28 January 2016

SRINAGAR | 28 January 2016 | 17 Rabi Al Thani 1437 AH Vol: 4 | Issue No: 24 | Pages: 08 | Rs 3/- 

THURSDAY 

4th 

PRECIOUS KASHMIR 

Journalism With A Human Heart 

C 

M 

Y 

K 

http//www.preciouskashmir.com | email: preciouskashmir@gmail.com 

‘BJP believes PDP is not going anywhere’ 

Afaq Bhat 

Srinagar, Jan 27: The Jammu and 

Kashmir Governor N N Vohra stating 

that Governor’s rule in Jammu 

and Kashmir won’t last long has 

rejuvenated the Bharatiya Janata 

Party (BJP) leaders and former 

ministers, who lost power suddenly 

due to the demise of the 

former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad 

Sayeed. 

“After the 2014 floods the 

elections were conducted peacefully 

in JK. Later, the PDP-BJP government 

took over reins of the 

state but unfortunately Chief Minister 

Mufti Muhammad Sayeed 

passed away earlier this month 

due to which the state is now under 

Governor’s Rule,” Vohra said at 

the official Republic-Day function 

in Jammu. “But I am hopeful that 

this (Governor’s Rule) will not remain 

in place for a long time,” he 

added. 

The BJP insiders said that 

Governor’s statement has made 

BJP leaders believe that its coalition 

ally Peoples Democratic Party 

(PDP) has made up its mind to 

carry on with the alliance. “Governor’s 

statement is encouraging 

and we hope that democratic 

government would be in place 

soon,” a BJP leader told Precious 

Kashmir. 

He said most of the BJP leaders, 

who recently visited New Delhi 

to greet Amit Shah, for his election 

as BJP president, got a positive 

feedback from the central leaders. 

“We are hopeful that formal negotiations 

between the PDP and BJP 

high command would start very 

soon and the alliance which was 

formed by the late Chief Minister 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed would 

be carried forward.” 

The BJP leaders, according 

to the sources, have given full 

authority to the party high command 

to take the final decision 

over the alliance. “We have heard 

that PDP is holding a crucial meeting 

about the government formation 

on January 31. We hope that 

PDP would make the first move 

and stalemate would end,” said a 

BJP insider. 

“BJP leaders have maintained 

silence since the day late Chief 

Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed 

passed away. They have been 

hoping that the PDP President 

Mehbooba Mufti would come forward 

and don her father’s mantle,” 

the source added 

A BJP insider revealed that 

party’s state unit has been made 

to understand that PDP is not going 

anywhere and new government 

would be in place soon. “A 

few BJP leaders who had tried 

entering into discussions with 

National Conference were told in 

strict terms not to act smart,” he 

added. 

Sources claimed that a few 

BJP leaders are demanding that 

they should be included the cabinet 

and the ministers who have 

been underperformers should be 

sacked. “The infighting among the 

BJP leaders has annoyed the party 

high command. BJP leaders have 

been asked to mend their ways 

and if they fail to do so they would 

face strict disciplinary action,” 

sources added. 

They said BJP leaders have 

conveyed it to the party high 

command that time is not ripe for 

midterm polls and all the possible 

attempts should be made to ensure 

that government is formed. 

“We cannot go and face the people 

as not much has been done 

during the past 10 months. We 

need time to deliver and fulfill 

our promises. Elections at this 

point of time can prove counterproductive 

for BJP,” the party 

leaders are understood to have 

told the high command. 

Pertinently, in the 87 member 

JK assembly, BJP won 25 

seats from the Jammu region 

in 2014 assembly polls, while 

it enjoys support of three other 

members. 

“If the midterm polls are held 

these can prove to be an uphill 

task for us, we have made it clear 

We are hopeful that 

formal negotiations 

between the PDP and BJP 

high command 

would start very soon and 

the alliance which 

was formed by the late 

Chief Minister Mufti 

Mohammad Sayeed would 

be carried forward.” 

to our leaders that forming the 

government is the only way out,” 

said a BJP insider. 

He said that BJP has given up 

its demand of having a rotational 

Chief Minister after three years. 

“We have to perform and live up 

to the expectations of the masses,” 

the insider said. 

Moon slams 

Israel's half century 

of occupation 

UN Chief encouraging terror, says Israel PM 

United Nations, Jan 27: The 

United Nation Chief Ban Kimoon 

has slammed Israel for 

occupying Palestine for more 

than a half century. 

Speaking at the UN security 

council Ban Ki Moon said 

it was human nature for oppressed 

people to react to occupation, 

adding that a recent 

wave of attacks was driven by 

a "profound sense of alienation 

and despair" among 

some Palestinians. 

"Palestinian frustration 

is growing under the weight 

of a half century of occupation 

and the paralysis of the 

peace process," he said. "As 

oppressed people have demonstrated 

throughout the 

ages, it is human nature to react 

to occupation, which often 

serves as a potent incubator 

of hate and extremism." 

Since October 2015, more 

than 155 Palestinians and 28 

Israelis have died in violence 

and Ban also criticised the 

India ranked 76 in 

corruption index 

New Delhi, Jan 27: Public 

outrage against corruption 

may have been the main 

factor behind the change of 

governments at Centre and 

in Delhi during the past two 

years, but corruption in the 

public sector is still rife. India's 

score in the Corruption 

Perceptions Index (CPI) for 

2015 remained unchanged 

at 38 as it was in the previous 

year. As per the scoring 

system adopted, higher the 

score points on a scale of 

0-100, lower is the corruption 

in that country. 

Transparency International's 

Corruption Perceptions 

Index (CPI) 2015 

released on Wednesday 

shows that India has moved 

up in rank from 85 position 

to 76 (however the number 

JK to raise 5 

IRP battalions 

New Delhi, Jan 27: The 

union cabinet on Wednesday 

approved the raising of 17 

India Reserve Battalions (IR 

Bns) by Jammu and Kashmir 

and Left Wing Extremism 

(LWE) affected states. 

"Five IR battalions will be 

raised by JK, four by Chhattisgarh, 

three by Jharkhand, 

three by Odisha and two 

by Maharashtra," an official 

spokesman said. 

He said local youth 

would be recruited with 

relaxation in the age and 

educational qualification 

criteria. 

In Jammu and Kashmir, 

60 percent of the recruits for 

the posts of constables and 

class IV employees would be 

from the border districts. 

For Left Wing Extremism 

See JK on Pg 6 

of countries ranked in 2015 

was 168 against 174 nations 

in 2014). Based on expert 

opinion from around the 

world, CPI measures the perceived 

levels of public sector 

corruption worldwide. 

Barring Bhutan ranked 

27, which with a score of 

65 fares much better than 

India, other neighbouring 

countries continue to have 

a poor record. While China 

at rank 83 and Bangladesh 

at rank 139 have reported 

no improvement, scores of 

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal 

have increased marginally 

over the past year. 

Referring to the high perception 

of corruption across 

the Asia Pacific region, the 

CPI report says that in 

See Corruption on Pg 6 

Precious Kashmir News 

Srinagar, Jan 27: The higher 

reaches of Kashmir, including 

the tourist resorts of Gulmarg 

and Pahalgam received fresh 

snowfall during the night, 

while some areas in the plains 

were lashed by rains, even as 

the Meteorological department 

here predicted a wet 

spell over the next few days. 

There was light snowfall 

in the famous ski-resort of 

Gulmarg and the hill resort of 

Pahalgam during the night, an 

official of the Meteorological 

department said today. 

He said while the department 

keeps no record of the 

snowfall in most of the higher 

reaches of Kashmir, there 

were reports of fresh snow 

recent stabbings of Israelis by 

Palestinians. 

Israel's commitment to 

the creation of a Palestinian 

state was cast into doubt by 

its settlement building programme, 

said Ban. 

But Netanyahu called the 

Palestinians "murderers" who 

"do not want to build a state. 

"They want to destroy a state 

and they say it out loud," he 

said in a statement. "They 

do not murder for peace and 

they do not murder for human 

rights." 

He added that "the 

comments of the UN secretary 

general encourage terror. 

There is no justification 

for terror." 

Mumbai Attack Case >>>>>>> 

Pak court refuses voice samples of suspects 

Islamabad, Jan 27: In a fresh 

setback to the Mumbai attack 

trial, a Pakistani court has dismissed 

the government's petition 

seeking voices samples 

of 26/11 mastermind Zakiur 

Rehman Lakhvi and six other 

suspects in the case. 

The prosecution had 

filed an application in the 

Islamabad High Court seeking 

voice samples of the suspects 

to compare it with the 

communication intercepted 

by Indian intelligence and 

then present it before the 

anti-terrorism court (ATC) as 

evidence against the seven 

suspects in the Mumbai attack 

case. The Islamabad High 

Court on Monday dismissed 

the petition. 

In 2011 and 2015, the issue 

of obtaining voice samples 

of Lakhvi had been dismissed 

by the trial court on 

the grounds that "no such law 

exists that allows obtaining of 

voice sample of an accused". 

The prosecution's petition 

said the Indian intelligence 

agencies had intercepted 

communication between the 

suspects and the militants in 

connection with the Mumbai 

attack in 2008. In the recorded 

intercepts, the suspects are 

alleged to be instructing the 

attackers. 

The prosecution lawyers 

had argued that the samples 

were essential for concluding 

the investigation of this high 

profile case. 

The trial court had also 

rejected another petition of 

the prosecution requesting 

the court to declare Ajmal 

Kasab and Faheem Ansari 

absconders in order to meet 

legal formalities. 

The prosecution had told 

the court that unless it declared 

the two men absconders, 

the trial against them 

would remain "inconclusive" 

as both have been cited as accused 

in the Mumbai attack 

case by Indian authorities and 

that they were also wanted 

by the Federal Investigation 

Agency (FIA) that was probing 

the 26/11 case. 

Pakistani authorities arrested 

seven Lashkar-e-Toiba 

(LeT) members involved in 

the planning of the attacks 

including the terrorist group's 

operations commander Zakiur 

Rehman Lakhvi, the mastermind 

of the Mumbai attacks. 

Six accused -- Abdul 

PDP afraid of fresh elections: Omar 


Srinagar, Jan 27: Former chief 

minister and National Conference 

Working president 

Omar Abdullah Wednesday 

lashed out at People Democratic 

Party for checking the 

patience of the people by 

delaying the government formation. 

Accusing PDP of doublespeak, 

Omar said that the PDP 

is neither forming the government 

nor dissolving the 

Assembly. 

“I ran the government 

on 28 MLAs for six years, and 

did whatever I could do for 

the development of the state. 

Today, PDP has 28 MLAs and 

see what the situation is. Governor 

rule has been imposed 

twice in a year. PDP speaks in 

two voices,” Omar said. 

“First they say alliance 

(with BJP) will continue. PDP 

said that Agenda of Alliance 

will be reviewed, and then 

they said that the Agenda of 

Kashmir upper reaches 

get fresh snowfall 

in Peer Ki Gali on Mughal 

Road in Shopian, Sonamarg, 

Amarnath Cave Shrine and 

other such places in the upper 

reaches of the Valley. 

The snowfall, along with 

rains, which first began during 

the day yesterday in many 

areas, broke the long dry 

spell in Kashmir which had 

resulted in the night temperature 

hovering several degrees 

below the freezing point and 

also led to increase in common 

ailments like cough and cold. 

See Snowfall on Pg 6 

Alliance is sacred and will 

take forward. If that is the 

case, I request Mehbooba ji to 

Bomb scare at 

Delhi Airport 

New Delhi, Jan 27: Two 

planes heading from Delhi 

to Kathmandu were delayed 

this afternoon after a phone 

call warned of bombs on the 

Air India and Jet Airways 

flights. 

Both planes were 

checked by bomb disposal 

squads, who said nothing 

suspicious has been found. 

A call made to the Jet 

Airways office at the airport 

in the afternoon warned of 

bombs on the planes, each 

of which had over 100 passengers 

on board. 

The Jet Airways passengers 

were asked to deplane 

when the alert was sounded; 

the Air India aircraft was 

prepping for take-off and was 

asked to return to an isolated 

bay where the passengers 

were evacuated. 

form the government. If your 

father (Mufti Mohammad 

Sayeed) could not reach to the 

people, then you do that. NC 

will not create any hurdles for 

you to form the government,” 

Omar said while addressing 

workers in Beerwah Assembly 

segment in Budgam district. 

Omar said that if fresh 

elections are held in the state, 

NC will win majority seats 

and will form the government 

on its own. 

“And if you don’t have to 

form the government, then 

dissolve the Assembly so 

that fresh elections are held 

and let people decide again. 

But PDP will not ask for fresh 

elections because the party is 

afraid of going before the people. 

And the party knows that 

if they ask for fresh elections, 

NC will win a complete 

See Omar on Pg 6 

PK Monitoring Desk 

Srinagar, Jan 27: Bulgarian 

peasant Baba Vanga had 

claimed a vision came to her 

showing Europe bleak and 

desolate in 2016 following a 

series of catastrophes which 

shook the continent. 

The blind seer, who has 

been credited with an 85 per 

cent success rate by her followers, 

predicted that the 

population of Europe would 

diminish to zero by 2025 as 

Muslim invaders, believed 

by some to be Islamic State 

(ISIS), would conquer the EU 

by 2043. 

Vanga had also predicted 

that in 2018, China would become 

the first super power 

and a space probe will find 

See Woman on Pg 6 

Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad 

Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel 

Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis 

Anjum -- have been in Adiala 

Jail for more than six years 

in connection with planning 

and executing the Mumbai 

attack in November, 2008, 

that left 166 people dead. 

Lakhvi, 56, secured bail 

in December, 2014, and was 

subsequently released from 

Adiala Jail on April 10, 2015, 

after the Lahore High Court 

set aside the government's 

order to detain him under a 

public security act. A trial is 

underway against them at 

the ATC since 2009. 

Thiruvnanthapuram, Jan 27: 

the Union Home Minister Rajnath 

Singh today asked the 

Police to bridge the existing 

“trust deficit” between them 

and local communities as it 

would help enhance the efficacy 

of policing in the country. 

“It is very important for 

the police to bridge the trust 

deficit that exists between 

the police and local communities. 

I always believe that 

the efficacy of any police force 

lies in its relationship and engagement 

with the local community,” 

he said addressing 

a national conclave on community 

policing in the Kerala 

capital. 

Singh also pitched for a 

Anantnag 

observes 

shutdown 


Anantnag, Jan 27: This south 

Kashmir town observed 

a complete shutdown on 

Wednesday to mourn the 

death of a local militant, 

Mushtaq Ahmad, killed in 

a gunfight with forces in 

Kokernag area yesterday. 

Reports said that shops 

and business establishment 

remained closed in Anantnag 

town and adjoining villages. 

See Anantnag on Pg 6 

5.4 magnitude 

quake shakes 

Kashmir 

Srinagar, Jan 27: A moderate 

intensity earthquake, 

measuring 5.4 on the Richter 

scale, shook Kashmir valley 

on Wednesday morning. 

A Met department 

spokesperson said that the 

tremor, was felt at 0449 

hrsand lasted for a few seconds. 

The earthquake 

See Quake on Pg 6 

Bridge trust deficit 

with public: Home 

Minister tells Police 

nationwide action plan for 

community policing, saying 

there is an urgent need 

to come up with a technical 

architecture connecting local 

police stations with the local 

community. 

The Home Minister said 

See Trust on Pg 6 

Woman who predicted 9/11, 

for sees end of Europe 

Baba Vanga Predictions 

China will be a world power by 2018. 

The ice caps will be melted by 2045. 

The US will launch an attack on Muslim-held Europe, using 

a climate-based ‘instant freezing’ weapon. 

The Earth will be uninhabitable by 2341. 

By 4674 humanity will have totally assimilated with aliens. 

