Daily Excelsior.........State

Another agitation against ‘unprecedent’ power cuts

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: Students of the Law Department of University of Jammu have launched an indefinite ‘peaceful’ agitation against the unprecedent ....more

Murder accused escapes from court premises

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: An accused facing trial in a case under section 302 RPC today escaped from the court premises at Mubarik Mandi due to the.....more

LPGEF holds meet

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov. 18: Mr Sampat Parkash President all J&K Low Paid Govt. Employees Federation LPGEF while addressing the State executives of the ....more

Sahyog adopts poor children for education

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov. 18: During Children's Day celebration and the Deepawali Samaroh ,..more

75-member NSS contingent leaves for Anandpur Sahib

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: Seventyfive member contingent ...more

Misappropriation of funds alleged
NC Govt has no right to stay in office: BJP

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: State vice president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mr Kuldeep Raj Gupta has said that National Conference (NC) Government has ..more

PDC floats bonds

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: The Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Private Limited (JKSPDC), wholly owned by the J&K...more

‘Sagar, Bhat inspect Rawi Tawi Project

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: The Minister for Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control, Ali Mohammad Sagar accompanied by Parliamentary .more

Sadhotra's call to parents, teachers

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: The Minister of State for Food and Supplies, Mr Ajay Sadhotra has called upon the parents and teachers to imbibe ...more

Another agitation against ‘unprecedent’ power cuts

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: Students of the Law Department of University of Jammu have launched an indefinite ‘peaceful’ agitation against the unprecedent Power cuts imposed on them by the State Government.

Today they had boycotted their classes for half day and gathered in the corridor of the Department and later addressed the media persons. They said that the main aim behind this agitation is to aware the Government about the problems are being faced by the student community due to these undue long power cuts.

Ms Pankaj Pathania, a third semester student said, "we are unable to prepare for the examinations which are due in January as we don’t have invertors and generators to rely on", adding, "some of our friends are preparing for the competitive examinations which required continues study for 18 to 20 hours a day, but these cuts have darkened their career as they are unable to study after 12 pm in the night".

Disclosing their future strategy, they said that during the first week of their agitation their highlight and discuss the problem with various authorities and also sent a memorandum to the Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor of the University through the Vice-Chancellor.

Mr Amardeep Singh of the same department said, "From Law Department we are planting a seed as a first step against the injustice which will soon engulf the entire Campus, if Government fail to do anything".

However, these students were depressed over the attitude of their teachers and Head of the Department, who ‘straightway’ refused to extend any cooperation to them in the hour of crisis.

Later, these students, most of whom were girls made a fervent appeal to the general public to pay their dues and bills owes to the electricity department in time, so that such situations may not take place.

They also suggested setting up of a Electricity Board, like the state of Punjab, so that maximum revenue could be generated by proper collection of bills.

One of the students alleged that people are least aware about the electricity bills and whenever they approached the Department for depositing of bills the concerned officials openly demand their share.

If, Government is really interested in streamlining the affair, they first set their house in order and book such officials who are doing mal-practices and looting the State exchequer, they suggested.

Others, who were present in the conference include Ajay Sharma, Inderjeet, Rohit Jain and Vivek

Murder accused escapes from court premises

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: An accused facing trial in a case under section 302 RPC today escaped from the court premises at Mubarik Mandi due to the negligence of securitymen this afternoon.

According to a police spokesman, the accused identified as Shakti Singh, son of Nasib Singh of Akhnoor was lodged in the Central jail, Jammu for the last one year for his alleged involvement in a murder case. He has been brought to the Court of Ist Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu here by the jail securitymen for hearing.

The accused duping the cops deployed with him, managed to pull out his hand from the loose hand-cuff and escaped towards Chowk Chabutra Bazar. The cops started chasing him as he ran on-foot through the busy Jain Bazar. When he reached near Pahalwan Di Hatti at Pir Mitha, he was intercepted by some youth and was then handed over to chasing policemen. He was then brought back to the Central Jail.

Meanwhile, the action against the cops deployed with the accused is yet awaited. Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Jail were not available for comments when contacted by Excelsior.

LPGEF holds meet

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov. 18: Mr Sampat Parkash President all J&K Low Paid Govt. Employees Federation LPGEF while addressing the State executives of the Federation here today said, that the Union Govt. in its special meeting held at New Delhi yesterday is assured to extend necessary financial assistance to J&K Govt to meet its immediate Financial requirements and the alarming situation of Centre-State Confrontation will be laid to rest.

Thousands of Govt employees teachers and workers in all the three regions of the State besides above one lakh pensioners are highly agitated for not releasing two instalments of DA second instalment of Pay Commission, Cola to Public Sector workers for the last nine months under the pretext of so called resources crunch.

The pitiable economic conditions prevailing in J&K State is due to financial mismanagement of ruling party which is in power for the last three years, it was asserted.

It will too late, if the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah will not apply wisdom to release two instalments of DA on war footing to avoid confrontation of working class with the ruling establishment, he said.

Sahyog adopts poor children for education

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov. 18: During Children's Day celebration and the Deepawali Samaroh organised by Sahyog for orphan, poor and handicapped children, the Sahyog management met some most deserving children in very miserable conditions just passing the days of their tender childhood considering themselves the burden on the earth being resourceless.

