SRTC
employees continue agitation,
condemn Government action
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: As the Government
sticks to its stand on the demands, there
is no solution in sight to the ongoing
agitation launched by the State Road
Transport Corporation (SRTC) employees.
On the
24th day of the agitation today, the SRTC
employees continued demonstrations at
Jammu and Srinagar and warned the
Government to continue the agitation till
the demands were settled.
They also
accused the Government of pursuing the
victimization policies and alleged that
instead of settling the genuine demands,
the employees and their family members
are being harassed by the Government.
Addressing
the agitating SRTC employees at Bikram
Chowk here, today Shakeel Ahmed Kuchay,
chairman SRTC Workers Union appealed the
State Government to look into the genuine
demands of the employees instead of
adopting a confrontationist approach.
He, while
criticizing the Government, blamed it for
harassing the SRTC Trade Union leaders by
raiding their houses in Srinagar and
other parts of Kashmir Valley.
Mr Kuchay
said that his residence was also raided
by a police party at Housing Colony
Chanapora in Srinagar this afternoon when
only female members were present in the
house. Likewise, the residences of other
SRTC Workers Union leaders were also
searched in Srinagar by the police to
harass their families.
Terming it
totally high-handedness on the part of
the Government, murder of democracy and
unconstitutional step, he warned that
this will not be tolerated any more. He
said that SRTC employees are fighting for
their rights and they will not budge an
inch from their demand and continue the
strike to take it to its logical
conclusion.
He alleged
that SRTC workers have also been arrested
in Kashmir Valley and a bus with workers
which was on its way to Srinagar from
Tral to participate in today’s
agitation has not been allowed to proceed
further and all workers traveling in it
were taken into police custody.
Mr Kuchay
said that being the Vice president of All
India Road Transport Workers Federation,
he has taken up the issue with its
national general secretary. "I have
also made an appeal to various trade
unions in the state to support the
agitation,"he added. Mr Kuchay said
"we are waiting for a peaceful
outcome of the issue so that the dead
lock will end. But the Government has
personalized the issue," he added.
He
reiterated that the benefits given to
other 26 states under the RTC Act of 1950
be extended to J&K also.
Meanwhile,
INTUC J&K chief Shiv Kumar Sharma
also extended his support to agitating
SRTC workers and assured them that he
will also take up the issue with the
Government.
Hunt
on for kingpin
15 single digit lottery
operators arrested
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: Police today
arrested 15 persons who were involved in
illegal transaction of single digit
lottery through telephones in Punjab.
Arrests were made from the ground of a
school at Pacci Dhakki under the
jurisdiction of Pacca Danga police
station this afternoon.
Police
said on a specific information that the
gang was operating from school’s
ground at Pakki Dhakki, a police party
led by DySP City Sawtantar Arora and SHO
Pacca Danga Inspector Kewal Krishan Gupta
raided the spot and apprehended 15
accused.
Five
accused tried to escape from the spot but
were apprehended.
All of
them have been lodged in Pacca Danga
police station where a case has been
registered against them.
Police
said the accused have identified their
kingpin as Sham Lal Darzi. Police parties
were conducting searches to nab him but
he remained untraced till tonight.
Sources
said the accused had contacts with Super
Diamond lottery operators in Punjab. They
used to take the lucky number from
lottery operators on the basis of which
money was distributed among the persons
investing in the illegal trade.
Single
digit lottery is banned in the State.
Improvement
in emergency healthcare
CM frames committee to
study Andhra type EMRS
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: A committee headed
by the Principal Secretary, Planning
& Development would go into the
proposal for introducing, on the pattern
of Andhra Pradesh, the emergency
management response system in Jammu &
Kashmir to improve emergency healthcare
services in the State.
Decision
to this effect was taken at a meeting
chaired by the Chief Minister, Ghulam
Nabi Azad here today during which the
Chief Executive Officer, Emergency
Management Research Institute (EMRI),
Secunderabad, Venkat Changavalli made a
power point presentation on the subject.
The Chief
Minister observed that the topography of
J&K being difficult and different
from Andhra Pradesh, there was need to
see how the experiment was applied to the
local situation. Accordingly, he issued
instructions to constitute a committee
under the Principal Secretary, Planning
& Development, Iqbal Khanday to look
into the proposal. Divisional
Commissioner, Jammu, Sudhanshu Pandey and
Secretary, Health & Medical
Education, K. B. Jandial would be the
other members of the committee.
Minister
for Health & Medical Education,
Mangat Ram Sharma, Minister of State for
Health, Peer Muhammad Hussain, Chief
Secretary, B. R. Kundal, Principal
Secretary to Chief Minister, Anil
Goswami, Principal Secretary, GAD,
Khurshid Ahmad Ganai,
Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, B. B.
