PHE workers raising slogans during protest at Jammu on Wednesday. -Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, July 2: PHE workers held a protest demonstration and flayed the Government for not redressing their demands.
Hundreds of PHE workers from various divisions under the leadership of Bakshi Singh, provincial president, PHE Workers Welfare Association assembled in the premises of Chief Engineer, PHE Department, BC Road and raised slogans in favour of their demands.
The protestors alleged that the Government has turned a deaf ear towards their demands, which has compelled them to hold protest.
While speaking, Subash Chander, provincial general secretary of the association has said that 9 points charter of demands was discussed during the meeting with Minister for PHE, Irrigational and Flood Control.
The Minister assured that the demands highlighted during the meeting by the members of the association will be redressed within month time, he said and cautioned the workers for remaining vigilant till the total implementation of the demands.
Bakshi Singh appealed to the employees to review the pre-strike actions and the flaws so that if we had to go on strike in future, there should be no loop holes in the decision of strike.
Among others who spoke were Rattan Joshi, senior leader of the Association, Chuni Lal, Ram Labhaya, Babu Singh, Tilak Raj, Baldev Singh, Bansi Lal, Mohan Singh, Ram Lal, Ramesh Chander, Manzoor Ali, Ram Parkash, Ravi Kumar, Raju Jamwal and Parshotam Mehra.
Yatris waiting in long queues in front of Exhibition Ground registration counter at Jammu on Wednesday. -Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, July 2: Notwithstanding, the claims of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and State administration that all arrangements are in place for Amarnath pilgrims, chaos and confusion prevailed at yatra registration counters at Exhibition Ground, Vaishnavi Dham and Saraswati Dham as well as Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar where no proper arrangements have been made for the pilgrims reaching here from different parts of country to embark on annual Amaranth pilgrimage.
The mismanagement on the part of Shrine Board as well as the administration has evoked a strong public resentment and people not only blamed the Board and administration for their deliberate move to fail the annual yatra by subjecting the thousands of pilgrims to inconvenience and harassment, also accuse the ministers from Jammu and leaders of various political parties including the BJP which always claims to be the champion of the yatris cause for this mess.
The callousness of the Board and authorities can be gauged from the fact that yatris are subjected to humiliation at registration counters as no proper arrangements have been made for their registration at Exhibition Ground registration counter and other places. The yatris are made to sit in long queues for hours together as only two counters have been opened there. Out of them one counter is for male and another is for female.
The situation is so grave that many pilgrims have decided to return to their home States without going for darshan or move to picnic spots of Himachal Pradesh or other places. “We are sitting in queue from early in the morning but are not sure that we will get ourselves registered as there is heavy rush and the number of counters is very less”, said Anil Chibber a pilgrim from Ludhiana, Punjab.
He said it seems the SASB and authorities are not interested in running the yatra as they deliberately create problems for pilgrims instead of solving them. Anil who heads a group of 50 yatris from neighboring Punjab said that in case they don’t get registration today they will return to their home State as there is no body to listen to the woes of pilgrims.
Same were the views of Neelkant, a pilgrim from Dulhay, Maharashta who heads of group of 90 pilgrims. He said his group reached here two days back and since then they were wandering for registration. Neelkant, who was also in the queue at Exhibition ground registration counter said “you see what is the condition here and people are jostling with each other for getting themselves registered.” Under these circumstances who will like to come for darshan as pilgrims don’t like to fight with each other to seek their registration slips first. It appears that the yatris who are here in the queue will get their number after two days, he added.
Ram Prahlad a Shiv Sena activist from Maharashtra took the State as well as the Central Government to task for lack of arrangements for Amarnath pilgrims. He said the NDA Government at Delhi was supposed to intervene and ask the SASB to provide better facilities for pilgrims. If this is the state of affairs here who will like to come for the yatra and be harassed, he added.
