Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Jammu and Kashmir postal circle will be organizing ‘India Post Gold coins festival’ from 21 April 2012 in connection with Akshaya Tritya festival. John Samuel, Chief Post Master General said that during the Gold coin festival, Post Office will be offering 6 % discount to the customers. This will make the purchase of Gold coins very attractive.
Mr Samuel said that Post offices at Gandhi Nagar, Jammu Tawi, Srinagar , Jawahar Nagar, Kathua and Udhampur are selling gold coins of 24 carat with 99.99 % purity in the denomination 0.5 g, 1 g, 5 g, 8 g, 10 g, 20 g and 50 g. The gold coins are manufactured by Valcambi from Switzerland and they are packed in a sealed cover with the certification from Valcambi, Switzerland. It has the benefits like internationally recognized certification, low risk of duplication, quality packaging, product standardization, numbering, and assayer certificate.
As a part of the Gold coin festival, Chief Post master General announced that Gold coin sales will be extended to Janipur and R S Pura Post offices immediately. Further, in connection with Akshaya Tritya festival, Gandhi Nagar and Jammu Tawi Post offices will be kept open for the sale of Gold coins from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on 23 April and 24 April.
Akshaya Tritya Festival is falling on 24th April this year. Buying Gold is an important aspect of the day. Taking this into account, the Department has decided to offer 6 % discount on the purchase of gold coins effecting from 21 April 2012. India Post commenced the sale of Gold Coins manufactured by Valacambi, Switzerland initially with few post offices across the country. Today, the Gold Coins are available through more than 800 post offices across the country.
Mr Samuel informed that Vaishno Devi Post Office has been made into Tourist Post Office and in this regard, a special cover was released by Suneeta Trivedi, Member Postal Services Board, Govt. of India at Katra. Post Shop has been established and items of utility like Flat Rate Boxes, Packaging Material, Pictorial Cards, Philately Items etc. are available for sale at Vaishno Devi tourist post office. Further, pilgrims visiting the Post Office can get their letters post marked with pictorial postmark of Vaishno Devi. These covers with cancellation are available at Vaishno Devi Bhawan Post Office and at Gandhi Nagar Philately Bureau for sale.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: In order to review the arrangements being made in connection with the Darbar move from Jammu to Srinagar, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal at Civil Secretariat here today.
Threadbare discussions were held on various issues for ensuring smooth conduct of darbar move.
It was decided in the meeting that Managing Director, SRTC would ensure adequate arrangements of transportation for carrying employees and record from Jammu to Srinagar on 28th and 29th April, 2012 and 05th and 06thMay, 2012.
It was decided that the Commissioner/Secretary H&ME will issue necessary instructions for arrangements of medical facilities for the move employees on the National Highway from Jammu to Srinagar from 28th April to 06th May 2012 at identified locations as per past practice. Besides, the Health Department will also arrange standby ambulances, which will accompany the convoy on the move days.
Deputy Commissioners, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, Kulgam, Anantnag, Srinagar will ensure that the National Highway is kept in a good condition during the move days so as to facilitate uninterrupted movement of traffic in coordination with BEACON, SAMPARK, NHAI.
The Power Development Department will ensure that there is no curtailment of electricity in the residential colonies of the move employees and the Civil Secretariat premises during Summer months at Srinagar.
Director, Estates will ensure that the cleanliness drive in residential colonies of employees at Srinagar and Civil Secretariat premises is carried out in collaboration with Srinagar Municipal Corporation.
The Advance parties being deployed by different departments will ensure that the offices are made fully functional well before the opening of offices. All records will also be properly arranged, besides, restoration of telephone networks and IT connectivity.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: A deputation of Non Gazetted Handloom Employees Association met Director Handloom Development Department today under the chairmanship of provincial president Mohammed Hanief Mir and apprised her of the long pending demands of the Non Gazetted Handloom employees.
As per a release, the deputation demanded filling up of vacant posts by convening DPC meeting, issuance of certificates/diplomas in favour of passout trainees as per ITI/NCVT programme, payment of two and half days salaries to class IV employees, provision of supporting staff to the assistant directors, creation of posts like junior assistants, senior assistants, section officers for district office and promotion of senior assistant as center incharge.

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Apr 20 : Minister for Health, Horticulture & Floriculture, Sham Lal Sharma today said that more reforms will be brought in the Health Department to improve the healthcare facilities across the State. He said during the past over three years, the Government has initiated several revolutionary steps to upgrade the overall health scenario and now the change is visible on ground and well acknowledged by the common masses.
