JAMMU, Mar 14: The Forum of Recognised Colleges (FORCE) in collaboration with Indian Colleges Forum, New Delhi, is going to organise a national level summit titled Higher Education Summit-2012 at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu from March 16 to 17.
Harbans Singh, former Minister and President, FORCE, while briefing the media said the theme of the summit will be “Higher Education for Innovation and Change” wherein over 100 intellectuals from across the country are likely to participate.
He further said the objective of this summit was to highlight the problems and issues faced by higher education and to devise ways to make education socially relevant and employment oriented.
The summit would comprise of various technical sessions like Policy; Practice and Resource Constraint Hindering Innovation and Change; Making Higher Education responsive to innovations and change: Academic initiatives and use of ICT; Role of Private Sector in promoting Higher Education; Best Practices of Innovation and Change in Higher Education; Leadership role in Enabling Higher Education and Change etc.
Harbans Singh added that the report of the summit will be compiled and sent to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, UGC, Department of Higher Education for further necessary action in this regard.
The valedictory function will be held on March 17 at the same venue.
SRINAGAR, Mar 14: The State Information Commission (SIC) is mulling to impose penalty on Assistant Director (Planning) Department of Education who is the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the department as he has failed to provide information about the mid-day meal scheme within the stipulated time frame.
Chief Information Commissioner, G. R Sufi said that the PIO of the Education Department has failed to provide details about the mid-day meal scheme as sought by Haji Ahsan Ali Gonkhapa through a Right to Information (RTI) application within 30 days of the date of RTI application.
Sufi said that since information has been delayed to the RTI applicant by the Education department, the PIO of the department is liable for penalty from April 24, 2010. He said the Education Department should not have any hesitation in providing the information as it was a Government Department and relates to very important aspect of the Government expenditure.
On March 25, 2010 Ahsan had moved the RTI application seeking information about the details of mid-day meal scheme provided to the school children in the state with district wise details for the last three years. He also wanted to know the details about the meals provided to the school children and the expenditure incurred on the scheme in the whole state during the last three years.
Ahsan also wanted to know details about the mid-day meal scheme in Kargil district for the three years and how much money was spent in this district from 2007 to the date of application. He further wanted to know the menu of the mid-day meals being provided to the school children of the state.
The RTI applicant had sought information about the school buildings constructed under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the state since the inception of the scheme. He wanted details about the money spent on the construction purposes under the SSA scheme in the state along with the criteria set out for the allotment of work in this regard.
Under provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009, the School Education Department was supposed to provide the information within a maximum period of 30 days to the information seeker, but nothing of that sort happened. The information sought by the RTI applicant was provided after one and a half year.
After not receiving the details, Ahsan approached the State Information Commission and filed a complaint on August 29, 2011. As the complaint was un-signed it was returned to Ahsan and following this he submitted a signed copy on September 19, 2011.
In his decision, the Information Commissioner said that as per section 7 of the State RTI Act 2009 order was to be passed as expeditiously as possible but no later than 30 days from the receipt of the RTI application.
JAMMU, Mar 14: State High Court today stayed investigation in the FIR No.6/2012 under Section 420 RPC registered at City Police Station against Madan Aggarwal.
After hearing Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi assisted by Advocate Sumit Singh, Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir issued notice to State through Principal Secretary Home, SSP Jammu, SHO Police Station City Jammu and IGP Jammu, Dilbagh Singh for filling objections within three weeks.
In the meantime, the High Court stayed the investigation in the case till next date of hearing.
SRINAGAR, Mar 14: Two hundred stranded passengers of Kargil were airlifted in special aircraft of IL-76 Indian Air Force from Jammu to Leh today. Another flight took off from Srinagar to Leh with 225 passengers, but had to return to Srinagar due to high velocity winds enroute.
In view of the cancellation of flight, arrangements have been made for airlifting these passengers on March 15 subject to fair weather.
The Kargil bound passengers at Srinagar, who are in possession of air tickets of Kargil courier from No: 16 to flight No: 20 have been advised to report Kargil House Bemina at 7.00 am and passengers of Flight No: 21 to flight No; 25 have been asked to report at 8.30 a.m on Thursday March 15, 2012.
