Shahana

Srinagar, August 02: Islam, as a whole, has from its very in-ception stressed upon charity around which the whole sys-tem of social services revolves. This is perhaps the first reli-gion which has not only made charity as one of the funda-mentals of service to humanity but has also made it a religious duty with the purpose that the poor and downtrodden will not be forgotten and deprived of basic necessities of the life. The month of Ramadan is the holiest of all months because of its clear message of virtues which include prayers, for in-

trospection, seeking mercy of God on the sins committed in the past, self -control, truthful-ness, kindness to be bestowed upon on orphans destitute, widows and other deserving people. It is here that the phi-losophy of charity gets prior-ity on all other virtues. The first wife of Prophet Moham-mad (PBUH) was the wealthi-est lady of Mecca believed to have 7 trillions of Riyals which she distributed in charity on the day of marriage with Prophet (PBUH) and by that evening nothing was left in her possession. This was left in her possession. This is the spirit of charity and the

philosophy of Islam about charity. Now the question arises that whether we are following these teachings of Islam in this Holy month of Ramdan or not. There are still the people who make every ef-

fort to contribute a good por-tion of their income in charity. However, most of us talk much but do a little. We have rather made it a means to show off or a way of impressing others.

Whatever little we contribute that too does not go into the right hands. There is mush-room growth of charitable trusts organizations and insti-tutions who do everything to attract attention of the people

for contributing to these or-ganizations. Shockingly sev-eral of them are nothing but fraudulent, fake and a means of amassing wealth by certain vested interests in the name of

God. These organizations are seen moving in vehicles fitted with public address system re-questing the people to donate for the welfare of orphans, destitute and even for Soma-lian people affected by war

and facing famine. One fails to understand why these people are interested in So-malia than the people of their own state who are facing the worst conditions since over last two decades. Hundreds

of widows, orphans, destitute, hapless elders are on the brink of starvation as their bread earners have been consumed by violence. Full page adver-tisements in local dailies, pub-

licity on Electronic Media and through print material clearly shows that lacs of rupees are being spent to get more and more donation. However, when one sees the condition of the unlucky deserving people, it has never changed as most of the money lands in the cof-fers of the people who are at the helm of affairs of these fake or semi-fake organizations. There are some genuine orga-nizations also but they have been overshadowed by these fake organizations through their media hypes. The govt. is watching this all as a silent spectator and no

See Charity on Pg. 11

Srinagar, August 02:

Lakhs of people flocked to shrines and masjids on Friday afternoon for congregational prayers to mark the Jumat-ul-Vida, or the last Friday of holy month of Ramadhan. According to KNS the largest gathering of the day was held at Jamia Masjid Srinagar where the faithful had congregated in large numbers since morning. Another large congregation was at the Hazratbal shrine Srinagar where hundreds of thousands of-fered Friday prayers. A large number of people also of-fered prayers at Dastgeer Saheb Khanyar, Maqdhoom Saheb, Asar-e-Sharief Kailashpora, Jenab Saheb Soura, Dastgeer Sa-heb Sarai Payeen. Huge number of followers visits these mosques to offer prayers with respect and honor as the day bears key im-portance for the Muslims.Reports from other districts said

See Jumat-ul-Vida on Pg. 11

Manmohan-Sharif talks schedule being firmed up

New Delhi, August 02:

Officials from India and Pakistan are "actively at work" drawing up details of talks between Prime Minis-ter Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in September in New York. Both sides are also drawing up the calendar for talks as part of their resumed dia-logue. According to reliable sources, Indian and Paki-stani officials are drawing up details of the bilateral between their Prime Min-isters in September in New

York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting. This would be the first meeting between the two leaders after Sharif took over as Prime Min-ster in June. "The dates of the Prime M i n i s t e r s ' meeting are being worked on," a reliable source told a news agency. The two sides are also firm-ing up dates for talks on the Wullar Barrage and Sir Creek maritime boundary issue later this month, but

no dates have been fixed, the source added. Interestingly, both Manmo-han Singh and Sharif would be travelling to Washington

for one-on-one meetings with US President Barack Obama at around the same time. While Prime Minister Man-

mohan Singh's meeting with Obama was confirmed during the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to India last month, Sharif's meeting with Obama is more or less certain with US Secretary

of State John Kerry extend-ing an invite to the Paki-stan prime minister to visit Washington. The Sharif-Obama meet-ing is also to take place in September, the source con-firmed. Pakistan and the US are to resume high-level talks over security issues with the visit of Sharif to Wash-ington. The talks between the two had stalled after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a US air strike in 2011 and were also strained over the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden

See Schedule on Pg. 11

Srinagar, August 02:

On the auspicious day of Jaumat-ul-Vida, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that Kashmiris were praying along with the Muslim Ummah for resto-ration of Al-Aqsa Masjid and liberation movement of Kashmir.Addressing a large gath-ering at historic Jamia Masjid here, Mirwaiz said, “It was Shaheed-e-Millat who had called people to observe Youm-e-Qadoos as Youm-e-Kashmir day in 1988. Number of resolu-tions were being passed on Youm-e-Kashmir day

across the divide for pub-lic approval and divert the attention of world com-munity towards Kashmir issue.”Terming Kashmir as a

political issue, Mirwaiz said peace would remain elusive in south Asian re-gion unless Kashmir issue is not solved politically. He said that any process aimed to solve the Kash-

mir issue between India and Pakistan can’t suc-ceed without the inclusion of Kashmiris.The Mirwaiz said that people of Kashmir are the masters of their destiny, Hurriyat would stress on both countries to start meaningful dialogue to solve the Kashmir issue. In this regard, the Hurriyat (M) Chairman said that conglomerate would write letters to both Indian and Pakistani prime ministers asking them if they would start meaningful negotia-tions to solve Kashmir is-sue, Hurriyat is more than ready to lend support to

See Mirwaiz on Pg. 11

Srinagar, August 02:

An overnight cloud burst followed by flash floods caused damage and severe destruc-tion of houses, prop-erty and agriculture land in Kargil district. Though there was no loss of life reported due to the natural calam-ity, but floods damaged many houses located in the mountains and damaged kanals of ag-riculture land. Minister of state for information technol-ogy and MLA Zanskar Feroz Ahmad Khan

told KNS that pre-liminary assessment suggested that at least seven structures have been damaged at vari-ous places and several kanals of agriculture land have been dam-aged due to natural ca-lamity.He said district admin-istration along with police parties is assess-ing the damage. “It will take some time before the actual cost of dam-age could be assessed, the flash floods also damaged highway as well and with cloud

See Cloudburst on Pg. 11

Cloudburst in Kargil

CMYK

CMYK

CMYK

CMYK

SaturDaY august 03 | 2013 | 24 ramzan 1434 aH | PaGES 12 | VOL NO: 3 | ISSuE NO: 189 | rS: 2/- (aIr SurCHarGE FOr JaMMu /DELHI/LEH 50 PaISa)Pen For JusticeLargely Circulated, No. 1 Bilingual Daily of J&K

Jumat-ul-Vida observed with religious fervor

Srinagar, August 02:

