3 districts worst hit by hostile weather
Snow avalanches, cold kill 10; 11 missing
*Threat of more snow slides looms large

By Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Feb 8: Within 24 hours of the issuance of an alert for snow avalanche, six members of a family and a young girl were killed when blocks of snow slided down rapidly in remote areas of Banihal and Doda this morning. However, in Bhaderwah, 11 persons have been missing ever since they had gone for hunting in the upper reaches on February 4 and administration didn’t rule out their having fallen victim to massive snowing.

This apart, three persons including a police constable were killed due to severe cold in Ramban and Chenani areas late last evening.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Ramban, Ajit Kumar Sahu told the EXCELSIOR that six members of a family were killed while an infant had miraculous escape when their isolated house on a hillock near the Bas hamlet in Banihal tehsil came under the snow avalanche this morning.

The incident was spotted by people living in the Bas hamlet and they immediately flashed message about the same to the administration by making use of a Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) phone available with one of the inhabitants of the hamlet.

Police as well as Army rescue teams were immediately deputed to the area and with the assistance of local people a rescue operation was launched. But by that time, six members of the family—five female and one male had died. However, an infant had a miraculous escape in the snow avalanche and she after being rescued was handed over to villagers.

The deceased have been identified as Veena Devi (70), wife of Bhagat Ram, Special Police Officer (SPO) Surjeet Singh, son of Lachman Singh, Sunita, wife of Surjeet Singh, Leela, wife of Chain Singh, her children—Neetu and Pooja. The rescued infant has been identified as Babli Devi, daughter of Chain Singh.

Reports from Doda district, where several villages had been covered under 4 to 12 feet of snow, said that a young girl identified as Aruna Devi, daughter of Chaman Lal of village Sewat, Assar was killed when a huge slide of snow hit her near the village today.

According to the Deputy Commissioner, Doda, Khursheed Bhat, 11 persons from Bhaderwah have been missing since Feb 4 and no contact could be established with them since then. "All had reportedly gone to the upper reaches for hunting", he said, adding "keeping in view the massive snowfall experienced in the entire district since February 4, the possibility of their having fallen victim to snow avalanche or severe cold cannot be ruled out".

He, however, said that Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Bhaderwah has been asked to engage professional hunters for their search as well as to locate the villages having been fully covered under the snow.

Mr Bhat disclosed that services of Army, BSF and Police communication system were being taken to assess situation in remote and cut-off villages.

Reports of partial damage to two houses in Doda, three in Bhaderwah and two in Thathri have so far been received at the district headquarters, he informed.

Meanwhile, three persons died of severe cold in Ramban and Chenani areas late last evening.

Two persons identified as Chotu, son of Chandu Ram and Yashpal, son of Munshi Ram, both the residents of Ladha village died due to severe cold at Upper Rumble, four kilometres from Samroli while returning to their village.

Their bodies were evacuated to the Chenani Hospital for post-mortem by a police team led by SHO Chenani Inspector Anu Sharma.

In Ramban town, a police constable Imitiaz Ahmed, a resident of Mendhar also died of severe cold when he was having a nap on the road side after hectic patrolling in the area late last night.

Reports said that due to timely intervention by the Ramban district administration life of a pregnant woman Shehnaz Begum, a resident of Chanderkote was saved.

She was in the dire need of specialised medicare and keeping in view her critical condition, Additional Deputy Commissioner Ramban Ajit Kumar Sahu requisitioned the services of Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper and then the woman was airlifted to Jammu. Both the woman and the newly born baby were hale and hearty in the SMGS Hospital when reports last came in.

The administration also made arrangements for the last rites of one Mehandiya Hussain, a resident of Kupwara, whose body could not be shifted to his native place due to continuous closure of the highway for the past six days.

Though no death has so far been reported from the Kishtwar district where magnitude of snow was also alarming, yet the possibility of loss of lives in the remote and totally cut off villages due to inhospitable weather conditions cannot be ruled out.