The Sahyog management on spot decided to adopt them for education as usual till the level they shall desire of their prosperous future. In a very simple informal function orphan, poor children entered and were welcomed in the Sahyog family to see a new dawn.

The management also announced that the well meaning people of the society can extend their support to Sahyog for further support to these children only in kind not in cash and the donor can donate the seasonal clothing, foot wears, study material and the donors can establish their direct link to the child/children to be helped to maintain the transparency because a Sahyog's efforts are to trace the most deserving and needy one for genuine assistance with concrete results to have a solid feed back obeying humanism.

While sharing the special moments with these. No. 1 citizen of society (poor and orphan children). Dr Ashwani Jojra Founder Sahyog introspectively explained that every child in this nation should have, food, clothes, shelter and the good education the dire necessity as the child rights have came a long way since 1946 when the UNICEF came forward to help the children suffering from the destruction of world war II but human rights conventions did not yet exist and the children's rights were barely recognised when the children have to become a driving force of every one.

Misappropriation of funds alleged
NC Govt has no right to stay in office: BJP

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: State vice president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mr Kuldeep Raj Gupta has said that National Conference (NC) Government has no right to stay in office as it has totally failed to solve the peoples problems during over last three years of its rule.

Talking to media persons here today, he asserted that the Governor’s rule was far better than the present NC Government and alleged that instead of solving the problems of the people, the N C ministers are busy in amassing huge wealth.

Expressing his grave concern over the growing militancy in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch, the BJP leader said besides taking stringent measures to check the infiltration from Pakistan, the entire LOC should be fenced and security forces be given sufficient powers to curb the militancy.

He also demanded creation of a Special Commissioner’s post in the two districts and two battalions of armed forces from the area to rebut the all attacks of militants.

Advocating for strengthening of VDCs he demanded sophisticated weapons for them. He expressed surprise over the delay in the issuance of 3500 sophisticated weapons to the VDC members by the Government and sought the intervention of the Centre in this regard.

The BJP leader also took the district administration of the twin border districts to task for not issuing the gun licenses to those people whose verifications have been since made.

Highlighting the problems of farmers he demanded issuance of fertilizers to them and round the clock power supply to the people.

However, the BJP state president, Mr Daya Krishan Kotwal warned that his Party is gearing up to launch the agitation for the power and water crisis being faced by the people of Jammu region.

He alleged that there is no account of Rs 169 crore released by Centre for the Baghlyar Hydel Project. Out of this amount Rs 25 crore contract was allotted for supply of labourers to an influential NC leader’s kin, he added.

Mr Kotwal also took the Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah to task for demanding waiving off Central loans and said there is no reason for Centre to waive off the loans to the tune of Rs 1225 crore.

Mr Kotwal maintained that his Party has no enmity with NC Government but we want that peoples problems should be redressed.

PDC floats bonds

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 18: The Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation Private Limited (JKSPDC), wholly owned by the J&K Government, has floated Bonds (series-I). These will be 13 percent Secured Redeemable Medium Term Bonds unconditionaly and irrevocably guranteed for interest and principal payments by the State Government being offered on private placement basis.

The issue opened on subscription on November 17, 1999 and will close on December 16, 1999.

The KJMC Global Market India Limited has been retained as the sole arranger of the issue while the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited would act as Trustee on behalf of the Bondholders.

The basic issue amount will be Rs 150 crores. The Corporation can, however, retain the over-subscription to the extent of Rs 400 crores guaranteed by the State Government.

Giving highlights of the Scheme, the Managing Director, JKSDPC, Mr J A Shahmiri said that the instrument offers three level security which include structured payment, mechanism through an escrow-cum-budgetary support plan, Government budgetary support to bridge any gap in the servicing, a tripartite agreement between JKSDPC, State Government and the Trustees for implementing this agreement for which the State Government has already given its consent. It also provide an unconditional and irrevocable Government guarantee and first charge on fixed assets with an asset cover of 1.25 X.

The Medium Term Instrument would be for 3 years and offers optional exit after 18 months, he added.

The attractive returns include a coupon of 13% per annum payable half yearly yielding 13.42% YTM and interest on application money payable at 13% p.a.

Enumerating the background of the Corporation Mr Shahmiri said that it was set up in 1995 for taking over the power generation in the State and for taking up new projects, many of which are at an advanced stage of implementation. It may be recalled, he said all the existing power stations of the State stand transferred to JKSPDC. He said the assets of about Rs 1.000 crores were transferred to the Corporation without any corresponding liabilities resulting in long term debt free balance sheet and assets free of charge.

The State has enormous hydel power potential estimated at 15000 MW, which is largely unutilized and even if a part of this potential is harnessed, the State can supply cheap hydel power not only within the State but to other States as well. The total installed capacity of the PDC is 391.79 MW of which 206.44 MW is Thermal and 185.35 MW is Hydel. The Corporation is at an advanced stage of setting up additional capacity of about 140 MW which would bring the total installed capacity of the State to over 500 MW by 1999-2000. The Corporation has been following a fast track policy for implementing five mega hydel projects aggregating 1780 MW, Mr Shahmiri said.

He said the Corporation has Board of Directors headed by Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah. The Corporation generated an income of Rs 56.13 crore in 1998-99 and a cash profit of Rs 14.83 crores. However, with the commissioning of new capacity around the corner, the Corporation's performance is poised for significant growth, he added.