5079 the universe will end. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


News 

Thursday 

2 

28.01.2016 

Tribal Ministry biggest gift to 

tribals in 67 years: Zulfkar 

www.preciouskashmir.com 

PM holds PRAGATI 

video conference 

with Chief Secretaries 

Reviews progress on Solar Parks, Aadhaar 


Jammu, Jan 27: Terming 

creation of tribal ministry 

in the state as historic step 

of Late Mufti Mohammad 

Sayeed, Former Minister 

& MLA Darhal Chowdhary 

Zulfkar Ali has said that this 

ministry is biggest ever gift 

to community for the last 

the 67 years. 

Addressing meeting of 

J&K Gujjar Bakerwal Conference 

held in TRC Jammu 

to pay tribute to Late Mufti 

Mohammad Sayeed and acknowledge 

his contribution 

for community, Chowdhary 

Zulfkar Ali said that during 

2014 election campaign, 

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed 

had pledged to give tribal 

ministry so that to change 

the situation of nomads and 

this creation of this ministry 

was first decision of government 

when Mufti Mohammad 

Sayeed took over as 

Chief Minister in 2nd time. 

He said that Mufti was well 

Srinagar, Jan 27: Divisional 

Commissioner Kashmir, Dr Asgar 

Hassan Samoon Wednesday 

reviewed progress of 

various developmental works 

undertaken during current 

fiscal year in Kashmir valley. 

While reviewing year end 

achievements, the Divisional 

Commissioner said 4-laning 

of Banihal-Srinagar road 

will be completed this year. 

He said 63 percent work has 

been completed so far on the 

project. “Out of 68 kilometers 

stretch of the National Highway, 

39 Kms have been completed,” 

he said. Giving more 

details, Dr Samoon said Rs 

900 crores have been spent so 

far out of allocated budget of 

Rs 1600 crore. 

Dr Samoon said construction 

work on bridges at Galander, 

Sangam and Barsoo will 

be completed this month while 

one bridge at Awantipora will 

be completed next year. 

He said work has been 

started on 6-lanning of 

Sonawar to Galender while 

Shalteng road stretch is near 

completion. Dr Samoon also 

informed that construction 

work on Z-Morh tunnel has 

already begun and Rs 3000 

Several 

delegations 

call on Samoon 

Srinagar, Jan 27: Divisional 

Commissioner Kashmir, 

Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon 

Wednesday met various 

delegations and gave onspot 

directions for redressal 

of their grievances. 

Delegations put forth 

various issues including 

post flood rehabilitation, 

flood protection, restoration 

of river Jhelum, strengthening 

of bunds on rivers 

and streams besides issues 

related to scarcity of drinking 

water and supply of 

electricity. 

On the occasion, 

Divisional Commissioner 

assured the delegations 

that all their genuine 

demands shall be considered 

on priority. 

Div Com reviews progress on 

developmental works 

crore have been allocated for 

the project. 

While reviewing progress 

of work on Zojilla tunnel, Div 

Com said construction work 

on the Rs 9090 crore project is 

going on full swing. 

Regarding Jehangir Chowk- 

Rambagh flyover, Dr Samoon 

said Rs 183 crore will be spent 

by March this year including 

rehabilitation of affected shopkeepers, 

besides rehabilitation 

complex for the shopkeepers 

has already been completed. 

Giving further details 

about developmental projects, 

he said 524 schemes under 

R&B, 743 under NABARD 

and 25 schemes under CRF 

are coming up at a total cost 

of Rs 4753 crore. He also said 

that 76 schemes under PMG- 

SY were completed at a cost of 

Rs 157 crore. Div Com further 

stated that three bridges were 

completed at Habbakadal, Ladoora 

and Hafroo at a cost of 

Rs 23 crore, besides construction 

of Sopore By-pass Bridge 

was also completed while five 

bridges were completed at 

Pohroo, Tengpora, Batapora , 

Bringinalla and Hanjidantar 

at cost of Rs 336 crore under 

Special bridge Programme. 

Promote well being of 

Girl Child: First Lady 

Jammu, Jan 27: Usha Vohra, 

First Lady, attended “Ladies 

Cultural Programme” organized 

by Department of Youth 

Services and Sports (YSS) as 

part of Republic Day celebrations 

at Government Degree 

College for Women, Parade 

here today. 

Lauding the cultural programme, 

which was based 

on the theme of women 

empowerment, Vohra said 

that every girl child has the 

right to be provided good 

education and an amicable 


Jammu, Jan 27: As a series of Literary 

programmes being organized 

to mark Republic Day Celebrations, 

J&K Academy of Art, Culture and 

Languages organized a Punajbi Kahani 

Goshthi in the K.L Saigal Hall, 

Jammu. 

Punjabi short-story writer, 

Khalid Hussain presided while Kamal 

Kashmiri Punjabi writer was the 

Chief Guest besides Dr. Lalit Magotra, 

Convener (Dogri), Sahitya Akademi, 

New Delhi was the Guest of Honour 

on the occasion. Dr. Arvinder Singh 

Amn, Additional Secretary was also 

present on the occasion. 

A special issue of Punjabi Sheeraza 

on the life and works of Prof. 

Devinder Singh and Sada Sahit-2015 

both important Punjabi publications 

of the Academy were released. Dr. 

Monojit, a Punjabi writer presented 

detailed paper on the special issue of 

Sheeraza Punjabi. 

Khalid Hussain lauded the role 

of the Academy in bringing forward 

new talent amongst the scholars/ 

students from the Language departments 

of University and other Educational 

Institutions. He said that this 

effort of J&K Cultural Academy will 

definitely bring positive response in 

environment for all round 

balanced growth. She said 

that being a women is a wonderful 

and proud feeling and 

nothing could be compared 

to the beauty of womanhood. 

Vohra was highly appreciative 

of the exuberance 

of the teachers and students 

from different educational 

institutions and representatives 

of Women Welfare 

Organisations who participated 

in the programme. She 

complimented the YSS Department 

for its initiative to 

Speaker for providing 

enabling environment to girls 

Jammu, Jan 27: In connection 

with “National Girls Day- 

2016” a function was held 

today at Gadigarh to felicitate 

the girl students of Jammu 

south who have secured top 

positions in class tenth and 

twelfth examination. 

The function was organized 

by the sub divisional administration 

under the “Beti 

Bachao –Beti Padhao” programme. 

Speaker, Jammu and 

Kashmir Legislative Assembly, 

Kavinder Gupta was chief 

guest on the occasion. 

Speaking on the occasion 

Kavinder Gupta congratulated 

the meritorious students 

and asked them to work hard 

and achieve great success in 

life . He said women have a 

pivotal role in development 

of the country and they have 

proved their mettle in various 

fields including politics, 

education, defense and research 

etc. 

Speaker also asked parents 

to give special attention 

toward the education of girls 

and stressed on providing 

them encouragement and 

enabling environment to realise 

their potential .He also 

versed about the condition 

of tribal population who in 

particular, faces many difficulties 

due to their location 

which is mostly in the 

hilly areas of the state. He 

added that the Gujjars and 

Bakerwals in the state are 

the poorest, living in sordid 

conditions, had no access 

to education as they are of 

migratory characters and 

there was need to formulation 

of sustainable poverty 

eradication programme for 

migratory tribes as they 

deserved special attention 

due to toughest lifestyle, 

lacking economic freedom 

and food security 

owing to low-income and 

deficiency of resources 

and Mufti realized this and 

created Tribal Ministry in 

the state which is biggest 

ever gift to this community 

since 1947. 

Acknowledging vision 

of Mufti for welfare of Gujjar 

community, Zulfkar said 

that Mufti was very particular 

for implementation of 

Forest Right Act and stoppage 

of forcible eviction 

of Gujjar Bakerwal people 

from the areas used by 

them near forests. He said 

that the livelihood of Gujjar 

Bakerwal community 

mostly depends on forests 

as they spent most of the 

period of a year in forest 

areas along with their 

livestock. However, due to 

heavy restrictions by the 

forest department, they 

were facing great difficulties 

and hardships. 

Former Minister said 

that Forest Right Act has 

been implemented in whole 

India except J&K state and 

there is a constant demand 

of nomadic tribal community 

of J&K for implementation 

of the said act in the 

state and Mufti was very 

much serious about this and 

was why he constituted a 

Committee under the chairmanship 

of then Deputy 

Chief Minister to look into 

the matter and give specific 

near future. He gave away some tips 

on writing short stories to new entrants. 

Kamal Kashmiri congratulated 

the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and 

Languages for its efforts to promote 

Art and literature in an innovative 

way and welcomed the new shortstory 

writers who presented their 

short-stories from Academy’s platform. 

He threw light on the contribution 

of Prof. Devinder Singh, former 

head of the Punjabi department, in 

the development of Punjabi Language 

and literature being written in 

the State. 

Dr. Lalit Magotra said that the 

J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages 

have really recognized the 

pulse of the time and now it is the 

provide an opportunity for 

women to showcase their 

talents. 

Jahangir Mir, Director 

General, Youth Services and 

Sports, presented the Welcome 

Address and Sukhdev 

Raj, District Youth Services 

and Sports Officer, presented 

a Vote of Thanks on the occasion. 

Ruby Sharma, K Vijaya, 

Deepa Kotwal, Zubeida Jahangir 

were among the distinguished 

Guests who were 

present in the Programme. 

recommendations for its 

implementation. 

On the occasion, Mufti’s 

broad vision towards tribal 

community was explained 

by Haji Mohammad Yousaf, 

President of J&K Gujjar 

Bakerwal Conference, Haji 

Nizam-ud-Din Khatana 

former MLC, Choudhary 

Siraj-ud-Din of Kupwara, 

Chowdhary Salam-ud-Din 

of Kupwara, Choudhary 

Mohammad Yaseen Poswal 

of Pulwama, Choudhary 

Gulzar Khatana, Choudhary 

Zakir Hussain of Jammu, 

Choudhary Mohammad 

Lateef Khatana, Choudhary 

Siraj ud Din of Udhampur, 

Choudhary Bashir Ahmed 

of Jammu, Choudhary Mohammad 

Shafi, Choudhary 

Liaqat of Kathua, Choudhary 

Gulzar of Kathua and 

Choudhary Ibrahim of 

Reasi besides other who 

paid rich tribute to Mufi 

Mohammad Sayeed and 

hoped that next government 

will resolve pending 

DDC Kulgam reviews progress on 

Centrally Sponsored Schemes 


Kulgam, Jan 27: District Development 

Commissioner 

Kulgam, Syed Abid Rasheed 

Shah today chaired a meeting 

of concerned engineers 

and officers to review progress 

achieved in the district 

under centrally sponsored 

schemes. 

In a meeting held at Mini 

Secretariat attended by DPO, 

CPO, CEO, Chief Horticulture 

Officer, Chief Agriculture Officer, 

General Manager DIC, 

CEO Aharbal Development 

Authority, DSWO, Executive 

Officer ULB besides engineers 

of various wings. 

The DDC directed all 

concerned executive wings 

of the departments to ensure 

proper and timely utilization 

of all available resources and 

matters of tribal community 

and realize dreams of 

Mufti. 

Meanwhile Chowdhary 

Zulfkar Ali participated as 

Chief Guest in ceremonial 

function on the eve of Republic 

day at Roop Nagar 

which was organised by 

Roopnagar JDA Housing 

Colony Welfare Association 

where Zulfkar said that 

Indian Constitution is big 

bond between the states 

and is reason of National 

Unity. A colourful cultural 

programme was presented 

by the Children of Twinkle 

Playway School Roop Nagar 

which was followed by 

prize distribution function. 

Meanwhile local residents 

highlighted various issues 

of the colony and appealed 

Former Minister to intervene 

and get their demands 

redressed. Zulfkar assured 

them that all there demands 

will be taken up with the 

concerned quarters for immediate 

redressal. 

JKAACL releases special issue of 

Sheeraza in Punjabi Kahani Goshthi 

threw light on the flagship 

programme “Beti Bachao – 

Beti Padhao” initiated by central 

government and sought 

public cooperation in realising 

the envisaged goal of the 

programme. 

The girls who secured 

top position also spoke on 

the occasion and shared 

their experience. 

SDM Jammu South, probationary 

Officers, concerned 

Block Development Officers, 

Panchayati raj representatives, 

parents of the students and 

large number of people were 

present on the occasion. 


Jammu, Jan 27: Jammu 

Kashmir is diverse and has 

rich cuisine and culture 

which has an international 

appeal this was said by 

secretary tourism Farooq 

Ahmad shah while giving 

details of recently organized 

food festival during 

Bharat Parvah organized 

by Ministry of Tourism GOI 

on the back ramp pads of 

reds forte during the republic 

day which has participation 

of all the states 

of India including the hotel 

management institutes 

from all over the country 

completion of works within 

stipulated time. 

The meeting was informed 

that under R&B sector, 

Rs 3.63 Crore has been 

made available in the district 

under NABARD, out of which 

Rs 2.29 Crore has already 

been spent on execution 

of various road projects. 

It was also given out that 

while construction and 

upgradation of 90 percent 

roads has been completed 

so far, construction work 

on Qazigund-Waltengoo 

road, Manigam-Zangalpora 

raod and Waltengoo-Kund- 

YK Pora road is in its final 

stage. 

Similarly in the health 

sector, it was informed that 

proposed construction 

works for the financial 

year on all PHCs has been 

and is an effective platform 

to showcase the rich and 

diverse cuisine and culture 

of different states . 

The secretary Tourism 

termed the food festivals as 

important and effective medium 

to promote the destination 

of Jammu Kashmir as 

the rich cuisine of Kashmir 

and other parts of the state 

has international appeal 

as people across the globe 

explore and indulge in new 

culinary delights. 

The Manager of JKTDC 

food court CB Koul in the 

said festival said that the 

Kashmiri cuisine was liked 

and appreciated by all visitors 

and participants which 

is an encouraging sign. 

The JKTDC has food 

stall in Delhi’s famous craft 

bazaar Delhi Haat opposite 

INA market and has food 

outlets across the state as 

well which are run professionally 

and the food is 

made by expert chuffs in 

Kashmiri cuisine. 

The secretary tourism 

informed that the JKTDC 

will organize food festivals 

across the country to promote 

the rich cuisine and 

culture of the state which 

in turn will promote the 

destination of Jammu 

Kashmir in the country and 


Jammu, Jan 27: Prime 

Minister, Narendra Modi 

Wednesday held his monthly 

video conference under 

his Pro-active Governance 

and Timely Implementation 

(PRAGATI) initiative, with 

Union Secretaries of various 

Ministries and Chief Secretaries 

of States. 

Chief Secretary J&K, B R 

Sharma also participated in 

the video conference. 

Prime Minister reviewed 

status of the 

scheme for the development 

of Solar Parks in various 

states including J&K. 

need of the hour to bring the youth 

in the field of reading and writing. He 

said that the J&K Cultural Academy 

deserves appreciation for its new initiatives. 

While speaking about the special 

issue of Sheeraza Punjabi, he said 

that Prof. Devinder Singh was a good 

academician, prominent writer, intellectual 

and visionary personality 

who contributed a lot in establishing 

new heights in the field of Punjabi 

theatre, poetry, literature and Punjabi 

Language. 

Dr. Arvinder Singh Amn highlighted 

the aims and objectives of 

these series of literary programmes 

being organized by the Academy to 

embark the Republic Day Celebrations-2016. 

He said that J&K Academy 

is trying to give platform to youth 

in the field of writing by reaching 

out to them at their doorsteps. The 

Academy is doing a similar kind of 

activity in the K.L Saigal Hall, Jammu 

on January 29, 2016 in which Dogri 

Kahani Goshti is being organized and 

on January 30, 2016, a multi-lingual 

Kahani Goshthi shall be organized by 

the students of Women College, Gandhi 

Nagar, Jammu. 

The writers who presented their 

short-stories included Hardeep Singh 

Deep (Dhah), Kamaldeep Singh 

(Mafinama), Manmeet Kaur (Mein 

Ashraf Nahi), Simranjeet Singh (Mobile 

Bill). 

