JDA employees end month long strike after assurances by Deputy CM

JDA employees end month long strike after assurances by Deputy CM

Yash Khajuria   

JAMMU, June 15: Finally after month long agitation, government has finally accepted the demands of striking Jammu Development Authority (JDA), who were demanding implementation of 6th Pay Commission Report and other pending demands.

The Chairman of JDA and Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand showing his concern over the fast unto death strike carried by more than 400 employees of the JDA and passed the direction to the Vice chairmen Sarita Chauhan to announce the employees that the authorities have accepted the demands of the striking employees and the can call off.

Talking exclusively to the TNI news the Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand said that it has taken a long time in redressing the issues of the Employees but now the Demands have been approved, however, for the delayed approval of demands he said that the implementation of SRO 43 was not in the provision for some corporations like JDA but marking this a genuine the Authority has agreed to implement this for the JDA employees, he said that the whole list of the demands is not been agreed some the issues are not acceptable but we have taken our consideration on the genuine ones.

On the other hand, Ashok Singh Jamwal, president, JDA employees Union said that the decision of the authorities by implementing SRO 43 in JDA is an historic decision as after 15 long years they have been able to get their rights.

Pertinently, administration was seen in panic when president JDA Employees Union Ashok Singh was forcefully lifted from the spot and has thrown in Gandhi Nagar hospital.

Apparently, the JDA employees were on strike from the 22nd May 2012 under the banner of JDA Employees Union and after getting aggrieved from the adamant attitude of the higher authorities had decided to sit on hunger strike from 28th May 2012.

Tussle for presidentship of Guru Ravi Dass Sabha turns violent

Tussle for presidentship of Guru Ravi Dass Sabha turns violent

Yash Khajuria   

JAMMU, June 14: The tussle for the president post of All J&K Guru Ravi Das Sabha (AJKGRS) is visible on the street as four ladies of one of the parties received injuries in scuffle with members of the other Party who reportedly claimed to be the president of the Sabha and tried to enter the Ravi Dass temple with 30-50 people.

The issue has assumed tense form along span of time where the both parties are also involved in the legal practices to retain the president ship of the Sabha. The matter is already in the court.

Piran Ditta have alleged that the other Party in their consistent approach to attain the presidential post of the sabha by hook or crook, has invaded in the temple premises without any intimation or permission from the president, which when opposed by the locals and members of the sabha turned Violent as the invading group started using physical violence in which 4 female members of the sabha got injuries.

He briefed that the other Party i.e. Vijay Lochan and Companions has tried this sort of invasion by using his political and official approach in the police deptt. He said that according to the constitution of the sabha a president owes two years tenure on the democratic seat, according to this the existing president of the Sabha Piran Ditta (Retd Post master) who had been on the post since June 2010 has his powers on this behalf he is having every invitations, receipts, and other documents which were forwarded to the president of the sabha by the senders either political Parties or religious associations.

Then how one could claim the president ship without conducting any public poll. He alleged that Vijay Lochan is already been declared defaulter for violating the norms and regulation of the Constitution o0f Sabha so he is even not eligible to gain the prestigious post but he is using his political and physical power to intrude the post.

Where on the other hand the second Party have totally declined the allegations and said that they have the every legal document which dictates that the hon’le courts declares that Vijay Lochan and Shyam Lal Bassan as the president and General Secretary of the Sabha.

He gimmicked that if a person claims that he the president of the a Sabha then how he is been sent behind the bars by the police official after found faultier at the Temple today.

Brick Kilners continuous to flees peoples

Brick Kilners continuous to flees peoples

Yash Khajuria   

JAMMU, June 12: Despite the repeated appeals of the brick kiln owners association to the state government regarding the demand of revival of the rates of the bricks, the administration is not looking a bit serious over this all.

Brick kiln owners are annoyed of the behavior of the state administration regarding the whole issue that is due to the rapid increase in the cost of the raw material being used in the procedure of brick manufacturing, like Coal, Firewood, Clay, Labour and other amenities included in the procedure of the same.

Since they have demand to the concerned authority to revive the rates of the brick which are still as they were previously revised.

According to Janak Raj Mahajan, president of the Brick Kiln Owners Association (BKOA) because of the non-revision of rates brick kiln owners are not getting their production cost back, resulting which all the 259 brick kilns owners are facing a lot of economic crisis. Since the rates of the raw material are increased aggressively so the expenditure for the production of bricks is ultimately increased.