Addressing a one-day NRHM sammelan, organized by the District Health Society – NRHM, Rajouri, here, the Minister renewed his appeal to doctors and para-medics to put in their best efforts to maintain the distinguished position. He said medical is the noble profession and everyone associated with this must maintain the rich ethics of the profession and serve the patients with missionary zeal.
Maintaining that ASHAs are the vital tool for improving the ground level situation, the Minister said that these ground level functionaries have played greater role in containing the mother/infant mortality rate, which is better than rest of the country. He said present coalition Government has recognized the contribution of the ASHAs and tried to improve their job profile and also sanctioned suitable monitory benefits in different forms.
Specifically speaking about the health scenario in Rajouri, the Minister said that Rajouri District hospital has been re-modeled and all diagnostic facilities have been put in place. He said CT scan will be fully functional within few days as the concerned doctors will be posted. He also assured to immediately fill the vacancies of Medical Superintendent, ENT and Surgeon specialists in the District hospital. He also assured to fill all gaps in the district at the earliest.
Meanwhile, he assured to fill up all vacant posts in the district on fast-track basis. He said recognizing the tough terrain and difficult conditions; the Central Government has declared Poonch and Rajouri as high focused districts, making them eligible for special funding for upgradation of health facilities.
MLA Drahal, Ch. Zulfkar Ali, in his address, demanded revival of all such health institutions which were running on internal arrangements to improve facilities in the remote areas. He also demanded establishment of research center in the district to detect the cause of cancer which is spreading fast in the district.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora has exhorted upon the officers to accelerate the pace of progress on Travellers Mart at Lakhanpur so that it would be raised at the earliest to facilitate the tourists visiting the state.
This was stated by the Minister while reviewing the status of this ambitious project at a high level meeting held here today.
Among others Commissioner Secretary Tourism & Culture, Atal Dulloo, Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Zahida Khan, Director Tourism Jammu, R.S.Mehta, Joint Director planning Tourism Department, Parvez Handoo besides engineers of different wings was present in the meeting.
Mr. Jora instructed the officers to complete all the codal formalities for taking up early execution of the project directing concerned to retrieve encroachment besides ensuring complete possession of land to the Tourism Department well in time. He said that the execution of the project should not be delayed further mere for petty issues.
Elaborating on salient features of the project, the Minister told that this huge venture will extend great services to the visitors through its Tourist Reception Centre, resort, landscaping, recreation and ancillary facilities. To be completed in phases, the project will further give impetus to tourism industry in the State. He said that the work of first phase of the Travellers Mart would be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.50 crore which will cover construction of ground floor, parking and approach path besides other facilities.
It was informed in the meeting that 114 kanal of land has been acquired for creating the Mart, of which, 69 kanal of state land has been transferred to the Tourism Department while 45 kanal of private land has also been acquired for the purpose. Besides, a compensation of Rs. 67.49 lakh has been given to the land owners.
The meeting was also told that this Traveller Mart is one of the components of integrated Circuit Development of Lakhanpur-Basholi-Bani-Sarthal project sanctioned under the scheme of Integrated Development of Circuit at a total cost of about Rs. 8 crore. It was also revealed that so far, Rs. 6.70 crore has been expended for completion of different works under the project.
The Minister asked the Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, to remove encroachment from the land and give clear possession of the same to the department so that the work could be taken up at the earliest.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: In connection with the foundation day of All India Bank Employees Association, Jammu Province Bank Employees Federation (JPBEF) distributed reading and stationary items among the poor children of Anganwadi Centre of Social Welfare Department at Khanpur near Nagrota today.
As a part of social identification program, general secretary of the Federation Arun Kumar Gupta along with other office bearers and trade unionists, Ashwani Pardhan, Indu Bhushan Zutshi, Manjeet Singh, Nirmal Ratan, Vijay Zutshi, R K Bamba and Hardev Singh handed over the items to the Incharge Anganwadi Centre, Khanpur Mazdoor Basti, Rama Kumari. They assured full support of the Federation to the Anganwadi worker.
The Entire team then distributed this material among the poor and needy children of the Centre and the Mazdoor Basti in presence of some elderly persons of the area. They also distributed fruits among the children. Huge rush of the children was witnessed at this venue of Mazdoor Colony when the function was going on. A variety programme was also held by children. An awareness was also created among the gathering regarding banking and its benefits by the team members.
Rama Kumari, Centre incharge extended gratitude to the visiting Bank officials for kind support to the children of the Khanpur Centre.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 20: Srijan Samooh, the group dedicated to art, held its maiden painting exhibition titled The Beginning’, at the Kala Kendra, here today.
