Cable Car Earns Record Rs 35.83 Cr In 10 Months

KL Report

SRINAGAR

The Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporation (JKSCCC) earned a revenue of Rs 35.83 crore till January 2014 from Gandola ride against Rs 31.97 crore earnings during the corresponding period of last financial year.

Corporation had set a target of Rs 33.44 crore for 2013-14 which is now being revised to Rs 36.50 crore, the information revealed to corporation’s Board of Directors meeting suggested.

The meeting was informed that 5.57 lakh tourists enjoyed Gandola ride till January this year and the figure is expected to reach a record 7 lakh by the end of the end od March 2014.

Apart from two phase Gandola project in Gulmarg, the CCC owns a small Makhdoom Sahib Ropeway that it commissioned in December 2013. So far, it has earned a revenue of two lakh rupees in two months.

The corporation has also started implementing Rs 40 crore Jammu Rope Way project from Peerkho to Mahamaya to Shahbad. Its foundation was laid by Chief Minister last week. The project is expected to be completed within 30 months.

CCC has also conducted a detailed survey on a ropeway project in Veerinag. Being considered under BOOT, it would cost Rs 18.50 crore.

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‘Tip (Chai)’ culture sparks protest in Lal Ded hospital

KL Report

SRINAGAR

The ‘tip (Chai) culture prevalent in the Valleys biggest Maternity Hospital, Lal Ded sparked massive protests on Friday while protestors not only blamed nursing staff and maids for ‘looting’ attendants whenever a female patient attains motherhood but they also alleged that private security guards deployed on gates also demand bribes from them for making an entry into the hospital.

Scores of attendants assembled outside Lal Ded hospital and staged a massive protest against hospital administration for failing to curb the menace of corruption in the hospital. The protestors said that the hospital has become the hub of corruption and on the name of ‘tip’ maids and nursing staff are looting the poor attendants and patients who arrive in the hospital from far flung areas.

“This hospital is in complete mess and has become a junkyard and hub of malpractices. The maids and nurses attending patients hold your collar if you refuse to pay them bribe. They dare to yell at you in front of senior doctors in case you fail to grease their palms,” one of the protestors Muhammad Yousuf said.

The protestors said that Hospital administration is well aware of this fact but it doesn’t take any action or initiative to stop this menace. “For every newborn baby, you have to pay Rs 500 as tip. CCTV cameras show everything and the higher ups in the hospital watch everything but act as mute spectators,” another protestor said adding that private security men present on gate too demand bribe from the attendants and it is happening under the nose of hospital administration.

When contacted, Medical Superintendent Lal Ded Hospital, Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rather said the attendants must approach him immediately if anyone demands bribe from them so that he can take stern action against the guilty. (CNS)

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Rashid links top police promotions to elections

KL Report

JAMMU

Independent lawmaker and MLA Langate on Friday alleged National Conference government on the floor of the legislative assembly that it has cleared way for K Rajendra to become the new Director General of Police for obtaining political gains.

“K Rajindra was promoted to the top post and his way was cleared beforehand so that he could take charge of prized post,” Rashid alleged adding “National Conference has its own interest in it as this party wants to rig the polls and for this purpose, they have cleared all the hurdles for K Rajendra.”

Rashid during his speech in the Legislative Assembly said that National Conference especially has chalked out a strategy beforehand to reap benefits during elections.

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BOPEE scam: CB launches hunt to nab the ‘tainted’ students

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Crime Branch Kashmir has set up 8 teams to nab the students, their parents and other accused allegedly involved in the Common Entrance Scam. Reliable sources said that the fugitives may likely be declared proclaimed offenders in case they did not surrender before the Crime Branch.

After presenting challan against 12 students, the Crime Branch in its second challan has indicted at least 9 students and their parents and the challan was presented before the court of anti-corruption judge M.L.Manhas wherein the CB informed the court that the notices have already been sent to the accused to present themselves before the CB. However, not satisfied with the arguments of CB, the Court directed the officials of the Crime Branch to conduct raids and take all measures to get the accused involved in Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) scam arrested at an earliest.

