Symposium on Children literature in Dogri held
Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, June 2: Until the regional languages are introduced primary education and the younger generation feels pride in speaking the mother tongue, the future of Dogri as a modern language is going to bleak, was the informed opinion of the eminent Dogri writers, poets and scholars.
The galaxy of Dogra intellectuals had come together in the one day symposium organized by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, on ‘Children Literature in Dogri: Present Status and Future Concerns’, at the K L Saigal Hall, here today.
The Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, Mohan Pal Singh Issar, chaired the inaugural session, while Prof Lalit Magotra delivered the key note address. Prof Magotra highlighted the importance of children literature in development of regional language like Dogri. Tracing the growth of literature for children all over the world, he particularly noted the Indian tradition as best seen in stories of Panchtantra, Jatakas, Vetalpachisi and Hitopadesh.
Prof Magotra stressed upon the essentiality of Government patronage in the development of regional languages especially by introducing these languages in primary education.
In his presidential address, Mohan Pal Singh Issar said that unless a language becomes the language of trade and every day affairs, it is difficult for it to survive. He lamented the current fashion where social recognition is given to one who speaks in English.
He said good and interesting children literature is the need of the hour.
Earlier, Prof Veena Gupta, convener, Dogri Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, welcomed the guests and dignitaries and gave an outline of the symposium. She also gave an overview of the extant children literature in Dogri. The inaugural session was concluded by Shantanu Gangopadhyay, assistant editor, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.
The second session of the Symposium was chaired by Padamshree Prof Nilamber Dev Sharma. Prominent writers and scholars Prof Champa Sharma and Prof Satya Pal Srivatsa read papers on Children Play in Dogri and Children stories in Dogri respectively.
In the third session, three papers by Dr Gian Singh, Dr Nirmal Vinod and Yash Raina were presented on Children Poetry, Children Novel and Children Magazines and Prose writing in Dogri respectively. Dr Goswami, well known Dogri writer and scholar chaired the session.
Prof Veena Gupta presented the vote of thanks. She expressed her gratitude to the paper readers and the audience for making the symposium a success. Prominent among the audience were well known poets and writers of Dogri and other languages such as Krishna Prem, Praduman Singh, Prof Rita Jatinder, Thakur Baldev Singh, Prof Raj Kumar, Mohan Singh, Shiv Dev Singh Shusheel, Sunil Sharma, Shiv Mehta, Vijya Thakur, Virendra Kesar, Prof Shashi Pathania, Sham Talib, Baljit Raina and Neeru Sharma.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: All J&K Shari Sad Guru Kabir Sabha while complimenting the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and his Cabinet colleagues for declaring restricted holiday on Kabir Jayanti falling on June 4 has demanded allotment of land for construction of a grand temple of this spiritual saint of India in Jammu.
Talking to reporters here today president of the Sabha F C Bhagat said that the land available with Kabir temple at Janipur is not sufficient to accommodate a huge rush of devotees during the celebration of Kabir Jayanti.
“The Government should allot the land to Sabha in Jammu or outskirts where a grand and magnificent temple of Bhagat Kabir can be constructed and the Jayanti celebrations and other religious get-togethers are held from time to time”, he added.
He said on the occasion of Kabir Jayanti this year the Sabha will organize a grand Shoba Yatra, which will start from Satwari Chowk in the morning. The yatra comprising of various Jankis and 600 to 700 vehicles will pass via Main Stop Gandhi Nagar, Vikram Chowk, K C Morh, Shakuntala, Ambphalla and culminate at Kabir Mandir Janipur where the great Sant will be paid obeisance on his birthday by the devotees.
He said the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah will be the chief guest during the function and Sabha feels its pleasuer in greeting him for declaring the restricted holiday on Kabir Jayanti.
Besides the Sabha will also honour the newly appointed IAS, IPS, IFS, KAS, KPS and students selected in other professional courses, he said, adding the Sabha will also honour the students who have secured 85 percent or more marks in matric and higher classes examinations. The Sabha has also extended invitation to all ministers MLAs and MLCs to attend the function and pay obeisance to Sant Kabir.
