Excelsior Correspondent
DDC Samba,Mubarak Singh inaugurated the workshop and while addressing a gathering of locals, Sarpanchs, Panchs, Anganwari workers and District officers said that water pollution prevention and control measure are critical to improve water quality. He further said that such type of workshops play an important role in educating people about water pollution and its control, as drinking of contaminated water causes several water borne diseases which is not good for the health.
He highlighted the need to keep water bodies neat and clean and also take measure to conserve them for the future generation and said that water is one of nature’s most important gifts to mankind.
Earlier, Coordinators of CCDU presented a resume of activities of the organization and informed that such type of workshops are organized every year in the State to provide information to people about the use of safe drinking water.
Workshop on awareness-cum-free water testing organised
JTC discusses problems of migrants
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 7: Jagti Tenement Committee in its meeting today held under the chairmanship of B L Raina discussed various issues confronting the displaced people from Valley.
Addressing the meeting Shadi Lal Pandita, president of the Committee demanded that the relief of February be released in February along with arrears in view of festival of Maha Shivratri falling on March 9.
He also urged the Government to review the decision of hike in cash relief as hike of Rs 400 per soul is not sufficient in view of the sky rocketing prices of essential commodities.
He also criticized the Government for delaying the PM’s employment package and not filling up the posts till date. He demanded one time rehabilitation package for displaced Pandits. M L Akhoon, B L Dhar, Rajinder Dhar, Shiban Ji Raina, Rattan Lal Bhat and others addressed the meeting.
Diabetes in India matter of great concern: Azad
Excelsior Correspondent
CHENNAI, Feb 7: Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad today said diabetes in India was a matter of great concern as its impact will be felt more because of the lifestyle of its citizens.
Speaking to reporters during a child survival and development summit at Mahabalipuram, Mr Azad said, “diabetes in India is a matter of great concern. The entire globe is working on that. Even the World Health Summit and the United Nations also had special sessions last year for non-communicable diseases that are diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases”.
“So keeping in mind that diabetes is increasing globally and the impact of diabetes in India is going to be much more because of our lifestyle, my Ministry has already conceived a programme of early screening of our countrymen”, he said, adding “we have selected about a year and half back 100 districts from 21 States wherein screening of men and women above the age of 30 years and pregnant women of all age groups has started and this is in progress and we are going to add some more districts this year”.
On universal health screening of children, he said, “the initiative aims to provide comprehensive healthcare and improve the quality of life of children through early detection of birth defects, diseases, deficiencies, development delays including disability”, adding “the programme, which assures a package of health services, would eventually benefit about 27 crore children across the country”.
The children will be screened and provided medicine and if they need any secondary or tertiary healthcare that will be provided for free.
Addressing the summit, J&K Minister of State for Health (Independent charge), Shabir Ahmad Khan said that Jammu and Kashmir has recorded landmark achievements under health Sector and this has became possible by strenuous efforts of the State Government and liberal financial assistance provided by the Centre under the flagship National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
He said that health indicators in Jammu and Kashmir have improved and are comparatively better than the national average. He said the TFR of the State has reduced from 2.3 in 2006 to 2.0 in 2010 and the State has been able to cross the stipulated target of 2.1 by 2012 under NRHM.
Mr Shabir said that Infant Mortality Rate has come down by 11.0 points from 52 in 2006 to 41 in 2011 against national average of 44 points. He said the Neonatal Mortality Rate has also declined from 39 in 2007 to 35 in 2011 in the State. He said that efforts are being made to reduce it further by laying stress on facility based and home born based newborn care.
The Minister said that a lot of efforts have been made in the last few years to upgrade the health care services to make them accessible, affordable, and client centered. He said as a result of which, the work load in the department has started growing and in the last two years, there has been a remarkable progress, not only in OPD and IPD but also in institutional deliveries and major surgeries.
He said that NRHM has proved a great boost in improving the health care services in the State and the efforts have been made to strengthen the existing peripheral institutions in terms of infrastructure, machinery/ equipment’s and manpower etc. to reduce the unnecessary referrals. 
Army provides books, furniture to 5 schools
Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Feb 7: Under the aegis of Poonch Brigade, Army today distributed books and furniture for establishment of libraries, to five Government Schools.
The schools included Government Middle School, Jandrolla, Government High School, Bedar, Government Middle School, Khar and Government Middle School, Nalla Sathra. The books and furniture were handed over by Brigadier MK Mago, Commander, 93 Infantry Brigade, to the heads of the respective schools, during a function organized by Doda Battalion.
