DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2015 (PAGE 7)

Physically challenged persons on hunger strike

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 28: Thephysically challenged personshave decried the "apathy" of StateGovernment towards them andstarted "indefinite" hunger strikeover non-fulfillment of theirdemands.

The physically challengedpersons, who started the hunger

strike under the banner of Jammuand Kashmir HandicappedAssociation at Press Enclavehere, have put series of demandsbefore the Government whichinclude setting up of an AdvisoryBoard and appointment of full-time Disability Commissioner.

The other demands includeincrease in monthly pension fromrupees 400 to 4000, reservationquota in employment, allotmentof plots and shops, 3 percentreservation in all District boardsconstituted by Government andprivate sector for various classesof people and health covers withspecial package as well as freemedical aid in Government andprivate nursing homes.

The president of HandicappedAssociation, Abdul Rasheed, saidthe ruling coalition, like its prede-cessors, has also "ignored theplight" of physically challengedpersons. "Due to governmentapathy, 5 lakh physically chal-lenged persons are running frompillar to post in search of digni-fied life," he said.

Rasheed said they had sought

a meeting with Chief Ministerand few other Cabinet Ministersbut none of them responded."Recently we met Governor NNVohra and apprised him about ourissues. Although he wrote toChief Minister and MoS SocialWelfare but no positive responsecame from their side," he said.

Warning State Government,the president of HandicappedAssociation said the hunger strikewould continue till their demandsand issues are sorted out. "And, ifhunger strike failed to influenceGovernment, we will take diresteps and the ruling coalitionwould be responsible for thesame," he added.

The members of National United Front handing over wheel-chairs to Railway authorities at Jammu on Friday.

NUF provides wheel-chairsto Jammu Railway Station

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: In further-ance of its social responsibilitythe National United Front, aRegistered NGO, organized afunction at Platform Number 1,Railway Station Jammu, outsidethe office premises of StationManager, Railway StationJammu today.

The chief patron of theNational United Front VijayMahajan in presence of all themembers of the NUF and severalreputed dignitaries handed overthree wheel-chairs to SeniorDTM Railways Jammu DivisionR N Meena.

The wheel-chairs were pro-vided by the NUF to RailwayStation keeping in view the hard-ships being confronted by theaged and physically challenged asalso other passengers who areunable to move on their own for

obvious reasons while arriving ator departing from the RailwayStation.

It may be recalled that earlieralso the National United Fronthad provided wheel chairs toRailway Station Jammu as also toGovernment Hospital GandhiNagar Jammu besides holding afree medical check-up camps at IR Clinic at Janipur Jammu.

The occasion was gracedamong others by the presidentJammu Chamber of Commerceand Industries, Rakesh Mahajan,Joint Director J&K SRTC, R SJamwal, Station Superintendant,Ashwani Kumar and members ofNational United front includingchairman Anil Sharma, Generalsecretary Sanjay Sharma, treasur-er Bharat Bhushan, Nagar MalChargotra, Sudhir Ganjoo, AjayLanger, Shashi Sapolia, U KHandoo etc.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: AarakshanVirodhi Party (AVP) andAarakshan Virodhi Manch(AVM) today demanded to endthe existing system of reservation.

Addressing a joint press con-ference of AVP and AVM here atGeeta Bhawan, Sat Pal Sharma,AVP president, said that unre-served categories have been rele-gated due to reserving everythingin this so called secular countryfrom education to loans and jobsto promotion.

“As a result unreserved cate-gories are finding themselves onthe margin of social spectrum. Thediscontentment has reached to anuneasy level and manifestation ofthe outburst has been witnessed atseveral places across the country;unreserved have began to raisetheir voice against caste based dis-crimination and have formed theirorganizations (social and politi-cal)”, he added.

Ram Paul Seth, an AVMleader said that the Jats inHaryana, Gujjars in Rajasthan andPatel in Gujarat demand OBC sta-tus and reservations. Likewisemany other ethnic groups are also

likely to demand OBC status, hesaid adding the country is going toface hard time as discriminationon the basis of caste, religion andregion has been causing a bigworry to the talented youth beingignored due to reservation.

“Today’s situation demandsending the existing system ofreservation because every left outethnic group has been demandingreservation and bringing thoseethnic groups in the reserved cate-gory has the potential of trigger-ing huge ethnic conflicts in thecountry”, he rued and appealedthe people of general category tosupport them economically andpersonally for this movementagainst caste based reservation.

He alleged that due to castebased reservation general catego-ry youths and poor people are suf-fering and demanded special sup-port measures for the poor, needyand deserving people of all castesand religions.

