Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: National Conference leader and former Minister Nazir Ahmad Gurezi will be elected Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly tomorrow.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basharat Ahmad Bukhari gave a notice to this effect in the Assembly Secretariat today. Forests and Social Welfare Minister Bali Bhagat seconded the motion.
Official sources told the Excelsior that ruling PDP-BJP coalition offered post of the Deputy Speaker to the National Conference, the largest opposition party in the Assembly and asked NC Legislature Party to name the MLA for the post.
After the NCLP named its three time legislator from Gurez for the post, the ruling party gave the motion for the election.
Gurezi will be elected Deputy Speaker in the Assembly tomorrow.
Bukhari will move the motion proposing Gurezi as the Deputy Speaker while Bhagat will second it.
The ruling coalition has offered post of the Deputy Speaker to the opposition keeping in view the tradition going on since 2002 when PDP-Congress coalition had offered the post to NC. Mohammad Akbar Lone, NC MLA, was then elected as the Deputy Speaker. In 2008, NC-Congress coalition had offered the post to the PDP. Sartaj Madni was then elected as the Deputy Speaker.
Gurezi to be elected Dy Speaker today
HC pulls up DCs on encroachments
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 8: Jammu and Kashmir High Court today pulled up authorities for not removing encroachments from the banks of river Jhelum and directed the authorities for implementing the court orders without any delay or appropriate action will be taken against them.
The Division Bench of High Court comprising Justice MH Attar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey warned the concerned Deputy Commissioners in whose jurisdiction river Jhelum flows and all those engineers who are entrusted with this job shall be personally responsible for implementation of orders of the court.
“Every District Development Commissioner, who figure in order dated 24.2.2015, shall be personally responsible to the court henceforth for implementation of the court orders adding all those who were posted in the I&FC Ganderbal and were responsible to remove the encroachments and to protect the Padshahi Bagh Canal have not complied with the court directions”, court order reads.
Court pulled up the authorities for not performing their duties as they were required to do under administrative obligation. Court while expressing its anguish against the authorities observed: “The authorities are required to show utmost sense of urgency in protecting the river Jhelum and other water bodies”.
Court granted two weeks time as requested by the Government counsel as last and final opportunity to the authorities for complying with the court direction.
“We were contemplating to initiate stringent action against the authorities for non compliance of the court directions. We at this stage defer initiation of action against the authorities and hope the authorities will perform their statutory duties and will implement the court orders”, said the bench.
It is as per the compliance report of respondents which demonstrate that court directions issued from time to time especially on 24.2.2015 have not been complied with and it would take decades to remove the encroachments from the river with the speed the authorities are doing it.
“The compliance report would indicate that the actual width about which record is now available with the authorities, has not been identified by completing demarcation till date. The pace with which the authorities are proceeding in the matter would take decades to remove the encroachments from the banks of river Jhelum and for its restoration to its original width”, court said.
Court also observed “we are pained by the insensitive approach exhibited by the authorities most of whom are sons of the soil, in preserving their own water bodies”.
Court on 24.2.15 had ordered for constitution of a committee headed by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and DC Anantnag, Pulwama, Srinagar, Bandipora and Baramulla and SSPs of these districts as its members to initiate a drive for removing all the encroachments from the banks of river Jhelum within weeks time.
Modi thanks Sharif for evacuating Indians
NEW DELHI, Apr 8:
As Pakistan ferried 11 Indians whom it evacuated from strife-torn Yemen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today thanked his counterpart Nawaz Sharif for the “humanitarian gesture” and remarked that “service to humanity knows no borders”.
“I welcome our 11 citizens who’ve returned from Yemen with assistance from Pakistan. Thank you PM Nawaz Sharif for your humanitarian gesture,” Modi tweeted.
“Service to humanity knows no borders. Glad we helped many countries in evacuation from Yemen,” he added.
The Prime Minister noted that India too also extended help to Pakistan and other neighbours Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka to evacuate their citizens from Yemen.
Sharif had yesterday offered to send the 11 Indians evacuated by Pakistani Navy from Yemen by a special flight, which was readily accepted by India. They were airlifted from Karachi to New Delhi today.
Earlier today, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar also appreciated Pakistan, saying “it was a very positive, good, generous gesture… Pakistan took great trouble and we need to appreciate that.”
The Indians were evacuated by a Pakistani Navy ship from Yemen to Karachi along with 171 Pakistanis.
