NEW  DELHI : An expenditure of at least Rs 17.60 lakh was incurred on the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, an RTI reply has found.
The reply provided by the President’s Secretariat said approximate cost incurred on the arrangements of the oath-taking ceremony, attended by 4017 guests, related to tentage, stage, furniture and other allied items is Rs 17.6 lakhs.
In its response to activist Ramesh Verma, the Secretariat said that it does not maintain the records of expenditure function-wise.
“Hence the information sought for cannot be provided. It is informed that the expenditure on functions in incurred by the spending units from the annual budget allotted to respective head of accounts,” a reply from CPIO Saurabh Vijay said.
The activist had sought to know from the President’s Secretariat “head-wise” details on the expenditure incurred on the oath-taking ceremony of Modi and total number of persons who attended the ceremony.
Modi took oath of office on May 26 at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan which was attended by Presidents, Prime Ministers and senior leaders of the SAARC countries among other dignitaries. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : Country’s first line of defence along the China border – the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force – has a new ‘enemy’ in sight in the form of heart attack deaths which has claimed lives of dozens of its jawans in the recent past.
The paramilitary force, whose troops are largely deployed in inhospitable high altitude areas, has pressed the alarm bell on the worrying trend with ITBP chief Subhas Goswami writing to his field commanders along the borders and other locations asking them to make drastic changes in the present cooking style and eating habits of the personnel.
In his communication, the ITBP Director General has issued instructions to cut down on the use of high cholesterol ghee and oil for cooking at border posts, battalion locations and in mess rooms of the force as he expressed concern over the high number of deaths due to heart-related problems.
Officials said while close to three dozen jawans had sudden death, including 16 cases of heart attack, in the first six months of this year, over 50 such cases were reported last year from across various locations of the force, including in places where the troops are deployed in plains.
What got the force worried was the fact that some of the heart-related deaths took place among the younger lot who have joined the mountain-trained force in the recent past, the officials said.
The DG, they said, has now got issued a first-ever exhaustive ‘recipe book’ which talks about preparation of healthy food with the minimal use of oils, spices and salt.
Henceforth, ITBP kitchens will only prepare food as described in these latest manuals.
Goswami, the officials said, took the step after he was told that high calorie and oily food taking toll on the health of the personnel and the absence of a standard cooking guidebook in the force.
Subsequent to this, a 69-page guide recipe book was prepared with the help of nutrition experts charting out the preparation of a balanced diet of vegetarian, non-vegetarian food and desserts by the cooks of the force.
The force has also made regular health check-up mandatory for all the ranks that include the jawans and officers deployed at all hard and normal area duties.
ITBP guards the largely snow-capped 3,488-km Indo-China border at an altitude ranging from 9,000ft to 18,700ft and it conducts both long range and short range patrols along this frontier which is prone to frequent incursion attempts by the troops of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. (agencies)

