Jammu, August 24
Stressing on the need for quality scientific literature, Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday said the government was trying to involve more scientists in a bid to strengthen scientific research in the country.

The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office was speaking at a function in connection with the release of two books on integrated pest management series at Amar Singh Club.

“We have taken many initiatives to enrich scientific literature because it lacks original writing and there is a need to strengthen it,” the minister said.

“The ministry has decided to urge non-resident Indian scientists to return and contribute their bit to better research,” he added.

The minister claimed that the government was considering enhancement in retirement age of scientists so that their services could be utilised for a longer period.

Dr Jitendra Singh lauded the role of India’s contribution to science and said India was ranked seventh in scientific publications.

He assured funding of research projects for Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu.

Dr PK Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST, Jammu, lauded the role of scientists in meeting challenges in tackling pesticide problems in agriculture.

Dr Jitendra Singh, Dr PK Sharma and others released the two books ‘Integrated Pest Management: Pesticide Problems, Vol 3’ and ‘Integrated Pest Management: Experiences With Implementation, Global Overview, Vol 4’.

Earlier, Dr Rajinder Peshin spoke about the content of the books. KS Risam, Director Extension, SKUAST, Jammu, presented the welcome address. Dr SB Bakshi conducted the proceedings. Dr Narinder Singh proposed the vote of thanks.

Jammu, August 24
The Jammu and Kashmir Dalit Sena has appealed to Union Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh to get a CBI inquiry conducted into the reported irregularities in the survey for the Kahara-Jai road project.

Sena chief Romesh Lal Bhagat charged the PWD (R&B), the PMGSY and the forest authorities with hobnobbing and conspiring to deprive Joura Kalan, Budhi, Suranga, Kunthal and other villages in Thathri tehsil of Doda district of road connectivity.

He said it was regrettable that the authorities had turned a blind eye to the hue and cry of villagers since 2009, loss to the environment, extra burden on the exchequer and loss of irrigated land of farmers.

Bhagat claimed that the 13.5-km stretch laid from Kahara to Halaran was given unnecessary zigs at Malanoo and Jia to benefit certain influential persons.

Jammu, August 24
Minister for Housing Raman Bhalla on Sunday dedicated 10 MVA power stations worth Rs 4 crore to the people. Those would improve the power scenario in Digiana, Nanak Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Rani Talab, Karan Bagh, Preet Nagar and adjoining localities.

The powers stations were dedicated to people under the restructured accelerated power development and reforms programme funding.

Bhalla addressed a gathering at Shastri Nagar and said the power scenario in the area and its adjoining localities would now improve.

The minister said directions had been issued to the Power Development Department to gear up for installing new power stations in power deficit areas of urban pockets of the city.

He added that under the scheme, the government had earmarked Rs 700 crore for improving the power scenario in areas within the municipal limits of the city.

Bhalla called upon the people to use power judiciously and regularise power connections for regular and uninterrupted power supply. He said the government was committed to providing regular power supply in the metered areas of the state.

Earlier, the minister inaugurated multi-purpose community halls at Shanti Nagar and Shastri Nagar, completed by the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board at an estimated cost of Rs 81 lakh. 

Jammu, August 24
The Voice for Rights, a non-government organisation (NGO), has criticised the state government for failing to set up a mechanism for protection of rights of children in the state. It has accused state government of not implementing laws relating to protection of child rights in the state.

Addressing a press conference, NGO founder Deepika Singh Rajawat said it was unfortunate that the government had failed in setting up a protective mechanism for children in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Children who are at the receiving end due to a number of reasons are victimised easily and there is no check by the government to protect their rights and save them from getting abused,” she said. She said children were considered the future of the nation, but were least taken care of by the government.

Taking serious note of the recent incident in which an 11-year-old was brutally beaten up by a Jammu-based businessman, she demanded immediate action against the culprit and appealed to the authorities not to let the guilty go free.

She said the child was employed by the culprit as domestic help at his residence in violation of the Child Labour Act, 1986. Highlighting the importance of the Act, she said it was passed to stop the practice of depriving children of their childhood, which was harmful to their physical and mental development.

She said the victim was severely beaten up by his employer as his father wanted to take him home. She said pale yellow and red bruises on the child’s buttocks showed how cruel the businessman was, brutally beating up the domestic help for the last seven or eight months.

