Excelsior Correspondent

Kalakote, July 16: Er Wasim Kohli, youth leader toured far-flung areas of Kalakote in Panchayat Narla Bambal, Gaibass, Keri Kotechadwal, Udan Motla, Panglar and Methani etc and interacted with people who are extremely hard pressed due to lack of basic amenities such as roads, water supply, electricity and health care.
Locals in Narla Panchayat demanded extension of road from Narla to Loharki Bui since there is no road connectivity. People are suffering due to non availability of doctor and medicines. While similar demand has been voiced by locals of Gaibass Panchayat, who also demanded extension of road to Kotechadwal from Gaibass.
Shabby tracks and roads speak volumes of neglect by local NC MLA. Basic amenities of ration and electricity is not being made available to people despite the fact that certain locals are fasting during Ramzan.
He further assured full support to the youth of Kalakote in their fight against social evils and in their efforts of development of the region.
Sanjay Sharma, Shabir Poswal, Ibrar Shah, Babar Hussian, Ajit Singh, Muneer Hussian, Raj Kumar Sharma, Shafiq, Tariq Bhat and others accompanied.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: BJP State president & MP, Jugal Kishore Sharma raised the issue of refugees from West Pakistan and PoJK, who had been forced to take refugee in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 and are residing since then here as refugees in Lok Sabha during Question Hour today.
Jugal pointed out that these refugees have become victims of State Government’s lopsided thinking and ideology. The fact of their taking up residence in Jammu and Kashmir has proved to be grave misfortune for them. The West Pakistan refugees have no citizenship status and rights in the J&K though they have been continuously residing here for the last more than 65 years. They have no say in the local affairs as they cannot vote for the Assembly elections nor can they have any property here and are homeless people. The refugees of PoJK have also huge problems which have not been till date addressed by the State Government. Their claims in lieu of their properties left by them in PoJK have not been settled or even addressed till date. This approach of unconcern shown by the State Government is because of its retrograde thinking and mindset.
Jugal Kishore Sharma’s expression of anguish and suffering of the refugees evoked strong sympathetic response from the other members of the House, who in one voice supported that the problems of the West Pakistan and PoJK refugees be attended to at the earliest and should not be allowed to linger on for long.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: Jammu Tourism Action Committee (JTAC), an amalgam of various trade organizations of Jammu City, has severely condemned the recommendation by Jammu Development Authority (JDA) to gradually shift the General Bus Stand Jammu from its present site at BC Road and its diversification at four different places, away from the old city.
A meeting of JTAC held here today under the chairmanship of its convener, Inderjeet Khajuria, termed the recommendations of JDA as contradictory to the assurances give by the authorities at the highest level of Chief Minister.
“The Chief Minister while laying the foundation stone of Jammu Cable Car Project had announced that the present Bus Stand will continue as terminal point for the buses of all routes. Similarly, the Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, had publically announced at a function in the Bus Stand premises that the present Bus Stand will operate as terminal point of buses of all routes including inter State buses”, the meeting said and condemned the latest JDA report sent to J&K High Court in which JDA has recommended that the present Bus Stand should be made as inter-city Bus Stand, while inter State buses should operate from the newly set up Bus Stand at Narwal.
JDA in its report to High Court has said that inter State bus terminal at Transport Nagar and bus terminal for RS Pura buses near old RTO office, Ware House, are operational, while it described the present Bus Stand as intercity bus terminal.
At a time when the traders of Jammu City and stakeholders in Jammu tourism are fighting for making Jammu City and its surroundings as independent tourist destination and the authorities at the highest level have assured the same, the report by JDA is total negation of the same, the speakers said.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 16: Air Force Gas Agency Jammu ‘VAHNI’ organized LPG Safety Awareness Camp, here today.
The motto of the Gas Agency is ‘Service First Safety Always’.
The programme began with the lighting of the traditional lamp by Mamta Patange, president, Air Force Wives Welfare Association (AFWWA), Air Force Station Jammu followed by Safety Awareness lecture by IOC Field Officer, Neha Thapa. Air Commodore PE Patange, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station Jammu addressed the Awareness Camp and shared his valuable advice on LPG Safety measures. The camp was attended by all Sanginis of Air Force Station, Jammu and customers from other sister services.
During the awareness programme, lectures were conducted on safety measures to be followed while using of LPG cylinders, precautions to be taken during LPG emergencies and how to ensure maximum utilization of LPG cylinder.
A door to door LPG Safety check was also conducted by personnel of Air Force Gas Agency.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 16: As many as 97 schemes worth Rs. 39.80 crore are being executed under PMGSY, JKPCC and R&B sector in Khansahib constituency of Budgam district.
The information was given out in a meeting convened here today under the chairmanship of Minister for Roads & Buildings Abdul Majid Wani, to review the pace of progress on these schemes.
MLA, Khansahib Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen was also present in the meeting.
Stressing the need for timely completion of on-going road projects in the constituency, the Minister said that road connectivity is pivotal for socio-economic transformation of the people. He said better road communication helps in promoting business transactions in the area, besides easy access with their counterparts living in urban areas. The development and up-gradation of road communication is in the focussed attention of the Government, he said and added that efforts are afoot for ensuring road connectivity in all the left-out habitations of the State under PMGSY.
Laying stress for maintaining quality of work as per specification, the Minister also directed the executing agencies for accelerating the pace of construction on the on-going projects ensuring their timely completion for the benefit of people.
The meeting was informed that 66 schemes are being executed in the constituency under R&B sector for which Rs. 2 crore has been earmarked for this fiscal. Similarly, 2 bridges at Kangripora and Sail are being executed at a cost Rs. 7. 91 crore by the JKPCC, the meeting was informed.
The meeting was further informed that out of 29 schemes, 27 schemes stand completed by utilizing Rs. 22 crore against allocated funds to the tune of Rs, 29.89 crore under PMGSY in the constituency. Moreover, the work on Lasipora-Ringzaban and Parthan- Lasipora roads is in progress at a cumulative cost of Rs. 3.27 crore.
Among others, Commissioner Secretary, R&B, Tanveer Jehan, Chief Engineer, R&B Kashmir Satish Razdan, Chief Engineer, PMGSY Vimal Tikoo, Director, Planning PWD Tariq Ahmad, Managing Director, JKPCC, besides senior Engineers of R&B and JKPCC attended the meeting.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: State High Court today issued notice to Chief Executive Officer of Birla Sun Life Insurance Company and others.
The notice was issued in a petition filed by Advocate Sajjad Ahmed alleging that he and his family had been cheated by the company.
After hearing Advocate Aditya Sharma appearing for the petitioner, Justice Tashi Rabstan issued notice to State and Chief Executive Officer Birla Sun Life Insurance Company and Others. Senior AAG Gagan Basotra accepted the notices on behalf of State.