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Govt pockets Rs 259
crore by ‘selling' advertisement space
‘Samba gets raw deal in distribution of admn units’
Gaddi, Sippi tribes’ union
protest enters third day |
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Retired SRTC employees hold protest against govt
Seminar dwells on aspects of woman’s life
Pt Bhajan Sopori to perform on Feb 22
JKP XI cruise into semis
Over 9,000 booked for rioting in Kashmir since 2009: Omar
Giant snow sculptures turn heads at Gulmarg
Verbal duel between MLC, Cong minister continues
Kashmir varsity’s senior admn posts lie vacant
KU launches text message service
Bank customers rue poor ATM service in Srinagar
Scattered rain, snow likely in Kashmir
State told to file fresh report on conversion of agri land
Governor briefed on audit report
Hizb militant killed in Budgam
Rights commission
tells govt to expand space in hospitals
Only 35.94% energy output
realised during 2012-13 fiscal
My father died with wish to visit his roots in Jammu: Pak woman
J&K SIT team in Punjab to probe Doda student’s death
Kin of daily wage municipal employees hold protest
Spike in militant attacks, reveals police report
BJP demands medical college for Rajouri, Poonch
BSF jawan kills wife, commits suicide
72 bags of govt ration seized
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Govt pockets Rs 259
crore by ‘selling' advertisement space
Jammu,
February 19 Replying to a question raised by MLA Yashpual Kundal in the Legislative Assembly, Urban Development Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora said both municipal corporations had privatised the space for hoardings displaying private or government messages. The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) has earned Rs 255.02 crore while the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has garnered Rs 4.43 crore. The
JMC has given the rights to Selvel Media Service Pvt Ltd for advertising
within the municipal limits after charging a required licence fee. Over
306 unauthorised constructions raised within the municipal
limits have been demolished by the SMC while 209 illegal
structures await action, he said. The minister said in Jammu, the JMC
had registered cases against 166 persons in 2013-14 for raising illegal
constructuions and nine buildings had been demolished while 87
cases were sub judice in the court. Three buildings had been sealed. Tightening the noose on illegal
structures * Over 306
unauthorised constructions raised within the municipal limits have been
demolished by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation while 209 illegal
structures await action |
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‘Samba gets raw deal in distribution of admn units’
Jammu, February 19 Addressing a press conference, Sangral said blocks had been created in Samba district, but no new naibats or tehsils had been given to the constituency, where the people had to cover a long distance to get even a simple work done at any government department. “It is an election gimmick as no detailed answer has been given to the questions such as when the new units will start functioning. Regarding Samba, the area has not benefited from the decision of the government as no new tehsil has been granted to the area,” Sangral said. Highlighting the failure of local MLA Yashpal Kundal, Sangral said no efforts had been made to develop the tourist potential of Purmandal and the shrine of Baba Gourn, Sumb.
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Gaddi, Sippi tribes’
union protest enters third day
Jammu, February 19 Addressing the gathering, Bimal Kumar said their protest would continue for five days in support of their demands. He said the government had established the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) for the development of the schedule tribes (ST) of the Ladakh region, where over 10 per cent population belongs to the ST category. “The government has made various provisions for the welfare of the Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes, but ignored the Gaddi Sippi communities,” alleged Kumar. He demanded establishment of an advisory board for the development of the Gaddi Sippi communities, establishment of hostels, restart of pre-matric scholarship, abolition of sub categories of the ST category, representation in the Upper House of the State Legislature, representation in district development boards, a district ST advisory group, J&KSSB, J&KPSC and other welfare boards and recognition of Gaddi language in the 6th schedule of the Constitution of J&K. — TNS |
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Retired SRTC employees hold protest against govt