Jammu, August 24
A major tragedy was averted at Narwal on Sunday morning when an overspeeding truck carrying iron rods overturned, hitting a car parked on the roadside. No injury was reported.

Eyewitnesses said a truck (JK02AG-8069) loaded with a large quantity of iron rods was on its way to Transport Nagar when the accident took place.

The driver lost control over the truck near the ISBT. The truck overturned, hitting a a car (JK02AH-2913). The car owner had a narrow escape as he was on the driver’s side. Nobody was injured in the accident.

Local residents said the accident took place due to the bad condition of the road at Narwal, which had not been repaired by the authorities after repeated complaints.

The Narwal police impounded both vehicles and registered a case at the Narwal police post under Section 279 of the RPC.

Srinagar, August 24
Four militants and two soldiers were killed in separate encounters along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district since last evening.

The four militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Kalaroos forests, 125 km from Srinagar, today. The encounter started after a massive search operation by troops.

Defence sources said the search operation was launched in the Kalaroos area this morning after movement of militants was noticed in the area.

The militant group is believed to have infiltrated into the Valley a few days ago.

“While carrying out operations to control militancy in the state, the Army eliminated four militants in Kalaroos. During the counter-terrorist operation, one of our valiant soldiers, Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh of the 57 Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles, was martyred in the encounter,” said Srinagar-based defence spokesman Lt Col NN Joshi.

While the identity of the slain militants has not been established, sources said one of them was believed to be a top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander.

“We recovered four AK rifles and a pistol from the encounter site. The recovery of arms clearly indicates that one of the slain (militants) was a top militant commander,” said the source.

“Our Intelligence inputs reveal that the group belonged to the Lashkar,” he added.

“During the combing operation, the militant group was challenged by troops. In the initial contact, a soldier, Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh, was injured who later died. In the exchange of fire, four militants were killed,” said the defence source.

He said though the firing had stopped, the search operation was continuing in the area as the troops suspected more militants were hiding in the area.

The sources said the group of six to eight militants had sneaked in near Z-Gali through the Machil sector two days ago.

In a separate encounter in the Mundian forest of the Keran sector of Kupwara, 155 km from here, a soldier of the 23 Grenadiers of the Army was killed last night. The encounter started after a search operation was launched by troops in the area.

“In the gunfight, a soldier, Rahul Kumar, a resident of Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh, sustained bullet injuries and later succumbed to his injuries,” a source said.

The troops have, however, been conducting search operations in Keran to track the militants.

Sources said militants believed to be three to five in number were hiding in the forest, who had sneaked in through the Keran sector.

The sources said militants were desperate to sneak into the Valley as the natural passes along the LoC would soon be closed with the onset of winter.

Fourteen militants have been killed this month while trying to sneak into the Valley in Kupwara district.

Meanwhile, Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda paid tributes to the two slain soldiers. 

Nai Basti (Korotana Khurd), August 24
A double-storeyed Pakistani post with a basement camouflaged in a cluster of trees right on Zero Line here has caused havoc in at least seven Indian forward villages in the RS Pura sector during hostilities between the two countries.

The Pakistani post that came up post-bilateral ceasefire agreement of November 2003, probably in 2005, remains impregnable despite targeted mortar fire by the Indian forces, say villagers here.

“This Pakistani post in Anandpur area on their side on Zero Line remains an eyesore for the BSF and for hapless villagers in Korotana Khurd, Nai Basti, Vidipur, Chandu Chak, Abdulian, Bhojpur and Laiyan,” says Gurcharan Singh, whose family had a narrow escape this morning when an 82 mm mortar fired from this post exploded next to his house around 7.30 am.

He said, “This particular post has caused maximum damage in eight villages having population of nearly 6,000 people.” “After the BSF demolished an old post that existed at the same place during hostile atmosphere before the ceasefire agreement, Pakistan came up with this double-storeyed post made up of concrete and some heavy metal,” says Darshan Lal, another villager.

Lal added that yesterday also an officer of the BSF had asked his soldiers to demolish it. “Our personnel must have tried, but it remains impregnable. Mortar shells get deflected up in the air after hitting this post, perhaps due to its slanting walls raised at an angle of 45 degrees and material used in its construction,” he added.

“It is really giving a tough time to the villagers and the BSF,” he says.

