Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 31: Minister for Health and Medical Education, ARI and Trainings Ch Lal Singh said that Government is making all out efforts to meet the shortfall of medicos and paramedicos in the health institutions of the State.
The Minister was speaking at a press conference in Civil Secretariat, here today.
The Minister said after working out the stay position of medicos in the Health Department about 103 doctors have been transferred and every care has been taken to post husband and wife conveniently as per the transfer policy of the Government.
Ch Lal said that Government would provide suitable official accommodation to those medicos serving in far-flung areas of the State. He also informed that Government intends to discourage private practice in the State.
The Minister said directions have been given for posting of adequate staff in various health institutions in far flung areas of the state. Regarding filling of the vacant posts of medicos and para medicos, the Minister said that concerned officers have been directed to take up the matter with PSC and SSRB.
The Minister assured that under construction hospitals will be completed within shortest possible time. Regarding submission of utilization certificates, the Minister said that concerned officers have been directed to ensure timely submission of UC’s.
Ch. Lal Singh also said that directions have been given for discouraging the unnecessary referrals from rural hospitals and the concerned doctors will have to give the reason for referring the particular patient to the higher health institutions.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 31:  The Government today claimed that all the villages in district Poonch have been electrified and not even a single habilitation has remained uncovered.
While replying to a question of PDP Member Yashpal Sharma in the Upper House of the Legislature today,  the Minister of State for Public Works and Revenue,  Sunil Kumar Sharma while responding on behalf of  Power Minister today said that there is no un-electrified village in district Poonch as all 179 villages are electrified.
The Minister further disclosed that  it has been proposed under recently launched Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) and Din Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Joyti Yojana (DDUGJY) scheme that,  all the un-electrified villages in the State would be covered by 2018-19.
While replying to another question of  Yashpaul Sharma, the Minister said that the Department has taken many steps to improve the infrastructure to provide reliable power supply in all the districts of  the State. He said, System Improvement Scheme, R-APDRP has been launched in 11 towns of Jammu province each having a population of more than 10,000 as per 2001 Census , under which the lines/stations are  being upgraded not only to ensure quality power supply but also to bring down AT&C losses to less than 15% adding that, Poonch town is also covered under this programme at a cost of Rs 7.74 crore. He claimed that curtailment free power is provided in the metered areas.
The Minister said, in order to overcome unscheduled curtailment and check excessive use of power, the department has done metering of consumers. The  new schemes like Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and DDUGJY have been taken up in rural areas, where as accelerated power APDRP and IPDS schemes have been taken in urban areas for improvement in distribution network. These schemes which are at various stages of implementation shall resolve issues like constraints in 33/11 KV lines/receiving stations and distribution transformers.
While responding to another query the Minister said that permanent restoration of 132 KV Draba-Chandak transmission line which was damaged during the flood of September 2014 would be taken up very soon.
Minister for CA&PD Ch Zulfkar Ali while intervening, assured the House that  all issues related to the power sector would be taken up with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister so that it is redressed with in shortest possible time. Vibodh Gupta,  Surinder Choudhary and Firdous Tak raised supplementaries.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 31: The Upper House of the State Legislature today witnessed protests and sloganeering over the rain and flood situation in Kashmir and other parts of the State and the alleged failure of Government to provide adequate help and relief to the affected people.
`Entire Opposition’, comprising of National Conference and Congress Members trooped into the `Well’ of  the House and started protest, soon after the Legislative Council commenced its normal business today. The members raising various newspapers were pointing towards the reports of floods and destruction caused due to landslides. They also alleged that Government was not providing proper information and  Highway has not been opened. With this many Kashmir and Doda-Kishtwar bound passengers have been struck at many places and in Jammu.
All the members expressing their concern alleged that Government is ill-informed and the ministers do not have the updated information regarding destruction, damages caused specially in Kashmir Valley and parts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch.
Dr Shenaz Ganai from NC said that no information has been given regarding damages in Poonch and Mandi and where many houses have collapsed. Naresh Gupta from Congress alleged that entire Government is focusing on Kashmir while no minister even from the BJP is concerned about the losses and damages in Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban and Rajouri-Poonch. They are least bothered about the sufferings of the people from this region. Even the BJP Ministers who have won on the mandate of Jammu people are confined to Kashmir valley only for review of situation.
All the opposition Members including Sajjad Kichloo, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, Showkat Ganai, Jugal Kishore,  Naresh Gupta, Master Noor Hussain, Dr Shehnaz Ganai, Ghulam Nabi Monga, Ali Mohd Dar, D S Oberai, Sham Lal Bhagat continued their protest in the Well of the House. They were raising slogans against the Coalition Government.