"We could not establish any contact with the cut off villages so far and presently we are only banking upon the communication system of the security forces", Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar Shahid Inayatullah said, adding "official machinery is geared up to rush to the cut off areas but the same would be possible only after respite from the continuous snowfall".

The administration of Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts was apprehensive about more avalanche keeping in view the magnitude of the snow.

6 of Anantnag family buried alive
10 killed in fresh avalanches in Valley

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Feb 8: With a thaw in the 6-day-long inclement weather, casualties have begun to pour in from the snow-covered, inaccessible areas in Kashmir valley. After the death of two soldiers and two civilian porters of Army on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, as many as 10 people have died today in massive avalanches in Anantnag and Bandipore districts where the authorities have begun to develop apprehensions of more casualties with the improvement of weather.

Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, G A Pir, told EXCELSIOR that in the forenoon today somebody called the authorities from his mobile phone in the high altitude Kapran belt and informed that all six members of a family---comprising five children and their mother---had been buried alive when a massive avalanche demolished their house in Peth Halan locality late last night. Entire area from Dooru and Verinag to Peth Halan is heavily covered with snow and no communication links are still operational in the semi-hilly terrain. He said that SHO Dooru left for the spot alongwith a team which succeeded in trekking to the locality this evening. According to DC Anantnag, SHO Dooru confirmed the death of 42-year-old Naseema Akhtar W/o Ghulam Hassan Tantray and all five of her children, namely Shaheena (18), Surat Jan (10), Javed (9), Roomi ((7) and Asif (4).

Unconfirmed reports from south Kashmir said that head of the ill-fated family, Ghulam Hassan Tantray, was among thousands of Kashmiris stranded in Jammu due to closure of Jammu-Srinagar national highway for six days now.

According to Mr Pir, all major roads in Anantnag districts, barring Khannabal-Dooru-Kapran Road, had been cleared of snow and the operation was underway to clear the road to Kapran besides all link roads in the next two days, subject to stability of weather. He said that the Police party trekked to Peth Halan against heavy odds, while walking over 4 ft to 8 ft snow accumulation. He said that all Tehsildars and SHOs had been directed to gather maximum possible information from the snowbound, inaccessible areas so as to ensure that relief and rescue teams reached on time.

Mr Pir said that earlier today, residents of some hamlets in Qazigund area managed to establish contact with the authorities. They informed the officials that an avalanche had struck on Gujjar Patti Gulab Bagh and there were glaring apprehensions of casualties. In quick reaction to the SOS, a Police party, which was also joined by a number of personnel from RR 49 Bn and some local volunteers and scouts, left for Gulab Bagh locality, which is about 4 Km from Lower Munda toll post on Jammu-Srinagar highway. After a successful trekking on the treacherous track, men of the relief and rescue party discovered that the residence of a Gujjar, namely Yaqoob Chichi S/o Haji Makhna, had been badly hit and partially demolished by the avalanche.

Yaqoob Chichi's brother, Mohammad Shafi Chichi, was found dead while four members of the family had sustained fractures and injuries. They were identified as Yaqoob Chichi, Razia, Zainab and Zaffar. Mr Pir said that 34 members of the six families of this hamlet were evacuated to Lower Munda where the authorities set up a temporary relief camp at Government Middle School Pranigam. All four of the injured were admitted to the local hospital at Qazigund for medical treatment. They were all reportedly stable.

Third major incident of the day was reported from Kanzalwan area of Gurez sector, close to LoC, in the newly created Bandipore district in north Kashmir. DIG North Kashmir, Dr B Srinivas, said that an avalanche demolished the residence of one Abdul Ahad Baba S/o Ghulam Ahmed Baba in Nayal hamlet, near village Tanchi, in Gurez. A relief and rescue team managed to reach the locality, heavily covered by snow, and found the house owner's 43-year-old wife, Sitara Begum, dead. He said that two more of the family were "missing" and Police were on a search operation. However, sources believed to be more informed, told EXCELSIOR that Sitara Begum's 23-year-old son, Shabir Ahmed Baba, as well as her 18-year-old daughter, Shehnaza Bano, were also buried alive.

