Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 19: High Court today issued directions to the State that seven posts of Librarian in the Higher Education Department shall not be diverted from promotional quota as provided in SRO 423 of 2008.
The direction was passed in a petition filed by Anjum Nisar Malik and others mentioning that the Government has resorted to direct recruitment without simultaneously referring the cases of the petitioners to the DPC/PSC.
“This shows the malafide intention of the respondents towards the petitioners, who have been taken up for hostile discrimination for none of their fault”, said Advocate S S Ahmed appearing for the petitioner.
After hearing counsel for the petitioner, Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur issued notice to the State and in the meanwhile directed the respondents that the seven posts of Librarian in the grade of 8000-13500 (Higher Education Dept) shall not be diverted from promotional quota as provided in SRO 423 of 2008.
HC’s directive to State on posts of Librarians
Strength of Judiciary lies in public confidence: Justice Mir
SHIMLA, June 19:
A full Court reference was held in the Himachal Pradesh High Court to welcome the 22nd Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, who was sworn-in yesterday.
Earlier, he was discharging duties as Acting Chief Justice of this High Court since November 27, 2013. The Registrar General C B Barowalia conducted the proceedings.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Mir said that the strength of the judiciary lies in public confidence, which in turn depends upon good relationship between the Bar and the Bench.
“Honest, sincere, and diligent discharge of duties should be done by each of them with probity. Any wrong conduct or act on the part of anyone of them would adversely affect the public confidence which would not be good and would rather be detrimental to our Justice Delivery System.”
Therefore, both the Bench and the Bar must take care to ensure that they or any one of them do not act or do anything, which will erode public confidence in the judiciary, the Chief Justice said and also thanked the Bar and bench for the affection and cooperation extended to him during his tenure as the Acting Chief Justice.
Justice Sanjay Karol welcomed Justice Mir on assumption of charge of the Chief Justice saying that Justice Mir is an efficient, honest and deeply religious person, who is committed to the cause of justice.
The Advocate General and Chairman of the Bar Council of H P Shravan Dogra, President of H P High Court Bar Association Ashwani Pathak, and Addl. Solicitor General of India Sandeep Sharma also spoke on the occasion.
Judges of the High Court – Justice Sanjay Karol, Justice Rajiv Sharma, Justice V K Sharma, Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary, Justice Tarlok Chauhan, Justice P S Rana and Justice Sureshwar Thakur were present on the occasion.
The Registrars of High Court- Sushil Kukreja, Arvind Malhotra and Yashwant Chogal alongwith a large number of dignitaries, Bar and Staff members among others were also present on the occasion. (UNI)
BSP warns agitation against power, water crisis
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, June 19: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in a meeting here today held under the leadership of Narinder Kashyap its national general secretary and MP discussed various problems of the people.
As per a release, the Party highlighted the problems of power crisis being faced by the people, water and ration scarcity and submit a memorandum to the DC Kathie in this regard.
The memorandum said that the State Government has miserably failed to provide basic amenities to the people in these had days. It said people in every part of the State are protesting against the power crisis and demanding improvement in power supply. It wanted to know reasons for failure of power supply in the State and alleged that the Government was taking no pains in solving the human problems.
The electric problem has added fuel to fire by stalling power supply to PHE there by hampering the water supply also, the memorandum said.
It said the situation created due to power failure and water scarcity has reached to such an alarming level that it may turn to a massive agitation by the people. Moreover the Government has also failed to distribute ration among the poor masses and resourceful dealers are selling the ration in black.
The memorandum warned that in case the Government failed to solve these problems the BSP is left with no option but to come to streets.
India-born scientist named winner of 2014 World Food Prize
WASHINGTON, June 19:
India-born plant scientist Sanjaya Rajaram has been named the winner of the USD 250,000 World Food Prize for his breakthrough achievement in increasing global wheat production by more than 200 million tonnes following the Green Revolution.
Rajaram’s contributions in successfully cross-breeding winter and spring wheat varieties, which were distinct gene pools and had been isolated from one another for hundreds of years, led to him developing plants that have higher yields and a broad genetic base.
More than 480 high-yielding wheat varieties bred by Rajaram have been released in 51 countries on six continents and have been widely adopted by small- and large-scale farmers alike.
“Rajaram’s work serves as an inspiration to us all to do more, whether in the private or public sector,” said US Secretary of State John Kerry at an event where he delivered the keynote address.
“When you do the math, when our planet needs to support two billion more people in the next three decades, it’s not hard to figure out: This is the time for a second green revolution,” Kerry said.
