MTA lists
demands, urges Govt to concede
them
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
22: Medical Teachers
Association (MTA) of Government
Medical College, Jammu held a
meeting today in which demands
submitted to the Government for
consideration were discussed.
The
demands listed by the MTA include
removal of stagnation in
promotion of faculty by holding
DPC twice a year and
implementation of MCI guidelines
for promotions, sanctioning pay
grades on pattern of AIIMS/SKIMS,
increase in retirement age of
faculty of Medical Colleges of
the State to 62 on the pattern of
Centre and other States in view
of shortage of doctors and
availability of better
infrastructure for research work,
a MTA release issued by Dr
Bhupesh Khajuria, MTA press
secretary, said.
The
meeting was attended among others
by Dr Dara Singh, president MTA,
Dr Tariq Azad, vice president, Dr
Dinesh Kumar, general secretary,
Dr Bhupesh Khajuria, press
secretary, Dr Kuldeep Singh,
joint secretary and Dr Jagdish
Thappa.
The
MTA appealed to Health and
Medical Education Minister Mangat
Ram Sharma and Secretary Health
and Medical Education K B Jandial
to concede their demands.
Harshdev
flays inspection of civil works
by SHOs
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
22: Former Minister and
National Panthers Party MLA from
Ramnagar, Harshdev Singh has
taken strong exception to an
order issued by district
administration in Udhampur
seeking physical verification by
SHOs of concerned police station
on the works executed under
revalidated Tribal Sub Plan in
Udhampur district.
In
a statement, Mr Singh quoted an
order of Udhampur district
administration which has been
issued vide No.
DDCU/44/2006-07/8284-92 in which
it has been stated that nine
departments would furnish
authenticated documents for
physical verification of work to
SHOs of concerned police
stations.
The
departments, whose work the SHOs
had been asked to investigate,
include Animal Husbandry, Sheep
Husbandry, Social Welfare, ITI
(Technical Education), PHE,
Agriculture, Soil Conservation,
Rural Development and
Horticulture.
"This
is nothing but a mockery of civil
administration which now has been
relying on the information of
police stations to verify
execution of work", Mr Singh
said, adding the example of
"Andher Nagri Chopat
Raja" perfectly fits on the
order.
He
pointed out that this was for the
first time that works executed by
civil departments are being
examined by the SHOs. This is
nothing but ridiculous, he said
and demanded an inquiry into the
order.
RiK protests
against Malik's ‘fake’
campaign
Excelsior
Correspondent
NEW DELHI,
Feb 22: Roots
in Kashmir (RiK), an
initiative of Kashmiri Youth
organized a protest rally to
highlight gross human rights
violations by the terrorists as
well the successive Governments
at Centre as well as State. The
very terrorists who were at the
fore front of killing Pandits and
other citizens have now donned
new attire and are playing
champions of peace, the Roots
release issued here said.
"What
human rights is Yasin Malik
asking for, when Farooq Ahmed Dar
alias Bitta Karate is free even
after admitting killing more than
45 Kashmiri Pandits?" asks
Vikram Bhat a senior activist of
RiK.
"What
moral right does Yasin have to
speak about such issue when he
and his party-men are known to be
murderers and supporters of
senseless violence in Kashmir
valley?" asks Amal Magazine
of Roots In Kashmir.
Improved
civic facilities for Poonch
demanded
Excelsior
Correspondent
POONCH, Feb
22: District Congress
Committee president Zaffar Ullah
Azad, president Municipal
Committee Poonch S Rajinder Singh
and Ch Aushaq Hussain, block
president of Congress for Poonch
have demanded uninterrupted
electric supply, drinking water
and providing sufficient funds
for MCP.
In
a joint statement issued here
today the leaders said besides
above said demands the other
issues confronting the people of
the district pertained to road
connectivity, telecommunication
and medicare facilities. The
Congress leaders also demanded
adjustment of Physical Education
Teachers of Poonch district, who
have been agitating since long.