“On the other hand, we don’t have such strong posts on our side here. Low-lying BSF posts in this village have a disadvantage. We wonder why the BSF allowed construction of a post so close to Zero Line. Now, they (Pak Rangers) have an upper hand as we are in their direct range,” says Bhupinder Singh of the same village.

A pictorial comparison this Pakistani post with the BSF posts in this village is testimony to what villagers were saying.

Srinagar, August 24
The ongoing book fair being organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) is a treat for voracious readers and book lovers of the Valley.

Various stalls put up at the fair sponsored by national and international publication houses, including Oxford India, Cambridge Press and Sterling Publications, saw visitors from across all age groups , particularly school and college students.

To raise enthusiasm among the youth towards developing reading habits, the organisers had also arranged an on-the-spot painting competition for children.

The stall owners from across various parts of the country said although the response in the Valley was not as good as in the rest of the country, but Valley residents had a unique taste of reading.

“It is interesting that a young lot of students were asking for autobiographies of Adolf Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi and Bill Clinton. Usually, we do not anticipate young readers to read serious stuff. When we organise such book festivals in the rest of the country, the youth usually ask for fiction and classic novels,” Deepak Kumar, a stall owner of Mamta Publications, said.

Youth were particularly drawn towards the stall which was put up by a local publication house which had some popular books on Kashmir history, including “Kashmir Conflict - Two Decades” by AG Noorani, and “Kashmir” by Walter Lawrence.

“I am interested in reading more about Srinagar city and its heritage. I found some interesting books on Sikh shrines and Kashmiri Pandit heritage of Srinagar which I bought. The prices are pretty reasonable too,” Muddasir, a college student, said.

Besides, there were special encyclopaedias, textbooks and drawing books available for school students at discounted prices. These stalls witnessed a rush of parents who took their kids for book shopping on a Sunday.

“We need to cultivate reading habit among children especially from a young age. I wish the schools had made the students aware about this book fair so that there was an increased participation of students,” Muhammad Ashraf, a banker, said. 

Srinagar, August 24
The busy Koker Bazaar in the Lal Chowk area of Srinagar has been witnessing roaring protests these days by shopkeepers, who are alleging that the fire incident that damaged shops and godowns worth crores a week ago was a conspiracy by some vested interests.

The market is shut for the past two days and there have been regular announcements from the local mosque urging the traders to shut their establishments in protest against the alleged police inaction.

Although the police are yet to reveal the details of its investigation report and make any arrests in the case, the shopkeepers suspect a hush-up in the case.

They allege that they have been getting threats of property damage if the shopkeepers don’t desist from complaining to the police. “We demand a transparent probe into the case. The shopkeepers are facing threat to their life and property,” said Abdul Rahman Beigh, owner of Beigh Dry Fruits. — TNS

Srinagar, August 24
Students from across the Valley will take part in an inter-college debate being organised by The Tribune, Jammu and Kashmir edition, tomorrow. This is a first-of-its-kind event being hosted by a media organisation here.

The debate will be held on topic – “Does social media contribute towards enhancing better understanding and cooperation, nationally and internationally”.

The event will be held at the Lala Arifa auditorium of the Government College for Women, MA Road, and Governor NN Vohra will be the chief guest on the occasion.

Raj Chengappa, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group of Newspapers, will preside over the function.

Students from several colleges of Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and other districts will participate in the debate. The participants will be judged by a three-member jury comprising senior journalist Mohammad Sayeed Malik; former Principal of Government College for Women, MA Road, Prof Nusrat Andrabi (retd); and Director, Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMMRC), Kashmir University, Prof Shahid Rasool.

The jury will decide on three best colleges and speakers, who will receive handsome cash prizes. Besides, each participant will be receiving a cash prize and certificate of participation.

Guests from all walks of life are also expected to attend the event. The debate will be anchored by Mariya Fayaz and Sana Altaf, students of the Government College for Women, MA Road.

A similar debate was also held in Jammu earlier this year that saw a large participation of students.

The aim of hosting the debate is to provide a platform to the Valley students, not just from urban but colleges of rural areas as well, to express their views on contemporary social media.

Srinagar, August 24
Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today and discussed matters related to the development of agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The focus of the meeting was on the establishment of a horticulture university in the state where more than 3.55 lakh hectares are under orchards with an annual production of 21 lakh tonnes of fruit,” an official statement said.