Jaishankar said the crisis like in Yemen provides an opportunity for countries to work together as he noted that India too had evacuated 409 nationals of 32 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
“Different countries are helping out irrespective of nationalities,” he said, adding India sees it as an opportunity to cooperate with each other while some may see it as “posturing”. (PTI)
India to support Pak in polio eradication
NEW DELHI, Apr 8:
India, a certified polio-free country, today assured Pakistan of all types of technical help to eradicate polio.
The issue was discussed during bilateral talks between the Health Ministers of the two nations.
“Pakistan is keen to see polio eradicated from its country. We assured all types of technical help,” Union Health Minister J P Nadda said after chairing the 5th SAARC meeting of Health Ministers.
The technical teams of both countries will make field visits to share experience and exchange information, he said.
A similar technical support was also committed to Afghanistan for supporting polio eradication programme, besides providing micro level planning.
“Indian will share experience with countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan and give all technical support needed by them. We are ready to train them, give full cooperation, interaction of information and collectively strategise to see that the SAARC region becomes polio free.
“We are ready to support them for polio eradication programme and whatever technical support is needed by them. We are also ready to help them in micro level planning. Their technical groups can visit India and we can also have field visits there,” he said.
Afghanistan has also sought some intervention in the field of pharma, which the Minister said will be taken care of. India has also assured infrastructural support to Maldives during bilateral talks with the country.
“They are interested in getting infrastructural support from us which is in process. Indian Government is renovating Indira Gandhi Medical Hospital in Maldives. We have also assured them some equipment support and anything that comes in a formal way we will taken care of,” the Minister said.
On the concerns raised by Nepal over the issue of snake anti-venom vaccine, Indian assured assistance on all fronts including hospitals, training of manpower resources and management and distribution of medicines.
“We will help them on all front including hospital, training of the manpower, management of storage of medicines and distribution of medicines,” the Minister added. (PTI)
6 held before joining militancy
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 8: Police today said that they arrested six youth who were set to join the militant ranks in South Kashmir’s Shopian district and were tasked to snatch rifles from the police.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Shopian district, Altaf Ahmad Khan, said that they came to know about the youth while tracking upper ground network of militants in the district.
“We came to know through technical inputs that the 6 boys some of whom are under 18 had decided to join the militancy. The upper ground network of militants was in contact with them after persuading them. We arrested them and after proper counseling we are handing over them to their parents”, said Khan.
Khan said that these youth were tasked to snatch the weapons from police guards and join militant ranks in pretext of Jihad.
The youth have been identified as Muhammad Ishaq Gonchi, 25, of Gonchipora Trenz; Kifayat Ahmad Bukhari, 16, Muhammad Yaqoob Tantray, 35, of Khurrampora; Gowhar Ahmad Naikoo 16, Shakeel Ahmad Chowpaan, 20 and Irfan Ahmad Dar, 17 of Aarampora Trenz.
The SP said that the main culprit who is behind luring the boys has been identified. He said that there are many culprits who lure the boys towards militancy. “We are tracking the main culprit and we have arrested one of the several culprits,” he said.
Khan said that more arrests are likely. He said the main culprit who is behind luring youth towards militancy works with both Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba outfits.
Responding to a question, the SP said they are investigating how many recruiting networks exist in the district and so far they have got a break in cracking one network.
Khan said that militants lure young boys towards militancy because they are immature and aren’t able to take the decisions. He said that it is the responsibility of parents and teachers to take care of the boys as it is their task and not of police.
The SP also said that they are investigating the deadly militant attack of this week which claimed the lives of three policemen and said that the case would be cracked soon.
YSCE coach Jaiswal bestows tips to cricketers at KCSC
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: Coach from Yuvraj Singh Centre of Excellence (YSCE), Rajesh Jaiswal bestowed tips to the budding cricketers of K C Sports Club, here today.
Mr Jaiswal is one of the coaching members of YSCE who has lot of experience behind him.
Rajesh’s cricket experience is backed up by his coaching experience also as he has worked with many reputed academies.
A good number of young cricketers were present at KCSC during the presence of reputed coach.
Gambhir, Suryakumar drive KKR home in IPL opener
Kolkata, Apr 8: Kolkata Knight Riders launched their title defence on a perfect note as skipper Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav drove them to a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL-8 T20 cricket tournament opener here today.
Chasing 169 for a win, Gambhir’s 43-ball 57 (7×4, 1×6) led the KKR charge, while Suryakumar’s unbeaten 46 off 20 deliveries helped them canter to their target in 18.3 overs.
But it was the 85-run second wicket partnership between Gambhir and No.3 Manish Pandey (40) that set up the chase.
