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Local youth being misled to join militancy via social media: Army
Army launches operation to clean Akhnoor of explosives
Six paramedic students injured in lathicharge
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Unplanned development goes on unabated at Jammu varsity
Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti mulls panel inspection system
Cong veteran Karan Singh’s elder son to join PDP today
‘State must step in to improve inter-department coordination’
New hope in offing for 14,000 underprivileged children
Harsh Dev flays govt for ‘total collapse’ of Central scheme
Social Welfare Department prepares draft Act on
autism
No fiscal crisis: Finance Minister
BJP looks to Gujjars for support
‘Abused’ by minister, PHE
chief engineer resigns
Pulwama college being run from under construction building
Assembly website to have speeches of Geelani, Lone
Search operation near LoC continues
Karra seeks direct flights to Jeddah, Dubai from Srinagar
Companies supply ‘substandard’ bread at higher price
Sikh body urges govt to hold gurdwara panel elections
Omar inaugurates three power receiving stations
ReT teachers protest delay in disbursement of dues
Muttahida Mahaz urges India, Pak to reduce defence spending
No respite from heat in Kashmir
Science exhibition begins Schoolteachers meet Guv Security man succumbs to injuries Omar tells youth to shun violence Ghazi Ghulam Nabi calls on Governor
Show-cause notice for NC ex-MP Minor fire in Directorate of School Education Vohra apprised of problems faced by B.Ed colleges 92.7 Big FM conducts singing contest Ghulam Ahmad Bhat calls on Guv
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Local youth being misled to join militancy via social media: Army
Srinagar, August 7 “Some educated youth have joined militancy following rumours in the social media,” said Lt Gen Subrata Saha in an interview with The Tribune after he took over as the GOC, 15 Corps, recently. He said that there were varying figures of educated youth joining the militant ranks. “We are in the process of assessing the figures,” Lt General Saha said, adding that there was certainly a distinct decline in the level of militancy but local youth were being lured for recruitment by militant
organisations. The General said the security agencies were aware of reports about the Al-Qaida and Taliban as graffiti in support of such organisations had appeared at some places in Kashmir. “But that does not mean that they have come,” he said. However, he said, there was need to be cautious about any such developments. “The intensity of attempts in terms of frequency and the number of infiltration attempts remains the same,” Lt General Saha said, adding that the terrorist infrastructure that supported infiltration across the LoC was intact. He said that because of the strong counter-insurgency grid and innovative troop deployment the attempts of infiltration by the armed militants had been contained. As part of the strong counter-infiltration grid, the troops killed four infiltrators in the Keran sector of Kupwara district in north Kashmir only last week. The infiltration of armed militants from across the LoC in Kashmir takes place usually during summer months every year, while there are very few attempts during winter months. The
LoC, which passes through high mountains in north Kashmir, remains snowbound during the winter preventing movement and infiltration. |
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Army launches operation to clean Akhnoor of explosives
Jammu, August 7 As part of humanistic approach towards the people residing in the border villages, the Army had started “Mission Humsafar”, a major clean-up drive in the Kalith Field Firing Ranges in the Akhnoor, Kalith and Chinota area of Jammu district, said Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta. During the mission, the Army will carry out physical search of the complete area and any live artillery shells and mortar blinds will be collected and destroyed. “The Army will also educate the locals regarding safety aspects to be borne in mind during the conduct of firing in the range during the said mission,” he added. “The Kalith Field Firing Range, which is clearly marked into separate zones for artillery, mortar and small arms firing, is located close to the Line of Control where many units of the Northern Command carry out regular field firing,” he said. “With the establishment of the Kalith Field Firing Range Cell at the Station Headquarters Pallanwala since July 2011, the ranges have been safe and incident free and no civilian causalities have been reported inside the range area,” said Col Mehta. The cell has taken active measures to closely coordinate and monitor all range activity and sensitise the civilian population of the risk involved in event of venturing in the ranges during artillery and mortar firing, thereby ensuring their safety and security. It is one of the finest examples of co-existence of the Army and the civilians as the range remains closed during periods of civilian activities such as school examinations, sowing and harvesting seasons and holidays. “In a concerted drive to get rid of any unexploded shells and mortar blinds. The Army under the Crossed Swords Division will carry out a major combing operation in the ranges over a number of days to make the area totally safe for movement of civilians and their livestock,” he said. As informed, the Army will be employing mine and explosive detectors, dogs and engineer personnel trained for such tasks equipped with gadgetry and other technical devices. Residents of about 20 villages surrounding the firing range welcomed the humanitarian initiative of the Army and were appreciative of the fact that the Army besides ensuring security of borders and maintaining peaceful environment in the area has also been constantly upgrading the standard of living of the people by undertaking useful projects under its Sadbhavana initiative.
