Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: Former Minister and senior Congress leader Manjit Singh today sought intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah into the power crisis in Vijaypur constituency where the people have been suffering due to inadequate power supply.
“The Chief Minister should look into the issue as the poor farmers have been facing trouble in view of crisis in power supply,” Singh said in a statement.
The former Minister said that for weeks people have been kept without electricity, while the electric polls damaged in the area due to wind storm recently, not replaced.
“The administration in Samba district has not replaced the damaged electric polls in some of the localities keeping in view their political affiliation to a particular political party,” he alleged.
With regard to construction of bandh on Devak-Basanter River at village Chajwal, he said, even as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had visited the area and assured that construction would be taken up, nothing was done since then.
He alleged that administration is providing false information to the people that the construction work on the damaged bandh was on and it would be completed soon.
“No construction work has been taken up and the people still fear that if flash flood hits the Basanter-Devak River, the flood water would enter their fields once again,” he said, quoting suffering of the people.
He warned the administration not to mislead and instead start construction work on the damaged bandh for the benefit of the people.
Manjit seeks CM’s intervention to overcome power crisis
Science, General Knowledge quiz competition held
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: Science and General Knowledge quiz competition was organized in Seminar Hall of Shri Vishwakarma Library, New Plots, here today.
7 teams participated in the event and each team comprised of 3 students. The students of class 9th and above were eligible for participation. The participating Schools included Verma High School, Hakkal; Indira Memorial School, Badyala Chak Akhnoor; Bright Future High School, Garhi; Naveen Shiksha Academy Narwal; Kailash Public School, Kheri; New Dogra Public High School, Kheri and Open team.
Arvind Gupta, Retired Engineer was the chief guest on the occasion, while Principal Ram Lal was also present on the occasion.
The team of Nidhi Dalmotra, Ankush Sharma and Sohan Lal bagged first position, while Diksha Verma, Rahul Verma and Pooja Verma clinched second spot and the third position went to Vishal Saini, Ritik Raina and Amit Saini.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest said that the Competition was organized with an objective to enhance Scientific Knowledge of the children alongwith General Knowledge.
The prizes were distributed among the winners by the chief guest on the occasion.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were Ashok Salgotra, OP Kataria, Janak Raj Changotra, Ravi Verma and Rohit Verma.
Indo-Afghan partnership symbol to get ready next year
KABUL, June 22:
Afghanistan’s new Parliament building India is constructing here as a gift to the Afghan people aspiring to move towards a peaceful democracy, has been delayed further due to challenging working conditions and will now be ready by next year.
The edifice being constructed as a contribution to the establishment of democratic institutions in the war-torn country was earlier scheduled to be completed this year.
“The building having influence of Mughal and modern architecture is being constructed under challenging circumstances and is now scheduled to be handed over to the government of Afghanistan in December next year,” an official said.
“Challenging working conditions and delay in availability of some materials have further delayed the project and the revised deadline for completion of the project is June 2015 and it will take another 4-5 months to hand over after the work is finished,” G S Pant, Project Manager, Central Public Works Department – Government of India, told here.
Afghanistan is right now is passing through political transition, with just completed presidential elections in which former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah Ashraf is pitted against ex World Bank executive Ashraf Ghani. The results of the elections are expected early next month.
The building, which will have Asia’s largest dome as one of its key features, is taking shape between the decades-old historic landmarks King Palace ‘Darul Aman’ and Queen Palace – which bear the marks of the war and tell the story of conflicts and devastation.
“Civil work is ready and most of the flooring work has been completed. For outer cladding, we are using white marble from Herat and from Makrana in Rajasthan and other parts of India.”
The building, being built at an estimated cost of Rs 710 crore, has four main blocks – House of People, Officers, Entrance Lobby and Senate Hall.
“The edifice will have two domes; main of them is copper clad dome of 32 meter diameter and 17.15 meter height covering the main assembly hall and the other is glass dome on Entrance Lobby,” he said.
A water body with 9 cascading fountains is also being constructed in front of the building. Inside the building, a 20-feet-high fountain made of beautiful green marble in Udaipur will also be installed.
The House of People will have a normal seating capacity of 256 and future provision of 38 seats. For the purpose of Joint Session of both the houses, the inner lobby of this block will have additional space for provision of seating of members of Senate.
The Senate Hall will have a seating capacity for 120 members and a future provision of 14.