The highlight of the exhibition is that it comprises of works of an apparently disparate group of 10 painters who despite coming from different age groups and backgrounds have one common thread of respective passion for individual artistic expression.
The participating group as such includes art hobbyists like Amardeep, an engineer, Al Nasir, a practicing lawyer, Gopesh a student, Gulshan Sehgal, a retired government servant, Dr Sanjay Sharma, a university professor, Virji Virendra Sumbli, an art college drop out, the trio of Vijay Anand, Amit Anand and Chetna Anand—for whom, being the children of veteran artists Dev Dass, art has been a family vocation while Subhash Langeh, a teacher in KCS, in turn has been a student of Vijay Anand.
The paintings on display due to artists’ unique individual situations of taking to art as a hobby and profession are therefore marked by a variety in terms of subjects, materials and techniques. Mainly figurative the works on show ranging between being realistic to symbolic include landscapes, monuments, characters from life and philosophical renderings of religious characters and concepts. The three-day exhibition, which was inaugurated by Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner. The show is open between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will conclude on 22 April 2012.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Munsiff Magistrate, Jammu, Anjum Ara today awarded two years imprisonment and fine of Rs 1000 to a driver, whose negligent driving led to the death of a student on June 15, 2000.
After hearing Prosecuting Officer Yogesh Nagpal appearing for the State whereas Advocate BB Kotwal for the accused, Munsiff Magistrate observed, “the evidence on record is sufficient to conclude that prosecution has been able to prove its case against the accused person”, adding “all the witnesses have also supported the prosecution case”.
With these observations, the Court awarded two years imprisonment and fine of Rs 1000 to matador driver namely Mohd Amin, son of Ghulam Mustafa, a resident of Bahu Fort area.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Fire Services Week, which was observed with the aim to make the public aware about fire hazards as well as fire prevention and protection, concluded today.
During the week, Fire and Emergency Services Department conducted public meetings, seminars in the educational institutions, industrial areas and petrol pumps etc to create awareness among the people.
On the penultimate day of the week, inter-school speech competition was held at Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters at Gandhi Nagar on the theme “smoke management saves lives”. The cash prizes and trophies were distributed by Dr G A Bhat, Director General, Fire and Emergency Services and R S Sodhi, Director, to the toppers.
Consolation prizes were also distributed among the participants while as teachers of the schools were awarded with cash reward of Rs 500 each.
On the concluding day, different lectures and demonstrations were held to make the general public aware about the fire hazards as well as fire prevention and protection. The special event was display of disaster management tools, which have been procured by the department recently to safeguard the lives and property of general masses.
The demonstrations, mock exercises and displaying of tools were held under the supervision of C K Peshin, Assistant Director, Fire and Emergency Services, Command Jammu.
At Udhampur, the concluding function was presided over by R C Raina, Assistant Director, Fire and Emergency Services, Command Udhampur/Reasi.
Speaking on the occasion, he exhorted upon the personnel of the organization to exhibit high degree of professionalism while safe guarding the lives and property of the public.
During the week, the command organized various awareness programmes at various locations in Udhampur and Reasi districts besides a professional exercise at Air Force Station in collaboration with IAF and 1 FOD on the directions of Dr G A Bhat, DG and Director, R S Sodhi.
At Srinagar, the week concluded with a commemoration parade at Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters. On the occasion, jawans were told to prepare themselves to face challenges being faced by the department due to ever increasing fire risks because of massive urbanization.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Principal Sessions Judge Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh Jamwal today acquitted Deepak Sharma and Pawan Kumar, both residents of Jawahar Nagar, New Plot and Ajay Khajuria of Shakti Nagar, who were facing trial in a gang rape case.
According to the police case, prosecutrix, who was studying in the 8th class in Vivekananda Model School went missing on December 4, 2007 and accordingly her mother lodged a complaint with the police.
On this, police registered a case and started investigation during which the prosecutrix was recovered and subjected to medical examination. After completion of investigation, challan was presented in the court of law.
After hearing Public Prosecutor Shabir Choudhary for the State whereas Advocate Anil Bargotra for the accused persons, the Principal Sessions Judge observed, “the statement of the prosecutrix is damaging and she has declined to support the prosecution version. She being the aggrieved person has to be relied upon. The Court is satisfied that there is no evidence connecting the accused with the commission of offence”.
With these observations, the Court acquitted the accused persons of the charges leveled against them.