Addressing the gathering, Brigadier said that Army would continue to assist schools by providing necessities for better education.
A remarkable cultural show by the school children added colour to the occasion.
The function was attended by Commanding Officer, Doda Battalion, Tehsildar, Mandi, SHO, Mandi, Sarpanchs, Panchs, villagers, students as well as their parents.
MBS College lifts overall trophy in Tech Fest
Excelsior Correspondent
The Fest was participated by a large number of students drawn from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra, Bhaderwah Campus, University of Jammu, MCA Department, University of Jammu, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Kathua Campus, University of Jammu and Ramnagar Campus, University of Jammu.
Tech Quiz, Tech Symposium and cultural activities were organized in the Fest.
Dr Sameer Koul to head PDP’s Steering Committee of KPs
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 7: To strengthen the party, the People’s Democratic party (PDP) has constituted a Steering Committee of the Kashmiri Pandits to spread message of the party and educate the Kashmiri Pandits about revolutionary programmes and policies of PDP.
National spokesman of the party Dr Sameer Koul has been appointed as chairman of the Steering Committee while Ramesh Koul and Ashok Bhat have been appointed as its coordinators.
Other members of the Committee included Ashok Siddha, Advocate Kaw, Sunil Bhat, Ramesh Koul, Jawahar Lal Raina, Chandji Khar, Pyari Lal Koul, Pintooji, Rakesh Pardeshi, Shadi Lal Tickoo, Bablu Singh, Sunil Bali, P K Sharma, Satish Thaploo, Vijay Koul, Anil Pandita, Anju Bhan and Rajinder Bhat.
Protest in Kotranka against PDD
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Feb 7: Residents of Kotranka held protest demonstration against the Power Development Department for its failure to restore electricity supply to many areas after recent snow-fall.
A large number people holding candles (Mashals) came out on the road at Kotranka town and took out protest march. They were shouting slogans against PDD and the district administration. Later, they reached the Police Station and staged protest demonstration there for some time. They warned to intensify the protest if the power was not restored in the area with in 2-3 days. Later, they dispersed on assurance of the SHO concerned.
India retain No. 3 spot in ICC T20 rankings, Kohli placed 6th
Dubai, Feb 7:
India managed to retain their third rank among T20 teams, while Virat Kohli has held on to his sixth spot in the ICC rankings for Twenty20 batsmen issued today.
India placed at third with 119 points in the ICC T20 Championship table is headed by Sri Lanka followed by the reigning World T20 champions West Indies.
Sri Lanka are the clear leaders with 131 ratings points, nine ratings points ahead of Darren Sammy’s men.
Meanwhile, even the Indian batsmen figuring in top-20 list have also managed to cling on to their respective positions.
Star India batsman Kohli has retained 731 points, while Suresh Raina remains at ninth place with 719 points.
Other Indians in the list includes Yuvraj Singh (13) and opener Gautam Gambhir at the 17 position.
New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum leads the T20 batting chart with 794 points, followed by destructive West Indian opener Chris Gayle (792), Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene (768) and Australia’s Shane Watson (767).
In the T20 bowlers category, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, ranked 16, is the only Indian to have found out a place in the top-20 list.
Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal leads the bowlers’ table with 756 points followed by Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka (731) and England’s Graeme Swann (720). (PTI)
Allegation that IAF men abandoned policeman is nonsense:Browne
BANGALORE, Feb 7:
Air Force Chief NAK Browne today rejected as “nonsense” the allegation that IAF crew and personnel abandoned an injured policeman in a crippled chopper during an anti-Naxal operation and said “sniping” at each other by security agencies should stop.
“The impression that they abandoned, they ran away, I think this is all nonsense,” he said at a press conference during the Aero India exhibition here. He suggested that the IAF team on the chopper had left the chopper and the injured policeman as they wanted to avoid being taken hostage in the area infested with Maoists.
Expressing surprise at the leakage of a letter in which Home Secretary R K Singh had objected to the conduct of Air Force personnel, the IAF chief said, “the lesson that we all have to draw is that we all to work together as a team in one direction instead of finding faults in one incident.”
He warned that the anti-Naxal operations were going to be a long haul and there were no easy solutions.
“If we keep sniping like this,” what had happened in Kashmir where forces inimical to the country’s interest created divisions between security forces and security agencies could be repeated in the Maoist areas. “I do not think this is the way to function in a situation like this,” he said.
