SATURDAY 31 January 2015 Jammu-India He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. - Muhammad Ali Pages:12 ` 4.00 Regd No:JK517/13-15 RNI No:- JKENG/2013/53265 NIFTY 8,808 143.45 || SENSEX 29,182  498.82 || DOW JONES 17,317 98.90 || NASDAQ 4,664 19 |USD($) 62.02 0.84 INR || EURO($) 70.01 0.99 INR ||GOLD/10G 27,985 536 || SILVER/K 37,900 614 Saka: 11 Magha1936 Bikrmi: 18 Magh 2071 WORLD P-8 NATIONAL P-7 Malaysian PM Najib Razak says committed to finding Flight MH370 Gleanings NATO chief warns of challenges Brussels: NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance must be ready to face further challenges after a “black year” of Russian intervention in Ukraine and terror attacks on Europe`s streets. Unveiling NATO`s 2014 annual report, Stoltenberg said a new rapid reaction force would help cope with changing security environment but urged the 28 member states to keep their commitments to boost defence spending. “2014 was not a good year for European security. In fact it was a black year,” said Stoltenberg, the former Norwegian prime minister, who took over as NATO Secretary General in October. “Our security environment has fundamentally changed,” he said. Bomb attack at Mosque kills 60 Islamabad: A powerful bomb tore through a busy mosque in southern Pakistan today, killing more than 60 people in the country’s deadliest sectarian attack in nearly two years. The blast hit the mosque in Shikarpur in Sindh province, around 470 kilometres north of Karachi, as hundreds of worshipers attended Friday prayers. Sindh Health Minister Jam Mehtab Daher told that “the death toll from the attack has increased to 61”. “There are 54 dead bodies in Shikarpur hospital. Seven others died in Sukkur and Larkana hospitals,” he said. 230 ‘crorepatis’ in Delhi poll fray New Delhi: As many as 230 out of 673 candidates in fray for February 7 Delhi polls are crorepatis, the election watchdog ADR said today, noting that Congress has fielded maximum such candidates. “230 candidates in the poll fray are crorepatis. During the 2013 and 2008 Assembly polls, the number of crorepatis in fray were 265 and 180 respectively,” Jagdeep Chhokar, founder member ADR, said at a press conference here. The Association of Democratic reforms, on basis of an analysis of the affidavits of the poll nominees, pointed out that 62 candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 10 crore. Massive search Op in Samba Jammu: A joint search operation was launched by Army and Samba Police today at village Regal area in Samba. According to sources, a local woman of village Regal sighted two suspicious persons wearing black dress along with two bag and sitting in cremation ground near village Regal in Samba sector.After getting the information, Police and Army swung into action and jointly launched a search operation in village Regal and adjoining areas. During the searches, team sighted two persons who were eating the food items in the cremation ground and later it they were identified as as Sushil Kumar and Sudhir Lal both residents of Madhwal and nothing indiscriminate recovered from their possession. Weather Report 3 °C 19 °C 9 °C 73% 84% 33% 64% 50 km 73 km 54 km 0% 0% 0% 41 km 0% -5 °C -5 °C 10 °C 0 °C 53% 33% 59% 64% 31 km 56 km 41 km 0% 0% 0% 28 km 0% KASHMIR Uber rape survivor files 36-page lawsuit in US court Volume: 2 Issue: 158 STATE P-5 www.earthnews.in P-3 SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY P-11 SPORTS Two biofuels produced from single algae Gandhi’s philosophy becoming more relevant: Azad Plunder of green gold continues in State e-mail: [email protected] P-12 England through to final, India winless on tour Uneasy calm Governor meets Rajnath and again on IB after Jaitley; to meet PM today overnight shelling Special financial assistance for J&K AGENCIES, JAN 30|15 New Delhi: Governor N N Vohra on Friday held a series of meetings with the central leadership to help the state overcome the financial crisis due to last year’s flood. During his separate meetings with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Governor briefed them about the financial problems and sought immediate central assistance for providing relief to people who had been affected by September’s worstever flood.During the meeting, it was agreed that severely and partially damaged houses will also be eligible for getting com- pensation from the state government. “The modalities are being fixed up and a scheme will be announced soon,” a senior offi- New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir government was today sanctioned Rs 1122.56 crore by the Centre to meet the immediate financial crisis arising out of heavy expenditure for providing relief to the people affected by last year’s flood. This was decided during a meeting between state Governor N N Vohra and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh where issues relating to rehabilitation of flood victims and restoration of the public infrastructure in the state consequent to the devastation caused by the September 2014 floods. Contd on Page 2 EARTH NEWS SERVICE Jammu, Jan 30|15: The political deadlock over who forms a government in Jammu and Kashmir seems to have come to an end. Sources say, after a month of poll results being declared, the PDP and BJP have come to an agreement and are ready to form a government. BJP national executive council member and MLA from Billawar, Nirmal Singh, told The Indian Express, “We have almost reached a consensus to form the next