These sources said that dead bodies of Sitara Begum and Shabir Ahmed had been recovered by late this evening and a Police party, with local residents, was looking for Shehnaza's dead body. These sources said that Baba's house was completely demolished, also killing three cows and five rams. The village mosque as also a diesel generator, installed for electrification of the locality, have also perished in the catastrophe.

Even after 10 deaths were reported today, some more people have died for reasons being attributed to the heavy snowfall. Reports from Anantnag said that a 65-year-old woman, namely Saja W/o Ali Mohammad Ganai R/o Chogund, Kapran, died when she found her house covered with snow from bottom to top. Two more women have similarly died in Arigutnoo village in Kulgam and Manipora, Khudpora, in Shopian. Two women in labour pains had reportedly died in south Kashmir on Thursday and Wednesday as they failed to reach hospital due to blockade of roads. On day one of the snowfall, a driver of Project Beacon had died in an accident near Sadhna Top on Kupwara-Tangdar Road. Next day, one soldier and two civilian porters were buried under an avalanche across Sadhna Pass. With today's 10 casualties in Dooru, Qazigund and Gurez, at least 14 people have so far died directly because of the heavy snowfall.

Authorities said that inspite of today's remarkable improvement in weather, they had begun to develop apprehensions of more casualties as melting of snow was likely to cause more avalanches, particularly in Gurez, Nowgam, Uri, Machhil, Karnah, Dooru, Kapran, Kulgam and Shopian. They said that officials were trying to get more and more information from the snowbound and inaccessible areas and the snow clearance operation was also in full swing. Officials said that most of the major roads as also a number of link roads had been cleared of snow and electric supply had been restored to over 60 percent area in the Valley. They also asserted that there was no shortage of essential supplies.

However, residents from all the 10 district headquarters in the Valley complained that shopkeepers had been charging exorbitant rates for many essential supplies. They complained that only the Inter-district communication links had been cleared of snow, in addition to major towns and cities, while as more than 80 percent of the link roads were yet to be cleared and there was no power supply beyond major towns and district headquarters. Residents of Manzgam, Tangmarg and Aharbal in Kulgam area complained that there were no signs of administrative machinery in their area as all main and link roads were continuously closed for traffic and supplies of essential commodities had exhausted.

With most of the routine flights operating on Srinagar Airport after a gap of three days, a large number of stranded passengers have reached their destinations of Srinagar and Jammu today. Officials were confident that the Project Beacon would throw the highway open for traffic on Saturday.

Our Jammu Correspondent adds:- Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda has directed the Police force to maintain close coordination and work in unison with civil administration to provide every possible relief and succour to the people in view of post snow situation that has caused sufferings to the people of the State especially those of Valley. He asked the Police telecommunication to restore its network across the State to strengthen concerted efforts among various agencies and intra-police units to intensify and quicker the restoration and relief works.

Mr Khoda said that the Police Control Rooms established throughout the State at district and even tehsil levels are functioning round the clock to provide necessary guidance, help and related information in the aftermath situation besides facilitating the administration and field functionaries to get linked with the affected people for immediate help and resumption of normal life that has been thrown out of gear due to recent heavy snowfall. He appealed to the people to take benefit of the control rooms and seek every help from the police organization which is alert for the purpose in nook and corner of the State.

Mr Khoda has directed all divisional, district, tehsil and sectoral police officers to be in close touch with each other besides the civil administration and the public for coming to the rescue of sufferers and press men and machinery into service when and wherever needed.

The DGP has announced a cash award of Rs. 50,000 in favour of the police party led by SDPO Kulgam Bashir Ahmad Dar and SHO Qazigund who rescued 39 persons including 6 male, 8 female and 25 children after hectic and quick rescue operations at Butashandul, Qazigund in south Kashmir who came under an avalanche on Friday morning. Complimenting Mr Dar and the police party led by him for the yeoman’s job done in rescuing civilians and rushing them to safer places, Khoda said that police was always ready for help of needy in excegencies and calamities. He said that the police party led by SDPO Kulgam soon after the avalanche hit the hamlet rushed to the spot and exerted hard to save innocent lives despite heavy challenges, inclement weather and inaccessibility.