ReTs call on
Education Minister
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
22: After meeting
Ministers of Finance , Social
Welfare, Agriculture, R&B,
Housing and Urban Development and
Speaker of the Legislative
Assembly and various MLAs,
executive body members of
Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers Forum
today called on Minister for
Education Peerzada Mohd Sayeed.
The
ReTs, led by Forum chairman Gazi
Abdul Aziz, apprised the Minister
of their demands and the
assurance given by Chief Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad. The minister
informed ReTs that the Government
was actively considering their
demands as per Chief
Minister’s assurance.
Later
a meeting of the executive
members was held wherein state
secretary Najam Jafri said that
the Forum would soon approach
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
for seeking his availability to
preside over a ReTs’
convention.
The
meeting was also addressed by
Ajaz Butt, Javid Keegami, Vinod
Sharma, Ajaz Zargar, Vijay
Chalotra, Najam Din, Josheel
Kumar, Meena Sharma, Saranjeet
Singh and Rajesh Singh.
Mangat
inaugurates photo exhibition
Excelsior
Correspondent
Jammu, Feb
22 : Minister
for Health and Medical Education
Mangat Ram Sharma inaugurated a
rare photo exhibition organized
by Funkar Cultural Organization
Kashmir at Kala Kender.
Chief
Secretary C. Phunsog, Chairman
Public Service Commission M. S.
Pandita and other intellectuals,
writers, prominent citizens were
present on the occasion.
Photographs
of bridges, buildings,
personalities, nature, and
heritage places sanctum
sanctorum, shrines temples and on
vast ranging eventful events
marked the exhibition.
Visitors
and VIPs evinced keen interest in
the artistic camera work of Afaq
Rasool Gadda, a young and budding
photo artist.
The
event was solo attempt of Mr.
Gadda who has already held
various such exhibitions at state
and national levels and received
appreciation for his skillfull
work.
Mr.
Sharma on the occasion said that
photographs preserve and explain
rich cultural heritage,
architecture building plans,
structures, personalities and
natural beauty for generation to
come. He said ‘photographs
and visuals are speaking
monuments and hide in them are
details of important historical
events’.
Favouring
the concept of organizing such
exhibitions he said these events
provide opportunity to both young
and experienced artists to
introduce their works for public
information and education.
Chief
Secretary C. Phunsog highlighted
the importance of showcasing
budding talent of the state. He
said photographs exhibited in the
exhibition speaks high of the
technical expertise of the artist
and provide vast information to
the viewers.
M.
S. Pandita also appreciated the
rare collection of Mr. Gadda.
BJP rejects
CM’s claim of giving more
than promised
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
22: State BJP general
secretary Shamsher Singh Manhas
has rejected the reported claim
of the Chief Minister that
Government has not only fulfilled
the promises in the Congress
manifesto and the CMP but
provided to the people beyond
that.
Manhas
also termed as farce the creation
of new district, sub-divisions
and tehsils and held that sheer
discrimination has been done with
Jammu province.
Mr
Manhas said he has always
advocated that no discrimination
be done with people of Jammu
region be it in any sphere as
Jammu has always been given
lesser share as compared to
Kashmir.
He
again stated that it was the BJP
which had demanded amendment in
Roshni Act, but now the Chief
Minister was describing it as an
achievement of Congress. He said
the Roshni Act infact has been
brought to help politicians,
bureaucrats and land mafia.
Billawar
Zila Andolan holds one day
convention
Excelsior
Correspondent
BILLAWAR,
Feb 22: Billawar
Zila Andolan organised one day
convention at Pallan in tehsil
Billawar in which a large number
of people participated.
Senior
leader of Andolan Hari Chand
Jalmeria Advocate said that the
successive Governments have not
done justice with the people of
Billawar, Basohli and Bani areas
which have geographical dimension
ranging 150x 200 kilometers.
He
said the areas falling under the
zone comprise of from snow bound
peaks to warm climatic area and
the proposed district touches
Bhadarwah in the North to the
plains of Kathua in south and
possess vast tourism potential.
He
added further that two degree
colleges opened at Billawar and
Basohli after decades of struggle
have neither buildings, nor
science subjects. He asserted
that the development of the area
was only possible if it was
accorded a district status.