Matters relating to the revival of senile overaged orchards and procurement of ready to use soil testing laboratories were also discussed at the meeting.

The meeting was told that more than 40,000 hectares under apple trees and 5,000 hectares under almonds had become senile and overaged and required rejuvenation and replantation.

“An amount of Rs 20 crore will be required for bringing 1,000 hectares per year under the rejuvenation programme. These old orchards have an average productivity of 1.5 to 2 tonnes but once rejuvenated they will yield 5 to 11 tonnes per hectare per year after 5 to 15 years. The state government sought support of the Union Agriculture Ministry in this regard,” the statement added.

The state government has also sought support for procurement of ready to use soil testing labs which can be put to use immediately.

Srinagar, August 24
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated a community facility centre constructed at a cost of Rs 1.05 crore at Chanapora here today.

“The Chanapora area has high building density and is densely populated. People residing in Lal Nagar, Khan Mohalla, Chanapora and other areas can utilise this facility for marriages and other social functions. The facility is available to them at a reasonable rate of Rs 10,000 per function,” an official spokesman said.

Minister for Urban Development Nawang Rigzin Jora was also present on the occasion.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inspected 30-bedded Urban Health Centre at Chanapora, which is under execution at a cost of over Rs 20.30 crore, the spokesman said. Omar was accompanied by Amira Kadal MLA Nasir Aslam Wani and Commissioner Secretary, Health, Gazanffar Hussain.

Jammu, August 24
The All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), a frontline organisation of panchayat members, today slammed the BJP-led NDA government for its alleged failure to address the genuine issues of the elected panches and sarpanches.

“The Central government has maintained a silence over the issues related to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) of Jammu and Kashmir. It has failed to clear over Rs 200 crore arrears under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to the state government despite the fact that the latter had submitted all related documents to it,” AJKPC president Anil Sharma told reporters here.

Flanked by panches and sarpanches, the AJKPC chief alleged that MGNREGA workers from the Jammu region did not receive their wages, amounting Rs 160 crore, due to the casual approach of the Union Panchayati Raj Ministry.

He further said the cost of the material to the tune of Rs 40 crore, used for various projects under the scheme, has also not been released.

“The poor workers, who were employed under the MGNREGA, have been suffering due to the casual approach of the government. They are not even able to make both ends meet leave aside get medical care or education of their children,” Sharma said.

He said the silence adopted by the BJP over the PRIs in Jammu and Kashmir has exposed its “duplicity”.

“Before the Lok Sabha elections, all senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during their visits to Jammu raised the issue several times, but it is surprising that after taking over the regime they have turned a blind eye to the problems faced by the rural people, especially panchayat members,” Sharma said.

The AJKPC president said the Prime Minister had visited the state twice since the formation of the government, but did not utter a word about the issues pertaining to the PRIs.

“How could NDA leaders forget the sacrifices made by the brave panchayat members, who preferred to sacrifice their lives than surrender to anti-democracy forces?” Sharma asked.

Bimla Devi, women wing chief of the organisation, asked the BJP to prove its credentials and demanded that the Union Government must address the genuine grievances of the elected members of the state panchayats.

Srinagar, August 24
A special camp to provide mobility aid to 1,300 physically challenged people from Jammu and Kashmir will be organised here on Thursday.

"The camp will provide mobility aid to 1,300 physically challenged persons from Kashmir. The camp is being organised at Sultan-ul-Arifeen Artificial Limb Caliper Fitment Centre in Dalgate area," a release from "Jaipur Foot", an artificial mobility aid provider, said today.

The camp is being organised with the generous support from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) on the basis of the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Jammu and Kashmir Government, it said.

During the camp, the disabled would be provided with artificial limbs and other aids and appliances such as calipers, wheel chairs and tricycles, said DR Mehta, founder of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), the parent organisation of "Jaipur Foot".

A team of 12 experts will hold the camp. — PTI

Jammu, August 24
BJP national president Amit Shah arrived in Jammu along with the members of his core group this afternoon to devise a strategy to meet the target of “44 plus” seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

As soon as Shah reached Jammu, he started interactions with party workers to get their feedback. After interacting with different groups of party workers, Shah convened a closed door meeting of the party legislators.

Sources said the meeting was just like an introductory exercise in which Shah got information about all the MLAs. BJP national general secretary JP Nadda, who is also the in charge of J&K elections, was also present on the occasion.