Jammu, February 19 They were protesting against the failure of the government to fulfil its promises made to them when they took voluntary retirement. They alleged that the management and the government had made a false promise that their dues, including 126 slabs of cost of living allowance (COLA) would be cleared. The association has demanded a vigilance probe into the alleged misuse of the funds released for clearing the COLA slabs of the employees. They alleged that the government had assured them that their money would be cleared on time, but only a few people had received their dues. They raised slogans against the SRTC managing director and the Finance Department for not fulfilling their promise. Association president Dev Raj Bali alleged that the management had not cleared their pending arrears since 1999 and implemented the 6th Pay Commission with effect from 2006. He said the SRTC management has wrongly represented their case which was still pending before the Finance Department . |
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Seminar dwells on aspects of woman’s life
Jammu, February 19 The topic of the seminar was “condition of women everyday, today and tomorrow”, covering social, religious and political aspects of a woman’s life wherein the emphasis was mainly on the prevailing condition of the women. Dr Nirmal Kamal (Retd) HoD of Economics, Jammu University; Prof Veena Gupta from the Dogri Department and Prof Sapandeep, Handa College of Education, were the main speakers. Members of the executive body of the organisation— president Prof Sarla Kohli, vice-president Dr Renu Gupta (chairperson, MIER College), general secretary Prof Indira Rathore (Retd principal), joint secretary Prof Nancy Handoo and Shashi Thakur (DySP) were also present at the event. — TNS |
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Pt Bhajan Sopori to perform on Feb 22
Jammu, February 19 The concert will be held at the Mubarak Mandi complex at 6 pm on Saturday. The programme will also feature Ragini Rainu’s Sufi vocal and maestro Abhay Rustum Sopori. Meanwhile on the 10th day, the SaMaPa Aalap Festival-2014 featured a mesmerising santoor recital by Abhay Rustum Sopori at Calliope Institute here. The performance was witnessed by more than 800 students and music lovers. The concert was attended by Roma Wani, Manish Suri, chairperson, Calliope Educational Trust, Deepali Suri, Anju Karki, Principal, Calliope School, Sunita Pandita, Principal, Calliope B.Ed College and Pandit Vijay Shankar Mishra, music critic and musicologist. The concert was followed by an interactive session where students came up with various queries on music and culture. Abhay Sopori told the students to maintain a balance between academics and music. Manish Suri presented mementos and bouquets to the musicians and guests. |
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JKP XI cruise into semis
Jammu, February 19 The JKP drew first blood in the seventh minute to take the early lead. Asif Majid, Fayaz Ahmad and Vishal Bandral scored goals for the JKP XI in 30th, 41st and 89th minute, respectively. For the Vijay Club, Naresh Kumar scored the lone goal. — TNS
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Over 9,000 booked for rioting in Kashmir since 2009: Omar
Jammu, February 19 "As many as 1,733 cases, involving 9,166 persons, have been registered since 2009 in different districts of the Kashmir division. These persons were booked on the charges of rioting, stone throwing and waging war against the state in Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Shopian, Bandipora, Pulwama, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Kupwara towns," Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also Minister in charge of the Home Department, said. "As many as 738 cases of stone throwing, rioting and waging war against the state involving 3,175 persons were registered in Srinagar from 2009 to January 31 this year," the Chief Minister said. Interestingly, Srinagar district is the bastion of the ruling National Conference (NC), where all the eight Assembly seats are held by NC legislators. In Pulwama district, a total of 127 cases involving 1,176 youth were registered in the last five years, while a total of 256 cases involving 867 persons were registered in Baramulla district in the period. "The number of cases registered in Anantnag district was 191, where 940 youth were booked on the charges of stone throwing, rioting and waging war against the state. In Kulgam district, the number of such cases was 87 involving 751 youth and the number of cases in Kupwara district was 53 involving 420 youth," the Chief Minister said in the reply. In the Chief Minister's home district, Ganderbal, a total of 75 such cases involving 349 youth were registered, while the number of cases registered in Shopian district was 79 where 709 persons were booked in the period. "In Bandipora district, the total number of cases registered was 127 involving 779 persons in the period," Omar said. In response to another query, the Chief Minister said 230 cases involving 1,811 persons were identified for withdrawal following announcement of the Amnesty Scheme in August, 2011. Of these, 228 cases have been withdrawn, while proceedings in the remaining two cases were under process. He, however, said there was no proposal under consideration of the state government to grant amnesty to any militant or any person involved in any heinous crime.