Various other issues were raised
in the said convention which was
presided over by Retired Sessions
Judge B D Thakur and the
proceedings conducted by Ram Dhan
Lalotra.
Others
who addressed included P N
Mansotra, Dr Dya Nand
Sharma,Master Mohan Lal Verma,
Puran Singh Bhadwal, Prem Singh
Bhadwal, Capt Krishan Singh,
Jatinder Singh Bhadwal Advocate,
Rattan Chand, Akhtar Ali, Sarup
Chand Gupta, Rattan Singh, Mahel
Singh and Dev Raj.
The
convention demanded from the Azad
led Government to create Billawar
District without further delay
and also begin speedy development
of the area in question.
Ousted
Excise & Commercial Tax
employees to continue protest
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
22: Despite claiming
that Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi
Azad has assured to give a
positive response to their
demand, ousted class-IV employees
of the Excise and Commercial Tax
Department announced to continue
their ongoing protest till a
formal order for their
re-absorption in the Department
is issued by the Government.
"Our
peaceful protest will continue
till all the ousted employees are
absorbed by the State Government
even as we have full faith in our
Chief Minister and his
promise," said Adil Rashid
Khan, president of All J&K
Excise and Commercial Tax (C-IV)
Government (Ousted) Employees
Association, while talking to
media persons, here today.
It
may be mentioned here that the
ousted employees are already
protesting against termination of
their services and demanding
re-absorption in the Department.
Mr
Khan claimed that the Chief
Minister during his yesterday
meeting with the leaders of All
J&K Government Employees
Joint Action Committee, described
the demand of ousted employees as
most genuine and he also directed
his Principal Secretary to bring
a report in this regard for a
positive action.
"We
appreciate the Chief Minister for
his positive response to our
demand and we hope that on
humanitarian ground, Mr Azad
would soon issue a formal order
for absorption and regularisation
of all the ousted
employees," he said.
Some
leaders of Employees Joint Action
Committee, including G L Chanda,
S S Bakshi, Nazir Ahmed Bhat,
Shamim Minto and Surinder Sharma
of Commercial Taxes, were also
present in the press conference.
Market
oriented education in schools
ultimate
aim of Govt: Peerzada
Excelsior
Correspondent
Jammu, Feb
22 : Minister
for Education, Science and
Information Technology Peerzada
Mohammad Sayeed has said that
Government is for blending
academics and job oriented
courses in schools to suit
present day market demands.
Minister
was speaking at the annual day
functions of Ranbir Higher
Secondary School and Mubarak
Mandi Girls Higher Secondary
School here today. Both these
schools have the distinction of
being oldest institutions in the
city of Temples
Minister
said with the massive expansion
of educational network, 88
percent population of the state
has been provided primary
educational facility within
one-kilometer distance. While the
left eight percent have to walk
two kilometers to attend their
classes. He however, said that
despite having a massive
education network, state is still
far behind from rest of the India
with only 55 percent literacy
rate which the Government has
targeted to bring up to 100%.
Regretting
the set back that education
sector suffered over seventeen
years of disturbance, he said
while the expansion part is
almost complete, "our
efforts are now directed towards
consolidation of infrastructure
and streamlining the existing
system to suit present day
demands".
Minister
later distributed prizes among
the students who had
distinguished in academics and
other activities during last
academic session.
Jain
inaugurates Youth Red Cross unit
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
22: Divisional
Commissioner Jammu, Promod Jain
inaugurated a unit of Youth Red
Cross comprising 60 volunteers
from Govt College for women
Parade ground here today.
The
unit was screened by a committee
of the district Red Cross
Society. Mr Jain while speaking
on the occasion complimented the
Red Cross officials for their
initiative and having a unique
unit of volunteers. He said
youth’s representation was a
substantial part of membership of
Red Cross for its humanitarian
commitment. Young volunteers can
make a significant contribution
in meeting the demand of most
vulnerable people.
He
asked the Secretary Red Cross
Jammu branch Dinesh Gupta to
create a work force of nearly
5000 youth volunteers and assured
for all possible cooperation and
support.
