Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 26: Notwithstanding the fact that non-metering of connections of various categories of consumers is one of the major factors behind huge revenue-expenditure gap, the Power Development Department has once again failed to meet the deadline of 100% metering of the electricity connections and now seeking the extension of deadline up to the end of 2015-16 financial year. However, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) will take final decision on the request only after going through the comprehensive metering plan being submitted by the Power Development Department shortly.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that as per the provisions of Section 49 of the Jammu and Kashmir State Electricity Act, 2010, no licensee shall supply electricity, after the expiry of two years from the commencement of the Act, except through installation of a correct meter and keeping in view these provisions the SERC had fixed deadline of April 2012 for 100% metering of all sorts of connections across the State.
However, the PDD failed to meet the deadline and on April 25, 2012, the PDD approached the SERC for extension of deadline by at least one year. “Now, the PDD once again feels that it would not be able to meet the deadline of June 30, 2013 fixed by the SERC on April 26, 2012”, sources said, adding “the Department is now contemplating to submit a comprehensive province-wise/circle-wise metering plan to the SERC with the request for extension of deadline for 100% metering of the connections across the State beyond June 2013 up to end of financial year 2015-16”.
“It is a matter of serious concern and puts a question mark on the performance of the Power Development Department, which is already facing huge gap between revenue and expenditure”, sources said while disclosing that at present a total of 5,54,964 domestic connections have been metered across the State and 6,16,893 are yet to be metered. Moreover, 67,191 non-domestic/commercial, 5,599 agriculture and 219 public street lighting are yet to be metered by the department.
Sources said, “the PDD now targets to convert 1/3rd of the existing unmetered consumers (as at the end of financial year 2012-13) to metered connections in 2013-14 financial year. Further, 50% of remaining unmetered connections are targeted to be metered in 2014-15 financial year and balance unmetered connections are targeted to be metered in 2015-16 financial year”.
In response to a question, sources said that during the 2013-14 financial year, the PDD proposes to convert 3,05,599 domestic un-regularized connections to regularized and convert 2,05,631 unmetered connections to metered. Similarly, 1,67,435 un-regularized connections into regularized and 3,58,431 unmetered into metered in 2014-15 financial year and 5,25,865 unmetered into metered in 2015-16 financial year.
Likewise, it proposes to convert 22,397 unmetered non-domestic/commercial connections into metered in 2013-14, 14,931 such connections in 2014-15 and 29,863 in 2015-16 financial year.
About the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses, , which are 60% at present and highest in the country, sources said that considering the capital investment being proposed and other measures being carried out to reduce distribution losses, the Power Development Department projects that distribution losses will come down to 50% in 2013-14, 44% in 2014-15 and 40% in 2015-16. However, this indicates that even after three years there would not be considerable decline in the T&D losses.
PDD once again fails to meet deadline of 100% metering, seeks time till Mar 2016
Army organizes computer training prog for girls
Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Feb 26: With the objective to empower girls of remote area of Surankote, Army (RR) is organizing one month long basic computer training programme for girls at Draba.
A Rashtriya Rifles battalion, under the aegis of Counter Insurgency Force (Romeo) is running this computer course to impart training to the local girls so that they could be brought at par with their male counterparts. The purpose of organizing this programe was to make them proficient in handling of computers and to give them working knowledge on the software presently being used. The course would also teach them about the use of internet and its benefits in the present scenario.
At present a total 17 students are undergoing classes at Draba in the age group of 12-17 years. Swati Dutta, the computer teacher told that all the girls are showing keen interest in learning about the functional aspects of computers. They all are quite enthusiastic with each passing day as every day they are learning something or the other which has boosted their confidence in handling computers. The initiative taken by Army has been appreciated by the locals of the area.
Bovines smuggling bid foiled; illicit liquor seized
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Feb 26: The police foiled an attempt of smuggling of bovine animals in Pansar area near border and seized nine animals while eight liter illicit liquor was seized during excise raid at Chak Drab Khan today.
Reports said a police naka party intercepted nine bovine animals which were being transported to Punjab from this side near T-Morh in Pansar area today. The bovines smuggler Rashid, resident of Andhey Chak and his associate managed to escape. An FIR No. 45/2013 was registered at Rajbagh police station.
