Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, Oct 31: Jammu and Kashmir, Academy of art, culture and languages, Leh organised, ‘‘Meet the Eminent Contemporary’’ programme under the Chairmanship of Mr Thupstan Tsewang, Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh.

A recipient of prestigious Academy award, ‘‘The Robe of Honour’’ and eminent Ladakhi historian and philosopher Mr Tashi Rabgais participated in the programme as the eminent contemporary.

At the outset Mr Nawang Tsering, Cultural Officer, Leh presented a note on the life of Mr Tashi Rabgais who served the University of Delhi as a lecturer and Assistant Editor at the Namgial Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok-Sikkim, prior to his joining the State Information Department as an Information Officer and described Tashi as one of the greatest scholar of the century.

The programme lasted over five hours in which writers and cultural workers of the region asked questions to the eminent.

A Mushaira also held in honour of the eminent contemporary, in which fifteen poets presented their newly composed poems.

Media seminar concludes

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 31: The two day media seminar organised by the Army concluded today.

GOC 8 Mountain Division, Major General Mohinder Puri, in his closing address thanked all the media personalities and Army officials for their active participation in the seminar.

The GOC retiorated that a forum of this kind, held regularly would go a long way in building a fruitful mutual relationship between media and security forces.

The two days of seminar saw active participation by the Army officers and the press. There was a constructive exchange of view points with both sides benefitting from suggestions of each other.

Farewell to Gandola

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 31: Mr J P Gandhotra, Special Assistant to the Director General of Police was given an emotional and warm farewell by the Information Department, Kashmir on his superannuation today.

Joint Director Information, Kashmir, Mr Farooq Renzu and other senior officers of the department recounted contribution of Mr Gandhotra to the department of Information during his stint of 36 years in various capacities.

Mr Gandhotra has all along proved his mettle and worked with great sense of dedication and earnest feal. He has set a glittering example by his capabilities, exuberant nature and spirit of duty. Mr Gandhotra, popularly known as Pathik, is a prolific writer who has authored about twenty books include ‘‘Khidkiyan’’, ‘‘Hajoom’’, ‘‘Meli Aurat’’, ‘‘Runghun’’ ‘‘Drawing Room’’ Mein Cactus’’. His long contribution and extra ordinary talent and capabilities would be long remembered.

Earlier, the Director General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat and other senior officers of the police department gave warm farewell at the police headquarters here, the other day.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 31: Jammu Municipality today launched a major cleanliness and renovation drive in Sabzi Mandi area, situated between Kachi Chawani and Parade Ground.

The drive has been launched on the directions of the newly posted Administrator, Jammu Municipality, Mr K B Jandial, who himself took stock of the situation and personally supervised the work.

Three vehicles , two loaders for removing the garbage and two water tanks were pressed to clean the entire area of the Mandi. About 40 sweepers were engaged in the cleanliness.

Food Inspector Rehmat Ali and Health Officer Dr Anwar Chowadhary were supervising the work. Mr M R Sharma, Junior Engineer of Jammu Municipality took the measurement of every nook and corner of the Mandi. The construction work was expected to start from the next Tuesday he stated while talking to EXCELSIOR.

Heaps of garbage had been removed from the area. Mr Jandial had instructed the Engineering wing for tiling of the entire Mandi. Earlier, in the morning, Mr Jandial alongwith senior officers of the Municipality and MLA Jammu East constituency Mr Ashok Khajuria, visited the Sabzi Mandi and took stock of the condition.

The Administrator personally met the shopkeepers and vegetable vendors, who apprised him of their difficulties being faced by them due to heaps of garbage and unplanned structure of the ‘Mandi’. Shopkeepers complained of water scarcity and non- availability of street lights in the premises.

Mr Jandial gave patient hearing to them and assured the vegetable sellers to provide a neat and clean ‘Sabzi Mandi’. He also sought their co-operation to keep the market clean.

Shopkeepers and vendors of Sabzi Mandi have welcomed the ongoing cleanliness drive and appreciated the Administrator of Jammu Municipality Mr K B Jandial, who himself visited the area and ordered for its cleanliness and renovation.

President of Vegetable and Fruit Retail Association, Mr Om Parkash was all praise for the new Administrator of JM. "It is for the first time in my life that JM Administrator visited the Sabzi Mandi on his own and took stock of the position".

General secretary and vice-president of the Association Mr Rajinder Gupta and Raj Kumar, respectively, also appreciated the move. They assured their full co-operation to Jammu Municipality for keeping the market clean. Updesh Sharma, a vegetable vendor who runs a stall of vegetables and fruit, was also thankful to the JM Administrator.

Even, Mr Tarsem Kumar Gupta, whose shop inside the market was announced to be demolished by the JM, was happy over the ongoing drive, if another shop in alternative would be provided to him.