Vyas and Secretary, Revenue, Masood
Samoon were present, besides the three
officers nominated for the committee.
PHE
employees hold protest demonstration
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: Public Health
Engineering Employees Welfare Association
with the support of PHE Mechanical
Rural/Civil Division held a mass
demonstration at PHE Rural Division
Complex here today. The protest
demonstration was organized under the
leadership of president PHEEWA, Balwinder
Singh. The protestors raised
anti-Government slogans and demanded the
early redressal of their demands.
Speaking
on the occassion, Mr Singh highlighted
several demands which included
implementation of SRO 149 of 1973,
disbursement of salary to daily wagers,
disbursement of pay arrears to the
regularized employees, regular holding of
DPC, updating of seniority list of
various categories and repair of the
machinery at the pumping stations besides
safety tools and uniforms to the field
workers.
Others who
spoke on the occasion were Balvir Rai,
Amrik Singh, Surinder Singh, Raj Kumar,
Brij Nath and Parshotam Kumar.
Bhim
concerned over plight of rural masses
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: Chairman Jammu and
Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP),
Prof Bhim Singh today said that the
economic condition of the rural masses in
far off pockets of Jammu as well as
Kashmir regions has degraded considerably
over the past few years.
Prof Bhim
Singh who was on tour to different places
of the State in connection with silver
jubilee celebration rallies, while
addressing a press conference here today
said that people living in far off areas
are treated as 'goats and sheep' by the
Government machinery.
"There
are no takers for them in the
administrative circles and even for
getting a smaller job done in government
departments, they have to pursue their
genuine cases for years together but to
no avail" he said, adding,
"Hundred days job gurantee scheme in
hilly and backward areas of Bani,
Basholi, Billawar, Paddar, Desa-Gandoh,
Marwah, Dachhan, Banihal, Mahu-Maugal,
Gool, Neel, Ramban and Gulabgarh etc has
proved a failure and more than average
workers are without job and those who
have job under such schemes have not been
paid remunerations yet."
He said
that ration cards of villagers have not
been renewed since 1997 while most of the
departments are understaffed therefore
exposing poor villagers to innumerable
difficulities.
"There
are 10,000 victims of millitancy who have
not been provided any relief under
SRO-43" he added.
Meanwhile,
he accused Chief Minister of withdrawing
the security cover of party legislators
on false charges and demanded that the
forthcoming assembly elections be held
under the Governor's rule.
ASSI
highlights demands of industries
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: Dr Pawan Kotwal,
secretary to Government, Industries and
Commerce, accompanied by Pardeep Kumar
Gupta, Director Industries, B S Dua,
Managing Director J&K SICOP and
others paid a surprise visit to few
industrial units in Industrial Area
Gangyal today.
They also
held interactive meeting with the members
of Association of Small Scale Industries,
Gangyal today. Dr C M Seth, Chairman,
J&K Pollution Control Board also
attended the meeting.
Rajesh
Jain, ASSI president, highlighted various
demands and problems being confronted by
unit holders. He said the Government has
unilaterally enhanced the ground rental
of land in industrial areas from 300% to
3000% and held that such a hike in one go
was unbearable and needed to be
reconsidered as assured by the Chief
Minister in their meeting with him on
June 7, last year.
Other
demands highlighted in the meeting
pertained to exhorbitant hike in power
tariff, which was likely to cripple
industrial activity in the region.
The
meeting held that Government should
consider cashless VAT refund on raw
material purchased locally by SSI units.
The leaders demanded that a new mind set
be given by authorities for issuing NOCs,
verification reports etc to attract new
investors from outside the State.
The
meeting called for identification of new
land for expansion of industrial
activities around Jammu, as no further
space was left for expansion of industry
in the existing areas.
Other
demands highlighted included scrapping of
single window system as it has failed to
yield desired results, implementation of
price/purchase preference clause to be
maintained and its honouring in letter
and spirit, as also shedding rays of
Roshani Act towards industrial sector.
The meeting also called for renovation of
dilapidated roads in industrial area.
Dr Pawan
Kotwal, Secretary Industries listened to
the problems projected by members of ASSI
and assured that issues raised by it
would be considered on priority basis.
8
SRTC workers arrested for beating police
drivers
Excelsior
Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 13: At least four
drivers of Jammu and Kashmir Police were
injured when striking employees of the
State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC)
attacked them on the outskirts today, a
police spokesman said, eight SRTC
employees were arrested and cases were
registered against them.
