Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21:- Besides giving women their due share, the BJP will this time put young faces and new entrants to contest the coming Urban Local Bodies and Municipal Corporation elections in the state.
This was stated by Party co-convener, J&K, R P Singh while talking to this reporter here, today. Mr Singh said these elections will prove an opportunity to young cadres to show their strength and capability and the Party will be open for new entrants joining it during the elections.
Elated over Party’s performance in Delhi Municipal elections and defeat of Congress in Municipal poll in Mumbai and Assembly elections in Punjab, UP and Goa, he exuded confidence that BJP will also romp home in the ensuing urban local bodies and municipal corporation elections in the state.
Mr Singh said that Party besides contesting the municipal committee elections and JMC elections in Jammu region, will also field the candidates for Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and its vice president, Chander Parkash Ganga has been made in charge of the same.
He said besides local issues concerning the people, the corruption and price hike will also be dominating issues in these elections. The people have now realized that price hike is directly linked to corruption and wrong policies of UPA were responsible for the same. So they will definitely vote for the best option against the Congress, he added.
He said the duties were divided among party leadership and the candidates name gathering process has started. Those who are interested in contesting the elections should send their names to Party chief, he added.
Mr Singh said the Party will go in these elections with full might and the strategy to be adopted by it during the municipal elections will be a key to its success especially in those areas where from Partymen were expelled for anti party activities.
Having no regrets for expelling the rebels from the Party, Mr Singh said BJP is more important than individuals. Without naming the seven rebel MLAs, he said the people in last Assembly elections voted for Party and not for individuals.
He said our endeavor is to strengthen the organizational system where we can rake up national issues besides discussing local issues and the misgovernance of coalition in the state and UPA at Centre.
He said Party cadres have been given instructions to visit from door to door for enrolment of voters.
BJP to put young faces in municipal poll, field candidates for SMC also: Singh
Mock fire drill at LPG Plant conducted
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: A mock ‘Emergency Response Drill’ was conducted by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at their LPG Bottling Plant situated at Bari Brahmana.
Various state Govt. deptts. like J&K Fire and Emergency Services, J&K Pollution Control Board, ESI Hospital and neighbouring industries like Hindustan Petroleum Corporation participated in this exercise. Indian Oil Corporation’s Plant Manager Tejpal Dahiya was the Fire-in-chief & site controller; who supervised the entire mock emergency drill.
Mr Dahiya told that such exercises are conducted by them on a regular basis so as to assess the emergency preparedness of their employees and response time of the concerned Govt. departments and the neighbouring mutual-aid partner industries.
The action started when the emergency siren began to ring declaring the ‘Filled LPG Tanker on Fire’ within the bottling plant premises. All the plant officers and employees were shown the exact location of the incident and they immediately rushed to the area and combated the fire emergency with their capacity. While the fire combat team reached the spot and immediately started damage control, fire extinguishers were operated to control the fire and after that the automatic water spray system started its cooling effect. The other teams lead by Mohinder Kumar, Anchal Dass, Neha Thapa & Suman Tagotra also actively participated in this mock fire emergency drill.
Kuldeep Bhan District Officer, Pollution Control Board, Samba and S.C. Verma, Divisional Fire Officer Samba participated in the drill along with other Fire Officials .
Govt allots 36 kanals land to KV Kathua
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Apr 21: The District Revenue authorities have allotted 36 kanals of land in favour of Kendriya Vidyalaya Kathua which was running since long without its own building.
Out of the total 70 kanals of land required for the KV project at Chak Ludan (near Janglote), remaining land is said to be under process of acquiring and is likely to be included in the proposed project. At present, this school was functioning in the old hospital premises since 2003. There was no up-gradation of this High School since long. The school authorities had stopped admitting new children for the last two years with the plea that it had not its own building with the result the children of the area were suffering. The people of town have urged the concerned authorities to start building construction at the earliest.
CCI seeks review in power tariff hike
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: Expressing its concern over the recent hike in the power tariff, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu has demanded that State Electricity Regulatory Authority must go for its review.
President of the CCI Jammu, Y V Sharma said that hike in the power tariff announced by the J&K SERC was unjustified. It will cause affect on the Industry and the traders as well. The sharp hike will also impact the prospectus of the industrial investment which is the State is expecting from outside.
He said the Government must go for strengthening power infrastructure and put its best efforts to provide uninterrupted power supply to the industry. He said Jammu region is contributing a major share towards the revenue on account of power supply. There was urgent need to plug the T&D losses and improve power generation so that industry could grow in better way. He demanded concessional power supply to the industry in J&K.
The Chamber president urged the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene personally and issue directions in this regard as strong resentment was brewing among the members of trade and industry over the hike.
Tributes paid to Bali on death anniversary
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: Rich tributes were paid to former minister and NC leader late Bodh Raj Bali on his 9th death anniversary in a function held at party office here today.