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Six paramedic students injured in lathicharge
Jammu, August 7 “The examination started around 2 pm, but the paramedical students soon objected to out of syllabus paper and came out of the examination centers. Firstly, they blocked the Satwari-Kunjwani road by creating blockade and later, marched towards the Bikram Chowk to register their protest,” a police official said. He said the students blocked the traffic on the road causing huge jams. “The police had to use mild force to disperse the students,” he said and admitted that some students received injuries in the police action. Rahul Malik, Superintendent of Police (SP), City South, said the students had created a blockade near Women College and later marched towards the Bikram Chowk. “They had been protesting out of syllabus paper,” he said. Dr Ghanshyam Sharma, principal, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, said they had cancelled the paper after the protest of the students. “The paper will be conducted afresh,” he said. Meanwhile, traffic remained disrupted for an hour on the Satwari-Kunjwani road causing great hardships to the commuters amid hot and humid conditions. |
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Unplanned development goes on unabated at Jammu varsity
Jammu, August 7 The university has already started the work on the project and it has cut down some trees for constructing new building there. The move of constructing building has also been opposed by students and the faculty members as the place where building was being constructed was quite famous among students on the campus as there was an eating joint. Sources said Professor Vibhakar Mansotra, Head, Department of Computer Sciences and Information Technology, along with other faculty members of the university had objected to the construction of new structure near his department. “Professor Mansotra along with the members of the Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA) had also met the Vice Chancellor (V-C), Professor Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, and registered his protest against the unplanned development. They said they would not allow construction of new complex on the rear side the Central library,” sources said. Following the resentment shown by the faculty members, the university authorities identified a new place and decided to construct it in front of the Chemistry Department. “The building, once completed, will block the front view of the Chemistry Department. It will also give a scruffy look to the campus besides depriving the students from their famous point. It seems the university authorities don’t apply mind while finalising the development projects,” a student of the chemistry department said. A senior faculty member of the university said, “What was the need of such urgency in starting the work on the project? The varsity authorities should stop its appeasement policy and take student and faculty-friendly decisions. If it was decided that multi-storey buildings be constructed on the campus for accommodating several departments in the same structure, it needs to be probed as why the varsity took the decision in haste.” The university had always laid thrust on the construction of multi-storey buildings in the wake of shrinking space due to ‘unplanned’ construction of buildings on the campus over the years. “The existing buildings are either one or two-storey and these have occupied a lot of space. The university is virtually left with no space to construct more buildings in the wake of the growing rush of students. We will construct multi-storey structures to house different departments in a single structure,” the VC had told The Tribune last year. The existing university campus is spread over 118.70 acres area and it presents a scruffy look because of the shrinking space due to “unplanned” construction over the years. The university has failed to retrieve its hundreds kanal of land from the Army’s occupation till date as the latter had agreed to vacate the land only if they were given an alternate land of equal market value, which was estimated to be nearly Rs 400 crore. The VC, who was in New Delhi, could not be contacted for comments as his phone was out of reach. |
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Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti mulls panel inspection system
Jammu, August 7 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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Cong veteran Karan Singh’s elder son to join PDP today
Jammu, August 7 The PDP has made all arrangements to make the function big and impressive as Vikramaditya’s induction into the party is being seen as a big boost for the party in the Jammu region. With Vikramaditya’s decision to join the PDP, the erstwhile royal family will be associated with yet another political party. His father is in the Congress and his younger brother Ajatshatru Singh in the NC. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is already in Jammu for the last couple of days to mobilise support for his party candidates for the coming Assembly elections. Mehooba is especially coming all the way from Srinagar to attend the function in which Vikramaditya will join the