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Giant snow sculptures turn heads at Gulmarg
Srinagar, February 19 Not only tourists but also locals can be seen posing for photographs in front of these snow sculptures, some of which are around 20 feet high. Though snow sculpting events are common in some European and Asian countries, the event was held for the first time in Kashmir. A group of local artists, under the aegis of ‘Callisto Art’, organised a ‘Snow Fiesta’ where around 15 of them got together to create snow sculptures. The artists chose Gulmarg for erecting the sculptures because the ski resort remains covered with a thick blanket of snow during the winter. “Besides being an artistic activity, our aim was to boost tourism. Snow sculpting is an international event and we made a beginning this year with the help of the Tourism Department,” said Fida Hussain, an artist associated with Callisto Art. Though the event concluded on Saturday, the snow sculptures are intact. The main attraction is a 20-foot-high sculpture of a traditional Kashmir “samovar” which is leaving the visitors spellbound. A snow-carved traditional Kashmiri basket, an igloo and pyramid-like structures are also turning heads at Gulmarg. While tourists are finding the art works attractive, the locals also seem impressed. “We all make snowmen in the winter at our homes but I had not imagined that snow can be turned into high quality art,” said Shahid, a local visitor. |
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Verbal duel between MLC, Cong minister continues
Jammu, February 19 As soon as the question hour in the Legislative Council resumed today, National Conference MLC Bashir Ahmad Veeri stood up and demanded an apology from the Congress minister for using an unparliamentary language against him. “Yesterday when I staged a walkout, the minister allegedly used unparliamentary language against me and termed me a blackmailer,” Veeri said. “To preserve the sanctity of the House, the minister must apologise. It is not acceptable that a minister use such bad words for an MLC,” Veeri said. His demand was outrightly rejected by the minister. Replying to the demand of Veeri, Sham Lal Sharma said, “I haven’t used unparliamentary language and if the MLC is not satisfied, he may initiate a breach of privilege motion against me.” But the National Conference MLC didn’t listen to the minister and continued asking the Legislative Council Chairman, Amrit Malhotra, to press the minister to apologise. It was on Tuesday, when Veeri raised the issue of shortage of drinking water in Bijbehara to which the minister said there was no truth behind the issue and Veeri was unnecessarily trying to politicise the issue.
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Kashmir varsity’s senior admn posts lie vacant
Srinagar, February 19 Although the university has claimed to have filled 200 teaching and non-teaching posts in shortest possible time, absence of senior administrative officers in various campuses of the university is a matter of concern. Recently, the university updated a notification on its website and organised interviews for the posts of curator, laboratory assistant and field collector. Hundreds of aspirants had applied for these non-teaching positions. Kashmir University Registrar Zaffer Ahmad Reshi told The Tribune that at least 150 additional vacancies would be filled in the university soon. However, on filling of top-level posts, Reshi said the university usually appointed a screening committee. “It takes time to fill the posts in the administrative department. Besides, the screening committee has to seek consultation from higher-ups in the administration,” Reshi maintained. He added that people need to be acquainted with the fact that filling of these posts was time-consuming. Sources told The Tribune that the screening committee assigned with the job of filling these vacancies was recently in Jammu to hold interviews, but no fruitful result could be achieved. “The university is trying to rope in top academicians from various universities of the state for these high-profile posts. The process is taking long due to that,” sources revealed. The university had come under sharp criticism recently for brain drain of senior faculty members to other universities. The reasons behind the same were fatter salaries drawn by the staff members at Central University Kashmir (CUK) as well as longer tenure of service, which compelled some bright teachers and administration officials from the state to move to CUK. |
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KU launches text message service
Srinagar, February 19 The facility is part of various IT initiatives being launched by the university under the e-governance project. Ahmad said, “Switching over to e-governance will be a great initiative for the students/candidates and other stakeholders of the university.” Through this facility, the university will be able to send various SMSes to its stakeholders regarding the status of online forms, enrolment, fee deposit, conference participation and salary of the employees. Giving details of the project, chief coordinator (e-governance project), KU, and senior scientist Maroof Qadri said the Directorate of IT&SS approached the Union Ministry of Communication & Information Technology for bulk SMS service for its academic use and the said service was approved. — TNS