Army on Friday claimed to have foiled an infil-tration bid by killing a militant and seriously injuring another along the Line of control in Tanghdar sector of Kup-wara district of north Kashmir. With this, the number militants killed on LoC and the hinterland in past four days has gone up to eleven. A defense ministry spokesman based in Srinagar told KNS that based on inputs, troops deployed in Tangdhar

sector detected move-ment of two militants on this side of the Line of Control. “The troops cordoned the area”, he said, add-ing, “Heavy fog with in-termittent rains delayed the operations. By night (intervening August 1 and 2), when the weather started to clear, the two militants on being de-tected, opened fire on the troops.”The retaliatory fire, he said, led to the killing of one militant and serious injuries to another. “The body of the killed militant has been recov-

ered while the search for the second injured mili-tant is still in progress,” he said, adding, “One AK-47, ammunition and the war like stories were recovered on search”. Meanwhile, an operation launched by the army yesterday continued for the second continue day in Lolab forests, sources told KNS. They said the operation was launched by the 18, 28 and 47 Rashtriya Rifles along with 9 and 4 Para of Army following inputs that new Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) Chief

See Killed on Pg. 11

Militant killed, another injured in Tanghdar: Army

Srinagar, August 02:

At-least five civilians in-cluding a woman were in-jured when police resorted to teargas shelling and fired pellets to quell a protest demonstration in Nowhatta area here on Friday. The protests, sources and eyewitnesses told KNS, en-sued after Jumat-ul-Vida prayers at Historic Jamia Masjid.They said that hundreds of protests mainly youth, assembled outside Jamia Masjid and staged a protest demonstration. A group of youth among them, they said, marched towards Nowhatta police station and started pelting stones at it. The police retaliated by re-sorted to baton charge and teargas shelling, triggering panic among the people who had converged in large numbers for the special prayers at Jamia. As the teargas shelling had at a little effect on the irate protesters, the police fired pellets to disperse them. At-least five persons including pedestrian sustained inju-ries and have been iden-tified as Nadeem, Saqib,

Syed Mehmood of Nowhat-ta, Showkat Ali Wani of Nowhatta and Shamima of Alamgari Bazar here. Earlier, thousands of people congregated at the historic Jamia Masjid and Hazratbal shrine here as Jumat-ul-Vida, last Friday of the ongoing holy month of Ramadan, was observed as Yome-e-Qudus. The call for observing the Friday as Yome-e-Qudus was given by Hurriyat Conference fac-tions led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq respectively. According to the reports, the largest congregation took place at the historic Jamia Masjid in old city here. A rough estimate put the number of those who as-sembled at Jamia Masjid in between 70,000 to 80,000.They said that while the grand mosque and its prem-ises were packed to capac-ity, thousands of people also offered the mass prayers on the roads outside the mosque, stretching from Khajabazar to Hawal.Second largest assembly of the Friday happened at Hazratbal shrine, on the outskirts of the city, where

See Clashes on Pg. 11

5 injured in clashes after Friday prayers

They do anything, but charity

http://www.zabarwantimes.com

Srinagar, August 02:

The recent promotions and transfers ordered by the State cabinet under the chairmanship of Chief Min-ister Omar Abdullah has raised eye-brows with se-nior most IAS officers cry-ing foul by stating that the government has adopted pick –and –choose approach by promoting junior officer to top post.Highly placed sources told KNS that on Wednesday’s cabinet decision of Post-ings, a joiner IAS officer was being preferred on key positing while the state based senior IAS officers allegedly sidelined or given the tasks of less importance.

The senior IAS officers ex-pressed dissatisfaction over the transfer and posting ordered by the cabinet on the pretext that even IAS of-ficers of less than 13 years of experience have been pro-moted and given coveted posts leaving the seniors fuming.When you sideline the state-based senior IAS officers, you are naturally disem-powering them and this disempowerment would ob-viously breed disenchant-ment and disappointment, which is a case in this deci-sion, says a senior govern-ment IAS officer told KNS, insisting not to be named.The former bureaucrat told

See IaS Officers on Pg. 11

Senior IaS officers cry foul as Govt promotes juniors

Peace would elude south asia unless K- issue is solved politically: Mirwaiz

Biggest congregation at Dargah Sharief Hazratbal

Property worth crores of rupees damaged

Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah ] from that which you love. And whatever

you spend - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.

Lady found dead in LehSrinagar August 02: The body of a 60 years old Padma Angdo son of Lobzang Stanzin resident of Housing Colony, Leh was recov-ered from river Sindh near ST. Pewter School, Leh falling in the jurisdiction of police station Leh. The body was handed over to her relatives for last rites. Leh police has started an in-quest proceedings under section 174 CrPC to ascertain the cause of the death.

CM’s Iftaar party at Jammu postponed Jammu, Aug 2: Due to inclem-ent weather and forecast of a bad weather tomorrow the Iftaar party to be hosted by the Chief Minister on Saturday August 3 at Jammu has been postponed.

Licensed guns roar in KupwaraSrinagar, August 02: Panic gripped in Helmatpora hamlet of Frontier District of Kupwara when licensed guns roar in air over a petty dispute. Police has seized the guns, however no person has been arrested so far in this regard.Reports said that a non-local Imam soon after morning prayers made some anti-move-ment remarks in his sermon. This infuriated some people present there while another group appealed the agitate peo-ple to maintain calm. “All our efforts proved futile as the both groups started fighting with each other. Both the groups according to sources used their licensed guns freely and resorted to aerial firing which created panic in the area,” one of the eyewitnesses told CNS.One of the group accused that police did not take any action against the group which beat Ghulam Rasool Khan ruth-lessly and hit him with gun buts injuring him critically. “Police refused to lodge FIR despite the directions from Deputy Inspec-tor General North Kashmir due to reasons better known to them,” Ghulam Rasool said. A police official said that they are looking into the matter.

8 Injured in road mishaps Srinagar August 02: Eight persons were injured in differ-ent road accidents across the Kashmir Valley.A Tavera bearing registration number JK03/7100 rolled down near Jaibal Ganishpora , Anant-nag, in the jurisdiction of police station Ashmuqam, resulting in injuries to four persons including driver Asif Ahmad Bhat son of Abdul Aziz resident of Batkoot Pahalgam, Manzoor Ahmad Ahanger son of Gul Mohammad resident of Mazera Pahalgam, Mohammad Ashraf Khan son of Mohammad Yousuf resident of Ganishpora and Mohammad Ishaq Dar son of Abdul Gani resident of Zirpora Bijbehara. All the injured have been shifted to District Hospi-tal, Anantnag for treatment. A case has been registered in this regard.In another accident, a Tavera bearing registration number JK18/4182 hit and injured a pedestrian Mst. Reshma wife of Bheem Khan resident of Son-abraj at Wangum, Anantnag, in the jurisdiction of police station Ashmuqam. The injured was shifted to hospital for treatment. A case has been registered in this regard.In another accident, a Bus bearing registration number JK01B/1263 driven by Manzoor Ahmad Tantary son of Abdul Rehman resident of Kanlibagh presently at Sangree on way from Uri to Baramulla hit an Auto bearing registration number JK05C/0638 driven by Rameez Ahmad Gojri son of Abdul Rehman resident of Jalal Sahib, Baramulla at Lagama Uri, resulting in injuries to the auto driver. The injured was shifted to Sub District Hospital

See Mishaps on Pg. 11

KISHTWAR, AUGUST 02-District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, Saleem Mohammad accompanied by Tanveer Kichloo, Advisor DDB Kishtwar and other officers Friday visited the holy shrine of Machail Mata in the scenic Padder valley of Kishtwar and took stock of the arrangements for the annual month long Machhail Yatra in the region.

