DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 (PAGE 3)

Governor inaugurates international theatre festivalExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 3: GovernorN.N. Vohra inaugurated aninternational theatre festival,"18th Bharat Rang Mahotsav2016" at Abhinav Theater heretoday.

He was accompanied byUsha Vohra, First Lady. Thisfestival has been organized byJ&K Academy of Art, Cultureand Languages (JKAACL)with support from the NationalSchool of Drama (NSD).Renowned theatre personalitiesfrom America, Italy, Sri Lanka,Rwanda, Bhopal, Hyderabad,Kashmir and Jammu are takingpart in this 6 days 'Bharat RangMahotsav'.

The Governor compliment-ed Dr. Aziz Hajini, SecretaryJK Academy of Art, Cultureand Languages (JKAACL) forproviding an opportunity topeople of the State to appreci-ate theatrical performancesthrough a series of plays to bepresented in this festival. Hesaid that such events should bea regular feature in the Stateand the JKAACL should devel-op state of the art infrastructureand facilities for promotion oflocal art and artists in the State.

Expressing his happinesson reopening of the AbhinavTheatre, the Governor hopedthat it would again producesuch high quality performancesand plays in local and otherlanguages which it used tobefore it shut down for repairs.The Governor also lauded theefforts of NSD in producing

highly professional and qualityartists.

K.K. Raina, Film Maker,and Guest of the Honour;Lateef Khatana, Senior FacultyMember, NSD, in theiraddresses spoke about the jour-ney of Bharat Rang Mahotsavand present scenario of theatrein the country and the State.

Dr. Aziz Hajini, SecretaryJK Academy of Art, Cultureand Languages presented theWelcome Address while MitaliGupta gave brief about the Playand presented a Vote of Thankson the occasion.

The Mahotsav kicked offwith play in English, 'DearChildren, Sincerely …'., whichwas performed by StagesTheatre Group, Sri Lanka andMashirika, Rwanda.

Directed by one ofacknowledged contemporaryfemale theatre directors,Ruwanthie de Chickera and,the play script is a joint theatreproject devised through inter-views conducted with a crosssection elders of both the coun-tries born in the 1930's andturning their stories and experi-ences into several stand-aloneperformance pieces.

The play representing ashift away from traditional textcentered proscenium baseddrama was woven as a collageof three stories which examinekey events in the two countries.The novel experimentation atlevel of script was also comple-mented with an equally innova-tive language that successfullyunleashed the magic of a the-

atre form created without manywords.

The play in which first-hand accounts of horrors ofethnic conflicts and attendantmass killings, heinous rapesand atrocities against womanand children, were enacted bygroup of young actors/dancerswith such a masterly display ofevocative acting; a mix of flu-ent body movements and magicof mime that it left the audi-ence spell bound.

The play not onlypoignantly brought to fore thesuffering of masses in coun-tries worn down by years ofconflict and tragedy but it alsocame out as a testimony to theinherent power of creative artsto present a unique overview ofhistory that is seldom achievedby conventional narratives.

Today's play that chal-lenged the notion of conven-tional drama and offered a newexperience in seeing was afresh gush of creative expres-sion which will rememberedfor long by Jammu audience.

Div Com launches “Pahal: EkKadam Naari Samman Ki Aur”

* Laadli Diwas to be celebrated on 19th of every monthExcelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, Feb 3: DivisionalCommissioner, Jammu, DrPawan Kotwal today inauguratedthe systematic sensitization initia-tive " Pahal: Ek Kadam NaariSamman Ki Aur"of the districtadministration under 'BetiBachao Beti Padhao' campaignhere today.

The launch of "Pahal: EkKadam Naari Samman Ki Aur"initiative was organised in col-laboration with Press InformationBureau (PIB), Union Ministry ofInformation & Broadcasting,under 3-Day Public InformationCampaign to reach out maximumpopulace with an aim to spreadthe message of 'Beti Bachao BetiPadhao' and 'Laadli Beti' flagshipprogrammes.

On the occasion, DivisionalCommissioner released the themebased 'Jingle cum Caller Tune' onBeti Bachao Beti Padhao cam-paign. Under the initiative thecaller tune was activated onmobile phones of tehsil and dis-trict officers.

Amass pledge on 'Beti BachaoBeti Padhao' was administered byDivisional Commissioner to thegathering comprising students,PRI representatives, Anganwadiand ASHA workers, officers, offi-cials and locals.

While addressing the gather-ing, Dr Kotwal said that decliningtrend of female sex ratio is a mat-ter of great concern which isrequired to be addressed. He saiddistrict Kathua which has adversesex ratio requires contributionfrom every stakeholder to edu-cate people so that the gap in gen-der sex ratio is improved.

Dr Pawan Kotwal also high-lighted the repercussions of the

abuse of technology related toultra-sonography which was pri-marily meant for check up anddiagnosis during the prenatalperiod. He termed selective abor-tion as human blunder which hasposed serious challenge to thepresent generation. He said it ishigh time to ensure implementa-tion of the PC&PNDTAct in let-ter & spirit.

He said 'Beti Bacahao BetiPadhao' and 'Laadli beti'schemes are demand drivenschemes, benefits of which shallreach its target families.