Similarly, Kargil bound passengers at Jammu have been advised to reach Kargil House Jammu at 7 a.m on March 15, 2012.
JAMMU, March 14: To mark the hundred years of Civil Aviation, Department of Posts has brought out a commemorate stamp today.
The stamp was released in a special function at Jammu Airport today by State Chief General Post Master, John Samuel.
Director Jammu Airport was the guest of honour on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Samuel said Civil Aviation in India has been the success story of last 100 years adding that Philately has been closely associated with Civil Aviation, since the introduction of Airmail and aero philately.
He said aero philately has become one of the favourite areas of philately.
He also announced that a special stamp exhibition on airmail and Civil Aviation will be held in Srinagar in April 2012. The exhibition will display stamps on Aircrafts and Airmail across the world.
The new stamps on Civil Aviation will be available for the public at Gandhi Nagar Philately Bureau.
Director, State Airport Authority, M Suresh and Superintendent, Post Offices Jammu also spoke on the occasion. Besides, officers from all airlines, CRPF and police posted at the airport were also present.
Meanwhile Samuel dedicated a fully computerized and modernized post office established at Airport to provide art facilities to the passengers and members of airport authority and security personnel deployed there, which will also provide speed post services to the people.
Samuel apprised the gathering that all departmental post offices have been taken for computerization during the present financial year.
JAMMU, Mar 14: A deputation of Members of Gujjar Advisory Board today called on Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and discussed various matters relating to the welfare of Gujjar and Bakerwal community.
The deputation comprising of Inam Hafeez Choudhary, Choudhary Lal Mohammad Sabir, Arshid Chaudhary, Sardar Khan, A. G. Kohli, Masood Naseem, Choudhary Salam-ud-Din and Haji Mohammad Lateef discussed matters pertaining to the regular flow of funds under Tribal Sub-Plan for the development of Gujjars and Bakerwals. It also discussed the educational status of the students of the community and requested for grant of additional mobile schools.
Another deputation of Sarpanches and Panches from Reasi district in its meeting with the Chief Minister requested him for special packages for faster development of the backward and remote areas of the district. The deputation also discussed development issues pertaining to the upgradation of drinking water, power and road communication sectors in this district. It also sought special employment package in Police Department for the youth of backward pockets of Reasi district.
Both the deputations assured the support to the coalition government led by Omar Abdullah in its efforts for holistic and inclusive development of all areas and all sections of the society.
The Chief Minister gave patient hearing and said that the issues underlined by the deputations for the welfare and development of the people would be given due consideration.
Jammu, Mar 14: Owing to the violent students-police clash on Jammu University (JU) campus the other day, the atmosphere remained charged up on Wednesday as well as the students and non-teaching employees held protest separately to express their anguish.
The non-teaching employees boycotted work and held dharna near the administrative block. The students belonging to different organisations boycotted their classes and unitedly staged demonstration in front of University main gate amid the presence of storng posse of police personnel.
A large number of female students were also present in the protest who were shouting slogans against the police for subjecting them to brutal lathicharge in the campus yesterday.
They also disrupted the vehicular movement on the road. However, police dispersed them after some time.
Thereafter, they assembled in front of the Central Library and continued shouting slogans till the afternoon. On other side, the non-teaching employees also continued dharna demanding action against the students who indulged in man-handling and ransacking. They were also demanding adequate security at the work place so that yesterday’s incident would not be repeated. Till afternoon, the entire functioning in the campus remained absolutely paralysed.
The Vice Chancellor, Dr Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, himself intervened to end the dead-lock. According to Registrar, Dr Naresh Padha, “The VC twice met the non-teaching employee to pacify them. The first meeting was held at 10:30 in the morning. Thereafter, he met them at 2:00 in afternoon. He assured them of adequate security besides, action against the persons responsible for yesterday’s incident. On this, the non-teaching employees resumed work.”
After this he went to the protesting students and pacified them also with an assurance that committee is looking into the whole episode and guilty will not be spared, he added. The students too responded to the assurance of the VC and dispersed peacefully.
It is pertinent to mention here that a violent clash took place on the campus on Tuesday afternoon between police and students. A five member committee headed by HoD Education Dr Lokesh Verma is looking into the incident. The committee has started inquiring the episode and will submit the report within 15 days.