Rajaram followed Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman E Borlaug at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, CIMMYT, leading its Wheat Program from 1976 to 2001.
World Food Prize Foundation President and the former US Ambassador to Cambodia Kenneth M Quinn said the 2014 World Food Prize Laureate is an individual who worked closely with Dr Borlaug in Mexico and who then carried forward and extended his work, breaking new ground with his own achievements.
“We are grateful for the hundreds of new species of wheat Dr Rajaram developed, which deliver 200 million more tonnes of grain to global markets each year and feed millions across the world,” Kerry added.
He also talked about Feed the Future, a presidential global hunger and food security initiative, through which the US is establishing a foundation for lasting progress against global hunger.
“Feed the Future supports a research agenda to harness scientific innovation and technology in agriculture,” he said.
The World Food Prize was established in 1986 by Borlaug in order to focus the world’s attention on hunger and on those whose work has significantly helped efforts to end it. (PTI)
Religious function at Baba Budh Giri Ashram
Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, June 19: Mandir Committee, Bahramgala (Baflyaz) Surankot is organizing a grand religious function at Baba Budh Giri Ashram, Bahramgala on June 22.
The function will commence with Yagya (Hawan) at 8 am followed by Bhandara. Organizing Committee has appealed the members of Hindu community to attend the function in large number and seek blessings of Baba Budh Giri Ji Maharaj.
Use of Hindi to be promoted in all departments: Centre
NEW DELHI, June 19:
As DMK attacked the Centre over “imposition” of Hindi language, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju today said the new Government will promote use of Hindi in all departments and public life.
He also said that promotion of Hindi language should not be seen as “undermining” other languages.
“I have taken a decision that we will give priority to the promotion of Hindi in all communications in various departments and public life because it is our official language,” Rijiju told reporters here. Asserting that the Centre will give due importance to all languages, he said, “We have to progress with our identity, culture, language and diversity. We have to move together. So, promotion of Hindi language should not be seen as undermining other languages.”
Since Hindi is the national language, the government should promote it, he said, adding, “It does not mean that we are going to discourage the use of regional languages.”
Earlier during the day, DMK chief M Karunanidhi opposed the NDA government’s reported directive to officials to give priority to the language in social media.
Dubbing it as beginning of “imposition of Hindi”, he said, “Giving priority to Hindi will be construed as a first step towards attempt at creating differences among non-Hindi speaking people and making them second class citizens.” (PTI)
Cruel joke by Health Deptt
Five years on, the building of the Sub-District Hospital at Mahore in Reasi District is still to be completed. The post of Gynecologist for the hospital was abolished owing to no theatre room for the deliveries. Owing to delay in completion of the new building of Sub-District Hospital, six posts of MD in Orthopedics, Anesthesia etc are also lying vacant. This is the sordid condition of Mahore, a backward area in Reasi district. Non-availability of proper medical care at proper time, distance and serious difficulty in reaching the hospital where medical aid is available especially for expectant mothers has become the cause of many unnatural deaths. People in the area are feeling dismayed on the negligence of authorities to provide at least the services of and expert gynecologist so that women who are forced to travel miles and miles on bumpy roads do not become exposed to fatal accidents. Further, for the population of more than 1.5 lakh in Mahore block, there is only one ambulance. Two ambulances have been sanctioned for the hospital but only one is functional.
This sordid picture of medical assistance in the backward area of Mahore speaks volumes of negligence of the authorities in the Department of Health. It is criminal to let expectant mothers die unnatural death at young age and bring misery to families concerned. Death of an expectant mother owing to non availability of a gynecologist is inconceivable in this century. It is a sign of utter backwardness and the Government cannot absolve itself of the responsibility of being the source of fatalities on this account.
Doctors in our state prefer to be posted close to the cities and towns and are not willing to render service in far-flung areas just because posting within the cities and towns is monetarily more lucrative for them. It is disappointing that the Department of Health has become helpless in reversing this trend among the doctors especially the young doctors who come out from medical colleges after obtaining degrees. There has to be a law, according to which freshly appointed doctors must render a specific period of service in remote and inaccessible areas to give them the feeling that the society that has spent so much on them does expect them to repay the debt by serving the people in far off places.
Tehran, world powers ‘begin drafting nuclear deal’
TEHRAN, June 19: Iran and world powers have started drafting a comprehensive nuclear agreement but still face many sticking points, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.
“Today (Wednesday) we have slowly begun to draft the final agreement… But there are still many differences” over the text, ISNA news agency quoted Zarif as saying from Vienna yesterday.