He said at least a Minister should visit here and see the arrangements himself. Even there are no proper arrangements at Yatri Niwas and pilgrims who reach three four days in advance of darshan date are not allowed to camp in Yatri Niwas. Moreover the pilgrims after entering the Yatri Niwas are not allowed to come out and are kept hostage there. This unfortunate act of the security agencies and SASB is not tolerable, he added.
The yatris also complained that there are no transportation facilities from Railway Station to Yatri Niwas or registration counters as was announced by the Board earlier. Besides there is insanitation in Yatri Niwas also, they added.
However when contacted DC Jammu, A K Sahu said that the quota for registration is limited while the demand is more. He said four registration counters have been opened in Jammu and once the quota for Pahalgam route reaches the rush will ease within two -four days.
Meanwhile despite inclement weather conditions, the first batch of 4166 pilgrims left via Chandanwari track for holy cave while 8,922 left via Baltal track on the fifth day of yatra today.
A spokesman of SASB said that 10,628 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave. Till date, 61,156 yatris have paid obeisance in the cave shrine since the first day of darshan on June 28.
The spokesman said that due to overcast of sky with clouds and rains in the morning, the yatra got delayed and the first batch of pilgrims left from Baltal at 6.50 am and from Chandanwari at 6.10 am. While on a fair weather day the fist batch if yatris leaves from Baltal at 4.45 am and from Chandanwari at 6 am.
A fresh batch of 1475 pilgrims left Jammu for holy cave early this morning in a cavalcade of 47 vehicle. They included 1074 men, 231 women, 21 children 149 Sadhus. Till now 7744 pilgrims have left Jammu for holy cave since the first batch of pilgrims was flagged off on June 27 from here.
Excelsior Correspondent
Budgam, July 2: Chief Minister and Working President National Conference, Omar Abdullah today asked the people to teach a befitting lesson to the ‘amalgam of opportunists’ hatching conspiracy against the State and its people to grab power.
“They have converged yet again to confuse the people by unleashing false and baseless propaganda against National Conference and the Government to attempt at power grabbing”, he said and added that people are well-versed to read between the lines and understand the only agenda of these elements to seek power at any cost.
Addressing National Conference Workers meetings in Khan Sahib, Budgam and other areas today, Omar Abdullah said that falsehood is always short lived and it cannot defeat the sincerity and truthfulness.
Amid thunderous applause by hundreds of NC workers, Omar Abdullah recited the famous couplet “Batil Say Dabnay Walay Ay Aasman Nahi Hum; Sobar Kar Chuka Ha Tu Imtihan Hamara” (The Cosmos is witness that we have never succumbed before negative forces. Our trait has been tested hundreds of times by the World”. He referred to the history of sacrifices and struggle rendered by National Conference, its leadership and brave workers during the difficult and challenging times.
Omar Abdullah said that NC belongs to common people. “It represents the aspirations of all shades of people. It has proved its mettle time and again. Its fountain head of strength is commoners. It has withstood onslaughts of conspirators always with the highest support of masses emerging victorious”, he maintained and expressed confidence over the workers of National Conference that they will steer the party once again through tumult waters to achieve the cherished goal of ‘Naya Kashmir’.
“Your detractors are out to put all hurdles in your way. They want to damage National Conference. This has been their long desire but like in the past you teach them a lesson again and put down their castle of ill designs to the ground”, he said asking NC rank and file to make the opponents bite the dust in forthcoming elections by handing over people’s overwhelming verdict against them.
The Working President National Conference castigated PDP for its bizarre behaviour of making the party safe castle for the elements having corruption charges and bad reputation. He said that this has punctured the balloon of falsehood of PDP crying hoarse against corruption. He said by inducting elements with charges of corruption in the party fold and allotting tickets to them speaks volumes about the lust of the party to grab power by hook or crock. He said they cannot fool people who know everything what is being cooked to divide them for power politics.
Omar Abdullah also mentioned the measures of e-tendering, e-procurement and 3rd party independent monitoring of development projects besides making formulation of Results Framework Document essential for every department so that at the end of the year the performance of these departments could be ascertained as per their own set gauge.