The proceedings of the programme 

were conducted by 

S.Popinder Singh, Editor Punjabi 

and Vote of thanks was delivered by 

Ashok Gupta, Editor Dogri. 

Among others who were present 

include S. Didar Singh, H.S Gill, 

T.S Premi, Surinder Goel, Desh Raj 

Danish, Amar Singh Kuka, Davinder 

Singh Vishavnagrik, H.S Sagar, 

Jang S. Varman, Suresh Sharma, Dr. 

Baljit Raina, Swami Anter neerav, 

Devinder Pal Singh, Dr. Kirat Singh 

Inqualabi, Janak Khajouria, Rattan 

Singh Kanwal, Esha Balgotra, Dr. 

Thappa, Prof. Ichupal Singh, Deepak 

Arsi, Harmeet Kour. 

completed. 

In the PHE sector, Rs 1.13 

Crore has been made available 

by NABARD out of which 

Rs 90 lakh have been spent 

so far. It was informed in the 

meeting that in Sub Division 

Qazigund, construction 

on Pehloo-Kellam filtration 

plant has been started while 

as 85 percent work has been 

completed on Gundipora- 

Tenkipora water supply 

scheme under LIC. While 

as in Sub Division Kulgam, 

19 schemes were taken up 

under NABARD. It was given 

out that under construction 

Tenagam-Tengbal scheme 

will be commissioned by 

February this year. 

In the Integrated Watershed 

Management Programme, 

7 projects have 

been approved in the district 

Prime Minister also 

reviewed progress with 

respect to Aadhaar and 

its seeding with bank accounts, 

urging all states to 

complete linkage of Aadhar 

with Jan Dhan Bank 

Accounts for its use to subscribe 

to various Government 

run schemes including 

old age pension and 

widow pension scheme, 

enabling easy authentication 

of the beneficiary 

to receive direct benefit 

transfer. 

Prime Minister in this 

regard asked all the states 

to complete the process 

expeditiously. 

Beating Retreat 

function on Jan 29 

Jammu, Jan 27: Divisional 

Commissioner Jammu, Dr 

Pawan Kotwal today convened 

a high level meeting 

to finalize the arrangements 

for Beating Retreat function 

to be held at MA Stadium 

onJanuary 29th here. 

Governor N N Vohra 

will be the chief guest in the 

function. 

The meeting was attended 

by Director Education, 

Smita Sethi, SSP Jammu, 

Uttam Chand, SSP Security 

Jammu, Ramesh Angral, SSP 

Traffic, Mohan Lal, ADDC 

Jammu, Anuradha Gupta, 

Joint Commissioner JMC 

Jammu, R S Jamwal, besides 

senior officers from Army, 

PDD, Health, Sports Council, 

Youth Services & Sports, Fire 

and Emergency Services, 

Hospitality and Protocol, 

JKSRTC, JKAACL, State Motor 

Garages, SRTC. 

Divisional Commissioner 

appreciated all the 

concerned departments 

for making Republic Day 

Celebrations a grand success. 

He exhorted upon all 

agencies to ensure that all 

necessary arrangements are 

put in place well in time for 

Beating Retreat function. 

at a cost Rs 5.08 Crore, out 

of which Rs 3.50 Crore have 

already been utilized. 

In Sheep Husbandry 

sector, an expenditure of Rs 

2.65 lakh has been made 

against an availability of Rs 

2.7 Lakh. 

The DDC asked Chief 

Horticulture Officer to prepare 

a comprehensive plan 

and identify areas for production 

of exotic rice (Mushqbudig) 

and brown rice. 

The DDC directed Exen 

PHE/I&FC to prepare an action 

plan for taming of Veshow 

Nallah which poses 

great danger to people living 

in its catchment area. He directed 

the concerned authorities 

to put in their best efforts 

for completion of ongoing 

works before the end of current 

financial year. 

‘Food festivals effective medium to promote tourism’ 

across the globe, the secretary 

added that Jammu 

Kashmir as a state has so 

much to offer our cuisine 

is one such tempting attraction 

which can attract 

food lovers from all over 

the county and world thus 

indirectly bringing tourism 

to the state.

Precious Kashmir 

NEWS 

Srinagar,Thursday 


3 

Guv directs CS for time bound 

action on Kashmiri Migrants’ issues 

Kupwara, 


Jammu, Jan 27: Governor N. N 

Vohra today held an extensive 

meeting at the Civil Secretariat 

to review the to-date status of 

every significant issue relating 

to the provision of relief 

and rehabilitation of Kashmiri 

migrants. The meeting 

was attended by B.R. Sharma, 

Chief Secretary; P. K. Tripathi, 

Principal Secretary to Governor; 

Sundeep Kumar Nayak, 

Principal Secretary, Relief and 

Rehabilitation; Mohammad 

Ashraf Mir, Commissioner/ 

Secretary, Law; Dr. Mandeep 

K. Bhandari, Secretary, Health; 

and Ravinder Kumar Pandita, 

Relief Commissioner. 

The Governor was informed 

that 3000 posts had 

been created in various government 

departments in 2011 

for providing employment to 

Kashmiri migrant youth who 

were interested in serving in 

the Valley. Out of 2184 selections 

made by the Recruiting 

Agencies, 1446 candidates had 

so far joined various departments. 

Of the remaining 1554 

vacancies, 1443 posts had 

Vohra chairs 

security 

review meet 


Jammu, Jan 27: Governor 

N.N. Vohra reviewed security 

management issues with senior 

Civil, Police, and Central 

Intelligence Agency officers in 

a meeting held at the Raj Bhavan 

here yesterday evening. 

While reiterating the importance 

of continuing vigil 

over the situation and maintaining 

close coordination 

amongst all the concerned 

organizations, the Governor 

stressed the importance of 

immediate action being taken 

on reports received from different 

quarters relating to the 

security environment. He also 

directed the Chief Secretary 

to closely monitor and ensure 

quick redressal of grievances 

relating to the felt needs of 

people. 

The meeting was 

attended by B.R. Sharma, 

Chief Secretary; K. Rajendra, 

Director General of Police; P.K. 

Tripathi, Principal Secretary to 

Governor; R.K. Goyal, Home 

Secretary; A.G. Mir, IGP CID 

and senior officers of Central 

Intelligence Agencies. 

9 officials 

suspended 

at Shopian, 

Karnah 


Shopian, Jan 27: Sub District 

Magistrate Zainapora, Shopian 

today suspended seven 

employees of Mechanical 

wing of PHE department 

who were found unauthorized 

absent from duty. 

All officials have been 

placed under suspension 

with immediate effect. 

Sub District Magistrate 

also instructed all officers 

and officials to adhere 

strictly to office timings and 

ensure punctuality in the 

Government offices. 

Meanwhile, Sub District 

Magistrate Karnah in order 

to ensure punctuality in 

government offices, today 

conducted surprise inspection 

of various government 

offices. During inspection it 

was found that two employees 

of Block Development 

Office, Tangdar were unauthorizedly 

absent from duty. 

SDM directed for initiating 

action under rules against 

the absentees, besides 

seized official records for 

verification. 

Later, the SDM also 

convened officers meeting 

and took stock of ongoing 

developmental works. (KNS) 

been referred to JKSSB and 111 

Class-IV posts to the Relief Organization 

in 2012. JKSSB has 

since issued a select list of 430 

candidates while the Relief Organization 

has issued a select 

list of 87 candidates against 

the 111 Class-IV posts referred 

to them. 

The Governor directed 

the Chief Secretary to i) urgently 

finalise the filling up of 

the remaining posts keeping 

in view the directions of the 


Srinagar, Jan 27: President 

Awami Itihad Party Er Rasheed 

today has indicated that he 

will resign from State Legislature 

if police and other security 

agencies continue to impose 

restrictions on his movement 

and don’t stop their unjustified 

and undemocratic attitude 

towards him. Addressing an 

overcrowded press conference 

in Srinagar today, he read out 

the contents of a letter which 

he has written to Governor 

and the Speaker, seeking their 

intervention in the matter. Er 

Rasheed quoted some sixteen 

incidents during last one year, 

when police restricted him 

either to his residence or deported 

him back. He said that 

police and civil administration 

don’t allow him to travel Chenab 

Valley, Pir-Panchal region 

and few parts of Kashmir valley 

time and again. Rasheed 

said, “He has nothing personal 

High Court in the matter; ii) 

lay down a tight timeframe for 

filling 3000 additional posts by 

Kashmiri Migrants, which had 

become available as part of the 

PM’s Special Package for J&K. 

Governor observed that he 

would hold a further meeting 

with the Chief Secretary and 

Principal Secretary, Relief and 

Rehabilitation on 1st February, 

2016, to decide any remainder 

issue. 

Governor also reviewed 

with the police or some other 

security agencies but state is 

forcing them to do worst with 

me and the act is condemnable 

and I feel suffocated working in 

such atmosphere. The attitude 

and the treatment is an insult 

to the democratic institutions 

and to the people whom I 

represent. If Indian state is not 

ready to listen the genuine 

voice of an elected legislator, 

how can common men expect 

his Fundamental Rights 

the present position in regard 

to the availability of accommodation 

for the Kashmiri 

Migrant employees who have 

been posted in the Valley. 

Principal Secretary, R&R informed 

that 723 flats for transit 

accommodation had been 

constructed at various locations 

in Kashmir Valley which 

are presently being utilised 

for accommodating migrant 

employees who have been 

appointed under the PM’s 

Rasheed hints at 

resigning from Assembly 

DAK warns against 

swine flu complacency 


During previous 

flu season when 

we thought 

worst was 

over there was 

sudden spike 

in cases in 

February. 

Srinagar, Jan 27: With 

expected increase in swine 

flu activity in coming days, 

Doctors Association Kashmir 

(DAK) today warned public 

health officials not to be 

complacent as influenza 

could become more widespread 

as season wears on. 

Although so far, this 

flu season has been mild, 

President DAK and Flu expert 

Dr Nisar ul Hassan said that 

does not mean we are out of 

woods yet. 

This year’s slow start to 

the flu season isn’t out of ordinary 

as other seasons have 

had the same pattern. 

During previous flu season 

when we thought worst 

was over there was sudden 

spike in cases in February. 

National Institute of 

Virology also observed steep 

rise of 22% in swine flu cases 

during February in 2015 

which continued for sometime 

thereafter. 

According to a flu forecast 

project there is a 57% 

chance that this flu season 

will likely peak in February. 

CDC in its weekly report 

has said that flu activity is 

increasing and H1N1 is the 

dominant circulating strain. 

We are expecting a lot 

more flu coming down the 

road and we must not lower 

our guard. 

While flu spreads every 

year timing, severity and 

length of flu is unpredictable 

and can vary from season to 

season. 

The 2009 swine flu pandemic 

started in April and 

the new virus caused high 

levels of summer infections. 

Despite alert from 

centre, health authorities in 

Kashmir seem to show no 

urgency to prepare against 

possible swine flu threat. 

We have no idea about 

flu activity and we do not 

know which strain is predominant 

and whether there 

is any change in virus. 

While swine flu scare 

is looming over the valley, 

there are serious gaps such 

as low vaccination rates and 

no efforts are made to educate 

people about the need 

for vaccine which is the best 

defence against flu. 

to be protected.” Er Rasheed 

requested Speaker to treat 

his letter as privilege motion 

against SSP Baramulla and SSP 

Anantnag for the ill treatment 

they gave to me. He said that 

if Governor and the Speaker 

failed to restore my dignity 

and rights, I will approach the 

Hon’ble Court for the justice 

and will not hesitate from resigning 

if Governor and the 

Speaker failed to address the 

seriousness of the matter. 


Jammu Jan 27: Expressing 

serious concern over the 

plight of jail inmates, CPI(M) 

has stressed for immediate 

jail reforms in the state and 

making them as correctional 

homes instead of treating 

them as security centric centres. 

“The conditions of the 

jails in the state are very miserable, 

unhygienic and are 

devoid of healthcare facilities. 

There is imminent need to 

address these serious issues 

and create humane environment 

for the jail inmates. The 

jail administration is working 

under the ambit of the old 

and outdated Prison Acts and 

Jail Manuals, whose application 

has become obsolete in 

the context of present day 

situation,” CPI (M) senior 

leader and MLA Kulgam said 

in a statement on Wednesday. 

“A proper legislation is 

needed to update and amend 

the Prison Act for augmenting 

the facilities to the jail 

inmates to which they are 

entitled, whether being undertrials 

or convicted,” he 

said. 

“Amnesty International, 

National Human Rights 

Commission and various 

committees constituted from 

time to time have highlighted 

the unhygienic and inhuman 

environment of the 

jails suggesting for massive 

jail reforms. Unfortunately 

these suggestions have not 

Package. The Government of 

India have conveyed approval 

for the construction of 6000 

additional units for transit accommodation 

in Kashmir Valley 

for migrants to whom State 

Government jobs have been / 

will be provided. 

Governor directed that 

the earlier sanctioned 96 

units at Sheikhpora (Budgam) 

and 512 units at Vessu Quazigund 

should be completed 

on high priority basis and the 

time frame intimated to him. 

It was noted that Transit Accommodation 

already constructed 

includes 250 units at 

Vessu Quazigund, 200 units at 

Sheikhpora (Budgam), 65 units 

at Hawal (Pulwama), 130 units 

at Khanpora (Baramulla), 60 

units at Nutnussa (Kupwara) 

and 18 units at Mattan, (Anantnag). 

The Governor directed 

that the construction of additional 

accommodation should 

be completed on a time bound 

basis in various districts of the 

Kashmir Valley by expediting 

acquisition of land. Governor 

also directed speeding up the 

process for urgent repairs/ 

Srinagar, Jan 27: The PhD 

students from Kashmir Valley 

Wednesday staged a protest 

against the MSP orders of the 

J&K state public service commission. 

The protesting doctors 

said that the recent orders by 

JKPSC regarding ineligibility 

of those who have done PhD 

before 2009 and conflicting 

stands taken by the Universities 

of Jammu as well as 

Kashmir have been affecting 

them badly. 

The candidates who have 

done PhD before 2009 told 

CNS that have followed UGC 

guidelines present at their 

time and could not carry out 

course work as it was not 

then part and parcel of PhD 

programme. They said that 

2009 Minimum Standards 

Procedure regulations clearly 

mention that course work 

should be completed successfully 

before undertaking 

actual work for PhD which 

was introduced in Indian universities 

in 2011 so all those 

renovation being carried out in 

respect of accommodation in 

various Camps in Jammu and 

the Transit Accommodation in 

Kashmir Valley. 

The Governor reviewed 

the issues pertaining to Jagti 

Migrant Township and was 

informed that a 40 bedded 

Hospital with 9 Doctors and 

37 para-medical staff had recently 

been operationalised 

to provide medical care to 

more than 4000 families 

staying in the Camp. Vohra 

directed the Secretary, Health 

and Medical Education, to 

ensure adequate availability 

of medicines in all the Health 

Centres set up in various 

Migrant Camps in Jammu 

as well as in Transit Accommodation 

in Kashmir Valley. 

Likewise, adequate number 

of teachers will be posted in 

the schools in all the Migrant 

Camps. The Governor asked 

the Chief Secretary to review 

issues regarding electrification 

and water supply with 

the Commissioner/ Secretary, 

PWD and Secretary, PHE and 

resolve the same by 3rd February 

2016. 

candidates who were admitted 

before 2011 were not 

able to do course work before 

actual research work making 

them as ineligible as others 

who completed before 2009 

and if they have obtained 

2009 MSP certificate by doing 

course work after actual 

research work then that MSP 

is as invalid as of those who 

have been awarded PhD before 

2009 and got MSP certificate 

which have been rejected 

by JKPSC. 

