Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, July 29: A full grown bear attacked a villager on the higher reaches of Kandi-Budhal area today.
Reports said that 30 year-old Mohammed Ashraf, son of Mehtab Ali, resident of Gagrote village in Kotranka ( Budhal) had gone to a Dhok along with his cattle at Thandi Bah on Pir Panjal Ranges. Today when he was grazing his cattle, a bear ambushed and caused serious injuries to him. He was left severely bleeding when other members came to his rescue.
The injured Ashraf was removed to Kotranka hospital where he was declared as dead. The doctor told that death was caused due to excessive bleeding.
Bear kills villager
Eid celebrated with religious fervour, gaiety across Jammu region
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: Like other parts of the country, the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr was also celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety across the Jammu region today. All the Mosques were fully decorated and markets witnessed huge rush of people purchasing sweets, gifts, clothes.
The biggest congregation took place at Eidgah at Residency Road here where thousands of devotees performed Nimaz –e-Eid and prayed for peace, development and prosperity of the State as well as of the country.
Minister for Planning Ajay Sadhotra, Provincial President National Conference Davender Singh Rana who were present on the occasion exchanged Eid-ul -Fitr greetings with Muslim brethren and hoped that such religious occasions will play a vital role in cementing the bonds of love and brotherhood among different sections of the society.
Muslim brothers also exchanged wishes, sweets and gifts with people from all walks of life.
All elaborate arrangements were also made by civil administration for smooth celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr festival.
Top brass of civil administration were also present on the occasion. Eid Namaz was also offered at other mosques of city and its outskirts including, mosques of Sunjwan and Bhatindi.
District Administration Udhampur hosted an Iftaar Party on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr at Eidgah Adarsh Colony, Udhampur last evening.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Udhampur, Mrs. Yasha Mudgal was the chief guest on the occasion.
Extending greetings to the Muslim brethren, the DC said that such religious occasions inspire us to follow the spiritual preaching of great saints and Sufis, who sacrificed their lives for the cause of humanity, to lead a peaceful and prosperous life.
On the occasion, she congratulated and greeted the people of Udhampur and said that such occasions would promote unity, communal harmony and brotherhood in the State as well as in the district.
Among others, SSP Udhampur, Suleman Chowdary, Joint Director Planning, Rakesh Jamwal, Tehsildar (T),Tehsildar (S) Udhampur,Senior officers of various departments and a good number of distinguished personalities attended the Iftaar.
Eid-ul-Fitr was also celebrated at Kathua with religious fervour and gaiety despite the bandh in town a large number of Muslims thronged the Eidgah, Kathua to offer prayers. They were greeted by their Hindu brethren on the occasion.
Reports coming from Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and Bhadarwah said that Eid was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety in these townships also.
At Poonch thousands of Muslims thronged the Eidgah this morning to offer Eid prayers. Another congregation was held at Jamia Masjid, Poonch where also large number of Muslims offered the prayers.
At Eidgah Poonch MLA Aijaz Jan, MLC Bashir Naz were among the prominent Muslims to offer Eid prayers. They were greeted by MLC Yashpaul Sharma, Additional DCs Arvind Sharma and Mumtaz Ali, DIG Rajouri –Poonch, A K Atri, SSP Poonch, Shamsher Hussian and ASP Amit Sharma and other officers of the district greeted the people on the occasion.
Thousands of Muslims offered Eid prayers at Eidgah Rajouri and Jamia Masjid Rajouri. The Hindu brethren greeted members of Muslim community on the occasion.
Eid Namaz was also performed at Jamia Masjid Mendhar and Jamia Masjid Harni by thousands of Muslims under the supervision of Moulana Mohammed Ayub and Moulana Noor Alam Noori respectively.
On the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, Minister for Housing, Horticulture, Culture, Youth Services and Sports, Raman Bhalla visited Malik Market, Bathindi, Karayani Talab and Digiana Eidgahs and exchanged Eid greetings with Muslim brethren.
Political leaders of various parties, prominent citizens, officers of various departments were also present and greeted the people on Eid-ul-Fitr.