The rescued and the locals have also lauded the role of the police party from Kulgam for their dedicated and devoted efforts in rescuing the trapped population and saving innocent lives.

Rescue, relief grid for Doda, Kishtwar
Azad puts Army, Air Force on alert

Excelsior Correspondent

Jammu, Feb 8: Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today convened an emergency meeting of senior civil, Army, para-military and police officers to put in place a rescue and relief grid for worst affected areas in Doda and Kishtwar districts where up to 15 ft snow has accumulated at some places, triggering fears of avalanches and possibilities of loss to life and property.   

The two districts along with areas adjoining of Ramban have been experiencing record snowfall for past few days. Areas like Kishtwar town that would normally receive few inches of snow have recorded the history’s heaviest snowfall at 2.5 ft.

Mr Azad asked the senior officers of Army, para-military and police to alert their nearest formations in snow bound areas especially in upper reaches to collect information and move to the affected places for relief and rescue operation wherever needed. He said telecommunication systems of these forces could be best utilized for collection of information as normal communication links like landline and cell phones have stopped working in these areas. He asked the Air Force to mobilize helicopter sorties in different directions in the affected districts as soon as weather opens up to instill confidence among the people and reach out to them in their hour of need.

The Chief Minister asked the Air Force authorities to identify places for helicopter landing so that medicines and other necessary items could be reached to any destination if needed. He also asked the divisional administration to keep ready woolens and blankets that could be airlifted if required. He said since there was no let up in snowfall in these areas and communication system had broken down the actual situation could not be ascertained. However, he said, if the weather showed any improvement tomorrow, the Air Force helicopters would be pressed into service to survey the worst affected areas. He said on the basis of information collected by the survey, rescue and relief teams would be sent by air to the places where the need was felt. He said all Deputy Commissioners have been asked to arrange food for stranded passengers in their respective districts.

Mr Azad said that the districts of Doda and Kishtwar have had heaviest snowfall in the history this time ranging from 6 ft to 15 ft. He said the quantum of snow and the fact that it was falling uninterrupted was causing concern. He said for last six days, the two districts were cut off with road connectivity and communication system was badly disturbed. He said since no information was coming from the worst affected areas he was keeping his fingers crossed and only hoped that no disaster takes place. He said 40-50 per cent villages in the two districts had 10 ft to 15 ft snow, adding that Army and Air Force had been put on alert to meet with any eventuality.

Today’s meeting, the fourth convened by the Chief Minister in three days, to respond to the emerging situation following incessant and heavy snowfall, was attended among others by Minister of State for Social Welfare, G. M. Saroori and MLA, Abdul Majid Wani, who represent two constituencies falling in the affected areas, Chief Secretary, B. R. Kundal, Director General of Police, Kuldeep Khoda, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Anil Goswami, Inspector General of Police, CID, K. Rajendra, Air Commodore, A. K. Prasad, Major General, Sheonan Singh, IG, Border Security Force, Jammu, A. K. Surrolia, Additional DIG, CRPF, V. K. Mathur and Commander 35, BRTF, Col. P. P. Chandel.

The Indian Air Force will start airlifting stranded passengers between Jammu and Srinagar from tomorrow, an official release said.

"The air bridging would be carried out by the Air Force by heavy and medium lift transport aircrafts", it said.

The IAF has responded to a call to provide succour to stranded passengers due to closure of highway by the State Government.

The Government has also requested the Air Force to stand by for relief operations in Doda, Bhadarwah and Kishtwar following incessant snowfall and rains.

The IAF helicopters have been kept ready at Jammu and Udhampur for reconnaissance and relief operations as required by the State Government, the release said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary, B. R. Kundal has said that the Government would use all resources to save people in the event of any emergency. He said rescue and relief grid had been put in place, adding that the administration stood by the affected people in their hour of need.