government with the PDP. J&K will soon have a stable government headed by a mature politician and a good cabinet team.” PDP founder, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is set to take over as the Chief Minister post. Sayeed has served the CM of the state previously between 2002-2005. The BJP has compromised for the post of Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Nirmal Singh is being considered for this post. The election results were announced on December 23, 2014. PDP was leading with 28 seats followed by BJP with 25 seats. No party had managed to reach the halfway mark and was unable to form government. There were talks between PDP and BJP to join hands and form a government, but it was never finalised. The state has been under governor’s rule since. But sources say that the PDP and BJP would jointly form a cial said.The Governor will be calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow morning after which it was expected that Centre gives Rs 1122.56 Cr to J&K PDP-BJP alliance almost done; Mufti set to be CM an in-principle nod for a package for the state would be given, official sources said. The Union Home Minister will also chair a meeting of all departments to review ongoing projects for providing relief to the people who have hit badly in the floods.During his meeting with Jaitley, the Governor stressed upon removing bottlenecks for release of funds for the state immediately as the state was passing through a critical stage because of accumulating liabilities on account of temporary restoration of the public infrastructure. Contd on Page 2 Militants waiting to infiltrate into Kashmir: BSF EARTH NEWS SERVICE Srinagar, Jan 30|15: Border Security Force on Friday said there were attempts by militants from across the border to infiltrate into Kashmir, but asserted that the force is alert and would not give any opportunity to the guerrillas to cross. “There are attempts from across the border and these attempts are not going to die down. They (militants) are waiting for an opportunity (to infiltrate into Kashmir) but our duty is to not let them succeed and we will not give them an opportunity,” Inspector General, BSF, Kashmir Frontier, PS Sandhu told reporters. He said the launch pads across the border were full and the number of militants in training camps had not decreased. “The number of men in training camps has not lessened and their launch pads are full. But we are always alert and we will not let them succeed,” he said. The IG BSF was talking to reporters after passing-out parade at the subsidiary training centre of the force on the outskirts of the city here. As many as 333 constables were inducted into BSF today after 44 weeks of rigorous training at the centre. Contd on Page 2 Div Com, IGP visits border areas EARTH NEWS SERVICE Jammu, Jan 30|15: An uneasy calm again prevailed on the international border in Jammu district Friday as tension was palpable in Arnia and RS Pura towns because of shelling by Pakistan Rangers. The shelling killed three people, including two men and a woman, in Arnia town Thursday evening. They have been admitted to government medical college hospital in winter capital Jammu. Pakistani mortar shells had hit a school and a residential house in Arnia town which is 3.5 kilometres away from the international border. Pakistan`s shelling was retaliated by Border Security Force (BSF) troopers and both sides exchanged fire for more than six hours. A senior police officer who visited Arnia Friday said things were returning to normal in the town as well as in RS Pura. “Things are fast returning to normal after yesterday`s firing by Pakistan rangers in which three persons were injured. Pakistan shells hit a school building, a residential house and another structure in Arnia yesterday resulting in injuries to three persons”, the officer said. The brunt of Pakistan firing on the international border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts is borne by villagers living close to the border in these districts. “Our lives are thrown upside down by these firing incidents. Besides endangering our lives, agricultural activities, education of children, livestock and other routine activities of life are all being held hostage by these firing incidents”, said Baldev, 46, a resident of RS Pura town. Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Shantmanu alongwith IGP Rajesh Kumar today visited Jugnu Chak BSF post and other border areas hit by Pakistani shelling. Contd on Page 2 BJP now divided over picking Deputy CM Disaster hit government in mid-February post Delhi assembly elections. It is also said that PDP will will take over the Home and Finance portfolios, while BJP will have the posts of Deputy CM and Assembly Speaker under their wings. People’s Conference Chairman, Sajjad Lone, will also be a part of the Cabinet under BJP’s quota. Sources said the new government was likely to be sworn in around February 15, as the PDP doesn’t want it to coincide with the death anniversaries of Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru. Initially, 15 ministers are set to be sworn in, with equal representation from both parties. The PDP and BJP are already fighting the elections for four Rajya Sabha seats together. Contd on Page 2 EARTH NEWS SERVICE Jammu, Jan 30|15: While the BJP and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have reached a broad consensus over the formation of a government in Jammu and Kashmir after over a month of impasse, the