads and if it didn’t mend its ways, we will launch an aggressive agitation soon,” he said. He also claimed that the officials of the department were having a deep-rooted nexus with
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Dentists demand filling of vacant posts
Jammu, August 3 The charter further pointed out that dentistry had emerged as an independent specialty with colleges imparting exclusive knowledge and training in the subject of dentistry that could not be taught in medical colleges. The IDA also demanded implementation of the rules of the J&K State Dental Council that provide that the office of the council would move with the Durbar to Jammu and Srinagar. “However, the dentist fraternity in Jammu province was suffering as the office was permanently stationed at Srinagar as a result of which dentists have to travel all the way to Srinagar for petty matters,” a release said. It demanded that the government should take steps to provide employment to all unemployed dentists by filling vacant posts and creating fresh posts besides initiating a scheme to provide interest-free loan to unemployed dentists for setting up their own clinics. Dr Gautam Sharma, general secretary of the IDA, submitted the charter of demands at the private office of the Chief Minister at Sonwar in Srinagar. Dr Ritesh Gupta, president, IDA, said the association had already brought the problems of clinical registration and annual registration being faced by the dentists to the notice of the Chief Minister, Health Minister, and president, Dental Council of India, New Delhi. An association release claimed that Dr Bhupinder singh, president elect of the IDA, and Dr Rajeev Mengi, treasurer of the IDA and oral pathologist at the Institute of Dental Sciences, Jammu, said the association was trying its best to safeguard the rights of the dentists of the Jammu province. |
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Bumpy Katra-Domail stretch contradicts ministry report
Jammu, August 3 The 15-km road-widening project was sanctioned in January 2005 and it was to be completed with an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was to execute this project. The highway connects Katra town with the Jammu-Srinagar highway at Domail, 32 km from Jammu. As per the report on various projects being executed under the PMRP, the Katra-Domail road-widening project had been completed (100 per cent) with a cumulative expenditure of Rs 34.55 crore. However, a travel on the road is enough to gauge the authenticity of the report. Out of the 15 km, nearly a 5-km road stretch has not been widened till date and is in a state of dilapidation, giving a bumpy ride to nearly 10 million Vaishno Devi pilgrims who reach Katra town — the base camp of the cave shrine in Trikuta hills — from various parts of the country and abroad every year. “It is unfortunate that the executing agency has left the road-widening project midway. Potholes, which give a bumpy ride to commuters and cause frequent traffic jams during a heavy rush of pilgrims, on the 5-km stretch (from Nomain to Katra) have only been patched. The government should look into the matter and hold an inquiry to ascertain why the project was not completed despite a lapse of many years,” Ashwani Sharma, a shopkeeper of Nomain, said. Laddi Kumar of Katra said, “The cave shrine of Vaishno Devi is one of the most revered places of worship in the country and thousands of pilgrims visit Katra every year, but the dilapidated condition of the stretch exposes the slack attitude of the government towards Katra town. The government owes an explanation as to why the road-widening project was shelved halfway.” Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his visit to J&K on November 17 and 18, 2004, had announced a Reconstruction Plan for the Valley involving an outlay of Rs 24,000 crore. At present, an approximate total outlay for PMRP projects is Rs 36,439.32 crore. When contacted, Abdul Majid Wani, Minister for Roads and Buildings (R&B) in the Omar Abdullah government, assured that the department would look into the matter. “The Union Ministry of Surface Transport and National Highways recently agreed to hand over three national highways, including the Batote- Kishtwar- Sinthan Top and Domail- Katra, for maintenance to the state R&B,” he said. The union ministry would provide funding for the maintenance of these highways, he said, adding that the R&B would take over the maintenance of three roads only after a joint verification. “We will soon conduct a joint verification of the Katra-Domail road and in case of any lacuna or flaw, the executing agency would be taken to task,” he added. |
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PDP tries to woo youth, farmers ahead of poll
Jammu, August 3 The party alleged that every section of society had suffered in the past six years of the National Conference and Congress alliance government. The youth and farmers were the worst affected as this government lacks vision to solve their issues, the PDP leaders said. Highlighting the problems being faced by the farming community of the state, former Rajya Sabha member and PDP nominee for the Suchetagarh Assembly seat Trilok Singh Bajwa alleged that farmers were facing hardships on account of deficient monsoon, but the government was not initiating any steps to mitigate their woes. “A huge chunk of land remained uncultivated due to deficient monsoon, but the government did not made any contingency plan to provide irrigation facilities to farmers,” Bajwa said while addressing a series of public meetings at Kotli, Vyaspur and Badyal Brahamana. He also pointed out that water pumps installed in the fields were rendered dysfunctional due to “worst ever power crises”. “This year’s sowing season has almost passed, but the authorities have not made arrangements to save the situation from worsening further,” Bajwa said and assured the farmers that his party would formulate a “comprehensive policy” to solve their grievances. Meanwhile, addressing a meeting of youth here, the PDP candidate for the Jammu West Assembly constituency Daman Bhasin said his party was aware of the hardships being faced by the younger generation and it would try to solve them. “During the last six years of its rule, the coalition government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has done nothing to address the grievances of youth. The anger prevailing among the youth against this government is a clear indication that the present regime has betrayed the youth,” Bhasin said. |