On the occasion, the DDC also inaugurated the Helicopter service from Gulabgarh to Machhail. While reviewing the yatra arrangements in Machhail, Saleem Mohammad directed the con-

cerned officials to ensure fool proof security arrangements for the yatra. The arrangements regarding drinking water, electricity supply, transport, sanitation and ration supply were also reviewed.

The Machail Yatra is a big religious event which is being thronged by lakhs of devotees from various parts of the state to seek the blessings of Goddess Chandi Mata.

Distt admn rescues 33 persons in Kathua

KATHUA, AUGUST 02-Acting promptly on the direction of Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shantmanu, the district administration Kathua has successfully rescued 33 persons from flash floods by airlifting them in conjunction with Army, BSF and Air force in Kathua district.

The rescued persons included 2 in Billawar tehsil, 2 Kot Punoo, 18 Maichack and 11 in Khandwal areas of Hiranagar tehsil.The team conducted the operation comprised of DDC, Kathua, Jitender Kumar Singh, SSP, Mohan Lal and ACR, S.P.Rakwal.

Srinagar, Aug 2

JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik Friday warned that to safeguard economic, trade and strategic relations with India, world community’s criminal silence on the plight of Kashmiris is going to make the world especially sub-conti-nent much more dangerous and vulner-able and will ignite the already volatile situation of this region.

Addressing a huge gathering at Cha-rar-e-Shareef Malik who on the last Fri-day of Ramadan visits the holy Shrine every year said Kashmiris have given sacrifices during the present struggle for freedom collectively as well as individu-ally. “Every Kashmiri has suffered at the hands of Indian forces. Our villages and towns are filled with martyr’s graveyards, with orphans and widows and the fact is that we are still rendering sacrifices for freedom,” he said.“It is true that freedom struggles take time to succeed and it took about 200 years for India to attain free-dom from British but still we Kashmiris today have to introspect that why after

such huge sacrifices we are not gaining any ground. There is famous saying that materialistic power fights materialistic power and when there is no power to counter power; Spirituality comes to save the deprived. We are fighting against a powerful nation called India and the fact of the matter is that we cannot match it by power and need Spiritual support. To garner this support and ask our lord Allah to help us, we in 1990 at the start of pres-ent struggle came to this spiritual place collectively,” he added.The JKLF chair-man said that according to divine law Allah helps those and changes the des-tiny of those nations who have a will to change “but alas! we despite of valuable and great sacrifices as a nation failed to restore and safeguard our Spiritual values that was necessary to get Allah’s help and blessings for attaining freedom.”“Today we are bidding farewell to holy month of Ramdhan. Let us all bow our heads be-fore our Allah and ask for forgiveness and pledge to work united for the restoration of spiritual values,” he said.Speaking on the present political scenario, Malik said

that people of Jammu Kashmir are en-gaged in an exemplary peaceful struggle for freedom. “Especially from 2008 our nation striving for freedom transformed the course and means of the struggle and changed it from a violent out look to a non violent one. This historic transforma-tion came into being after the continuous persuasions of world community whose Envoy’s and ambassadors’ used to visit Kashmir every now and then and visit lanes and by lanes of Kashmir looking for the resistance leadership and asking them to pursue the path of non violence,” he added.The JKLF chairman said that the nation heard the appeals of the world community and made a positive change “but as soon as this was done by us, the world community instead of supporting showed its back.”“Probably this was done to safeguard economic, trade and stra-tegic partnership with India and while doing so these so called champions of democracy and humanity even trample down the high values of humanity and democracy and maintained a criminal si-lence of Kashmir.

Jammu, Aug 2

Taking strong exception to the ‘indecent and abusive’ utterances of Dr. Mustafa Kamaal against Congress party and its leadership, sev-eral senior congress leaders have demanded apology from the National Conference lead-ership and expulsion of Dr Kamaal from the party.

In a meeting chaired by veteran Congress leader, freedom fighter, ex-MLA and Presi-dent District Congress Committee Jammu Om Chopra, several Congressmen said that inde-cencies on the part of Dr Kamaal and some other leaders have become a culture of the people of his class, which is totally intoler-able. “He has been abusing the Congress party and its cadres and simply to reject it on some few occasions by his party is not enough and rather, there appears a deliberate designs to vitiate the atmosphere and destabilise the coalition and malign the image of Congress party.

Dr Kamaal should know that they are in power because of Congress support. The pres-ent coalition has neither been imposed by the Congress party nor its compulsion to be in the government,” a statement of State Congress

said.“The person like Mustafa Ka-

maal can never come out of their myopic and perverted thinking to understand the policies and his-tory of the great party like Con-gress. Congress is a secular move-ment having history of more than 125 years of sacrifices for achiev-ing freedom for the country and making its unity and integrity,” it added.

In view of this, he said, the NC should immediately expell Dr Ka-maal form the party and offer an apology to Congress leadership and its cadres, failing which the Congress workers will approach the party high command to review its relationship with the NC. The Congress workers also requested its ministers in the coalition to stay away from the cabinet meet-ings until apology is offered.

Several senior leaders besides office bearers of District Congress Committee and Block presidents attended the meeting.

Connect with the stable, grounding energy of the day, Aries, but beware that tension may come in the form of fast talk and misinformation. People could be fickle and frantic. Wait for the dust to settle before you pick a road to travel. Impulsive decisions may lead you down paths that aren’t the best choice for you now. Relax and try not to think about it too much!

Walk to the beat of your own drum, Gemini. If you try to latch on to the smooth-talking, fast-paced in-formation of the day, your voice could get lost in the crowd. But if you plant your feet firmly and try to plan, you might deprive yourself of spontaneous events that prove the most fulfilling. Chart your own course and don’t be afraid if no one else follows along.

Connect with the fellow sitting next to you or per-haps the woman behind you in line at the store. He or she could share a piece of wisdom that changes your life forever. Be aware that you also could be that person who changes someone else’s life with a single thought or slice of wisdom that you’ve picked up in your travels.

Your self-esteem may be challenged today by a fast talker or unpleasant situation, Leo. Don’t accept things at first glance. There’s a much deeper meaning brewing below the surface, and you’d be foolish not to recognize that. Stick to your guns and stay grounded. Newfangled devices and big promises may not be all they’re adver-tised to be.

Jump on board the fast train and see how far it takes you, Virgo. You’ll be surprised at how far you can go with minimal effort. Your grace and polite social man-nerisms will help you navigate quickly to where you need to be. You have the wind at your back today. Make the most of this energy by aiming for the top and not resting until you get there.

