Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: In order to carry out the work of branch cutting and general maintenance of Canal-Company Bagh Line, the shut down on January 22, 2014 from 8.00 a.m. to 10 a.m. has been allowed.
During the shut down period, the power supply to Jewel Chowk, Kishna Nagar, PHE, CM Residence, Parade, Denis Gate, Smadhian, Nehru Market, Ware House, Beli Charana and adjoining areas will remain affected.
Power shut down
KSD, KPC observe Holocaust Day
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 20: Kashmiri Samiti Delhi (KSD) observed 25th Holocaust Day here today under the leadership of its president Rakesh Kaul.
The programme was attended by KSD activist and community members from various parts of Delhi NCR in which rich tributes were paid to the community members, members of security forces and other nationalist people of the State who laid down their lives in J&K while fighting terrorism.
Speaking on the occasion Rakesh Kaul termed the January 19-20 as the blackest day in the history of Kashmir which led to the mass exodus of the minorities from Valley as during the night of January 19 and 20 in 1990 the announcements were made during entire night warning the minorities to quit Valley, he added.
The members also observed two minutes silence as a mark of respect to martyrs and pledged to continue struggle to defeat the designs of divisive and separatist forces.
Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) also observed the Holocaust Day today. Speaking at a programme of the organization here today, KPC chief Kundan Kashmiri appealed the displaced Pandits to come under a single platform and fight for their rights with full might. He demanded constitution of Truth Commission to probe the holocaust of minorities from Valley.
BBIA adopts GMS Bari Brahmana
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) led by its president, Annil Suri visited Government Middle School, Bari Brahmana and distributed socks, shoes and eatables among the students.
Speaking on the occasion, Annil Suri said that in future also, BBIA will contribute for the welfare of the students and requested the Headmaster of the School to list the requirements with regard to the welfare of the students.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were Ramesh Badyal, Jai Ram Sharma, Rakesh Bhat, Rahul Bansal, Lalit Mahajan and Sidharth Dogra.
Mr Suri presented vote of thanks.
LC Panel for exchange of expertise to meet environment challenges
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: The Committee on Environment of Legislative Council has called for exchange of technical know how and expertise among the states of country to meet the challenges of environment preservation and sustained development.
These observations were made by the Committee members while interacting with their counterparts (legislators) and officials during their recent study tour, to various states of the country.
The tour of the committee was conducted to get the members acquainted with the working of other state legislatures and functioning of the similar committees there, besides to have first hand information regarding climate change and its effects and remedies adopted by different states under state action plan on climate change.
The committee visited Southern States of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andaman and Nicobar islands from January 5 to January 15, 2014 with the committee Chairman Dr. Bashir Ahmad Veeri leading the members Showkat Hussain Ganie, Rani Gargie Bilowria and Abdul Majid Bhat, besides Mohammad Maqbool Bhat Additional Secretary and two more officers of the Council Secretariat.
In Tamil Nadu, the local legislature secretariat organized a meeting for the committee at state capital Chennai which was attended by the senior officers of the Departments of Forest, Environment, and PCB of Tamil Nadu State and Secretary and other officers of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Chaired by Dr. Bashir Ahmad Veeri the meeting held threadbare discussions highlighting the achievements made in important sectors in the host state.
The J&K committee was apprised that 6000 MW Renewable (wind) energy has been added to the installed capacity of 18500 MW which has made Tamil Nadu energy rich state and efforts are being made to harness solar energy to combat emerging climatic challenges.
In Andaman and Nicobar Islands the committee visited Anthropological Museum and had insight into the world of pre-historic inhabitants of the Island besides it also visited the Cellular Jail National Memorial, the historic cellular jail in Port Blair built by the British in late nineteenth century where several leaders of India’s independence struggle were incarcerated and executed.
On the last leg of the study tour, the committee proceeded to Mumbai where it held a meeting with the senior officers of the Forest, Environment, Pollution Control and Industries and Commerce Departments of Maharashtra Government organized by the Legislature Secretariat Mumbai.