JAMMU : Panic gripped the bordering villages of this winter capital as Pakistan fired indiscriminately on forward posts of BSF in Arnia Sector along international border of Jammu in which around six cattle got injured. “Pakistan Rangers once again fired small arms at forward posts
along IB in Arnia Sector during midnight in Jabobal and Nikowal areas,” official sources here today said. They said six cattle including two cows, an ox and three buffaloes got injured in the firing. “The BSF also acted swiftly and retaliated to the cross border
firing,” they said.
The exchange of fire lasted till wee hours. One BSF jawan was killed and seven persons including four Bihari Labourers on July 16 got injured in cross border firing in Arnia Sector.
Jammu and Kashmir Police have sounded alert along the bordering belts and also on the Jammu-Pathankot highway in view of the continued firing from across the border. (AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR : Life was today affected due to curfew like restrictions and general strike in south Kashmir districts of
Anantnag and Kulgam, where a teenager was killed after security force opened fire to disperse demonstrators at Koimoh yesterday.    However, official sources said restrictions under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed at Koimoh, Kulgam, to maintain law and order.
The breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) chairman Syed Ali  Shah Geelani, who is under house arrest since his return from New Delhi in April, has called for a general strike in Kulgam and Anantnag today against the killing of Suhail Ahmad Lone at Khudwani Koimoh after security forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators yesterday.
The demonstrators were protesting against the Israeli air strikes on Gaza that left more than 300 people, mostly women and children, dead during the past more than a week. They were also protesting against security force firing in which a youth was injured on July 18.
Sensing more trouble today after massive protests  yesterday, hundreds of security force and state police personnel were deployed at Khudwani and Koimoh since last night to prevent any more violence.
Residents alleged that they were not being allowed to move out of their houses by security forces. “We were being directed to remain as curfew has been imposed,” a resident Abdul Rashid said over phone.
He said even people were not allowed to purchase  essentials, including milk, bread and vegetables.    Meanwhile, shops and business establishments, which  remained open on Sunday, were closed and traffic was off the roads in Kulgam and Anantnag.
Additional security force and police personnel have been deployed to prevent any demonstration.    However, vehicles carrying Amarnath yatris were plying normally.
(AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR :  The 15th ‘Operation Vijay Diwas’,  victory over Pakistani intruders in Kargil, would be celebrated by organising a two-day function in Drass from July 25.    A defence ministry spokespersons today said the Army is preparing extensively to honour the martyrs of the Kargil War of 1999 in a series of solemn ceremonies this year.    The primary event, which will mark the 15th anniversary of the Victory, is scheduled to be held at War Memorial Drass from July 25th to 26th.
It will be attended by a large number of dignitaries of  the Army and civil administration as well as gallantry award winners of the conflict and families of many martyrs.    The conflict was fought in the summer of 1999 to evict Pakistani regular forces who had intruded and occupied winter vacated posts on the Indian side of the Line of Control, violating an unwritten agreement.
The operation cost the Indian Army hundreds of young lives, in whose memory the commemorative function is held every year.    He said this year on July 25, the much vaunted Army Bands will present a breathtaking band display, followed by a solemn memorial service.
On July 26, top officers of the Army, martyrs families,  war heroes, political representatives and the civil administration will participate in the commemorative wreath laying ceremony at the Kargil War Memorial located at the base of the Tololing feature, the scene of one of the fiercest battles of the operation.
The event is a purposeful attempt by the Army every year  to remember its martyrs and solemnly honour their memories and to remind the Nation of the constant sacrifices the men and women in uniform make for the citizens of the country. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : To check infiltration bids, nearly 2,000 additional Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and special surveillance equipment have been deployed along the international border in Jammu region for effective domination of the areas.
The additional man-power, surveillance equipment,vehicles and other infrastructure support have been moved into the border along Pakistan to strengthen intelligence network, coordination with sister agencies and conduct special operations along the border.
Home Ministry officials said vulnerability mapping of the Border Out Posts (BOPs), which are sensitive with regard to infiltration, have been carried out and the additional resources have been deployed there.
Continuous efforts are being made to deploy the latest surveillance equipment, fully fitted with day and night vision devices, for further enhancing the border domination, the officials said.
The Home Ministry has also directed for effective domination of the border by carrying out round-the-clock surveillance of the borders through patrolling, border ambushes and by deploying observation posts all along the international border.
The riverine segments of international border being patrolled and dominated with the help of water crafts and speed boats of BSF’s water wings, the officials said.
Security forces have killed five infiltrators and apprehended 13 others in Jammu and Kashmir this year so far.
In 2013, 39 infiltrators were killed and 16 others were apprehended in the state. A total of 16 infiltrators were killed and nine others were apprehended in Jammu and Kashmir in 2012. (AGENCIES)

Jammu: In yet another attempt to invade the Indian territory, Pakistan troops on Sunday targeted Pital and two other posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) in RS Pura sector of Jammu.

The Indian troops guarding the border effectively replied with similar calibre weapons to the firing which began at 2:00 am today.

The rangers used small arms and mortars which created panic among the villagers situated near RS Pura sector.

As per the reports, the mortars fell in residential areas which killed a few cattle. Moreover, the villagers preferred to remain indoor throughout the day.

It is the second ceasefire violation by the Pakistani Army in RS Pura sector within a week after it opened fire at Pindi outpost.

On June 13, 2014, Pakistan troops had violated the ceasefire by targeting Indian posts along the LoC in Poonch sector of J&K with heavy firing and mortar shelling, drawing retaliation by Indian forces.

In 2013, several Indian Army jawans were killed and dozens got injured in 149 ceasefire violations by Pakistan troops on forward posts, civilian areas and patrolling parties along the India-Pak border.(Agencies)

JAMMU/SRINAGAR :  Amid tight security, the 24th batch of pilgrims today left for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas from here.
As many as 1,499 pilgrims, including 997 men, 387 women and 13 children, left from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu in a cavalcade of 45 vehicles at 4:15 AM, police said.
The convoy has already crossed Patnitop on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and would reach their destinations at Baltal and Pahalgam base camps by this evening, they said.
With today’s batch, a total of 43,911 pilgrims have so far left from the Jammu base camp for the Amarnath shrine.
Meanwhile fresh batches of pilgrims left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where so far 2.84 lakh pilgrim had paid obeisance since the commencement of the 45-day-long annual yatra from June 28.
Yatra officials said the weather was pleasant and fresh batch of pilgrim, including women and sadhus left Baltal this morning for the holy cave.
Pilgrims who had night halt at cave shrine after having darshan of the self-made Ice-Lingam also started their return journey to base camp.
Similarly, fresh batch of pilgrims left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on this traditional route this morning. Pilgrims, who had night halt at Chandanwari and other halting station on the track have also started their onward journey towards the cave shrine.
Officials said more than 7,200 devotees paid obeisance before the Ice Lingam yesterday.
With this, a total of 2.84 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the holy cave since the commencement of yatra.    Majority of pilgrims have since return to their homes after the darshan. However, some of them extended their stay and visited different tourist destinations in the Valley.
An unidentified Amarnath yatri died at Baltal base camp, taking the toll to 33 so far since the commencement of the 45-year-long annual yatra from June 28.    A yatra official said the pilgrim died due to heart attack at Baltal base camp.
The deceased was being identified, he said. (AGENCIES)