Flexibility is an important part of today, Libra. Take a relaxed, laid-back approach. Trying to ram your ideas through isn’t the best tactic. Having tunnel vision will restrict you in many ways. Keep an open mind and be receptive to others’ ideas and opinions. You have a lot of power readily available. It would be a shame to waste it by lacking the breadth of vision to see all your options.

Things coming at you from all sides are forcing you to make a move, Scorpio. Don’t be pressured into some-thing you don’t want to do. A nervous restlessness may urge you to act. Don’t let other people boss you around. Secure your position and be strong. Try not to be tempt-ed into situations that you know are going to be bad for you.

Lock into the practical, grounding force of the day that is not only realistic but also flexible. Attend to de-tails and organize yourself. Be aware that you may need to alter your course a bit in order to fit the group dy-namic. Try to work with those around you to achieve a common goal. Initiating the help of others is easier than you think as long as you stay focused and motivated.

Today is one of those days in which prosperity is much closer than you think, Capricorn. You may know what you seek, but it’s up to you to take the first step toward going after it. You’re probably looking for solid answers to your deep, probing questions. Don’t let your inquisitive mind rest until you find answers that ring true for you.

Indecision may leave you helpless at a crossroads today, Aquarius. Others may be just as undecided re-garding which way to go. At the same time, you may feel pressured to take immediate action, and you’re tired of waiting for others to make the first move. Find the answers in simple solutions. There’s more than one correct way.

Latch on to the expansiveness that comes when you connect with others in a social arena, Pisces. Commu-nication is a key aspect of the day. If you go with the flow you will land exactly where you need to be. Take the adventurous route and skip around from one thing to another. There’s no need to pin yourself down to one route or way of doing things.

Any expansive feeling you experience may be rained on today. You could get the feeling that you’ve lost touch with reality. Make sure you connect with real life, Tau-rus, and do a bit of planning to balance your whimsical side. Things that you haven’t accounted for might crop up to serve as a reminder that you need to deal with real life.

Congress reacts to Kamal’s assertions

Silence of world community on plight of Kashmiris dangerous: Malik

Daily ZABARWAN TIMES NEWS Srinagar |Saturday 03 .8 .2013

Increase in seats in Med. Colleges

Taj visits SKIMS Med College, Bemina, reviews infra facilitiesSrinagar, August 02: Minister for Medical Education, Youth

Services & Sports, Taj Mohi ud Din, Friday visited the SKIMS Medi-cal College, Bemina. He reviewed the status of infrastructure and other logistic facilities at the College in the wake of recent increase in the intake capacity of State run Medical Colleges including this College whose intake capacity has been increased from 50 to 100.

The Minister went round several blocks including laboratories, library, lecture halls and main hospital and later had a detailed interaction with the faculty. He impressed upon the administra-tion to further consolidate and strengthen the logistic facilities at the college including hostel facilities, classrooms and adding more beds to the associated hospital of the college.

Appreciating the efforts of the faculty, the Minister said the college has seen some bad days in past and hoped that it shines in excellence in coming days and years.

Director, SKIMS, Dr. Showkat Zargar and other senior doctors accompanied the Minister during the visit.

Lok Adalat to be held on August 20 at Baramulla

BARAMULLA, AUGUST 02: According to the Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, who is also Principal District and Ses-sions Judge, Baramulla, Rashid Ali Dar, a Lok Adalat is to be held on August 20, 2013 at District Court Complex, Baramulla.

All those interested including the public in general and litigants in particular are informed that the cases shall be taken up in the said Lok Adalat.

The litigants whose claims are pending in the relevant courts and are interested to settle their cases amicably shall ap-ply for the same before concerned court by or before August 17, 2013.

Gul pays obeisance at Baba Payam-ud-Din Reshi (RA) Ziarat, prays for

peace & prosperity of State

Sham inaugurates tube well at Chak Lalu Shah

DDC reviews Machail Yatra arrangements, inaugurates

Helicopter service for Shrine

Tangmarg, August 02:

The Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Mubarak Gul Friday visited Ziarat Baba Payam-ud-Din Reshi (RA) and took stock of the facilities and ar-rangements made for the convenience of devotees for the ensuing Jamia-tul-Wida festival.

The Speaker after offering Nimaz, paid obeisance at the Zirat and prayed for the peace, progress and prosperity of the State and people.

Gul interacted with the management and devotees and enquired about the ar-rangements put in place by the authori-ties to meet the heavy rush of devotees in view of ensuing festivals. He directed the shrine authorities to ensure adequate supply of drinking water, health care and transport facilities. He called for replacing the outlived articles in the shrine kitchen and ensuring proper sanitation in and around the shrine. He also called for reno-vation of kitchen and upgradation of lane and drains and street light in the locality.

Earlier, several deputations from dif-ferent parts of the State called the Speaker at his official residence and projected their demands. The demands put forth

before the Speaker included, construction of lanes and drains, replacement of dam-aged transformers, improving drinking water facilities, upgradation of power in-frastructure and ensuring adequate sup-ply of essential commodities during the holy month of Ramzan.

The Speaker gave a patient hearing to the deputationists and assured them that their genuine demands would be met in a phased manner. In some cases, he is-sued on spot directions to the concerned officers for early redressal of their griev-ances.

JAMMU, AUGUST 02- Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma inaugurated a newly constructed tube well Water Supply Scheme under Na-tional Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) at Chak Lalu Shah, Domana here Friday.The WSS has been constructed with a cost of Rs.177.71 lakh.

MLA Raipur Domana, Bharat Bhushan was also pres-ent on the occasion.

Addressing a large public gathering, Sham said this water supply scheme will benefit 5000 souls of village Chak Lalu Shah, Ganeshu Chak, Surhe Chak, Rambagh and Gu-jjar Basti. He said that central and state governments have sanctioned a number of PHE schemes to provide safe drink-ing water to every citizens of the state particularly of remote areas and those which have not been covered yet.

Sham said that safe drinking water is not helpful in arresting water borne diseases but also ensures a healthy life. He said that present govern-ment is fully committed to provide basic amenities like safe drinking water, power, road, health and education to every nook and corner of the state particularly uncovered areas.

Sham stressed upon the engineers and officers to work with utmost dedication and honesty to achieve set targets for welfare and devel-opment of the people. He also sought cooperation from the panchayat representatives in proper maintenance of water supply schemes as well as ir-rigation facilities. He empha-sized upon the people for judi-cious use of water to save them from any water crisis. He also directed the concerned agen-cies to make efforts for preser-

vation of the traditional water resources and revival of the old ponds to further enhance water levels. He also stressed upon the need of constructing more and more chak dams.

The Minister was in-formed that presently a num-ber of water supply schemes in Raipur Domana constituency including WSS machine Do-mana, Chak Lalu Shah, Khe-si, Thater, Parkhoo, Chibba Chak Machillion and Raipur Domana (Slippage) are be-ing executed under NRDWP with an estimated cost of Rs.1646.64 lakh. Of which two schemes have been completed in 2012-13. He was also informed that five WSSs have been taken up in the current financial year. In addition, two WSSs Pouni Chak and WSS Khandwal are under execution under dis-trict sector with an estimated cost of Rs.385.54 lakh.

