Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, Feb 15: Chief Electoral Officer Umang Narula launched the website for electoral awareness and ethical voting which marked the completion of six months of ambitions campaign Jashn-e-Jamhuriat / Reasi -celebrating Democracy under Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) plan of district Reasi. District Election Office Reasi Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary was also present on the occasion.
The CEO appreciated the efforts of district administration for launching an ambitious mission for electoral awareness and greater participation aimed at increased voting across the region. He underlined the importance accorded to this aspect of democracy by Election Commission of India.
A document report on National Voters’ Day and Republic Day Tableaux was also launched by the CEO.
The website www.jashn-e-jamhuriat.com will be used for creating awareness for the educated youth and also sharing the daily activities organised across the district. A face-book page www.facebook.com/pages/jashn-e-jamhuriat-Reas-celebrating-democracy has also been launched. A toll free grievance redressal number and enquiry helpline has also been launched for helping voters and Booth Level Officers.
Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary presented a brief resume of various activities during last six months Awareness programmes have been organised at more than 620 venues during last six months, he informed. Youth Rallies, Gram Sabhas, NVD celebrations, motorcycle and car rallies, street plays, republic day tableaux, cultural programmes, enrollment drives, marathon runs, interactive programmes, debates, painting and quiz competitions, election express, loudspeaker announcements TV shows have been organised. Administration has taken up 71 types of activities under the SVEEP plan for electoral awareness and participation.
The DC further informed that in Phase-II of the campaign beginning today stress is being laid on upgrading infrastructure and concentrating on increasing turn out. Various departments have been associated with the campaign to reach out to every voter of the district.
Gram Sabhas, Colleges, Schools, Beopar Mandals, NGOs, Institutions, Radio Stations, TV Channels, Cultural Associations and Societies, Farmers, field officials and a number of partner organisations have been involved in the campaign.
CEO launches website of Jashn-e-Jamhuriat
DFO issues summons to ‘land grabber’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 15: DFO Reasi Dr Nadeem has issued summons to a land grabber, who damaged demarcated forest land on Katra-Reasi road recently.
Official sources said that recently two persons Sanjay Kumar of Katra and Sachin Sharma of Janipur, Jammu damaged a portion of demarcated forest land during the late night operation. However, their designs were foiled due to the timely action by DFO Reasi.
A team of the Forest Department, led by Munish Gupta, Range Officer Katra while foiling the attempt of land grabbers, seized a JCB and Ford Figo bearing number JK20-0799 of Sanjay Kumar. However, Sachin Sharma managed to escape from the spot in his Volkswagen Polo vehicle.
For violation of Section 6 of J&K Forest Act, proceedings were going on in the court of DFO Reasi against Sanjay Kumar and Sachin Sharma. The DFO has issued summons to Sachin Sharma to secure his presence failing which intervention of District Court would be sought in order to take action as per the provisions of Forest Act.
Protest at Chandak for Tehsil status, road blocked
Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Feb 15: The residents of Chandak and adjoining areas today held strong protest demonstration and blocked Jammu-Poonch road for about four hours in support of their demand of granting tehsil status.
Reports said the people again came out on the road at Chandak at around 9.30 am and launched protest in support of their demand of tehsil status. They suspended movement of traffic on this highway up to 12.30 pm. They were shouting slogans against Chief Minister, Dy Chief Minister, MP and local MLA for neglecting the area. They alleged that great injustice has been done to them.
The people from Arai area came at Mandi town and started protest today. They were demanding that their area be kept in Mandi tehsil and not with Loran as Mandi was just 3 kms away while Loran 15 kms from their village. They alleged that with the creation of new tehsil at Loran, they have been accorded great injustice. They warned to intensify agitation if their demand was not accepted.
Vijay Club, Param FC script victories
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 15: Vijay Club and Param Football Club registered victories over their rivals to advance in the ongoing 4th Rajiv Gandhi Gold Cup Football Tournament, being organized by Narinder Gupta, Member J&K State Sports Council, here.
In the first match, Vijay Club defeated Young Star by two goals to nil (2-0) . Sahil Lehal and Sandeep Sharma were the goal scorers for Vijay Club, who pelted them in 16th and 40th minutes respectively. Yellow Card was shown to Dhananjay Kumar of Vijay Club for foul play in 49th minute.
In another match, Param FC registered a solitary goal win over the young side of J&K Bank Academy to enter the next round. Jaskaran Singh was the goal scorer in 19th minute of the match.