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Udhampur candidates secure top two positions in KAS exam
Udhampur, August 3 Saba Noor of Omhara Morh in Udhampur secured the first position and Rupali Vaid of Housing Colony in the same town secured the second position. Two more aspirants from the district got entry into the KAS. “It is unbelievable that I secured the first position in the examination. It is a big surprise for me. I was confident that I would get through,” Saba Noor said. “I am preparing for the Indian Administrative Service examination. My position has increased my confidence manifold,” she said over the telephone from Delhi. “My first and foremost priority as a public servant throughout my life will be to serve the downtrodden,” she further said. Sharing her happiness, Rupali Vaid said, “Blessings of my parents and teachers and my hard work have made this dream come true.” “I am second and a resident of our town is first, making us very proud. Both of us have proved that girls are more hardworking and dedicated than boys in all fields,” she said. “It is proud moment for us. Both girls were students of our school till class XII,” said Vikram Gulati, principal of Happy Model Higher Secondary School in Udhampur. “It has made all of us feel very proud. They will surely inspire the young students of our town in the days to come,” he said. |
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Assembly polls: BJP in dilemma over fielding ‘tainted’ MLAs
Jammu, August 3 Seven out of the total 11 BJP MLAs were expelled from the party in 2011 on the charge of cross-voting. These MLAs, except for veteran leader Chaman Lal Gupta, were reinducted into the party ahead of the parliamentary elections because the BJP wanted to utilise their services in electioneering. These MLAs were expelled from the party on the charge of voting in favour of National Conference (NC) and Congress candidates in the Legislative Council elections held on April 13, 2011. The expulsion of six of them was revoked without any inquiry or investigation. While utilising their services in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP leaders had promised to give them ticket in the Assembly elections from their respective constituencies. Highly placed sources in the BJP said a group within the party was strongly opposed to nominating these “tainted” MLAs. “This group contended that if these MLAs were nominated, the opponents will get a chance to target the party,” a source said, adding that the BJP leaders had decided to look into the pros and cons before deciding the matter. Sources said that following strong reservations about nominating “tainted” leaders, the BJP leaders had taken the initiative to project alternative candidates in the constituencies being represented by these MLAs. “We are promising a clean and corruption-free government to the people of Jammu and Kashmir so it would be wrong on our part to field those MLAs who were charged with cross-voting allegedly for some monetary benefits,” a senior BJP leader told The Tribune on condition of anonymity. The chances of repeating the tainted MLAs looked bleak, he added. The MLAs who were expelled from the party included Chaman Lal Gupta, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, Master Lal Chand, Durga Dass, Bharat Bhushan, Garu Ram and Baldev Sharma. Five MLAs except for Gupta and Sapolia were reinducted into the party before the Lok Sabha elections. Last month, Sapolia was also reinducted but the party has refused to revoke the expulsion of Gupta. Enrolment drive
Avinash Rai Khanna, Rajya Sabha member and in charge of the J&K BJP, has started a campaign to enrol more leaders in the party. While former Congress MP Lal Singh is likely to join the BJP next week, the party is also in touch with former Lok Sabha member and Gujjar leader Choudhary Talib Hussain. On Saturday, Maj General Shamsher Singh (retd) and Savita Bakshi, former Special Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, joined the BJP in the presence of Khanna. |
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The politics of cleavages has begun in Kashmir
Arun Joshi