BJP Mahila Morcha holds meeting
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Mahila Morcha district president Parveen Arora and its East Pandal President Sharda Samotra organised a meeting at Purani Mandi Ram Mandir here for Nari Samman Yatra.
The meeting was led by Morcha State President, Priya Sethi. Prabhari Purnima Sharma, general secretary Anuradha Charak, secretary Neeru Anand as well as Ward president of Ward No 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 15 and 19 of East Constituency attended the meeting.
Parveen Arora said Morcha will organise a big rally in district Jammu and women from Jammu East, Gandhi Nagar and Satwari mandals will participated in the rally. She further stated that the initiative has been taken in view of 2014 election ensure the victory of BJP at the hustings.
The main objective is to mobilise the women population politically and make them aware about Narendra Modi’s vision and Gujarat model of women welfare and development, she said, adding that the women would also be apprised of the failure of Congress-led UPA Government.
Purnima Sharma said that BJP will create opportunities after coming to power at Centre for women in training, employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship. It will intensify Governmental and societal efforts to ensure safety for women, and clamp down on female foeticide, dowry, trafficking and rape.
She said BJP stands for dignity of women, eliminating violence against them and ensure protection of legal rights of women. She stated that it is only the BJP which has respect for the women as it was the only party which has given empowerment to the women by giving 33% reservation to them in organization. They believe that if women have been empowered the nation would reach to greater heights.
Jat leader assures community members of OBC status
Excelsior Correspondent
AKHNOOR, Jan 20: President All India Jat Mahasabha, J&K, Choudhary Manmohan Singh, conducted a tour of villages of Khour Block, Tehsil Akhnoor, with his team to converse with the community members on various issues including OBC status for the community. He appealed the community members to keep patience as they will soon get OBC status.
During his meeting, with the community members at various villages of Khour Block, they showed their distress on being ignored by Central Government in granting OBC Status.
They repented that though the Central Government granted OBC status to Jats of 10 states recently, but failed to grant the same to J&K Jats, who have been living in deplorable conditions, and are in certain need of any support Government can muster up.
Singh assured the community members that their demands will be fulfilled soon as in his meeting with Union Ministers and Central Government officials, the later have assured that as soon as they receive recommendations from J&K Government for granting OBC status to Jats of J&K, they will include the J&K Jats in their decision.
18 more ITIs to be provided Solar Power Plant: Vikar
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 20: Minister of State for Technical Education (Independent charge), Power, Information and Rural Development Department, Vikar Rasool Wani inaugurated 66.24 KW capacity Solar Power Plant constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.62 crore at Women’s Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Pampore here today.
On the occasion, Mr. Vikar said that plant is first of its kind in Valley which is funded by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission Scheme and constructed by Tata Power Solar Systems Bangalore. He said that Solar Power Plants will be installed in 18 more ITIs across the State at a cost of Rs 32.20 crore, which could provide 24 hours power supply to these technical institutions.
The Minister said that Government is committed to make maximum use of this technology and various public institutions are being provided this facility. He said that the Solar Power Technology will go long way in overcoming power crisis in the State.
Referring to the steps taken by Government for popularising skill development and also for inculcating scientific temperament among students, the Minister said that the Government left no stone unturned in extending technical education facilities to both boys and girls by opening up of a chain of polytechnics and ITIs in all the three regions of the State.
He said that Central Govt as well as State Govt are jointly working hard to make new generation technically sound so that they will not go behind Government jobs only instead they will setup their own income generating units with financial and technical support of State Govt.
The Minister was accompanied by Director Technical Education, Kashmir, Jaipal Singh, Principal Women’ s ITI Pampore, Mohsin Ali Khan, representative Tata Power Solar System, Javed Ahmad and other concerned officers.
Main canals of Jammu to remain closed for renovation from Jan 25
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: To carry out necessary annual maintenance and renovation work, the main canals of Jammu region will be closed from the midnight of January 25.