There are about one hundred shops, 300 stalls in the market and more than 3000 persons earn the bread for their families by operating their business from this Sabzi Mandi.

Meanwhile, the Sabzi Mandi Residents Welfare Committee, have thanked the DAILY EXCELSIOR for highlighting the public grievances through its column ‘City Watch’. It may be mentioned here that DAILY EXCELSIOR had published about the deplorable condition of the Sabzi Mandi in its weekly coloumn ‘City Watch’, last Tuesday.

As per a release issued here, the Committee appreciated Mr Jandial for his visits to the area after assuming the charge of Administrator JM. The resident also suggested for a parking place in Sabzi Mandi.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 31: Prof V M Soodan, Prof of Orthopedics was today accorded a farewell by Medical Teachers Association Government Medical College Jammu on his superannuation in service.

In a simple but impressive function, achievements of Prof Soodan were highlighted by Prof H L Goswamy, Principal GMC Jammu and Prof Deedar Singh, HOD Orthopedics.

Describing Prof V M Soodan as the person who gave a new direction to the management of Orthopedic in Jammu, Prof Goswamy said that Mr Soodan was a teacher of par excellence and regarded highly by his students. He described Dr Soodan as ‘Master Craftsman’ in his field.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Deedar Singh said that Dr Soodan was an efficient collegue and a class surgeon whose rich academic qualification benefitted both students, young doctors and above all, the patients. He also appreciated the contribution of Dr Soodan for the welfare of Medical Teachers Association of whome he was president once.

Dr V M Soodan was born on October 2, 1940. He did his MBBS in 1963 from GSVM Medical College Kanpur with distinction. In 1967, he did his MS in Orthopedics from Safdarjang Hospital.

Dr Soodan joined the health services in 1967 and in 1974, he joined Govt Medical College Hospital Jammu as Assistant Professor in Orthopedics.

Food items air dropped at Zara, Thachung

Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, Oct 31 : More than 21 qtls of food grains, two qtls of sugar and 500 ltrs of K Oil were airdropped by Helicopter at Zara and Thachung Karu of Korzok in Changthang Sub-Division of Leh district as a relief measure for the snow affected people during last week. Besides, 10 qtls of feed for livestock have also been airdropped at Zara during the period.

This was stated at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Leh to took stock of the relief measures undertaken by the District Administration.

The meeting was told that 5 lady labourers alongwith two non-local carpenters have been evecated by holicopter on Leh-Manali road during the rescue operations last week.

Besides, 20 Bihari labourers and one lady have also been evecated under the rescue operation from Baralacha during the same period.

The meeting among others attended by Additional Dy. Commissioner, Leh and senior officers of Revenue, Sheep and Animal Husbandry departments.

Later in the evening, the Dy. Commissioner also visited the District Industrial Estate today and inspected various industrial units there.

It was told that out of 114 industrial plots, 58 plots have already been allotted to various unit holders and the remaining 56 plots are in the process of allotment.

The Dy. Commissioner has discussed in detail various schemes of the Industrial Estate and asked the concerned officers to formulate a prospective plan for the development of the Industrial Estate in the district.

Several Govt. officials suspended in Udhampur

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Oct 31: In a special drive to maintain punctuality in Government offices of District Udhampur, the Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Mr Mehboob Iqbal conducted surprise visit of the office of Chief Medical Officer and Chief Horticulture Officer, Udhampur and found various officers/officials absent and some had not marked their attendance through physically present in office here today.

The officials of the office of Chief Medical Officer, Udhampur who were found absent and placed under suspension include Rama Rani and Thoru Ram, Senior Assistants, Mr Dev Dutt Sharma, Field Investigator, Mr Kuldeep Mehta, AS, BHW Thakur Dass, Lab. Assistant, Krishan Kumar and Field Worker Shanker Dass.

JSA, Vikesh Kumar and Sr. Asstt. Chander Pal Kaur of the office of Chief Horticulture Officer were found absent and also placed under suspension.

The officials whose pay has been stopped include Junior Assistants, Rajeev Sharma and Vinay Kumar, Senior Assistants, Meena Gupta, DPMS RN Modi, Mechanic Mool Raj, PMA (Migrant) Maharaj Krishan, Laboratory Assistant Shaker Dass, FW Shanker Dass, Class-IV Suram Chand, Charan Dass, Rattan Lal, Balwan Singh, Kuldeep Singh and Romesh Chander.

Chief Horticulture Officer, SS Sharma and District Horticulture Officer, Mr TK Khushoo were found absent and their pay has been stopped.

Accountant, Mr Yash Paul Sharma of Horticulture Deptt. physically present in the office but had not marked attendance who has been warned to remain cautious in making attendance.

The pay of Jr. Assistant Sansar Chand and Watcher, Ram Gopal of Chief Horticulture Office, Udhampur has also been stopped.