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Coaching centres call off strike
Srinagar, February 19 The decision to call off the proposed strike was taken today by the association after a meeting with the administration under the aegis of the Divisional Commissioner. “We decided to call off the strike after the administration accepted almost all our demands regarding the regularisation of the private tuition industry,” said CCA chairman GN Var. “This will go a long way in benefiting the students and society,” he added. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Commissioner and the Director, Education. “The Director, Education, was directed to give a checklist required for registering a coaching centre within a day, following which the eligible coaching centres would have to be registered within the next 15 days,” said Var. “Every file would be routed through the CCA and the association would be kept in loop while registering any outside centre,” he added. The Director, Education, was also asked to give a reply in writing in case they refuse registration to any coaching centre. The Divisional Commissioner suggested a mechanism wherein coaching centres would implement all guidelines in tandem with the administration. “Our association has been asked to constitute bylaws and hold regular elections to make it a fully democratic body,” said Var. “In case any coaching centre violates the norms, the district administration as well as the Director, Education, would have the power to inspect the same,” said Var. “The association has also been asked to give in writing that it will abide by the laws,” he added. The meeting also kept a cap of 125 on the number of coaching centres. “The number will be revised during annual meetings and the next one will be held in January 2015,” said Var. |
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Bank customers rue poor ATM service in Srinagar
Srinagar, February 19 The faulty ATMs have made it difficult for numerous customers to make withdrawals from their accounts through the ATMs. Many of the ATMs displayed an “out of service” message on their monitors, while others were unable to dispense cash due to network problems. However, bank officials say people didn’t complain to them. Nausheeba Khan, a university student, rued that she visited three ATMs near Lal Chowk and they all had problems. Her ATM card also got stuck for some time in one of the ATMs. “I first visited the J&K bank’s ATM near Jahangir, but didn’t get the money, even after trying thrice. It was defunct. Then I visited another ATM around Sarai Bala, which too had problems. I was in dire need of money that day,” she added. Another person said the same problem was witnessed at J&K Bank ATM in Polo View and Gogji Bagh near Town Square Mall. “I mostly come to use this ATM and from sometime this ATM is not working properly. Many a time card gets stuck into it. The bank authorities seem to be paying no heed to the problem,” said Tanzeel. “The machines that usually take 60 seconds to complete a transaction have been taking more time to complete the transaction and the problem arises when we click yes on receipts,” customers rued. Officials of the ATM unit of Jammu and Kashmir Bank said they would fix the problem. “We didn’t get complaints from people. We will check the problem and fix it,” said the officer. |
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Scattered rain, snow likely in Kashmir
Srinagar, February 19 In its forecast bulletin issued on Wednesday morning, the state Meteorological Department here said light rain and snow would occur at isolated places over the state in the next 24 hours. During the subsequent two days, Friday and Saturday, the region was likely to receive “scattered” rain and snow, the department said. The department said there was a possibility of light rain and thundershowers in the city on Thursday with maximum temperature likely to be around 10 degrees Celsius and minimum temperature likely to drop to minus 2 degrees Celsius. The overnight minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 1.5 degrees Celsius, which was an increase of one degree from the normal, the department said. The mercury in the city had fallen to minus 2.5 degrees Celsius and minus 3.3 degrees Celsius during the past two nights. The region is already past the harshest part of winter, which ended last month. The mercury in Qazigund increased marginally to settle at minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, as against the previous night's minus 3.8 degrees Celsius. |
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State told to file fresh report on conversion of agri land