PDP. Born in 1964, Vikramaditya completed his higher studies from the University of Southern California, USA. In 1987, he married Rajkumari Chitrangada Raje Scindia, sister of Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia of
Gwalior. The 50-year-old Vikramaditya is currently looking after his hotel business in Himachal Pradesh. He is also a trustee of the JK Dharmarth Trust, which was formed by his ancestor and the founder ruler of the Jammu and Kashmir state, Maharaja Gulab Singh. Vikramaditya’s brother Ajatshatru is a senior leader of the National Conference. A Member of the Legislative Council, Ajatshatru had served as a minister in the National Conference government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah. On May 24, 2003, Ajatshatru Singh quit the National Conference and joined the Congress, saying that a regional party could not do as much as for the state as a national party like the Congress. On February 16, 2008, Ajatshatru resigned from the Congress and again joined the NC. The decision of Vikramaditya Singh to join the PDP is the rise of another son in J&K politics. Son rise in J&K’s political landscape
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‘State must step in to improve inter-department coordination’
Jammu, August 7 The ministry suggested the state authorities to support integration of various plan such as comprehensive development plan as part of the master plan for Jammu city. It added that the functional and jurisdictional overlap between a number of bodies dealing with planning must be
minimised. “Support to build a database management system is required. An updated database on urban Jammu, including demographic data, service-level data and data on finances, must be maintained by the JDA and the
JMC. The coordination between the JDA and the JMC must be strengthened in respect of matters related to planning and regulation of land use. However, the discussions with the Chief Town Planner of the JDA pointed out a fact that the existing master plan is set to be revised and a consultant has already been hired for the same,” the report said. Sources said the report had further advised the state to prepare the required progress reports on the projects, highlight the project implementation issues such as delay in procurement of materials and delay in implementation of work, manpower issues, land issues and payments to ensure accountability. “Impart trainings on monitoring of the works, quality checking measures, penalty impose methods, review of the project progress and cycle, critical assessment of project and closure of the projects. Provide case studies and organisation of study tours to tackle the project implementation issues. Organise the meetings/workshops with the agencies for better coordination for effective implementation of the projects in Jammu City,” a Central ministry report maintained. The role of the JMC is of sanctioning the building permissions within the JMC area following the building bylaws envisaged under the master plan. Further, the Town Planning Organisation facilitates the process of planning in the entire district of Jammu. |
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New hope in offing for 14,000 underprivileged children
Srinagar, August 7 Under this joint programme, educational and development needs of around 14,000 underprivileged children would be supported by the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and PNB MetLife for one year as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Speaking on the occasion, Rather welcomed the joint initiative by the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and PNB MetLife, one of the main players in the insurance sector in India. Appreciating the role played by the bank in contributing to the socio-economic development of the state, Rather said the institution had been at the forefront and played a leading role in this sector in the state. “With time, the bank has been deepening its activities in society,” Rather said, listing some of the activities undertaken by the bank under its CSR in recent times. The joint CSR programme launched on Thursday would focus on education and development of underprivileged children in the state. The two projects identified were Child Rights and You, working through the Jammu and Kashmir Association of Social Worker and Koshish, local non-government organisations. The programme would be implemented in Baramulla, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal and Srinagar districts to support the agenda of education and development of around 14,000 underprivileged children, to begin with, it was stated during the launch. Fifteen more villages were being evaluated for this programme. The bank chairman said he was delighted to announce the launch of this programme in partnership with PNB MetLife, a partner of the bank in the insurance sector for the last 13 years. He said the CSR policy was to instil a sense of relief and protection among the most vulnerable sections of society. Tarun Chug, managing director and CEO of PNB MetLife, said this programme was the first step of the group in the state and hoped to make a sustainable difference to society with projects under the CSR. He added that PNB MetLife had secured the lives of over 2,00,000 customers and settled close to 1,100 insurance claims worth Rs 24 crore during its 13-years partnership with the bank.