Earlier
Mr Gupta briefed the gathering
about the activities of the Red
Cross Society. Dr Muzaffar Sayed,
Treasurer of J&K state branch
of the IRCR also spoke on the
occasion, besides Dr Shashi Koul
Principal of the College and
Mahesh Gupta, Member incharge YRC
for district Jammu branch.
Govt
committed to enrich tourist
infrastructure: Dilawar
Excelsior
Correspondent
Jammu, Feb
22 : Asserting
the meadows of gold Sonamarg
would be developed as a major
tourist destination after Gulmarg
and Pahalgam, the Minister for
Tourism, Mohammad Dilawar Mir
today called upon the concerned
Chief Executive Officers of
various Development Authorities
to gear up men and machinery to
develop basic tourist
infrastructure in respective
areas.
The
Minister was speaking at a
high-level review meeting to take
stock of progress on various
development Authorities in the
respective areas.
Secretary
Tourism Nayeem Akhter, Director
Tourism Kashmir F. A. Shah,
Director Tourism Jammu Ajay
Khajuria, Chief Executive
Officers of various Development
Authorities were present in the
meeting. He said grants for
various development authorities
for the current year should be
utilized in full and progress in
this regard will be reflected in
APR’s.
It
was informed that Rs. 1.50 crore
are being utilized in Bhadarwah
for construction of Tourist
Reception Centre and a resort
place at Ghatha where recreation
park, ponds and tourist hut would
be constructed for the
convenience of visitors.
The
Minister asked the concerned to
establish viability for
introducing River Rafting in
Bhadarwah.
While
reviewing progress of Development
Authority Yusmarg, it was
revealed that a recreation park,
Yusmarg Club, pedestrian mall and
construction of tourist huts
would be undertaken from the
current year. Fencing of the
existing park adjacent to water
reservoir would also be done in
first priority.
Progress
on development works related to
tourism infrastructure at Mansar
was also reviewed in detail.
Speaking
on the occasion, the Minister
called for exploring viable
public-private collaborations for
developing basic tourism
infrastructure of international
standard adding that there is an
expectation of a great flow of
foreign tourists to state in
coming days. He said government
is starting a vigorous campaign
with in and outside the state to
attract tourists in bulk towards
Jammu and Kashmir.
Medical
employees’ deputation meets
Director Health
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
22: A deputation of
Medical employees of various
categories met the Director
Health Services Dr Jasbir Singh
here today and apprised him of
their problems.
Darminder
Singh Bhargav, president of the
JK Medical Employees Federation
was leading the deputation. The
participants in the meeting
raised various issues before the
Director which include, clearance
of pending DPC of class IV
employees, Pharmacists
categories, SFWs, DMOs, Assistant
Entomologists and CHOs. They also
demanded grant of Field TA of Rs
1000 per month to the supervisory
staff, preparation of seniority
list and filling up of vacant
posts in the department.
Dr
Jasbir listened to the demands
patiently and assured that their
genuine demands will be looked
into. Those who accompanied
deputation include-Parmajit
Singh, Lokesh Raj Digra,
Rehamdin, Kulwant Singh, Mohd
Hussain Malik, Bikram Singh and
Mohd Latif.
Unemployed
engineers hold demonstration
Excelsior
Correspondent
SRINAGAR,
Feb 22: All
J&K Unemployed Engineers
Association today took out a
rally in the city in support of
their demands.
The
unemployed engineers gathered at
Partap Park and took out a rally
which after passing through
different areas culminated at Lal
Chowk Srinagar.
The
agitating engineers said that
Government had announced that
unemployed engineers will be
adopted as Rehber-e-Tameerat. But
till today the announcement has
not been translated into promise.
"We
have also reminded the Chief
Minister and Minister for Labour
and Employment of the
announcement a number of times
but all in vain", they
regretted and said that due to
delay in translating promise into
reality the unemployed engineers
were on the verge of crossing the
upper age limit bar.
They
warned to intensify agitation if
their demand was not conceded by
the Government at the earliest.
|