Bishnah legislator Ashwani Kumar Sharma, who recently joined the BJP, was also a part of the meeting.

Sources said Shah also convened a meeting of the BJP’s core group in the evening. He along with general secretaries JP Nadda and Ram Madhav and other senior party leaders deliberated on different issues related to the forthcoming Assembly elections in the three-hour long meeting, sources said.

Sources said the meeting also discussed formation of pre-poll alliances, however, the party leaders stressed on fielding winnable candidates on all the seats instead of depending on the alliances.

The core group also discussed the strategy for achieving the target of “44 plus” seats, sources said, adding that the participants emphasised the need of utilising all resources on 37 seats of Jammu province, four seats of the Ladakh region and nearly half a dozen seats of the Valley where Kashmiri Pandits have a significant presence.

It was suggested that the party should rope in some prominent Muslim leaders, especially in the Jammu region and field them on Muslim majority seats of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and Ramban districts.

The party also devised the strategy for launching an aggressive campaign in the Valley to corner the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party.

Sources said some members of the core group suggested that the party should devise a strategy to ensure maximum turn out of Kashmiri Pandit voters to open its account in the Valley.

It was also suggested that Kashmiri Pandits living in different parts of the country should be mobilised to enrol themselves in the electoral rolls so that they can easily cast their votes in the coming Assembly elections.

Sources, meanwhile, said Shah would meet with some leaders of the RSS on dinner.

Although the prant pracharak Ramesh Pappa was not in the town, Shah is likely to meet sangh chalak and other leaders of the RSS and discuss issues related to Assembly elections.

Keeping in view the prevailing tension on the Indo-Pak border, Shah has rescheduled his travel itinerary. He is likely to visit the border areas of Jammu district tomorrow morning before moving to Kathua, sources said. 

Srinagar, August 24
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today termed the ceasefire violations on the Line of Control and the international border in the state a “matter of very serious concern”.

“The ceasefire violations are increasing in intensity. They are no longer confined only to BSF posts. By design now, civilian areas are being targeted. Civilians are being killed and injured. People are being forced to migrate from border areas,” Omar told reporters on the sidelines of a function in the city here.

Omar said it was the obligation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the crisis which was impacting the civilians.

“Given the breakdown in communication between India and Pakistan, I don’t know how the Narendra Modi government plans to resolve this issue. But they (government) have an obligation to resolve it because they promised the people of this country ‘ache din’ (good days),” the Chief Minister said.

Omar said the people living in the border areas, being shelled by Pakistani troops, also have a “right to ache din”. “If anything, they are seeing is their lives going from bad to worse. Therefore, I think it is time that Prime Minister Modi and his government fulfill commitments to ache din and restore peace and normality along the border,” Omar said.

Commenting on the cancellation of the India-Pakistan talks “over a cup of tea”, Omar said such meetings have continued over the past many years.

“It is part of Pakistan’s, what they call, moral support. To expect that Pakistan would stop this before an overall settlement of the Kashmir issue is to expect too much from Pakistan,” he said.

Omar said he did not know how the talks would be resumed after the “bar has been set”. “I hope there is some rethink on this,” he said.

Earlier, while addressing a rally of his party, National Conference, in Srinagar, the Chief Minister said the separatist appeal for poll boycott in the region would help the BJP win the elections.

“Unfortunately, we are asked to boycott (elections) for solution to Kashmir. That boycott will not help you. It may not even help the veteran leader (Syed Ali Geelani) who will come out with the slogan of boycott, but it will surely help the RSS, BJP and the Jan Sangh,” Omar said while addressing the rally.

Omar said the BJP was eyeing the low-voting constituencies of “Tral, Sopore, Amira Kadal, Habba Kadal, Khanyar and may be few others also” — all of which are the separatist strongholds — where “their (BJP) only motive is that boycott should take place, people should not come out and these seats will go to them”.

The Chief Minister challenged the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, to say that they would not have an alliance with the BJP.

“They (BJP) are speaking about 44 (seats) because they know (PDP patron) Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) and the BJP have something cooking together and it is our duty to stop them,” Omar said.

Jammu, August 24
Political parties have expressed serious concern over the prevailing hostile situation on the International Border (IB) and demanded adequate compensation for affected families of the border areas.

