Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: Jammu West Assembly Movement (JWAM), under the leadership of its president, Sunil Dimple, held a protest rally today in various parts of the West Assembly Constituency against ERA, NBCC, PWD and JMC Departments alleging that they have made the life of people miserable.
The rally was largely attended by the people from all walks of life.
Speaking on the occasion, Dimple urged the Chief Minister to take immediate steps so that the work on BC Road along the city be completed on time, as the tourists as well as the pilgrims of Amarnath and Mata Vaishno Devi were suffering.
Alleging that the ongoing work of ERA is of sub-standard quality, Dimple demanded to check the samples of bricks and cement being used in the construction work.
He also demanded immediate black topping of the roads of the Constituency before the start of rainy season. He urged the Chief Minister to reshuffle his ministers to check the growing corruption.
“Despite many reminders, the Government does not seem to be interested in construction of four way circular road from Ambphalla to Bantalab, besides multy-story parkings spots in Jammu city” said Dimple adding, “it also has no intention to construct fly overs at Rehari Chungi and Jewel Chowk to ease the traffic problem”.
Flashing a memorandum, he urged the State Government to hold an enquiry by the Vigilance or any other accountable agency in the ongoing works of ERA in the Jammu West Constituency.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: The Jammu LPG Plant conducted “Mock Fire Drill” here today. It is based on disaster control management plan.
The officers form JK Fire Services Department, JK Police, IOCL, ESIC Hospital & other mutual aid partners were also present and witnessed the disaster management practices of the employees of HPCL.
The drill was conducted at LPG filled cylinder storage side with team officials & workers fighting fire from all the corners with the help of state of art safety equipments and auto fire fighting system of plant.
The fire fighting teams were led by HPCL officers. The fire service men and mutual aid partners also contributed in the drill. Ashwani Kumar Gupta, Senior Regional Manager HPCL Jammu explained the importance conducting mock fire drills which equips the person with complete confidence of fighting the actual fire.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: The protesting migrant relief holders of Jagti have postponed their fast unto death which they had to start on June 20 in view of the assurance given to them by Relief Commissioner, R K Pandita who informed them that something tangible will emerge by that time.
The Relief Commissioner along with other officers of the organization today visited the dharna site at Jagti and appealed the protestors not to go on fast unto death from June 20 announced by them earlier as the Relief Organization has recommended the enhancement of relief as demanded by the protesters and he was sure that some thing tangible will emerge up to June 20.
On the basis of this assurance the relief holders have decided to postpone the fast unto death to be started from June 20 said Ajay Bhat and O N Kaw leading the 84 day long dharna at Jagti. However they said the chain hunger strike and dharna will continue.
They said that Relief Commissioner also issued instructions to engineers for regular water supply to Jagti township. The duo have appealed the Government to solve the long pending demand of cash enhancement without further delay as the relief holders are not in a position to make their body and soul together in view of the sky rocketing prices of essential commodities.
Meanwhile the dharna organized by relief holders and over aged youth in front of Relief organization here also continued today. The protestors led by Ravinder Kumar warned to continue the struggle till the demand is settled.

Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, June 16 : The current year’s annual plan for Reasi district will be of the order of Rs.71.84 crore with Rs 20.76 crore as the revenue component.
The plan for 2011-12 was approved at the District Development Board meeting held under the chairmanship of Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, here today
Minister of State for Power, Forest, Environment & Ecology (Vice Chairman DDB, Reasi), Shabir Ahmed Khan, Minister of State for Haj, Aquaf and Fisheries, Ajaz Ahmed Khan, Member Parliament, Ch. Lal Singh, MLA, Reasi, Baldev Raj Sharma, MLC, Jugal Kishore Sharma, DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range, Jagjit Kumar, District Development Commissioner, Reasi, Sheetal Nanda, Heads of various departments and district officers were present in the meeting.
Exhorting for rejuvenating efforts to accomplish the targets with optimum utilization of funds, Mr. Taj called upon the officers to concentrate on growth of under developed and backward areas which is one of the main agendas of Coalition Government.
