Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 5: The Department Related Committee of Legislative Council met today under the chairmanship of legislator Ghulam Nabi Monga and reviewed the functioning of Hospitality and Protocol Department.
Legislators, Bashir Ahmad Magray and Showkat Hussain Ganai, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Principal Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, Lokesh Jha and senior officers of Hospitality and Protocol Department were present on the occasion.
The Committee discussed the functioning of the department and the status of the assets of the State lying in other parts of the country. The members gave suggestions for creating infrastructure which can be used for generating revenue thereby providing accommodation to the people of the State on their visit to these places, particularly the patients going for advanced treatment.
The Committee underlined need for improving services in the guest houses in and outside the State.
The Committee and the officers exchanged their views to make functioning of the department more vibrant and result oriented. Issues regarding the creation of additional accommodation at JK House New Delhi, renovation of staff quarters, retrieving of land from illegal occupants at Rajaji Marg New Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Sirsa Haryana occupied unauthorised by some persons came up for discussion.
Regarding paucity of staff, it was given out that posts have been referred to the SSRB for selection. The Committee asked Principal Secretary to take up the matter with the SSRB and get all the vacant posts of the department filled early for running the activities of the guest houses smoothly. The Committee also asked the concerned to pursue the cases vigorously pending in the different courts of the country.
Earlier, B. B. Vyas gave detailed account of the activities of the department and the initiatives taken by the Government for improving the services in Government controlled guest houses in and outside the State. He said efforts are on to retrieve the land from those who have unauthorised occupied it at different places.
Vyas said that revised estimate of Rs. 24.61 crore for construction of Convention Complex at Jammu has been approved and work on the project is in full and is expected to be completed during this year. He said up-gradation and renovation works of the assets in and outside the State have also been taken up.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 5: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has expressed grief over the sad demise of the uncle of Forest Minister, Mian Altaf Ahmad showing solidarity with him and the bereaved family.
The Chief Minister visited the bereaved family at Wusan in Kangan to personally condole the demise of the uncle of Mian Altaf Ahmad. He stayed with the bereaved family, consoled its members, conveyed his sympathy, offered fateh and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 5: The NSS Unit of Government College for Women (GCW), Gandhi Nagar, organized an awareness programme on the topic “Female Foeticide and Dowry System in India”, here today.
Noted social activist and cyclist, Bhausaheb Bhawar, was the resource person on the occasion. He spoke at length to NSS volunteers about female foeticide and dowry system in India and his passion to improve the condition of women in country.
Hailing from Hasna village of Jalna district in Maharashtra, Bhausaheb Bhawar started his social journey on a bicycle in 1993 and twice traveled India to its length and breadth. Female foeticide and dowry system are the social stigmas which together we can fight out from society, he said while expressing his hopes with the youth and students.
Principal of the College, Dr Kiran Bakshi appreciated the efforts of Bhausaheb Bhawar for his concern about these crucial social issues pertaining to everyone in society. She said NSS volunteers have to learn a lot from the volunteerism and dedication he has displayed in past 21 years towards this social cause.
A large number of NSS volunteers attended this awareness programme. Prominent among others present on occasion were the NSS Programme Officers– Prof Shrotika Rajput, Prof Nazia Rasool and Prof Rajinder Sharma.
Earlier, Dr Ashaq Malik, NSS Programme Officer, introduced the audience about the programme and welcomed the NSS volunteers in new academic year.
NSS Volunteer, Sarish Mahajan, conducted the proceedings of the programme whereas Dr Shiveta Gandotra, another NSS Volunteer, presented the formal vote of thanks.

Excelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, Aug 5: Highlighting initiatives of the Government to link the unconnected villages with roads to pace up rural economy, Minister of State for Fisheries, Cooperatives, Finance and Planning Dr Manohar Lal Sharma said during the past five and half years of the present Government, the expansion of roads network and bridges remained a priority which has opened avenue for development in these areas.
Dr Sharma was speaking at inauguration ceremony in village Harnota here at Billawar today.
During his extensive tour of Billawar, Dr Sharma first inaugurated 1.2 km Road link to Harnota completed at the cost of 17.60 lakh funded under state sector.
Thereafter Dr Manohar Lal Sharma visited Barota and inaugurated Additional Class Room Building of Government High School Barota taken up under Rashtriya Madhmik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
While addressing people at Barota, Dr Sharma said the Additional School Building completed with an cost of Rs 39.90 lakh will relieve the school administration and students from space deficiency.