He said in
order to mitigate the inconvenience of
the general masses, particularly the
commuters, services of drivers from Jammu
and Kashmir Police were sought by the
SRTC management.
The SRTC
services to some routes of Jammu and
Hazratbal shrine, in view of the
Eid-e-Milad Nabi, were started with the
help of J&K police drivers.
On way to
Jammu today, as the police drivers
alongwith the passengers in SRTC buses
reached Sempora, on the outskirts of
Srinagar city under jurisdiction of
Police Station Pantha chowk, some
striking SRTC employees who came from
Anantnag, attacked the buses.
They
forced the passengers out of the buses
and forcibly de-boarded drivers and
conductors of the buses.
Four
police personnel, identified as
head-constable Shabir Ahmed, SGCT Ab
Khaliq, constables Nissar Ahmed and
Zain-ul-Abdin were attacked by the SRTC
employees at the behest of some of their
leaders.
Police has
registered a case Vide FIR No 19/2008
under section 341,147,332,109 in Police
Station Pantha chowk against these
employees in this regard.
Moot
Court presentation in Law School
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: The students of The
Law School, University of Jammu (JU)
today made several Moot Court
presentations before different benches
comprising of senior professors of Law.
A total of
six groups of students i.e A to F
demonstrated their skills before the
learned professors. Group A and D made
presentation before Prof. Lalita Parihar,
former head and dean Law department,
whereas Group B and E appeared before
Prof. Kulwant Singh. Group C and F made
presentation before Prof. V P Magotra.
Dr. Arvind
Jasrotia, academic co-ordinator of Law
School, acted as co-ordinator, while
Prof. S K Sharma, HoD and Dean Law and
Prof. V K Kapoor, Director Law School
were the chief observers during the
presentations.
Vice
Chancellor, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, Dean
Academic Affair, Prof. B P S Sehgal and
HT Jammu bureau chief Arun Joshi also
witnessed the proceedings. Earlier, they
took a round of the school building.
The
evaluation of Moot Court presentation had
begun yesterday wherein Justice (Retd) O
P Sharma was the chief examiner.
J&K
NTUF will hold protest dharna on Mar 18
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: The J&K
National Trade Union Front (NTUF) will
organize protest dharna in front of
Divisional Commissioner's office on March
18 in support of their demands and
problems being faced by the State
Government employees.
This was
stated by Mohammad Gafoor Dar, NTUF,
State president in a press conference
here today. Gaffor Dar has announced that
Trade Union will hold district level
massive protest demonstration in front of
Divisional Commissioner's office, Old
Secretariat to focus the attention of
State Government on demands and problems
being faced by the State Government
employees.
Mr Dar
stated that there were various demands of
State Government employees, Anganwari
workers, Educational volunteers and daily
wagers which were highlighted during the
protest viz release of 6% due DA,
enhancement of wages of Anganwadi workers
and helpers, enhancement of retirement
age from 58 to 60 and amendment in SRO-64
to regularize the services.
Mr Dar
further condemned the delaying policies
of State Government for its failure in
releasing the monthly salaries in various
categories of State Government employees.
He warned the State Government not to
play with the sentiments of four lakhs
State Government employees and workers
who are backbone of Government.
NTUF,
State president also appealed the State
Government employees, Anganwari workers,
Educational volunteers and daily wagers
to participate in dharna/demonstration
protest in large strength to press the
State Government for immediate settlement
of the genuine demands.
Among
others who were present in the conference
included Balbir Singh Arun Moza, Krishan
Singh Bhau, Babu Hussian Malik, Molvi
Muneer Hussain, Thakur Suram Singh,
Mukhtar Singh, Sehdev Singh, Gh Mohammad
Malik, Ab Majid Bichoo, Birbal Sharma,
Rachna Devi and Savita Kakkar.
150
Anganwari workers being promoted
Govt to ease procedure
for social security assistance: Vakil
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: In a move aimed at
providing prompt succour to poor,
destitute and downtrodden, Government
would shortly revise rules and procedures
to ease formalities for obtaining pension
under social security assistance schemes.
This was
stated by Minister for Social Welfare
Abdul Gani Vakil while addressing a
gathering of Women Self-help-groups and
Anganwari workers after inaugurating
community hall at R. S. Pura today. The
hall has been constructed at a cost of Rs
10 lakh by Women Development Corporation
under Swayamsidha Scheme.
Mr. Vakil
said that village level functionaries
including numberdars and chowkidars would
be involved in the identification of
genuine beneficiaries under pension
schemes to ease inconvenience faced by
them in getting their cases sanctioned.
