Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, May 10: Minister for Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigzin Jora today inaugurated 10 upgraded rooms, conference hall and dormitory in Lala Rukh Hotel Srinagar. He also inaugurated Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) at Cheshmashashi.
Minister of State for Tourism & Culture and Home Nasir Aslam wani was also present on the occasion.
The upgradation work of 10 rooms, conference hall and dormitory have been completed at an expenditure of Rs. 50 lakh by Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC). These up gradations have been done for facility of tourists, who are being provided all sorts of comforts in the hotel. The Conference hall would provide conference facility to over 300 people at a time and dormitory accommodate 50 packs.
Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Atul Duloo, Director Tourism, Kashmir, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Managing Director, JKTDC, Satish Nehru, other senior officers of JKTDC besides a large number of tourists were present at the inaugural function.
Earlier, the Lala Rukh Restaurant was also opened for public after a gap of 20 years by the Corporation.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that to provide quality facilities to the visiting tourists the tourist related infrastructure is being upgraded at potential spots, adding that JKTDC is expending Rs. 4 crore for upgradation of its infrastructure throughout the state during current fiscal. He said Rs. 19 crore is also being spent on creating new assets in the shape of budgetary accommodation at Yusmarg, Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Cheshmashashi tourist spots through the Corporation.
Mr. Jora said in order to provide quality hospitality and cuisine facilities to the tourists at Tangmarg on way to Gulmarg, the gutted restaurant is being reconstructed at a cost of Rs. 60 lakh and would be completed this fiscal, adding that reconstruction of Patnitop club which was earlier under the occupation of security forces is also being taken up at a cost of Rs. 65 lakh.
The Minister said that the construction work of Budshah Hotel Srinagar is near completion at a cost of Rs. 4 crore and it has given a new look to Lal Chowk area. He said 40 rooms of Hotel Heemal have also been upgraded by expending Rs. 45 lakh, besides the dilapidated 7 huts at Cheshmashahi have been reconstructed with an expenditure of Rs. 60 lakh by the Corporation for facilitation of tourists.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 10: The displaced families from  Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli, Muzaffrabad, Bagh, Chhamb and Deva-Batala staged strong protest and then took out a rally here today.
Carrying banners and placards in hands, these refugee families were shouting slogans against the Government and projecting their demands. The people including women in large number earlier assembled at Bikram Chowk near sourthern end of Tawi bridge.
Under the leadership of Capt (Retd) Yudhvir Singh (president) and Rashpal Singh Chib, General Secretary, the displaced people held strong demonstration for about an hour. The protest march then started towards Dogra Chowk, under the banner of PoK Refugee Front -1947, 1965, 1971. The people raising hands were shouting slogans in support of their demands. The protesters after crossing Tawi bridge and Dogra Chowk reached at Press Club and then sat on protest dharna. Capt Singh and Mr Chib then addressed the gathering.
They resolved to intensify their ongoing struggle for the educational, employment, social, political and economic package. They demanded comprehensive settlement of  the issues of PoK refugees once for all. They have been given just false assurances by the State and Central Governments in last 60 years. They said their population is more than 15% of the total population in the State but their share in the Government jobs is very less. They condemned the State Government for its repressive attitude and said that despite several representations to Revenue Minister, Chief Minister and even to the Union Home Minister, their issues remained unattended. They dispersed after rally outside Press Club.

Excelsior Correspondent
Jalandhar , May 10 : Western Army’s month long   summer training in Central Punjab and J&K to test and validate the operational and transformationaleffectiveness of its formations entered the culmination phase today.
As part of the summer  collective training manoeuvres, various formations of the Rising Star Corps comprising approximately  twenty thousand soldiers, and a plethora of state of the art weapon systems are practicing  manoeuvres by day and night under near war like conditions.
The exercise envisages sustained manoeuvres, in a air land battle with complete integration of Air Force.  The exercise aims to test the preparedness level of forces, as a part of the Integrated Theatre Battle. Employment of new age technology, new concepts, organisational structures and networked operations is also being validated.
Lt Gen SR Ghosh, General Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Command, witnessed predominant battle manoeuvres of infantry, mechanised infantry, tanks, artillery, Heliborne troops and surveillance equipment.                                     Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and attack helicopters were also coopted in the operational scenario.  Many senior military officers from Western Command and Rising Star Corps were also present to witness the battle preparedness exercise.
While the acquisition of high technology weaponry and war fighting support systems are important pre requisite to success in battle, honing the skills of the ‘man behind the machine’ to apply infinite technology advancements in the fog of war and extreme conditions was put to test during the conduct of the exercise.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 10:- With a view to improve quality of services to consumers and increase accountability at all levels within the PDD, Government, after creation of JKSPDC, has taken first step, though much awaited, to unbundle the PDD.
The State Government has ordered establishment of State Transmission Utility (STU) comprising the two Systems and Operation Wings functioning in Jammu & Kashmir provinces. The State Transmission Utility will have additional 429 positions and also avail apportioned services and facilities commonly held earlier by Distribution and Transmission Wings.
The ‘State Transmission Utility’ will get corporatized in due course of time soon and would be able to expand itself in terms of organization and resources as per the requirement of the State. The new ‘Transmission Utility’ will have the flexibility of filing its own APR’s on self sustained basis and would be accountable for its quality services to Distribution Utility and other stakeholders.
This new organizational structure would enable the utility to avail funding from various institutions without being overly dependent on State Budget. As first step ‘State Utility’ has been mandated  to connect 50 grid stations of the J&K with optic fiber connectivity which has been estimated to cost around Rs 63 crore.
