Karan Singh for full-fledged status to Jammu DD

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Former Sadar-e-Riyasat and MP Dr Karan Singh has demanded rescinding of the order by which the Jammu Door Darshan (DD) Kendra has been made a subsidiary station to Srinagar.

In a letter to Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Mr Pramodh Mahajan demanded full-fledged status for the Jammu D D Kendra where from the Dogri news bulletins and other suitable programme can be telecast.

Dr Singh while expressing his displeasure over the recent circular issued by Prasar Bharati in this regard said such a anti peoples decision has generated a lot of resentment among the people of the Jammu region.

He said Jammu is a co-equal state capital with Srinagar in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The region has its own predominant language -Dogri and its distinctive cultural ambience in the same way as Kashmir and Ladakh have.

He said under these circumstances it is essential that Doordarshan Kendra Jammu should function independently by beaming its programmes to the people of Jammu region rather than become a subsidiary station to Srinagar.

Dr Karan Singh said the order has created unnecessary tension in a sensitive state and hence be immediately rescinded.

Rajputana Rifles battalion celebrates Raising Day

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: A Rajputana Rifles Battalion, located in the Northern Sector, celebrated its 19th Raising Day today with great fervour and enthusiasm. The battalion has served in different sectors and has taken part in Operation Blue Star, Operation Pawan and Operation Rakshak. In recognition of its dedicated and unmatched contribution, the unit has been awarded General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command Unit Citation.

The battalion was raised in 1981 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) Satbir Singh at Delhi and has since matured into one of the finest fighting machines of the Indian Army. The battalion has earned numerous gallantry awards to include Shaurya Chakra, Yudh Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Card and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation Card since its raising.

During its last tenure in the Valley, the Battalion had the unique distinction of effecting the reverse migration of a complete Indian village, which had exfiltrated to Pakistan, back to India.

The Commanding Officer in his special address to the men during the Sainik Sammelan urged the troops to be more vigilant in the present day proxy war being waged against the nation. He congratulated the troops on the good record of the battalion and added that they should keep up the good work done and up hold the Regimental Honour in the trying conditions. The following prizes were given by Commanding Officer, Best NCO Rajput - Hav Giri Raj Singh, Best NCO-Jat-NK Pappu Ram. Prizes were also given to the following personnel for outstanding performance NK Rajbir Singh, Rfn Ram Bahadur Thapa, LNK Bal Kishun Ram, NK Samunder Singh, Rfn Muralee Dharan V and LNK Bhag Chand.

Earlier in the day, Pooja was performed at the Unit Mandir, guided by Subedar HD Joshi. A Hawan was also performed.

Later in the day, a Sainik Sammelan and Bhara Khana was also organised.

The Raising Day celebrations will continue for three days. Tomorrow there will be PagalGym Khana in which the families of officers and jawans will take part in sports competition and funfare.

Outbreak of PPR in Samba

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: An outbreak of PPR (Peste-dis Petits Ruminitis) was reported in the flocks of Samba and Vijaypur sectors particularly in the migratory flocks.

Although this outbreak is uncommon in sheep and goats, yet creats heavy toll when starts prevailing.

Giving details of the outbreak and efforts of the department to control it, Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu Dr M Iqbal Mir asserted that a considerable number of goats and sheep were infected which were treated symptomatically and the efforts proved result-oriented. Barring few losses amongst goats the infected flocks were saved from the outbreak. Further proliferation of the outbreak got fully combated and controlled by launching the vaccination drive through the field functionaries of the department, he added.

With the concerted efforts of the Hon'ble Minister for Sheep and Animal Husbandry Mr SS Slathia and the Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu Dr M Iqbal Mir the vaccine was got procured from outside the State to ensure intime vaccination of the non-infected flocks against PPR. This speedy action initiated by the department helped in saving the livestock of the community wholly dependent upon sheep and goats for their livelihood.

MLAs meet Edu Minister

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: A group of Legislators today met the Minister for School Education, Mr Mohammad Sharief Tariq, in his office chamber and urged him to provide adequate teaching staff to various educational institutions especially in remote and far flung areas.

Expressing concern over inadequate teaching staff in some remote educational institutions, they said this hampers the normal educational activity. They also demanded evolving of a foolproof mechanism for ensuring the punctuality of the teachers in the schools as their absence jeopardises the academic carrier of the students community. The main reason atributed to this, they maintain is that non-local teachers have failed to attend to their duties in far flung and rural areas, thereby defeating the very purpose of State Government's policy for providing educational facilities at the door-steps of the people.

Reminding the Minister of the assurance given by Chief Minister about adhoc recruitment of local candidates as teachers in the interests of student community, the legislators demanded immediate implementation of the decision so that the adhoc appointments are made at local levels earnestly on the pattern of Health Department.

The Minister heard these legislators patiently and assured them that the matter would be brought to the notice of the Chief Minister urgently and would considered on merits keeping in view the aspirations of the people through the elected representatives and commitments of the Government.

The Legislators who called on the Minister include Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Aga Syed Mehmood Mr Ghulam Hyder Malik, Deputy Speaker, Legislative Assembly and M/s Abdul Ahad Kar, Langate, G A Jan, Poonch, Mushtaq Bukhari, Surankote, Ashok Sharma, Kalakote, Balbir Singh Manhas, Billawar, Harash Dev Singh, Ramnagar, Shiv Charan Gupta, Udhampur, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Kishtwar, Mohammad Dillawar Mir, Rafiabad, Abdul Gani Malik, Mahore, Ch Mohammad Hissain and Mohammad Sadiq Malik, MLC, Darhal Abdul Rehman Dad, MLC, Mendhar, Ghulam Rasool Naaz, Bandipore, Saif-ullah Mir, Kupwara, Qazi Jalal-ud-Din, Inderwal, Mubarik Gul, Idd-Gah, Mohammad Maqbool Lone, Sangrama, Abdul Wahid Shan, Gool and Abul Aziz Wani, MLC, Jagjeewan Lal, Reasi.

