Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 16: High Court directed Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Shailander Kumar to direct the concerned police officers to ensure that no land filling and construction is carried out on agriculture land.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Hasnain Masoodi in a complaint alleging that illegal constructions are being raised and digging process is going on in saffron fields at Court Complex Pampore, directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir “to attend to the wakeup call” and “direct the concerned police officers to ensure that no land filling activity or constructions are carried.”
The Bench also directed that bailable warrants be issued against two brokers namely Tariq Ahmad and Nasir Ahmad Mir, who are involved in such activity and the warrants be executed by SP Awantipora.
“We also direct that Tariq Ahmad and Nasir Ahmad Mir be issued bailable warrants which is the only course left with the court to stop the illegal activities”, DB said.
Court also directed for furnishing of status of cases registered with regard to illegal construction at Pampore.
As per the earlier directions of the court Tehsildar Pampore Abdul Rehman Dar was present in the court and he said that illegal construction is in progress despite the fact that police has been informed by him through various reports with regard to these construction and also got the cases registered against these violators.
After these submissions by Tehsildar, court observed: “It appears that the directions issued by the court earlier are being violated with impunity and even the DC Pulwama has not taken any care to comply with the directions issued.”
Court earlier after taking serious note of violations of agriculture laws had clarified that if any direction of this court is violated, then SSP Awantipora was directed to file appropriate FIR against violators and also constructions raised found illegal be demolished.