There was some respite after the visitors dismissed the duo but ironically they found their nemesis in a familiar Mumbaikar Suryakumar, who led Mumbai in Ranji Trophy this season.
The talented youngster, who came in at 121/3 with 48 required from 34 balls, hit some sensational shots that included a four and 5 sixes. Yusuf Pathan was also unbeaten on 14.
Corey Anderson, Jasprit Bumrah and Harbhajan Singh picked up a wicket each.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma showed why Eden Gardens is special to him as he followed up his ODI world record 264 (vs Sri Lanka in November, 2013) with an entertaining unbeaten 98 from 65 balls (12×4, 4×6).
Umesh Yadav bore the brunt of Sharma’s fury as six of his 12 boundaries came against the India ace speedster.
Put in, the visitors lost two wickets in three balls and looked shaky 37/3 after a fiery spell from man-of-the-match Morne Morkel (2/18) but Sharma, who had struck an ODI world record 264 here in November last year, was again in his elegant best.
Sharma dissected the field with elegance and picked Indian speedster Umesh Yadav as his bunny en route to his 22nd IPL half-century.
Sharma’s 98 not out came from 65 balls studded with 12 boundaries and four sixes and was ably supported by Kiwi allrounder Anderson who remained unbeaten on 55 from 41 balls (4×4, 3×6) in a 131-run undefeated partnership.
After all the hoopla surrounding his action, Knight Riders trump card spinner Sunil Narine did not look in his usual self and returned wicketless with 28 runs from his four overs.
The West Indian looked under pressure and the umpire was seen talking to him during his second spell.
Narine began with a widish full toss and the Mumbai skipper was quick to punish it for an easy boundary.
Sharma had earlier made his intention clear hitting Yadav for three boundaries in the third over.
The star Indian opener was at his explosive best when he smashed three fours and one six as Yadav leaked 21 runs in the 15th over.
It gave the much needed impetus to the Mumbai Indians run-rate that went under six after the three quick wickets and some clever captaincy by Gambhir.
While Yadav was expensive and conceded 15 runs for his two overs, Morkel was the pick of the lot and Gambhir made the South African speedster run through his quota of four overs from the High Court end.
Morkel dismissed Mumbai Indians star recruit Aaron Finch (5) cheaply when the Australian World Cup winning opener top-edged one to deep square leg and gave a second breakthrough in Ambati Rayudu (0) in his penultimate over.
In between, Gambhir cleverly brought in Shakib who foxed Tare (7) with his flight as the Mumbai wicketkeeper stepped out but only to mistime it to long off.
But he was severely let down by his fielders.
Andre Russell dropped Anderson on 23, a regulation catch at mid-on, while part-time wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa not only missed an outside edge of Sharma but missed a stumping when the Mumbai Indians skipper was on 70. (PTI)
Bio-Tech, Commerce Deptts script wins
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: Department of Bio Technology and the Department of Commerce registered emphatic victories over their rivals in the Inter-Department Cricket Tournament 2015, being organized by University of Jammu at Varsity ground, here today.
In the first match, Bio Technology Department defeated Dogri Department by 37 runs in an easy contest.
Batting first, Bio Technology team scored a fighting total of 115 runs in the allotted 15 overs. Deepak top scored with 57 runs, while Vishal and Muddasir contributed with 15 and 9 runs respectively. Davinder bagged 3 wickets for Dogri Department, while Manish, Ranjeet and Anil claimed one wicket each.
In reply, Dogri Department was bundled out for a paltry total of 68 runs. Manish and Sunil contributed 23 and 9 runs to the total respectively. For Bio-Technology Department, Sajid took 2 wickets, while Yadav, Sachin, Vishvdeep and Maduvan shared one wicket apiece.
In another match, Commerce Department got better of Life Long Learning Deptt by 6 wickets.
Batting first, Life Long Learning Department scored 82 runs in the stipulated 15 overs. Manoj top scored with 29 runs, while Akbar Ali and Amit contributed 24 and 13 runs to the total respectively. For Commerce Department, Mehmood took 2 wickets, while Amit, Gulzar and Sangram claimed one wicket each.
Commerce Department reached the required total in 13.5 overs by losing 4 wickets to win the match by 6 wickets. Ayush and Gulzar were the main contributors with 33 and 20 runs respectively. Pankashwar took 2 wickets, while Amit and Rishv shared one wicket each.
The matches were officiated by Jagtar Singh, Vijay Dogra and Sadiq Hussain Malik.