While paying tributes, vice chairman of Kissan Development Advisory Board, Rashpal Singh said that late Bali was honest, humble and noble leader who served his people, specially weaker sections of the society with dedication and sincerity. He said that the services rendered by the late leader in upliftment of down-trodden, poor and party in general will be remembered by coming generations.
Senior NC leader Sheikh Bashir Ahmed said that late Bodh Raj Bali was a man of principles who worked throughout his life for strengthening democratic values and his services will be remembered for a long time to come. He was provincial president of Jammu province in early 80s and late 90s also. He organized the party in Jammu province in crucial years. He served the party as cabinet minister during the regime of Dr Farooq Abdullah. He was vice chairman of Jammu Central Cooperative Bank during late Sheikh Sahib’s period.
Provincial president of Women’s wing for the party, Vijay Laxmi Dutta, while paying tributes said that women folk organized themselves in Jammu province under the guidance of late Bali Saheb as he was keen for the upliftment of this important section of society. It is due to his continuous thrust that women in good strength are working in the party in every district in the region.
Prominent among others present on the occasion included Jugal Mahajan, Pardeep Bali, S S Bunty, Ayub Malik, S S Jamwal, Rakesh Singh, Susheel Gupta, Pankaj Kohli, Pinki Bhat, Rashida Begum, M L Munshi, Uma Jamwal, Rekha Chib, Saroj Gupta, Karuna, Anuradha Goswami and Swarn Singh Chib.
J&K Bank finances 60 sheep rearing units
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 21: J&K Bank in collaboration with the Department of Sheep Husbandry and an NGO Deep Foundation organised a programme for implementing centrally sponsored scheme titled “Integrated Development of Small Ruminants & rabbits (IDSR)”.
District Development Commissioner Mohammad Rafi was the chief guest on the occasion. J&K Bank Zonal Head (Kashmir Central) Bashir Ahmad Lone, Cluster Head Budgam Abdul Hamid Khan, some officials from Sheep Husbandry Department and representatives of Deep Foundation were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, DDC Budgam gave a detailed overview of the importance of lending in agriculture & allied activities. He said, “Agriculture and its allied activities is the mainstay of our economy and offers a huge scope for lending so that the actual potential of the sector is realized and its benefits are fairly distributed.”
DDC distributed sanctioning letters of 60 sheep rearing units among beneficiaries on the spot.
Meanwhile, Zonal Head J&K Bank highlighted the importance of agricultural as the backbone of economy and the role played by the bank in boosting agriculture sector in the state.
Cluster Head Budgam informed the beneficiaries about various schemes and initiatives taken by the bank for eradication of unemployment and upliftment of economically down trodden sections of society across the state including Budgam district.
Meanwhile, J&K Bank RSETI Poonch concluded its 21-days ‘Skill Development Programme’ on dress designing for women in which 35 unemployed women of the district participated. The programme was conducted in association with the DRDA Poonch.
District Development Commissioner Poonch Ajit Kumar Sahu was the chief guest at the valedictory function held at the RSETI.
Earlier, Suresh Gupta, Director JKBRSETI, Poonch gave a brief presentation on the role of the RSETI.
Provide food to yatris as per diet chart : Governor to SABLO
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: A 5-member deputation of the representatives of the Shri Amarnath Barfani Langar Organisation (SABLO) called on N. N. Vohra, Governor, at Raj Bhavan here today.
The deputation was led by Vijay Thakur, President, and Rajan Gupta, General Secretary of SABLO.
Interacting with the deputation, the Governor emphasized that the langar service should be ensured for the Yatris at all the identified places till the conclusion of the pilgrimage. He urged the langars to provide food as per the diet chart circulated to them, which takes into account the nutritional requirements of the Yatris, particularly in view of the high altitude and difficult climatic conditions in the Yatra area.
The Governor also stressed the crucial importance of maintaining hygienic conditions in and around all langars, during the entire Yatra period, for protecting the environment of the area.
The SABLO deputation assured the Governor, who is the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, that they will fully regard his direction and devote special attention to maintaining cleanliness in the entire Yatra area, particularly in and around the Langar areas. They also put forward several suggestions for improving the Yatra facilities.
Navin Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, and Preet Pal Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer of the Board, attended the meeting.
The deputation comprised Pawan Saboo, Chairman, SABLO, Kapil Kapoor and Rajiv Sikri, its Members.
Governor, CM inaugurate WSS to meet requirement of Vaishnodevi pilgrims
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: N. N. Vohra, Governor and Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister, today jointly inaugurated Rs. 13.65 crore Water Supply Scheme which lifts water from Pai Nallah, near Katra, and supplies it to Adhkwari and Bhavan for meeting the requirements of the Shri Mata Vaishno Deviji pilgrims.
With the commissioning of this scheme, the water supply has been augmented by 6 lakh gallons per day, of which 4 lakh gallons per day will be supplied to Bhavan and 2 lakh gallons to Adhkwari.