state unit of the BJP is now divided over the post of deputy chief minister. Sources said the BJP has agreed to full, six-year term with the PDP leader Mufti Mo hammad Sayeed as chief minister but the senior leadership is now lobbying for the deputy chief minister’s post and some key ministries in the next government. All the three senior Jammubased leaders of the BJP, who are in race for the post of deputy chief minister are pitching themselves as front runners for the post. Nirmal Singh, who is widely considered to be the frontrunner, Bali Bhagat, and former two-time Congress MP who switched sides to the BJP, Lal Singh, are in the running for the post. Sources in the state unit of the BJP revealed that all the three leaders are claiming that it was with their “grassroots” efforts that the party was able to achieve the ‘unimaginable feat’ by bagging 25 seats in the recently concluded assembly elections, which is likely to pave way for the party to be in the state government for the first time. And all three have made their intentions clear to the party’s leadership. Political analysts believe that among the three top contenders, Nirmal Singh, the only visible face of state unit of BJP in national politics, is likely to be picked by the party. Contd on Page 2 states to get central assistance AGENCIES, JAN 30|15 New Delhi: The government Friday decided to provide central assistance to seven states, which were affected by natural disasters in 2014, under national disaster response fund, a home ministry statement said. The decision was taken in a high-level committee meeting chaired by union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The committee decided to provide central assistance to Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. Contd on Page 2 Liabilities in JK touch Rs 2700 cr Cold wave continues EARTH NEWS SERVICE Jammu, Jan 30|15: 3 °C Rabi Al Thani: 10 1436 AH With Jammu and Kashmir facing severe financial crisis the liabilities at treasuries have swelled to Rs 2700 crore. The non-release of plan and other funds by the BJPled government at centre, according to experts, has further aggravated the situation. A senior finance department official confirmed that liabilities in JK have crossed Rs 2700 crore with pending bills of contractors, employees, general provident fund, gratuity, commutation and other bills awaiting payment are lying unattended in the state treasuries across Jammu and Kashmir. “As of now, the liability on account of contractors’ bills has touched Rs 900 crore, GPF Rs 800 crore, and other bills Rs 1,000 crore,” he said, adding that with “During past one week liabilities in the state treasuries have increased from Rs 2200 crore to Rs 2700 crore with officials cautioning that “if the funds are not released by the centre government soon there is every possibility of developmental works in the state getting hampered.” each passing day the financial health of the Jammu and Kashmir was worsening. “We are somehow arranging the salaries of employees, and meeting day-to-day expenses from internal resources of the state,” he said. He said the deferment in the realization of taxes, VAT and other levies from the business community in the wake of floods has affected state’s own revenue generation besides hitting the developmental works. “Till date only 50 per cent of the Plan sanctioned to J&K has been released by the central government. No plan funds have been released from September.” Pertinently, government of India had approved Rs 7300 crore annual plan, Rs 4000 crore under Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Rs 600 crore under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan (PMRP) for Jammu and Kashmir during 2014-15. A senior official of Planning Department revealed “Although the state government was in the process of borrowing Rs 300 crore from open market under ways and means guidelines of RBI, the amount is too little.” Governor N N Vohra has formally written to the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on J&K’s “grave financial crisis”, seeking his intervention to tide over it. The Governor is also likely to call on Jaitley in New Delhi to discuss the “financial breakdown” in the state. in north India AGENCIES, JAN 30|15 New Delhi: North India on Friday continued to shiver under cold conditions as icy winds swept across the region and mild snowfall occurred in Himachal Pradesh hills. Delhiites woke up to a chilly morning with icy winds sweeping through the city. However, as the day progressed bright sun shine brought some relief to the people. The minimum temperature in the national capital stood at three points below the season’s average at 6.2 degrees Celsius while the maximum was recorded at 19.6 degrees, two notches below normal. Humidity oscillated between 91 and 32 per cent. Due to foggy conditions in morning, 20 north-bound trains were running later, said a Northern Railway official. Meanwhile, intensive cold wave prevailed in the tribal and high altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh with sub-zero temperatures and moderate snowfall recorded in most parts. Keylong and Kalpa in Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts experienced the coldest night of the season with minimum temperatures dipping by three to five points to settle at minus 14.2 and minus 8.7 degrees Celsius, respectively. Famous tourist resort of Manali also recorded the lowest temperature at minus 6.6 degrees Celsius, ---- Contd on Page 2