It seems that the 1990 syndrome has spilled over to the 21st century as the first and last chapter of Kashmir history. The year 1990 was born out of an idea of conflict with the state. It was aided and abetted by Pakistan and the fertile ground was provided by the then ruling class. All of a sudden, the history and geography of the state changed in the minds of the people. Today, the reading is the same script of history. Any attempt to offer an honest version of history is being foiled because of the vested interests of the political class, which fears that if the youth get the real sense of the history of Kashmir, of the mutual brotherhood and co-existence, then they will lose their vote bank. Jammu and Kashmir is a place where changes take place suddenly and quickly in a violent manner. That is what had happened in 1990, when the Valley became a place of high violence and saw its residents fleeing to safe environs. They were minorities and some sections of the majority. That brought some changes in the demography and the geography of conflict widened with every passing day. Now, there is a generation that has no idea what Kashmir looked like in pre-1990 era, when Kashmiri Muslims and their Pandit brethren celebrated festivals together and learnt from each other. This generation has been fed on slogans and fallacies. The political fear is that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which recorded a stupendous victory in the General Election earlier this year, will repeat its performance in the Assembly elections. This has made Kashmir-centric parties embark on new games. The BJP’s mission 44-plus has caused ripples even though the magic figure of 44 is a mirage for the party, going by all permutations and combinations of state politics. The ruling National Conference (NC) has its own worries. After having lost badly in the General Election, the NC is bitterly feeling the pinch of the rise of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kashmir. The PDP had won all three Lok Sabha seats in the Valley. This has made NC uncertain of itself. The NC was for long the heartthrob of the people of Kashmir. Its founder and most towering leader Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had introduced the law of land to the tiller, ending feudalism with one stroke of the pen, and always stood for Kashmiris. The NC is now looking for ways to stage a comeback. It has parted ways with its ally, the Congress, even though the two are still partners in the state government. It has become extraordinarily Kashmir-centric. As of now, nothing is clicking for the NC. This is evident from the fact that even after a menu of populist measures was placed before the people, they have not shown an inclination towards the party and its leadership. It enhanced the retirement age of government employees from 58 to 60 years, gave special employment packages and lifted of the ban on SMSes from prepaid mobile phones. On the other hand, Kashmir is witnessing confrontation of all sorts. Today’s Kashmir presents a picture of a widened and more radical conflict than ever before. It is getting deeper into the minds of the people in other regions as well. This game is being played by the parties without realising what the long-term consequences will be for the state, which has been longing for peace for years together. It may seem to be usual to political groups and others to play the game of putting one sect against the other, or one region against the other, one ethnic group against the other, and to provoke religious sentiments. But, in a state like Jammu and Kashmir, where the tag of conflict continues to stick, such politics is simply self-destructive.
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16 years on, justice eludes survivors of Sailan-Poonch mass killings
Srinagar, August 3 The Sailan incident involved killings of 19 people, including 13 children and a pregnant woman, from three closely related families in Sailan village of Poonch district allegedly by four special police officers and personnel from 9 Paratroopers, a commando unit of the Army. Latif Ahmad, whose six family members got killed on the fateful night, said Farooq visited their home a week after the incident and enquired about the culprits. “We told him the truth, but nobody was punished. The culprits have been even promoted to higher positions,” emotional Latif said during the launch of the report titled, “The Anatomy of a Massacre: The Mass Killings at Sailan, August 3-4, 1998” by the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society in Srinagar today. The JKCCS report was released to mark the 16th anniversary of the Sailan massacre. It entails the accounts of the survivors, eye-witnesses and those who investigated the killings. The report talks about the subsequent failure on part of the authorities concerned to bring the alleged culprits to book. Latif said confrontation between his cousin Imtiyaz Ahmad, who was a former militant, and Zakir Hussain, who allegedly was a police informer, led to the massacre. “We had handed over Imtiyaz to the police and after that we do not know how was he let free. We came to know that Imtiyaz killed Zakir which angered the police and the Army and they declared that they would take revenge,” Latif added. On the night of August 3, 1998, as per the eyewitnesses, the security men entered their homes and asked about Imtiyaz. “They beat up Imtiyaz’s father and killed him on the spot. Later, they opened indiscriminate fire as women in the household raised cry. My parents and four sisters were killed,” said Shabir, Imtiyaz’s cousin. The report says many official inquiries into the case, including FIRs and Right to Information responses, attributed the killings to collateral damage in an encounter with foreign militants which is contradictory to the statements given out by the survivors of the massacre. However, the State Human Rights Commission’s inquiry into the case does confirm mass killings of civilians, but it has failed to name the perpetrators of the crime and holds unnamed special police officers and informers of the Army responsible for the crime. Case recall
The incident involved alleged killing of 19 people, including 13 children and a pregnant woman, from three related families in Sailan village of Poonch district by four special police officers and personnel from 9 Para, a commando unit of the Army.