Inter-Department Tournaments get underway at JU
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: Inter Department Tournament in the disciplines of Table Tennis, Badminton, Chess, Carrom and Volleyball got underway at Gymnasium Hall, University of Jammu, here today.
Prof. Dhian S. Bhau, chairman Campus Sports Committee, University of Jammu inaugurated the tournament at Gymnasium Hall and encouraged the participants of various Departments of University of Jammu to play the game in true spirits and for the glory of sports.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were Dr Brij Baloria, Romesh Sharma, Jai Bharat, Goutam Sharma and Vikesh Sharma.
Earlier, in Badminton (Women), Deptt. of Political Science beat Deptt. of Bio-Technology by 2 – 1 and Deptt. of Commerce got better of Deptt. of Geography by 2 – 0, while in Badminton (Men), Deptt. of Physical Education drubbed Deptt. of Urdu by 2- 0.
In TableTennis (Women), Deptt of Chemistry outplayed Law School by 2 – 0, while in Table Tennis (Men), Deptt of Zoology prevailed over Deptt. of Phy. Edu by 2 – 1.
In Carrom (Men), The Business School beat Deptt. of Geography by 2-1 and Deptt. of Bio-Technology trounced Deptt. of Chemistry by 2- 0, while in Carrom (Women), Deptt. Of Mathematics defeated Deptt. of Geography by 2- 0.
In Chess (Men), The Business School outplayed Deptt. of Bio-Technology by 3- 2, while in Chess (Women), Deptt. of Mathematics beat Deptt. of Bio-Technology by 2- 0.
In Volleyball (Men), Deptt of Geography beat Deptt. of Education by 2 – 0 (25-16, 25 – 17).
The matches were officiated by Sushil Kumar Sawhney, Raj Kumar Bakshi, Ravish Vaid, Vikas Karlopia and Gagan Kumar.
The Tournament is being organized by the Directorate of Sports & Physical Education, University of Jammu under the direct supervision of Prof. Dhian S. Bhau, Chairman Campus Sports Committee, University of Jammu.
Selection trials of PPCPL from today
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: Shakeel Beig DIG Jammu and the General Secretary of the Mega Cricket event announced that the selection trials of the forthcoming Police Public Cricket Premier League (PPCPL) will begin today at different places with the objective to involve the unnoticed talent of the far-flung areas and provide them a mega platform to show their talent.
He said that the selected players from the trials will be placed for auction and they will be included in the participating teams of the PPCPL.
According to the organizers, the trials at Bhaderwah will be held at Degree College Ground tomorrow (April 9, 2015) from 12 noon to 3 pm. The Selection Committee at Bhaderwah includes Sameer Malik, Shafkat Baba and one DySP.
The organizers have advised the players from Doda, Kishtwar and Bhaderwah who are desirous to take part in the trials to report to the selection committee at 11 am for registration.
Trials at Police Training Academy Udhampur will be conducted on April 9 and the timing of the trials will be 12 noon to 3 pm and the Selection Committee for this venue includes Rajesh Gill, Vivek Sharma, Vinay Gupta and DySP Pawan Sharma.
The players from Udhampur, Katra, Reasi and other adjoining areas have been advised to report to the selection committee at 11 am for registration.
The trials at Rajouri will be held at DPL Ground on April 10 and the timing of the trials is from 10 am to 1:30 pm. The selection Committee includes Rajesh Gill, Rakesh Koul, Satwant Singh and DySP DAR, Rajouri. The cricketers from Poonch, Rajouri, Sunderbani, Kalakote or other adjoining areas have been advised to report to the selection committee at 9.30 am positively for registration.
The trials at Kathua Cricket Stadium will be held on April 11 and the timing of the trials will be 9 am to 1 pm. The selection committee includes Surinder Singh Bagal, Vivek Sharma, Dheeraj Gupta , Inspector Ragubir Singh and Inspector Rajesh Jasrotia.
The trials at Jammu will be held at MA Stadium on April 11 and the timing of the trials will be 12 noon to 4.30 pm. The Selection Committee includes RK Bhat, Shahid Parvez, Ashwani Gupta, Rajesh Dhar and Rajesh Gill.
It is pertinent to mention here that apart from other attractive prizes, the cash prizes in this tournament include Rs 5 lakh for winner, 3 lakh for runner-up team, 2 lakh for third place and 1.5 lakh for 4th ranked team.
The organizing secretary of the tournament informed that the current national players from both the regions of the State will be eligible for the participation in the League only when they enroll themselves with the 2-member Committee including Rajesh Gill and Rajesh Dhar along with their resume within 2 days positively. No player will be included without proper enrollment.