Reliable sources said that out of nine absconding students the Crime Branch has arrested the father of the one student while the hunt for other accused has been launched in a massive way.

“We had sent notices to the accused 9 students and their parents directing them to present themselves before the CB, however, due to reasons better known to them nobody showed up. Now we have started a hunt to nab them,” a CB official on the condition of anonymity said.

Sources further said that after a high-level meeting, the CB has set up 8 different teams which have been conducting raids at different places of South Kashmir. Sources said that the CB teams raided several places at Wandevalgam Kokernag, KP Road Islamabad, Chee and Mattan Chowk Islamabad however did not get any success.

Meanwhile, with reference to investigation of case vide FIR number 24/2013 under section 420, 120 B of RPC 5 (2) PC Act of Crime Branch, Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) has issued a show cause notice asking these students, ‘why action including cancellation of their admission for undertaking MBBS course in Government Medical College Srinagar may not be taken.’

The nine student against whom BOPEE has issued the show cause notice are the CET topper Mir Wajid Majeed, Meen-Hai-Mehran Dar, Obaid Yousuf Lone, Ruhail Ahmed Mir, Imtiyaz Hussain Shah, Arh Musadiq, Aieena Hial, Danish Majeed, Mir Danish Majeed and Yasmeen Jan.

BOPEE while citing the cognizance taken by CB and Court in its show cause notice has asked all these students to explain their position in writing otherwise it shall be presumed that they have nothing to say in this matter. (CNS)

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LoC Barter Reports A New Twist

KL Report

SRINAGAR

On Wednesday when the cross-LoC barter resumed after 40 days, it created another interesting story. While the four trucks from PaK reached Slamabad and were unloaded, the 22 trucks that went with a lot of stuff reached Chakothi and returned untouched!

Traders said the reason for returning the convoy was harsh physical check to the cargo to which the PaK traders resisted. It created a situation that they said it is better to return the cargo rather than incurring massive losses because of ruthless frisking.

Officials on both the sides are engaged in a sort of cold war since January 16 when 113 packets of brown sugar from a Pak driver led to the crisis. But the officials seems to be fighting the battle at the cost of the trade from both sides. Traders on this side of the divide also witnessed harsh checking of the in-coming and outgoing cargo but somehow they seem to have prevailed upon the officials. It is now the turn of Islamabad.

Traders told Kashmir Life they hope to resume barter on Thursday. There is no meeting planned between the two sides, however.

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Former DSP records statement in sex scandal case

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Former counter insurgency DSP, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, recorded his statement before a Chandigarh Court in the sex scandal case saying he was “falsely” indicted only to derail the peace operation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The infamous sex scandal surfaced in 2006 and it hit the headlines as many politicians were in the list of the accused.

The former DSP was accused of sexually exploiting a victim. However, the victim, while recording statement before the court, turned hostile and denied having been exploited by Mir. She had admitted to visiting his house but claimed that the DSP’s daughter was her friend and he was “her uncle”.

Later the special CBI Judge Vimal Kumar deferred the hearing to March 25, 2014.

The sex scandal hit the headlines after a pornographic MMS was circulated in 2006. Police investigations revealed that one a lady was supplying girls to the officials in the state, among whom one was a minor. Later, the case was handed over to the CBI.

The scandal shook the state, and no lawyer appeared in defence of the accused. The case was then transferred to Chandigarh by the apex court.

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6 Army men killed in a fratricidal incident in Ganderbal

KL Report

SRINAGAR

In a fratricidal incident, an army man of 13 RR shot dead five of his colleagues and then turned the gun on himself in Mansbal area of north’s Kashmir Ganderbal district.

Officials said that the incident took place during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

They added that an inquiry into the incident has been ordered.

Sources said that an angry trooper of the Rashtriya Rifles went berserk inside the Safapora (Manasbal) camp following a heated argument with his colleagues.

They added that he resorted to indiscriminate firing resulting in the death of five army men and injury to one.

“After firing on his colleagues, the irate trooper shot and killed himself,” police sources said.

Defense spokesman in Srinagar Lt Col NN Joshi has said that a court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

Incidents of fratricidal firing have been occurring in forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir during the last 24 years.

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