NEW DELHI, July 16:
Amid demands by civil service aspirants for scrapping the CSAT test, Government today assured the agitating students that it would look into their demands sympathetically and has asked the concerned committee to expedite its report.
“The three-member committee was set up on March 12 this year before our government took over. But its report is yet to come and we have instructed this committee to expedite it.
“We have full sympathy with their cause and there should be no discrimination on the basis of language. I appeal to the students not to put themselves in physical or mental stress,” Minister of State for Personnel and Training Jitendra Singh said in Lok Sabha.
He said the government is already seized of the issue and has taken it up “very seriously and in a sensitive manner”.
“We can decide on the next course of action depending on the contents of the report of the committee,” Singh said.
His statement came amid protests by Congress, RJD and Samajwadi Party members, who trooped into the Well and raised slogans against “discrimination” by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) against candidates opting for Hindi and regional languages as medium for civil services examination.
The agitated MPs also charged the Minister with misleading the House.
The aspirants, mainly students, have been holding prolonged protests and resorting to hunger strike for several weeks demanding scrapping of Civil Services Aptitude Tests (CSAT), saying the exam pattern was putting Hindi and regional language aspirants at a disadvantage.
Singh had said outside Parliament yesterday that UPSC has been asked to postpone the preliminary exam scheduled on August 24 till there was clarity on the syllabus and exam pattern. (PTI)
Demands of civil service aspirants to be look into: Govt
Minibus hit by Army vehicle, 3 injured
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, July 16: Three passengers were injured when a minibus was hit by an Army vehicle on the National Highway near Narsu Nallah at Chenani.
The injured, identified as Mukash Singh (21) of Gorikund, Sakina (61) of Narsu and Mukash Kumar (26) of Dhar Gadeya, were shifted to hospital and their condition was stated to be stable.
Court rejects Narayan Sai’s bail plea in rape case
SURAT, July 16:
A local court today rejected the bail plea of self-styled godman Asaram’s son Narayan Sai in connection with in an alleged rape case filed against him here.
Joint District and Additional City Sessions Judge B A Joshi rejected the plea, observing that an offence of rape is made out prima facie against the accused.
The Surat court also observed that the accused (Sai) can tamper with the evidence and harm the witnesses, if he is released on regular bail at present.
Earlier this month, Sai had moved the bail plea and sought his release on the ground that the police had already filed the charge sheet and alleged that the rape case against him was filed with malafide intention.
“The state police has filed the charge sheet in the month of March which indicates that the probe in the rape case has been completed,” Sai submitted in the bail plea.
Sai had further said in the regular bail plea that the complaint of rape was filed against him after a time-span of 11 years with malafide intentions.
“There is nothing substantial in the facts of the case, so the applicant (Sai) should be released on the regular bail,” the bail plea said.
However, the court has not granted the submission of Sai and sent him to judicial custody after rejecting his bail.
The police had charge sheeted Sai with the charges of rape under section 376, unnatural sex under section 377 and criminal conspiracy under sections 120(b)of IPC.
He was also booked under IPC sections 346 for wrongful confinement of the victim, 356 for physical assault, 506 for criminal intimidation, 148 for attempting deadly attack and 153 for rioting.
Two sisters had lodged complaints against Sai and his father Asaram of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges.
In her complaint, the younger of the two had accused Sai of repeated sexual assault between 2002 and 2005 when she was living at the Surat ashram managed by the father-son duo.
The elder sister had filed a rape complaint against Asaram and a separate case is going on against him in the Gandhinagar court. (PTI)
600 poultry birds perish, rain water creates havoc in various areas
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, July 16: Six hundred poultry birds in a poultry farm belonging to one Rakesh Kumar were perished after the drainage water due to heavy rains entered his poultry farm situated near Jammu -Pathankote National Highway in Barnoti village of Kathua district late last night.
The people have accused the authorities of their total failure in constructing a drain along the NH due to which entire rain water of the surrounding area enters the poultry farm and other building along NH. Similarly, rain water also entered in residential houses in Mertha village near Barnoti causing a heavy loss to people.
