The National Green Tribunal has refused to review its order of penalising Gammon India Limited (GIL) and the Hindustan Construction Co (HCC) Ltd of Rs 1 crore each for damaging the environment during construction
With fruit production in Kashmir static, the Kashmiri growers have asked the state and central government not to acquire horticulture land for any official purposes. They are also not satisfied with recent rent hike by the defence ministry. The growers fear that acquiring of the horticulture land for official purposes will reduce the fruit production in the state. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India that has around 2.75 lakh hectares of land under the horticulture. The major portion of this land is used for the cultivation of fresh fruits especially apples.
The government has moved a proposal seeking central assistance for introducing Tube Well irrigation in Kandi areas of the state.
Dilapidated roads, un-electrified villages betray govt claims
A contingent of farmers from Doda, Ramban Kishtwar and Poonch districts was flaged off today by the Director of Agriculture, Jammu Vinod Bala Sharma to visit outside the state under 'Technology Missio
National Conference (NC) today demanded the re-opening of Ranbir Canal keeping in view the shortage of irrigation water.
An awareness programme about National Rural Empowerment Guarantee Scheme was held at Treru in Rajouri today in which MLC Ashok Sharma presided over the function while senior officers and allied departments were also present on the occasion. Sharma in his address said that NREGA along with other revolutionary schemes like debt waiver scheme for farmers launched by the UPA government would transform development profile of rural India with poor sections being the major beneficiaries of Roshni and other such schemes introduce in state. Sharma has demanded setting up of degree college and sub divisional status to Kalakote besides time bound and execution of roads and augmentation of water and power supply in Kalakote constituency. Sharma also took stock of development works at Badanoo, Dharamsal, Tatapani, Baljarlain,Tanooni,Chakli and Kallar during his three days tour of Kalakote and interacted the people. He urged for launching on spot recruitment drive in police, army and par military forces for the youth of the area and recommissioning of Kalakote thermal power plant and opening coal mines.
RAMBAN: J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) secretary R C Sharma reviewed progress under Rural Employment Generation Scheme (REGS) of the backward districts of Ramban and Doda today. It was informed that KVIB so far have set up 99 units with the bank loans of Rs. 196.99 lakhs and provided margin money grant of Rs. 61.07 lakhs. Sharma said that some of the BPL villages should be included in the J&K Bank's programme of village adoption to uplift the people living below poverty. He said that in order to improve the quality of the blankets being woven in these backward districts and generate sustainable employment the KVIB is addressing the problems of traditional industries in these districts. He disclosed that improved looms on modern technology should be provided to the one new units sanctioned in the current year under blanket weaving for the better quality of the blanket weaving in the area. Similarly, 22 units under ready-made garments have also been got sanctioned to cater the need within the area. A special team for looking in to the needs of unreached and unbankable areas has been constituted which will facilitate the entrepreneurs artisans working in the traditional industries or to start small tiny industrial units. He said that the other units producing articles under KVI sector in these districts for local consumption and specialized units like jackets, caps, tracksuits, mufflers socks etc manufacturing are also being promoted to meet the requirements of the people. A common facility centre is being established for beekeepers producing honey to facility the processing testing and packaging of the honey produced in the area. This will also be used to impart training to the beekeepers, The board its starting four training centres in Doda and Kishtwar districts to train 200 women. One such training centre has already been commenced at Sangaldan in Ramban district to train 40 beneficiaries under craft training.