JAMMU, Mar 14: Justice Virender Singh and Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir, Judges of the High Court, met N. N. Vohra, Governor, at Raj Bhavan here this evening.
During their meeting, the Governor and the Judges discussed issues relating to the highly beneficial services being rendered by the J&K High Court Legal Services Committee. They also discussed the broad agenda of the Conference on Mediation and Conciliation Activities being organized by the State High Court at Jammu on 17th March, 2012.
V. K. Duggal, former Union Home Secretary also called as Mr Vohra
During their hour long meeting, the Governor and Mr. Duggal held wide-ranging discussions on various important issues relating to the internal security management.
Also present in the meeting were R. V. Raju, former Director General, National Investigating Agency and ex-Director General, Vigilance, J&K, and Ravi Dhingra, former Chief Secretary, Himachal Pradesh. Both of them are Members of the Task Force on Internal Security.
Meanwhile, a deputation from Vijaypur area of Samba district called on Mr Vohra, and presented to him a memorandum of their demands.
The demands presented by the 11-member deputation led by Rani Billowria, former Deputy Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation, included, upgradation of road from Vijaypur to Nandpur and Vijaypur to Keso Barota, augmentation of drinking water and irrigation facilities, conducting afresh survey of BPL families, opening of more ration depots and shifting of fencing from the agricultural land to the Zero Line in the area.
The Governor gave a patient hearing to the deputation.
SRINAGAR, Mar 14: The Forest Department today reverted14 Range Officers of the department, who were promoted fraudulently and kept in abeyance the subsequent promotion of 34 in-charge Range Officers after the enquiry committee constituted by the State Government established the fraud.
The Forest Department in its order (115-FST of 2012 dated March 13, 2012) has admitted that mistakes have taken place in the promotion process. It said that 14 foresters have been placed as in-charge range officers in violation of the promotion rules.
“The report of the committee was examined in the administrative department and it has been decided to keep in abeyance, the placement orders of all the 34 foresters as in-charge range officers ordered by then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests from time to time,” the order said.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests will assign the charge of the ranges, which these 34 officials were holding, to the range officers of adjoining areas, till further orders.
According to the order, the officials who have been reverted are Hakim Mohammad Ashraf, Firdous Ahmad, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, Nazir Ahmad Mir, Mushtaq Ahmad Khaki, Mohammad Shaban Bhat, Mohammad Mansoor Shah, Abdul Rashid Bhat, Satish Kumar Bhat, Mohammad Rafiq Teli, Mohammad Amin Bhat, Manzoor Naseem, Farooq Ahmad Khan, Abdul Rashid Shah, Mohammad Amin Magray, Noor Mohammad Khan, Mohammad Munawar Bhat, Naseeb Singh, Mohammad Iqbal Lone, Krishan Singh, Harmeet Singh, Bashir Ahmad Mir, Syed Irshad Hussain, Muzaffar Ahmad, Pritam Lal, Khursheed Gul, Rajesh Bakshi, Kulwant Singh, Vilayat Mohammad Ali, Munish Gupta, Goga Ram Sharma, Mohammad Altaf Dar, Munshi Ghulam Nabi and Zaffar Iqbal Khan.
It would be in place to mention here that the Government had set up the Enquiry Committee consisting Chief Conservator of Forests-Kashmir, Chief Conservator of Forests-Jammu and Mohammad Mumtaz Ali, Deputy Secretary to Government, Forest Department to probe the promotion scandal in the Forest Department.
It may be mentioned here that some non-Kashmir Forest Training Course (KFC) Foresters were promoted as the Range Officers in violation of the service rules while KFC trained Foresters were denied promotion.
As per the service rules, KFC is the necessary criteria for the promotion to the level of Range Officers in the Forest Department.
Principal Chief Conservator Forests (PCCF), R. D Tiwari had issued three orders on December 7, 2011 according to which three non-KFC foresters were given the charge of in-charge Range Officers in different places of the Kashmir valley. In addition to this he had issued three similar orders in August while as one order was issued in July.
