Category: Jammu

Jammu

Water supply hit as daily wagers’ strike enters Day 4

Editor

The drinking water supply in a major part of Jammu city remained disrupted for the fourth consecutive day as 24,000 daily wagers serving in the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department continued their strike demanding regularisation. Yesterday, the meeting between daily wagers’ representatives and the Chief Engineer (PHE) ended in a deadlock as the striking workers demanded written assurances from the government before resuming work. In most parts of the city, residential areas have not received water supply, compounding problems in hot weather conditions. Workers are demanding regularisation in the department…

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Sort out chopper tax row, Rajnath tells Deputy CM

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With resentment brewing against the imposition of service tax on chopper ride to the Vaishno Devi shrine, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has reportedly told Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh to get the contentious order withdrawn at the earliest. Sources said following resentment by different groups over Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu’s arbitrary decision to impose 12.5 per cent service tax on the devotees availing chopper service to the cave shrine, the Union Home Minister on Friday told Nirmal Singh, who is a representative of the BJP in the coalition government,…

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103 new villages to be brought under ambit of Jammu Master Plan-2032

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CM orders survey of LIG, EWS families to assess requirement of housing colonies in J&K The state government has announced to bring 103 villages under the ambit of the Jammu Master Plan-2032 for planned development of the winter capital and its suburbs. Prior to this, the government has decided to put the new Master Plan in public domain to seek suggestions from the citizens for a comprehensive proposal before it is vetted by the state Cabinet. These decisions were taken by a high-level meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad…

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Photo of policeman carrying BJP MLA on back goes viral

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A photo of a BJP MLA climbing on the back of his personal security officer (PSO) to cross a rivulet has gone viral on social media in Jammu and Kashmir. Justifying his action, the legislator said that the PSO has been employed by the government to help him. “This is not misuse of the power, the government has employed the PSO to help me, what is wrong if he helped me cross the rivulet,” Krishan Lal told reporters today. In the picture, the legislator from Chhamb Assembly seat, is seen…

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Water supply in Jammu hit as PHE daily wagers go on strike

Editor

As the PDP-BJP coalition government has failed to make any commitment on regularisation of services of daily wagers working in the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, workers today started an indefinite strike, which affected drinking water supply in city. Daily wagers are the backbone of the distribution system. Under the banner of the All J&K PHE, ITI-Trained & CP Workers Association, workers alleged that successive governments have betrayed them despite the fact that they are working with dedication to keep the system functional. “We have been working in the department…

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BJP flays Drabu for equating leisure tourism with pilgrimage

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Says it will not accept decision to impose tax The state unit of the BJP today flayed Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu for his “adamant attitude” over imposing tax on chopper services to the cave shine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra. The party also lambasted the minister for equating leisure tourism with the pilgrimage. Stating that the party has conveyed its resentment in strong words to the state government on the issue of imposing surcharge on helicopter services to religious places, chief spokesperson for the state BJP Sunil Sethi said:…

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PDP-BJP govt trying to takeover Vaishno Devi Shrine Board: NC

Editor

The National Conference (NC) on Monday condemned the PDP-BJP Government’s decision to hike the service tax to 12.5 percent on the trip charges to the Vaishno Devi via chopper, and alleged that it was an effort by the latter to take over the Shrine Board. “It is the most unfortunate act on the part of PDP-BJP Government. This tax is unnecessary and is not going to add much to the state government. It has all the potential to hurt the sentiments of pilgrims. It is a direct confrontation with the…

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Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch district

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With today’s ceasefire violation, the number of such violations has gone up to seven in September. A day after an army jawan was injured in ceasefire violations from across the border, Pakistani troops once again resorted to firing on Indian positions in the frontier district of Poonch on Sunday. The firing drew retaliation from the Indian army. “Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in forward areas of Poonch’s Mandi sector along the Line of Control (LoC) today,” Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said. “The area witnessed ceasefire violations…

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One year after flash floods, illegal construction continues along Tawi

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Even after one year of flash floods, nothing seems to have changed when it comes to removing encroachments along the Tawi in Jammu. During September-2014 flash floods, several residential colonies constructed illegally along the river bank were damaged. The administration had promised to stop such activity. Between September 3 and 6, 2014, heavy rainfall had led to massive flooding in the Tawi, which breached its banks and devastated several areas. Most of them were built in an illegal way during the last two decades when Jammu saw massive expansion due…

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Altaf Bukhari inspects infra projects in Jammu

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Minister for Public Works, Floriculture and Gardens & Parks, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today made an extensive visit to various areas in Jammu city and took stock of developmental works under execution in these areas. As per an official spokesman, the Minister inspected ongoing construction work on the Gandhi Nagar maternity hospital coming up at a cost of Rs 50 crore. “He directed the executing agency to redouble its efforts and speed up the pace of work and complete the building at the earliest. He said that the issues pertaining…

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