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4 years after completion, hospital building at Reasi still not in use
Katra, August 3 Chief Medical Officer, Reasi, Dr Parminder Singh cited political reasons behind the delay. “There are certain political issues, one of the groups wants that it should be made functional while the other is opposing it. It is shameful for us that huge amount of money has been spent in the construction of the building and the department could not be made
functional.” “If the building and the equipment inside is not used soon, it is possible some of the equipment may develop technical snag and get damaged,” the officer added. Meshwar Singh, sarpanch of Mari village where the new block has been constructed, said the building was complete in all respects, but it was of no use for the people of Reasi and surrounding areas. If the government was really a well wisher of the people then the hospital should have been
inaugurated four years back, he said. Raj Kumar, a prominent citizen of Reasi, said he smelt some “foul play” in the delay. “When the building was complete four years ago, why it has not been utilised by the government so far?” he asked. Pointing out that it was difficult for ambulances and other emergency vehicles to reach to the old hospital building due to congestion, Ashok Singh from Reasi said the hospital and other health services should be operated from the newly constructed building at the earliest. At present the District Hospital is working from a building right in the centre of the main bazaar, which lacks parking as well as working space. The building was earlier housed a community health centre and was later upgraded to sub-district hospital and now the district hospital functioned from the same set-up. |
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State gets two new colleges under RUSA
Jammu, August 3 Sources said the state had submitted a proposal for three new professional colleges, but the board approved only two. The crucial meeting was held under the chairmanship of Ashok Thakur, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), at New Delhi. Sources said the state has been directed to submit a detailed project report in respect of the two new colleges — College of Engineering and Technology at Kathua and Government College of Engineering and Technology, Ganderbal. Sources also claimed that the state had made a request to provide infrastructure grants to 44 colleges, but the project approval board has decided to support only 22 colleges, which amounts to Rs 21.77 crore for the year 2014- 15. Regarding the vocationalisation of higher education, the state had proposed that 50 institutions be supported under the scheme with a total allocation of Rs 15 crore for the plan period (Rs 5 crore for 2014-15). However, the board approved support to only 20 colleges. Sources, meanwhile, said the RUSA mission director had told the state that it would have to go through another round of filtration, which was to be largely driven by its adherence to original guidelines on time compliance, submission of the state higher education plan in time, etc... As per the guidelines, 100 per cent grant would be given to the state if it fulfilled all the timelines, while 66.66 per cent aid would be provided in case of fulfillment of two of the set timelines. The state, however, would get just 33.33 per cent in grants if it fulfills only one of the timelines. |
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Railways IGP holds security review meet
Jammu, August 3 At the meeting, everyone was directed to ensure safety and security of passengers, trains, vital installations and chalk out proper security plan for railway stations. The IGP told everyone to remain extra vigilant and alert in their respective jurisdictions. The SSP, GRP, Jammu, and SDPO, GRP, Katra, were directed to strengthen the access control system at the Jammu and Katra railway stations. They were directed to take all precautionary and preventive measures in their respective jurisdictions. Necessary directions were given to officials to develop close and cordial relations among various agencies involved in the security of railway track, railway stations and railway property. Those who attended the meeting included Roop Raj Bhagat, Commandant, IRP 17th Battalion, Major Sandeep Joshi and VK Dutta, all SDPOs of the GRP, Jammu and
Katra. |
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Divisional Commissioner, IGP visit Machhail, review yatra arrangements
Doda, August 3 Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Mohammed Javed Khan; Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kishtwar, Sanjay Kotwal; and Machhail Yatra Officer Kartar Singh also accompanied the duo. Shantmanu held interactions with the members of the ‘Sarva Shakti Sevak Sanstha’ and the yatris at the Machhail Bhawan and took stock of arrangements regarding accommodation, medical facilities, drinking water, langer and other essential commodities. Security arrangements along the entire yatra route were also reviewed by the IGP. The members of the Sarva Shakti Sevak Sanstha, Kishtwar, informed the officials that thousands of pilgrims were visiting Machhail daily to offer prayers at the shrine of Mata Chandi Devi. The Chhari Mubarak will reach Kishtwar on August 18. Next day it will proceed to Gulabgarh Padder. On August 20, the Chhari Mubark, en route the shrine of Mata Chandi Devi, will stay at Massu. It will spend the next day at Chishoti before reaching Machhail on August 22. The Divisional Commissioner gave necessary instructions to the district administration Kishtwar for the peaceful and smooth conduct of