According to the order number 397 of 2011 issued on 7-12-2011, Abdul Rashid Shah, Forester, Urban Forestry Division, Srinagar was transferred and posted as In-charge Range Officer Central Control Room Urban Forestry Division against an available vacancy.
The placement of Shah was purely on temporary basis and the same will not confer any preferential claim upon him as and when the posts of Range officers are filled up under rules, the order said.
Two more orders 398 of 2011 and 399 of 2011 were issued on the same date whereby Farooq Ahmad Khan, Forester, Planning and Publicity Division, Srinagar was transferred and posted as In-charge Range Officer, Control Room Sindh Forest Division Ganderbal while as Manzoor Ahmad Naseem, Forester, Urban Forestry Division, Srinagar transferred and posted as In-charge Range Officer Estate (B) against an available vacancy.
On July 30, the PCCF had issued order number 229 of 2011 according to which Noor Mohammad Bhat, Forester, Resources Survey Division Srinagar was transferred and posted as In-charge Range Officer Wular Project.
Tiwari also issued three more orders 262 of 2011, 264 of 2011 and 269 of 2011 dated August 23, 27 and 30, 2011 according to which three officers were promoted as in-charge range officers.
In the order, PCCF had mentioned that the services of Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, Forester, Sindh Forest Division, shall be utilized in KFT School, Chitternar-Bandipora as in-charge range officer.
Similarly, Khursheed Gul, Forester, Lidder Forest Division was transferred and posted as in-charge range officer control room, Shopian against an available vacancy.
Mohammad Amin Magray, Forester awaiting orders of posting in Anantnag Forest Division was transferred to Wular Project as incharge range officer.
It would be in place to mention here that Noor Mohammad Bhat, Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, Khursheed Gul and Mohammad Amin Magray were promoted despite falling much below in the seniority list. Many of the seniors were left out in the promotion list despite possessing all requisite qualifications.
The enquiry committee submitted its report to environment and forest minister, Mian Altaf Ahmad on February 9.
It is pertinent to mention here that Excelsior had exposed the promotion scandal in December last year after which enquiry was ordered .
MELBOURNE, Mar 14: While they live up to their image of aggressive creatures, more often than not Crayfish use bluff to make their opponents back off from a fight, pretending they are stronger than they really.
According to a report in the ABC, Crayfish would lose a fight if they were called on their bluff.
“Most male crayfish are extremely aggressive and can fight over just about everything including females, food and shelter,” said Queensland University researcher Robbie Wilson.
Their principal weapons are their two front claws, which are capable of grabbing and throwing the opponent around, ripping off a claw or even killing. It’s amazing to witness a fight. It can go on for as long as an hour,” Wilson said.
He said but most crayfish disagreements are sensibly settled before it reaches this stage, by crayfish sizing each other up.
For example, in one ritual, a crayfish will lay down his claws while his opponent taps and rubs them.
After this, one crayfish usually backs off in the belief that they are no match for their opponent’s apparent strength.
But, Wilson and his co-author of Arizona State University have found that crayfish can bluff their opponents.
They studied the interaction of about 70 crayfish and tested the actual strength of their claws by measuring the force with which they pinched two pieces of metal together.
The researchers found that the size of a crayfish’s claws does not reflect its actual strength. Some crayfish in their study displayed large claws but had very little muscle power.
“We call this dishonesty. They were displaying to others that they were strong, high-quality males, but in actual fact they were cheating. They were actually weaker than what they were actually displaying,” Wilson said.
“Unlike soft-skinned humans whose muscles are on display for everyone to see, crustaceans’ hard shell, or exoskeleton, is particularly good at hiding how strong they are. It’s like putting a shell around a human arm and you have no idea how strong the person is until they start punching you,” he says.
Given that 80 per cent of disagreements are settled at the sizing-up stage, this leaves a lot of room for deception.
As well as some large claws actually having very little strength due to a lack of muscle, some small claws can be stronger than larger ones.
To add to this complexity, the two front claws on a crayfish can differ in size and the larger claw may be stronger, weaker or the same strength as the smaller claw.
“It’s very difficult for an opponent to actually know the animal’s overall strength but also which is going to be the stronger claw. But the fact that it’s also costly if you get your bluff called limits the evolution of deception. If you do get figured out, you get severely punished,” he says. (PTI)