A police party during raid nabbed one Balbir Chand of Chak Drab Khan near Prithi Chak Khud and recovered eight liters of illicit liquor from his passion. He was booked under Excise Act. One Sukhdev Singh Sukha of Gurdaspur was also held with 30 bottles of Rum near Kot Punnu under Excise Act.
Pensioners, senior citizens concern over price hike, corruption
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: J&K State Pensioners and Senior Citizens Welfare Society held a meeting here today in which the representatives of Jammu led by pensioners Welfare Association chairman Baldev Raj also participated.
The meeting while discussing the prevailing situation in the country and the anti people and anti working class policies pursued by both Central and State Governments said that the condition of working class, poor and down trodden people was become worst day by day.
The meeting was chaired by Mir Ghulam Rasool Butwani chief patron of the organization. He said there is a lot of public resentment over rising corruption and price hike which are eating the vitals of the society.
He said a particular section of people are ruling the roost and amassing a huge wealth by misleading the public opinion. He urged the working class to be ready for a protracted struggle.
Accusing the Government of suppressing the trade union rights, he said the working force was compelled to give two days strike call all over country recently. He said while on the one hand the Government was continuing its suppressive and oppressive policies towards working class some so called trade unions were also deceiving the working class for their vested interests.
CAL Award for Hinduja Group’s Ashish Kaul
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: Ashish Kaul, vice-president, Hinduja Group India, was conferred with the Corporate Affairs Leadership (CAL) Award at the World CSR Congress, held recently in Mumbai.
‘The Corporate Affairs Forum and Awards’ is chaired by Ameer Ismail, Executive Director, Lowe Lintas India and endorsed by World CSR Congress and Asian Confederation of Business. ‘The Corporate Affairs Forum and Awards’ recognizes and honours individuals, who through their corporate practices, have helped to raise India’s corporate disclosure standards and corporate governance.
While receiving the award, Kaul said, “Recognition is a great honour, especially for people like me, who have had a roof over my head the night I slept and woke up staring at the sky through a torn tent in a migrant camp. To nourish and pursue a dream in a million displaced dreams was a rarity, and to have made this far has been possible only because of the opportunities that my employers and seniors have given me. This is to all those opportunities and trust of my employers”.
Kaul’s past positions include Country Manager and Business Head, Bajaj Group (International FMCG Business MENAP); Executive Vice-President, Corporate Brand Development, Zee Network & Essel Group and Business Head, Credence International-UAE.
The Awards Jury and Advisory Council for 2013 included Malcolm Monteiro, CEO, South Asia of DHI Express India, Rajeev Dubey, president, Group HR, Corporate Services and After-Market and member of the Group Executive Board of Mahindra & Mahindra, besides others.
Samuel goes on deputation
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: The State Government today accorded sanction to the Central deputation of S R Samuel, IPS of J&K Cadre, for his appointment as Private Secretary to the Union Minister of State Social Justice and Empowerment D Napoleon.
Deputation of Mr Samuel, who was presently posted as Commandant IRP, 13th Battalion, has been sanctioned for a period of five years.
A formal order in this regard was issued today by the State Home Department.
Meanwhile, the State Home Department today also accorded sanction to the placement of IPS Raghubir Singh in the Junior Administrative Grade with effect from January 1, 2012.
NC believes in constructive politics: Altaf
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: Saying that Jammu and Kashmir was passing through a crucial phase, Minister for Forests and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmed today urged the people to maintain unity and help in steering the State to peace, progress and development.
Addressing party workers and various delegations at Sher-i-Kashmir Bhavan here this afternoon, the Minister called for constructive approach for tackling the problems confronted to the State.
The interaction was part of the series initiated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in making his party’s Minister available at the party headquarters for solving people’s problems.
Mian Altaf cautioned against machinations of vested interests saying they were hell bent upon creating wedge between the people and dividing the State for their political gains. He exuded confidence that people will frustrate their designs, as they have done in the past, and contribute in maintaining traditional bonds of brotherhood and amity.