Says area under orchards increases to 97000 hectares, about 4000 hectares of additional land in Jammu division is being brought under fruit plantation under technology Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture during the current financial year raising the total area under horticulture to 97000 hectares. For this purpose, about 5 lakh fruit plants are being supplied to the farmers on subsidized rates. These fruit plants varieties include apple, pears, peach, apricot, walnut, citrous, peacun-nut and olive plants. This was stated by the Minister for Horticulture and PHE Mohammad Dilawar Mir while addressing a gathering of tribal Bakarwals in Charawa village near historic Mansar lake today. The Minister announced that 50 hectares of land in Majalta block will be brought under next year for which about 1250 plants would be distributed among the farmers. He also announced 5 water storage tanks in block Majalta for providing irrigation facilities to the orchardists. He also sanctioned a water reservoir in Charawa village for storage of drinking water. The Minister said that the government have launched an ambitious programme under technology mission to train farmers about latest horticulture technology. He said village women and schoolgirls are being imparted training in fruit and vegetable preservation under technology mission. The Minister said that village Charawa is proposed to be developed as model tourist village under rural tourism development programme to showcase tribal life style, rural cultures and their village life. He said necessary infrastructure in this connection would be developed in the village to make it attracting for domestic and foreign tourists. He said nomadic life style of Bakarwals in Majalta block provide them with perfect skills to become mountain trekking guides for tourists adding that this manpower potential would be exploited optimally to upgrade living standard of the people in the area. Earlier, The Minister inspected renovation works in the famous water body of Mansar lake and directed the concerned officers to make this picnic spot more attractive for tourists. He called for keeping the water body neat and pollution free. ASP asks central govt to frame farmer friendly
In order to assess the border situation after the return of migrants to their homes from the make shift camps at various places, Speaker Tara Chand conducted an extensive tour of entire border of Chhamb sector in the accompany of whole district administration today. During the tour, Speaker made on spot study of various areas where villagers are facing problems due to certain restrictions imposed by army authorities at some entry points located along the zero line of LoC. He also interacted with the army officers and urged them to maintain congenial atmosphere with the civilians paving way for the locals to undertake agricultural activities without any fear and unnecessary restriction. He also issued instructions to Deputy Commissioner Jammu to take up the matter with the appropriate authorities for removing such restrictions. People of villages Somwan and Chaprial which are located just on the zero line and returned to their homes recently have been paid compensation for clearing fields turned barren due to non use for over 8 years. The land, which falls across the ditch, is being cleared by the army authorities, as the said area is under mines and remained under the army. The said area would be handed over to the locals shortly after demining. A large chunk of land falling across the fencing still under the occupation of army would also be handed over to the owners soon who have returned to their homes. The people have demanded compensation of 16 crops and immediate return of land so that they can undertake the agricultural activities. The people also demanded free rations for another six months, as they could not start the activities in the current crop season. People also demanded early allotment of plots for construction of alternate shelters at already identified migrant colony at Gurah Jagir and Nailwala. Locals also demanded opening of government reation depots at all affected villages and sought boring of tube wells for irrigational purposes. Speaker said that issue of free ration for another six months is pending with the central government and efforts are on to get the proposal through. Speaker also directed the Deputy Commissioner to take up the matter for early demining of remaining portion of land with the army authorities and vigorously pursue the issue of compensation with the Government of India. He said that state government has already received central government's nod to a proposal of Rs. 20 crore for establishing sizeable number of tube wells alongwith necessary infrastructure in the Khour block.
Following an intensified campaign launched by health department Kashmir 9.96 lakh children below 5 years age were administered Pulse Polio drops today in Kashmir division. For this purpose, an was launched across Kashmir division . In all, 5046 Pulse Polio booths were established with manpower of 20204 belonging to Health, Social Welfare, Education and Non-Governmental Organization besides Aashas. MLA Bandipora Usman Majid took off the pulse polio campaign by giving pulse polio drops to a newly born baby. The District Development Commissioner of Budgam Farooq Ahmad Renzu launched Pulse Polio campaign by administering pulse polio drops to the children early morning. The District Development Commissioner, Kupwara took off the campaign at Sub District Hospital Kupwara by giving pulse polio drops to the children. On this occasion, he said 1.24 lakh children of the district will be covered under the programme at 560 pulse polio centres for which 2240 officials were detailed on duty. In Srinagar and Ganderbal districts, Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad launched the campaign by administering pulse polio drops at Government Gousia Hospital Khanyar and Sub District Hospital, Ganderbal. He said 2928 officials of various departments were deployed on duty for 727 pulse polio centres established in Srinagar and Ganderbal districts. He said 35 mobile teams were also put into service to achieve the target. Director Health Services was accompanied by senior officers of Health and Family Welfare departments. In Pulwama and Shopian districts, 612 pulse polio centres with a manpower of 2448 officials were deployed to achieve the target of 1.12 lakh children under pulse polio campaign. Similarly, the pulse polio campaign was going apace in Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Leh and Kargil districts. In addition the department of Health Services had also made adequate arrangements in far-flung and border areas like Karnah, Keran, Matchil, Gurez and Uri. The Director Health said that 256 supervisory and mobile teams were monitoring the campaign across the division.