They further claimed 

that it is very unlikely that 

students who were admitted 

in 2011 as per UGC guidelines 

would have completed 

Kupwara shuts 

down on massacre 

anniversary 

Jan 27: A complete 

shutdown was observed in 

Frontier district Kupwara 

against the cold-blooded 

massacre of 27 civilians including 

three policemen allegedly 

by the soldiers of 31 

Medium Regiment on 27 January 

1994. 

All the shops and business 

establishments remained 

closed and transport 

was off the roads. The government 

offices and banks 

also noticed thin attendance 

in the town. Congregational 

Fateah Khawani was 

supposed to take place at 

Shaheed Mazaar, Kupwara, 

however police sealed the 

grave yard and did not allow 

people to pay tributes to the 

victims of the massacre. 

Chairman International 

Forum for Justice Muhammad 

Ahsan Untoo, Muslim 

Conference Chairman Shabir 

Ahmed Dar and Jammu 

Kashmir Liberation Front 

Vice Chairman Sheikh Muhammad 

Afzal and senior 

separatist leader Zahool 

Ahmed Bhat staged a peaceful 

protest in Main Chowk 

Kupwara, however police 

swung into action and detained 

them in police station 

Kupwara. 

The families of the victims 

criticized police for 

barring them from offering 

special prayers at Shaheed 

Mazar. “This is injustice and 

unlawful to prevent mourners 

from offering prayers in 

favour of victims,” said a local 

to CNS. 

It was on 27 January 1994 

when the troopers of 31 Medium 

Regiment allegedly 

gunned down 27 civilians in 

Kupwara district for observing 

shutdown on the eve of 

Republic Day. 

Justice continues to 

elude the families of victims 

even after the expiry of 22 

long years. 

The First Information 

Report vide number 19/1994 

under section 302, 307 

lodged in Police Station Kupwara 

reads that, ““in a criminal 

assault, the soldiers of 31 

Medium Regiment who were 

on road opening party duty 

led by field officer S. Bakshi 

gunned down scores of 

people in indiscriminate 

firing in Kupwara market 

and its vicinity without 

any provocation.” 

Phd students protest against MSP 

order of Public Service Commission 

Humanize jails: 

CPI (M) to Govt 

been acknowledged and implemented 

by the successive 

governments at the centre 

as well as in the state of Jammu 

and Kashmir,” Tarigami 

lamented. 

He said, “In a state like 

Jammu & Kashmir, where 

the roll of jail inmates has 

been on the increase in view 

of the prevailing situations, 

the jail reforms should have 

been prioritized by way of 

infrastructure development, 

creation of man power and 

improving basic amenities 

in the jails and sub-jails. 

Overcrowding and mingling 

of jail inmates of varying 

natures has been cause of 

unethical practices, murders 

and deterioration of their 

health conditions. 

He demanded segregation 

of jail inmates in terms 

of sex and nature of crime. 

“The environment in the 

jails should be such that they 

really prove to be reformative 

centres for the prisioners. 

Sometimes extra-judicial 

punishments are awarded to 

the undertrials and are devoid 

of legal aid that amounts 

to denial of justice.” 

Tarigami suggested that 

government should establish 

de-addiction centres, skill development 

centres, libraries 

and healthcare units for the 

undertrials in the jails. “The 

jails should be humanized to 

the extent that a better environment 

is created for the inmates, 

enabling them to enjoy 

the dignity and the rights 

they are otherwise entitled 

to,” he added. 

He also advocated for 

opening of Legal Aid Clinics 

in the jails for providing legal 

aid to the jail inmates for ensuring 

speedy trials and dispensation 

of justice. 

CAPD squad conducts 

market check, books 

defaulters 

Srinagar, Jan 27: A team of Consumer Affairs 

and Public Distribution (CAPD) today conducted 

market checking in various areas of 

Srinagar city and booked many defaulters for 

violating government norms. 

During market checking of Shaheed 

Gunj, Lal Chowk, Hari Singh High Street, 

Sonawar and Dalgate, the squad destroyed 

rotten vegetables and other food items and 

booked many violators. The department 

has asked shopkeepers to strictly adhere to 

government rate list and appealed to the 

people to not to pay more than government 

approved rates. 


PhD in 2013 after completing 

course work and their actual 

research work and other 

formalities in just two years 

thus making everyone who 

has done PhD ineligible for 

these posts. “Incidentally, 

even today Kashmir University 

conducts only Entrance 

test for PhD and is not followed 

by interview which is 

mandatory as per UGC 2009 

guidelines.” 

The aspirants who have 

completed PhD before 2009 

claimed that if 2009 MSP regulations 

are followed in letter 

and spirit, then no research 

scholar who has completed 

PhD and is seeking exemption 

from NET/ SLET on basis 

of UGC 2009 Regulations 

will remain eligible for these 

posts so they maintained that 

it is duty of government and 

JKPSC to find ways so that 

research scholars who spent 

5-6 years of their life to get 

these degrees are not made 

ineligible for these posts. 

They further said that 

if 2009 MSP regulations are 

followed then it will raise 

question about relevance 

of appointment of teaching 

positions made by state universities 

/government from 

2009 till date on the basis 

of PhD as equivalent to NET/ 

SLET and their fate on being 

contrary to MSP 2009 regulations. 

The protesters claimed 

that when Haryana Government 

can intervene to 

make PhD applicants who 

completed PhD before 2009 

eligible for these posts, State 

Government should also take 

policy decision to make them 

eligible followed by written 

General Line teachers to stay 

away from Jan 30 protest 

Srinagar, Jan 27: JK General 

Line Teachers Forum (GLTF) 

on Wednesday decided to 

stay away from the protest 

called by Chairman School 

Education Employees Coordination 

Committee (SEECC) 

on January 30. 

The Forum said it 

wouldn't support the strike 

call given by 'some teacher 

associations' on January 30 

stating that the forum "does 

not believe in strike politics". 

Chairman GLTF also extended 

his support to the 

Director School Education 

Kashmir (DSEK) for "taking 

steps for the betterment of 

the derailed education sector 

of the valley". 

The forum has also convened 

a meeting of the core 

members which was attended 

by all the district presidents 

of GLTF. The meeting 

was chaired by Chairman 

GLTF Anwar Hussain Wani. 

"Chairman praised the 

steps taken by the Director 

for the betterment of education 

sector and said that department 

has every right to 

transfer the teachers where 

ever they like for the benefit 

of the student community 

and no teacher should have 

hindrance in that," the statement 

reads. 

Vice President GLTF, 

Gulshan Ahmad Magray, 

as per the handout, has 

appealed the intellectuals 

Principals, educationists 

and civil society members 

to break their silence and 

come forward for supporting 

the steps taken for the 

reformation of the education 

sector. 

CAPD department said the drive against 

black-marketing, profiteering, hoarding will be 

intensified in coming days.

Precious Kashmir 

Edit 

Srinagar,Thursday 

28.01.2016 4 

Safety on roads 

India’s roads have acquired a reputation, quite deservedly, of 

being the most dangerous in the world. Rapid motorization 

and fast-paced economic activity over several years have been 

accompanied by an annual toll of nearly 140,000 accident fatalities; 

injuries are estimated to be 15 to 20 times the number of 

deaths. In absolute numbers, more people die in road accidents 

in India than in any other country. Apart from the human dimension 

of the tragedy, avoidable death and disability seriously 

affect economic progress — by some estimates, 3 per cent of 

GDP is lost in a year due to the carnage. Last year Supreme 

Court decided to appoint a three-member committee to suggest 

ways to prevent road accidents and ensure accountability and 

offer some hope that a new government at the Centre will be 

compelled to address the issue as an emergency. It is not as if 

suggestions for improvements for enhanced safety have not 

been proposed earlier. The Sundar Committee constituted by 

the Centre called for an apex agency to be created to assess all 

aspects of road safety, and to address the lacuna in scientific accident 

investigation. Although the recommendation was made 

seven years ago, it has failed to take off. Indians are travelling 

more miles per capita today, and are at high risk for injury or 

worse. 

Unsafe transport, including services operated by government 

agencies, are a major part of the problem. Several ghastly 

accidents involving public transport vehicles have been reported, 

but the State governments involved have shown little 

sense of accountability. They routinely challenge even claims 

for compensation. Their response to the need for improved 

infrastructure has been woefully weak. In its recent report, the 

National Transport Development Policy Committee headed by 

Rakesh Mohan suggested that national, State and local-level 

institutions be set up, with responsibility to address the issue 

of safety. There is an urgent need to form these committees, 

and appoint professionals to them. They must be empowered to 

upgrade driver-licensing practices, road systems, public lighting 

and signage. Accident investigation, which remains a neglected 

area, requires a thorough overhaul, and CCTVs can help 

determine the cause of mishaps. Also, the neglect of the public 

district hospital network in most States, and the high cost of 

treatment at private hospitals affect access to good trauma care 

for accident victims. The right to life demands that the Central 

and State governments provide medical facilities at a proximate 

institution free of cost to all. The Supreme Court panel must 

give road accidents the status of a public health issue that has 

acquired alarming proportions. Reform to improve road safety 

cannot be delayed any longer. 

Printer, Publisher, Owner : Afaq Ahmad Bhat 

Editor: Afaq Ahmad Bhat 

Legal Advisor: Hakim Sami Yaqoob (Advocate) 

Published From: Rajbagh Opposite Radio Colony Srinagar 

J&K 

Printed At: Alsafa Printing Press Hazuri Bagh Srinagar 

RNI No: JKENG/2013/55310 

Cell No: 9419081703 

OTHER OPINION 

Patent Filing 

Claims Solar Energy 

‘Breakthrough’ 

WASHINGTON — In a U.S. patent application, a little-known Maryland 

inventor claims a stunning solar energy breakthrough that promises to 

end the planet’s reliance on fossil fuels at a fraction of the current cost – a 

transformation that also could blunt global warming. 

Inventor Ronald Ace said that his flat-panel “Solar Traps,” which can be 

mounted on rooftops or used in electric power plants, will shatter decades-old 

scientific and technological barriers that have stymied efforts to 

make solar energy a cheap, clean and reliable alternative. 

“This is a fundamental scientific and environmental discovery,” Ace said. 

“This invention can meet about 92 percent of the world’s energy needs.” 

His claimed discoveries, which exist only on paper so far, would represent 

such a leap forward that they are sure to draw deep skepticism from solar 

energy experts. But a recently retired congressional energy adviser, who has 

reviewed the invention’s still-secret design, said it’s “a no brainer” that the 

device would vastly outperform all other known solar technology. 

Ace said he is arranging for a national energy laboratory to review his calculations 

and that his own crude prototypes already have demonstrated that 

the basic physics for the invention work. 

If the trap even comes close to meeting his futuristic vision, its impact could 

be breathtaking: It could reorder the world’s energy landscape, end the 

global economic drag of soaring energy costs, and eventually curb greenhouse 

gas emissions that are blamed for climate change. 

That all might sound rather rosy, since the previously undisclosed invention 

has yet to be constructed and fully tested. But John Darnell, a scientist and 

the former congressional aide who has monitored Ace’s dogged research for 

more than three years and has reviewed his complex calculations, has no 

doubts. 

“Anybody who is skilled in the art and understands what he’s proposing is 

going to have this dumbfounding reaction: ‘Oh, well it’s obvious it’ll work,’” 

said Darnell, a biochemist with an extensive background in thermodynamics. 

“Ron has turned conventional wisdom about solar on its head,” he said. “He 

thinks outside the box.” 

An independent inventor working from his home outside the nation’s 

capital, Ace said that his filing culminated years of research into ways to 

efficiently capture and store solar energy. 

In recent interviews and redacted excerpts from his patent application, he 

said that his invention can be used to retrofit conventional nuclear- or fossil 

fuel-fired power plants to produce electricity at about 2 cents per kilowatt-hour. 

That alone would be a staggering advance, slashing the average 

wholesale cost of power by two-thirds and the cost of solar energy by up to 

ninefold – estimates that Ace called conservative. 

Email: preciouskashmir@gmail.com 

The Renewable Revolution 

Michael T. Klare 

resistance of Republican legislators with strong ties 

to the fossil fuel industry. The White House insists, 

and Turkey. Given how little such countries were 

devoting to a renewable future just a few years ago, 

Don’t hold your breath, but future historians 

may look back on 2015 as the year in the INDC can be achieved through executive No less striking is the degree to which oil-pro- 

however, that many of the measures included consider this a sign of changing times. 

that the renewable energy ascendancy branch action, including curbs on carbon emissions ducing countries are beginning to embrace green 

began, the moment when the world from coal plants and mandated improvements in energy. In January, for example, the Dubai Electricity 

and Water Authority awarded a contract to 

started to move decisively away from its the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks. 

reliance on fossil fuels. Those fuels -- oil, natural gas, 

and coal -- will, of course, continue to dominate the 

energy landscape for years to come, adding billions 

of tons of heat-trapping carbon to the atmosphere. 

For the first time, however, it appears that a shift to 

renewable energy sources is gaining momentum. If 

sustained, it will have momentous implications for 

the world economy -- as profound as the shift from 

wood to coal or coal to oil in previous centuries. 

Global economic growth has, of course, long been 

powered by an increasing supply of fossil fuels, especially 

petroleum. Beginning with the United States, 

countries that succeeded in mastering the extraction 

and utilization of oil gained immense economic and 

political power, while countries with huge reserves 

of oil to exploit and sell, like Kuwait and Saudi 

Arabia, became fabulously wealthy. The giant oil 

companies that engineered the rise of petroleum 

made legendary profits, accumulated vast wealth, 

and grew immensely powerful. Not surprisingly, the 

Other countries have submitted similarly ambitious 

INDCs. Mexico, for example, has pledged to 

cap its carbon emissions by 2026, and to achieve 

a 22% reduction in greenhouse gas levels by 2030. 

Its commitment is considered especially significant, 

since it’s the first such pledge by a major developing 

nation. “Mexico is setting an example for 

the rest of the world by submitting an INDC that is 

timely, clear, ambitious, and supported by robust, 

unconditional policy commitments,” the Obama 

White House noted in a congratulatory statement. 

No one can predict the outcome of the December 

climate summit, but few observers expect the 

measures it may endorse to be tough enough to 

keep future increases in global temperatures below 

two degrees Celsius, themaximum amount most 

scientists believe the planet can absorb without 

incurring climate disasters far beyond anything 

seen to date. Nevertheless, implementation of the 

INDCs, or even a significant portion of them, would 

Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power International to build a 

200-megawatt, $330 million solar electricity plant. 

The deal received widespread attention, as ACWA 

promised to deliver electricity from the plant for 

$58.50 per megawatt-hour, one-third less than the 

cost of natural gas-fired generation. 

“This is a major breakthrough in the oil-fired 

Emirates and a clear demonstration of the ongoing 

global energy transition,” suggested Mark Lewis of 

Kepler Cheuvreux, a European financial services 

company. “We think this is a landmark deal both 

in terms of the extremely competitive cost at 

which the project will generate power and the 

potential for a much greater take-up of renewables 

in countries that have so far been slow to embrace 

them.” 

The Falling Price of Renewables 

As the Dubai deal indicates, price is playing a crucial 

role in the shift from fossil fuels to renewables. 

Listen to the apostles of coal and oil and you’d 

oil states and those energy corporations continue to at least produce a significant reduction in fossil think that poor countries had no choice but to rely 

dream of a future in which they will play a dominant fuel consumption and point the way to a different on their chosen form of energy because of its low 

role. 

future. 

cost compared to other fuels. “There are still hundreds 

of millions, billions of people living in abject 

“Fossil fuels are our most enduring energy source,” A Sea Change in Chinese Energy Behavior 

said Ali Al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia’s minister of petroleum 

and mineral resources, in April 2013. “They tion to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels -- a critical CEO and Chairman of ExxonMobil. “They need 

Of equal importance is China’s evident determina- 

poverty around the world,” said Rex Tillerson, the 

are the driving force of economic development in change in stance, given its projected energy needs electricity they can count on, that they can afford... 

the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and for much of the developed in the decades to come. According to the DoE, They’d love to burn fossil fuels because their 

and developing world [and] they have the capacity to China’s share of world energy consumption is expected 

to jump from an already impressive 19% in quality of health and the health of their children 

quality of life would rise immeasurably, and their 

sustain us well into the future.” 