Most of the materials used in construction of the building and also furniture are being imported from India.
Pant said that 400 to 500 labourers were working on the project site in current and almost 150 of them are Indians.
Work on the building on the 84-acre plot on Kabul’s outskirts began in 2009 and initially was to be completed in 36 months.
It is guarded from outside by the local police and the company constructing the project also has a team of security personnel for internal security.
Apart from the parliament building, Salma dam project in Western Herat province is also one of the ambitious projects India has undertaken in the country. That project work is also under full swing, am Indian embassy official said. (PTI)
Veteran Cong leader’s son forms political party
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 22: Son of former Congress president, Ghulam Rasool Kar, has turned his Kamraz Foundation, a social front into a political front and is contesting elections from Sopore to work for the development of Sopore.
“Basically, Kamraz Foundation works on social front but we feel we are not doing enough for Sopore as it has been ignored. So, we have decided to join political front and we will fight elections from Sopore constituency to solve our day to day problems,” said Irshad Rasool Kar son of veteran Congress leader Ghulam Rasool Kar.
Kar told a meeting of volunteers today that the decision to contest elections was taken so that the front represents Sopore politically.
ZEO stops salary of teacher for dereliction of duty
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, June 22: On the complaint of locals, Zonal Education Officer Pancheri has stopped salary of a teacher at Government Primary School Droud, who was not attending his duties regularly.
Earlier, a deputation of villagers of Ladda Mora Droud Panchari met District Development Commissioner Udhampur Yasha Mudgal and submitted a written complaint against teacher Rajinder Singh, posted at Government Primary School Droud for the last 12 year.
The villagers alleged that the said teacher was not attending the school duty regularly as the result studies of students were badly suffering. They further alleged that Rajinder Singh had hired a nearby shopkeeper to attend the school at his place.
The DDC asked CEO Udhampur to take immediate action in the matter following which the ZEO ordered stoppage of salary of the erring teacher.
Rana decries divisive politics, says NC stands for inclusiveness
Excelsior Correspondent
NAGROTA, June 22: Saying that National Conference has never been driven by myopic or partisan politics, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Sunday asserted its foundations are based on inclusiveness with opportunities of progress for all, irrespective of regional, racial of religious affiliations.
“We have all along rejected politics based on region, religion or caste, as it is not only alien to our glorious ethos but the cherished principles of Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah”, Rana, who is also Member Legislative Council, said while laying foundation stone of mini stadium at Dhok Waziran in Nagrota Assembly Constituency.
He decried the politics of division and hatred and said those perpetrating and promoting it were, in fact, doing irreparable harm to the interests of the State and the Nation. “Treading this path may be full of thorns but for the overall good of the State and its people, National Conference has all along made this as its political philosophy and offered sacrifices to harness it at all the levels”, he added.
Mr Rana took divisive and opportunistic politicians head on, saying they were playing with fire by instigating people on communal and regional lines as part of vote bank strategy. “In this process, they have lost their direction and sense of proportion as to what was right and wrong for the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”, he said while urging the people to maintain this precious legacy at all costs.
“These elements will come in different guises before you and try to emotional exploitation as part of their sinister plan to create wedge and polarisation between communities”, he said while cautioning that such a catastrophe will push the state to morass. He asked the people to maintain unity and foil the attempts of vested interests.
Referring to dubious machinations of political actors in the State, Mr Rana said personal ambitious and greed have rendered them as burden to the parties they belong instead of assets that could be channelized for the overall good of the State. He made a mention of the exposure made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently in Jammu, by unveiling the real faces of tainted BJP legislators who were pushing for largesse to their kin rather than highlighting the problems of their electors and supporters. “Such tendencies have brought ill repute to political class as such and cast suspicions in the public mind”, he said while exhorting the people to be judges of the performers of their chosen representatives.
He highlighted the achievements of Omar Abdullah Government and spelled out in detail measures taken for upgrading infrastructure, improving utility services, undertaking development and implementing various schemes aimed at ameliorating the lot of people in all the three regions and their sub regions across the State. He also dwelt on the developmental profile of Nagrota Constituency while assuring the people that it will gain further momentum in the years to come.
Those present on the occasion included Sarpanch Dhokwaziran Raman Wazir, Sarpanch Nadore Joginder Lal, Sarpanch Jandyal Upper Ravinder Singh Peter, Sarpanch Jandyal Lower Balbir Singh, Som Nath Khajuria, Kamal Singh and others.