The Acting Chairman Jehangir Hussain Mir tried to intervene and restore order but he failed despite his repeated attempts.
Minister for CAPD Ch Zulfkar  Ali and Minister for Law and Justice Sayed Basharat Bukhari tried to intervene and said that  Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu have been directed to collect latest information from various districts and forward the same to the House. They said as and when the information is received the same will be shared with the Members of this House. The members, however, continued their protest, disrupting proceedings for about 10 minutes. Then all the agitating NC and Congress members staged walk out at around 11.10 am. Many questions of the opposition members could not be taken up during Question Hours due to walk out.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 31: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Ch Lal Singh today informed the Lower House that diagnostic labs for H1N1 influenza commonly known as swine flu will be made functional shortly.
Replying to a calling attention notice by CPM MLA M Y Tarigami in Legislative Assembly, the Minister said the requirement of medicines and protective equipment of all the health institutions was consolidated and an amount of Rs 30 lakh, as additional fund, was released to the Health Department for augmenting stock of medicine and purchase of ventilator for swine flu patients.
While the testing laboratory for HINI is already established at SKIMS, non-availability of testing laboratory at Jammu was resulting in delays in test results as blood samples are being sent to NCDS, New Delhi.
Taking cognizance of these requirements, the State Cabinet sanctioned establishment of two HINI testing laboratories, one each at Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar and Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu. The State Planning Department released the funds to the tune of Rs 6.30 crore and Rs 5.63 crore respectively in favour of Government Medical College, Jammu and Government Medical College, Srinagar. “These diagnostic laboratories will be made functional shortly”, the Minister said.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 31: Naqaib Rang Manch today presented a Kashmiri play “Mallika-e-Ghazal” depicting the life of legend Ghazal singer Begum Akhtar at Government College for Women (GCW), Parade in connection with her birth anniversary.
The play was organized by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages with support from Ministry of Culture, New Delhi.
On the occasion, Makhan Lal Saraf was the chief guest.
Dr Sudhir Mahajan from J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages presented the welcome address.
The play was written and directed by Daizy Naqaib, whileas music director was Dharminder Kumar.
The play was based on the life and work of “Begum Akhtar”. She was the first lady who changed the singing which was sung in mehfils or private gatherings into classical music. She was the first women who sang songs in ghazals, dadra and thumri.
The play started with the famous Ghazal of Begum Akhtar—“Aye Mohabbat Tere Naam Pe Rona Aaya”. After that the struggle of “Begum Akhtar” which was done by her after marriage was enacted by “Akhteri and Ahmad”. They loved each other and at the end her fight for singing nearly for last five years. The two narrators “Naveed” and “Gayateri” described her struggle for singing. Akhteri (Begum Akhter’s) (old age) stage act showed her acting skills.
The play concluded with the Begum Akhter’s famous song “Sab Ajnabi Hai-n-Yahaan Kaun Kis Ki Paha Channe”.
In the play, Bimla Naqaib acted as Begum Akhtar, Daizy Bazaz and Yawer Khur Wani as narrators, Vinay Pandita as Ishtaq Ahmed Abbasi (Begum Akhter’s Husband) and Shashi Naqaib  as Akhteri (Young Begum Akhtar).
The costumes were designed by Shashi, make-up was done Bimla Naqaib, set designer was Rakesh Naqaish, singer was Indu Bala and Ajay Kumar was assistant director/backstage. The lights were designed by Raj Kumar Bhat.
In the end, Sudhir Mahajan from J&K Academy of Art Culture and Language presented vote of thanks.

Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Mar 31: The Assistant Controller Drugs, Samba-cum-Licensing Authority conducted surprise checks of chemist shops in Bari Brahmana area and sealed premises of two medical agencies besides issuing notices to others.
The premises belonging to M/s Kanta Medical Hall & M/s Sharma Medical Agency were sealed for the reason that the stocks of drugs were found lying in unhygienic and insanitary conditions besides being stocked in violation to the prescribed label conditions. Show Cause Notices under rule 66 of the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1945 were served upon the dealers for contravening legal provisions of the said Act.
Improvement Notices was served upon Ms Shree Aum Pharmacy. M/s JBST Pharmacy and Ms Shree Aum Pharmacy were advised to engage the services of Additional Qualified Person for carrying out operations under supervision of Approved Staff only while.
The Assistant Controller impressed upon all the dealers to maintain sale records of Habit Forming Drugs and Drugs falling under Schedule H1 strictly as per mandated norms.