the yatra. Kartar Singh, meanwhile, said 2,044 yatris had performed darshan at Machhail shrine August 2. |
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Shopian LPG agency cheated us, claim distributors
Shopian, August 3 The distributors said Mir Gas Agency used to supply domestic LPG cylinders on the condition that they would book those a month in advance. “It was a convenient way to reach far-flung areas without making villagers suffer and stand in long queues. We were responsible for supplying cylinders,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, a village outlet holder. He claimed that he had paid Rs 12,000 in advance to the agency in April. The distributors claimed that Mir Gas Agency had accumulated between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh paid by around 100 village outlet holders. Shakeel Ahmad Mir, Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, said that no one from any village had approached his office in this connection. “I will ensure that the money is repaid if village outlet holders give an application in writing, but no one has approached me so far,” he said. He said there was a dispute over ownership of Mir Gas Agency and the department had been catering to its consumers in Shopian district through an LPG agency
in Pulwama. Mir Gas Agency had got a first information report registered at the Shopian police station in April against the theft of 1,300 cylinders, of which 800 had been recovered from Srinagar and the rest reportedly supplied to illegal outlets. |
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Schools, colleges reopen today after summer break
Srinagar, August 3 Sources said the authorities concerned had extended the summer vacation due to rise in protests on school and college campuses against Gaza killings. Before the onset of summer vacations, the Valley schools and colleges witnessed brief protests over Gaza killings that later spread to other institutions and offices throughout the Valley. Campus protests have gradually become a salient feature in Kashmir, proving to be a challenge for the management and government alike. The recent Kousar Nag controversy that has already sparked protests online is also apprehended to spread to campuses especially when the schools and colleges are due to open tomorrow. In the absence of students’ unions in the Valley, youth say holding protests on the campuses has become the sole and potent tool of raising their voices over key issues. “If we had students’ union active here, may be the protests and demonstrations would have been more organised than they are. However, the authorities concerned cannot muzzle our voices by ordering the closure of educational institutions,” said Muntazir, a Class-12 student at SP Higher Secondary School. Campus protests
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J&K Bank approves 500% dividend for shareholders
Srinagar, August 3 J&K Bank chairman and CEO Mushtaq Ahmad appreciated the shareholders for their unflinching support. Attributing the bank’s growth momentum to its business model, he said, “Amid these strenuous economic conditions prevailing for most part of the last financial year, J&K Bank leveraged intrinsic strength and vivacity of its business model to deliver an excellent performance. Our performance has been outstanding as compared to our peers in the system.” “During 2013-14, we continued with the rapid expansion of our multi-delivery channels and added a total of 92 business units to increase our business unit network to 777 at the end of March 2014. Similarly, we added 187 new ATMs to take our total ATM network to 800 as on March 31, 2014,” he added. Laying emphasis on the bank’s vision of inclusive growth and comprehensive development, he said, “As a developmental institution, J&K Bank remains central to the prosperity of J&K state and lays emphasis on inclusive growth involving the weakest sections of society.” Meanwhile, the bank’s board strength reached 11 after the appointment of Dalip Kumar Kaul and Khaver Alam Jeelani as two new independent directors for the board as per the resolutions approved with an overwhelming majority. |
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Sagar reviews development projects in Srinagar city
Srinagar, August 3 The minister reviewed the progress of developmental projects currently underway in the city at a meeting of officers held here today. He stressed the need for early completion of community halls in the city so that the facility is provided to the public for undertaking various social functions. Sagar directed the officers to ensure quality of work strictly as per the specifications laid down in the norms, adding that funds for their completion have already been released by the government, the spokesman said. The minister also directed the Chief Engineer of Roads and Buildings Department for speeding up the macdamisation of Syed Mirakhshah and KZP road projects. Sagar also directed the managing director of JKPCC to accelerate the pace of work on the new Zainakadal bridge maintaining that its timely completion was essential for early restoration of Zainakadal heritage and beautification project being undertaken by the government for developing the area and its catchments. He also called for speedy completion of the college being constructed at Shamawari. Reviewing the pace of progress on the widening of the Maharaj Gunj-Sukhlipora road, being done at an estimated cost of Rs 31 lakh, the minister urged the authorities concerned to speed up the pace and complete it in the stipulated time frame, the spokesman said. Sagar also maintained that road project was essential to ease the traffic management in the area. He also directed for speedy completion of the leftover work on the renovation of Dastigeer Sahib and Naqashbandh Sahib shrines. The meeting was attended by the MD, JKPCC, Chief Engineer, Roads and Buildings Department, and other senior officers of various executing agencies. |
