Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 24: Demanding release of their pending salary, the aggrieved Female Multi-purpose Health Workers (FMPHWs)  working  in sub-centres under Family Welfare Department, held a strong protest demonstration at the Directorate of Health complex, here today.
The protesting FMPHWs raised slogans in support of their demand and urged the Minister for Health and Medical Education Choudhary Lal Singh for his personal   intervention into the matter for ensuring release of the salary, which has been pending for the last more than 16 months.
The day-long protest was organized under the banner of Jammu Kashmir FMPHWs Welfare Association, affiliated to Jammu Kashmir Medical Employees Federation. A few  other Medical employees, led by the Federation president Sushil Sudan, also took part in the protest dharna, under the leadership of the FMPHWs Welfare Association president Babli Sharma.
While addressing the demonstration, Sushil Sudan expressed serious concern over the plight of FMPHWs, who are without salary for the last 16 months despite repeated reminders by the Federation and assurances by the concerned officers.
Babli Sharma highlighted the plights of FMPHWs, whose families are virtually at the verge of starvation due to non release of salary for the last more than a year.
The protesting FMPHWs announced to begin fast unto death from March 30 at the same venue if their pending salary is not released by then.
The protest dharna was also addressed by Kamla Devi, Neelam Kumari, Kanta Kumari, Pritam Devi, Kanta, Rekha Rani, Sudershan, Nancy Bhat, Mamta Sharma, Kiran Khajuria, Raj Kumari, Asha Kiran and others.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: Five member delegation of Municipal and Urban Local Bodies Pensioners Association, (MULBPA) Jammu province under the leadership of B S Jamwal (advocate) advisor-cum-spokesman of the Association met Lochan Dass, Director Accounts and Treasuries, Finance Department, today.
They apprised him about the problems of pensioners and its redressal at the earliest. The demands which were put-forth are bifurcation of monthly pensionary and gratuity commutation funds like and ensure disbursement of monthly pension on 1st day of each month, strict direction to all the treasure officers of Jammu province not to divert the pensionary funds in releasing of gratuity/commutation to pensioners out of monthly pensioners funds.
Disbursement of gratuity/commutation to the civic body pensioners under the formula 1st come -1st serve and maintenance of the register pension/gratuity cases serial and date wise and when those pensioner office to treasury officers, removal of anomaly amongst the IV class family pensioners safai karamcharis.
Besides the civil body pensioners  also hailed the State Government in releasing two(2) no 17% dearness installments pending since Jan and July 2014 in favour of employees and pensioners of J&K State.
The Director listened all the problems of the pensioners patiently and assured for its redressal at earliest.
Y S Jamwal, B D Verma, K S Jamwal and Jawhar Lal Sharma participated in the meeting.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24:  The leaders of BJP and PDP Ex Service Wings today said that the BJP-PDP coalition Government has kept the pre-poll promise and decided to amend the VAT Act to bring the goods sold through CSD Canteens in J&K in the exempted list.
Talking to reporters here, today Brig (retd) Anil Gupta of BJP Ex-Servicemen Cell and Capt (Retd) Anil Gaur of PDP’s Ex-servicemen Wing  informed that Finance Minister on the floor of the Assembly has made an announcement in this regard during the course of his budget speech. They complimented the coalition Government on behalf of the five lakh strong veteran community in the State.
They also hoped that the Government would favourably consider the other demands of the ex-servicemen like 15% reservation in jobs including police, raising of disaster management units and TA(ECO) units based on ex -servicemen for restoring the ecological balance in the three regions of the state and speedy settlement of revenue cases by forming veteran Grievance Redressal Cells at each district headquarters.
In this connection they also referred to the letter dated 12th February written by the Defence Minister of India to all the Chief Ministers requesting him to help the serving personnel and veterans of the Indian Armed Forces in speedy disposal of their grievances.
The two leaders requested the Government to amend the VAT Act in the current session of the Assembly itself so that the affected personnel are benefitted at the earliest. They also said that this step of the Government would also benefit the serving soldiers in the state and will contribute to raising their morale.
They also thanked NDA Government and the Defence Minister for implementing the One Rank One Pension scheme. They said the revised pension would be effective from April 1,  2014 and the arrears would be paid in four equal installments from May 1, 2015. With this 30 year old struggle of the veterans would see light of the day and bring cheers on many battle hardened faces including widows and Veer Naris.Capt BS Jasrotia, general secretary of the BJP ex-servicemen cell was also present in the press conference.
Brig Gupta also informed the media that he and Capt Gaur would be jointly meeting the  Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and other cabinet ministers to apprise them of the problems being faced by the ex-servicemen in the State.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: A pedestrian was today hit and injured by an unknown vehicle at Mishriwala in city outskirts.
According to a police spokesperson, a woman was crossing the road at Mishriwala when an unknown vehicle hit her. The injured woman identified as Poli Devi (45) wife of Mohinder Verma, a resident of Mishriwala, was shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, jammu for treatment.
The concerned police has taken cognizance of the matter.

Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Mar 24: The irate people of Bani continued protest for the second consecutive day today against the withdrawal of security forces from the area.