The Chief Minister mentioned the stupendous task undertaken by the Government during the last over five years on road communication sector and referred to the construction of over 450 road projects and 265 bridges. He also mentioned construction of 10000 kilometres of new roads and upgrading and blacktopping of 19000 kilometres during the last over five years. He said that linking remote and far-flung areas with main highways received focused attention during his Government, adding that over 700 schemes have been completed under PMGSY during this period.
Omar Abdullah also listed achievements of the Government in the other development fields and urged National Conference workers to disseminate the information about these to the grass roots.
Party General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar and Provincial President National Conference, Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani also addressed the meetings.
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 2: Following the High Court orders to Deputy Commissioner Kupwara and Social Welfare Board to release funds to Swadhar Shelter Home for victims for its smooth functioning, the chairman of the latter claimed that the concerned have not obeyed the court orders.
Chairman Mohamamd Yasin Lone said the court directions are not being complied with by the concerned officials.
A Division Bench comprising Justice M M Kumar and Justice Hasnain Massodi had in April this year asked the authorities to release the funds in favour of State Social Welfare Board and Deputy Commissioner Kupwara for facilitating smooth running of the shelter home for victims.
“We make it clear that the funds shall be released in accordance with the rules on receipt of utilization certificates required under rules and till Swadhar Shelter Home Scheme remains operational,” said the Division Bench while closing a Public Interest Litigation.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 2: J&K High Court directed Principal, Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu to appear in person before the Court on next date of hearing to explain as to why the directions of this court have not been complied with.
Justice Janak Raj Kotwal of J&K High Court Jammu Wing passed the judgment after hearing the petition filed by Dr Zaheer Abbas and others, who had given the paper of registrar/Demonstrator but their result was not declared despite Court directions.
Justice Kotwal also directed Registry to list this petition on July 18, 2014.
The Court further observed that in case compliance report is submitted as earlier directed by the Court, personal appearance shall stand dispensed with.
The grievance of the applicant projected by way of this application is that persons appointed against the said posts are continuing while as the superior claim of the applicant has been ignored.
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 2: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, has said National Conference is the fountainhead of corruption in the State and it will only need an honest investigation of allegations against its top leadership to bring them to justice.
Addressing a number of meetings in Pahalgam Constituency of Anantnag district Mehbooba referred to the Chief Minister’s insinuation against the PDP on corruption issue, and said it was amusing that Chief Minister (CM) is asking the people to invoke right to Information (RTI) for ‘exposing the corrupt practices’ by some entrants into the PDP. “The CM is in control of entire investigation setup and he should be the last person to advise use of RTI because he can have the exposure and prosecution of any guilty person conducted whenever he likes,” she said.
Mehbooba said the Omar Abdullah Government has a lot to answer on corruption issue and if he had not deactivated the institutions like State Information Commission (SIC) and State Accountability Commission (SAC) most of the skeletons would by now have tumbled out and some leading lights of the Government could have met the fate of A Raja and Suresh Kalmadi.
She said the cricket scam against Dr Farooq Abdullah is an open and shut case and going by the documents in public domain the main characters should have been in jail as it would not need even a lengthy investigation. “The case, in fact, is reportedly awaiting prosecution and it is blocked only because Dr Abdullah’s son is the CM, and in the meanwhile he got himself re-elected as the president of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association in questionable circumstances,” Mehbooba said.
Mehbooba said there is, of course, need and scope for using RTI Act for seeking information on how the first family of National Conference and most of the coalition ministers amassed assets beyond their known income. “It should be invoked to know the truth of Haji Yousuf’s death; the drug scandal; PHE scam; forest land grab; kickbacks in various projects; Toshkhana properties; construction of palatial residences and acquisition of vehicles of royal standards for the elected representatives. And the process involved in granting repeated extensions to characters like Mushtaq Peer who subverted the most credible process of entrance examination,” she said.