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Harsh Dev flays govt for ‘total collapse’ of Central scheme
Jammu, August 7 “The government has miserably failed to implement majority of the programmes under the RMSA during the last couple of years causing colossal damage to academic initiatives taken at the national level by the Union HRD Ministry,” said Panthers party chairman and former Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh. “The state Education Department has not only faltered in initiating any action in respect of new schemes, but the earlier sanctioned schemes have also been abandoned and given a raw deal by the recalcitrant education authorities,” Harsh Dev said. Making special mention of upgrading of schools under the
RMSA, Harsh Dev said the Government of India (GOI) had refused to sanction any High School for the state under the scheme due to multiple failures of the state government in implementing the central plan. The senior leader, however, said during 2014-15, the Centre took a lenient view and sanctioned 110 High Schools for the state under the programme in April 2014 and also provided Rs 1 crore for infrastructure creation for each of the schools. The JKNPP chairman though regretted the state government’s “apathetic approach”. “The government’s apathetic approach on the issue is evident from the fact that none of the sanctioned schools has been made functional despite the commencement of the new academic year,” Harsh Dev was also criticised the Education Department for its failure to initiate any action in respect of the opening of ‘Model Schools’ sanctioned by the Union Government in backward blocks of the state. “The Government of India has sanctioned approximately Rs 4 crore for establishment of each of the ‘Model Schools’ in the backward blocks of the state, but not a single penny had been utilised in any of the blocks during the last three years,” he alleged. “Likewise the girls’ hostels costing Rs 3.50 crore had been sanctioned for various educationally backward blocks, but the government failed to utilise even a single penny under the scheme,” the leader added. He urged Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand to act tough against “defaulting and delinquent” officers of the Education Department and sought early implementation of the sanctioned schemes under the
RMSA. He also demanded early functioning of upgraded High Schools under the RMSA so that the current academic year was not lost and the state was not further deprived of other schemes proposed by the
Centre. |
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Social Welfare Department prepares draft Act on
autism
Srinagar, August 7 The workshop was organised by the Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College, Srinagar. Rather stressed on creating awareness on the issue so that parents of children suffering from the disease could come forward and take benefit of various schemes of the department. He stressed on greater coordination between the administration and the experts in order to identify and curb the problem. Prof Rafiq Ahmad Pampori, Principal/Dean, GMC, Srinagar, said, “The Department of Psychiatry is growing at a fast pace and has graduated from a speciality department to super-specialty psychiatry.” He appreciated the department for starting child psychiatry services. Dr GM Malik, Chairman, Academics, State Medical Council, Dr Kaiser, Paediatrician, HoD, Psychiatry, Dr Mohammad Maqbool Dar, Prof Henrikje Klasen from Royal College London and Dr Arshad Hussain, Associate Professor, Psychiatry, also spoke on the occasion. The workshop was attended among others by GR Mir, Additional Secretary, Executive Director State Rehabilitation Council, Aamir Ali, Secretary, J&K State Social Welfare Board and State Nodal Officer Disabilities, Waseem Raja, Deputy Director, Social Welfare, Kashmir, and faculty members from GMC. More than 60 participants with diverse backgrounds, including paediatricians, ENT surgeons, psychiatrist, trainees in various fields, speech therapists, clinical psychologist, SSA resource person and NGOs participated in the
programme.
