Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 29: Nagar Kirtan Committee, Rural Block Marh, Bhawal organised a “Nagar Kirtan” to commemorate the 348th birth anniversary of 10th Guru Gobind Singh.
Large number of people of Sikh community from Mishriwala, Dayaran, Jungwari, Purkhoo, Pandoria, Dubban, Gajansoo, Tatryal, Marh, Simbliyan, Ambaran, Chafarchack, Kanachack, Domana and Batehra participated in the procession, which started from Singh Sabha Gurudwara Dayaran and after passing through Mishriwala and Pandoria culminated at Singh Sabha Gurudwara Chafarchak.
Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Planning Ajay Sadhotra, Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Raipur-Domana Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) Marh Sukhnandan Sharma and senior PDP leader Suram Singh also attended the function.
The Nagar Kirtan was organised under the presidentship of Sukhjit Singh and parbandhaks Mohan Singh, Gurbachan Singh, Kulwant Singh, Joginder Singh, MS Pandey, Rajinder Singh, Tara Chand and Kehar Singh.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 29: Questioning the claims of the ruling leaders about progress and developmental activities, the former Union Minister and MLA Prof Chaman Lal Gupta alleged that much of the parleys have been held up but for political considerations and mis- governance.
Responding to the complaints of the activists of his Jammu West Assembly constituency regarding deteriorated conditions of the roads, lanes and nallahs, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta observed that this sad situation is a clear aspersion on the functioning of the State Coalition Government, which is guided by more of political considerations rather than sincerity to have development and find out solution to the problems facing the people.
This is not only depriving the people of the benefits of these schemes but also crores of public funds are going to the drains. In this regard, he particularly referred to the execution of introducing of sewerage system in this city, construction of convention complex, artificial take on Jammu Tawi etc.
Gupta pointed out the construction of a bridge on the Ravi at Basohli coupled with the Basohli -Bani – Bhaderwah Road are of great importance on many accounts including the defense, connectivity, tourism and over all development of the backward areas but these two major schemes are lingering on for not only years but decades now.
What to say of the major projects, even the small works under the constituency development fund (CDF) have been held up for the past several months now due to which an awful situation is being created all around obviously under a design, he rued.

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 29: A gang of non-locals and a local state resident was busted in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and gold worth Rs six lakh was recovered from their possession.
Touseef Ahmad, a police officer said they received number of theft complaints from locals of the area. “Today in this connection we busted a gang of five non-local robbers, which has been involved in robbing gold ornaments from residents during the nigh-hours,” Ahmad said.
The arrested gang members were identified as Mohammad Arif Malla, Izhar Sheikh, Mehfooz Ali Sheikh, and Shaheen Ahmad Sheik all from Kolkata, West Bengal and one Gopal Sharma from Akhnoor district of Jammu division.
He said it can be a tip of an ice berg, as non-locals are involved in thefts and more persons may be arrested very soon.
He said police registered an FIR number 370/13/454, 380, 411 RPC against these thieves.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 29: Natrang presented Russian writer Anton Chekhov’s “Nincompoop” in Hindi as “Reed-Rahit” here in its Sunday Theatre Series here today.
The play was directed by Neeraj Kant.
The play opens in the house of one landlord who wanted to settle down his account with Mohan, the instructor of his children, who has not paid the salary for the last two months. In the play the landlord tries to teach a lesson of self-respect and dignity of labour to Mohan. In this context he created a drama in reality and he started debating on the amount to be paid to Mohan, he tells him that he has to pay him Rs 1,100 only, after ridiculously forged deductions, against the expected and promised amount of Rs 8, 000.
Very gullible by the nature, Mohan just sits there, without saying a word in support of his genuine payment he accepts the money with gratitude.
Aggravated by such kind of nincompoop/spine less behaviour of Mohan, landlord bursts into an indignant rage and tells him that he should speak up for his rights and shall not allow anyone to exploit him, if we remain silent, no one will come to our support, thus we have to speak boldly and fight righteously for our rights. At the end, the landlord pays him Rs 8, 000, putting an end to his human experiment in humiliation.
Thus, a lesson was given to all those who are too submissive to stand for themselves and allow other to take benefit of the same.
Natrang actors who acted in the play included Rishiv Prabhakar, Sachin Saini, Sachin Bamba, Sakshi Parkash and Juhi Singh. The lights were operated by Neeraj Kant and music was scored by Sushil Raina. The sets were designed by Rahul Singh, while Ashwani Bali presented the show before the audience. The show was coordinated by Mohammad Yaseen.

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 29: Inspector General of Police Railways Mohammad Sulaiman Salaria conducted track inspection in Banihal.
Salaria, accompanied by Nissar Ahmad, DIG Railways and Bashir Ahmad Aitu SSP Railway Kashmir, also held a review meeting .
A police spokesman said the IGP was apprised about the problems being faced by manpower all along the track/stations from Baramulla to Banihal.
“The IGP during his interaction with Railways Police men asked them to be extra vigilant and alert on the track and ensure safety and security of Railway property and directed not to create loopholes in the security system at track and stations so as to enable unabated train movement on the track in the Valley,” the spokesman said.
Salaria also held Darbar of GRP officers/officials and stressed upon them to develop close and cordial relations with all concerned agencies who are involved in the security of Railway property in Valley, especially with RPF/district Police.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Dec 29: More than 22 thousand candidates across Jammu and Kashmir appeared in the National Eligibility Test (NET) of the University Grants Commission, which was held today.
In Jammu, 10185 candidates appeared and total 15 Centres were set up for conducting the test, which passed off successfully, informed Prof Rajni Kant, Chief Coordinator of the UGC-NET Exam in Jammu.
Around 750 officials, including UGC observers and Jammu University staff were engaged for conducting the exam at these centres, which were set up in different educational institutions in Jammu, he added.
Similarly at Kashmir, 11,900 students appeared in the NET, which was conducted by the Department of Chemistry in Kashmir University as the nodal agency for holding the exam with Prof Ghulamae-Mustafa Peerzada as Chief Coordinator.
According to Prof Peerzada, the test was conducted at 16 sub centers across Srinagar City. More than 85 percent of the students who had applied through the main centre number 31 of the University of Kashmir appeared in the test, he added.
Qualifying the UGC-NET makes a candidate eligible for teaching positions and fellowships at the State and national level.
The prestigious test is conducted twice an year; on last Sunday of July and December months.