But new developments, including a surprising 

2010 to 27% in 2040, with most of its added energy and their future would rise immeasurably.” 

surge in wind and solar installations, suggest that coming from fossil fuels. Should this indeed occur, Until recently, this would have been gospel 

oil’s dominance may not prove as “enduring” as China would consume another 88 quadrillion British 

thermal units of such energy over the next 30 of renewables, especially solar power, is dropping 

among mainstream energy experts, but the cost 

imagined. “Rapidly spreading solar technology 

could change everything,” energy analyst Nick Butler years, or 43% of all added fossil fuel consumption so rapidly that, even in a moment when the price 

recently wrote in the Financial Times. “There is worldwide. So any significant moves by China to of oil has been halved, the news on the horizon 

growing evidence that some fundamental changes reduce its reliance on those energy sources, as now couldn’t be clearer: fossil fuels are no longer 

are coming that will over time put a question mark being promised by senior government officials, guaranteed a price advantage in delivering energy 

over investments in old energy systems.” 

would have an outsized impact on the global to developing countries. Among the harbingers 

Normally, transitions from one energy system to energy equation. 

of this change: the cost of solar photovoltaic cells 

another take many decades. According to Vaclav China has not yet submitted its INDC, but its plan (PVs) hasplunged by 75% since 2009 and the cost 

Smil of the University of Manitoba, the shift from is expected to incorporate the commitments made of electricity generated by solar PVs has fallen 

wood to coal and coal to oil each took 50 years. The by President Xi Jinping in a meeting with President globally by 50% since 2010. In other words, solar 

same length of time, he has argued, will be needed Obama in Beijing last November. Xi promised to is now becoming competitive with oil and natural 

to complete the transition to renewables, which 

cap China’s carbon emissions by 2030 and increase gas, even at their currently depressed prices. “Cost 

would leave any green energy era in the distant 

the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy is no longer a reason not to proceed with renewables,” 

concluded a report released by the National 

future. “The slow pace of this energy transition is 

consumption to around 20% by that time. He also 

not surprising,” he wrote in Scientific American. “In 

agreed to work with the U.S. “to make sure international 

climate change negotiations will reach Cheuvreux: “Over time, as renewable-technology 

Bank of Abu Dhabi in March. Says Lewis of Kepler 

fact, it is expected.” 

Smil’s analysis, however, assumes two things: first, 

agreement as scheduled at the Paris conference in costs continue to come down and economies of 

that a business-as-usual environment in which 

2015.” 

scale continue to increase, the relative competitiveness 

of renewables in the global energy mix will 

decisions about energy investments will largely be 

Although the Chinese plan allows for continued 

made within the same profit-seeking outlook as in 

growth in carbon emissions for another 15 years, only increase further.” 

the past will continue to prevail; and second, that it 

it substantially reduces the amount of new energy Keep in mind as well that developing nations 

will take decades for renewables to best fossil fuels 

that will be derived from fossil fuels. According to have a powerful reason to favor renewables over 

in terms of cost and practicality. Both assumptions, 

a White House statement, “It will require China to fossil energy that has nothing to do with price and 

however, appear increasingly flawed. Concern over 

deploy an additional 800-1,000 gigawatts of nuclear, 

wind, solar, and other zero-emission generation most recent reports from the U.N.’s Intergovern- 

everything to do with costs of another sort. As the 

climate change is already altering the political and 

regulatory landscape, while improvements in wind 

capacity by 2030 -- more than all the coal-fired mental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) make clear, 

and solar technology are occurring at an extraordinary 

rate, rapidly eliminating the price advantage of 

power plants that exist in China today.” 

poor countries in the global South will suffer more 

It appears, moreover, that Chinese leaders are (and sooner) from the ravages of climate change 

fossil fuels. “The direction of change is clear,” Butler 

preparing to move even faster than their pledge 

writes. With the cost of renewable installations 

than countries in the global North. This is so 

falling, solar power has moved “from being a niche 

would require in transitioning away from fossil because these countries are expected to experience 

supplier to being a major regional competitor [to 

fuels. Under pressure from urban residents to some of the sharpest declines in rainfall and so 

fossil fuels].” 

reduce punishing levels of smog, the authorities the most droughts, endangering the food supply 

Experts largely agree that renewables will claim 

have announced ambitious plans to lessen reliance for hundreds of millions of people. Combine such 

a larger share of the global energy budget in the 

on coal for electricity generation and rely instead concerns with the plunging prices of renewable 

years ahead. Nevertheless, most mainstream 

on hydropower, nuclear, wind, and solar power, as energy, and it appears that the transition away 

analysts continue to believe that fossil fuels will be 

well as natural gas. “We will strive for zero-growth from fossil fuels will occur faster than predicted 

the dominant form of energy for decades to come. 

in the consumption of coal in key areas of the in the very regions that the oil companies were 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) typically 

country,” Premier Li Keqiang told the National People’s 

Congress, China’s legislature, this March. 

A New World’s A-Coming 

counting on for their future profits. 

predictsthat the share of world energy provided 

by renewables, nuclear, and hydro combined will 

As in the United States, the Chinese leadership Add up these factors, all relatively unexpected, 

climb from 17% in 2015 to a mere 22% in 2040 -- 

will face opposition from entrenched fossil fuel and one conclusion seems self-evident: we are witnessing 

the start of a global energy transition that 

hardly change on a scale that would threaten the 

interests, as well as local government structures. 

predominance of fossil fuels. There are, however, 

However, their evident determination to reduce could turn expectations upside down, politically, 

four key trends that could speed the transition to 

reliance on oil and coal represents a real change environmentally, and economically. This transformation 

won’t happen overnight and it will face 

renewables in striking ways: the world’s growing 

of mood and thinking. It’s likely to result in a far 

determination to put a brake on the advance of 

different energy landscape than the one laid out fierce opposition from powerful and entrenched 

climate change; a sea change in China’s stance on 

by the Department of Energy and, until recently, fossil fuel interests. Even so, it shows every sign of 

growth and the environment; the increasing embrace 

of green energy in the developing world; and 

most other experts. Despite repeated predictions accelerating, which means that while we may be 

of ever-increasing coal consumption, for instance, talking decades, the half-century horizon previously 

offered by experts like Vaclav Smil is probably no 

the growing affordability of renewable energy. 

China actually burned less coal in 2014 than in the 

Taking Climate Change Seriously 

previous year, the first such decline in decades. longer in the cards. Fossil fuels -- and the companies, 

politicians, and petro-states they have long 

Resistance to progress on climate change is widespread 

and well entrenched. As Naomi Klein docu- 

At the same time, it increased its spending on 

renewable forms of energy by an impressive 33% in enriched -- will lose their dominant status and be 

ments in her latest book, This Changes Everything, 

2014, investing a total of $83.3 billion -- the most overtaken by the purveyors of renewable energy 

the major fossil fuel companies have mounted 

ever spent by a single country in one year -- to a far more quickly than that. 

well-financed campaigns for years to sow doubt 

renewable future. If China leads the way globally Even with the quickening of investment in green 

about the reality of climate change, while politicians, 

often in their pay, have obstructed efforts to 

and such trends continue, the transition from fossil technology, the likelihood that world temperatures 

will be held at a 2 degrees Celsius rise, that 

fuels to renewables will occur far sooner than 

place restraints on carbon emissions. At the same 

expected. 

all-important threshold for catastrophic damage, 

time, many ordinary people have been reluctant to 

Green Goes Global 

is unfortunately vanishingly small. Which means 

acknowledge what’s happening and so to consider 

The giant oil companies have long acknowledged that our children and grandchildren will live in 

steps to bring it under control (a phenomenon 

that the most advanced countries, led by the U.S., a distinctly less inviting world. But as the destructive 

effects of climate change become more 

examined by George Marshall in Don’t Even Think 

Japan, and Europe, would eventually transition 

About It). As the devastating effects of extreme 

from fossil fuels to renewables, but they continue pronounced and more embedded in daily life 

weather, including droughts, floods, and ever more 

to insist that developing nations -- eager to expand across the planet, the impetus to slow the warming 

powerful storms, gain greater prominence in everyday 

life, however, all of this is clearly in flux. 

their economies but too poor to invest in alternative 

energy -- will continue to rely on fossil fuels in that the urge to impose strict curbs on fossil fuel 

phenomenon will only intensify. This means 

Considerable evidence can be assembled to support 

this assessment, including recentpolling data, 

a big way. This outlook led ExxonMobil and other consumption and the companies that promote it 

oil firms to make massive investments in new refineries, 

pipelines, and other infrastructure aimed We’re talking, in other words, about the building 

will grow, too. 

but perhaps the most impressive indication of this 

shift can be found in the carbon-reduction plans 

at satisfying anticipated demand from the global of genuine momentum for an energy transition 

which, in turn, means that the majority of 

major nations are now submitting to U.N. authorities 

in preparation for a global climate summit to 

South. But surprise, surprise: those countries are 

also showing every sign of turning to renewables people alive on the planet today will experience 

be held this December in Paris. Under a measure 

in their drive to expand energy output. 

the ascendancy of renewables. As with previous 

adoptedby delegates to the most recent summit, 

The global South’s surprisingly enthusiastic embrace 

of renewables is impressively documented both winners and losers. Countries and companies 

energy transitions, this shift is going to produce 

held last December in Lima, Peru, all parties to 

theU.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change 

in Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment that assume early leadership in the development 

(UNFCCC) are obliged to submit detailed action 

2015, a recent collaboration between the Frankfurt and installation of advanced green technologies are 

plans known as “intended nationally determined 

School of Finance and Management and the U.N. likely to prosper in the years ahead, while those 

contributions” (INDCs) to the global climate effort. 

Environment Programme. It reports that the developing 

countries, excluding China, spent $30 billion see their wealth and power decline or disappear. 

committed to the perpetuation of fossil energy will 

These plans, for the most part, have proven to be 

impressively tough and ambitious. More important 

yet, the numbers being offered when it comes 

on renewables in 2014, a substantial rise over the For the planet as a whole, such a transition can’t 

previous year. Together with China, investment in come soon enough. 

to carbon reduction would have been inconceivable 

only a few years ago. 

renewables in the developing world totaled nearly Michael T. Klare, a TomDispatch regular, is a 

as much as that spent by the developed countries professor of peace and world security studies at 

The U.S. plan, for example, promises that national 

that year. Significant increases in spending on Hampshire College and the author, most recently, 

carbon emissions will drop 26%-28% below 2005 

renewables were registered by Brazil (for a total of of The Race for What’s Left. A documentary movie 

levels by 2025, which represents a substantial 

$7.6 billion), India ($7.4 billion), and South Africa version of his book Blood and Oil is available from 

reduction. There are, of course, many obstacles 

($5.5 billion); investments of $1 billion or more the Media Education Foundation. 

to achieving this goal, most notably the diehard 

were posted by Chile, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, 

Source { countercurrent.com} 

Website: www.preciouskashmir.com >>>>>>>>> Please send your articles and letters on preciouskashmir@gmail.com >>>>>>>>>


Sensex Nifty Gold 

Business/ International 

Thursday 

5 



Silver Dollar J&K Bank Yes Bank SBI ICICI Bank HDFC Bank 

6.44 

1.60 

337.00 

472.00 

0.21 

0.55 

0.55 

1.45 

1.25 

5.50 

24492.39 

7437.75 

26,724.00 

35,151.00 

68.05 

69.00 

678.05 

184.40 

237.30 

1,035.65 

Markets end flat ahead of Jan F&O expiry 

Mumbai, Jan 27: Markets finished flat on 

caution ahead of the expiry of January 

derivative contracts tomorrow and the 

US Federal Reserve meet outcome later 

today. 

The S&P BSE Sensex gained 6 points 

to end at 24,492 and Nifty50 gained 2 

points to close at 7,438. In the broader 

market, BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices 

closed higher by 0.5% each. 

“Second day of a rangebound momentum 

was seen on the benchmark 

index, Nifty. The breadth of the market 

remained positive, however, there were 

some inconsistent sectoral trends seen 

within the day. With expiry for January 

series scheduled tomorrow and the crucial 

Fed Meet today, the traders continue 

to remain cautious,” said Kunal Bothra, 

Head Advisory, LKP Securities. 

“I believe that technically 7,625 remains 

to be a key resistance level, as 

global volatility fails to showi signs of 

abatement. Hence, I believe that the 

market would continue to consolidate,” 

he added. 

The Indian rupee is quoting at 68 

against the greenback, depreciating by 18 

LIC raises its stake in 

3 public sector banks 

Mumbai, Jan 27: Life Insurance Corporation 

of India (LIC) has, over the last three months, 

added to its stake in three public sector banks. 

Data from Capitaline show the life insurer has 

upped its stake in Bank of India and Corporation 

Bank through preferential allotments in 

the first half of January. 

LIC has been buying into state-owned 

lenders for more than two years now. However, 

given the sharp drop in the market capitalisation 

of public sector banks, the collective 

value of LIC’s ownership at Rs 6,251 crore has 

declined by a third since March 31, 2015. 

The valuation is based on data on ownership 

patterns of banks announced in the last 

three weeks. 

During this period, the stock prices of 

these public sector banks have declined anywhere 

between 15% and 49% and most are 

trading well below their book values. Over the 

past year the combined market capitalisation 

of public sector banks has fallen from approximately 

Rs 5 lakh crore to Rs 2.5 lakh crore. 

The fall has been attributed to the deteriorating 

asset quality at these banks and the fact 

that the central bank has asked them to step 

up provisioning requirements. In fact, apart 

from Bank of Baroda, every PSB from the considered 

sample currently trades at 20% to 40% 

of book value, Bloomberg data show. 

A senior LIC official on condition of anonymity 

said that while PSB stocks may have 

performed poorly in the last few months, over 

a longer horizon of five to seven years the 

investments made sense. “If we see a dip in 

share prices and find enough value, we won’t 

hesitate to buy,” the executive observed. 

He also confirmed LIC might invest in 

the bonds issued by some banks; the insurer 

is understood to be assessing an investment 

of around Rs 6,000 crore in 10-year bonds of 

State Bank of India (SBI). PSBs are looking to 

raise capital to meet Basel III guidelines over 

FY16-FY19. According to ICRA, PSBs would 

need to raise tier I capital of close to Rs 3.3 

lakh crore during the period as against government’s 

estimate of Rs 70,000 crore. 

paise in the anticipation of the outcome 

of FOMC meet. 

The crude oil prices rose above $30 

a barrel on Tuesday on prospects that 

OPEC and non-OPEC producers may 

reach a consensus to slash the output citing 

concerns regarding one of the largest 

oversupply gluts in decades. However, in 

today’s trade the oil prices are seen heading 

southward towards the $30 per barrel 

on account of profit booking. 

KEY STOCKS 

In the Sensex pack, Sun Pharma 

gained 1% after Sun Pharma’s subsidiary 

Sun Pharma Advanced Research Co. 

(SPARC) received market regulator Securities 

and Exchange Board of India’s 

(Sebi) nod to raise up to Rs 250 crore via 

rights issue. SPARC surged 13% 

NTPC emerged as the top gainer 

soaring over 4% ahead of its Q3 results on 

Friday. Meanwhile, ICICI Bank inched up 

ahead of the results tomorrow and HDFC 

shed 0.3% ahead of the results later today. 

From the auto pack, Tata Motors 

gained 1.5% while Maruti Suzuki climbed 

0.5% on reports suggesting that the 

company’s Japanese parent Suzuki Motor 

Corporation is considering a wideranging 

partnership with Toyota Motor 

Corporation. 

Public sector undertaking (PSU) 

banks surged on the back of heavy volumes. 