Others present in the press conference included G R Bhagat, senior vice president, J L Bhagat, Ex president, Ashok Kumar Bhagat and Madan Lal vice presidents, Col (retd) Swarn Singh (advisor) district presidents from Reasi, Rajouri, Kathua, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur and office bearers including Surinder Bhagat.

Jammu dominates in PYC elections

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: For the first time in the newly elected Pradesh Youth Congress Committee through ballot, Jammu youth have dominated by grabbing both the top posts of president and vice president and four posts of general secretaries out of six.
Shah Nawaj Choudhary from Poonch and Pranab Shagotra from Jammu have secured the posts of president and vice president, respectively. Out of the six youth elected as general secretaries, four are from Jammu region. They are R S Pathania, Manjit Singh Jat, Varinder Singh Chib and Rashid Choudhary. Two general secretaries from Kashmir are Abid Kashmiri and Sikander Jan.
Talking to Excelsior Shah Nawaj said with the new system of elections introduced in the country in Youth Congress elections through ballot with the initiative of Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary and in-charge IYC, a sense of confidence and hope has been restored among the basic Youth Congress activists.“ Earlier, it was considered that only sons or daughters of top party leaders had the access to reach up to the post of PYC president or other top positions. Now, at least people like me, who have no one at top position in the party within relation, can pin hope to reach up to higher position with hard work and personal efforts. For this, I must thank to my friends, well-wishes and supporters’’ he maintained.
Commenting on his priorities in the State, the newly elected PYC chief said to wage a fight against corruption in the political and bureaucratic circles, keep an eye on the proper implementation of Centrally sponsored schemes like MGNREGA, RGGVY and PMGSY, strengthening of Congress Party at grass- root level and increase its reach up to remote corners of the State in all the three regions will be the priorities of his team. He said PYC will launch a campaign against corruption in the State shortly. Besides this, strengthening of Panchayats and working towards decentralization of powers in the State would be in the agenda of the new PYC.
Pranab Shagotra, newly elected vice president of PYC, who gave tough fight to Shah Nawaj in elections said that keeping an eye on 2014 elections in the State, strengthen Congress party in all the three regions including Ladakh and Kashmir and remote areas of Jammu region will be his priority. He said in some areas regional parties are still dominating. A vacuum has been created in certain areas. The priority will be to reach out to those people, listen to their problems and address their issues with the help of senior leadership.
Replying to another question, Mr Shagotra said collective efforts always pay and PYC would like to work as a strong and integrated unit. The young force of the country needed a direction and under the leadership of our leader Rahul Gandhi, the State youth will be educated about the welfare programmes of the party for the youth. Their participation would be sought in the new programmes. The people and youth will be made aware of the policies and programmes of the party. The PYC will also ensure proper implementation of Central sponsored schemes. Mr Shagotra said only Congress party has capacity to keep all the three regions of the State united and ensure over all development in the State.
R S Pathania, general secretary and a senior youth leader hailing from Udhampur district said that people of the State have high hopes from the young brigade in the Party. “Corruption is the important issue which people at all level want to be addressed on priority. This is also one of the top priorities of Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary and IYC chief. Personally, I am also deadly against the corruption whether, it is in political circles or in bureaucracy,’’ he maintained.
Mr Pathania, who remained senior vice president in previous body said Youth Congress has to work as binding force between all the regions and sub regions in the State. The party has to respect and meet the aspirations of the people of all the three regions and remove the feeling of let down in the minds of people from a particular region. PYC has also to play a crucial role in the 2014 elections in the State. The vigorous campaign to strengthen the party at grass-root level, in all blocks and pockets is necessary. Increase reach up to the people, listen to their problems and resolve them will be the PYC priorities. For addressing public grievances, adequate support of party Ministers, legislators is equally important, Mr Pathania maintained.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: Perturbed over the sale of fake saffron in the market which has given a setback to Saffron Industry of the state, its growers from Pampore are demanding enactment of a law banning the entry of Iranian Saffron in the state.
According to growers the National Saffron Mission will prove a failure and it can’t boost the Saffron Industry till the law is enacted to ban the entry of fake Saffron in the state.