The State Police has set up a special control room in Jammu for round the clock monitoring of the situation in the affected areas.

The Government today released Rs. 7 crore to meet the exigencies created by heavy snowfall in the Valley and parts of Jammu to restore damaged public service infrastructure.

The decision was taken at a meeting of State level Disaster Management Committee (DMC) chaired by Chief Secretary B. R. Kundal here today.

Mr Kundal emphasized the need of attending problems of people caused by heavy snowfall on war footing. "Response of administration and field functionaries to such eventualities should be quick and effective", he said.

He stressed for monitoring the restoration of public services and supply of essentials by the divisional heads personally. "There would be no bottleneck on account of allotment of funds for restoring the damaged services and providing immediate relief to affected, people but promptness and personal dynamism at the level of field functionaries was a must to deliver goods on the ground and achieve the results", he added.

3 top LeT militants shot dead in Mendhar

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: Three militants, suspected to be part of a group of infiltrators which had sneaked into this side from Mendhar sector last week, were gunned down by Army and police in an encounter at Kasbrari in Mendhar this afternoon.

Last week, Army and police had eliminated three intruders after they had entered this side by cutting fencing on Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector, at Ghani forests. Their associates had managed to slip deep into the forest area.

DIG Rajouri-Poonch range Prithvi Raj Manhas told Excelsior that troops of 39 Rashtriya Rifles and a police party headed by SDPO Mendhar Sanjay Rana intercepted three militants at Kasbrari in interior Mendhar this morning and engaged them in a gunbattle. The operation was supervised by SSP Poonch Jagjit Kumar.

A heavy exchange of gunfighting between the two sides continued for more than three hours. The militants continued firing from AK rifles and lobbed grenades on the security personnel from a house where they had taken shelter after observing movement of troops.

In the afternoon, security forces shot dead three militants without suffering any casualties.

The house, where the ultras had been hiding, suffered damage in exchange of firing but there was no civilian casualty, sources said.

Bodies of all three militants have been recovered from the house but their identity hasn’t been established so far. Two of them were believed to be foreign mercenaries of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.

Recoveries made from the slain militants include three AK rifles, 10 magazines, 10 rounds, one Thoraya satellite telephone, two wireless sets and some documents.

Besides heavy firing from the militants, security forces had to fight a hostile weather during the operation with three to four feet of snow having accumulated in the area. Despite this, security forces succeeded in eliminating three militants.

Sources said there were reports that a total of seven militants had infiltrated into this side from Mendhar sector last week. While three of them were killed on the day of their infiltration in Ghani forests, four others had managed to escape.

According to sources, three militants killed today were expected to be part of the same group of infiltrators. Another militant might be hiding in the area and was being searched by the security personnel.

With today’s killings, 10 infiltrators have been killed in Sunderbani and Mendhar sectors during last fortnight. Four militants, two each in as many separate encounters, have been killed in Sunderbani sector.

Recovery of two satellite telephones, one each in Mendhar and Sunderbani sectors from the possession of intruders, indicated that the groups were led by militant commanders. In Sunderbani operation, two Army jawans were killed and four others including a Major were injured while in previous Mendhar encounter, a police constable and a SPO were killed.

Valley air service resumed
Highway, roads remain closed

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: Though there was improvement in the weather conditions today yet the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for the 6th consecutive day today. However, Kashmir valley’s air link with the rest of the country was restored with all flights operating normally.

SSP Traffic, National Highway, Danish Rana told the EXCELSIOR that following improvement in the weather, the Border Roads Organisation pressed its men and machinery into service simultaneously at various places to clear the highway of the accumulated snow and landslides.

Till this evening, the BRO personnel succeeded in removing accumulated snow from highway at Patnitop and Batote upto large extent. They completely removed three landslides between Ramban and Digdol and made highly vulnerable spot of Panthyal motorable for light motor vehicles.