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No fiscal crisis: Finance Minister
Srinagar, August 7 Rather said the state government had been managing its finances by utilising funds available under tax and non-tax revenue sources and some money from the Centre even though he admitted that there were some difficulties due to plan non-approval. He dismissed critics, saying stopping the practice of overdraft from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank had benefited the state and helped in enforcing financial discipline as the government was able to clear debts. The minister made these comments while taking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function jointly organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and the Punjab National Bank MetLife India. Asked about difficulties faced by the government due to plan non-approval, the Finance Minister said, “Some components of our annual plan are not being released, due to which we sometimes face difficulties. We have not allowed those difficulties to come in the way of development activities.” He added that the government had already authorised the release of 50 per cent of development funds by various departments. The minister said the government had been managing the situation on the fiscal front by utilising funds available under tax and non-tax revenue heads like sales tax, excise and money collected from electricity bills, which formed a considerable part of the state’s revenue. He dismissed reports that the state government had recently borrowed “from outside” to ward off the financial crisis and disburse salaries of government employees on Eid. “We are not borrowing either from inside or outside,” he said. |
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BJP looks to Gujjars for support
Jammu, August 7 Although the party had series of “secret meetings” with some prominent leaders of the Valley of late, its real target remains to form a “Hindu-Gujjar-Shia alliance” to give a tough fight to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC) in the forthcoming Assembly elections. The decision of prominent Gujjar leader Choudhary Talib Hussain to join the saffron party is being considered a big achievement for the
BJP. “The BJP is like other mainstream parties of J&K. I have decided to join this party to give a positive message to society,” Choudhary Talib Hussin told The Tribune. Hussain, who has been in political hibernation for the last decade, is going to join the BJP tomorrow and the influential Gujjar leader is likely to be the party’s candidate for the Rajouri Assembly segment. Hussain has remained a legislator from Rajouri for three successive terms and has also served as a minister in the J&K Government. He is the first “accredited Muslim politician” of the state to join the
BJP. “We will utilise Talib Hussain’s services to mobilise Muslims, especially Gujjars, across the Jammu region and some parts of Kashmir in our favour,” a senior BJP leader wishing anonymity told The Tribune. “The BJP has been focusing on Gujjars to further expand its base (in the state),” he added. The Gujjar-Bakerwal community constitutes 20 to 25 per cent population in five out of total 22 districts of the state. Gujjars have nearly 25 per cent population in Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Ganderbal and Bandipura districts. If the “Hindu-Gujjar alliance” clicks it would help the BJP to win maximum seats from Jammu province, comprising 37 Assembly segments. |
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‘Abused’ by minister, PHE
chief engineer resigns
Srinagar, August 7 The minister refuted the allegation, saying he enquired about the implementation of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) scheme in Handwara, his constituency. PHE Chief Engineer Muzaffar Ahmad Lankar said he was humiliated and abused by the minister. “I asked the officer concerned about the implementation of a water distribution scheme in Ramhal, which was supposed to supply water to 37 villages at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore. There were reports of embezzlement of Rs 50 lakh. I had sought an inquiry into the issue last year,” the minister said. “In his reply, the officer said they had spent Rs 5.84 crore on the scheme. I did not abuse or manhandle the officer; the allegation is false. I wanted them to inquire into the embezzlement of funds,” Choudhry said. Lankar submitted his resignation after the meeting in protest against the minister for using ‘foul’ language against him without any reason. “The minister was angry from the beginning over some issue in his constituency and he used foul language against me. I have self-respect; I submitted my resignation to the PHE Commissioner Secretary after the meeting,” said
Lankar. In a communication to the Commissioner Secretary, Lankar said he was abused by the minister during a meeting on Thursday in the presence of PHE Minister Sham Lal Sharma. “In view of the provocative language used by the CAPD Minister during the meeting, I submit my resignation as the Chief Engineer and you are requested to make alternative arrangements for running the department,” he wrote. The government was yet to take a decision on the resignation. Action and reactions
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Pulwama college being run from under construction building
Pulwama, August 7 “Noisy atmosphere in the college not only affects our studies, but also our health. Many of our classmates have started complaining of headaches,” a student said. The students alleged that due to inadequate space they were forced to leave the college without taking classes. “Today we just took one class because the classroom where we had to attend the class was already occupied by another one thus barring us to take that class,” said a final year student, showing the gravels that were lying scattered in the classroom. It is not only the students who have been complaining, the staff is also worried. “It is difficult to manage the classes in the college as there is only one room available and each class has to wait till the other ends,” said one of the lecturers. Sources said the construction of the main building had already missed the set deadline and the completion was nowhere in sight. Sources in the Higher Education Department said sluggish pace of work on the project was due to political apathy and lack of coordination between the district administration and the college authorities. The principal while admitting lack of infrastructure said the college was in its infancy and someone has to suffer. “We cannot remove the sufferings at present, but can work to mitigate the problems being faced by the students,” said Naseem