They said with the introduction of Iranian Saffron and its sale in the market on the name of Kashmir Saffron the industry has received a jolt in the state and the much talked about National Saffron Mission will fail to yield results in case the proper steps are not taken to ban the entry of Iranian saffron and mixing the same with Kashmir saffron.
G M Pampori a representative of All J&K Saffron Growers Association an NGO said that during the buyer seller meet in 2010 at Konibal in Pampore, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz president Pradesh Congress and Prof F A Nehvi of SKUAST assured the growers to establish Saffron Research Center in the area but two years have passed and no headway was made in this regard till date.
He said the Iranian Saffron has damaged the market of Kashmir Saffron though the latter has more flavor, more life span, is more stronger, more oil giving, has more moisture than the former.
Another threat the growers in the Saffron belt of Pampore are facing is rapid urbanization, said Murawath Hussian founder Fallah Behbood Committee, Pampore. He said with this the Saffron crop will extinct altogether from the area and it will become a history of past. The construction of both private and commercial buildings should be banned on this land to preserve this crop, he added.
He said despite the announcement made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in December last year that no construction will be allowed on Safforn land the same still continues and the excavation of saffron land goes unnoticed.
He said besides growing world -class saffron, this area is the only patch in entire Kashmir, which remains green all over the year and adds to scenic beauty of Valley. For the passers by it is like Switzerland and one enjoys the scenic beauty of the area, he added.
The area can also be linked to adventure and pilgrimage tourism as it will be a winter spot for tourism as was already announced by former Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah.
Another problem the saffron growers are facing is mushrooming of cement plants and stone crushers in the area, which is slated to hamper production. This is also against the National Saffron Mission and Government should take remedial measures, said Hussian.
He said to boost the trade and attract more and more customers the Government should restore Pampore its status as first haltage point for Amarnath pilgrimage as has been a tradition. He demanded a Yatri Niwas be opened at Pampore and market road be named on Lal Ded who belonged to Pampore.
Hussian who was wary on mushrooming of organizations for promotion and sale of Saffron in the area said that they all came into being with political motivations. They take stalls at tourist places for their kith and kin to sell saffron while the genuine growers are ignored.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: In the much publicized Ch Nagar Singh interrogation CD case, State High Court has allowed the petition filed by Basant Rath, then SSP Jammu and Mubassir Latifi, then Incharge Special Investigating Team (SIT) against the order passed by the Special Municipal Magistrate summoning the petitioners to tender explanation with regard to their role in the preparation of CD.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the petitioners and Advocate RK Kotwal appearing for Ch Nagar Singh, Justice Hasnain Massodi allowed the petition and set-aside the order of Special Municipal Magistrate, Jammu to the extent it calls upon the petitioners to appear in the Court, offer their explanation and take stand regarding the CD.
The High Court directed the Trial Magistrate/ Inquiry Judge to conclude the inquiry within four weeks from the date of receipt of this order so as to enable the Chief Judicial Magistrate to take a decision in the matter mapped out in Section 203/204 CrPC.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: The chain hunger strike by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) employees and workers entered sixth day here today.
The employees and workers of JDA, under the banner of JDA Employees Union led by its president Ashok Singh Jamwal, were on chain hunger strike for the past six days. They are protesting against the Government and the department concerned for their callous attitude towards their demands.
These employees were demanding regularization of daily wagers and consolidated employees, implementation of SRO-43, release of arrears of 6th pay commission, grade to helpers, In-situ promotions, implementation of timing in JDA offices as per timings implemented in other Government offices from 8 am to 2 pm and not 10 am to 4 pm during these summer months, change of transfer policy of plots/ shops, renewal of expiry of lease deeds of shops/ plots and to start the construction work on the approved projects without any delay.
Ashok Singh Jamwal, president of the association, said that the Government has turned a deaf ear towards their demands. He said that if the Government will not concede their demands in the mean time, they will come on to roads, and for any untoward incident, the Government will be responsible.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: Newly elected state general secretary of Pradesh Youth Congress Manjit Singh Jat took out victory rally in the winter capital here today.
