Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: The failure of Government and concerned agencies to formulate plan for establishing different parking lots in the old city areas......more

Financial assistance
distributed to families of
Sikh Regiment martyrs

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: In a touching and solemn ceremony, financial assistance was extended to over 66 widows and other next of kin of martyrs.......more

SC directive to 4 JK DCs
on Jammu migrants

Excelsior Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: The Division Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice B N Kirpal K G Balakrishnan and Justice.....more

Bhagvaan Gopinath Trust organises function

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: For the upliftment of educational standard and for encouragement of the deserving.......more

Remount & Veterinary
Corps of Army turns 222

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Dec 14: The Remount Veterinary Corps with a history of 222 years, celebrated its raising day in the Command today......more

Develop scientific temper
among students, Rampaul
asks educationists

Specail Correspondent

Jammu, Dec 14: The Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Ram Paul today inaugurated Science exhibition-2001 at Dr. Ambedkar Convent......more

Joint Council of
KPs denies report

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: Denying that the Joint Council of Kashmiri Pandits has been dissolved as stated by Mr Piyaray Lal Kaul (advocate), Mr G K Mujoo, convenor of the Adhoc Committee.......more

DGPC holds meeting
of intellectuals

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14:District Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (DGPC) convened a meeting of intellectuals and prominent persons of Sikh community today which was attended by over 100 persons...........more

HC directs CAEE to offer
free seat to a petitioner

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: Justice T S Doabia of the State High Court has directed the Competent Authority Entrance Examinations (CAEE) and others that the petitioner Sonia Kohli be allowed a free seat instead of a "payment seat............more

Dilapidated drainage system weakening foundations
Lack of parking slots cast shadow on business
of Raghunath Bazar

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: The failure of Government and concerned agencies to formulate plan for establishing different parking lots in the old city areas has cast its dark shadow on one of the business hub of the city—Raghunath Bazar.

With the prominent bazar of the city is not equipped to provide parking space to the large number of Marutis, Esteems and unaccounted number of two-wheelers, the businessmen of Raghunath Bazar are finding it difficult to cope with the declining trend in their business.

"If 100 visitors desire to visit different shops in the Bazar only 50 of them manage to get parking place for their vehicles", one of the businessmen said, adding "50 others leave the bazar finding it difficult to get any parking space near the bazar thus go away without shopping".

Though the Bazar has facility to provide parking to around 120 four wheelers yet around 40 vehicles are being parked every day due to the occupying of space by the unaccounted two-wheelers, most of them are of the employees of different shops of the Bazar.

"The businessmen of Raghunath Bazar had also decided to not to park their own and employees vehicles in the parking space of Bazar", president of Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association Mr Baldev Khullar said and added that the lack of any parking stand near the bazar has resulted into violation of that decision. But despite that all the shop-keepers are parking their vehicles in other parking stands.

What Government lacks is the will on its part as not even a single proposal has been made since last one decade to cope with the increase in number of vehicles. "Now every 9 persons out of 10 have vehicle but not even a single parking space has been created in the old city areas especially for the visitors of Raghunath Bazar, Purani Mandi and Kanak Mandi business centres", the sources said, adding if sincere efforts are being made by the Government it can find a number of places to construct parking stands.

"The multi-storey parking lots can be constructed at General Bus-Stand, near SMGS Hospital, near Indira Chowk and by demolishing Centre Basic School which has very less number of students", one of the PWD Engineer said, adding "if immediate steps are not taken the situation would further aggravate in the coming years".

What further compounds the problems is the dilapidated condition of drainage system of the Bazar which has not been upgraded since the inception of bazar. The businessmen allege that the dilapidated condition of drainage has started weakening the foundations of their shops and other buildings in the Bazar.

They disclosed that a project worth Rs 30 lakh which was formulated with the active support of former BJP MP Vaid Vishnu Dutt has not been implemented so far.

When contacted Mr K B Jandial, Administrator, Jammu Municipality said that he has written a number of letters to concerned authorities regarding drainage problem. "The problem of drainage system is not only confined to Raghunath Bazar and there are so many localities like Rajinder Bazar, Kanak Mandi, Vinayak Bazar and Canal Road where drainage system require immediate attention", he said and informed that he is going to raise this issue during his meeting with Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Financial assistance distributed to families of Sikh
Regiment martyrs

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: In a touching and solemn ceremony, financial assistance was extended to over 66 widows and other next of kin of martyrs of the Sikh Regiment. Major General R K Mengra, YSM, VSM, General Officer Commanding 29 Infantry Division graced the occasion.

As per a release, the Sikh Regiment is one of the Indian Army’s oldest and most decorated Regiments. It has the bulk of its recruitment from Punjab and the surrounding areas. The nation has not forgotten the defiant stand by Subedar Joginder Singh at Bum La in 1962 where he led his platoon to inflict the first defeat on the invading Chinese. In this battle, Subedar Joginder Singh made the supreme sacrifice and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

In another action in 1962 at Walong, Sepoy Kewal Singh of 4 Sikh fought a magnificent delaying action and single handedly held at bay marauding Chinese invaders till he too made the supreme sacrifice. The saga of bravery and gallantry continued on 1965 and 1971. The latest feather in the cap is the action by a Sikh at Tiger Hill during Operation Vijay. In the true traditions of the Regiment, 30 gallant all the ranks made the supreme sacrifices while battling heavy odds.