The
Minister said that Rs 20 crore (Rs 10
crore each for Srinagar and Jammu
division) have been released only
yesterday to clear backlog of pension
cases, adding funds would never be
allowed to come in the way of improving
the living conditions of poor sections of
the society in the state.
Mr. Vakil
said that as many as 150 eligible
Anganwari workers would be promoted as
Supervisors within 20 days. Exercise to
this effect stands already initiated, he
added. He said that he was striving for
enhancing honorarium of Anwangwari
workers besides exploring ways and means
to brighten their promotion avenues.
The
Minister also inspected Bal Ashram and
Nari-Niketan of R.S.Pura and interacted
with the inmates. He advised the wardens
to attend the destitute children with
passionate heart, stating serving poor
was the real worship taught by all
religions.
Earlier,
Managing Director Women Development
Corporation Dr. Naheed Soz informed that
13 community halls have been constructed
by the corporation across the State with
the completion of community hall at R.S.
Pura. She said these halls aimed at
serving as training -cum-production
centres for Women Self-help-groups.
Mula
Ram reviews implementation of NREGA
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: The first meeting
of Jammu and Kashmir Employment Guarantee
Council constituted under the provisions
of National Rural Employment Guarantee
Act was held here under the chairmanship
of Minister for Rural Development and
Panchayats Mula Ram.
The
meeting was attended by Minister of State
for Rural Development Department, Chief
Secretary B. R. Kundal, Principal
Secretary Planning and Development,
Principal Secretary PHE/I&FC,
Commissioner Secretary Finance, Secretary
Agriculture Production and Secretary
Rural Development Department as Member
Secretary of the Council.
Initiating
the deliberation, Secretary Rural
Development Department who also happens
to be the Member Secretary of the Council
apprised the Council about the salient
features of the Act and the State scheme
framed there-under, besides, steps
initiated by the department for smooth
implementation of the Act/scheme.
The
Council was informed that under Phase-I
five districts of the State namely
Poonch, Doda, (Kishtwar and Ramban),
Jammu, (Samba) and Kupwara and Anantnag
(Kulgam) scheme were presently
implemented and are being extended to all
the districts of the State from April
2008 under phase-II.
The
achievements made under the scheme in the
five districts where the scheme was put
to implementation was also discussed and
steps initiated for implementation of the
scheme in remaining districts were also
brought to the notice of the Council. The
meeting was informed that about 4.56 lakh
job cards were issued to the rural house
holds, 76.53 mandays were
generated/provided to the job seekers,
and 82.50 lakh expenditure were booked
under the scheme.
On this
occasion, Minister and Chief Secretary
stressed the need for convergence of the
scheme with different line departments
and addition of activities like tube
wells, lanes and drains.
Beside,
all the agenda points were discussed
threadbare and decisions taken for
effective implementation of scheme in the
State.
GCET
faculty highlights lack of
infrastructure,
absence of CAS
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: A deputation of the
faculty of Government College of
Engineering and Technology (GCET) Jammu
today met Minister for Higher and
Technical Education Gulchain Singh Charak
and apprised him of lack of
infrastructural facilities in the
college.
The
deputation also met with Commissioner
Secretary, Higher and Technical
Education. It was apprised during the
separate meetings that there was a lack
of infrastructural facilities in the
college including laboratories, workshops
and library etc.
It was
also highlighted that the college, which
was set up in the year 1994 after the due
approval of AICTE, is still without
Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) and it is
mandatory to implement CAS for the
upgradation of faculty in all the
engineering colleges under the purview of
AICTE.
The
deputation also apprised both the
Minister and the Secretary that the
college was still without the CAS
implementation even after the lapse of 14
years, as against the stipulated period
of six months.
They also
said that new campus of the college at
Chak Bhalwal, was not fully functional
and only three departments areconducting
classes therein, whereas rest of the
function is being done from old campus.
Meanwhile,
the Minister gave a patient hearing to
the grievances of the faculty and assured
to resolve the matter shortly.
Anganwari
workers hold protest in support of
demands
Excelsior
Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Mar 13: The Anganwari
workers under the banner of Anganwari
Workers Welfare Association today held a
protest demonstration in support of their
long pending demands and also submitted
memorandum to Government through D C
Udhampur.
The
protesting Anganwari workers were
demanding hike in salary, as presently
they were only getting Rs. 45 and Rs. 20
as daily wage. It was said that State
Government had not increased their salary
since 20 years, whereas other states have
considerably hiked the salary of
Anganwari workers.
However,
the association suggested the Government
not to open the new Anganwari centres
near the existing centres to avoid
unnecessary difficulties to the old
centres. They also asked for the
appointment of all new supervisors from
among the Anganwari workers, as being
done by other states.