Srinagar, February 19 The directions were passed by a Division Bench comprising Justice Hasnain Massodi and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, following public interest litigation by a non-governmental organisation calling for a ban on conversion of agrarian land to residential or commercial purposes. “DCs (Deputy Commissioners) in their status/compliance reports have indicated details of the unauthorised conversion of agriculture land in their respective districts .However, the reports did not indicate the action taken in terms of the law for removal or demolition of constructions raised in violation of the law,” the court observed in its order. “All Deputy Commissioners, including those who are yet to file their reports and also the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, will submit fresh status/compliance reports by or before next date of hearing, indicating the action taken against the unauthorised conversion (of agriculture land) with the figures thereof,” the court directed in its orders, while posting the matter for further consideration on March 11. On July 10, 2013, while referring to the Uttarakhand disaster, the High Court had said it does not want a “situation parallel to Uttarakhand” in Jammu and Kashmir, and had asked the state government to act swiftly against the conversion of agriculture land for non-agriculture purposes. It had earlier directed the state government to ensure that no conversion of agricultural land is allowed for commercial, residential and industrial purposes in J&K. Agricultural land in J&K shrinking The conversion of agriculture land for non-agriculture purposes, especially for construction, is emerging as a major concern as far as food security and limited resources in the state are concerned. According to the recently released Economic Survey report for 2011-12, the operated area under agriculture in the state has shrunk from 9.26 lakh hectares in 2000-01 to 9.23 lakh hectares in 2010-11, registering a decrease of 0.041 per cent. One of the prime reasons for decrease in agriculture land holdings has been attributed to its conversion for construction and other purposes. |
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Governor briefed on audit report
Jammu, February 19 Pandey also briefed the Governor about mechanisms put in place for promoting excellence in the state's public sector through audit and accounting services, speedy settlement of pension cases and other activities. Vohara also discussed with Pandey the need for highest priority in maintenance of financial probity and fiscal discipline in the government departments and transparency at all levels. — TNS |
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Hizb militant killed in Budgam
Srinagar, February 19 A joint operation was launched by the Army and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the J&K Police in Dalwan village of Charer-e- Sharief, 40 km from Srinagar, following specific information about the presence of three militants in the area, the police said. “Militants fired at the securitymen and in the exchange of fire that ensued, a militant was killed,” a senior police officer said. He added that the slain militant has been identified as Tauseef Ahmed Dar of Hizbul Mujahideen. Sources within the police said Dar was a category ‘A’ militant belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen. “He was active in the central and south Kashmir for almost five years and was involved in many militancy-related incidents,” a source said. Tauseef is the second militant of the Hizbul, who has been killed in the last three days across Kashmir. On Sunday, a top militant of the group in north Kashmir’s Sopore area was killed in an encounter. Defence spokesperson Lt Col NN Joshi had earlier said the encounter erupted when an Army team moving towards alwan village in Budgam came under fire from militants. “During the ensuing fire fight, one unidentified gunman got killed,” the defence spokesperson said, adding that one SLR, one pouch, four SLR magazines, 13 SLR rounds, one grenade and a PAN card was recovered from the slain militant. “The PAN card is in the name of Tauseef Ahmad Dar, son of Ghulam Hassan, a resident of Pulwama. The police party has taken the possession of the body and is trying to ascertain the identity of the body,” he said. Meanwhile, four civilians were injured in the clashes that started immediately after the encounter ended. Sources said soon after the encounter ended, the residents of the area tried to march towards the encounter site. “In the clashes that followed, four civilians were injured. One of the civilians has reportedly received a bullet injury,” a source said. The police spokesperson in Srinagar, however, denied the reports and said no civilian was injured in the clashes that followed the encounter. |
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Rights commission
tells govt to expand space in hospitals
Srinagar,
February 19 The
commission has told the authorities concerned that patients in these
hospitals must not be compelled to share bed with others. These directions have been passed by a SHRC Division Bench comprising its chairman Rafiq Fida and S Amalok Singh while hearing a complaint filed by Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna. Khanna,
in his complaint before the SHRC, had sought intervention of the
commission on a news report, “Patients share beds in Jammu hospital,”