Union Bank of India, Oriental 

Bank of Commerce, Allahabad Bank, 

Canara Bank, Syndicate 

Bank, Bank of India, State 

Bank of India, Bank of 

Baroda, Indian 

Overseas Bank 

and Punjab 

National 

Bank gained up to 2%. 

Shares of highway developers surged 

after the government approved the Hybrid 

Annuity Model for highway projects. 

ARSS Infrastructure inched up, while 

HCC gained 2% and Sadbhav Engineering 

closed flat. 

Govt approves hybrid annuity 

model to fast-track highway projects 

New Delhi, Jan 27: The government 

on Wednesday 

approved hybrid annuity 

model for building roads to 

fast-track highway projects, 

revive the Public-Private- 

Partnership (PPP) mode and 

attract more investments in 

the sector. 

“The Cabinet Committee 

on Economic Affairs, chaired 

by the Prime Minister Narendra 

Modi, has given its approval 

for the Hybrid Annuity 

Model as one of the modes 

of delivery for implementing 

the Highway Projects,” said a 

statement from the Ministry 

of Road Transport and Highways. 

Under this model, the 

government will provide 40 

per cent of the project cost to 

the developer to start work 

while the remaining investment 

has to be made by the 

developer. 

“Adopting such a model 

On the flip side, Coal India dipped 

0.3% after five unions, representing 80% 

of workforce, decided to protest against 

government’s divestment plans and have 

asked government to address issues of 

contractual workers. Some of the notable 

losers include BHEL, HUL, Adani Ports, 

Hero Motocorp and Axis Bank ending 

down between 1%-4%. 

RESULT REACTION 

SpiceJet rallied 15% extending its Friday’s 

surge after the company reported 

robust earnings for the third quarter 

ended December 31, 2015 (Q3FY16). 

Shares of HCL Infosystems dipped 4% 

after the company reported higher consolidated 

net loss at Rs 64 crore for the 

quarter ended 31 December 2015 compared 

with a loss of Rs 49.6 crore in the 

same quarter last year. 

FMCG firm Godrej Consumer Products 

Ltd (GCPL) ended flat after it reported 

a 23% increase in its consolidated net 

profit at Rs 323 crore for the third quarter 

to December, helped by lower costs. 

Vardhman Textiles surged 3% after 

the company reported 66% year on year 

(YoY) growth in consolidated net profit at 

for projects not found viable 

on BOT (Toll) mode, shall be 

more effective in terms of 

maximising the quantum 

of kilometers implemented 

within the available financial 

resources of the Government,” 

the statement said. 

The main objective of the 

approval is to revive highway 

projects in the country by 

making one more mode of 

delivery of highway projects, 

it said. 

It said by adopting the 

model, all major stakeholders 

in the PPP arrangement 

– the Authority, lender and 

the developer, concessionaire 

would have an increased 

comfort level resulting in 

revival of the sector through 

renewed interest of private 

developers/investors in highway 

projects and this will 

bring relief thereby to citizens/travelers 

in the area of 

a respective project,” the government 

said. 

It will facilitate uplifting 

the socio-economic condition 

of the entire nation due 

Rs 161 crore for the third quarter ended 

December 31, 2015 (Q3) due to lower 

raw material cost. The company engaged 

in textiles business had registered a net 

profit of Rs 97 crore in the same quarter 

last fiscal. 

GLOBAL MARKET 

Asian stocks barring China closed 

higher mirroring a firm finish on the Wall 

Street after crude oil prices bounced back 

on prospects that OPEC and non-OPEC 

producers may reach a consensus to 

slash the output citing concerns regarding 

one of the largest oversupply gluts in 

decades. Meanwhile, investors are eyeing 

the US Federal Reserve meet outcome 

later today. Japan’s Nikkei, Hong Kong’s 

Hang Seng ended up between 1-2.6%. On 

the flip side, China’s Shanghai Composite 

extends its previous loss of 7% and closed 

0.5% lower. 

Meanwhile, European equities are 

trading under pressure ahead of the US 

Federal Reserve’s statement due to be released 

later today. Meanwhile, slide in the 

oil prices and weak earnings added to the 

woes. France’s CAC40, Germany’s Dax and 

London’s FTSE slipped over 0.4% each. 

to increased connectivity 

across the length and breadth 

of the country leading to enhanced 

economic activity, it 

said. 

Road Transport and Highways 

Minister Nitin Gadkari 

has recently said, “No one 

(private players) was ready to 

participate in the PPP-based 

projects as they had lost 

faith (in the previous government). 

However, to encourage 

private participation, we 

have also introduced a hybrid 

model, where we will share 

the risk with them.” 

The decision taken on 

September 11 last year by 

the CCEA has delegated the 

authority for deciding on the 

mode of delivery of highway 

projects to the ministry. 

The erstwhile Planning 

Commission has developed 

the first version of the Model 

Concession Agreement for 

roads in 2006. 

CCI eases M&A 

rules, to boost 

consolidation 

New Delhi, Jan 27: Investors 

already holding 25% 

or more as shares or voting 

rights in a firm can now 

enhance their stake to the 

50% threshold without prior 

approval of the Competition 

Commission of India, as the 

latter has eased its regulations 

for combinations. A 

firm or group that is in the 

same/identical business as 

the company whose stakes 

are picked up will also have 

the benefit of the exemption. 

Of course, the caveat 

that the waiver won’t be 

available if such acquisition 

results in acquisition 

of sole or joint “control” 

of the target entity would 

stay. 

Hitherto, investors with 

25% or more in a firm have 

required to take the competition 

watchdog’s nod for 

“gross acquisition of more 

than 5% of the shares or voting 

rights (additionally) in a 

financial year”. 

Analysts called the CCI’s 

latest move as a “major 

relaxation” comparable to 

the 2013 aligning of its then 

tougher M&A regulations 

with market regulator 

Sebi’s takeover code. The 

requirement of prior approval 

of the CCI for such 

stake acquisitions, they 

noted, have been hampering 

tranche-wise capital 

infusions in many firms, 

including online retailers, 

they said. While investors 

would often want to link 

capital investments in a 

firm to its performance 

and expansion timelines, 

there are instances where 

even operational expenditure 

like the spending on 

marketing blitzkrieg needs 

multiple investments from 

outside. 

The CCI has also waived 

its prior approval for acquisition 

of up to 10% of the 

total shares or voting right 

of a firm, treating them as 

“solely as an investment”. 

ISIL kills dozens of Iraqi 

soldiers near Ramadi 

Baghdad, Jan 27: At least 55 

Iraqi soldiers and pro-government 

tribal fighters have 

been killed in two attacks 

attributed to the Islamic 

State of Iraq and the Levant 

(ISIL) group in the country’s 

western region, near the city 

of Ramadi. 

The first attack took 

place in the early hours of 

Tuesday when several suicide 

car bombers attacked 

the headquarters of the 

tenth Iraqi army division in 

northern Ramadi, killing 30 

soldiers and pro-government 

fighters. 

Previously held by ISIL, 

Anbar’s provincial capital 

was recaptured by Iraqi 

forces three weeks ago, 

though ISIL remains strong 

in some pockets, particularly 

in the city’s eastern 

district and in the al-Sijariya 

neighbourhood. 

Iraqi security forces have 

meanwhile stopped escalating 

their offensive in the 

eastern parts of Ramadi, in 

an effort to minimise civilian 

casualties. They accuse 

ISIL of using families there 

as human shields during 

ongoing military operations. 

Separately, at noon 

on Tuesday, a dozen ISIL 

suicide car bombers tried 

to breach the Iraqi army 

barracks on the border of 

al-Baghdadi city, west of 

Ramadi, killing 25 Iraqi 

soldiers and tribal fighters 

in the process. 

The ISIL fighters were 

Canada confirms lifting 

of Iran sanctions 

Ottawa, Jan 27: Canada has confirmed for 

the first time that it plans to lift its sanctions 

on Tehran and said that if Airbus is allowed 

to sell to Iran, then its aircraft maker 

Bombardier Inc. should be allowed to export 

there as well. 

“If Airbus is able to do it, why (will) Bombardier 

not be able to do it? In which way (is 

it) helping Canada, or the Iranian people, or 

Israel, or anyone, that Canada is hurting its 

own industry?” Dion said in an exchange 

with reporters. 

Asked specifically if Bombardier would 

be allowed to do business with Iran as soon 

as sanctions are lifted, Dion said: “Legitimate 

business, certainly.” 

Iran announced plans at the weekend to 

buy more than 160 European planes, mainly 

from Airbus, and Dion said reluctance to lift 

sanctions on the part of Canada’s Conservative 

opposition had helped Airbus and not 

Bombardier. The United States, the European 

Union and other major nations have already 

lifted some of their own punitive measures. 

“Canada will lift its sanctions but what 

Canada will maintain is our suspicion of 

a regime ... that must not return to (trying 

to obtain) nuclear weapons,” Dion told the 

House of Commons moments before meeting 

journalists. Dion also said Iran had a poor 

human rights record and was not a friend of 

Canadian allies such as Israel. 

Dion said any lifting of sanctions would 

be done carefully in conjunction with allies, 

seeking to ensure nuclear and other military 

activity is prevented. 

Bombardier spokeswoman Marianella 

de la Barrera called Dion’s comments a positive 

step but said that the company was still 

respecting the Canadian sanctions. 

prevented from entering 

al-Baghdadi after heavy 

fighting with Iraqi soldiers 

and air strikes by the US-led 

coalition. 

Mass grave in Ramadi 

The attacks come a day 

after Iraqi forces uncovered 

more than 40 bodies, including 

those of women and 

children, in a mass grave in 

Ramadi. 

Interior ministry spokesman 

Brigadier General Saad 

Maan said the grave in central 

Ramadi contained the 

bodies of civilians as well as 

police, the Associated Press 

reported. 

Video footage from the 

site shows local security 

forces and a small forensics 

team wearing face masks 

and digging with shovels. 

Similar mass graves 

have been found in other areas 

recaptured by Iraqi forces 

from ISIL in Syria and Iraq. 

Shooting during 

arrest of US 

militiamen leaves 

one dead 

Washington, Jan 27: The leader 

of an armed occupation at a 

federal wildlife refuge in Oregon 

and others were arrested 

after shots were fired during a 

traffic stop, leaving one person 

dead and another wounded, the 

FBI said. 

Protesters were still occupying 

the remote Malheur 

National Wildlife Refuge in eastern 

Oregon after leader Ammon 

Bundy’s arrest and the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation was 

setting up a perimeter with the 

hopes of a peaceful resolution, a 

law enforcement official said. 

A total of eight people were 

arrested in two states. 

The takeover at Malheur 

that started Jan. 2 is the latest 

flare-up in the so-called Sagebrush 

Rebellion, a decades-old 

conflict over the U.S. government’s 

control of millions acres 

of land in the West. 

Riyadh, Jan 27: An important component 

of Syria`s opposition resumed 

discussions in the Saudi capital on 

Wednesday to decide whether to join 

peace talks in Geneva. 

Speaking to AFP at the venue in 

a luxury Riyadh hotel, spokesman 

for the High Negotiations Committee 

(HNC), Monzer Makhous, said the 

talks could last “perhaps all day”. 

“There will be no comment until 

they finish,” he said. 

United Nations-brokered talks, 

now scheduled to begin on Friday, 

have been delayed since Monday over 

who will represent the opposition. 

The HNC began meeting on 

Tuesday to debate whether it 

would attend. 

The Riyadh-backed grouping insists 

it should be the sole opposition 

delegation. 

But several opposition figures 

who do not belong to the body told 

AFP on Tuesday they had been invited 

to the talks. 

A source close to the Riyadh meeting 

said the body had received invitations 

to Geneva, but discussion on 

whether to participate was ongoing. 

“The response will be a request for 

clarifications and not an acceptance or 

rejection,” he told AFP, adding that the 

body wanted to know who else had 

been invited and under what terms, 

as well as what would be discussed. 

HNC member Salem al-Meslet 

said the “climate is positive”. 

The HNC was seeking “clarifications 

(from the UN) concerning some 

No US-China consensus 

on North Korea yet 

Beijing, Jan 27: US Secretary of State John 

Kerry urged China to do more to rein in 

North Korea’s nuclear activities and decrease 

tensions over disputed parts of the 

South China Sea. 

Wrapping up an eight-day, around-theworld 

diplomatic mission in Beijing, Kerry 

hailed US-China cooperation on several issues, 

including the Iran nuclear deal and 

climate change, but said consensus on 

North Korea and the South China Sea 

remained a work in progress. 

“Clearly we have several important 

issues that we need to find the 

way forward on,” Kerry told reporters 

as he began his meeting with 

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi. 

Kerry called North Korea “a major 

challenge to global security” and 

noted US “concerns and activities 

in the South China Sea.” 

“We have proven ... when 

our two countries find common ground and 

work together, we can make things happen,” 

he said. “And it is my hope that today 

will be constructive and we will find a way 

forward.” 

In his opening remarks, Wang mentioned 

both issues briefly and said he was 

eager to hear what Kerry had to say. But he 

Syria opposition resumes 

Riyadh meeting on peace talks 

issues, particularly humanitarian issues”, 

he said. 

The office of UN Syria envoy Staffan 

de Mistura said it had issued invitations 

to the talks but declined to 

say who had been invited to represent 

President Bashar al-Assad and the 

Syrian opposition. 

Following months of effort, Riyadh 

in December brought together 

about 100 representatives of the main 

Syrian political opposition and armed 

factions for unprecedented talks. 

They agreed to negotiate with the 

regime but insisted Assad step down 

at the start of any political transition. 

Riad Hijab, a former Syrian prime 

minister who defected in 2012, is 

general coordinator of the Riyadh 

group`s 33-member HNC. 

offered no hint as to whether China would 

respond to the entreaties beyond saying he 

hoped the two nations would be able “to 

deepen our understanding and mutual trust 

to deepen our strategic cooperation.” 

The US badly wants China to take a firmer 

stance in urging North Korea to end its 

nuclear testing. China is North Korea’s main 

link to the outside world, and American 

officials say Beijing isn’t doing 

enough to persuade North Korea 

to stop the tests and return to 

disarmament talks. 

The so-called six-party 

talks between the North and 

South Korea, the United States, 

China, Russia and Japan have 

been stalled since they were last 

held in December 2008. 

Pyongyang has since conducted 

three nuclear tests, including 

the latest on January 6, sparking 

worries the country has made progress in its 

bomb programme. Kerry, who after meeting 

Wang was set to see State Councilor Yang 

Jiechi and hoped to meet later with President 

Xi Jinping, also called on China to halt 

land reclamation and construction in disputed 

areas of the South China Sea, which 

have alarmed its smaller neighbors. 

Taliban disconnects 

Uzbekistan’s 

electricity to Kabul 

Kabul, Jan 27: The Taliban has 

hit back by cutting off imported 

power from Uzbekistan to 

Kabul after the intensification 

of military operations by 

Government forces against the 

insurgent group in the Baghlan 

province. The Taliban had 

blown up a major electricity 

pylon in Dand-e-Shahabuddin 

area near Baghlan-Kunduz 

highway, reports Tolo News. 

The incident occured after 

the local officials in northern 

Baghlan province informed that 

a large scale military operation 

was launched in three parts of 

Dand-e-Ghori area in Pul-e- 

Khumri city in order to clear the 

areas of militants.


Even subtle differences in how one refers to 

people with mental illness can affect their 

attitudes towards such people, says a study. 

According to the researchers, individuals 

showed less tolerance toward people who 

were called to as “the mentally ill” when 

compared to those referred to as “people with 

mental illness”. 

For example, participants were more likely 

to agree with the statement “the mentally ill 

should be isolated from the community” than 

the almost identical statement “people with 

mental illnesses should be isolated from the 

community.” 

“The language we use has real effects on 

our levels of tolerance for people with mental 

illness,” said Darcy Haag Granello, professor at 

Ohio State University. 