Ensure availability of adequate essentials during Shab-e-Qadr, Eid

festivals: G.A MirAnantnag, August 02:- Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad

Mir has impressed upon the district administration of Anantnag for making elaborate arrangements for celebration of ensuing holy festivals of Shab-e-Qadr and Eid-Ul-Fitar. He issued strict instructions to the authorities to put in place all necessary ar-rangements for the smooth supply of essential commodities like, ration, LPG Cylinders, meat, vegetables and other commodi-ties in all areas so that the people may not face any hardship on this account.

The Minister during his visit to Anantnag Friday also took stock of the supply position of essential commodities and di-rected the CA&PD authorities to ensure adequate availability of ration and LPG especially in remote and hilly areas of the district. He instructed the concerned authorities to intensify the services of field functionaries for strict market checking to avoid food adulteration and undue profiteering in all the major markets in the districts.

The Minister also directed the field functionaries of PHE, PDD and Health Departments to make necessary arrangements of uninterrupted power supply, drinking water and healthcare facilities in all the areas for the convenience of the people.

The Minister directed the concerned functionaries of Mu-nicipal Councils for ensuring complete sanitation around Eid-gahs and Mosques in the district to facilitate the prayers for the devotees.

Demand apology from NC, expulsion of Kamal‘No NC worker joined into PDP in Ramban’

Bhagat ridicules PDP for indulging in cheap politics

Ramban, Aug 2 : Former MLA and District President National Conference Ramban Dr Chaman Lal Bhagat on Friday ridiculed Peoples Democratic Party for its gimmicks of stage-managing joining of political discards and non-entities to gain cheap publicity and to alleviate sagging morale of its frustrated cadre.

In a statement, Dr Bhagat referred to the joining of some so-called and assumed NC worker Arshad Malik in PDP and said he had seized to be associated with the party since 2002 and had joined the PDP that year itself.

“By indulging in such cheap gimmicks, PDP has demonstrated its hollowness at the grass-roots level with nobody worth name showing inclination towards it”, Dr Chaman said, adding that claiming big victory by owning discarded and small time workers, the PDP is making itself a subject of ridicule. He said the PDP ap-pears to be in a state of shock after the assertion of Provincial President Devender Singh Rana that the party had no discernible presence in the Chenab Valley region. “It is the outcome of this harsh truth that PDP has stage-managed joining of some small political entities into its fold who have been roaming helter skelter for rehabilitation.

He said that NC is a strong fort that has withstood test of times and its workers have given enormous sac-rifices for making the party strong and stable. Taking PDP head on for its ‘political deceit and duplicity’, the District President said, “It has mastered in sowing the seeds of discord among various segments of the society for furthering its nefarious political agenda.”He alleged that PDP leaders have been changing colors like cha-meleons by giving solutions to Kashmir issue as per their convenience and political expediencies .

E ++HHEAAL L HH5 ZABARWAN TIMES

SATURDAY | 03 AUG 20138 ZABARWANTIMES

Hookah smoking as bad as cigarettes

Hookah smok-ing as bad as cigarettes for lungs (Think-stock photos/Getty Images)Water pipe smoking, such as hookah or bong smok-ing, affects lung function and respiratory symptoms as much as ciga-rette smoking, a new study has revealed. Most users of water pipes and many physicians believe that smoking through a water pipe filters out the toxic components of tobacco and is consid-erably less harmful than smoking ciga-rettes. Led by Mohammad Hossein Boskabady, MD, PhD, of Mashhad University of Med-ical Sciences, researchers set out to com-pare lung function and respiratory symp-toms among water pipe smokers, deep or normal inhalation cigarette smokers, and non-smokers. Three groups of smokers, including 57 water pipe smokers, 30 deep inhalation cigarette smokers (S-DI), and 51 normal inhalation cigarette smokers (S-NI) were identified and studied. In addition, 44 non-smokers were studied as a control group. A questionnaire was administered to as-

sess the prevalence and severity of respi-ratory symptoms and lung function tests performed on smokers and control sub-jects using a spirometer. Results showed an increased prevalence and severity of respiratory symptoms among water pipe smokers and ciga-rette smokers. Similar effects of water pipe smoking and deep inhalation ciga-rette smoking on respiratory status were found. "Our study is the first report regarding the importance of the method of cigarette smoke inhalation with respect to effects on the respiratory system," Boskabady said. "Our findings reveal that there were pro-found effects of water pipe smoking on lung function values, which were similar to the effects observed in deep inhalation cigarette smokers," he concluded.

Excessive water in your system can dilute your body fluids so much that the sodium levels be-come life-threateningly low.Water may be the elixir of life, but it sure can send your health into a tailspin, even endanger your life, if you drink too much of it. While packaged water, juice and cola companies hard-sell their thirst-quenchers to you through TV and print advertisements, the truth is that drinking too much water can do you more harm than good.Due to excessive water con-sumption, people have died of over-hydration, which goes by the name of Exercise-Associated Hyponatraemia (EAH). In simple terms, it means that you have drank too much water and the excess has diluted your body fluids so much that the sodium levels have become life-threatening-ly low, causing cells to swell. That includes brain cells lead-ing to loss of consciousness, seizures and even coma and death. For long-distance run-ners, this can be a particular hazard. With half-marathons and marathons being all the rage, runners while practicing must resist the temptation to tank themselves up with too much water.Water intoxica-tion is always on the cards if you believe you have to 'stay ahead of thirst' by drinking excessive quantities of fluids.

To do so is entirely un-phys-iological. Drinking more wa-ter than you need increases your total blood volume and also pressures you kidneys into working overtime so as to filter excess water out of your circu-latory system. It is, however, incredibly rare for someone to die of dehydration in a temper-ate climate, not even sportsmen who sweat a great deal.The right way to drink water is on your TV screen. When Ten-nis legends Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal play five gruel-ling sets of tennis in the baking sun, sweating profusely, how do they drink? They sip. They may sip at every end change, but they certainly don't gulp. While exercising, you should balance how much water you drink to how much you are sweating out.All runners should know that over-consumption of fluids, whether it's water or sports drinks, can be fatal. EAH due to excessive hydration has caused at least a dozen deaths world-wide and there have been more than 1,600 documented cases of it around the globe.The International Marathon Medical Directors Association advocates 'drinking to thirst' and no more. That means 0.03 litres per kilogram. So, for a 100 kg person that's a maxi-mum of three litres. The av-erage man is around 70 kgs. Work out the math. Five rea-

sons to kick the cola1. You will flash a prettier smile. The sugar and acid in soft drinks dissolves tooth enamel while the colouring in darker fizzy drinks leaves dark stains on teeth.2. You will reduce your risk of heart disease. The high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in many soft drinks increases the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.3. You will reduce your risk of osteoporosis. The phosphoric acid found in soft drinks can

loosen a tight bolt, eat away metal, and leach calcium from the bones.4. You will reduce your risk of diabetes. The connection between excess sugar con-sumption and type 2 diabetes is well-known.5. You will stabilise blood sugar and energy levels. Simple sugars, the most harmful of which are HFCS, are carbs that cause a rapid energy spike followed by a sudden plummet. Adding caffeine, a cola essential, intensifies this roller-coaster effect.