Mr Rana disclosed that eight bulldozers were only pressed in the Banihal-Jawahar Tunnel area where the accumulation of the snow was more as compared to other portions of the highway.

"If the weather remains favourable, the BRO personnel will make the Panthyal stretch motorable for the heavy vehicles too besides carrying out snow clearance operation all along the highway", he said, adding "we will try our level best to clear as many as trucks carrying essential commodities soon after receiving the green signal from the BRO tomorrow".

He further said that stranded passenger vehicles will not be allowed immediately as for such vehicles utmost precautions will have to be taken keeping in view the threat of avalanche.

Meanwhile, reports said that all inter-district roads— Batote-Doda, Doda-Kishtwar and Rajouri-Poonch besides several interior roads in these districts and Kathua remained blocked due to snowfall.

In Poonch district, 340 vehicles were stranded at Bhimber Gali since yesterday morning due to blockade of the road following landslides and snowfall. Keeping in view the inhospitable weather conditions, the Army late last night opened its barracks for the passengers of the stranded vehicles and provided them eatables.

As the road remained closed even today, some of the stranded passengers crossed the blocked portion of the road on foot and reached Surankote for further journey to their respective destinations, the reports said.

Meanwhile, summer capital’s air link with the rest of the country was restored after two days with all the flights operating normally to and fro Srinagar airport.

Centre to give details on Afzal's release

NEW DELHI, Feb 8: In a move aimed at turning the tables on the BJP, the Centre today said it would reveal details soon on how the erstwhile NDA Government had released the Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru few months before the terror strike.

Hitting back at former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani for criticising the UPA Government for the "delay" in hanging Afzal, Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said it was wrong to accuse the UPA Government in this regard.

"Mercy petitions are complicated. It takes time to dispose of mercy petitions. In the case of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins, the mercy petitions are pending for eight years, where as Afzal’s petition is only two years old," he said.

Replying to questions at a press conference, Jaiswal said he would provide "within 24 hours" the details of Afzal’s arrest and release under the NDA rule two months before the terrorist attack on Parliament.

Asked whether it was the then Home Minister (Advani) or the then Prime Minister (A B Vajpayee) who had ordered the release of Afzal, he said "orders of arrest or release are not issued by the Prime Minister or the Home Minister".

Advani recently sought to know from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh whether Afzal has been given "unofficial clemency".

In a counter offensive, Congress has sought to take the steam out of BJP’s campaign on the Afzal issue, claiming that he was caught, interrogated and let off by the Intelligence Bureau two-and-a-half months before the incident took place. (PTI)

3 day judicial workshop for speedy justice begins
Delay in justice weakens people's faith: CJ

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: Stressing upon speedy disposal of pending cases, Chief Justice of State High Court, Justice K S Radhakrishnan today said that delay not only weakens the justice delivery system but also faith of people in judiciary.

Addressing legal luminaries of national repute at Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu after inaugurating National Judicial Academy’s 3-day Regional Workshop on Techniques and Tools for Enhancing Timely Justice, he said that delay reduction should be key component of deliberations of the workshop keeping in view the huge backlog of cases pending before various courts.

"Citizens of this country expect speedy, inexpensive and quality justice from our judicial system and justice would be casualty in a delaying system as it weakens the faith of people in judiciary", Chief Justice said, adding "we must evolve new techniques and strategies to speed up the disposal of pending cases".

He further said: "The judicial officers have to evolve proper court management techniques since it is for them to control the court proceedings. The connected matters can always be clubbed and disposed off together. The judicial officers should also remember that when a case is weak, there is always a tendency to delay the case to the disadvantage of other side".

Justice Radhakrishnan stressed that Judges should curb this tendency and effectively manage their courts. They should not allow the prayers for adjournments.

He said that National Judicial Academy should conduct courses in the line with IBM and other business schools for proper case and court management techniques. "We can effectively implement alternate dispute resolution mechanism with success only when we are able to tackle the backlog of cases", he added.