Inaugurating the scheme at Nav Devian, Governor, who is the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, observed that the successful completion of this important scheme is an excellent example of the very close coordination between the Shrine Board and the State Government for providing satisfactory facilities and arrangements for the ever growing pilgrimage, which crossed the one crore mark last year.
The Governor observed that the decision to implement the Pai Nallah Water Scheme was taken at a meeting, held on 5th September 2009, which was jointly chaired by the Governor and the Chief Minister, where it was decided that the total cost of the scheme would be equally shared by the Shrine Board and the State Government.
The Governor further observed that several other similar infrastructural projects, for meeting the requirements of the pilgrimage, have already been completed. He said that the Shrine Board has a very significant stake in the planned and orderly development of the Katra town and all its surrounding areas and, in this context, he has been having regular periodic meetings with the Chief Minister as well as with the other concerned Ministers.
The Governor reiterated the need for the planning and execution of additional water supply schemes to meet the future requirements of the Shrine and the Katra area, both of which have been growing at a fast pace. He also stressed the need for organised efforts for rain water harvesting and watershed programmes being implemented within given time frames. It is also necessary for the ground water aquifers being recharged through large scale plantation and greening of the area. He mentioned that the Shrine Board has been making serious efforts in this regard and, in the past three years, over two lakh saplings have already been planted while an equal number are planned to be put in the ground in the coming months.
The Chief Minister complimented the PHE Department for executing the Pai Nallah project in two and a half years against the initially targeted period of three years. While underlining the importance for exploring all possible sources for the augmentation of water supply in this entire area, the Chief Minister informed that the Government has already taken up another multi crore scheme for augmenting the water supply to Katra town.
Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Taj Mohi-ud-Din stated that the Pai Nallah Scheme, funded equally by the Shine Board and the State Government, has involved the laying of almost 12 km of pipeline from the source to the final outlet. He stated that it is a six-stage scheme which has a 30,000 GPH filtration plant at Nav Devian.
Amongst others the inauguration ceremony was attended by Nasir Aslam Wani, Minister of State for Home and PHE, Jugal Kishore, MLC, Baldev Raj Sharma, MLA Reasi, Jagjeevan Lal, former Minister, B. D. Sharma, Commissioner/ Secretary PHE, Dr. M. K. Bhandari, Additional Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB, B. R. Dogra, Chief Engineer, PHE and other senior officers of the State Government and the Shrine Board.
Sagar distributes lakh cheques
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 21: An awareness-cum-scholarship distribution camp was organized by the Social Welfare Department in Government Girls High School, Nowhatta.
The Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar was the chief guest on the occasion.
In his speech, the Minister exhorted the Social Welfare authorities to help the people by way of providing financial assistance through welfare schemes launched by the department as the Government is committed to improve the socio-economic condition of the downtrodden and other backward communities. For this purpose, the Social Welfare Department has to play a pivotal role.
The Minister distributed scholarship cheques worth Rs. 3.85 lakh among 185 beneficiaries arranged by the Social Welfare Department under National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and pre-matric scholarships.
The Director, Social Welfare, Hilal Ahmad Parray, District Social Welfare Officer, Principals, Headmasters of different educational institutions, field functionaries of Social Welfare Department, teachers, students and members of civil society were present in the function and the speakers threw light on the various social welfare schemes launched by the Government from time to time.
Court awards 10 yrs RI to 5 LeT militants
Firing on Amarnath yatris in 2000
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: Principal Sessions Judge Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh Jamwal today awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000 to five Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, who were involved in the firing on Shri Amarnath Yatris at Hari Singh Higher Secondary School on August 1, 2000.
According to the police case, these five militants namely Imran Qazi, son of Talat Niaz Qazi of Mast Garh, Assad Ullah Malik alias Matoo, son of Mohammad Shafi of Talab Khatika, Shabir Ahmed, son of Shemas Din of Bhaderwah, Faizl Muneer, son of Mohd Sadiq of Talab Khatika and Tariq Hussain, son of Gh Mohd Bhat of Dongia Bathindi in connivance with each other and at the instance of LeT and ISI played important role in the attack on Amarnath Yatris at Hari Singh Higher Secondary School where registration of pilgrims was going on.
Moreover, they had plans to carry out grenade attacks in the busy areas of Jammu city like Raghunath Bazar, City Chowk, Jewel Chowk and Secretariat.
After hearing both the sides, Principal Sessions Judge observed, “though the offence committed by the accused does not invite any lenient view yet as per the relevant law and legal provisions contained in Arms Act the minimum sentence is for seven years and fine”.
“The Court is conscious of the fact that accused have been aiding and were providing the arms and ammunition to the militants but no such evidence could be collected. But it was only collected that accused were in possession of the arms and ammunition only”, the Court said, adding “in case lenient view is taken, these people would be encouraged to repeat the same kind of offence”.
Accordingly, the Court rejected the request of counsel for the accused for taking lenient view against the convicts and awarded 10 years RI and fine of Rs 10,000 to all the five accused.