Interacting with the Muslim brethren, Mr. Bhalla said that this joyous occasion would be a harbinger of communal harmony, brotherhood and amity, which are the hallmark of the State’s glorious pluralistic behaviour. He appealed the people to help the Government in restoring peace and normalcy in the State.
The Minister said that the day symbolises love, compassion and kindness. He asserted that Eid-ul-Fitr reminds us of our responsibility towards poor and needy and inculcates the spirit of sharing happiness and joy with everyone. He maintained that Islam teaches peace, brotherhood, amity and love besides tolerance and patience.
Legal Metrology again acts against misleading advts
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: Acting on the complaints of consumers lured by misleading advertisements offering sale discounts on the festival seasons, a team of officers of Legal Metrology Department led by Joint Controller Amar Singh & Deputy Controller (Consumer Protection) Manoj Prabhakar conducted inspection of grand showroom of Life Style, Woodland & Family Corner at Wave Mall, Narwal.
According to complaint Vikas Gupta from Rehari, he purchased a shirt with tagged MRP of Rs 1499 with a offer of 30% discount on MRP thereby getting a reduction of Rs 449.70 but he was charged additional Rs 51 on the pretext of VAT.
He asserted that as a aware consumer he knows that MRP is inclusive of all taxes & the offered reduced MRP displayed to him is also having the inbuilt component of VAT so why again additional VAT be charged from him.
On inspection by the team it was found that complaint was genuine as the consumer was deceived by offering 30% reduction in MRP but in fact was given only 26% discount.
The case of overcharging was registered against the management of the company & on the spot directions were issued to give actual discount to the consumers as offered in the advertisements & agreed upon.
The company immediately responded to the directions & in the interest of consumers rectified the online billing thereby paying VAT component themselves instead of taking from consumers’ pocket.
In a similar complaint filed by Sunny Gupta from Gandhi Nagar, the team booked M/s Aero Club, a chain showroom of Woodland under the relevant provisions of law for deceiving consumers by way of overcharging & directions were passed to bill the customer with net discount as offered to him.
According to Manoj Prabhakar, Deputy Controller Consumer Protection, the Department of Legal Metrology is continuously keeping a hawk’s eye to protect the hapless consumers & few months back similar drives were conducted at a large scale to ensure that consumers are not exploited by such misleading advertisements.
At M/s Family Corner the team found that kids wear items & ladies suits were marked with self made stickers of Inflated MRP which is prohibited under the provisions of law as it is the responsibility of manufacturer to adhere to the mandatory declarations like MRP,PKD, Net Weight, address of the manufacturer & consumer help line number for the information of the consumers.
All the deceptive packages of ready made garments were seized & notice issued to the owner to produce the bills so as to ascertain the actual price of the kids wear.
AJHLA’s concern over decline of pilgrims during ongoing Shri Amarnath Yatra
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: Expressing serious concern over the steep decline of pilgrims in the ongoing Shri Amarnath Yatra, president, All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association (AJHLA), Jammu, Inderjeet Khajuria said that decline of inflow of pilgrims has directly affected the tourism related traders, who are solely dependent on the number of pilgrims.
While addressing a meeting, Khajuria said that after the unfortunate incident of Baltal, which has been engineered by the anti-social and anti national people, the inflow of Yatra has steeply declined as compared with pre-incident influx of the yatra.
“If the Government or Shri Amarnath Shrine Board had extended immediate relief to the victims, whose tents had been gutted, and langer had been damaged for restart, but duo failed to extend the timely help, which has created a sense of insecurity among the pilgrims across the country resulting in decline of pilgrims”, he added.
He also lambasted the State Disaster Management Department, who failed to rehabilitate the langers and tents by providing tents and other necessary items for rehabilitation.
Making a serious suggestion to the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, khajuria said, “If Mahant of Shri Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi, who is presently managing food and shelter to thousands sadhus every day, been nominated in the Shrine Board should have been proved much better than any other sitting members, who collectively failed in discharging their duties”.
He said that Yatra directly depend on the sustainability of Ice Lingam and security but the Board has failed to manage provide the proper security.
He said that base camp of Yatra at Jammu has not been properly managed as Government failed to utilize the 500 kanal land, which is meant to provide facilities to the pilgrims.