published by The Tribune on September 23, 2011. The news report had highlighted the pathetic overcrowding of patients at the SMGS Hospital, Jammu, where patients are forced to share beds with others. “The
plight highlighted in the news item and brought in the notice of the
commission is a genuine concern. Health care must assume the highest and
top most priority,” the SHRC said in its judgment on February 18. “There
is no room in the medical care system for such a situation where a
patient will share bed with another one. The bed-sharing can expose both
patients to a number of infections and communicable diseases,” SHRC
said in its verdict, adding, “The authorities at the helm of affairs
could have also arranged or opted for the installation of pre-fabricated
huts on the premises of the hospitals to cater to heavy rush of
patients.” The commission in its judgment has also taken cognisance
of a recent report published in a local newspaper here, wherein it has
been said that patients and doctors at SKIMS Medical College and
Hospital at Bemina, Srinagar, are facing problems due to the lack of
proper space and facilities in the gynaecology ward where two patients
share a single bed. It recommended the government to “raise and
expand” the present bedding space in SMGS Hospital, Jammu; SKIMS Soura,
Bemina, and LD Hospital (in Srinagar city) and other hospitals where
such problems are “severe and intense.” “The governments (Centre
and state) will (enure that)… patients must not be made to share bed
with another patient in all government hospitals of the state,” the
SHRC recommended in its verdict. It has directed the Commissioner
Secretary to Government, Health & Medical Education Department,
J&K; Director, Health Services, Jammu/Kashmir, and Director SKIMS
Soura (Srinagar) to submit their respective compliance reports regarding
the steps taken for arranging installation of pre-fabricated huts or
other measures for the redressal of these grievances and ensure that no
case of bed-sharing is noticed.J&K scores lowest in energy
management efficiency
Jammu, February 19 This was revealed by the latest Economic Survey Report tabled by the government in the Legislative Assembly. It highlights that the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses are about 57.40 per cent and the aggregate loss is up to 64.06 per cent due to loss in transmission from power houses to commercial and residential consumers, mainly because of theft and illegal load. Though the report says the T&D scenario is better as compared to 2011-12 and has come down by 4 per cent during 2012-13 and the aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses are down by around 9 per cent, the report has underlined that a lot needs to be done in reaching the nationally accepted percentage to save crores of rupees in purchasing power from different sources. Further, to meet the gap, the department has entered into a banking arrangement with Punjab, Haryana and Chhattisgarh where power is banked during the summer and received in the winter. The energy demand in J&K has increased during the 11th Plan period at an annual rate of 5 or 6 per cent and to meet the demand, the department has enforced power cuts during the winter and summer months. “These cuts are of the order of 8 hours in the summer and 10 hours in the winter. Even after cuts, the restricted demand was around 12,120.025 MUs in 2012-13 which necessitated the banking of power during the summer with other states utilising and using same in the winter,” the economic survey has highlighted. The report says the power sector is a major reason for revenue loss in the state and there is a need to explore investment through private participation in dealing with the T&D losses. As far as the consumption of electricity is considered, the per capita power consumption in the state has shown a steady growth and presently it is around 928 units against the national average of around 900 units per year in 2012-13. “Due to extreme climatic conditions in most parts of the state, the per capita consumption is low. The issue needs to be addressed by increased generation for which the state has framed ambitious plans to add 9,000 MW during the 12th and 13th Plan period,” the report has suggested.
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My father died with wish to visit his roots in Jammu: Pak woman
Zero Line (Suchetgarh), Feb 19 Zeba, apparently in her fifties, had come along with her children to the Inayat post manned by the Pakistan Rangers, opposite the Octroi post of the BSF in the Suchetgarh area of RS Pura along the 198-km-long international border. With peace returning on the Indo-Pak borders, citizens of both countries have started thronging the international border to have a glimpse of the other side. Among them are those whose forefathers belonged to Jammu before the Partition. Standing on the Pakistani side of a man-made barrier between pillar number 919 (maintained by the BSF) and pillar number 918 (maintained by the Rangers), Zeba Rashid, who comes from a Punjabi family, said, “I wish this barrier would not have been here. My father died with a hope to see these barriers and borders melting away some day so as to visit his ancestral house in