Hence the government keeping all this in mind should revise the rates.  He said that as the government is not increasing the price of their product on the other prospect we are already paying tax on the raw material which we use, and the administration is imposing to pay input tax which is truly the injustice to brick kiln owners.

He said that the government should have to revise the rates on the pattern of the neighboring states including Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. As the BKOA has presented that the rates of B class bricks at Rs 4175 per thousand, rates of C class bricks at Rs 3800 per thousand and the rates of tiles at Rs 4375 per thousand. He further said that the rates of brick in Punjab are above Rs 4000 per thousand and in Himachal rates of brick is Rs 4500.

It is pertinent to mention here that the over half dozen brick kilns have been convicted by government after they found offensive for overcharging for bricks by the owners.

A special team οf officers led bу Assistant Commissioner, Jammu, has conducted inspections οf brick kilns іn R S Pura, Sub Division after regular interval and eight οf thе 15 brick kilns wеrе booked fοr various offences under provisions οf Labour Laws, Weights and Measurement Enforcement Act.

Same numbers of brick kilns were also booked by CAPD for overcharging and for not showing the rate lists and other offences under Essential Commodities Act-1980.

As par the existing government rates, the sale of class 'A' Bricks has been fixed at the rate of Rs 4100 per 1000 whereas the rate of Class 'B' bricks at the rate of Rs 3100 per 1000 inclusive of loading and unloading as par norm anyone found overcharging his license may be cancelled.

But due to the unconsciousness of the administration the bricks are being sold at the rates of brick owners choice, at RS Pura Jammu, where the bricks are being sold at Rs 5500- 7500 per thousand on arguing the rate lists the brick owners said that till the government do not fix issue the new rate list they’ll sale brick on the same prices. Now the customers are annoyed by the overcharging of brick kiln owners.

On this issue when contacted to the Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, said that they (Brick kiln owners) are asking for the increasing rates then what to do we cannot fix the rates only favorable to them. Since panel of experts after analyzing the whole matter have fixed the rates and if any of the brick kilner is overcharging they should by complaint by customer.

Stone crushers violate norms in J&K

Stone crushers violate norms in J&K,

Fail to undertake pollution control measures

Yash Khajuria   

JAMMU, June 11: In blatant violation of rules governing environmental protection in Jammu and Kashmir, over 688 stone crusher units in the State are not undertaking the measures to minimize the pollution levels. 

While these highly air polluting units are flouting the norms with impunity since past many years, the environmental watchdog, the State Pollution Control Board (PCB), is watching like a mute spectator.

Ashok Sharma, State convener Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action (ICELA) said that despite of repeated representations by the villagers and local ICELA committee to the deputy commissioner, state pollution control board (PCB) Jammu and vice president AFCONS Mumbai these polluting units still continued their functioning at Panjgrian, Nagrota. 

He revealed a disturbing fact that due to the lip lock attitude of the Authorities number of people which includes Sagar Singh, Asha Devi, Mohan Lal Sharma, Tara Mani Sharma and Gandharav Singh have lost their precious life due to asthma, kidney failure and other chest and lung as a result of theses polluting units in the surrounding. 

Lavish a 12 years old boy who is suffering from renal failure and serious throat infection seeking treatment in PGI is the direst case’ among the people who are suffering from the serious diseases due to these polluting units. 

However, all the required facilities required for the smooth survival of life does exist there at village Panjgrian, but due to the degradation of environment at alarming rate by these unchecked polluting units both the humans and cattle of the village are facing threat to their life. 

According to the official records there are 688 registered stone crusher units across the State out of which 411 operate in Kashmir region. “Being a red category industry, the pollution control norms for the stone crushers are being violated with impunity. As per SPCB norms, there should be three rows of trees encircling the stone crusher for reducing the impact of dust emission. But not a single tree has been planted at most of such units in Jammu region”, sources said. 

If Sources are to believed the authorities including the educational, animal and sheep husbandry, PCB, PHE, agriculture, horticulture, forest, private schools and BDO have not issued any NOC to these units but these units are still operational on the strength of bogus NOC’s, as most of the crushing unit owners have strong political links and are also hand in glove with the authorities. 

Under the full official patronage of the authorities entrusted with the job to check such pollution causing destruction. 

When contacted to the Sanjeev verma DC Jammu for the official Version he said that to keep check over the violation of Norms by these Units is the Duty of Pollution Control Board and they should examine the matter but clearly it is not the task of his constitutional job.