The Minister directed the officers to ensure timely completion of different road projects being done under PMGSY besides ensuring early settlement of pending land compensation cases acquired under the programme. He asked Chief Engineer PDD to chalk out modalities for delinking some areas of Pouni block of Reasi district from Rajouri district for billing, power distribution and maintenance purposes to ease the difficulties of the locals.
During the meeting, the Chairman also enquired about the plan proposals of different departments from the concerned officers to be implemented during current financial year and accordingly issued on the spot instructions to them for accelerating the tempo of development in Reasi district.
Ajaz Ahmed Khan hoped that officers would put in sincere efforts while executing projects pertaining to their respective departments so as to achieve optimum results on the ground. Ch. Lal Singh said that demands of the elected representatives of different constituencies should be given due consideration and solved on priority basis for socio economic empowerment of people.
MLA, Reasi, while speaking on the occasion, putforth various developmental demands of his Constituency including separate place for mule shed, traffic regulation, permanent post of Chief Executive Officer (Municipality) at Katra, Girls Hostel at Reasi, new location for University Campus at Reasi, development of Dansar area as eco tourism.
Likewise MLC, Mr. Sharma also highlighted demands which mainly included shifting of Animal Husbandry Complex outside the town, proper drainage and sewerage system at Katra, infrastructural facilities enroute Shiv Khori Shrine, creation of new administrative units for the district, formulation of water supply scheme for Reasi and surrounding areas etc.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: A massive demonstration was held under the leadership of former Union Minister and MLA Jammu West Assembly Segment, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta by the activists of various organizations in front of Press Club here today against the erratic power and water supply in Jammu region in general and Jammu city in particular.
Registering their protest against the Government’s failure to maintain the water and power supply, which has led to the miseries of common man in this hot season when temperature has touched 45 degrees and above, the protestors warned to intensify the discrimination to which Jammu has been subjected to would not be stopped immediately.
Shouting slogans against the Coalition Government the protestors urged it to shun its anti Jammu policies.
MLAs Jagdish Raj Spolia, Master Lal Chand, Bharat Bhushan, Prof Garu Ram besides chairman JKDF, Anil Gupta, Chamber of Commerce and Industries general secretary, Arun Gupta also participated in the dharna.
Talking to reporters at the sidelights of the dharna, Prof Gupta lambasted the Government of giving a raw deal to Jammu and warned that this discrimination would not be tolerated now. It is a strange that soon after the offices were shifted to Summer Capital the Jammu was plunged into darkness. Besides the power crisis people were facing acute scarcity of drinking water also. The condition of roads is worst leading to traffic jams as NBCC has failed to complete the work in stipulated time due to Government’s ineptness, he added.
He wanted to know the reasons for the same. Does Government consider people of Jammu as second-class citizens who have no right to basic amenities of life.
Appealing the people of Jammu to be united, he said the Government till date has taken full advantage as the people of this region are not united. The way the social and trade organizations volunteered to participate in today’s dharna is an eye opener for the Government, he added.
Accusing the Government for taking the people of Jammu for granted Prof Gupta said that “we will be uniting force for Jammuites’’ . “The attitude of the Government will lead to public outcry , resentment and even the division of the State to which we have always opposed’’ . There is every apprehension that youth will take a banner of revolt if prevailing discrimination continues, he added.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Gupta and others said that there were deliberate attempts to put the Jammuites to face problems like that of electricity, drinking water, sanitation, traffic jams and others of basic nature.
He pointed out that the power crisis has mysteriously developed immediately after the Darbar Move last month. Otherwise, the generation of Hydel Power increases in Jammu areas during summer days but it was intriguing that Jammu has been put to face power crises especially when there is scorching heat of the summer.
He further said that on one hand in power crisis has been created, on the other the people are being coerced to pay bigger electricity bills. On the contrary where there are bigger losses on account of electricity, there is no such coercion.