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Central University of Kashmir to launch six new programmes
Srinagar, August 3 This was stated by officiating Vice-Chancellor Professor Mehraj-ud-Din at the fifth meeting of the Academic Council of the CUK held on Sonwar Transit campus. Addressing the meeting, the Vice-Chancellor said, "The university has started the process for the construction of pre-engineering buildings on its designated campus at Ganderbal, adding that the proposed buildings are expected to be completed within six months. The construction on the permanent structures is being taken up simultaneously." To help the locals of Ganderbal, he said, "The university has also established a mini-browsing centre and a library for the local students of Ganderbal. The browsing centre will provide a platform to the local student community to get connected to the outside world through internet. By availing the facilities, the students can fill application forms for the programmes offered by various educational institutions outside the Valley and can also participate in the online examinations conducted by these institutions." He said for generating mass awareness about the benefits of establishing the central university in Ganderbal, the university had been holding continuous interactions and deliberations with the locals. He informed the members about the preparations initiated by the university for NAAC accreditation. To facilitate the research activities in the university, the university has constituted a Central Research Cell (CRC) with provisions for funding the research projects, he added. The meeting also discussed several important issues concerning the academics, including the launching of BEd and MEd programmes under the Department of Teacher Education, School of Education, and took several decisions accordingly. The council members were informed that the university will hold its first convocation later this year. For this purpose, the regulations drafted by the university were endorsed by the Academic Council. |
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Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti mulls panel inspection system
Jammu, August 3 Sources said the panel inspection team would consist of one assistant commissioner, two JNV principals and an educationist from the local school/college, not below the rank of principal or lecturer. The schedule of panel inspection will be informed by the assistant commissioner well in advance. The sources added that a proforma for reporting by the panel inspection team had already been provided to all Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in the state. “One-to-one meeting with the teachers by the panel members is to be ensured and to be taken in a positive spirit. The principal and staff must complete all the preparations and update the records of various academic and administrative activities for inspection,” a Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti statement said. “The inspection team, besides suggesting for improvement in all the areas in their inspection report, should also bring the same to the notice of the staff during the concluding meeting. On receipt of the report, the action taken report by the principal must be prepared and submitted to the assistant commissioner and regional office,” it added. Sources in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya said a follow-up of the suggestions given by the panel inspection team was to be ensured by the vidyalaya within a given time schedule. The panel inspection of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas has started from July 15, 2014, and it would be completed latest by December 31, 2014. the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya has instructed the cluster in charge assistant commissioner to complete at least 20 per cent of the panel inspections out of the allotted Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in every month so that inspection of all Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas would be completed on or before December 2014. Meanwhile, the vidyalaya samiti has also introduced the CBSE scheme of continuous and comprehensive evaluation in its schools in a phased manner up to Class X. The continuous and comprehensive evaluation in classes is intended to provide holistic profile of the learner through evaluation of both scholastic and co-scholastic areas. |
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Report highlights chinks in Jammu master plan