The people of the area have expressed concern over the failure of the authorities to construct proper drainage system in the area saying it was the first Monsoon rain of the season which created such havoc in the area.
In Jammu the rain water has entered the Mata Roop Bhawani temple in Sharda Colony Patoli Brahmana. The residents of the area have made appeal to JMC authorities to construct a proper drainage system in the area and save the holy temple from the damage.
The rain water has also added to the woes of residents of Church Lane in Amit Nagar Muthi and people have to pass through cesspools of the water during the day as there is no proper drainage system in the area.
The local residents in a meeting today made an appeal to the JMC authorities to look into the problem and demanded that a proper drainage system be constructed in the area besides tiling of the lanes.
Neha Tripathi, Ankita Tiwana in joint lead on day one
Bangalore, July 16: Kolkata’s Neha Tripathi and Ankita Tiwana of Delhi displayed some fine form to lead the field on the first day of the ninth leg of Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour 2014, here.
Both Ankita and Neha finished the first round with an identical score of even par 72, which was also the day’s best score.
The INR 5,00,000 event is currently being played at Eagelton Golf Resort and will culminate on Friday.
Neha’s front nine was a mixed bag. She began with a bogey on the 1st hole, but quickly steadied herself with a birdie on the 2nd hole, only to repeat the pattern with another bogey on the 4th and a birdie on the 6th hole. She played the back nine more cautiously, with just a bogey and a birdie apiece on the 14th and 16th holes, respectively.
Ankita Tiwana, too, had a good day at the office, carding a total of three bogeys on the 1st, 10th and 15th holes and three birdies on the 14th, 17th and 18th holes. None of the golfers could card an under-par score today.
Delhi amateur Mehar Atwal once again proved her mettle as she finished third after the first round with a score of two over 74, with four bogeys on the 8th, 9th,10th and 12th holes and two birdies on the 16th and 18th holes.
Pune’s Shweta Galande and Kapurthala golfer Gursimar Badwal were tied at the fourth place with identical scores of three over 75.
Shweta made several unforced errors through the round with four bogeys on the 5th, 6th, 7th and 18th holes and a double bogey on the second hole. She carded a total of three birdies on the 10th, 12th and 17th holes.
Gursimar, on the other hand, carded a total of four bogeys on the 4th, 7th, 12th and 18th holes, and had just a lone birdie on the 11th hole.
Delhi amateur Millie Saroha was placed 6th with a score of four over 76 after 18 holes. Her birdieless round comprised four bogeys on the 1st, 5th, 7th and 11th holes. (PTI)
Indian boxing coaches barred from ringside at CWG
Mumbai, July 16: In what appears to be a case of misunderstanding, India’s boxing coaches at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games have been barred from occupying ringside seats during bouts due to the country’s termination from the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
A communication to this effect from the competition organisers was received by the Indian Olympic Association yesterday, a top source who wished to remain incognito told PTI today.
“The competition organisers seem to have misunderstood the situation (vis-a-vis the termination of Indian Boxing Federation by world boxing body AIBA in March and its replacement and provisional recognition of a new entity Boxing India in May) and have barred the coaches from seconding the boxers during bouts,” the source said.
“Efforts are on to resolve the problem for the good of the boxers,” the source said, adding that already eight male boxers have left for the Games along with four coaches.
“Three women are to leave on July 20. Boxing competition commences on July 25,” the source informed.
AIBA suspended IBF first in 2012 and then terminated it in March this year stating that the then set of office bearers were “damaging the image, reputation and interest” of the sport.
Later, in May there was a meeting in Lausanne between AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu and the IOA President, N Ramachandran, to discuss issues related to boxing in India.
“AIBA received full support from the IOA with regards to the selection of the new AIBA member for India. Further to this agreement, AIBA immediately informed the IOA of the AIBA Executive Committee decision of May 14 to accept Boxing India as the new National Federation,” AIBA stated.