Regularize daily wagers working in Govt departments: Niaz
Excelsior Correspondent
BHADERWAH, June 22: Deputy CLP leader Mohammad Sharief Niaz today urged the Government to regularization all daily wagers working in various Government departments and have completed 7 years of services.
He also demanded regularization of chowkidars and sweepers in Government schools in Jammu province as in Kashmir. He said that this discrimination with the employees of Jammu province will not be tolerated at any cost.
He also demanded release of salary of HR workers in PHE Department which has not been released since long time in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and other Districts of Jammu province. He also demanded regularization of SPOs in Police Department and demanded to increase their honorarium salary upto Rs 15000 per month and also hike the salaries of lambardars and chowkidars.
Niaz also urged the Government to regularize the all Rehbar-e-Zirat in Agriculture Department who have completed more than 7 years of services in one stretch with immediate effect.
Niaz demanded that the trained para-medics, x-ray tech, junior staff nurses, FMPHW and MMPHW should be recruited in Government job and local youth should be engaged in various projects and industries. He also demanded enhancement of wages of labourers.
Saryara Sabha takes out Shobha Yatra
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: In connection with the week long celebrations of annual congregation of Saryara Biradari, an impressive Shoba Yatra of Mahatma Shri Atma Ram Ji was today taken out in the city with full religious fervour and gaiety.
The event was organized by Saryara Sabha in collaboration with Saryara youth wing.
The Yatra started from Devsthan, Mahatma Atma Ram ji Samaddhi, Bahu Fort, Jammu, and after passing through different areas of the city including Press Morh, Bagh-e-Bahu, Gorkha Nagar, Sheikh Nagar, New-Bahu Fort, Qassim Nagar, Kaccha Talab, Paccka Talab and Center Mohalla, finally culminated at Mahatma Atma Ram Ji Samaddhi.
People from all walks of life took part in the Shobha Yatra and took the blessings of Mahatma ji. The Shobha Yatra all along its route was welcomed by large number of people standing on both sides of the road by showering flowers. They also offered their prayers to Mahatma Ji. Thousands of devotees took part in the yatra and pulled the strings chanting Mantras and Bhajans.
Jhankis (tableau) were depicted in the Shobha Yatra, showing various aspects of the life of Mahatma Ji and other Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
The roads and markets were decorated on the occasion and stalls of eatables were also organized by the different heads of various bazaar associations.
Leaders of some non-Hindu organizations greeted participants of Rath Yatra by garlanding them and offering eatables also.
Army provides furniture to school
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, based at Jhangar, under Uniform Force, today distributed the furniture to Government High School, Kalsian.
The furniture was distributed to make the classroom conducive and give the students better environment for study.
The teachers thanked the Indian Army for providing the furniture to the school and said that such initiative will have a very positive influence on the students.
6-member team of Ibex Adventure Club leaves for Dharamshalla
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: 6-member team of Ibex Adventure Club, Samba left today for Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh to undertake a trekking expedition from McLeodganj to Triund area in Dhauladhar range of Himalaya.
The team of trained mountaineers led by Sonam Sidharth includes Sahil Slathia, Manik Slathia, Mrigank Kaushak, Narinder Singh and Aman Kumar.
On the first day the trekkers will trek for 9 kms through mixed forest of deodar, oak and rhododendron to reach Triund, a meadow situated at an altitude of about 10000ft.
The beautiful camping place commands a panoramic view of whole Kangra valley on one side and Dhuladhar mountain range on the other.
The second day’s 10 kms to and fro trek from Triund along the glacial moraines would take the trekkers to Laka Got, which is situated at the snout of a small glacier that marks the snow line. The team has also planned to cross the glacier and negotiate the 2km long steep rocky ridge to reach Lehes caves(12000ft).
Earlier, the team was flagged off by Raman Bhalla, Hon’ble Minister for Housing, Horticulture, Culture and Youth Services and Sports. While interacting with the trekkers Mr. Bhalla promised all possible help from the Government for the promotion of adventure activities in J&K. A national standard Sport Climbing Wall would soon come up at Jammu, he announced.
Prominent among others present on the occasion included General Secretary of Mountaineering Association of J&K Ram Khajuria; Secretary Ibex Adventure Club, Samba, Everester Ram Singh; Secretary Snow Trail Mountaineers Navneet Gupta; Suresh Kumar and a number of officials of Ibex Adventure Club, Samba.