“Everyone - including the media, policymakers 

and the general public - need to 

change how they refer to people with mental 

FROM FRONT PAGE..................... 

Anantnag........ 

Clashes broke out early this morning between angry youth and 

forces, reports said, adding that youth pelted stones on the forces 

who responded with tear smoke shelling. 

Quake....... 

was epicentred somewhere in Hindukush mountains in Afghanistan. 

There was no immediate report of any loss of life or 

damage to property. 

Corruption........ 

India and Sri Lanka leaders are falling short of their bold promises 

whereas governments in Bangladesh and Cambodia are exacerbating 

corruption by clamping down on civil society. It adds 

that in Afghanistan and Pakistan a failure to tackle corruption 

is feeding ongoing vicious conflicts, while China's prosecutorial 

approach isn't bringing sustainable remedy to the menace. 

Omar........ 

majority seats and form the government,” he said. 

The former chief minister said that Mehbooba Mufti is using 

his late father’s strategy to make people wait for the government. 

“People will not wait longer. Mufti Sahab made people to 

wait for the government last year, but then the situation was 

different due to floods as people were waiting for flood relief. 

But when he formed the alliance with BJP, people did not oppose 

the alliance much as they were suffering due to absence of 

the government,” Omar said. 

“Mehbooba ji is also using the same strategy that she will 

make the people wait and then people will plead before her to 

form the government. But people will not do the same this time.” 

The NC working president said that people are not complaining 

about the Governor rule because of the failure of the 

PDP-BJP government to deliver. 

“Today, I am surprised that people are not complaining 

the absence of the government or a minister because the PDP- 

BJP government failed to deliver before the people in the 10 

months,” Omar said. 

Trust........ 

illness,” he added. 

The push to change how society refers 

to people with mental illness began in the 

1990s when several professional publications 

proposed the use of what they called “person-first” 

language when talking about people 

with disabilities or chronic conditions. 

Person-first language is a way to honour 

the initiative should be the guiding principle for police forces to 

go about in the future and assured his Ministry will take “positive 

steps” in this regard. 

“While community policing should be the guiding principle 

of our police forces, I must say that building relationships 

should be our prime focus. I am of the firm opinion that community 

policing should be institutionalised in our policing 

system. 

“There is an urgent need to come up with a technical architecture 

connecting the local police stations with the local community. 

A nationwide action plan for community policing and 

community contact needs to be formulated,” he said. 

Snowfall........ 

With the rains intermittent in the plains including in summer 

capital Srinagar - there was a huge improvement in the minimum 

temperature at most places in the Valley. The mercury in 

Srinagar rose over a degree from the previous night's 1 degree 

Celsius to settle at a low of 2.2 degrees Celsius, the official said. 

He said the minimum in the city stayed above the freezing 

point for the second consecutive night after remaining below 

zero degrees Celsius for more than a fortnight. 

The night temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town to 

Kashmir Valley, also went up from minus 2.3 degrees Celsius 

the previous night to settle above the freezing point at a low of 

0.8 degree Celsius, the official said. 

The mercury also marked an improvement in Kupwara 

town in north Kashmir which recorded the minimum of 1.7 

degrees Celsius compared to the previous night's minus 3.1 degrees 

Celsius. Kokernag, in south, registered a low of minus 1.4 

degrees Celsius, the official said. 

JK........ 

states, 75 percent of the recruits would be from the 27 core affected 

districts under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) 

scheme. 

Woman........ 

“a new form of energy” on Venus. 

In 1989, while predicting the attacks on the Twin towers 

in the United States Vanga said, “Horror, horror, the American 

brethren will fall after being attacked by the steel birds. The 

wolves will be howling in a bush, and innocent blood will be 

gushing.” 

Predicting the 2004 Tsunami she had said, “A big wave will 

cover a large coast with people and villages where everything 

disappears under water.” 

HEALTH 

Why one should never say 

or write ‘mentally ill’ 

Late-night texting 

affects sleep, grades 

Messaging in the dark affects 

sleep, health and performance 

in school, says a 

study. 

Students who text for 

longer duration in the dark 

sleep only for a few hours 

and thus remain sleepier 

during the day than those 

who stopped messaging 

when they went to bed, the 

researchers from Rutgers 

University in New Jersey, 

US, said. 

Texting before lights 

out did not affect academic 

performance, the study 

showed. 

Although females reported 

more messaging 

overall and more daytime 

sleepiness, they had better 

academic performance than 

males. The researchers attributed 

this to the fact that 

the girls texted primarily 

before turning off the light. 

“We need to be aware 

that teenagers are using 

electronic devices excessively 

and have a unique 

physiology,” said Xue Ming, 

a professor at the Rutgers 

University. 

Adolescents should 

be getting eight and a half 

hours of sleep during a 

night, the researchers said, 

adding that deficiency in 

sleep can affect their Rapid 

Eye Movement (REM) 

-- the period during sleep 

the personhood of an individual by separating 

their identity from any disability or diagnosis 

he or she might have. 

“When you say ‘people with a mental 

illness,’ you are emphasizing that they aren’t 

defined solely by their disability. But when you 

talk about ‘the mentally ill’ the disability is the 

entire definition of the person,” added Todd 

Gibbs, graduate student at the Ohio State. 

The language choice should not be viewed 

just as an issue of “political correctness,” 

revealed the study published in the Journal of 

Counseling and Development. 

The research involved three groups of people: 

221 undergraduate students, 211 non-student 

adults and 269 professional counsellors. 

The participants were given Community 

Attitudes Toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI) -- a 

40-item survey designed to measure people’s 

attitudes toward people with diagnosable 

mental illness. 

most important to learning, 

memory consolidation and 

social adjustment in adolescents. 

When falling asleep 

is delayed but rising time 

is not, REM sleep will be 

cut short, which can affect 

learning and memory, the 

researchers explained. 

The effects of “blue 

light” emitted from smartphones 

and tablets are intensified 

when viewed in a 

dark room. 

This short wavelength 

light can have a strong 

impact on daytime sleepiness 

symptoms since it 

can delay melatonin release 

-- a hormone that 

helps control sleep, making 

it more difficult to fall 

asleep - even when seen 

through closed eyelids, 

the researchers noted in 

the study published in the 

Journal of Child Neurology. 

To conduct her study, 

Ming distributed surveys 

to three New Jersey high 

schools - a suburban and an 

urban public school and a 

private school - and evaluated 

the 1,537 responses 

contrasting grades, sexes, 

messaging duration 

and whether the texting 

occurred before or after 

lights out. 

Essential nutrients 

every woman needs 

Women, don’t take your health for 

granted. Ensure that these nutrients 

are a regular part of your diet... 

Calcium: Women have a tendency 

to suffer from weak bones, especially 

as they age. This is why calcium is so 

very important to build strong bones. 

An estimated 30 million women suffer 

from osteoporosis in India. And while 

awareness has increased in recent 

years, women still need to wake up to 

the importance of calcium in their diet. 

Ensure you consume plenty of dairy 

products. Fortified juice, yogurt and 

soy milk are great sources of calcium. 

Iron: A deficiency in iron can cause 

anaemia — a very common problem 

among women. Iron gets oxygen to 

your cells and a lack of it makes you 

lethargic and tired. Include lean meat 

like chicken and turkey as well as fortified 

cereals and beans in your diet. 

Vitamin D: The calcium you consume 

will be useless if your body 

does not produce adequate vitamin D, 

which helps your body absorb calcium. 

Vitamin D is found in fish like tuna and 

salmon as well as in fortified orange 

juice. 

Folic acid: While folic acid is very 

important for pregnant women, it is essential 

for the rest as well. Experts say 

that folic acid helps your cells divide 

and is found in green, leafy vegetables, 

juices, beans, fortified cereal and nuts. 

Protein: An important nutrient in 

building healthy bones and muscles, 

Moreover, Vanga had also predicted that the “great Islamic 

war” would begin in Syria concluding in complete control of 

Rome in 2043. 

It was in 1930s, Vanga predicted the beginning of World War 

II. The mystic was even visited by King Boris III and Adolf Hitler. 

Vanga lost her eyesight after she was swept away by a 

mighty tornado, and had been making predictions since the 

age of 16. 

State Social Welfare Board 

holds condolence meet 

Jammu, Jan 27: A two minutes silence was observed to condole 

the sad demise of Dina Nath former employee of J&K State Social 

Welfare Board and father of Ajay Kumar, Private Secretary 

to Chairperson, J&K State Social Welfare. 

Executive Director/Secretary Aamir Ali alongwith all staff 

members prayed for peace to the departed soul and expressed 

their condolence with the bereaved family. 

Chairperson, J&K State Social Welfare Dr. (Prof.) Nirmal 

Gupta has also condoled the demise and expressed her sympathies 

with the bereaved family. 

DDC Flags off special 

mobile van for 

Aadhar Enrollment 

Doda, Jan 27: District Development Commissioner Doda, Bhupinder 

Kumar today flagged off a special National Population 

register (NPR) mobile van from District headquarters Doda to 

enhance Aadhar enrolment in the rural areas of the district and 

to create awareness among the masses regarding the benefits 

of having the Unique identification Aadhar card,. 

Pertinent to mention here that the mobile van has been 

pressed into service by Directorate of Census operations, J&K 

with a purpose to capture the biometrics and to create awareness. 

The biometric Van fully equipped with biometric capturing 

machine along with technical staff to operate the machines will tour 

the entire district for which District administration has chalked out a 

16 days scheduled from 27th January to 11th February. 

Mobile van will visit various areas of erstwhile tehsil Doda 

from January 27th to 30th , Bhaderwah tehsil from January 31st 

to Feburary 3rd , tehsil Thathri from February 4th to 7th and 

Tehsil Gandoh from February 8th to 11th 2016. 

Yoga can act as balm 

for stressed home 

Home guards, the first line 

of civil defence, are indispensable 

during fairs, festivals, 

sports, elections and 

even for daily traffic management. 

But with no permanent 

job tenure, they are 

quasi-volunteers who lack 

teeth to enforce what they 

are tasked with. While the 

job can be a recipe for stress 

and low self-esteem, yoga 

can make a difference, reveals 

a research study. Yoga 

can help reduce negative 

emotions like fear, hatred, 

nervousness, anxiety, helping 

home guards face onfield 

situations in a relaxed 

state of mind and with more 

efficiency , said Commandant 

B Amaranath from the 

home guards who conducted 

the study . 

The research, which was 

part of Amaranath’s PhD, 

was done by introducing 

protein also fights germs, breaks down 

everything you eat and controls your 

metabolism. Found in poultry, red 

meat, fish and nuts, studies say that 

women require at least 45 grams of 

protein daily. 

Fibre: Not only does fibre keep your 

blood sugar and cholesterol levels in 

check, it also help you digest your food 

better. Fibre is found in vegetables, 

fruits, whole-grain breads and cereals, 

nuts and beans. 

Vitamin C: Want healthy bones and 

glowing skin? Make sure you’re getting 

enough vitamin C. Stock up on red 

pepper, broccoli and citrus fruits. Drink 

orange juice at least thrice a week. 

Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty 

acids are ‘good’ fats known to reduce 

the risk of heart disease. And you can 

find it in fish like sardines, salmon, herring, 

trout and mackerel. Walnuts and 

flaxseeds also contain omega-3 fatty 

acids. 


Srinagar | Thursday 


yoga to 148 home guards 

for six weeks. The result 

was compared to a controlled 

group which didn’t 

practise it. The objective of 

the study was to analyze the 

efficacy of the integrated 

yoga model (IYM) on positive, 

negative emo tions of 

home guards. 

The Bengaluru Rural 

district commandant of 

home guards was awarded 

the doctorate for his thesis 

on January 12, 2016 by 

Swami Vivekananda Yoga 

Anusandhana Samsthana 

(S-VYASA). Amaranath conducted 

the training under 

the guidance of HR Nagendra, 

chancellor of S-VYASA, 

and Dr Sudheer Deshpande, 

joint director at the university 

. The experiment: A total 

of 148 home guards, both 

male and female in the age 

group 20-45 years, took part 

in the study. 

36 

Much yet to 

know about 

women’s 

heart, 

says PIO 

cardiologist 

The American Heart Association 

(AHA) has for the 

first time issued a scientific 

statement on female 

heart attacks, underscoring 

knowledge gaps and 

outlining the priority steps 

needed to better understand 

and treat heart disease in 

women. 

The statement chaired 

by Dr. Laxmi Mehta, a 

cardiologist at the Ohio State 

University’s Wexner Medical 

Centre, compiles the newest 

data on symptoms, treatments 

and the types of heart 

attacks among women. 

“Over the last 10 years 

or so, we’ve learned that 

women’s hearts are different 

than men’s in some significant 

ways and while that’s 

helped reduce mortality, 

there’s much more to 

know,” said Mehta, who is 

also director of Ohio State’s 

women’s cardiovascular 

health programme. 

Cardiovascular disease 

is the leading cause of death 

for women globally. 

While men and women 

both experience chest 

pain as a primary heart 

attack symptom, women 

often have atypical, vague 

symptoms without the usual 

chest pain such as palpitations, 

pain in the back, 

shoulder or jaw, even anxiety, 

sweating or indigestion. 

Some women may only 

experience shortness of 

breath, nausea, vomiting or 

flu-like symptoms. 

“These symptoms can 

be very challenging for the 

patient and the medical 

profession. Women tend 

to under recognise or 

deny them. When they do 

present to the emergency 

department, it is important 

for these symptoms to be 

triaged appropriately as 

potential heart problems,” 

Mehta emphasised. 

Delay in seeking 

treatment is more common 

among women than men. 

The authors report several 

factors can lead to a delay in 

seeking help for heart attack 

symptoms. 

“Living alone, interpreting 

symptoms as temporary 

or not urgent, consulting 

with a doctor or family 

member first and fear of 

embarrassment if the symptoms 

aren’t serious are some 

of them,” the authors noted. 

DC said that special focus is being laid on the coverage of 

those areas which have less Aadhar enrolment and special 

camps would be conducted to motivate people to register 

through these mobile vans and already established permanent 

facilitation centre. He further said that district administration is 

committed to achieve 100% Aadhar enrolment and this mobile 

van will prove instrumental in this effort. 

PDP condoles 

demise of Wani 

Srinagar, Jan 27: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condoled 

the demise of Khawaja Ghulam Ahmad Wani. Late Wani 

was father of Former Minister Abdul Majid Wani, Ab Karim 

and close relative of Dr Mehboob Iqbal was a respectable and 

distinguished personality of Chenab Valley and highly reputed 

business man. 

Expressing heartfelt condolences with the bereaved family, 

particularly to Ab Majid Wani and Mehboob Iqbal the party 

president, Mehbooba Mufti said the deceased was an inspiring 

personality who with socio-political services and public good has 

inspired many and will be remembered for long. While praying for 

his everlasting peace, she said the deceased was a humble and pious 

human being who would always stand by the side of needy. 