“But no Indian official or manager or ringside judges can attend international events (till new body Boxing India gets full recognition of AIBA after due election process). Probably the CWG organisers have misunderstood that this includes coaches too,” the source said. (PTI)
Budhal College contractual lecturers protest
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, July 16: Contractual lecturers of Degree College Budhal have gone on protest against deduction of their salary by the Principal of Thannamandi college holding additional charge.
Nine lecturers appointed on academic arrangement are being paid Rs 15,000 per month as consolidated salary. They alleged that most of them performed full duty but despite this all, every month, their five days’ salary is deducted for the reason not known to them. They disclosed that post of Principal at Degree College Budhal is lying vacant and Dr Mohd Sajar is officiating as vice principal. The attendance is forwarded to Thannamandi Principal who has been given DDO powers. He releases the salary of the staff from Budhal college.
They further alleged some of the victims raised voice against this practice several times but they are threatened by the Principal that they would be ousted. The agitating lecturers, including some from Jammu are working at this remote place. They sought the intervention of higher authorities in this connection and threatened to leave the college if system was not made smooth and transparent.
Committee to examine setting up of Veterinary University
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: For setting up of a separate Veterinary University in Jammu and Kashmir, the State Government has constituted a high-level committee to examine the proposal in this regard.
Headed by Chief Secretary, the eight-member committee will submit its recommendations to the Government within a period of one month.
Members of the committee, include Administrative Secretaries of Planning and Development Department, Finance Department, Agriculture Production Department, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST Kashmir/Jammu, Prof Salim Iqbal, HoD Veterinary Physiology SKUAST Kashmir and Prof Promod Baru, OSD to VC SKUAST Jammu.
Female dental surgeons continue chain hunger strike for 4th consecutive day
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: The female dental surgeons continued their chain hunger strike for the fourth consecutive day, whereas the dharna by Dental Surgeons Association entered 16th day today at Ambphalla Chowk here.
Large number of dental surgeons assembled at Ambphalla chowk and raised slogans against the Government. Continuing the female chain hunger strike Dr Manju Bardwaj was sitting on fast today.
Dr Pawan Singh Jasrotia, Chairman of the association said that despite being on roads for the 16 days, there is no response from the Government, which reflects their callous attitude. Government is least bothered about the genuine demands of the youth of State, he added.
He stated that chain hunger strike by female dental surgeons entered fourth day today, but the Government failed to have negotiation with the Association.
Dr Jasrotia further said that oral health is an important part of health sector and if ignored it can lead to diseases within the entire body even effecting important organs of body like Heart.
He added that Government on one hand is showing that it is determined for providing health facilities to rural areas and on the other hand they are failing to utilize the skilled health professionals available.
He reminded the Government that this agitation is not going to end till their demands are redressed at the earliest.
The protestors were demanding complete absorption of unemployed dental youth, recruitment of dental surgeons on yearly basis and establishment of directorate for dental health in the State.
Meanwhile, general secretary of Homoeopathic Medical Association of India, Jammu Unit Dr Satish Kumar Attri extended support to the agitating dental surgeons.
He also expressed concern over the inhuman attitude of the Government toward Dental Surgeons on hunger strike as till now no one from the authorities came to listen to their demands.
Mini-bus turns turtle, 14 passengers injured
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: Fourteen passengers were injured, when the mini-bus they were traveling in turned turtle in Jagti area, falling under the jurisdiction of Nagrota police station.
The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK02AW-2169 was on its way to Jagti from Jewel, when the driver lost control over the steering and the vehicle turned turtle near Jagti, causing injuries to 14 passengers. The accident took place due to negligent driving by the driver.
On getting information, police and locals rushed to the spot and started rescue operation. All the injured were shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where their condition was stated to be stable, when reports last came in.
The injured have been identified as Rahul Singh, Vijay Kumar, Raj Kumar, Vivek, Chaman Lal, Rakesh Tickoo, Nadesh Kachroo, Raj Dullari, Meenakshi, Ashok Bhat, Lalita Raina, Bansi Lal, Renu Kapoor and Ajay Bhan, all residents of Jagti Nagrota.
A case under FIR number 190/14 under Section 279 and 337 of RPC has been registered at Nagrota police station and investigation started.