Alcohol addiction:

Are you an alcohol addict?Countless families, no mat-ter their social status, suffer immensely when their hus-bands, sons, daughters or wives binge on alcohol. These families suffer si-lently as booze rules the lives of their loved ones, but let's not confuse alcohol with occasional drinking. In 2009, as per government statistics, approximately 14 million Indians were ad-dicted to alcohol, by which we mean 14 million Indians were dependent on alcohol. But there are ways to spot if your loved one is going to turn into an alcohol addict; it is time to nip it in the bud and save the family.

What is alco-hol addiction?With a spurt of bars and nightclubs offering alcohol, youngsters are more prone to alcohol addiction...or so common perception goes. But does this mean that addiction to al-cohol is only a phenomenon of the 21st century? We think not. The im-portance to be socially accepted, or the need to alter reality are not new emotions in this world. So what is alcohol addiction?'Alcohol dependence is a psychiat-ric diagnosis (a substance related disorder DSM-IV) describing an entity in which an individual is ad-dicted to alcohol either physically or mentally, and continues to use alcohol despite significant areas of dysfunction, evidence of physical dependence, and/or related hard-ship.'Essentially, if you break the official description down, alcohol addic-tion can be read as the feeling that your life revolves around alcohol, you consume it in large amounts - often in settings that aren't alco-hol related, like breakfast, work or your child's play date - and you are not worried about it affecting your life adversely. Often alcohol addicts experience extreme weight gain or weight loss, and several other health issues.

What are the signs of alcohol

addiction?The major reason why we start drinking is to de-stress. When we are tired and worked up, we have a drink to calm our nerves and relax. But this could turn into an addic-

tion before you know it, especially if you don't find any other outlet for your stress or emotional mood swings. The feeling of being drunk is momentarily priceless but the ef-fects on health and your system are dire.Some more signs include, getting into trouble due to alcohol like getting arrested for drunk driving, your performance at work suffers and your relationship with loved ones is drastically altered.If you wake up and crave for a drink, you're abusing alcohol. When you have alcohol to get over a hang-over, you're abusing alcohol. If you are trying to quit, but can't, you're abusing alcohol. If moderate drink-ing isn't working for you, and if two drinks always lead to 20, then it's time to seek professional help, or an intervention.

So how does one quit alcohol?

Weigh the pros and cons of drink-ing; are you happy to be an alcohol-ic? Do you receive enough love? Are people around you happy? Do you have any savings in the bank? Next step, if moderation isn't working, then make a commitment to com-pletely give up alcohol. Prepare re-alistic aims to follow and be ready for the withdrawal symptoms.If all efforts fail, India has several rehab centers for substance abuse victims. Anonymity is the essence at these centers, there are regular checks and the plan seems fool-proof, but the onus is on you. A lot of effort has to come from the alco-holic's part.Withdrawal symptoms of alcohol addiction

Just like other addictions, when you stop drinking, you will experi-ence certain symptoms. The com-mon signs are:

- Trembling hands- Restlessness

- Anxiety- Headaches and trouble concen-

trating- Blood pressure

increases- Heart beats

faster- Disorientation

- VomitingSeveral studies suggest that physi-cal engagement in sports, exercise, and healthy eating pursuits help f ight alcohol addiction. The healthier your meals are, the less l ikely is i t that your blood sugar levels wil l f luc-tuate and set in alcohol crav-ings.So, examine your l i festyle and rectify harmful patterns l ike late nights, lack of exercise and unhealthy binge eating. Enlist support from family and friends, and replace the t ime spent with alcohol with hap-pier and healthier activities.However, if you suffer from a seri-ous over-use addiction, then you must consult a healthcare provider immediately.

Fitness facts all women must knowNot finding the time for fitness due to household chores and grocery shopping? To ward away hazardous ailments and keep yourself toned, it is important to adhere to a set fitness regime. Many Indian women, par-ticularly after reaching a certain age, feel that good looks do not matter much. However, the discussion here is not about good looks but of health. A fitness routine is as important for older women as it is for a teenager or a young girl. Regular physical activity will not only help you tackle weight-related issues but will also enable you to prevent conditions associ-ated with weight gain, like rheuma-toid arthritis and varicose veins. Still not motivated enough? Here's a list of some important fitness facts for women that will help you to get mov-ing. Avoid obesity: With the danger-ous bulging obesity ratios in India, recent statistics revealed that almost one in six women in the country are overweight and are in dire need to trim for avoiding health hazards as-sociated with obesity. This is due to the increased adoption of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating hab-its. 30 minutes a day: Your fitness level can be improved by merely add-ing a few minutes of movement into your daily routine. According to fit-ness experts; just 30 minute workout for 5 days a week is sufficient to over-come the adverse effects of inactivity and sedentary lifestyle. You can also incorporate minor changes in your daily lifestyle like taking the stairs in-stead of the lift, parking the car in the last row of the parking lot and walk-ing briskly for a few minutes between your parked car and your office. The importance of de-stressing:

Women are more prone to stress and pressure as compared to men and this, in turn, leads to various health issues. Work on basic relaxation and breathing techniques whenever you can - even while performing your reg-ular chores. Muscle and joint pain: Be careful not to neglect any kind of muscle tightness or joint pains as ev-erything in your body are interlinked with each other. Overlooking such fitness factors may affect the proper functioning of other body joints and muscles as well. Hence, ensure that you address such issues at the earli-est. Cardio and weight training: The ideal fitness program for women should include exercises that increase their muscle tone and elevate their heart rate. A continuous, repetitive aerobic workout plan that affects all the large muscle groups in their body is the best option, when coupled with adequate strength training to retain

and develop bone density. Consistency: To see any form of measurable changes in your fitness levels, you should continue your workout and fitness program for a minimum of 12-13 weeks. Health expert consultation: Adding small amounts of physical activity to one's daily routine is sufficient to improve daily function in women suffering from heart ailments or arthritic con-ditions. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before embarking any exercise program. This is par-ticularly important if you have been physically inactive for a long period, if you are pregnant or if you have health problems. Frequently moni-tor your body weight to ensure that you do not cross the limit for your height and age. Also, have a monthly health-check done and refer to your doctor or physician in case of any major deviations.