Jammu, but alas! his wish remained unfulfilled.” She said people on both sides of the divide do not want any animosity between the two countries. “The civil society in Pakistan wants good neighbourly relations with India and I think so do the people of India, but politicians on both the sides want to keep the pot boiling for their ulterior motives,” she added. Zeba hoped that a day would come when writ of the right-thinking people in both the countries would prevail upon politicians removing animosity and hatred “engineered” over the years. Zeba’s young son Ehsan Rashid and her nephew Waqar from Sialkot — new and educated generation of Pakistan — also want good and healthy relations with India and its people. They said it was time both countries shed the burden of the past and moved forward ameliorating the socio-economic condition of their people. From the Octroi post, Sialkot and Lahore in Pakistan are 11 km and 141 km away, respectively. The road that today leads to the Octroi post from Jammu city was a rail track before 1947, connecting Sialkot with Jammu. Pillar No 918 Strange it may sound, but Pakistan Rangers maintain a peepal tree (Ficus religiosa) instead of pillar number 918 on their side of the Zero Line at the Inayat post, opposite the BSF's Octroi post in the Suchetgarh area of the RS Pura sector. The pillar number 918 — of the size of a milestone on road — has disappeared after the peepal tree grew close to it. Today, a full-grown peepal tree has completely “consumed” the pillar that was made up of bricks. The tree has grown in such a manner that its branches and trunk have extended into Pakistan and India in equal proportion, reminding one and all that nature knows no man-made boundaries. |
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J&K SIT team in Punjab to probe Doda student’s death
Doda, February 19 The team reached Hoshiarpur on February 17. Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo said on the instructions of the Chief Minister, the Home and Police Department had deputed a special team, headed by Superintendent of Police Abdul Raouf to coordinate with the Punjab Police for speedy investigation into the case. He said this while replying to a clubbed calling attention notice by Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy and Syed Asgar Ali regarding the mysterious death of the B-Tech who was studying at Riyat Bahra College of Engineering and Technology, Hoshiarpur. The relatives of the deceased student are accompanying the special team, the minister said. Kichloo said the Principal Secretary, Home, had separately taken up the matter with the Financial Commissioner, Home Affairs, Punjab Government, and had requested him to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a fair and speedy investigation. He said the matter was being pursued vigorously at the highest level with the authorities in Punjab. |
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Kin of daily wage municipal employees hold protest
Doda, February 19 They raised slogans against the government for delaying regularisation of their earning family members, engaged in the Municipal Committee since a decade. They said the government every year assured them of regularisation but had failed to do so. “We fail to make both ends meet in a meagre salary of Rs 4,500. How can we survive?” a wife of a daily wager asked. The employees said they were on a strike for the past 13 days and no official had met them and taken stock of the situation. Meanwhile, the Doda Tehsildar rushed to spot and assured the protesters of early resolution of their problems. — OC |
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Spike in militant attacks, reveals police report
Srinagar, February 19 The militant attacks on security forces in the Kashmir zone increased last year by 82.4 per cent as compared to 2012, reads the police document accessed by The Tribune. The number of attacks on security forces in the region nearly doubled from 17 in 2012 to 31 in 2013. Last year, militants carried out a series of point-blank shootings against police and paramilitary personnel, two brazen ambushes against Army personnel and a fidayeen attack which marked a major upswing in the violence. In recent years, the number of militants and their attacks on security forces had drastically decreased. At the beginning of last year, the number of militants present in the region was estimated to be around 100. The police document says 28 Army and paramilitary personnel, 14 police personnel and three special police officers (SPOs) were killed in militant attacks last year, which was a three-fold increase in the casualty figures from 2012, when 14 security forces personnel were killed. The figures do not include the number of attacks and casualties in the Jammu zone. Militants also managed to carry out attacks in Srinagar, considered a secure district, where 10 security forces personnel were killed and 40 injured. Nine personnel were killed and 17 injured in the adjoining Budgam district. Ninety two security forces personnel were injured last year. Last year, the security forces launched at least 1,965 counter-insurgency operations across the Kashmir zone, but managed to locate and engage militants in encounters in just 36 operations. The number of militants killed in 2013 remained almost the same as the previous year, the document reveals. In 2013, 61 militants, including 45 foreigners, were killed, while 60 militants, including 49 foreigners, were killed in 2012. Ten “commanders” were among the 61 militants killed last year. The commanders include Shabir Ahmad Bhat and Assadullah Qari of the Hizbul Mujahideen, and Qari Yasir and Altaf Ahmad Baba of the Jaish-e-Mohammad. The security forces arrested 62 militants last year (138 arrested in 2012) which included Lashkar-e-Toiba’s commander Fahadullah and Hizbul Mujahideen’s Talib