He disclosed that AVM willpay tribute on September 24 to theMartyrs of 1990 who had sacri-ficed their lives against MandalCommission.

Akhtar visits Leh campus of Kashmir University

Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, Aug 28: Minister forEducation, Naeem Akhtar todayvisited the Leh campus of theKashmir University here to takestock of the progress of work.The Minister also took a reviewof the educational facilities in thedistrict.

Expressing satisfaction overthe work going on in the upcom-ing campus, the Minister said theoperationalization of the campuswould open new vistas in highereducation for the desert districtsof Leh and Kargil. He said giventhe picturesque location of theLeh campus, it would provide thebest academic environs to thestudents.

The Minister also visited theupcoming campus of the FoodCraft Institute Leh which is near-ing completion. He interactedwith the students and the facultymembers of the institute andenquired about the facilitiesthere.

The Minister was informedthat the Food Craft Institute Lehhas recently got affiliated withNational Institute of FoodTechnology and it would be start-ing the diploma courses soon.

Akhtar asked the administra-tion of the Food Craft Institute tocoordinate with the other educa-tional institutions in the State sothat vocational courses in foodtechnology can be introducedthere.

The Minister also took areview of the educational sce-nario and facilities at a meetingwith the Principals andHeadmasters of the district wherehe stressed the need for rationali-zation of teacher-pupil ratio. TheMinister said that the teachers inGovernment schools are wellqualified and talented; howeverthere is need to provide them anenabling environment whichwould help attain better results.He reiterated that efforts arebeing made to bring back focuson education and teaching

instead of employment and infra-structure.

The Minister also spokeabout pooling of manpower andthe initiative of clusters underhigher secondary schools, withPrincipal of the Higher SecondarySchool as head of the cluster.During the meeting the Ministeralso asked the concerned to cen-tralize the procurement of teach-ing learning material (TLM).

During his stay here, variousdeputations also called on theMinister and briefed him aboutthe issues concerning them.

A deputation from Nobrasought immediate rehabilitationof the flood affected and perma-nent restoration of the infrastruc-ture in the area.

A delegation of local BJPcadres discussed the developmen-tal and other issues with the min-ister.

A deputation of Anjuman-e-Moin-ul-Islam sought the stateGovernment's help in expansionof educational facilities and infra-structure in the area.

Minister for CAPD, Ch Zulfkar Ali reviewing progress ofdevelopment works in a meeting at Rajouri on Friday.

Zulfkar reviews progress ofdevelopment works in Rajouri

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Aug 28:Minister for Consumer Affairsand Public Distribution andTribal Affairs, Ch. Zulfkar Alitoday said that CA&PDDepartment is being stream-lined. He said department is alsoworking on updating the figuresof ration card holders acrossvarious categories.

The Minister said this whileaddressing a large public gather-ing at Dak bungalow here.

Highlighting the achieve-ments of Government includ-ing approval of 123 kanal landfor establishment of medicalcollege at Rajouri, sanctioningof Rs 76 crore for Budhal-Khwas road and inaugurationof ANS canal project, theMinister said that Governmentis committed to bring visiblechange on ground so that devel-opment and welfare benefits

accrue to the people. The Minister also reviewed

the sector wise financialprogress registered under vari-ous development works in dis-trict Rajouri in a meeting of offi-cers.

The Minister directed theofficers to ensure expeditiousexecution of development worksand stressed on achieving opti-mum results for development ofcore sectors in the district. Heunderscored the need forfocused attention on improve-ment of road connectivity,drinking water, power supply,education and health care facili-ties across the district.

Earlier, DistrictDevelopment Commissioner,Rajouri, Shabir Ahmed Bhatgave power point presentationregarding sector wise expendi-ture being incurred by differentdepartments.

DB's directive in PILseeking effective prosecution

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: In a PublicInterest Litigation (PIL) filed byRufi Khan and others seekingeffective prosecution of criminaltrials, Division Bench of StateHigh Court comprising JusticeMuzaffar Hussain Attar andJustice BS Walia today grantedfour weeks time to theGovernment for framing ofguidelines for appointment ofPublic Prosecutors.

After hearing both the sides,the DB observed, "as per the copyof Government order placed onrecord, sanction has been accord-ed to the constitution of commit-tee for framing guidelines for theappointment of PublicProsecutor/ Additional PublicProsecutor/ Special PublicProsecutors. The chairman of thecommittee is Advocate Generalof the State".

After going through the copyof Govt order, Division Benchgranted four weeks time to thecommittee to frame guidelines forappointment of Public Prosecutor/Additional Public Prosecutor/Special Public Prosecutors andsubmit the same for considerationof the court.