The match was officiated by Rakesh Kumar, Stephen Moon, Harneel Singh, Rohit Kumar Gupta, Kushey Kumar, Vijay Kumar and Koushal Kumar, while prominent among others the matches were witnessed by Majeed Kakroo, Harbans Lal, Charan Dass, Rakesh Khanna, Yousuf Don and Suresh Gupta.
Vijay Club will take on Churchill Brothers at 3 pm tomorrow.
Samba given raw deal in new admn units: PDP
Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Feb 15: PDP district president, Pawan Dev Singh has expressed grave concern over giving a raw deal to Samba constituency in constitution of administrative units.
Talking to reporters here, today Mr Singh said that the State Government has totally ignored the Samba Constituency and no new tehsil has been constituted in this Constituency whereas Hiranagar Constituency has been given one tehsil i,e (Ghagwal ) Vijaypur Constituency has been given three Tehsil i.e Ramgarh, Vijaypur and Bari Brahmana.
Mr Singh said that the way in which Samba Constituency has been ignored by the Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) is highly objectionable and condemnable. The Samba Constituency has been ignored for the last 67 years as the National Conference and Congress led Government did nothing during their tenure for the development of the Constituency nor they bothered to provide the political empowerment to the people of Samba and it was only the PDP led Government when a local party MLA was given MoS for three years and various developmental schemes were started including industrial growth centre, degree college, SDM and hundreds of schools were up graded.
Mr Singh warned the State Government that the people of Samba will be bound to start agitation and will come on the roads if the Government did not review its stand to sanction new tehsils in Samba Constituency.
Debate competition organized
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SAMBA Feb 15: District Information Centre, Samba today organized a debate contest on the topic “Environment degradation and protection” here at Government Higher Secondary School, Gurha Slathia, Samba.
Chief Education Officer Samba, Surinder Mohan Mahajan was the chief guest at the debate competition in which nine students took part in the Competition.
Bhawana Slathia student of GHSS Gurha Slathia was adjudged as best speaker, while Preeti and Riya Jasrotia got 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
Other participants were also awarded consolation prizes and certificates. They included Barita Sharma, Shalli Sharma, Sabera Slathia, Sajan Kumar, Anjali Slathia and Isha Slathia. Prizes were given to winning students by the Information department.
Among others Principal, Davinder Singh Manhas, Vice Principal Paviter Singh Slathia and all staff members and students were also present on the occasion.
Gujjar Mohalla residents for restoration of water supply
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 15: The residents of Gujjar Mohalla, Paloura have demanded the PHE Department to restore ground water supply in their locality, as the people are facing acute scarcity of water.
In a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Choudhary Shokat, the residents said the PHE Department in a discriminative manner cut the ground power supply to the Mohalla and diverted the same to the Roop Nagar Colony about six months ago.
“Since then the department is meeting the demand of water of the area through two water tankers weekly, which is not sufficient for about 400 households of the area” the residents said, adding even after several reminders to concerned higher ups, no steps were taken to restore the ground water supply in the area and we are bound to face scarcity of water.
The residents threatened to block the Janipur-Bantalab Road at Paloura if the PHE Department failed to restore the water supply in the area within three days.
Safaikaramcharis protest for regularization
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Feb 15: Highlighting their demands, Safaikaramchari Union held a protest demonstration in front of the office of Municipal Committee Udhampur, here today.
They raised slogans in support of their demands and against the District Administration.
They alleged that district administration was not considering their long pending demands, including regularization of daily wagers.
Rinku Gill, president of Safaikaramchari Union, Jammu, also supported the protesting employees of Municipal Committee and warned to intensify the struggle if Government does not consider their genuine demands.
AAP activists protest
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU Feb 15: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists today took out ‘Broom (jhadu) rally’ in support of party president Arvind Kejriwal.
Mr Kejriwal yesterday resigned as Delhi Chief Minister. The party activists began their march from Gandhi Nagar of south Jammu and passed through different markets. Raising slogans in support of their leader, the activists were supporting his demand of passing Jan Lokpal Bill in Delhi Assembly.
Press Council condemns attack on photo journalist
Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Feb 15: Press Council of Mendhar Poonch, today condemned the attack on Photo Journalist Sajad Ahmad Dar, yesterday by some policemen in Pinjora, Shopian, when he was covering the gunfight between security forces and militants in the area.
In a statement issued, council said that a group of policemen caught the Photo Journalist and thrashed him during which he sustained serious injuries in lift arm. Policemen also damaged cameras of Photo Journalist Sajad Ahmad who is sole bread and butter earner for his family.
Press Council of Mendhar-Poonch while condemning this action of police has demanded a through probe into the incident.