Ashwani Kumar Sharma, BJP MLA from Bishnah, today visited worst-affected Treva village of his Assembly segment and interacted with some affected families. After visiting the affected villages and families, Sharma demanded adequate compensation for the villagers. He reiterated his demand that alternative shelters should be provided to the border inhabitants at safer places.

Expressing his concern over prevailing hostile situation on the IB, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Vikramaditya today lambasted the state government for not providing relief to the families affected by the heavy shelling in the border areas. He observed that the state government was adopting casual approach towards dealing with this problem.

Vikramaditya said it was the duty of the Centre and the state government to provide security and shelter to border residents. “It is very unfortunate that nothing has been done in this regard,” he said. “The government should immediately provide ration, relief and medical facilities to them,” he demanded.

Jammu, August 24
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated the spirit of Gujjar and Bakerwal youths of Jammu and Kashmir and assured them of their due share in the progress and development of India.

“Gujjar and Bakerwal boys were taken to Agra and Delhi under ‘Sair-e-Watan’ tour, organised by the Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, under Romeo Force. While at Delhi they interacted with the Prime Minister and shared their experiences with him,” said a Defence spokesperson.

They also highlighted the difficulties faced by them due to lack of basic infrastructure and employment opportunities, he added.

The spokesperson said the Prime Minister appreciated their spirit and said they would get their share in the progress and development of India.

These youths belonged to the Rajouri district.

They were thankful to the Romeo Force for giving them an opportunity to move out of their homes and see important historical and cultural places of India and for facilitating their interaction with the Prime Minister, he added. 

Srinagar, August 24
The last session of the 10th Assembly, which will have the shortest duration of six working days, begins on Monday, nearly six months after the Budget session in Jammu.

The last Budget session concluded on March 4. Assembly elections are scheduled to be held by the end of the year. The announcement of the schedule is expected in the first week of October.

With the election to the Lok Sabha of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, the post of leader of the largest party in the Assembly has fallen vacant.

Party sources said Deputy Legislature Party leader and former minister Abdul Rehman Veeri would function as party leader in the House. The House has no Leader of Opposition as no party has the requisite number of 23 members.

“The Assembly Secretariat has received 355 questions for the session. It has received 24 Bills and resolutions. There are four pending Bills,” Speaker Mubarak Gul said.

As per practice, the first day’s business was dedicated to obituaries, an Assembly official said. 

Jammu, August 24
With the BJP national president along with his core group embarking on the “Mission 44 plus”, the Congress has decided to speed up its electioneering process in the state to counter the saffron party’s aggressive campaign.

The party’s election committee headed by former Union Minister Ajay Maken would meet for the first time on August 25 in Srinagar to devise strategy for the forthcoming Assembly polls.

“The first meeting of the election committee is going to be held at Srinagar on Monday to review preparations for the coming Assembly elections,” Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz told The Tribune.

He hoped that all members of the election committee would participate in the meeting.

Sources said during the meeting panels of potential candidates for some of the Assembly segments would be constituted and the same would be forwarded to the party high command for a final decision.

“The party has already given signals to some of the candidates, who would be given tickets for the coming Assembly elections,” a source said, adding in Monday’s meeting names of candidates for Jammu, Samba, Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts would be discussed.

The party had earlier decided to announce candidates after conducting workers’ convention of all the 22 districts of the state.

“Workers’ convention for twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, which was scheduled to be held on August 23, was postponed due to the election committee meeting,” a source said.

The party leadership has already asked its district units to prepare lists of all those leaders who have been staking claims on party tickets, the source added.

Sources in the Congress said majority of the sitting legislators would likely be repeated, but the party leaders were seriously mulling over the idea of replacing a couple of MLAs from the Jammu region.

“Those party leaders who have lost elections in two successive attempts are unlikely to get tickets,” a source said, adding the party was mulling to field new faces on those seats where the BJP has a stronghold.

Sources said Kathua and Udhampur were particularly the two districts where the Congress would focus for yielding better results. The party had performed poorly in these two districts during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Also in the 2008 Assembly elections, the Congress had won only two out of total eight seats in these districts.

Also the shifting of sides by the former parliamentarian Choudhary Lal Singh has forced the Congress to re-devise its strategy for Kathua district. Lal Singh, who hails from Kathua district, recently abandoned the Congress and joined the BJP.