Green coffee beans can make you thinScientists today reported striking new evidence that green, or un-roasted, coffee beans can produce a substantial decrease in body weight in a relatively short period of time. In the study Joe Vinson's team de-scribed how a group of overweight or obese people who consumed a few milligrams of ground green coffee beans each day lost about 10 per cent of their weight. "Based on our results, taking mul-tiple capsules of green coffee extract a day - while eating a low-fat, healthful diet and exercising regularly - appears to be a safe, effective, inexpensive way to lose weight," said Vinson, who is with the University of Scranton. The study involved 16 overweight or obese people aged 22-26 years who took capsules of the extract or capsules containing a placebo, an inactive powder, for a total of 22 weeks. The subjects alternated between a low dose and a higher dose of the extract. The low dose consisted of 700mg of the coffee extract, and the high dose was 1,050mg. It was a

so-called "crossover" study in which people cycled through the two doses and the placebo, each for six weeks. Such stud-ies have advantages because each person serves as his or her own "control," improving the chances of getting an ac-curate result. All of the participants were monitored for their overall diet (calories, food eaten, etc.) and exercise over the study

period. "Their calories, carbohydrates, fats and protein intake did not change during the study, nor did their ex-ercise regimen change," Vinson said. Participants lost an average of 7 kilos during the 22 weeks of the study. It included an average of a 10.5 per cent decrease in overall body weight and a 16 per cent decrease in body fat. Vinson noted that weight loss might have been significantly faster, except that participants received the placebo and the lower dose of green coffee extract for part of the study period.

NATION DAILY ZABARWAN TIMES

7 SRINAGARSaturday, 03 August,2013 Kashmir Thunder

Saturday 03 . 08 . 2013

Narendra Modi set to be BJP’s PM candi-date, meets RSS bosses in Delhi

New Delhi: Narendra Modi met RSS bosses in New Delhi on Thursday along with BJP chief Rajnath Singh and senior leader Arun Jaitley. His party, sources said, is all to name him its candidate for Prime Minister by Sep-tember this year.

Mr Modi, who was recently elevated by the BJP as the party’s campaign committee head for the 2014 elections, presided over a meeting of 20 campaign committees later in the evening. BJP president Rajnath Singh was present dur-ing the meeting, where the heads of these com-mittees gave tips about progress in campaign and Mr Modi offered tips for improvement.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, which is BJP’s ideological parent, has reportedly given an all-important no-objection certificate to Mr Modi’s candidacy. Top RSS leaders held a six-hour-long strategy session with the BJP top brass where they discussed many issues ahead of the national elections which are months away.

Sources said that during the meeting, the RSS discussed issues related to organisation-al unity and to keep other top leaders on the same page so that a message goes down to the cadre that everyone is working in unity with Mr Modi as the campaign head for the national elections.

The party expects an official anointment of Mr Modi as the face of the party for 2014 to help it cash in on his popularity in the Assembly elections in five key states and an announce-ment is likely before those polls are notified,

expected around Septem-ber 21.

The BJP and RSS also reportedly reckon that general elections, due in May next year, are un-likely to be held before February and they want Mr Modi to get a six-month window to build his campaign.

A top BJP leader told NDTV, “This has to be done. The party cannot go to the polls with Modi only being the de-facto face of the party.”

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who attended Thursday’s marathon meeting in Delhi, has in the last few weeks worked hard at quelling opposition within the BJP to Mr Modi’s big promotion.

On Wednesday, Yashwant Sinha, seen in the past as anti-Modi, said emphatically, “I am saying this with absolute certainty that Nar-endra Modi will be the country’s next Prime Minister.” The senior BJP leader’s words un-derscore how party leaders are now accepting that Mr Modi will front the party in next year’s elections.

LK Advani, who had staged a public protest against Mr Modi being elevated as the BJP’s

election campaign chief last month, has re-cently made speeches that demonstrate that acceptance.

Mr Bhagwat has assured Mr Advani and other seniors that they will continue to play an important role in the party, but has said there must be no more hurdles in the way of Mr Modi; who in turn has been advised to base his campaign on collective leadership.

The BJP’s Team Modi 2014 reflects that 20 star-studded committees will manage different aspects of the party’s election campaign under Mr Modi’s stewardship.

Take on Mulayam in polls from Mainpuri, AAP tells Durga Shakti Nagpal

According to reports, the 2009-batch IAS officer had seized nearly 300 trolleys of sand being illegally mined from the Yamuna river bed. Admi Party (AAP) on Friday asked suspended Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of-ficer Durga Shakti Nagpal to join it and contest elections against Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mu-layam Singh Yadav from Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri constituen-cy in the 2014 general elections.

AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said Nagpal should set a new ex-ample by coming forward.

“We have invited Durga Shak-ti Nagpalji to contest against Mu-layam Singh Yadav from Main-puri constituency on the Aam Aadmi Party ticket, so that no

other officer like her faces the wrath of a corrupt Samajwadi Party government,” Vishwas told reporters here.

Nagpal was suspended last month ostensibly for taking on the sand mafia and for order-ing the demolition of a wall of a mosque that was being built on government land in the state’s Gautam Buddh Nagar District, where she was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

According to reports, the 2009-batch IAS officer had seized nearly 300 trolleys of sand be-ing illegally mined from the Yamuna river bed.Though the Uttar Pradesh Government has called it as an ‘administrative decision’, against her for demol-

ishing a wall which was part of an intended mosque, but many believe that it was the result of pressure from the mining mafia.

Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Government said removing Nagpal was an “administrative decision” as her decision to de-molish the mosque could trigger communal tension, especially since it came during the month of Ramzan.Defending his gov-ernment’s action, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said the bureaucrat ordered the demolition of a portion of the mosque which might have resulted in disturbing peace in the state.“You should inquire from the people of that village. The Muslim families collected

donation for building a mosque, a wall was built, and you took the decision without holding any consultation and spoilt the environment there,” he said.Ya-dav said there was no matter of mining for which the action was taken.“The government will act against all those who act against goodwill and brotherhood or try to spoil the environment by of their work,” he added, while rub-bishing reports that the govern-ment acted tough only because it was a matter of illegal mining.

“If you look at the record of last two to three months then you will come to know that truck and machines were caught. We are also desirous that illegal mining should not take place,” he added.

Raja Bhaiya meets SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav

A day after CBI gave a clean chit to independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias ‘Raja Bhaiya’ in DSP Zia-ul-Haq’s murder case, the former UP minister today met SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav fuelling speculations about his re-induction as minister in the gov-ernment.

Raja Bhaiya met Yadav at his residence this morning and left within half-an-hour, sources said.

During the meeting, the former UP minister clarified his position before the SP chief, claiming that a conspiracy was hatched against him to defame the government, they said.

Raja Bhaiya held Prisons, Food and Civil supplies department as cabinet minister in Chief Minister Akhilesh Ya-dav’s government before resigning after the DSP’s murder.When asked about the

visit, party spokesman Rajendra Chow-dhury said that Singh from the very be-ginning claimed to be innocent and the CBI report has corroborated it.

About chances of his re-induction as minister, Chowdhury said that party su-premo will decide on it.

Government opposes CBI’s plea for more powers for its Director

New Delhi: The government today opposed the outline presented by the CBI to grasp more autonomy as it car-ries out politically-sensitive corruption investigations.

In the Supreme Court today, the government said it does not agree with the agency’s suggestion for a longer term and enhanced financial and administrative powers for its Director.

“An all-powerful Director without adequate checks and balances would be against constitutional principles,” the government said in an affidavit.

It also insisted that the government’s sanction is need-ed for the interrogation of senior officials.