ICCR organizes 'YoungTarang' at GCW Parade

Fire fighters conducting mock drill at LPG Plant on Friday.

HPCL conducts mock fire drill at LPG plant

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: JammuLPG Plant conducted mock firedrill based on disaster controlmanagement plan, today.

Fire drill was witnessed byInspector of Factories and boil-ers, officials from IOCL , J&KFire Service Department, ESICHospital and mutual aid part-ners.

The drill was conducted attank truck gantry with team offi-

cials and workers fighting firefrom all the corners with thehelp of state of art technologysafety art technology safetyequipments and auto fire fight-ing system of the plant.

Farooq Hussain Shah-PlantManager HPCL, Jammuexplained the importance ofconducting the mock fire drills,which euips the person withcomplete confidence fightingthe actual fire.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: IndianCouncil for Cultural Relations,

(ICCR) Ministry of ExternalAffairs, Government of Indiaorganised 'Young Tarang-III' atGovernment College for Women,Parade, Jammu under its HorizonSeries programme.

Featuring diverse perform-ances by young performers rang-ing from music, dance and dramathe programme enthralled thejam-packed audience .

Regional Director of ICCRJammu, Balwant Thakur pre-sented a bird eye view of thismassive initiative of ICCRwhich is initiated with the activesupport of Department of HigherEducation J&K Government.

After the initial cultural ori-entation programmes which willbe held in all the city based col-leges in addition to the collegesof the periphery of Jammu, mul-tiple workshops will be held totrain the select students in music,dance, drama, visual arts, and lit-erature activities. This trainingseries will conclude with a megaJammu Youth Cultural Festivalwhere performances, exhibi-tions, literary sessions will beheld.

The program started with themixed dance number 'Radha TeriChunari...' which gave a befit-ting opening to the programme.This was followed by solosinging items presented byMehak Choudhary, ShivaniKoul, Navneet Kour and KanikaRajput and all got standing ova-tion for their soulful singing.Puja Raj's solo dance numberwas taken over by vibrant dancenumber presented by Arpita and

her group. The solo songs contin-ued to dominate the stage withthe singing of Shweta Saproo,

Parul Sharma, InduKoul and Vandana.Two short plays'Saas Bahu NonkJhonk' and 'SchoolInspection' had lot toconvey through theirsocially relevantthemes. While 'SaasBahu Nonk Jhonk'beautifully carica-tured the exploita-tion of womenthrough women, the'School Inspection'exposed the decayof educational sys-tem. The artists whoparticipated in theseplays included KiranPalotra, SanaskritiSharma, SupriyaSingh, Priya Koul,Vandana Subh,

Neha Langeh, MeenakshiBhagat, Mutqeen Khan, RashmiJasrotia, Priya Gupta, NiharikaGandotra, Tanya Gupta, LotikaDogra, Pravjot Kour, TavleenKour and Sobia.

The programme culminatedon a high note with a thrillingBhangra performance.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: Salal PowerStation management will carry outsilt flushing from the reservoir ofthe station on August 30.

According to GeneralManager Salal Power Station, thepublic of district Reasi has beeninformed that the management ofthe Station will carry out silt flush-ing from the reservoir of theStation on August 30.

The gates of the dam will beopened on August 30 at 8 am andwill remain opened till August 31(8 am). With the result, there willbe increase in flow of water andlevel of river Chenab mayincrease.

The general masses of theareas like Dhran, Thanpal, Arnas,Sai, Lanjan, Narloo, Gari, Salmot,Gujjar Kothi, Saidh Baba, Bidda,Kachhi Khera, Talwara, Nambla,Vijaypur, Bara Bari, Patta, KanasiPatta, Jedhi, Panasa, Bhabber,Chumdian, Dera Baba BandaBhadur and Seri have beeninformed to restrict their move-ment along with their vehicles andpets near banks of river Chenabduring the period to avoid anymishap.

Anybody violating this requestwill be doing so at his own riskand responsibility and the man-agement of Salal Power Stationwill not be responsible for conse-quence thereof.

JU to introduce PG Diploma in Banking &Risk Management, Accounting & Finance

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28:University of Jammu today heldits Syndicate meeting under thechairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof R D Sharmaand discussed various academicas well as administrative mat-ters.

During this 108th meeting ofthe Syndicate, around fifty itemswere presented by Prof KeshavSharma, Registrar JU.

Besides confirming theaction taken on the variousitems presented, the Syndicateendorsed the introduction ofPost Graduate Diplomas in"Banking and RiskManagement" and "Accountingand Finance" under SelfFinancing in collaboration withNational Stock Exchange.Syndicate also endorsed theintroduction of new subject(s)like Dogri, History, Music,Computer Application,Geography, Sociology and Bio-Technology in the GovernmentDegree Colleges of Khour,Hiranagar, Paloura, Samba,Basohli, Poonch and Kishtwar.