A large number of supporters of PYC leader and Youth Congress activists assembled at Satwari Chowk in the morning and then started a motor-cycle/ car rally towards old city. The vehicles and bikes were fitted with party flags. Manjit was boarded in a decorated vehicle surrounded by other youth leaders.
The rally after passing through Gandhinagar, Bikram Chowk, Gumat and Residency Road reached at PCC headquarters, Shahidi Chowk. He was garlanded profusely and given warm reception by the Youth Congress activists.
Addressing gathering, he extended gratitude to the supporters and Party delegates. Mr Jat also threw light on his priorities and said that problems of the youth and unemployment would be in his agenda. He also referred to the centrally sponsored schemes launched for the welfare of the people and said its benefit should reach up to the people. He said disparities in jobs/ perks and at regional level will be opposed strongly.
The rally then started for his home town Jourian in Akhnoor. On the way, Mr Jat was given warm reception by PYC activists at Domana and Mishriwalla. He was accorded rousing reception at Jourian by the people. He also addressed large gathering there.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2 : Seeking people’s cooperation to accomplish Government’s determination to reach out the neglected and ignored areas of the State, Minister for Health, Horticulture and Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma asserted that the present regime is keen to develop backward and far-flung areas to fulfil its commitment with the people.
Addressing a public meeting at Brudi, Akhnoor, Mr. Sham stressed that providing all basic amenities to the people across the State like safe drinking water, electricity, healthcare, education and road connectivity forms priority of the Government besides ensuring better sewerage by construction of lanes and drains.
Mr. Sham said that acceptance of the justified demands and taking right action to redress the grievances of the people is important ingredient in the delivery of Coalition Government. He said that various measures, aimed at ameliorating the lot of weaker section of the society have been already initiated during the last over three years which are showing visible impact on ground.
Responding to the local needs and demands, the Minister said that Government is conscious of the difficulties of the people of these far-flung and backward areas. He said these areas are now given focused attention and many special schemes and development projects have been devised to match their requirements and needs. Mr. Sham sought cooperation and support from the people in the effort of the Government in this regard.
Listing the measures taken by Government to uplift the socio-economic condition of the people of Akhnoor Block, the Minister said Central Government has sanctioned Rs.12 crore for establishing receiving station.
Mr. Sham said that Sarpanch and Panchs have to play a vital role for implementation of the schemes in rural and remote areas. He called upon them to work with zeal and dedication for upliftment of poor people of their areas.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: In a petition filed by one Akshay Kumar and others working as Settlement Assistants and seeking their consideration for Patwar training, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir today issued notice to Commissioner Secretary Revenue and Financial Commissioner Revenue returnable within four weeks.
During the course of arguments, Advocate Nargal appearing for the petitioners submitted that Government has notified more than 1500 posts and if the posts of Patwaries are filled-up by the respondents amongst the graduates, the petitioners’ whole service career will get jeopardized as they been performing their duties as Settlement Assistants since 2008.
He sought directions to depute the petitioners for undergoing Patwar Training as one time inception in the light of the promises/assurances extended from time to time.
After hearing Advocate WS Nargal, Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir issued notice to Commissioner Secretary Revenue and Financial Commissioner returnable within four weeks. In the meantime, the Court directed that the process of selection initiated pursuant to Notification No 20 BOPEE of 2012 dated May 9, 2012 should not be finalized.
Furthermore, the respondents were directed to consider the case of the petitioners for deputing them for Patwar training in the light of Cabinet decision No 151 followed by Government Order No 259/Rev (s) of 205 dated September 9, 2005.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 2: One person died and 16 others were injured in different road accidents across the Valley.
Reports said that a motorcycle hit and injured, 40-years old Shafiqa wife of Mohammad Rafiq Mir resident of Nundresh Colony, Bemina. The injured lady was shifted to JVC Hospital Bemina where she succumbed to her injuries. Body of deceased was handed over to her next of kin for last rites.
A Tata 407 passenger vehicle bearing registration number JK03/2961 turned turtle near Badoora, Achabal in Anantnag district resulting in injuries to 16 passengers. All the injured persons were shifted to Sub District Hospital Achabal. Police Achabal has registered a case in this regard.