In May this year, the Supreme Court reproached the CBI for being “a caged parrot” after the agency disclosed that a report on alleged irregularities in how coal min-ing licenses were issued had been shared with officials in the Law Ministry and Prime Minister’s Office before it was presented in court.The Supreme Court responded by demanding details of how the government will free the CBI from political interference.

In June, the government said that it would set up a three-member “Accountability Commission” of retired judges to investigate complaints and said a senior bureau-crat would monitor CBI-led trials to prevent meddling.

The government “shall not interfere with investigation or disposal of cases,” it said.

Changes were also proposed to bolster the indepen-dence of the CBI chief, who would be appointed by a three-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Supreme Court Chief Justice and the Leader of Opposition in Parliament.Only the national president would be able to sack him.The CBI has also been accused in the past of going slow in probing charges of corruption against high-profile political figures, resulting in either their acquittal or non-prosecution.

Cabinet approves changes to RTI Act to keep political parties outNew Delhi: The Cabinet to-

day cleared crucial changes to the Right to Information Act to block political parties from being covered under RTI.These amend-ments would exempt parties from being obliged to share details of their funding or how they choose their candidates.

Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily was the only minister who reportedly voiced his dissent against the move, but Parliamen-tary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the government is doing this be-cause majority of the political parties want these amendments.

In June, the Central Information Commission or CIC, which ensures the RTI Act is implemented and pub-lic queries are answered by govern-ment departments, ruled that the six major national parties including the Congress and BJP are public authori-ties and must respond to RTI appli-cations. The parties were given six weeks to appoint officers to handle RTI requests.The flagship RTI Act was introduced by the Congress in 2005 for increasing transparency.

Activists Subhash Agrawal and Anil Bairwal had said the six nation-al parties get indirect but substantial funding from the central government,

an argument that was accepted by the Central Information Commission.

“Large tracts of land in prime ar-eas of Delhi have been placed at the disposal of the political parties in question at exceptionally low rates. Besides, huge government accommo-dations have been placed at the dispos-al of political parties at hugely cheap rates thereby bestowing financial benefits on them,” it said.The Com-mission also said political parties “af-fect the lives of the citizens, directly or indirectly in every conceivable way and are continuously engaged in per-forming public duty. It is, therefore, important that they become account-able to public.”However, parties had argued that they are monitored and accountable for funding and other is-sues to the Election Commission.

Adarsh report delayed; Opposition demands explanation

MUMBAI: The inquiry report on Adarsh housing society scam, which was to be presented in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra assembly on Friday, has been delayed indefi-nitely.

Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Cha-van announced that Adarsh report is not being tabled in the house because the Action Taken Report (ATR), which is part of the inquiry, is not ready yet. There was a major ruckus in the state assembly on Friday after the government made it clear that the Adarsh report will not be tabled in this session.

The Opposition BJP and Shiv Sena demanded an explanation and hold-ing of a special session of the assem-bly for tabling of this report. The op-position claimed that the government was trying to protest former congress chief ministers who were allegedly involved in the irregularities related to the Adarsh cas.

Leader of the opposition in the state council BJP’s Vinod Tawde said, “This is a blatant attempt to save the former Chief Ministers of Maharash-

tra who gave clearanc-es to Adarsh society. We demand that the report should be made public immediately. We want an explana-tion. We will initiate a no-confidence motion against the govern-ment if the report is not made public.”

Meanwhile state deputy chief minister, NCP’s Ajit Pawar in-directly targeted the Chief Minister by tell-ing the media outside the assembly that it was CM Chavan who had told him earlier that Adarsh report will be presented in the house in current session. Speak-ing to reporters Ajit Pawar said “I told the media last week, that Adarsh report will be tabled in this session because CM Chavan had told me so. Now if there is a delay in tabling the report, you should ask the CM why there is a delay. I have no answers.”

Congress leaders and former Chief Ministers of the state Ashok Chavan and Sushilkumar Shinde were invit-ed by the inquiry commission during the investigation of the Adarsh scam to depose as they were allegedly in-volved in giving clearances to Adarsh society. Both these leaders claimed that they had not given any out of turn clearances to Adarsh society.

Civil Administration and the Army ina-ugrates Women self help Group at MagamFriday, 02 Aug 2013 Upliftment & Self Empowerment

of women remains a major challenge in Jammu & Kashmir. The Civil Administra-tion and the Army are making all efforts to address this problem by meaningful & ef-fective initiatives. The Army to this effect has undertaken to mentor a group of moti-vated and enterprising 25 local women to establish a Self Help Group at Magam. The infrastructure, financial assistance and guidance to the women to form a self help group exploring the avenues in stitching, knitting, embroidery and candle making is being provided by the local Rashtriya Rifles unit. They have successfully passed the requirements and standards as per the policy of Industries and Commerce Department of Jammu & Kashmir and have been awarded with life time Registration Card which enables to apply for loans and other facilities provided by the State Government. The Self Help Group Magam was inaugurated by Mr Muzaffer Ahmed Pir, ADC Handwara, Mr Syed Shabir Indrabi, Block Development Officer Handwara on 01 Aug 2013 which has been registered with DC office Kupwara.

It is an endeavour, that the Self Help Group is self sustainable and meets the social & finan-cial aspirations of the local women in the area. The initiative has provided these poor women of the society a new window not only to show-case their skills but also support their families in livelihood. As a result they have made an im-pact on other ladies of the area also to follow the path. The positive welfare initiatives which the Army is undertaking are based on the numer-ous requests by the locals & their aspirations.

Now, water at Bihar schools puts nearly 70 children in hospital

Patna: 12 students from Chhapra district in Bihar are in hospital in Patna, a day af-ter they drank what appears to be contaminated water from a tube well at their government school.

In a separate incident, 55 girls in the Sitamarhi district, about 150 kms from Chhapra, were also hospitalized today af-ter drinking water from a hand pump at their school.

Some fainted within min-utes, said officials, and were moved to local clinics, where they are re-ported to be in stable condition.

Last month, Chhapra endured the lacerating tragedy of losing 23 children after they ate a poisoned free lunch at their school. Another 20 children were admitted to the Pat-na Medical College, and are still be-ing treated there, nearly two weeks later.

The children who fell sick after drinking water on Thursday are

admitted at the same hospital, the Patna Medical College.

At least six different cases of chil-dren falling sick from the water at their schools have been reported in recent days across the state. A foren-sic report on water samples is likely to be delivered to the government today.

Amarjeet Sinha, a senior official in the Education Department, said schools have been asked to conduct safety tests on water.

A man today shot dead a 21-year-old woman before kill-ing himself in Sikar district of Rajasthan, police said on Friday.

25-year old Dharmpal, who was married and a private school teacher, shot Anita (21) dead when she was return-ing home in Pala Jodi after her B.Ed classes, SHO Balara Lal Singh said. Dharmpal then shot himself, he said.

“Prima facie, it appears to be a case of one-sided love. Dharmpal was married and both the families were staying in the same locality,” he added. Both the bodies were sent for postmortem, he said.

Teacher shoots woman, commits suicide