Among
those who addressed the protesters
included Swarna Choudhary, president,
Lakshman Ravinder Singh, Koushalya Devi,
Ashok Choudhary, Swaran Kanta and Kumari
Kaniz Choudhary.
Batwal
community seeks special status
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: The Association of
Jammu Urban Batwal Community has
expressed serious concern over silence
being maintained by the Chief Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Chief Secretary, BR
Kundal on the memorandums submitted by
the community.
In a press
statement issued here today, president of
the association criticized Central
Planning Commission for not taking any
action on the report of ethnographic
study of Batwal community submitted by
the Census Operation, J&K in 1995.
The
statement further said that the living
condition of entire community has gone
worst over the years and therefore needs
the attention of both Centre and State
Governments. It also demanded special
status, economic and employment package
for the community.
PDP
organises blood donation camp
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: People's Democratic
Party (PDP) organised a blood donation
camp at Government Medical College (GMC)
Jammu where members of the youth wing of
the Party donated blood with enthusiasm.
The camp
was organised by the president of the
People's Democratic Student's Front Ahsan
Mirza while it was inaugurated by general
secretary of the Party Daman Bhasin and
Press and Publicity secretary Renu Azad.
Speaking
on the occasion, Mr.Bhasin called upon
the youth to develop a spirit of
sacrifice and humanity. He urged the
Government to redress the problem of
unemployment and create avenues for the
youth.
Ms Renu
Azad said that the blood donation camps
reflect the eagerness of the PDP
leadership to extend all possible help to
the people. The blood was donated by the
youth PDP in the presence of HoD Blood
Bank, Dr.Kum Kum Sharma.
Others who
were present on the occasion included
president of the Youth Wing of Jammu
district Rajesh Bhatt, Nadeem Khan,
Anshuman, Rajinder Manhas, Irfan and
Imran.
ZAC
hails Govt gesture to start helicopter
service
Excelsior
Correspondent
KARGIL, Mar 13: Zanskar Action
Committee has expressed gratitude to
Government of India and Ministry of
Defence for arranging helicopter service
between Leh and Padum and Kargil and
Padum, besides the routine schedule.
The ZAC
also thanked Indian Air Force for sparing
aircrafts for the welfare of public
living in remotest areas, as at present
Zanskar area was completely land locked
without communication, except the
helicopter service.
The ZAC
expressed special gratitude to the Chief
Minister,. the Minister for Industries
and Commerce and Minister for Youth
Services and Sports for their extra
ordinary efforts and generous help,
because without their assistance and
cooperation, the arrangement was not
possible to airlift the stranded people
of Zanskar at Leh and Kargil.
Special
gratitude was also expressed to Chief
Executive Councillor LAHDC Kargil, the
Chief Secretary J&K State and AOC Leh
for their sincere cooperation to get the
things materialize.
JU
officer booked in unfair means case
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: In what could be
termed as a most shameful act, one of the
officers of University of Jammu (JU) was
today booked for adopting unfair means
while appearing in LLB sixth semester
examination at one of the examination
halls in the university.
According
to sources, S C Kotwal, Assistant
Registrar in Directorate of Distance
Education of the university, was taking
examination in one of the courses of LLB
sixth semester at Examination Hall-A,
wherein he was frisked by a three member
flying squad, constituted to check unfair
means.
On
frisking, the members recovered some
subject related material from his
possession. Thereafter, he was
immediately booked under unfair mean
case. His answer sheet was also seized.
The flying squad was led by Prof. J P S
Joorel, while the other members were
Vivek Salathia and Prof. D S Bhau.
When
contacted Prof. Bhau, one of the members
of flying squad, confirmed the matter but
refused to divulge the further details.
It is
pertinent to mention here that his act
would attract a minimum punishment equal
to cancellation of the particular course
in which he appeared today.
Departmental
drivers for removal of pay anomalies
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: All Department
Driver/ Cleaner/ Operator Federation has
urged the State Government to remove
anomalies in their pay grades.
In a
meeting of the federation held under the
chairmanship of Anoop Singh Jamwal (Jammu
president) and Raiz Ahmed (Kashmir
president), all the demands of the cadre
were discussed. Other demands highlighted
included regularization of contractual/
adhoc members of the cadre, immediate
sanctioning of six percent of DA
installment from January, 2008 etc.
The
meeting was also attended by S. Barpoor
Singh, Anoop Sharma, Darshan Sharma,
Joginder Singh, Chander Mohan, Swaran
Singh, Anil Gupta etc.
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