The Syndicate also endorsedthe adoption of SRO-232regarding Child Care Leave forwomen employees of theUniversity of Jammu.

Chairing the Syndicate meet-ing, Prof R D Sharma empha-sized on further strengtheningthe path of excellence in highereducation with more focus onimprovement of research atmos-phere in the main campus andoffsite campuses of theUniversity.

The Syndicate meeting wasattended by Navin KChoudhary, CommissionerSecretary Finance Department,Financial Advisor(Universities), J&K Govt, SaritaChauhan, CommissionerSecretary Higher EducationDept, Prof G M Bhat, DeanFaculty of Engineering, KU,Prof Mohd Ashraf Wani, Dean,Music & Fine Arts, KU, ProfNaseem Ahmed Shah, DeanFaculty of Social Sciences, ProfMubarak Singh, Dean, Facultyof Education, JU, Prof J PSingh Joorel, Dean Faculty ofMathematical Sciences, JU, ProfG M Bhat, Dept of Geology, JU,Prof Renu Sachar, Dept ofChemistry, JU, Prof ArvindJasrotia, Dean, Faculty of Law,JU, Prof Ramnika Jalali,Department of Sanskrit, JU,Prof Renu Goswami, Principal,Govt College for Women,Parade and Prof KoushalSamotra, Principal, GovtCollege of Education.

Members of Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Associationon a hunger strike in Srinagar on Friday. —Excelsior/Amin War

J&K Cong delegation meets Tharoor Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 28: A del-egation of some Congress lead-ers from J&K met the visitingsenior AICC leader and formerUnion Minister Shashi Tharoorhere the other day.

The delegation included seniorparty members like general secre-tary Shahnawaz Choudhary, NSUIstate president Neeraj Kundan,Iftikhar Ahmed- All India ElectionCommissioner NSUI, YouthCongress leader Ajaz Choudhary,Sahil Raina and others.

The Congress delegation dur-ing meeting with the visiting

AICC leader, briefed him aboutthe current political scenario in theState. They claimed that under theleadership of PCC chief G A Mirthe Congress party is emergingstronger in the State.

The State Congress leadersclaimed that with the wrongpolicies of the present PDP-BJPcoalition, the Congress party isgetting revived in the Statewhich is good indication. Theysaid with the policies of the BJPand PDP, the people have curs-ing the present dispensation andit will certainly help Congress toget political benefit in the State.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: J&KNational Panthers Party(JKNPP) president, BalwantSingh Mankotia along withother party leaders visitedUchha Pind Panchayat inDistrict Kathua and Chod MotuPanchayat in District Udhampurto take the stock of the damagecaused by the deadly landslidesand distributed blankets andsheets to the affected families.

Mankotia sought the welfareof the people of the respectivevillages whose homes, livestockand agricultural land werewashed away by the torrentialrains. He distributed blanketsand sheets to the 50 migratedfamilies living at village UchhaPind and village Chod Motuwho were forced to flee fromtheir native place of residenceand exhorted the StateGovernment to provide immedi-ate relief and succor to the

affected families by providingthem with free ration, medicinesand temporary shelters.

He lambasted the Districtadministrations for their apa-thetic attitude towards the peo-ple who have been marooneddue to the natural adversity andexpressed solidarity with theaffected families on behalf ofthe Panthers party.

He said that JKNPP standwith the people in all odds andcircumstances and vowed thatthe Panthers Party shall notrelent unless the Governmentacts promptly in providing thefood and the residential piecesof land to the affected familiesfor construction of houses.

Other leaders who accompa-nied Mankotia included RandhirSingh, Ravinder Bilowria,Sarpanch Jagdev Mian,Sarpanch Uchha Pind, PuranChand Sharma and SubashSingh.

JKNPP president, Balwant Singh Mankotia, giving blanketto a landslide hit person at Uchha Pind Panchayat in Kathua dis-trict.

Mankotia distributes blankets among landslide hit families

AVP for ending existing system of reservation

Activists of Jammu West Assembly Movement raising slogansin support of their demands on Friday.

JWAM demands SmartCity for Jammu

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: Theactivists of Jammu WestAssembly Movement (JWAM)held a protest rally for makingwinter capital Jammu “A SmartCity” and launched the indefiniteJan Andolan from today for theSmart City as Jammu has notbeen included in the list of SmartCities.