Earlier, Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain Judge-Incharge- State Judicial Academy read out his welcome address and warmly welcomed Professor Dr Mohan Gopal, Director of National Judicial Academy and judges from High Courts of Allahabad, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Punjab, Haryana and Uttaranchal.

Services of 17 docs terminated

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: The State Government has issued the termination orders for 17 doctors of Health Services Jammu for absconding from their duties for years together.

While issuing the termination orders in favour of the absconding doctors, the Health and Medical Education Department has made it clear that the Department was left with no alternative but to take the drastic action as these doctors failed to respond to the three show cause notices served to them by the Government from time to time.

The doctors whose services were terminated included Dr Sunil Bhat Assistant Surgeon, D H Rajouri, Dr Rakesh Kumar Kanth, Assistant Surgeon CHC Sunderbani, Dr Aditi Raina, Assistant Surgeon, D H Kathua, Dr Arun Arora, Assistant Surgeon, CHC Mandi, Dr Jameet Singh Jolly, Assistant Surgeon, CHC Bishnah, Dr Sanjay Bhat, Assistant Surgeon, PHC Bharak, Dr Chanderika Koul, Assistant Surgeon, Government Hospital Sarwal, Jammu, Dr Sunil Koul, Assistant Surgeon, CHC Ramgarh, Dr Anuradha Dogra, Assistant Surgeon CHC Ramgarh, Dr Witty Raina, Assistant Surgeon GMC, Jammu, Dr Meenakshi Goinda, Assistant Surgeon, PHC, Dinga Amb, Dr Abneet Sayal, Assistant Surgeon, DH Rajouri, Dr Abdul Gani, Assistant Surgeon, DH Rajouri, Dr Syed Salla Junid, Assistant Surgeon, CHC Ramgarh, Dr Sunil Bhat, Assistant Surgeon, GMC Jammu, Dr Sudesh Koul, Assistant Surgeon, GMC Jammu and Dr Renu Bala, Assistant Surgeon, D H Kathua.

34 doctors transferred

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: The State Government today issued the transfer and posting orders of 34 doctors in Health and Medical Education Department.

Dr Anita Gupta, B Grade Gynecologist, SMGS Hospital Jammu and Dr Vijay Sharma, also B Grade Gynecologist, Police Hospital Jammu will swap the posts. Dr Ajay Khajuria was transferred from DTO Kathua and posted as BMO Hiranagar against available vacancy. Dr J P Singh, Assistant Surgeon was posted as Incharge DTO Kathua, Dr Uttam Chand , Assistant Surgeon, AD Bhaya, Hiranagar was posted in Government Hospital, Gandhinagar, Jammu, Dr Varsha Sharma, Assistant Surgeon, MPHW School, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu was posted in PHC Chinta Bhadarwah and Dr Samitra Devi, Assistant Surgeon, PHC Paddar was posted in MPHW, School Gandhinagar Jammu.

Dr Samir Matto, B Grade Ophthalmologist who was under orders of transfer to DH Kathua has been now posted in Government Hospital Sarwal Jammu, Dr Mahesh Gupta, B Grade Pediatrician, CHC Akhnoor was posted in Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, Dr Ashu Jamwal has been transferred from Government Medical College Jammu and posted in CHC Hiranagar, Dr Varinder Kumar, B Grade Pediatrician has been posted in CHC Akhnoor and Dr Manju Shah Bajaj, Assistant Surgeon, GMC Jammu was posted in Government Hospital, Gandhinagar.

Dr Sanjay Gupta, Assistant Surgeon GMC Jammu was posted in D H Poonch, Dr Poonam Sethi, Assistant Surgeon, GMC, Jammu was posted in Government Rajiv Gandhi, Hospital Gangyal Jammu, Dr Shalun Dogra, Assistant Surgeon, GMC, Jammu was posted in CHC Marh while Dr Koushal Gupta , B Grade Gynecologist CHC Chenani and Dr Veena Gupta also B Grade Gynecologist, D H Udhampur will swap the posts.