M S Katoch, president Association of Paramedical Colleges Jammu along with others addressing media persons on Wednesday. -Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, JuIy 2: Paramedical Colleges of Jammu province constituted an association under the name “Association of Paramedical Colleges Jammu” (APCJ) to carry out various activities and unanimously elected its new office bearers.
Addressing a press conference, newly elected president M S Katoch told that there are 58 Paramedical Institutions in Jammu province imparting education to more than 10000 students hailing from different parts of J&K as well as adjoining States.
He added that the institution as well as students both have many difficulties which need to be settled immediately and association will take up all the pending issues immediately at an appropriate level for finding out suitable solutions. He also resolved to meet president, vice president of the J&K State Paramedical Council very shortly.
He further added that we welcome Government decision to constitute Paramedical and Nursing council which has started working and has conducted an examination also, but still the examinations of some old batches are pending which should be conducted at the earliest because the students who were admitted long back are waiting for completion of their courses in time as delay in examination has brought their future under cloud. The association will take this matter immediately with the authorities, he stated.
M S Katoch, chairman Rajiv Gandhi College of Nursing was elected as president, Dr Y S Manhas, chairman Baba Institute of Paramedical Rajouri as vice president, Dr Sukhpreet Singh, chairman of Shri Gurunanak Paramedical Institute as general secretary and Dr Akash, chairman of Akash Paramedical Institute, Udhampur as treasurer.
The office bearers of Kashmir province who participated in the meeting were Dr Hafizullah Naik, Tariq Amin, Gulzar Ahmed, while from Jammu were Dr Madusudan from Kathua, Amit Verma and Dr Rajiv, P C Sharma.
Workers of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena taking out a procession in Jammu on Wednesday.
JAMMU, June 2: The workers of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena under the leadership of president, Ashok Gupta took out a procession in Jammu City by carrying vegetables and Gas Cylinders on a moving cart against the price hike and hoarding of necessity items by the black marketeers.
While addressing the gathering, Mr Gupta stated that the black marketeers are hoarding the essential items like onions and potatoes.
He said the rate of the onion in the wholesale market is Rs 12 per kilogram and in the retail market it is being sold at Rs 25 and potatoes wholesale price is Rs 17 and in the retail market it is being sold at Rs 35 per kilogram.
The protestors further said the variation in the price is due to the hoarding of these essential commodities which is leading to the spike in inflation but State Government is not taking any action against these black marketeers as also the CAPD which is responsible for not taking any action against the black marketeers.
The workers said that the Central Government in Delhi conducted raid at 250 godowns which led to the immediate price slide of the essential commodities.
They said the price hike by Central Government in rail fare is also one of the cause of the surge in the price of the essential commodities, adding that after the hike in the price of Petrol, Diesel and Gas, common man is not in a position to run the kitchen.
They appealed the Government that in the upcoming budget stern actions should be taken to curb inflation and new Tax laws such as the 0% tax slab should be increased to 5 lakhs and GST should be implemented eradicating Sales and various other taxes.
The workers said that the farmers sell their produce at low prices but it goes up by 400 to 500 per cent by the time they reach the market.
The protesters included Tony, Tarseem, Ashish, Bantu, Vickoo, Lal Singh, Ramesh, Nandan, Gansiht, Chaitnya, Raj, Rajesh, Krishan, Sanjay and various others were present.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah handing over inspecting relief cheque to a beneficiary at Srinagar on Wednesday.
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 2: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today listed measures taken by the Coalition Government for the welfare of poor, needy, destitute, orphan and physically challenged and death in harness cases. He also mentioned special attention being paid by the Government for the education and welfare of girls and empowerment of women under various schemes implemented by the Social Welfare Department.
Distributing cheques of relief under SRO 43 to various beneficiaries, the Chief Minister said that his Government underlined holistic development of these categories of population as an important policy programme. He said efforts were made to reach out to all sections of the society particularly belonging to weaker sections in the development process during the last over five years.
The Chief Minister appreciated the role of Social Welfare Department in providing assistance and relief to the poor and deserving categories of the society mentioning the scheme ‘Anmol Beti’ under which financial assistance is being extended to the girls.
Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar and Legislator Nasir Aslam Wani were present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today visited Shabir Ahmad Kulley’s residence at Shopian to personally condole the demise of the father of Mr. Kulley.
The Chief Minister stayed with the bereaved family, conveyed his sympathy and solidarity to them, offered fateh and prayed for the eternal peace to the departed soul.
JAMMU, July 2: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said he would retire from politics if BJP gets a majority in Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The day BJP gets majority in Jammu and Kashmir (Assembly elections), I will take retirement from active politics and go into hibernation,” Omar told reporters in Doda district.
He was responding queries on BJP’s mission of getting 44+ seats in the State Assembly elections which is expected to be held by year end.
“I do not want to see that day nor will that day come in the future,” Omar said.
In reply to a question on fighting the polls without ally Congress, he said, “No such decision has been taken as yet. But the truth is that in both the parties, voices are raising the pitch that elections should be fought separately.”
“In my party, there are most of the people who do not want that elections should be fought in alliance with Congress. But the final decision would be taken by Dr Farooq Abdullah (president of the party). But I do not feel that he will be able to reject the demand of the party workers,” he said.
On the meeting between Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and PDP patron Mufti Mohmmed Sayeed in Srinagar, Omar said, “Ask this question to Azad or Mufti. But my take is that if there is meeting to be held, why to go for secret meeting? Just go and hold an open meeting.”
“The day I will have to hold meeting with Mufti I will go and meet him in his residence publicly. Secret meeting does not give a good signal (within the coalition Government),” he said.
The NC leader also hit out at Congress for breaking the coalition dharma by holding meetings in his party’s areas.
On the price rise issue, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said you can promise good days “only when you are in command of things and situations”.
“You can make a promise only if there is control in your hands. The present Government at the Centre has understood this fast that there are several things that will happen whose control is not in their hands.”
“For example, whatever is happening in Iraq has impact on the prices of the petrol. It is imminent that people would be annoyed. But it is not in the control of the Government. They had promised good days ahead. But due to the poor monsoon, bad days are going to come in future.”
“You can talk of good days only when you are in command of things and situation,” Omar said.
In Srinagar, Omar today said that the Centre should compensate the losses the Jammu and Kashmir suffers for being the frontline State in the battle against militancy.
Omar while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at SKICC Srinagar said that he has no wish list for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the State, but would only demand what was the right of its people.
“We should get our share of the electricity. We should get help in the funding by the Planning Commission. We should also get help for the loss we undertake by being at the frontier of the battle against militancy in the State. I am not asking for anything more than that,” Chief Minister said.
Omar said: “I do not have a wish list. I am not going to him with a wish list. Whatever is the right of the State, we should get that and we want to have that. He is coming here for the two functions related to the Central Government and nothing more than that.”
Chief Minister said that his party has not taken any decision on pre-poll alliance with Congress yet. “We have not decided whether to fight in an alliance or not. I have been reiterating it that in both the parties there are many voices which are not in favour of an alliance, but both the parties have left the decision on their leadership”, he said.
“NC’s working committee has passed a resolution and put the responsibility on its president Farooq Abdullah. He will decide whether it will be in favour of the party to have an alliance or not. For that, Farooq sahib, will consult his colleagues and decide. Same ways, the Congress will do,” Omar said.
On a question about delay in announcing mandates by the party, Chief Minister said: “This is not a race. The race is for winning the elections. If by announcing the mandates, elections would have been won, then I would have announced them six years before. It does not make a big difference. When we will be ready with the mandates, we will tell you.”
Omar said that he is ready for the elections in the State. “My confidence was never low. I have taken blows sometimes, but those blows also make you more confident and I am fully ready for the forthcoming test,” he said.
On newspaper reports about the party’s decision to join hands with its coalition partner Congress, Omar said: “If I take as a truth whatever comes in newspapers, this world would be a different kind. I came to understand it soon that whatever I read in papers, very less of that is based on reality.”