The rally also raised slogansagainst the coalition BJP-PDPGovernment and the PWD R&B,JMC, ERA Ministries, for theworst condition of the Jammucity roads, worse traffic problemin the city, construction of the fly-overs in Jammu city, taking upChenab Water Supply Project,AIIMS for Jammu and to stop theNHAI road tax at Ban Nagrota.

Addressing the protestors,JWAM president Sunil Dimple,said it was very unfortunate thatthe Jammu City has not beenincluded in the list of 99 citiesannounced by the CentralGovernment.

He added that long power cutsand acute scarcity of drinkingwater has badly affected the livesof the people of Jammu city,Dimple alleged.

He demanded for the returnof the power projects to the StateGovernment and scrapping ofIndus Water Treaty with Pakistan

by the BJP-PDP Government tomeet the PDD, PHE requirementsof the Jammu & Kashmir State.

Dimple said that there isstrong resentment among the peo-ple of the Jammu region and theUnion Government should imme-diately issue the official notifica-tion regarding the opening of theAIIMS in Jammu if it has beensanctioned.

Two injured inroad accidentsExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28 : Two per-sons were injured today in sepa-rate road mishaps in city and itsoutskirts.

According to a policespokesperson, a bike-borne youthwas injured when his bike was hitby an unknown vehicle nearDistrict Police Line, Jammu. Theinjured has been identified asRanjit (22) of RS Pura.

A 50-year old man identifiedas Shabir of Janipur was also gotinjured when the scooter he wasriding on, was hit by an unknownvehicle in New Plot area fallingunder the jurisdiction of policepost Sarwal.

Both the injured were shiftedto Government Medical Collegeand Hospital, Jammu for treat-ment. In both cases, the concernedpolice have taken cognizance.

PDD joins hands with public for loss-free feeders

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: PowerDevelopment Department hasjoined hands with the commonmasses in order to create loss freefeeders and the efforts have start-ed yielding positive results in theshort span of time.

The Electric and Maintenance& RE Division-III in the monthof June this year, after consulta-tion with the public of Gopi NathVihar Udheywala, started drive toensure power theft free environ-ment.

Under this initiative, all theofficers as well as JEs and meterreaders of ED -III were geared upto have one to one interactionwith the consumers so as to sortout various issues pertaining toerroneous electricity billing andfrequent power interruptions. TheDepartment also removed illegalconnections besides making peo-ple aware of the judicious use ofelectricity by way of using vari-ous energy efficient techniques.

The efforts of the departmentas well as public resulted in heavyload reduction thereby makingthe system adequate to supplyuninterrupted power to the resi-dents of the Udheywala area.Likewise to create another lossfree feeder and to eradicate the

menace of power theft, theExective Engineer, ED-III,Sanjay Sharma held a meetingwith the residents of Roop Nagar,who agreed to extend all cooper-ation to the department in eradi-cating the menace of power theft.

It has come to the fore duringthe meetings that though the peo-ple had voluntarily revised theiragreement load sometime backbut proportional benefit has notbeen provided to them in terms ofsystem augmentation/improve-ment. The people were assuredthat if they continue to extendtheir support to the department inthe same manner the existing sys-tem will be quiet adequate tomeet their demand.

People have also suggestedformulation of comprehensivereport for laying of cables andother improvement measures inthe congested and theft proneareas.

J P Singh, AEE, S S Manhas,AEE, Rakeshwar Dubey, AE,Surinder Thappa, JE and DivyaGupta, JE, represented the depart-ment during these meetings whileas Padam Nath, V K Mehta,Rajesh Rathore were from RoopNagar and Bhushan Mahajan, DrKalu Ram and Parladh Singhfrom Udheywala area.

Silt flushing from reservoir ofSalal Power Station tomorrow

Young artists presenting a colourfuldance item during ‘Young Tarang’ by ICCRat GCW Parade on Friday.

Chain hunger strikefrom today for carry on

system at UG level Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 28: Activistsof Students CoordinationCommittee (SCC) will start anindefinite chain hunger strikefrom tomorrow at GGM ScienceCollege Jammu for carry on sys-tem at Under Graduation level.

This was disclosed byMahesh Bakshi, member SCC,while addressing a press confer-ence, here today.

“From tomorrow, we are ourstrike for the carry on system asDC Jammu has accorded permis-sion for the same,” he said andadded that the students of differ-ent colleges such would sit onchain hunger strike at GGMScience College.

He announced that thehunger strike would continue tillthe JU accepts the demand forcarry on system at UG level.

Others two were present inthe press conference, includedVikram, Raqeeq, Sahil, Gowher,Neha, Neetika, Paru, Avinash,Akshay and Sonakshi.