Over Rs 1.54 cr spent on police welfare scheme

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Over Rs 1.54 crores have been spent on various Police Welfare Schemes during last two years in the State. The schemes include provision of loans, relief to widows, ex-gratia relief and promotion of sports.

Of this, over Rs 59.70 lakhs has been paid to the families of 40 police personnel who were killed discharge of their duties in militancy related incidents in various parts of the State. In addition as many as 123 serving police personnel were given loans/relief of Rs 10.7 lakhs and 71 children of deceased police men were given scholarships. The department also organised functions at Jammu and Srinagar for honouring the family members of the police personnel who lost their lives during militancy related incidents. As many as 166 retired police personnel and widows of the deceased police personnel were paid relief amounting to Rs 6.34 lakhs during the period. The family members of police personnel who died while in service are paid special welfare relief from the contributory welfare fund at the scale of Rs one lakh each. Families of 125 personnel who lost their lives during the period, were given generous relief.

Adequate attention was also paid for promotion of sports and extra curricular activities among the jawans during last two years. For this purpose over Rs 21 lakhs has been spent. The J&K Police participated in a number of All India Police Meets. In addition, special emphasis had also been paid for providing employment to the wards of the deceased policemen. All the pending cases were cleared and 174 persons provided employment in terms of SRO 43.

The police force is further being strenthened by additional manpower, improved telecommunication system, mobility and modernised weaponary for widening the reach and role of police. During the last two years as many as 10221 additional posts were sanctioned including two IR Police Battalions for which recruitments were made in a record time. A total of 5342 police officials were promoted during the period and 2434 recruits were trained out side the State. During the last year, training structure within the State was augmented with the establishments of Police Training Schools at Kathua, Manigam and Vijaypur. In addition, new training centres have been started at Talwara and Chhanihimat for providing training to 5000 recruits within the State. This is the first time that such a large number of recruits are being trained within the State at the same time.

JDA,Infrastructure Company case
HC dismisses petition for quashing FIR

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU,Jan 1: Mr Justice Arun Kumar Goel of the State High Court has dismissed the petition filed by Messrs Infrastructure Projects Private Limited New Delhi for quashing of FIR in the alleged cheating of crores of rupees Bank guarantees furnished by Jammu Development Authority for the development of Sidhra township to the petitioner company.

While dismissing the petition filed by the Company and its Managing Director Madan Lal Kalra, Mr Justice Goel observed that it was necessary for digging out the truth that the investigation agency directs its attention to the entire transaction and its needs to be looked into as to how and from which quarter the proposal emanated, thus who were responsible either in the Government or in JDA, whether they had examined the financial credibility as well, as viability of the petitioner company before making recommendations and entering into negotiations for providing finance to JDA.

The court further said that another aspect that needs to be looked into is that when the prevalent bank lending rates were much higher including that of HUDCO and other Government agencies, whether authorities in the State Government as well as in JDA had looked into as to how the company was going to provide finance at such a low rate of 9.5 per cent per annum. "All these aspects if examined will through light on the circumstances where under transaction came to be finalised in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) dated November 12,1997.

The Justice expressed concern over the sorry state of affairs and apathy on part of those dealing with the funds of the state, whether he is in the Government or a bureaucrat or an independent agency like JDA which is headed by none else than the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari as its Chairman.

It was observed that the State has deep and pervasive control in its affairs till while carrying out a business transaction of the magnitude of Rs 1.50 crore,right from its top to bottom, nobody cared to see as prudent functionaries of the state as to with whom they are dealing and what is the status of the person with whom they were negotiating or going to enter into business.

The respondent JDA entered into MoU with the petitioner company without asserting its credentials, financial or otherwise.

The present writ petition was filed after a dispute arose between the company and JDA. The petitioner company and its Director M L Kalra had sought the quashment of FIR 175/98 registered in Police Station Trikutanagar. The JDA had alleged that the company in violation with the agreement was trying to get the bank guarantees encashed without financing a single penny,that had forced the Vice Chairman JDA to lodge an FIR.

It is pertinent to mention that JDA had also filed a suit wherein it obtained stay for not encashing the Bank guarantees.

BBIA’s plea to Shafi

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) has demanded immediate amendment in SRO 252 of 1998 to save the Small Scale Industrial (SSI) units from closure.

In an appeal to Finance Minister, Mr Mohammad Shafi Uri, the BBIA has sought his immediate intervention in the matter for providing a sigh of relief to SSI unit holders.

A BBIA handout issued here today alleged that mineral based industrial units were being compelled to pay levy of additional toll tax at Lakhanpur on import of raw materials though they were not required to pay the same as per the new industrial policy.

The Association said that the additional toll tax on import of minerals, lime stone, quarts, lumps stone, dolmite, mangnese ore, chrome and other stones was done due to oversight.

The Association alleged that no steps have been taken to remove the negative list attached with the SRO 252 which deprives of this incentives granted under new industrial policy.

It further alleged that instead of BBIA’s repeated pleas the State Finance Department (SFD) is sitting over the matter and this apathetic attitude of the Government has put the SSI units to heavy loss.