Koul, adding that someone has to suffer in the initial stage. |
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Assembly website to have speeches of Geelani, Lone
All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Geelani was a three-time MLA from Sopore. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a religio-political organisation, in 1972 and 1977 and of the Muslim United Front in 1987. Peoples Conference founder Lone, another prominent separatist leader, was a member of the Legislative Assembly as Congress and Janta Party MLA. He was elected in 1967, 1972 and 1977 from the Handwara constituency in north Kashmir. Both were not separatists during their tenures in the Assembly. Launching the official website www.jklegislativeassembly.nic.in on Thursday, Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul said the website would host historic addresses of then Chief Ministers Sheikh Abdullah, Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq and Syed Mir Qasim, who introduced important Bills in the Assembly. “From the land to tiller Act of 1950 to the autonomy report, all important Bills will be made accessible on the website. The questions asked by members of the Legislative Assembly and replies by the state government will be put on the official website, making Assembly working more transparent,” Gul said. He added that over 27,000 books in the Legislature Assembly, including those on the history of the state, would be posted on the website. He said the last session of Legislative Assembly was likely to begin on August 25 and conclude on September 5. “We will hold a series of meetings with various committees before deciding the final date to begin the session,” he added.
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Cops lathicharge, detain protesting PHE employees
Srinagar, August 7 Casual labourers and daily wagers of the PHE Department were protesting against the failure of the government in meeting their demand of regularisation of their services. They alleged that the state government had also failed to release their wages on monthly basis. The protesters gathered under the banner of the All-Kashmir PHE Causal Labourers Association at Municipal Park, Srinagar, and raised slogans against the government. As they proceeded towards the CM residence, a large contingent of the police swung into action and chased them away. The protesters had earlier announced to hold protests outside the residences of cabinet ministers on August 12. The employees have been demanding regularisation of daily wage workers, casual labourers and need-based workers who have been engaged in the department after 1994. They said successive governments have failed to come up with a solution to their long pending demands that include release of pending salaries as well. The employees have been frequently holding protest demonstrations in support of their demands. Over the past several months, the employees staged various demonstrations and sit-ins to press for their demands. |
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Search operation near LoC continues
Srinagar/Kupwara, August 7 A soldier was killed yesterday during the operation, after the Army noticed suspected movement in the dense Gagadari forests in the Tangdhar sector about 165 km from Srinagar. “The troops are carefully searching the thick forest area and since yesterday morning no contact has been established with the militants,” a Defence source said. “We suspect that there are militants hiding in the forest area and various units of the Army are conducting searches in the area,” the source said. According to sources four to six militants, who had managed to sneak into the Valley from across the fence, were believed to be hiding in the thick forests. The militants are suspected to be holed up between the LoC and the fence, sources said. Last week, four militants were killed when they were trying to sneak into the Valley from the Keran sector of Kupwara district. The militants have made almost 10 attempts to sneak into Kashmir in the past two months from various sectors. Soldier killed in road accident
An Army jawan was killed and three others, including a Lieutenant, were injured when a vehicle they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge on the Bandipora-Gurez road in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district today. The officials said the Gypsy carrying four of the 22 Rashtriya Rifles personnel was on its way to Bandipora from Gurez when it skidded off the road near Tragbal and fell into a deep gorge. The deceased soldier has been identified as rifleman Ram
Niwas. |
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Karra seeks direct flights to Jeddah, Dubai from Srinagar
Karra in a communication on August 5 to Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok GR Pusapati has said given the fact that a lot of people from Srinagar travel to Jeddah and Dubai every year for performing Umrah and in connection with business and jobs, there is a pressing need for operating direct flights in Srinagar-Jeddah and Srinagar-Dubai sectors. “The present travel arrangement to visit Jeddah and Dubai from Srinagar via Delhi/Mumbai is not only expensive, but also arduous especially for the elderly persons performing Umrah,” Karra had said in his letter. Karra, who is also the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Srinagar International Airport, has in his communication said the matter regarding operation of direct flights between Srinagar and Jeddah has also been taken up by Director, Srinagar airport, KS Rao with the Joint Managing Director of Air India Ltd. Karra said the government could then explore the possibility of starting direct flights from the Srinagar airport to other international destinations such as Kuwait, Qatar, Tehran, Malaysia, UK and Singapore. Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has expressed concern over lack of irrigation water to the fruit orchards, agricultural fields and highland karewas which has resulted into huge losses to the people involved in the farming activity in the state. She said there were no sufficient irrigation waters available to the orchards, agriculture fields, vegetable farms and the ruling NC-led government had miserably failed in its duty.