“This does not mean we have reached an agreement,” said Zarif, according to IRNA news agency.
“Fundamental disagreements” continue to divide Iran and the P5+1 powers – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany – he said.
But Zarif said the two sides have agreed on a title for the text, which will be known as the “General Joint Plan of Action.”
A new round of negotiations between Iranian diplomats and those of the six powers, which opened Monday in Vienna, had been “very difficult” so far.
The talks, which run through tomorrow, are aimed at clinching a comprehensive nuclear deal by a July 20 deadline set up by an interim agreement.
Iran’s top negotiator Abbas Araqchi earlier told IRNA news agency that Iran hoped to settle all differences with the six powers by the target date.
The main sticking points are the timetable for a full lifting of crippling US and EU sanctions, and the scale to which Iran would be allowed to continue uranium enrichment, he said.
Enrichment is the sensitive process at the centre of Western concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, as it can produce both fuel for nuclear power stations and, in highly extended form, the core of an atomic bomb.
The P5+1 want Iran – which insists its nuclear drive is purely for civilian use – to drastically reduce its uranium production capacity, and keep only a few hundred centrifuges active.
They want to ensure that Iran’s nuclear activities are purely peaceful. In return, Iran wants the removal of international sanctions that have choked its economy.
US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said yesterday Iran’s economy remained in a “state of distress” despite limited sanctions relief.
Tehran said yesterday that successful nuclear talks could lead to co-operation with the US over their shared interest in Iraq – where Sunni militants have seized large swathes of territory in a lightning offensive. (AGENCIES)
Maruti commissions solar power plant at Manesar factory
NEW DELHI, June 19: Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has commissioned a solar power plant at its Manesar facility to harness renewable energy source in line with its policy of adopting Eco-friendly technologies.
The 1MW solar power plant has been set up at an investment of Rs 10.3 crore and was commissioned this month, the company said in statement.
Commenting on the initiative, MSI Executive Director, (Plant) Rajiv Gandhi said: “With the launch of 1MW photo voltaic solar power plant, Maruti Suzuki has taken the first step to harness renewable solar energy”.
The initiative is in line with the Company’s philosophy of adopting environment friendly technologies that may have high upfront costs, but help bring down CO2 emissions, he added.
“Solar energy is abundant, versatile and efficient. Through this solar facility the company will be able to contribute towards environment. Going forward, the company is committed to expand its environment care initiatives”, Gandhi added.
The solar power plant will help the company offset CO2 emissions to the tune of over 1,200 tonnes annually, MSI said. (PTI)
Iraq appeals for US air strikes on advancing militants
BAGHBAD, June 19: Iraq has called for US air strikes on militants who attacked its main oil refinery and seized more territory in the north, putting US President Barack Obama under pressure today amid warnings the country could unravel.
The White House said Obama has not ruled out such strikes after a lightning eight-day offensive by Sunni fighters, led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), that has seen them rapidly bear down on the capital.
While officials touted progress, militants seized three villages in northern Iraq.
“Iraq has officially asked Washington to help… And to conduct air strikes against terrorist groups,” Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told reporters in Saudi Arabia.
However, Zebari said “a military approach will not be enough. We acknowledge the need for drastic political solutions.”
The United States spent billions of dollars over several years training and arming Iraqi security forces after disbanding the Sunni-led army following the 2003 invasion that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.
Washington has deployed an aircraft carrier to the Gulf and sent military personnel to bolster security at its Baghdad embassy, but Obama insists a return to combat in Iraq is not in the cards.
Iraq has scrambled to repel the militant offensive, with Maliki firing disgraced security commanders and vowing to “face terrorism and bring down the conspiracy.”
“We will teach (militants) a lesson and strike them,” he said.
Maliki said that security forces, which wilted in the face of the offensive that overran all of one province and chunks of three more in a matter of days last week, had suffered a “setback” but had not been defeated.
His security spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassem Atta, said security forces would shortly retake full control of Tal Afar, a Shiite town in the north that lies along a strategic corridor to Syria.
That would provide a base from which to launch operations to recapture Mosul, he said.
With regional tensions rising, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the Islamic republic “will do everything” to protect Shiite shrines in Iraqi cities against the militant assault.
And Saudi Arabia warned of the risks of a civil war in Iraq with unpredictable consequences for the region, while the United Arab Emirates recalled its envoy to Baghdad, voicing concern over “exclusionary and sectarian policies”. (AGENCIES)