Others who addressed also included Murari Lal, Krishan Lal, Deepak Sharma, Arun Khanna, Surinder Sharma, Parshant Puri.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: The Member Parliament (MP) Jammu Poonch Constituency Madan Lal Sharma today inaugurated newly constructed shelter shed at Yatri- Niwas Bhagwati Nagar – the Jammu base camp for Amarnath Yatra, and also inspected the arrangements made by the local administration for comfortable stay of the yatris during the upcoming pilgrimage to cave shrine in South Kashmir.
He instructed all the allied departments involved with Yatra arrangements to ensure best possible facilities to make the pilgrimage a pleasant experience for the devotees.
Interacting with officers and representatives of various social organizations after inaugurating the shelter shed completed at a cost of Rs 25 lakh under MP LAD Scheme, he said in view of ensuing yatra from 25 June, 2012, all the concerned departments should gear up their men and machinery to make all arrangements well in time.
He enjoined upon the officers and social organizations to ensure that the pilgrims would be provided every type of assistance. He particularly stressed upon maintaining cleanliness around the camp area and toilets and bathrooms of Yatri niwas round the clock. He also stressed for landscaping and beautification of surroundings of Yatri Niwas.
The MP hoped that the hoteliers and transporters, including the cab operators would cooperate with the Government by charging genuine and Government fixed rates for their services. He said the visiting devotees should leave with pleasant memories of hospitality they received here and tell about the same to their people back at their home states. He said this would greatly help in promotion of tourism in the State. In this regard, he sought the cooperation of unions of Hoteliers, Taxi operators and other stakeholders in the tourism trade.
He said that the Government was committed to develop tourist potential areas in Jammu region by creating necessary tourism related infrastructure facilities so that tourists visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Shrine could be diverted to these natural spots to boost tourism industry in the region. For the purpose, he said that various pilgrim destination of the Jammu division would be developed and projected as heritage religious sites to promote pilgrim tourism.

Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, June 16: “Time bound completion of development projects with timely submission of Utilization Certificates are key components for effective implementation of state and centrally sponsored schemes tailored for socio economic empowerment of people”, said Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Pardeep Gupta.
The Div Com was addressing an officers meeting held to review the physical and financial achievements of various departments registered during the previous year under District Plan 2011-12 here today.
District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, P.K.Pole, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajinder Singh, Additional District Development Commissioner, Ram Rattan Sharma, Joint Director Planning, Rakesh Jamwal, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Education Office, Executive Engineers, PWD,PDD,PHE,PMGSY and other district heads of different departments were also present in the meeting.
A power-point presentation on physical and financial achievements of various departments was presented and it was informed that under District Plan for 2011-12 Rs.74.60 crore were expended, thereby resulting 99.12 percent achievement.
It was divulged that under Road and Bridges, Rs.16.45 crore were incurred against the availability of Rs.16.45 crore registering cent percent achievement. On physical front, the department constructed 19.45 kms fair weather road, shingling and metalling was done on 101.75 kms road and 69.70 kms road length black topped besides three bridges were also completed during the period.
To provide the safe drinking water facilities, the Public Health Engineer Department spent Rs.202.24 lakh for the completion of 13 water supply schemes .
Under Irrigation sector, 1039.81 hectares of land was covered under potential irrigation and stabilization . The department was also completed 22 schemes with the involvement of Rs.662.88 lakh.
The Power Development Department has incurred Rs. 34.35 lakh for electrification of one village, 58 hamlets under various schemes benefiting 4555 villagers in the district.
Under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), an amount of Rs.169.24 lakh was expended for various schemes like maternal health, JSY, Child health, Family Planning, Training workshop, immunization and other activities.
Mr. Gupta exhorted upon the officers to focus on development of such areas which have been neglected so far and formulate project proposals in this regard. He also laid stress on effective implementation of RTI, Public Service Guarantee Act and other such pro people programmes in letter and spirit. He also suggested dove tailing of MGNREGA works with other allied departments for better results.
Later, the Division Commissioner visited and inspected various ongoing construction works including Disaster Management building near Birwan Bridge, Gaddi and Sippy hostel near PG Degree College for Boys and revenue record room.