Dr Munshi Ram Badyal, Assistant Surgeon, PHC Harie Chak, Hiranagar was posted in PHC Mansar, Dr Rajinder Kumar Assistant Surgeon was posted in Harie Chak, Hiranagar and Dr Reeta Ladwal, Assistant Surgeon who was awaiting orders of adjustment has been posted in PHC Ramkote.

Dr Davinder Singh, Assistant Surgeon, CHC Hiranagar was posted in CHC Billawar, Dr Anil Vaid, Assistant Surgeon, CHC, Billawar was posted in PHC Bhuddo, Billawar and Dr Sanjeev Puri, Assistant Surgeon, Government Hospital Gandhinagar, Jammu was posted in D H Kathua.

Dr S K Tandon, B Grade Surgeon, DH Poonch was posted in CHC Surankote, Dr Mohammed Rashid Khan, B Grade Surgeon, CHC Surankote was posted in CHC Mendhar, Dr Mohammed Younis Khan, Assistant Surgeon, CHC Mendhar was posted in D H Poonch and Dr Rajiv Sharma, Assistant Surgeon, DH Poonch was posted in D H Doda.

Dr Sunita Gupta, Assistant Surgeon, D H Poonch was posted in CHC Billawar, Dr Akhtar Mirza, Assistant Surgeon, D H Doda was posted in CHC Bishnah, Dr Des Raj, Assistant Surgeon, GMC Jammu was posted in D H Poonch, Dr Vipan Kumar , B Grade Surgeon, D H Poonch was posted in CHC Nowshera vice Dr Kunal Kant who has been posted in D H Poonch and Dr Vikrant Assistant Surgeon who was awaiting orders of adjustment has been posted in CHC Surankote.

Charak's son attacked, 2 held

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: Two miscreants beat-up and injured Samar Dev Singh Charak, son of Higher Education Minister Gulchain Singh Charak outside Dussehra Ground at Gandhi Nagar last night. Police arrested both the accused and seized their Innova car from Talab Tillo tonight.

Police said two youths, travelling in an Innova car No. 007 JK02AG, beat-up Samar Dev Singh Charak when he along with his mother and other family members was returning in a car from Peer Baba shrine to his house last night.

Mr Charak sustained fits and blows in the attack.

Gandhi Nagar police station registered a FIR in the attack and, on the basis of car’s registration number, today identified the accused as residents of Talab Tillo. The car was seized by police this afternoon while the accused were arrested tonight. They have been identified as Devinder Singh, owner of the car and a resident of Talab Tillo and Shashi Pal Tak of Kanji House.

Arrests were made by a Gandhi Nagar police station party led by SHO Mohd Rafiq.

MCI recognises MD Community Medicines

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 8: Medical Council of India (MCI) has approved MD granted by Jammu University in respect of students being trained at Government Medical College Jammu in Community Medicines (SDM).

The Postgraduate Committee of MCI decided to recommend recognition and inclusion of the qualification in the 1st Schedule to the I.M.C. Act, 1956. Recognition of MD Community Medicine course has been granted in Government Medical College, Jammu for four seats per year, a release said.

530 stranded civilians ,Army personnel airlifted

Jammu : About 530 civilians and army personnel stranded here following closure of Jammu and Kashmir national highway due to heavy snowfall were airlifted by the Air Force to Srinagar from Udhampur and Jammu today.

Under operation 'Humsafar', about 150 stranded civilians and 300 army personnel were airlifted to Srinagar from Jammu this morning in an IAF plane, they said adding all the passengers have landed safely at Srinagar.

Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Hirdesh Kumar Singh said that as the national highway continues to remain blocked even today, arrangements are being made to ferry stranded civilians by air on rotational.

Adequate measures have also been made at Jammu for the convenience of stranded passengers, he added.

Reports from Udhampur district said that about 80 passengers, who were stranded from last five days following heavy snowfall and landslides, were airlifted by the IAF.

Wing Commander Pawan Sharma, who was coordinating the operation at Udhampur, said that Air Force personnel are trained for such work. (PTI)