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Companies supply ‘substandard’ bread at higher price
Jammu, August 7 The CAPD has been ignoring the regular complains of the consumers of the city as the department has not fixed the price of bread for more than the last eight years in Jammu. Due to this the price of bread has increased by more than three times. There are three bread-making companies in Jammu, Bonn, Modern and
Jain. “The price of bread in 2005 was Rs 7 for 400 gm. However, after January 2006, its price remained the same, but its quantity was reduced from 400 gm to 300gm. It was done to please private marketing companies. Now it costs up to Rs 25 for 400-gm bread,” said Sahil Mahajan, a shopkeeper. “People always complain about the quality and rising price of bread, but the company has been increasing the price without checking the quality of their product,” he added. Sakshi Sharma of Roop Nagar said, “Only Bonn bread is available in our locality. However, the quality of bread has decreased drastically, while its price has been increasing each day.” “I cannot understand why don’t the authorities check the quality of bread and fix its price,” she added. However, Neeraj Sharma, J&K in charge, Bonn, said, “We always take care of the quality of bread. If someone has any complain, I will personally recheck the quality again. I can assure you that there will be no compromise as far as quality is concerned,” he said. “As far as the price of the bread is concerned, we have an association in which all bread manufacturers fix price as per the cost of the product,” he added. Despite repeated calls, the CAPD Director could not be contacted. |
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Sikh body urges govt to hold gurdwara panel elections
Srinagar, August 7 The committee said the delay in the conduct of elections has undermined the importance of the Sikh Endowment Act. “The administrative inertia has taken toll on the conduct of elections. The authorities are not serious to conduct
the Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee elections despite the fact that these elections have not been held for over last 10 years now,” said APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina. “Some officers in the state administration are hand in glove with unscrupulous elements in the community. The agenda of these elements is to postpone elections as many times as they can and they have been successful in their endeavour,” Raina alleged. He said the elections have been postponed many times under the “political influence” and “administrative apathy”. Raina demanded that proper management of religious institutions should be given priority by the government in order to thwart efforts of “unscrupulous elements”. The Sikh leader said due to restructuring of various districts in the state various Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees were demanding re-organisation of constituencies. He said the Law Secretary has already issued a notification in this regard under the SRO-152. |
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Omar inaugurates three power receiving stations
Srinagar, August 7 “The Chief Minister inaugurated three power receiving stations at Dandipora and Marhama in Anantnag and Khallen in Pulwama districts of south Kashmir. These are part of the programme to upgrade the power distribution and supply system,” an official spokesman said. Interacting with the people, the Chief Minister told them about the blueprint of his comprehensive policy of revolutionising the state’s power generation and distribution scenario, the spokesman said. Omar said all efforts had been made to make Jammu and Kashmir self-sufficient in power production and strengthen the transmission system. “We have focused on the power sector to achieve the twin objectives of ensuring round-the-clock supply to consumers in the state and export surplus generation to get remunerative income for economic welfare,” the Chief Minister said. He added, “Financial independence of the state largely depends on power sector development.” He said as against 750 MW of power projects launched in the state from 1947 to 2008, his government started power projects of over 1,500 MW capacity in just five years and laid necessary edifice for generating 9,000 MW in next six years.
