Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: Acting Chief Justice of State High Court Justice Virender Singh along with Justice J P Singh and Justice Yaqoob Mir today laid the foundation stone of Lawyers’ Canteen Complex. With this, the long pending demand of the Bar Association Jammu has been met with.
Speaking on the occasion, Bar President, B S Slathia expressed gratitude to Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifulla, who during his tenure as Chief Justice of J&K, showed utmost interest in providing canteen complex to the Bar members.
He also expressed gratitude to Acting Chief Justice, Justice Virender Singh, Justice Mansoor A Mir and Justice J P Singh for their approval, expeditious identification of the location for lawyers canteen and finalization of the site plan in the shortest possible time.
An amount of Rs 9 lakh has already been sanctioned by the Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, for the canteen complex. Mr Slathia urged the JKPCC to complete the construction of the canteen by October this year.
Vikram Sharma, general secretary of the Bar, Parimoksh Seth, joint secretary, Sandeepa Sambyal, treasurer, designated Senior Advocates and the members of Bar were present on the occasion.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: In order to carry out urgent work and branch cutting on 33 KV GG-1, GG-2 & GG-3 feeder emanating from 132/33 KV Grid Station Gangyal, the power supply to the Greater Kailash, Industrial Area Gangyal, Preet Nagar, Trikuta Nagar, Kunjawani, Seora, Greater Jammu, Babliana and adjoining areas  will remain affected on 2nd of May 2012 (Wednesday) from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: Dr Jaipal Singh has been appointed as new Head of Post Graduate Department of Medicine, Government Medical College Jammu. He will take over as HoD tomorrow.
Dr Singh had a distinguished career during MBBS having obtained first positions. He completed his post-graduation in 1984 and has worked in different capacities in the GMC. He has many publications to his credit.
Dr Singh is also a renowned expert in the field of mind-body medicine and holistic medicine or life style medicine and has many presentations in national and international fora.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: Dr Jaipal Singh has been appointed as new Head of Post Graduate Department of Medicine, Government Medical College Jammu. He will take over as HoD tomorrow.
Dr Singh had a distinguished career during MBBS having obtained first positions. He completed his post-graduation in 1984 and has worked in different capacities in the GMC. He has many publications to his credit.
Dr Singh is also a renowned expert in the field of mind-body medicine and holistic medicine or life style medicine and has many presentations in national and international fora.

100 Post Offices to also register pilgrims from May 7
Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Apr 30: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), Navin K Choudhary today concluded his four days extensive tour of base camps during which he inspected the snow situation and facilities for the upcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra.
Accompanied by Showkat Mir, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Shahid, SP Ganderbal, Mohammad Yousuf, CEO Sonamarg Development Authority, K G Bamba, GM, Works SASB and other senior functionaries of the district administration, the CEO took stock of snow accumulation and condition of the infrastructure at the base camps of Baltal and Domail.
It was informed that PWD has been able to open the road up to the base camp of Baltal only two days back with great difficulty as at some places, the snow is more than 20 to 25 feet. Due to heavy snowfall this year, the Police Camp at Baltal has been completely wiped out and there is massive damage to other pre-fabricated structures.
The CEO also inspected the helipad where the existing structures have been nearly destroyed due to massive snow avalanches. In a meeting with officers of concerned departments at the base camp, he underscored the need for hard work and extra efforts for re-establishing these infrastructures.
While conducting extensive tour to Nunwan, Pahalgam and Chandanwari, it was observed that the snow accumulation is very high beyond Chandanwari, though the road from Pahalgam to Chandanwari has been opened for vehicular traffic. Due to heavy accumulation of snow, the advance party of PDA could not reach Sheshnag and had to return back. Even at the time of inspection, it was snowing at Chandanwari and beyond.
Mr Choudhary discussed the required action plan for clearing of track and erection of infrastructure facilities well in time for the yatra, which will commence on June 25. He also issued instructions for immediately starting the work at Nunwan Base Camp. Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Kifayat Rizvi, SSP Anantnag, Ramesh Jalla, Mir Altaf, CEO Pahalgam Development Authority and other district officers accompanied the CEO and deliberated on the yatra arrangements.