It would connect all high voltage sub stations of the state as also spare same capacity which can be hired out or leased by State Transmission Utility for income generation. State Transmission Utility has also been directed to work out perspective plan for transmission requirements of the State availing services of any experienced consultant. It has also been directed to establish Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADAS) to monitor and control all the stations even remotely.
The new organization will be headed by the Engineer-in Chief, which rank will be equivalent to that of Development Commissioner Power.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 10: State Vigilance Organization (SVO) caught red handed Patwari Halqa Zewan Mohammad Altaf Khan while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 5000.
A spokesman of the SVO said that one Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Hassan Bhat of Zewan Bala  lodged a written complaint with Police Station Vigilance Organisation mentioning that in order to sell his ancestral land at Zafran Colony Zewan he and his father approached  Patwari a number of times for issuance of revenue extracts of the land. But the Patwari avoided every time and finally demanded illegal gratification for issuance of revenue extracts.
On the basis of complaint, Vigilance sleuths laid a trap and caught accused Patwari red handed while demanding and accepting phenolphthalein dusted amount of  Rs 5000 from the complainant in the presence of independent witness.
The tainted bribe money was recovered from the possession of the accused and he was taken into custody for further investigations.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 10: The National Youth Corps (NYC) volunteers today gave an ultimatum of one week to the State Government for extension of their contracts failing which they will come out in protest and gherao the Civil Secretariat.
Hundreds of NYC volunteers carried out a protest demonstration here and sought intervention of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in fulfilling their demand of extension of the contracts that are expiring from June onwards.
During the protest the volunteers also took strong exception of the recent Government directive asking graduates among them to enroll under the ‘Udaan’ scheme launched by the Union Government for the skilled unemployed youth of the state. They termed the directive as a ploy to divide them and create confusion among their ranks.
Talking to Excelsior, Ajaz Ahmad Shah, General Secretary, NYC Volunteers Association said that the decision to gherao the Civil Secretariat has been taken following the alleged indifference of the Government towards their demands. He said that Chief Minister should come in and use his influence in extending their contracts beyond two years.
“We met the Youth Services and Sports Minister yesterday and he feigned ignorance about the directive under the Udaan scheme. He once again assured us that there would be extension in our contracts, but the formal orders are yet to be issued. Hopefully it would happen soon so that we are absolved of the mental tension,” said Ajaz.
Mudasir Hassan, State President, NYC Volunteers Association said the volunteers are carrying out most of the jobs in the Government departments. He said the youth engaged have given their valuable time, adding that Government should reciprocate their good work with the benefit of extension in the contracts.
The protesting volunteers said that Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President and Rajya Sabha member, Professor Saif-ud-din Soz had told them the orders for the extension of their contracts have already been issued. They said that Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, Ali Mohammad Sagar has also made the same announcement.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 10: Railways police, Northern Railways staff and RPF today removed a number of encroachments at Railway Station, Jammu, to de-congest it.
Police sources said a number of encroachments had been made at platforms of the Railway Station and other places, which were removed today in a joint operation conducted by Railways Police, RPF and staff of Northern Railways.
The encroachers were warned against turning up at the Railway Station in future.
SP Railways Shiv Kumar Sharma said any person having information about black-marketers, touts, encroachers etc can inform Railways Police at his mobile telephone number 9419156178. He said stern action would be taken against the accused.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 10: J&K Bank today inaugurated a fully computerized Business Unit (B/U) at Dayala Chak, Kathua.
Minister for State, Finance and Planning, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma snapped the ceremonial ribbon in presence of Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Zahida Khan, J&K Bank President and Zonal Head OP Sharma, officers from District Administration, senior officers of the bank and local populace.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sharma said that they are thankful to the leadership of the bank for opening the branch in the area and hoped that its establishment would usher in an era of economic growth and social well being for the people of the area.
OP Sharma in his speech impressed upon the people to avail the benefit of the products and services of the bank, which have been designed to meet all their financial and banking requirements.
The bank is planning to open five more branches at Kalibari, Sukrala Mata, Gurha Kalyal, Keeriyan Gandyal and Marta Nagrota besides five more ATMs in district Kathua, Sharma added.
At the end, Cluster Head Kathua, Suresh Kotwal, presented vote of thanks.

Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, May 10: At least  fifteen persons were injured, three of them seriously, when a bus over turned on the road near Purmandal, in district Samba today.
Reports said the mishap took place at around 12.30 pm when the bus, bearing registration No. JK02A/3417 was on its way to Purmandal from Jammu. The people on board told that the vehicle was being rashly driven and when it reached near Mandal  village,  just 3 kms short of  its destination (Purmandal), the front tyre of  the vehicle got burst.  With this, the  mini-bus  went out of control on the sloppy road and turned turtle on the road side. About  30-35 passengers were on board the bus.
The people of the area rushed to the spot after coming to know about the accident. The local police also reached there. They shifted the injured persons to Primary  Health Centre, Purmandal in private vehicles. Some of the injured were discharged after providing first-aid at Purmandal hospital. Nine injured persons were later referred to Govt Medical College Hospital, Jammu.
The injured were identified as Auvtar Bibi, Joru Ram, Seema Devi, Tripta Devi, Shardu Devi, Prem Nath, Santosh Devi, Babu Ram, Bodh Raj, Indro Devi, Ratno Devi and Romail Singh, all residents of  Purmandal and adjoining area.
The police said that a case has been registered in this connection and  investigation started. Despite poor condition of  tyres, the vehicle was being driven fast by the driver, who was absconding. It said the condition of three accident victims was serious.  Some of them went home after getting first-aid at local hospital.