Lalit Gupta

JAMMU, July 16: Shivani Cultural Society’s short solo play ‘Parchhayian’, staged at K L Saigal Hall, here today, was marked by an impressive performance by young actor Neha Lahotra.
Presented by Shivani Cultural Society, today’s play in Hindi was written and directed by Vikram Sharma. The play is about a girl who is musing over her past life which was shattered by the sudden elopement of her elder sister. Not able to bear the shock, the mother falls sick. The ploy of the narrator of writing letters to her mother on behalf of her elder sister fails to console her and she ultimately dies. The climax of the play is when at the end of soliloquy, the narrator, the spirit or shadow of younger sister says good bye to join her dead body in the adjoining room.
Neha Lahotra as the spirit of the dead girl-clad in white sari and walking amongst the desolate setting of fallen leaves, dry braches and fallen logs-was able to bring out the tragedy of a happy family which was devastated by impulsive action of one of its members.
Exhibiting plethora of emotions, subtle modulation of voice and steady body movements to compliment the accompanying dialogues, Neha Lahotra brought forth effectively the heart breaking sequences of events in life of a family.
Tomorrow on third day of ongoing Jammu Natya Utsav, organized by Aditya Bhanu and Nav Durga Kala Manch in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages, Samooh Theatre will present Agni Priksha, a solo performance by Preeti Sharma.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Poonch of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J) celebrated foundation day of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) by conducting Progressive Farmers’ Meet at KVK complex, here today.
The meeting was chaired by Dr Sanjay Swami, Programme Coordinator of KVK Poonch in which about thirty five progressive farmers representing all the areas of district Poonch participated.
S S Jamwal, Programme Assistant (Pomology) presented welcome address.
While interacting with the farmers, Programme Coordinator lauded the efforts made by the progressive farmers in achieving higher yields and improving the quality of different kharif and rabi crops along with fruit and vegetables. He highlighted that the KVK Poonch has already established a crop cafeteria wherein different varieties of cereals, pulses and vegetables are raised scientifically to demonstrate the latest techniques for the benefit of farmers and dissemination of the knowledge regarding sowing of area specific crops for optimum output in the field.
The farmers were also informed that keeping in view of fodder scarcity in the district, KVK has also developed a fodder cafeteria with sixteen different varieties of perennial fodder crops.
It was deliberated during the interaction that there is utmost need to increase number of orchards to boost up fruit production.
Dr Muneeshwar Sharma, SMS (Plant Protection), Dr Magdeshwar Sharma, I/c MBRSS, Poonch also spoke on the occasion.
The meeting was ended with the vote of thanks by Mushtaq Ahmad Guroo, Programme Assistant of KVK Poonch.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: To listen the grievances and developmental demands of people, Chairman Legislative Council Amrit Malhotra today met various deputations from Jammu city who projected developmental demands of their respective area.
The deputations from Municipal Ward No.1, 2, 7, 10 and adjacent wards apprised the Chairman about their demand mainly related to repair and renovation of lanes, drains, better sanitation, installation of high mast lights, ensuring regular garbage lifting, replacement of old water pipes, repair of damaged transformers, regular powers supply as per schedule, stray dogs issue, besides various other grievances and demands were also projected by the deputations during the meeting.
Malhotra after giving patient hearing to the demands and issue of the deputations passed on spot directions to the concerned officers to put in every effort to redress the grievances of the public at the earliest.
Responding to the demand of deputation from Ward No-7 regarding supply of impure drinking water to their area Chairman directed the officers of PHE to ensure that issues is resolved within four days.
Commissioner, JMC was directed to install water coolers at the identified locations without any delay and ensure sanitation of the lanes and drains in the city.
Delegation from Ward No-7 demanded shifting of fish market and removal of mobile towers from the areas close to schools and residential areas.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 16: The protest against the power crisis continued at different parts of the Jammu and Samba district again today.
Feeling totally cheated by the PDD authorities who yesterday asked the people to lift the road blockade as the transformer in their area will be installed by the evening, the residents of Randhawa Colony and Govindpuri, Vijaypur today again came on streets and blocked the Ramnagar road from 2-30 pm to 7-30 pm in protest against the failure of the department to keep its promise.
The protestors said that they are without power for last six days now as the authorities have failed to replace the local transformer which developed a snag.
The protestors raising slogans against the State Government accused it of total callousness towards the people of the area.
The protestors said that the transformer was damaged 10 times in last two months. They said neither their political representative nor Executive Engineer, PDD took any step in restoring the transformer in the area due to which the people have been forced to pass sleepless nights during the last six days.
Though the SHO Vijaypur and PDD officers today again tried to give assurance to the people but they did not budge and continued road blockade till the evening.
Congress senior leader and former Minister Manjit Singh also addressed the protestors and demanded immediate installation of transformer.
Meanwhile residents of Manorama Vihar, Bohri Jammu also lodged a strong protest against the power failure in the area. The residents accused the PDD of its failure in maintaining power supply in the colony and alleged that there was total blackout in the colony during the last night. The residents said despite the fully metered area the PDD has failed to provide round the clock power supply.
The residents of BB Extn. Gandhi Nagar also express their concern over power failure in their area and callous attitude of PDD authorities towards the consumers.

Excelsior Correspondent
AKHNOOR, July 16: Poultry Farm Association Akhnoor (PFAA) has expressed serious concern over the alleged illegal business being done by some leading poultry companies of other states in the J&K due to which local poultry units are experiencing huge loss and are on the verge of closing.
In this regard, a meeting of the Association was held here under the presidentship of prominent social worker, Mohan Lal Sharma. The meeting was attended by all the office bearers of the Association, who discussed in detail the impending danger on local poultry business.
During the meeting, the speakers alleged that for last many years some companies of other states have established an illegal network in whole J&K including Akhnoor district and are supplying medicines, chicken and feed illegally with the connivance of some local poultry units and agents.
Due to illegal business of these companies, the local market is experiencing a steep decrease in prices of the poultry products and the local business units are bound to sell their products on less than production cost. Till now, more than 200 poultry units have to shut down due to this reason and more than 5000 youth not only become unemployed but also burdened with debt worth lakhs of rupees borrowed from the Banks.
They further said that the issue was taken up with Director, Animal Husbandry many a times but no action was taken by the department in this regard.
During the meeting, it was decided that a deputation of PFAA will meet State Minister for Animal Husbandry, Mr Gurezi and bring the matter into his notice.