A unanimous decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma and attended by Chief Engineer, Ravi Tawi Irrigation Complex (RTIC), Hem Chander Jerath, Chief Engineer, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sushil Aima, concerned Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, besides Members of Kissan Advisory Board, farmers’ leaders and Sarpanchs of different areas.
In order to seek the views of main stakeholders, the Minister convened a meeting of farmers and discussed with them the steps being taken by the Government to finalize the schedule for the renovation of Ranbir Canal, Pratap Canal and Ravi Tawi Canal, without hampering the farming activities. This is for the first time that the Government has taken on board the views of the farmers for deciding the closure and opening of main canals so that the renovation scheduled is drawn up as per the convenience of farming community.
A detailed discussion was held on the overall irrigation scenario and efficiency of canals and their distributaries feeding different stretches. The farmers shared their experience and suggested measures to further improve the efficiency of existing irrigation network to ensure availability of water to the tail end.
The Minister said that it is the endeavour of the Coalition Government to ensure people’s active participation in important decision making and today’s meeting was a step in this direction. He said Government’s prime concern is to safeguard the interests of farmers who are backbone of the society and major contributors to the state GDP. “In case the de-silting completes before the deadline, the Government will have no objection in opening the canals before the schedule”, he assured. He also appealed the farmers to use their influence and motivate commoners to keep the canals neat and clean. The department will also step up awareness campaign to educate the masses about the conservation of the Government assets.
Prominent among the farmers and Kissan Board functionaries who participated in the meeting included, Rajesh Bittoo, D.P. Khajuria, Hem Raj, Ch. Dev Raj, Kulbushan Khajuria, Satish Bharti, Raghnandan and Vinod Kumar.
Govt creating unrest amongst employees: PDP
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Government has failed to fulfill its commitment made with over four lakh employees creating unrest amongst them.
In a statement, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Coordinator for Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary Constituency, Abdul Hamid Choudhary said this is strange that a Government which is quarrelling with its own tools is expecting to deliver ably.
He said employees are demanding their regularisation, arrears besides removal of pay anomalies but no one from the Government side is paying heeds towards their plights.
He added that there is need of having efficient and safe road network in State, health sector needs efficiency, derailed education system has to be brought back on rails, agriculture is in shambles, tourism is not picking up, jobs are nowhere, major industrial houses must be roped in to generate employment and simultaneously hydro-electric power is to be tapped to its full capacity.
Headway into these sectors in an efficient manner is practically not possible for a short-sighted incumbent Government and PDP can lay a strong foundation to achieve these targets.
Accused facing trial in murder case acquitted
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Additional Sessions Judge Jammu Sanjay Gupta has acquitted one Pankaj Singh, who was facing trial in murder case for the last seven years as prosecution failed to establish its case.
After hearing Advocate Rajinder Singh Jamwal appearing for the accused, Additional Sessions Judge took serious note of non-compliance of court order by the DGP and said that DGP has shown great disrespect to the court process. “Neither, he sent the notices back nor any respondent or report was furnished with regard to notices. Due to non examination of doctors, case of death has not been proved”, the court added.
“Investigation in the case has been conducted in most unmindful manner as is evident that Investigating Officer during investigation recovered bold stained wheel Pana and on disclosure of accused and at the instance of accused a rave but neither took finger prints from it nor lifted bold sample from it so as to match it with blood of the deceased”, the court said, adding “post-mortem report and injury certificate have not been proved as prosecution has failed to produce the doctors”.
“In the present case notices of doctors as prosecution witnesses were sent to IGP Kashmir various times but he failed. On April 10, 2013 and May 3, 2013 notices were sent to DGP but he too failed and on May 23, 2013 right to produce prosecution witness by prosecution was closed. Thereafter prosecution filed an application u/s 540 CrPC for calling these witnesses and it was allowed but prosecution again failed to produce these witnesses and this time notices were sent to DGP but he has shown disrespect to court process”.
With these observations, Court acquitted the accused.