— PTI |
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Residents protest against power dept
Jammu, August 7 The residents of the upper and lower Gadigarh assembled in a large number and raised slogans against the PDD for its alleged failure to supply interrupted power. The traffic was severely affected for half an hour. “For the past two days, there is no light and no official from the PDD has come to take stock of the situation. In the prevailing scorching and humid weather, it is almost impossible to spend days without power, but unfortunately we have to face hardships due to the negligent attitude of PDD officials,” said one of the protesting resident. “The area is witnessing unscheduled power cuts for quite some time but for the last two days, there is no power and we have to move here and there to spend our nights. I don’t think the residents were able to sleep in the last two nights owing to power failure,” Harjeet Singh, a local resident
said. Later, officials from the PDD reached the spot and pacified the protesters saying that power supply will be sorted out within hours. |
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ReT teachers protest delay in disbursement of dues
Srinagar, August 7 The protestors, under the banner of the Jammu and Kashmir Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers Forum, raised slogans against the government and alleged that they had not been provided their dues for the past five months. The ReT teachers said the post of Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) was lying vacant and was being run by an in charge, who was presently serving as Principal, Higher Secondary School,
Yaripora. The protestors said they had already submitted applications for the release of arrears, but nobody from the office responded. The ReT teachers said even on the occasion of Eid they didn’t receive a single penny from the department. Joint Director, School Education, Ghulam Mohammad, however, said the in charge ZEO had been given the drawing and disbursing powers. “We will see if the officer has defaulted in signing the bills,” he said, adding that an enquiry would be set up for investigating the issue.
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Muttahida Mahaz urges India, Pak to reduce defence spending
Srinagar, August 7 The group, in a statement, said: “Since the time is running fast, the two countries must leave the past behind and enter into a meaningful dialogue for peace and normalisation of relations.” “The strained and hostile relationship has become a huge burden for the common people of both the countries and is affecting their lives very badly,” the AMM said. “At a time when the poor masses of both the countries are compelled to live sub-human lives, India and Pakistan are spending billions on the purchase of destructive weapons, which could be avoided if the relations improve and confidence is established,” the group said. It added that the governments of both the countries should “leave the conservative approach” and take “bold initiatives” to bring peace in the region. |
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No respite from heat in Kashmir
Srinagar,
August 7 Heat wave across the Valley has been increasing for
the past two weeks as the mercury was rising. Many women and girls
covered their faces and carried umbrella to protect themselves from the
sun. Locals in many areas are also finding it difficult to survive due
to frequent power cuts and unavailability of proper water
supply. Officials of the weather department said the heat wave in the
Valley was being witnessed on account of low monsoon current in northern
India besides low moisture in atmosphere. |
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The Army says despite a strong counter-infiltration grid in place along the Line of Control (LoC) resulting in a gradual decline in militancy in Kashmir, militant organisations are recruiting local youth by misguiding them through social media.
Around six paramedic students were injured after the police resorted to cane charge to disperse them when they were protesting against an “out of syllabus” paper here today.
In a sharp contrast to its resolve to construct multi-storey buildings to deal with the problem of shrinking space on the campus, unplanned development goes on unabated in the University of Jammu.
The new in the series is that the upcoming centre for IT-enabled services and management in front of the Chemistry Department, that too, on a congested place which will only give a scruffy look to the existing structures.
Vikramaditya Singh, elder son of veteran Congress leader Karan Singh, is all set to join the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) on Friday.
PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and president Mehbooba Mufti would be present at the function in which
Vikramaditya, grandson of last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, will be formally inducted into the party.
Srinagar, August 7
Srinagar, August 7
Srinagar, August 7
With no let up in scorching heat across Kashmir, residents are
finding it difficult to cope up with the prevailing weather
conditions. Officials of the weather department also said there would
be no let up in the prevailing heat wave Kashmir in the coming days.
However, the temperature will gradually start decreasing from the second
week of this month.
were established by the Kashmir University Alumni Association more than a decade ago.
The delegation apprised the Governor of the uncertainty of their tenures and the hardships being faced by them.
The Governor assured the delegation that their grievances would be taken up with the Vice Chancellor.
TNS
Srinagar, August 7
Srinagar, August 7