According to a statement issued to KNS, among other leaders 

who extended their sympathies with the bereaved family 

include Senior party leaders Muzaffar Hussain Baig MP; Tariq 

Hameed Karra,MP; Mohammad Dilawar Mir, senior party leader; 

Nizamudin Bhat , Rafi Ahmad Mir and Ved Mahajan, party 

General Secretaries; Mehboob Baig, Chief Spokesperson of the 

party; Peer Mansoor Hussain Political Advisor to President , Peer 

Mohammad Hussain senior leader; Nazir Ahmad Laway MP; Fayaz 

Ahmad Mir, MP; ; Haji Anayat Ali Hon’ble Chairman Legislative 

Council; Ab Rehman Veeri MLA Naeem Akhter MLC, Syed Basharat 

Bukhari MLA ; Dr Haseeb Drabu, MLA ; Ab Haq Khan, MLA ; Molvi 

Imran Raza Ansari, MLA ; Javaid Mustafa Mir MLA; Ghulam Nabi 

Lone Hanjura, MLA; Syed Altaf Bukhari, MLA; Choudhry Zulufqar 

Ah, MLA; Mohammad Ashraf Mir, MLA; Ab Majeed Padder, MLA; 

Ms Asiea Naqash, MLA; Mohammad Khalil Bandh, MLA; Zahoor 

Ahmad Mir,MLA; Molvi Abid Hussain Ansari ,MLA; Mohammad 

Abass ,MLA; Yawar Dilawar Mir ,MLA; Aijaz Ahmad Mir ,MLA; Adv 

Mohd Yousuf Bhat ,MLA; Syed Farooq Andrabi,MLA; Raja Manzoor , 

MLA; Shah Mohammad Tantrey, MLA; Ch Qammer, MLA; Ab Rahim 

Rather,MLA; Syed Baqir Rizvi,MLA; Anjum Fazilli,MLA; Zaffar Iqbal 

Manhas, MLC; Mohammad Khurshid Alam, MLC; Saifudin Bhat, MLC; 

Yasir Reshi,MLC; Javaid Mircha , MLC; Firdous Tak,MLC; Chief Coordinators, 

Mufti Sajjad Hussain and all other party leaders.

7 

SRINAGAR, THURSDAY 


S 

P 

O 

R 

T 

S 

Australian Open: Unplayable Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis 

pair enters 3rd successive Grand Slam final 

The Indian tennis 

ace and her partner 

Martina Hingis beat 

Julia Goerges and 

Karolina Pliskova in 

straight sets at Rod 

Laver Arena to enter 

their third successive 

doubles Grand Slam 

final. 

New Delhi: A day after finding herself 

as one of the recipients of the prestigious 

Padma Bhusan award, Sania 

Mirza continued to rule the charts in 

the Australian Open on Wednesday. 

The Indian tennis ace and her 

partner Martina Hingis beat Julia 

Goerges and Karolina Pliskova in 

straight sets at Rod Laver Arena 

to enter their third successive 

doubles Grand Slam final. 

In the second women’s doubles 

semi-final, the Indo-Swiss pair 

took just under an hour to demolish 

the German-Czech pair 6-1, 

6-0. Known as the ‘Santina’, the 

top seeds broke their rivals twice 

in the first set, which lasted 27 

minutes before routing the 13th 

seeds in the second set for a bagel. 

They will play seventh-seeds 

Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie 

Hradecka in the final. The all Czech 

pair defeated unseeded Chinese 

pair of Yi-Fan Xu and Saisai Zheng 

in three sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 earlier 

today. 

Mirza and Hingis captured 

Wimbledon and US Open titles, 

before winning the season ending 

WTA Finals to dominate the circuit 

in 2015. The doubles Team of the 

year continued the superb form 

in the new year, extending their 

unbeaten run to 35 with today’s 

semi-final win. They have also 

won back-to-back titles at the 

Brisbane and Sydney International 

events, before the Australian Open 

campaign. Their last loss was to 

the Chan sisters in the Cincinnati 

Masters, before the start of the 

US Open last year. 

Yesterday, on the 67th Republic 

Day of India, Mirza was announced 

as one of the awardees of Padma 

awards. 

Sania, 29, enjoyed the most 

sensational run, clinching eleven 

women’s doubles titles, including 

two Grand Slam titles. They 

first teamed-up at Indian Wells 

in March last year. The exceptional 

performance propelled 

the Indian to the top of the 

WTA doubles rankings. 

Tomorrow, Mirza will play 

against compatriot Leander 

Paes and Hingis in their 

mixed-doubles quarter-final. 

Mirza will partner with Ivan 

Dogic. The Indo-Croat pair the are 

top-seeds, while Paes-Hingis are 

unseeded. 

They will 

play seventhseeds 

Andrea 

Hlavackova and 

Lucie Hradecka 

in the final. The 

all Czech pair 

defeated unseeded 

Chinese 

pair of Yi-Fan 

Xu and Saisai 

Zheng in three 

sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 

earlier today. 

Controversy over 

Steve Smith’s 

India T20 live chat 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Smith was answering 

questions from broadcaster 

Channel Nine’s 

commentators while he 

was in the middle. 

• Shortly after speaking, 

Smith chipped Jadeja and 

was caught at mid-off by 

Kohli. 

• Kohli made a “chatterbox” 

hand gesture at 

Smith after taking the 

catch. 

SYDNEY: The use of 

on-field microphones 

by players in Twenty20 

matches came under fire 

Wednesday after star 

Australian batsman Steve 

Smith lost his wicket 

while commentating during 

a game against India. 

Smith was answering 

questions from broadcaster 

Channel Nine’s commentators 

while he was 

in the middle with Aaron 

Finch as Australia failed 

to chase down India’s 188 

runs during Tuesday’s 

match at Adelaide Oval. 

Shortly after speaking, 

Smith chipped Ravindra 

Jadeja and was caught at 

mid-off by Virat Kohli for 

21, with the star Indian 

batsman making a “chatterbox” 

hand gesture at 

the Test captain. 

Australia fans 

slammed Channel Nine 

on Twitter, blaming the 

commercial station for 

distracting Smith, while 

others said Kohli’s gesture 

was a criticism of live 

chat during a game. 

“Whilst we try to 

bring the viewer into the 

contest. We can’t forget it 

is a contest. Smith wasn’t 

comfortable and Kohli 

knew it,” one Twitter user 

wrote. 

Batsman David 

Warner played down the 

controversy, saying it was 

not in the interests of 

Channel Nine to disrupt 

the players. 

“I’ve been doing it 

all the time and I feel no 

added pressure,” Warner 

told reporters in Melbourne 

ahead of Friday’s 

T20 against India. 

“It’s great that I can 

actually give people at 

home an indication of 

what we’re trying to 

achieve while we’re out 

there in different situations.” 

“It’s about entertainment,” 

he added. 

T20, a quick-fire, 

high-octane format, 

was designed to draw 

crowds to tournaments 

amid fears that spectators 

were tiring of longer 

formats such as five-day 

Tests. 

“Did it cost Australia 

the game? Possibly. If it 

happened in a Test match 

I would be punching 

a hole in my keyboard 

protesting at the farce of 

it all,” he wrote in Brisbane’s 

Courier Mail. 

One eye on fielding, another 

on 2004 repeat for Pakistan 

“Come on yaar, don’t drop so 

many catches,” screams Pakistan’s 

Shadab Khan as he pulls, 

slogs and slog sweeps from close 

to the cordoned-off pitch to give 

his team-mates some catching 

practice. There are three fielders 

in the ring and two in the deep. 

Wicketkeeper Umair Masood 

is standing behind Shadab and 

puts his hands on his hips as 

another one goes down near the 

boundary. 

The fielder there looks in some 

discomfort because he probably 

lost the ball in the sun. Come 

Thursday, the scrutiny and attention 

to finer detail will only 

increase as Pakistan face Afghanistan 

in their tournament opener 

in Sylhet. The early morning start 

(9am) will mean the winter sun 

will be out in full flow. While that 

could provide some respite from 

the overnight chill, it could cause 

some issues for the fielders if the 

ball lobs up too high. 

The Pakistan players practised for 

nearly three hours, with the main 

focus on fielding, and their coach 

Warner, 

Cricket 

Australia’s 

Test Player 

of Year 

David Warner edged out 

Steve Smith to become 

just the 11th player to 

receive Australian cricket’s 

greatest individual 

honour when he was 

named the Allan Border 

Medallist for 2016. 

Mohammad Masroor didn’t 

hesitate to admit that his team 

needed fielding practice much 

more than batting or bowling. 

The Pakistan senior team found 

out the hard way during the 

first ODI against New Zealand 

when when Mohammad Hafeez 

dropped Henry Nicholls on 15 

and the batsman went on to 

score a pivotal 82. The Under-19 

team wouldn’t want to give Afghanistan 

chances like those. 

“I’m more into fielding, I emphasize 

on fielding a lot because 

Pakistani players don’t do fielding 

that much,” said Masroor. “Hopefully 

they will compete. There are 

two to three really good fielders 

who can compete at the international 

level. That is my main goal 

with these juniors…to make them 

really good fielders.” 

There were the usual batting and 

bowling net sessions too, and the 

Pakistan captain and coach both 

looked pleased while packing up. 

However, what wouldn’t pleasing 

them is the curb on their freedom 

to soak in the sights and sounds 

Opening batsman David Warner 

on Wednesday night became 

just the 11th player to receive 

Australian cricket’s greatest 

individual honour when he was 

named the Allan Border medallist 

for 2016 in Melbourne. (Read 

More in Cricket) 

The 29 year-old from New 

South Wales, who was elevated 

to the Test and One-Day International 

vice-captaincy during the 

voting period, also collected Test 

Player of the Year honours. 

Glenn Maxwell was named 

Cricket Australia’s One-Day International 

Player of the Year, while 

all-rounder Ellyse Perry won her 

first Belinda Clark Award for the 

country’s best-performed female 

player. 

Western Australia and 

Perth Scorchers captain Adam 

Voges secured the award for the 

Domestic Player of the Year while 

South Australian and Adelaide 

Strikers batsman Alex Ross was 

named Bradman Young Cricketer 

of the Year. 

Jeff Thomson and Wally 

Grout were also formally 

of Sylhet courtesy the stringent 

security mechanisms accorded to 

the team. The security was beefed 

up once Australia pulled out of 

the tournament - the team 

buses are escorted by 

several security vehicles, 

armed guards 

are always around 

the grounds 

while the teams 

practice, and the 

players are barely 

allowed to go out 

of the team hotel. 

“It’s a bit boring for 

us, to be honest,” said 

Masroor. “When we 

were travelling to BKSP 

(in Savar), it was a oneand-a-half 

hour drive, 

so boys had to wake up 

at 5.30 in the morning, 

then breakfast at 6 and 

we had to leave at 6.30. 

Then travel for an hour 

and a half to get there 

and another hour and a 

half to come back. So it’s 

a bit stressful. 

inducted into the Australian 

Cricket Hall of Fame to complete 

cricket’s night of nights at Crown 

in Melbourne.Warner bests Steve 

Smith and Mitchell Starc 

Virat Kohli’s Pakistani fan 

arrested for hoisting tri-colour 

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Umar Draz was arrested 

on a complaint 

that he hoisted the Indian 

flag on the rooftop 

of his house. 

• Draz said he had no idea 

that he committed a crime 

and urged authorities to 

pardon him. 

• Poster size photographs 

of Kohli were 

also found pasted on the 

walls of his house. 

LAHORE: A Pakistani die-hard fan 

of swashbuckling Indian batsman 

Virat Kohli has been arrested for 

hoisting the Indian tri-colour atop 

his home in Punjab Province 

which he had done to show his 

love for the cricketer. 

Umar Draz, from Okara 

district of Punjab province, 

about 200 km from Lahore, was 

arrested on a complaint that he 

Warner polled a total of 240 

votes in the Allan Border Medal 

count to finish ahead of Australia 

captain and last year’s Allan 

Border medallist Steve Smith. 

hoisted the Indian flag on the rooftop 

of his house as police raided his home 

on Tuesday. 

“We raided the house of Umar 

Draz and seized the Indian flag from 

his rooftop,” Muhammad Jamil, a 

police official, said. 

He said the police have arrested 

Draz and registered a case under the 

Maintenance of Public Order. He was 

presented in court the same day and 

was remanded into police custody. 

Draz turned out to be a big fan 

of India’s Test Cricket team captain 

Virat Kohli. 

“I am a big fan of Virat Kohli. I 

support the Indian team because of 

Kohli. Hoisting of Indian flag on the 

rooftop of house only shows my love 

for the Indian cricketer,” Draz told 

reporters. 

Draz said he had no idea that he 

committed a crime and urged authorities 

to pardon him. He said he should 

be seen as “an Indian cricketer’s fan and 

not as a spy”. 

Michael Schumacher’s son Mick to race in India 

Chennai: Mick Schumacher, son of legendary 

driver and seven-time Formula 1 champion 

Michael Schumacher, will race for the first time 

in India when the 16-year-old debuts in the final 

round of the MRF Challenge at the Madras Motor 

Race Track (MMRT) here this weekend. 

After three thrilling rounds in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain 

and Dubai, the FIA-inscribed series will crown its 

fourth champion with four remaining races and 

all to play for. The 14-race championship, which 

is being led by Pietro Fittipaldi -- grandson of 

two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi -- will 

see prize money of Rs.64 lakh being handed to 

the winner. 

Mick will race outside Europe for the first time 

when he steps into the MRF F2000 car. He will 

be joined by Harrison Newey, son of leading F1 

designer Adrian Newey, and Giuliano Alesi, son 

of former Ferrari F1 driver Jean Alesi. Karting star 

Max Fewtrell and Enzo Bortoleto, both 16, will also 

be the young guns to look out for. 

Mick’s father is still critically ill after suffering a 

serious head injury in December 2013 while skiing 

in France. He was placed in a medically induced 

coma initially after which he was relocated from the 

hospital to his home where he continues to receive 

medical treatment. 

India will be led by local boy Tarun Reddy, who has 

In ODIs, Glenn Maxwell (28 votes) edged 

out Mitchell Starc (25 votes) and Mitchell 

Marsh (23 votes) for player-of-the-year 

honours. Throughout the voting period, 

the Victorian averaged 46 with the bat at a 

strike rate of 135.86 from 19 matches. During 

that time, he registered his maiden ODI 

hundred off just 51 balls against Sri Lanka 

had only one podium this season. Also returning 

will be Laura Tillett, Dylan Young, who has 

Jk Bank Lifts All 

India Super Sports 

Society Cup 2016 

Heena wins 

India’s ninth 

shooting quota 

for Rio 

Srinagar, Jan.27: J&K Bank today scripted yet another 

scintillating victory to lift the All India Super Sports 

Society Cup. The thrilling final match, played in the city 

of Nawabs Lucknow, between J&K Bank and Air India 

resulted in a tie breaker situation in which J&K Bank 

emerged as winners. 

State Speaker Surinder Singh was the Chief Guest 

on the occasion and distributed the total cash awards of 

Rs.2 lacs and trophies among the teams. Sports Society 

Members, Media personals and an impressive crowd 

witnessed the match. 

Both the teams were unable to open the score 

though the game was played in full momentum from 

end to end. After the 90 mins of play match was decided 

in tie breaker in which J&K Bank converted 4 out of 5 

kicks whereas Air India scored only 2. Shabir Ahmed 

Goalkeeper of J&K Bank was adjudged the best goalkeeper 

and Prem Kumar was adjudged Man of the Match 

with a cash award of Rs.5 thousand each. 

Notably, J&K Bank team played this tournament in 

absence of their top 7 players who are assigned with the 

responsibilities of representing State Team in upcoming 

Santosh Trophy. J&K Bank team during this tournament 

defeated professional teams like SAIL Bokaro in quarterfinals 

Deccan Rovers in semifinals and ultimately Air 

India in the final. 

TUGHLAKABAD: Heena Sidhu’s wait 

for a ticket to Rio Olympics was over 

when the pistol shooter won gold and 

a quota in the 10m air pistol event at 

the Asian Olympic shooting qualifier 

at Dr Karni Singh Range on Wednesday. 

Heena, who was shooting in her pet 

event, topped the qualification round 

with a score of 387 and later in the 

final, she shot 199.4 to finish with gold 

medal and one quota place out of two 

available. 

a podium finish here, and female driver Tatiana 

Calderon. 

Fittipaldi leads the championship with 168 points 

with Calderon second (150). Nikita Troitckii, who 

was disqualified in the final race of the last round, 

is a further 13 points behind on 137. Four-time 

race winner this season Alessio Picariello is on 134 

points and will be one to watch for after he finished 

on the podium in five of the last six races. 

“Coming back to race in front of the home crowd 

is always an exciting feeling for us. The drivers 

really enjoy coming here and it is the ideal venue 

for the title showdown,” MRF Tyres managing 

director Arun Mammen said on Wednesday.

28 January 2016

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