Meanwhile, Department of Posts will start the registration of Shri Amarnathji Yatris on behalf of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board from May 7, 2012 and this will be a major boon to the pilgrims. Hundred Post Offices across the country have been identified in this regard. This facility will be in addition to the 174 Bank Branches and via the Internet based e-registration system already announced by the Shrine Board.
According to Mr Choudhary, until last year the registration was done only through J&K Bank and YES Bank. “In a major initiative to provide convenience to the pilgrims for the registration, SASB has tied up with the Department of Posts for registration of yatris through select post offices”, he said.
According to John Samuel, Chief Postmaster General, four Yatri Post Offices will be established in the Yatra route for the benefit of the pilgrims. These Yatri Post Offices will provide basic postal services, including letter post, registered post and speed post facilities to the pilgrims.
“For more than 20 years these Yatri Post Offices have been non-functional and during this year these will be revived and made fully functional”, he said, adding “during Shri Amarnathji Yatra special postal covers and picture post cards will be brought out and they will be available at Yatri Post Offices. These will be important souvenir for the Yatris”.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: Special Judge Anticorruption CBI Cases, B L Bhat today awarded two years imprisonment and fine of Rs 10000 to Khem Singh, then Senior Auditor (LAO) CDA Satwari, who was caught red-handed by CBI team on March 9, 2007 while accepting bribe of Rs 1700 from the complainant to pass the bills.
According to the CBI case,  Khem Singh had demanded Rs 1700 from Surinder Sharma of Gandhi Nagar for already passed bills amounting to Rs 34312 as commission. However, Surinder Sharma filed a complaint with the CBI which laid a trap and caught red-handed the accused.
After hearing Special PP S K Bhat for CBI whereas Advocate KK Sharma for the accused, Special Judge Anticorruption CBI Cases observed,  “prosecution has succeeded in establishing demand of bribe by the accused initially and at the time of trap”.
With these observations, the court convicted the accused of offence under Sections 161 RPC and Prevention of Corruption Act. “Since the accused is not proved to be a previous convict and there are no aggravating factors warranting an exemplary punishment, the adequate sentence commensurate with the level of his guilt would be one year’s rigorous imprisonment on each count and a consolidated fine of Rs 10,000”, the Court said.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: Special Judge Anticorruption CBI Cases, B L Bhat today awarded two years imprisonment and fine of Rs 10000 to Khem Singh, then Senior Auditor (LAO) CDA Satwari, who was caught red-handed by CBI team on March 9, 2007 while accepting bribe of Rs 1700 from the complainant to pass the bills.
According to the CBI case,  Khem Singh had demanded Rs 1700 from Surinder Sharma of Gandhi Nagar for already passed bills amounting to Rs 34312 as commission. However, Surinder Sharma filed a complaint with the CBI which laid a trap and caught red-handed the accused.
After hearing Special PP S K Bhat for CBI whereas Advocate KK Sharma for the accused, Special Judge Anticorruption CBI Cases observed,  “prosecution has succeeded in establishing demand of bribe by the accused initially and at the time of trap”.
With these observations, the court convicted the accused of offence under Sections 161 RPC and Prevention of Corruption Act. “Since the accused is not proved to be a previous convict and there are no aggravating factors warranting an exemplary punishment, the adequate sentence commensurate with the level of his guilt would be one year’s rigorous imprisonment on each count and a consolidated fine of Rs 10,000”, the Court said.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 30: A notorious criminal was today detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) and sent to the jail. He has been identified as Dheeraj Sharma alias Nikru, a resident of Dogra Hall.
A Pacca Danga police station team headed by SHO Inspector Bharat Sharma arrested the criminal as soon as District Magistrate, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma issued a PSA warrant against him on a dossier prepared by the district police.
Pacca Danga police executed the PSA warrant and sent the criminal to jail.
Police said Nikru was involved in four cases of attempt to murder, the latest being stabbing of a student at Dogra Hall.