Dry fruit traders demand compensation

KT NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, Sept 16: Retail Dry Fruit Traders of Jammu has demanded compensation from the government and sought help from the horticulture department to rejuvenate business which suffered approximately approximately 15 crores loss during the Amarnath land row.

Addressing media persons here today president of the Traders Jyoti Gupta said that during these period traders did not earn single penny due to the closure of their establishments.

He said that despite this all the traders were being forced pay their loans installments, taxes and salaries to their employees for the said two month of agitation.

Demanding financial help from the government they appealed to the state government to consider their demands at the earliest.

Vohra discloses Rail Project with Northern Railways, seeks early safety inspection KT NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, Sep 16: Close on the heels of his physical inspection and review of the prestigious rail project in Jammu and Kashmir recently at Srinagar, Governor, N N Vohra, today urged the Northern Railways for early conduct of the safety inspection on the 11-kilometer track from Budgam to Rajwansheer.

With this the 66-kilometer Anantnag-Srinagar-Budgam-Rajwansheer, on the Qazigund-Baramulla sector, would be complete in all respects.

The inspection of the 55-kilometer Anantnag-Budgam track has already been conducted.

The Governor discussed the Project with the General Manager, Northern Railways, Sri Prakash, who called on him here this afternoon.

The Inspector General, Railway Safety accompanied him during the interaction with the Governor.

Allaying the apprehensions about the change in the alignment on the Jammu side of the track, the General Manager assured that the work on this track will be speeded up to facilitate the early completion of the Project.

Vohra also discussed the status of the work on the Udhampur-Katra and Katra-Qazigund and Qazigund-Baramulla sections of the Project, taken up at a cumulative cost of Rs 11000 crores.

For the current financial year, Rs 1000 crores have been earmarked.

Katra-Qazigund section has a distinction of having the third highest railway bridge in the world over River Chenab at Arnas in Reasi, 350 meters high from the bed level.

Another feature of the Qazigund-Baramulla section was the 10.96 kilometer long tunnel from Banihal to Lower Munda on the Pir Panchal Range, considered to be the longest in the world.

The Governor also conducted aerial survey of the 10.96 kilometer long Pir Panchal tunnel from Banihal to Lower Munda, considered to be the longest tunnel on the Indian Railway, and was apprised that 199 kilometer Qazigund-Baramulla section will have 800 bridges.

B B Vyas, Principal Secretary to Governor was also present in the meeting.

3-day festival on Environment & Wildlife held at Leh KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Sep 16: A 3-day festival on "3rd CMS Vatavaran-2008-Environment and Wildlife Travelling Film" was held at Leh from September 11 to 13 on climate change.

The festival is jointly being organized by CMS, World Wide Fund for Nature India and Department of Wildlife Protection of the state.

During the festival seminars, symposiums, panel discussions, film screening, climate change exhibitions, expert talks and competitions based on the festival theme were held for creating awareness among the general public about the issue.

In Leh, a Seminar on "Conservation of High Attitude Wetlands" and a panel discussion by children on "Environmental Concerns of Ladakh" were the other highlights of the festival.

A painting competition on the theme "Bio-diversity of Ladakh" besides, climate expo, climate change exhibition and film bazaar also organized in the 3-day festival.

Srivastava Chief Wildlife Warden said that the festival has helped in disseminating the conservation message among the masses and raising awareness about environmental issues among the armed forces who participated in the festivals.

Chairman LC inspects new legislature complex KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Sep 16: Chairman, Legislative Council, Ghulam Nabi Lone visited newly constructed Rs.

37.14 crore Legislature Complex at Srinagar, today.

He took stock of the progress of ongoing work of the complex which is at the final stage.

The Chairman went round the various blocks of the complex and inspected the Council and Assembly Halls, Conference Hall, Lobbies besides the Chambers of the Chairman, Speaker, Chief Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.

The Chairman also inspected recreation park, office blocks and parking slots.

He was told that government has already paid compensation to the nearby residents whose land would be attached with the legislature area.

He also inspected the generator house which has been set up to provide uninterrupted power supply to the legislature complex.

The JKPCC has installed two gen sets of 3.80 KV and 1.25 KV capacity with two transformers of 1000 KV capacity.

The Chairman directed the Managing Director JKPCC to intensify the remaining work within a month's period so that the offices of the Assembly and Council Secretariat are shifted to the newly constructed complex.

Secretary, Legislative Council G.R.

Mehboobi, Managing Director JKPCC and senior officers accompanied the Chairman.

Rangil, Doodganga, water treatment plants to be commissioned this year KT NEWS SERVICE SRINAGAR, Sep 16: Rs.

22.13 crore 10 MGD capacity Rangil water treatment plant has been completed and likely to be commissioned by the end of this year.

While as 2.25 MGD drinking water treatment plant at Doodganga is nearing completion at an cost of Rs.

The service reservoir of the capacity of 3.33 MG attached with Rangil plant has also been completed.

The delivery system of the plant is being executed by ERA under ADB funding and is likely to be completed during the current year.

Out of 50.83 kms pipe line targeted to be laid, 49.50 kms have been completed so far.

Of this 32.5 kms have been tested also.

The scheme when commissioned would benefit about 3 lakhs people in various areas including Saidpora, Sangam, Parimpora, Shalteng, Umerabad, Malroo, Bemina, Hamdania Colony Lawaypora etc.

The 2.25 MGD water treatment plant at Doodganga is in the final stage of completion and likely to be commissioned during the current financial year.

The plant on commissioning would benefit 70,000 souls in the areas of Hyderpora, Pirbagh, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Batamalloo etc.