He further said that to maintain the substantiality of Ice Lingam, the services of the DRDO and IIT should be utilized only after consulting the prominent Hindu saints and Shankracharyas.
Thieves decamp with Rs 1.5 lakh
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: Thieves decamped with a bag of retired army personnel containing around Rs 1.5 lakh cash near Bus-Stand Jammu.
As per police sources, Suresh Parkash, a resident of Sunderbani, district Rajouri lodged a complaint with Police Station Bus-Stand that some unidentified thieves decamped with his bag containing around Rs 1.5 lakh cash and other credentials, when he was traveling in a bus from Sunderbani to Jammu, near Bus-Stand Jammu.
Accordingly a case under FIR number 44/14 has been registered at Bus-Stand Police Station and manhunt has been launched to nab the thieves.
Protest against BSNL
Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, July 29: People from Dhar Galoon area of Mendhar Sub Division held strong protest against BSNL authorities today.
Reports said the people of the area led by Panchayat members came out on the road and started protest demonstration. They were shouting slogans against the BSNL authorities of Rajouri-Poonch for their total neglect and callous attitude. They alleged that local BSNL exchange went out of order about a month back and was not repaired till today. There is no staff except a Chowkidar and services to the area have been snapped. The general public of the area is suffering for want of communication services. The protesters also suspended movement of vehicles for some time.
Gale disrupts power supply
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 29: The power supply in Kashmir valley was disrupted last night after high velocity winds uprooted electric poles at many places. The power supply was, however, restored in the morning.
Due to heavy rains and high velocity winds, three residential houses, two buildings and two vehicles got damaged in Khanyar Srinagar.
In another incident several trees fell on National Highway and some electric poles were damaged near gas plant Pampore.
Meanwhile, due to cloud burst at higher reaches of village Wuyan in Pampore, a flash flood caused damage to some houses and main road at village Wuyan.
BSP criticizes Cong, BJP for ignoring SCs/OBCs
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: Bahujan Samaj Party leaders today criticized the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party for ignoring the issues of Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Class in the State.
Addressing election meetings at in Raipur Domana and Jammu West Assembly constituencies today, national general secretary Narinder Kashyap (MP) and other leaders strongly criticized Congress party and the BJP for ignoring the main issues of the SC/ OBCs and alleged that Mandal Commission has not been implemented in the State. They pointed out that the people from these communities are struggling since long but they have been denied justice.
Mr Kashyap alleged that weaker sections of society are not given due attention. Both these parties have ruled at the Centre and after Congress now BJP has also failed to keep control on price hike. Even these parties failed to properly implement the constitution of India, which was drafted by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar. It is matter of big concern that Mandal commission came in 1980 and it has not been implemented in J&K till date.
At Domana the meeting was organised by BSP candidate Behari Lal Digra while at Janipur, BSP’s Jammu West candidate Mohinder Kashyap. State president of the party Tulsi Dass Langeh, vice president R L Chargotra, Charan Dass, Krishan Chargotra and other leaders were also present. These leaders appealed the people to support BSP if they wish to resolve their pending issues. They pointed out that BSP is the only party which can provide justice to them.
Ajit Colony faces power crisis
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: A deputation of Ajit Colony Gole Gujral visited Daily Excelsior and projected their problems with regard to scarcity of electricity in the area.
The representative of the Colony, Chaman Lal Sharma said that low voltage and unscheduled power cuts have left the residents of the Colony in the lurch and the people are facing multiple problems because of the same, adding that there is only a 200 KV transformer established in the colony, despite a very big area.
Narrating the tale of woes, B L Koul, president of the Colony said that the low voltage and power cuts in sweltering heat and humid conditions has taken a toll on the residents in general and the children and old-aged in particular.
They said that the area is very big and the load is much for the smaller transformer to bear and demanded replacement of the same with a bigger one to solve the problem once for all.
Soz meets Governor
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 29: Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, Member of Parliament, met N.N. Vohra, Governor, here at the Raj Bhavan today.
Mr. Soz discussed with the Governor several matters relating to the funding of several important projects and the pace of certain ongoing developmental programmes, some of which are covered by Centrally sponsored schemes.