Jammu, August 3 Further, the report said there was no clarity on the urban planning function, implementation of the Jammu Master Plan, 2021, and framing various building bylaws. “The master plans lack the comprehensive development plan for the city. This is leading to planning become an independent function and affecting the overall growth of the city. The JMC should be assigned the function of planning, including town planning for the urban area, as it merely performs the role of a building permissions agency,” the report said. “The data about urban agglomeration in Jammu is not available. The JDA has not been meticulous in even gathering the current demographic data about the town, leave alone the data on urban services,” it added. As per a Central ministry report, the urban planning in Jammu was an afterthought, which came into reality with the establishment of the JDA in 1970. The JDA prepared the first master plan for Jammu for a 20-year perspective. The master plan envisaged strict zoning norms. “However, not having absolute control over land, a large chunk of land transferred to the JDA got encroached. In the absence of a land pool, actual development could not take place as conceived in the master plan,” the report claimed. Further, during subsequent decades, Jammu faced an unprecedented growth in population due to migration from the Valley and rapid growth of commercial and industrial activities, which resulted in a mismatch between the demand for serviced land and availability of the same. With this gap, a large-scale development emerged on private land without any planning norms. Following the experience of implementing the previous development plan, the JDA prepared another master plan in 1994 for Jammu envisioning Jammu, 2021. The Jammu Master Plan, 2021, was an effort to achieve an appropriate balance between the spatial allocation for various activities, adequate arrangements and reservations to accommodate different kinds of physical infrastructure and public utility systems. |
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Upgrade transformer in Kangwala village: PDP
Jammu, August 3 Led by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader Sunny Sangral, nearly 200 people from Kangwala and adjoining hamlets held protest outside the office of Executive Engineer Madan
Bhagat and demanded upgrade of the 63-KV transformer to 100-KV transformer. Raising slogans against the apathetic attitude of the government and the Power Development Department, the Peoples Democratic Party youth leader alleged that the local Member of the
Legislative Assembly had failed to provide even basic amenities to the people due to which
they were facing huge problems. Sangral later met with the Power Development Department engineer and apprised him of the
problems being faced by the people due to unscheduled power cuts during the sweltering summer heat. “The transformer installed could not take the load of the area and demanded a high-voltage transformer. |
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Demand to regularise services of daily wagers
Jammu August 3 Shastri today urged the Chief Minister to adopt a comprehensive policy to give permanent jobs to casual /seasonal ad hoc contractual workers employed in various departments of the state till March 2014 so that the working class could get a sigh of relief. He said such decision should be effected from Independence Day so that the new regularisation policy could become operational from August 1 as a gift to the working class. He urged CM Omar Abdullah and Finance Minister AR Rather to consider the demands of the working class before the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the upcoming state Assembly polls. He said daily wage workers were facing financial hardships due to price hike and inflation as their services had not been regularised so far, adding that they were even not getting their monthly wages on time. Those who spoke on the occasion included Rajan Babu Khajuria, Sunil Kochhar, Surinder Kumar, Karnail Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Sudesh Bhagat, Vijay Bhagat, Dalip Bhagat, Barkat Ram, Mohan Lal, Krishan Lal and Parmjit. |
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Two minors drown in Valley
Srinagar, August 3 “However, Zaid was rescued by locals and the police while efforts are on to trace out the body of Uzma,” the spokesman said. In another incident, nine-year-old Basit Sheikh of Khrew drowned in a canal near Pampore town of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The minor’s body was fished out by locals and the police and handed over to his relatives for the last rites, the spokesman said. In north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, an unidentified woman jumped into Jehlum from Cement Brigde. The police said efforts were on to retrieve the woman’s body. |
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One killed, five hurt in road accidents in Kashmir valley
Srinagar, August 3 Two cabs collided at Lawaypora on the city outskirts here resulting in injuries to three passengers, the spokesman said. All injured were shifted to a nearby hospital. In another road accident, two cars collided at Karan Nagar in the city here resulting in injuries to Rumais Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Soura locality. The injured was shifted to a hospital, the spokesman added. An unidentified vehicle hit a motorcycle near Akhoo Gund in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district injuring the motorcyclist identified as Ashul of Panipat. The injured was shifted to a Srinagar hospital, the police said. |