Jammu, August 24
The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has told the Jammu and Kashmir Government to constitute School Management Committees (SMCs)/School Management and Development Committees (SMDCs) for secondary/senior secondary schools in the state.

It has also instructed the state to constitute district level committees to monitor the Rashtriya Madhaymik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

“The RMSA framework provides that every secondary/senior secondary school will constitute School Management and Development Committee (SMDC) at school level,” a Central ministry statement said.

The RMSA was launched by the Government of India in March 2009 with the objective to enhance access to secondary education and to improve its quality.

The scheme envisaged to achieve an enrolment rate of 75 per cent at the secondary stage within the five years of its implementation. — TNS

Anantnag, August 24
Haphazard and illegal construction continues unabated in Anantnag, one of the oldest and biggest town in Kashmir. In the absence of a master plan, the authorities concerned and law makers are just mute spectators. The town was once known for its pristine fresh water springs crisscrossing its length and breadth. However, illegal and mindless constructions over the last decade have reduced these fresh water sources to mere puddles.

“Many springs can nowhere be seen now,” the locals said, adding that the administration and the government had been silent and callous towards the issue. The residents find it ironical that no lawmaker or administrative official has even tried to formulate a master plan for the town. The town is getting congested with every passing year, say the locals.

“The government should have protected the springs and flood channels. It should have also made sure that new planned colonies are marked in peripheries for the residents to move in,” said Rao, a civil society member.

An official source said encroachers had not even spared the government land in the town. “The town has witnessed illegal constructions on the land belonging to the state. There has been a tacit support from some corrupt officials for this illegal practice,” the official source said.

The places where encroachments over water bodies have come up, include Ladi-Laizbal irrigation canal, flood channels passing through Anchidora, Chee, Qazibagh, Nagbal, spring outlets at Mattan Chowk and Dangerpora and Ganjinag springs at Kadipora.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag, Bashir Khan, when asked about the issue accepted that there was no master plan for the town and the chances to formulate one were bleak. “I have joined recently. I will definitely hold a meeting with the town planner to formulate a proposal,” Khan said, adding that he would

also talk to officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to seek a report on constructions on water bodies.

Srinagar, August 24
Ayaz Rasool Nazki, Regional Director, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today.

Nazki briefed the Governor about the ICCR’s current activities and future programmes for projecting the valuable art and cultural traditions of the state, and the efforts which were being made by the ICCR to revive and present them to the people of J&K, other parts of India and to the outside world, a statement said.

Srinagar, August 24
Ather Masoodi, member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Commission on Ecosystem Management, today met Governor NN Vohra here.

Masoodi made a research-based presentation to the Governor about the damage which weeds can cause to water bodies and particularly focused on what requires to be done for effective weed management in the Dal and Wular lakes in Kashmir.

The Governor appreciated Masoodi’s pioneering research work in the field of weed eradication and observed that he would discuss the matter with the state government, a statement said.

Doda, August 24
Security forces busted a militant hideout in Kishtwar district today and seized arms and ammunition.

A joint team of the police and the Rashtriya Rifles today carried out a search operation in Darna village of Bimalnag forests in Kishtwar and busted a hideout used by militants.

Darna village has been a stronghold of the Hizbul Mujahideen for the past 20 years. The known surviving militant, Mohammed Amin, alias Jahangir, also hails from the area.

The recoveries included two AK rifles, one 9 mm carbine machine gun, two pistols, two revolvers, 3,254 rounds of assorted ammunition, six UBGL grenades, 73 hand grenades and five radio sets which apparently belonged to Hizb militant Jahangir. — TNS

Jammu, August 24
The 16th Open Jammu and Kashmir State Taekwondo Championship got under way at Dogra Brahmin Prathinidhi Sabha, Parade, here on Sunday.

The championship is being organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Taekwondo Association under the aegis of the Taekwondo Federation of India.

Around 400 players and officials have arrived in Jammu in connection with the championship. PC Sharma, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Taekwondo Association was the chief guest in the inaugural ceremony.

The ceremony was presided over by Master Daya Nanad, international referee from Delhi and observer from the Taekwondo Federation of India.

Under his supervision, the Jammu and Kashmir team would be selected for participation in the forthcoming senior taekwondo nationals, which were scheduled to be organised in Jaipur, Rajasthan.