Lali. Tracking militancy *
The number of attacks on security forces in the Kashmir region nearly doubled from 17 in 2012 to 31 in 2013 *&
The toll has tripled as 28 Army and paramilitary personnel, 14 police personnel and three special police officers were killed in militant attacks last year. In 2012, 14 security forces personnel were killed *
61 militants, including 10 ‘commanders’, were killed last year. The commanders include Shabir Ahmad Bhat and Assadullah Qari of the Hizbul Mujahideen, and Qari Yasir and Altaf Ahmad Baba of the Jaish-e-Mohammad |
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BJP demands medical college for Rajouri, Poonch
Rajouri, February 19 BJP leaders, including Vibodh Gupta, state-vice president, Rajinder Gupta and Yogesh Sharma, former district head, criticised MP Madan Lal Sharma (Jammu-Poonch constituency) and former state Health Minister Shabir Ahmed Khan for their failure to get a medical college sanctioned for the districts. “The region was neglected when the Railway Minister didn’t utter a word about the proposed/approved Jammu-Poonch rail link in his recent Budget speech. Now, discrimination has been done by not granting a medical college while the Udhampur-Doda constituency got two medical colleges,” said Vibodh Gupta. — OC |
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BSF jawan kills wife, commits suicide
Udhampur, February 19 Reports said BSF constable P Prasana (32), a resident of Karnataka, presently drill instructor at Subsidiary Training Centre, Udhampur, was residing with his wife and a one-year-old daughter at quarter No. 48 of the centre. He entered into a verbal duel with his wife in the evening and allegedly lost his temper and strangulated his wife. As Prasana saw his wife dead, he hanged himself from the ceiling fan of his room. BSF officers contacted the local police. A police team along with forensic experts reached the spot and started investigation. “Although primary investigations reveal that after strangulating his wife, the BSF jawan hanged himself. But it is early to draw a conclusion as the forensic team is on its job and statements of witnesses are also being recorded,” said a senior police officer. The dead bodies were sent to the district hospital for postmortem. — OC |
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72 bags of govt ration seized
Rajouri, February 19 The seizure was a part of a consignment of 170 rice bags sent from Food Corporation of India store at Rajouri to the office of the Tehsil Supply Officer (TSO) at Manjakot, sources said. “We raided the store and found 72 bags in the truck. We have seized the truck,” the Majnakot SHO said. — OC
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Jammu, February 19
The Department of Tourism is organising a special presentation, featuring music legend of the state Pandit Bhajan Sopori.
The concert will be held at the Mubarak Mandi complex at 6 pm on Saturday. The programme will also feature Ragini Rainu’s Sufi vocal and maestro Abhay Rustum
Sopori.
Around a dozen giant sculptures carved out of snow have become head turners this season at Gulmarg, synonymous with ski slopes and cable car rides.
Not only tourists but also locals can be seen posing for photographs in front of these snow sculptures, some of which are around 20 feet high.
Kashmir University’s senior-level administrative posts, including Directors of north, south and main campuses, Joint Registrars for three campuses, Director, Convocation Complex, and Deputy Director, Directorate of Internal Quality and Assurance (DIQA), are lying vacant for the past some time.
“My father Mohammed Aslam died with a wish to visit his ancestral home in Jammu city. He used to tell us about the Tawi, his childhood and friends. He is no more today, but yes he always dreamt of visiting his roots till his last,” said Zeba Rashid, a
Pakistani woman from Karachi.
Security forces in the Kashmir region struggled against militancy in 2013 as attacks against them nearly doubled and the casualty toll tripled even as 61 militants were killed in nearly 2,000 counter-insurgency operations, a police document has revealed.
* The Jammu
Municipal Corporation has registered cases against 166 persons in
2013-14 for raising illegal constructuions and nine buildings have been
demolished while 87 cases are sub judice in the court
The Chief Minister provided this information in a written reply to a question of the Leader of the PDP Legislative Party, Mehbooba Mufti, in the state Legislative Assembly.