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Girl’s head chopped off, father held
Poonch, August, 3 The incident happened at 4 pm today when Zakir Hussain started shouting outside his house at Mohalla Nullah in the Dharana area of Mendhar that his daughter had been killed and her head chopped off by an unidentified person. The villagers rushed to the spot and informed the police, the sources said. The police on the basis of the eye witness account have detained Hussain and registered an FIR. “On the basis of an eye witness, the police detained Zakir Hussain,” a police source said, adding the witness had revealed that Hussain was all alone at the incident site and wanted to fix a local for the crime. Sources said the accused had a dispute with a local over some land issue and had warned him of dire consequences. “The girl was killed and her head was chopped off with a sharp edged weapon. We have detained her father and have registered a case under section 307,” said Senior Supeintendent of Police (SSP), Poonch, Shamsheer Hussain. |
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Eight injured in animal attacks in Kupwara
Kupwara, August 3 Three critically injured persons from Kandi have been shifted to the Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar, yesterday. Following the recent spate of attacks by wild animals, the wildlife authorities have set up cages in 21 sensitive villages of the district to trap the animals. Habibullah Mir, a wildlife official, said hunters had also been engaged to kill two leopards, who had turned maneaters. “We have laid traps and are on the look-out to kill two maneaters in Shogpora, Tumpora and Kandi villages,” said Habibullah. A few other people injured in attacks have been identified as Ghulam Nabi Mir, Ramzan Mir, Fatah Begum – all residents of Shogpora. Some other villages reeling under intense fear of attacks from wild animals include Magam, Zachaldara, Nagarnar, Satkochi, Sudala and Chak.
— OC
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1 booked for raping class XII student
Rajouri, August 3 The youth and his cousin were booked yesterday following the complaint by the victim, who belongs to Amztabad village. The incident happened on Friday night when the victim went to Rajouri to submit an application. The girl and her parents on Saturday approached the police, who booked the accused and his cousin. After the crime, the accused and his cousin went missing. However, a police party was rushed to locate and arrest them. “A team has been sent to the Thanamndi area as sources said the accused and his cousin are hiding somewhere in the area,” said SHO Yashpal Singh. |
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Two men end life in north Kashmir
Srinagar, August 3 In another incident, Fayaz Ahmad Mir of Nutnoosa area of Kupwara consumed some poisonous substance at his home. Mir was shifted to hospital, where he was declared brought dead by doctors.
— TNS |
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2,129 pray at Amarnath cave shrine
The yatra via the Baltal route began on June 28 and via the Chandanwari route on July 2. The steeper Baltal route was preferred by those who wished to return to the base camp the same day. The longer Chandanwari route was preferred by the elderly and those devotees who believed that Lord Shiva had taken the same route to the holy cave. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 10, when ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (holy mace of Lord Shiva) will be brought to the shrine. |
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Film on Mirza Ghalib enthrals Kashmir audience
Srinagar, August 3 So, to highlight Ghalib's contribution to Urdu poetry and make the public aware about his life, Radio Kashmir, in collaboration with Actors Creative Theatre (ACT) group, took the step to screen the Urdu film on Mirza Ghalib. The film was beautiful and the shoot locations, costumes, music and poetry of the film attracted the audience who demanded that such type of events should continue in future. With the help of such type of programmes, the younger generation also expected to develop an appreciation for Urdu. — ANI Ghalib’s contribution to Urdu poetry
To highlight Mirza Ghalib’s contribution to Urdu poetry and make the public aware about his life, Radio Kashmir, in collaboration with Actors Creative Theatre group, took the step to screen an Urdu film on Mirza
Ghalib. |
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CM opens pathway at Srinagar airport
Srinagar, August 3 “The project involving Rs 2 crore has upgraded the ambiance and beauty of the road leading to the airport,” an official spokesman said. The Chief Minister highlighted the need for expansion of Corporate Social Responsibility on the occasion. Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Bank Mushtaq Ahmad and senior bank officers were also present on the occasion. |
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With the fear that the political balance will change in a dramatic way in the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the politics of cleavages has begun. Political groups think that it will benefit them the most in the elections. Groups are indulging in a game of exploiting the sentiments of the people and doing it so brazenly that it has become difficult to distinguish between traditional troublemakers and responsible political figures as to who is instigating trouble.
Srinagar, August 3