Asked if his comments were directed at the Home Secretary, the Air Chief said it was for “all the agencies” working there.
In an apparent counter-attack on central police forces under the Home Ministry, the IAF chief raised the issue of “lack of sanitisation” for choppers in some of the helipads in Naxal areas, he said, “If this was not taken care off, the IAF choppers would continue to get hit in those areas.’
He was asked on the complaint filed by the Home Ministry against his personnel’s conduct in Naxal operations.
On the decision by his men, he said, “it is a combat zone and bullets were flying as firing continued for half an hour or so.
“By this time it was dark and night. There is an issue that captain and the crew decided that if they were to split up, there was situation of a hostage because that area was full of such people.
“You can imagine the situation if anyone of them had been taken hostage, there would have been another crisis unfolding in next few weeks,” the IAF chief said.
Browne said reports suggesting that the injured policeman was taken away on a motorcycle and was critical were also incorrect.
“The injured trooper was evacuated in an armoured car and not a motorcycle as was reported and taken to Raipur in our chopper and he is not critical.
“One of our officers met him and he was sitting on a sofa having tea,” he said.
He said the reports that the IAF crew left behind the guns on board the chopper were wrong as the machine gun had jammed while landing in the incident which took place on January 18.
The Home Secretary wrote a letter to the Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma on February 5 asking the latter to institute an inquiry and take appropriate action in connection with the January 16 incident when Maoists’ gunfire had forced an Indian Air Force helicopter to make emergency landing.
A state police wireless operator had suffered gunshot injuries in the incident. (PTI)
Govt to initiate legal action against PDD defaulters
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 7: Further tightening noose around the defaulting consumers, the Government is going to initiate legal action against those who don’t liquidate their electricity arrears by February 11.
The legal action is being initiated against the defaulting consumers in addition to disconnection of their electricity connection for which public notices have already been issued by the Power Development Department (PDD).
A formal direction for initiating legal proceedings against the defaulting consumers was issued today by the Power Development Commissioner to the Chief Engineers of EM&RE Wing Jammu and Kashmir, authoritative sources informed the Excelsior.
The petition for recovery of arrears shall be filed before the Court of Electricity Magistrate under Section 50, 132 of Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Act 2010 and Section 8 of Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Duty Act 1963, sources added.
The direction for legal action has been issued four days ahead of the last date for liquidating the power arrears to avoid disconnection.
To ensure legal sanctity to its action against the defaulters, the PDD has already filed a cavet in the State High Court, sources said.
This is for the first time that the Government has issued instructions for initiating legal action against the defaulting consumers of PDD.
It is pertinent to mention here that on January 17, the Department had served two-week disconnection notice to the consumers of commercial category against whom the electricity bills have swelled to Rs 10 lakh or more. The list includes 130 consumers against whom the total arrears pending are Rs 54 crore. Again on January 30, the PDD came out with another list of consumers who have electricity arrears of Rs five lakh or more. They have also been served two-week disconnection notice.
The two lists include several prominent business establishments and individuals, such as Nawa-e-Subh, the headquarters of National Conference in Kashmir, Hari Niwas Palace, M/s Simula Software Solutions and Research Centre, owned by Finance Minister A R Rather’s son, Tramboo Joinery Mills, Tramboo Cement, Jewel Hotel and Restaurant, PNB, Amar Singh Club, Kargil House, Choudhary Motors, High Land Automobiles, BSNL, Reliance, Tawi Stone Crusher, Bahu Cold Storage, Airtel, Vodaphone, SKUAST, Dewan Modern Breweries, Jodhamal, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Rajasthan Cement, LEIGHTON, AFCON etc.
The total electricity tariff arrears against consumers in Jammu and Kashmir are Rs 1160 crore. The Government Departments owe more than Rs 810 crore while the arrears against domestic and commercial connections consumers are Rs 350 crore.
Due to vast difference in revenue collection and power purchase, the State Government has been suffering losses worth hundreds of crores of rupees. In the year 2011-12, this loss was Rs 1900 crore and it is pegged to reach around Rs 2100 during the current financial year.
During the last financial year, a revenue of Rs 1203 crore was collected against the target of Rs 1600 crore whereas the State Government spent Rs 3100 crore for purchasing power.
To bridge the gap between revenue and purchasing cost of power, the State Government has launched the massive drive for collection of arrears.