The Minister referred to the distinct identity of Jammu and Kashmir and said this will flourish as a single entity. Those trying to weakening its unity will meet their doom, he said, adding that the unity in diversity has been the strong point of the State. He said negative politics has proved detrimental to the interests of the State and disillusioned the people. “National Conference has been striving to restore the faith of the people in the system by making administration more responsive, transparent and accountable”, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana stressed the need for galvanizing National Conference at grassroots and said the party has to become a catalyst of change with an avowed objective of transforming the economic and developmental profile of the State.
Mr Rana visualized a big role for the workers and urged them to further expand activities in their respective areas so as to help people solve their problems. He asked the workers to ensure that the achievements in different spheres reach the people and provide credible feedback for devising policies and programmes for their overall good.
Describing National Conference as a mass movement, Mr Rana reminded workers that they were inheritors of a legacy that is deeply rooted in the State because of its selfless service to people. He said National Conference has contributed immensely for strengthening democratic and secular traditions besides ameliorating the lot of down trodden, underprivileged, farmers, workers, youth and other segments of the society. The party, he said, will continue to fight for the just cause of people.
Later, deputations from Gool-Arnas, Ramban, Banihal, Billawar, Kathua, Basholi, Udhampur, Samba, Akhnoor, Dansal, Raipur Domana and scores of individuals met the Minister and apprised him about their problems.
BHBF decides to hold protest rally tomorrow
Excelsior Correspondent
DODA, Feb 26: Bhaderwah Hospital ‘Bachao’ Front (BHBF) has decided to take out a protest rally on February 28 to press for its demands including restoration of SDH in its old complex and developing the new building as referral hospital.
The spokesman of the Front Ranbir Manhas said that dharna in old hospital complex at Bhaderwah is going on for the last 166 days. He said after taking feed back from the people hailing from various surrounding villages and also from the people of the town, it has been learnt that people have been suffering for want of medical aid as the existing hospital which was located at the central place has now been shifted to a corner which is far away.
Manhas pointed out that people of nearly seven Panchayats and majority of the area of the town have to depend on the services of only one doctor who is temporarily posted at old hospital. Though there is Primary Health Centre at Chinta, there is only one doctor attending the huge population of the area. PHC Bhalla is almost defunct as there is no doctor available there. People have to go to Doda for even small ailments.
The BHBF has also given half day bandh call on February 28 and the transporters have also been requested to cooperate with the on Movement. He said the shopkeepers have been requested to observe bandh up to 3 pm and the transport operators to suspended operation from 10 am to 3 pm on that day. Abdul Haq Zargar, Desraj Kotwal, Ch Mohd Iqbal, Badrinath Bhardwaj and Bal Krishan were also present.
17 yrs imprisonment to 3 accused in gang rape case
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: Presiding Officer Fast Track Court Sanjeev Gupta today awarded 17 years imprisonment to Shokat Ali, Yaqoob Mohd and Abdul Aziz, who were facing trial in the gang rape case for the last more than 13 years.
According to police case, on November 14, 1999 these accused persons committed gang rape with the prosecutrix in the forest area of Roop Nagar. Two of them were arrested by the police while as another surrendered in the court on January 19, 2000. After completion of investigation challan was presented in the Court.
After hearing APP G S Charak appearing for the State whereas Advocate Y P Koushal for the accused persons, Presiding Officer observed, “the offence of gang rape is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for term not less than 10 years which may be for life and fine. In view of the facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in view the fact that the accused have no history of crime and belong to poor strata of the society, Court thinks that ends of the justice will be met by convicting them with minimum sentence provided under law”.
“Moreover, they have faced the trial for a period of 13 years which is also one of the mitigating circumstances in their favour”, the Presiding Officer said.
With these observations, Court awarded 10 years imprisonment under Section 376 (2) (g) RPC and fine of Rs 10,000 each and seven years RI under Section 363 RPC.
Carestream Health for sale, may fetch 3.5 billion dollar -Sources
NEW YORK, Feb 26: Carestream Health Inc, which provides medical imaging systems and other healthcare technology solutions, is looking for a buyer in a deal that could fetch as much as 3.5 billion dollar, people familiar with the matter said yesterday. Carestream, which was acquired by private equity firm Onex Corp for 2.35 billion dollar in 2007, has hired Goldman Sachs Group, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse Group to run a sale process, the people said. (agencies)