He appealed to the teachers to involve the students in co-curricular activities besides studies. He said teacher must nurture the talent of the students as they owe this responsibility to make them good citizens of the society.
While throwing light on the upcoming projects, Dr Sharma said  an Auditorium of 1000  seating capacity  will be constructed in Government Degree College Billawar with an estimated cost of 5.50 cr and a Sports Stadium in the tehsil  has already been sanctioned. He added that work on  lift irrigation schemes of Harnota and Barota are under process and disclosed that the project of Lift Irrigation Scheme will cost 1.35 cr.
Sarpanch Barota and other speakers projected the demand of upgradation of High School to Higher Secondary Level. Other demands by the locals included five hand pumps and Lift Irrigation Scheme for Naagri.
Dr Sharma directed Dy CEO to speed up the school work.
The Minister also inaugurated Thadakalwal- Barota road under NABARD. The 8 Km road project completed with an cost of Rs 292.70 lakh.

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Aug 5: Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party has expressed  its deep anguish over the Ministry of Railway’s  decision to employ Railway staff even for IV Class job on Udhampur-Katra rail line from Kashmir Valley ignoring the local youth.
People of Udhampur and Reasi districts have provided their land, money, persons for seeing the day when Udhampur-Katra rail link is operationalized  but the decision of Ministry of Railway, Govt of India to appoint even gangmen and coolies from Kashmir Valley is very disturbing, said MLA Udhampur and JKNPP president Balwant Singh Mankotia while talking to media persons, here today.
Stating that  there was a  lot of resentment among the people, especially youth over the Government decision of appointing  people from outside Udhampur and Reasi districts,   Mankotia announced that the  Panthers party would hold a strong protest demonstration on Wednesday at Udhampur against such injustice by Govt of India.
JKNPP has also sent a memorandum to the Union Minister for Railways protesting against the decision and asking him to rescind the same.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 5: Presiding Officer Fast Track Court, Sanjeev Gupta today awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment to one Ashwani Kumar of Akhnoor, who was facing trial in kidnapping and rape with five years old girl.
The incident took place on November 29, 2010 under the jurisdiction of Police Station Akhnoor and accordingly a case under Section 363/376 RPC was registered. After completion of investigation, challan was presented and charges under Section 363/376/511 were framed against the accused person.
After hearing APP GS Charak appearing for the State whereas Advocate DS Saini appearing for the accused, Presiding Officer Fast Track Court observed, “cases relating to crime against women particularly pertaining to young female children have increased in recent time and the social impact of the heinous offence particularly as in present case when it relates to a helpless girl of five years of age cannot be lost sight and per se it requires exemplary treatment”.
“Any liberal attitude by imposing meager sentences or taking too sympathetic view merely on account of young age of convict beside his economic condition or other irrelevant considerations will be result of wise counterproductive in long run”, the court said.
With these observations, court granted seven years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 25000 under Section 376/511 RPC and under Section 363 the court awarded three years and fine Rs 2000 to Ashwani Kumar. The court further directed that if the fine amount be released than Rs 20000 shall be given to the prosecutrix as compensation.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 5: Seven structures were damaged in different fire incidents across the Valley.
A police spokesman said fire broke out in the house of Abdul Ahad Sheikh son of Ghulam Rasool at Kachan in Ganderbal resulting in complete damage to the house.
Fire broke out in a building (Indra House) at Sainik School Manasbal in Lar, resulting in complete damage to the building.
The residential house of Mohammad Akber Bhat son of Mohammad Ramzan Bhat of Miyan Shah Sahab Rainawari, Srinagar was partially damaged in fire which engulfed the nearby residential houses of Mohammad Iqbal Bhat and Ghulam Nabi Bhat sons of Mohammad Sultan and Showkat Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat resulting in partial damage to structures.
A joint residential house of Ghulam Mohammad and Ghulam Rasool sons of Abdul Salam Panzoo at Ganiyatmanz, M.R Gunj was partially damaged when fire engulfed in it.
The joint residential house of Mohammad Ismail Sheikh and Mohammad Yaseen Sheikh sons of Abdul Gani Sheikh was burnt in fire at Nagbal Shopain, resulting in partial damage to the house.