The Bani town also observed a half day bandh against the Government decision and demanded that the army be re-deployed failing which they will intensify the agitation.
The protest was also held in the town which was jointly led by Thakur Dass of Congress and Uttam Chand and Thakur Dass of BJP.
The demonstrators while opposing the Government policy said that mass migration will take place from the upper and far flung areas of Bani in case the army was not re-deployed.
The protestors also handed over a memorandum to SDM Bani in this regard.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: All Zanskar Students Association submitted memorandum of demands to Minister of Education Naeem Akhter and Minister for Ladakh Affairs Tsering Dorje.
A delegation of the Association led by its President Tundup Wangyal, vice president Lobzang Kunzom and general secretary Chospel Rigtol met Education Minister Naeem Akhter and submitted memorandum projecting demands including office for the Association which is working for the Zanskar students for the past 15 years, opening of examination centre of IGNOU and NIOS in Zanskar, introduction of subjects such as Agriculture, Commerce and other Arts combination in Zanskar College and re-establishment of Kendriya Vidyalaya School in Zanskar.
The delegation also demanded airlifting of stranded teaching staff of Government recognized private schools of Zanskar from Leh on priority basis.
Minister Naeem Akhtar gave patient hearing towards the issues raised by the delegation and assured early redressal.
Meanwhile, the delegation also submitted the same memorandum of demands to Minister for Ladakh Affairs Tsering Dorje for redressal.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Mar 24: Dozens of physically challenged persons protested against the State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu for not announcing any relief for them in the budget.
Protesting under the banner of JK Handicapped Association, they said that it was disappointing for them to be ignored by the Finance Minister.
“Thousands of physically challenged have been forgotten by the PDP-BJP alliance. No relief package has been announced for us,” President of the Association Abdul Rashid Bhat said.
He said the new Government has followed the footsteps of its predecessors which too had brushed them aside.
He said the Government should announce some relief for them, else they will keep protesting.
“Ignoring us is a human rights violation and all the successive Governments have committed it.”
The agitated persons also said they have not been paid any compensation after floods devastated their office in the city and damaged all the sewing machines on which they worked to earn for their livelihood.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Rufi Khan and others seeking implementation of resolution passed in Chief Justices’ Conference, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Bansi Lal Bhat today granted two weeks time to the State on the assurance of Advocate General that immediately after the Budget Session the Cabinet will consider the issue involved in the appointment of Member Secretary JKSLSA.
When the matter came-up for hearing, Advocate General gave an assurance to the Court that immediately after budget session, Cabinet will take into the consideration the issue.
Upon this, Court granted two weeks time and directed Registry to list the PIL on April 15, 2015.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 24: Commenting on the controversy and confusion regarding the applicability of Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the State, BJP State spokesperson Farooq Khan said that the said Act is very much in force and no area has been denotified for the purpose of the applicability of this Act.
While talking to reporters along with two other spokespersons of the Party Lalit Moza and Balbir Ram Rattan here today Khan said, the debate in this regard is  uncalled for and politically motivated.
He, while explaining the issue, said that Disturbed Area Act (DAA) 1997, which is under discussion has no relevance whatsoever with the continuation of AFSPA in the State. In fact, AFSPA is a self-contained Act, which came into being in the State in September 1990 with retrospective effect from July 1990, while the said DAA was not even borne on the Statute Books of the State. Any notification under AFSPA regarding denotification of any area of the State has to be issued by the Governor or Government of India. The confusion, which is deliberately being created that AFSPA is dependent upon DAA for its existence in the State, is far from truth. Even the agenda of governance unambiguously says that only the Centre in this regard will take the final view.
As for the BJP, Khan said that it holds the view that nothing shall be done that hampers anti-insurgency operations in the State and undermines the resolve of the security forces to maintain internal and external security. The State BJP, once again, reassures the nation that it shall not allow anybody to tinker with Indian sovereignty and integrity of the Nation.
Khan was flanked by BJP State Spokespersons Lalit Moza and Balbir Ram Rattan.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 24: Peer Mitha police arrested four drug peddlers along with large quantity of intoxicant capsules near DC Office crossing.
Addressing a press conference, SP City Shiv Kumar Singh Chouhan said that on specific information, police team from Peer Mitha police station raised a naka near DC Office crossing and intercepted a Maruti car bearing registration number JK02U-9011.
SP further disclosed that during checking, police recovered 236 intoxicant capsules and 140 tablets and arrested all the four persons traveling in the car.
The accused have been identified as Fazan Mir, son of Firdous Mir of Srinagar, Naresh Singh, son of Partab Singh and Sharukh Khan, son of Zakir Hussain, both residents of Sidhra and Ammer Khan, son of Nazar Ali Khan of district Reasi, SP added.
A case under FIR number 19/15 under Section 8/21/22 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered at Peer Mitha police station and investigation started, SP stated.
Police team led by SHO Peer Mitha police station Inspector Javed Akhtar made the arrest under the supervision of DySP City Perbeet Singh, SP City Shiv Kumar Singh and SSP Jammu Uttam Chand.