Speaking on the occasion, the General Officer Commanding acknowledged the contribution of sons of the Punjab to the security of the nation and also conveyed appreciation and gratitude to all the widows, some of whom had travelled long distances to attend the function. He assured the next of kin and war widows that the Army will do everything possible to hold them in their future life.

Financial assistance amounting to Rs 50,000 to each widow was released from Government’s National Defence Fund and would go a long way in providing succor to the widows.

SC directive to 4 JK DCs on Jammu migrants

Excelsior Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: The Division Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice B N Kirpal K G Balakrishnan and Justice Airjit Parysat today directed the four District Commissioners of Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir to inform the Apex Court as to how many migrants have been residing in their respective districts from Jammu province and what help, financially and otherwise, has been given to them.

The order was made on the request of Prof Bhim Singh, Advocate, arguing a petition of J&K National Panthers Party, praying for including all Jammu migrants from these four districts in the category of the poorest of the poor, BPL category so as to provide them free ration, medicines, shelter and education facilities for their children.

It was submitted that Jammu and Kashmir State has been discriminating these migrants by not providing any help and assistance since 1998. He told the court that many have died of starvation and have been living in most inhuman conditions ever since they were forced to leave their homes.

Attorney General Soli Sorabjee, who appeared for the Union of India, assured cooperation to find a solution on the humanitarian grounds.

Anis Sohrawardy, who appeared for J&K, wanted more relief fund to accommodate Jammu migrants.

The Court also allowed Prof Singh to file rejoinder and directed that the case be taken up after the vacations

Bhagvaan Gopinath Trust organises function

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 14: For the upliftment of educational standard and for encouragement of the deserving students a function was organised at Bhagvaan Gopinathji Ashram Udaiwala Bohri near here today.

As per a release, about 100 students who have been adopted by the Bhagvaan Gopinathji Trust attended the function.

It was presided over by President of the Trust who in her address laid emphasis on importance of education in the present world. "She said the proper education will develop the children to become the useful and responsible citizens in future. She stressed the children to inculcate the habits of reading, writing and devotion among themselves.

Mr H L Kadalbaju, Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education who also graced the occasion presented the gifts on behalf of the Ashram to the children of different migrant camps.

In his address he urged the students to understand and devote whole heartedly to their educational pursuit in the present state of competitive world. The educational talent from the nation is required for the growth of national and universal progress, he added.

The Trust is providing educational aid to the students from camps. Among others who spoke on the occasion included Messrs S K Turki, O N Chrungoo and M K Tickoo.

Remount & Veterinary Corps of Army turns 222

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Dec 14: The Remount Veterinary Corps with a history of 222 years, celebrated its raising day in the Command today. The Corps went through various stages of evolution over the 19th century and the Army Veterinary Corps in India was formed on Dec 14, 1920.

The present name as Remount and Veterinary Corps was adopted in May 1960. This Core has taken an active part in all the operations since World war Ist. After Independence, the Corps took active part in all the operations of 1947-48, 1962, 1965 & 1971.

The Corps is actively engaged in Siachen. The personnel of the Corps were a part of the Indian peace keeping force in Sri Lanka. They also contributed for counter insurgency operations in Punjab and are continuously playing a major role in the north east and Jammu and Kashmir. The gallant men and pack animals trained by the Remount Veterinary Corps have exhibited exemplary performance during Op Vijay. This Corps renders technical advise to the staff on RV matters and the matters affecting the health, general welfare, efficiency of animals training and deployment of dogs, provision of veterinary cover to animal holding units and military farms animals.

The RVC in this Command has taken additional responsibility. In its area breeding programme, 15 army stallions have been places at Rajouri, Katra, Sunderbani, Nowshera, Srinagar and Udhampur to breed local ponies/mares for the civil population. The project has been very successful and it has produced a total of 658 improved ponies in J&K which are being used by civilians for various purposes.

A veterinary clinic with modern facilities has been established at Udhampur. The tactical deployment of the army dogs of various categories trained by RVC have brought laurels to the organisation by participating in various counter insurgency operations.

The brief success of army dogs in the last one year is that the number of successes achieved at Akhnoor/ Batote 12, at Rajouri—8, Srinagar/ Kupwara—13, Baramulla —36 and at Leh—3, which resulted in detection of IED-24, explosives—15kg, grenade—37, AK-47 rifle-22 and ammunition pistol 27 rds. Army Dogs Ruth, Bobby and Lobo have done commendable job in J&K and brought laurels to the Corps. They have earned several honours and awards including Sena Medal, Unit Citation, Presentation of Silver presented by the Governor, COAS Commendation cards etc.