Earlier, DeputyCommissioner, Kathua, RameshKumar gave a detail account of'Pahal: Ek Kadam Naari SammanKi Aur" initiative rolled out bydistrict administration to helpimprove sex ratio in the district.

DC Kathua also presented dis-trict profile and disclosed that on19th of every month 'LaadliDiwas' will be celebrated at vil-lage, panchayats, municipal areasof the district. Medical teams forfree check up of girls and preg-nant women shall be made avail-able on 'Laadli Diwas', setting upof toll-free women health helplinewill be launched soon in the dis-trict hospital, where a gynaecolo-gist will be available from 10amto 12pm every Saturday and anASHA worker from 10am to 4pmon other week days, selection of'Girl of the Month' at panchayatlevel and 'Girl of the Month' atevery ward will be a monthlyaffair under the Pahal initiative.

School children, artists ofsongs and Drama division, Dogrifolk artists, Cultural Troupe ofDistrict Information CentreKathua presented a scintillatingprogramme on the theme of 'BetiBachao Beti Padhao' and 'Laadli

Beti' programmes which wasapplauded by jampacked audience.

Earlier, DivisionalCommissioner Dr PawanKotwal inspected the stalls dis-played by various Governmentdepartments and banks.

SSP Kathua Neeva Jain,ADDC Kathua Dr ManmohanSingh, AC UT Rahul Yadav, ACR,ACD, CEO and district officerswere also present on the occasion.

PDP should make public itsalleged demands: Sagar

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Feb 3: NationalConference today asked PDPpresident Mehbooba Mufti tomake public her alleged charterof demands from the CentralGovernment so that the peoplecould actually compare heralleged demands with the eventu-al concessions, or lack of conces-sions that she is able to extract.

Lashing out at PDP for beingresponsible for the present politi-cal stalemate in the State, NCgeneral secretary Ali MohammadSagar said Mehbooba Mufti's tenmonth conspicuous silence onissues like AFSPA revocationspoke louder than any antics thatare being enacted now to salvagethe last remnants of PDP's imagein the State.

"Mehbooba should tell thepeople what she is demandingfrom the Central Governmentsince these demands are being

made in their name and at a costof their right to have an electedGovernment. BJP has officiallystated that they have not receivedany demands from the PDP, adeclaration that has exposedPDP's drama. If at all there areany political demands, the peopleneed to know so that they canthen measure these demands incomparison to what Mehboobasucceeds in achieving", NC gen-eral secretary said while talkingto reporters at Party Headquartersin Srinagar on Wednesday.

Mr Sagar said untilMehbooba Mufti declares thecharter of her demands, PDP'scurrent posturing amounted toprecious little and was nothingbeyond a theatrical performanceaimed at rebuilding a severelydented image.

Condemning the ongoingpolitical stalemate in the State,the NC general secretary saidthere were only two options to

uphold the principles of theConstitution - that either PDP andBJP form the Government with-out any further delay or freshelections be announced in theState. "There can be no middlepath and status-quo in perpetuitywith limitless extensions and newdeadlines not only violates basicprinciples of the constitution butalso come at a grave risk of dis-crediting democratic institutionsin the State", he said whileresponding to questions about thepolitical stalemate in the State.

"National Conference is pre-pared for fresh elections - whichseems like an inevitable possibil-ity. The rank and file of our partyare organized, prepared andupbeat about the prospects of ourparty to be part of a democraticexercise that would give the peo-ple of the State a chance to takethe State out from this darknessand morass of political instabilityand confusion", Mr Sagar added.

Physically challenged persons haveright to work at safe places: CJ

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 3: ChiefJustice of J&K High Court,Justice N Paul Vasanthakumartoday said that all the physicallychallenged persons have thestatutory right to work at healthyand safe places.

This observation was madeby the Chief Justice in a petitionfiled by a disabled person name-ly Naresh Kumar Jain, whochallenged his transfer fromGovernment SRML HigherSecondary School toGovernment Girls HigherSecondary School Pallanwala.

While setting-aside thetransfer order, Chief Justice

observed, the physically chal-lenged persons have statutoryright to work at healthy and safeplaces, which can be insisted bythem as a matter of right underSection 27 of the Jammu andKashmir Persons withDisability (EqualOpportunities, Protection ofRights and Full Participation)Act, 1998.

“Also on the ground ofviolation of human rights, thetransfer order issued so far astransferring the petitioner fromGovernment SRML HigherSecondary School Jammu toGovernment Girls HigherSecondary School Pallanwala isbad”, Chief Justice further said.

Divisional Commissioner, Dr Pawan Kotwal and others during launch of “Pahal: Ek KadamNaari Samman Ki Aur” at Kathua on Wednesday. Also seen are artists and girl students.

Governor N N Vohra and others witnessing a performance on inaugural of international the-atre festival.

State Level Empowered Committeeframed under SPMRM

Excelsior CorrespondentJAMMU, Feb 3: The J&K Government has constituted a State

Level Empowered Committee (SLEC) under the Shyama PrasadMukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM).

Headed by the Chief Secretary as Chairman, the SLEC shallrecommend and approve the Integrated Cluster Action Plan(ICAP) and DPRs of the clusters received from the State NodalAgency i. e. Department of Rural Development and PanchayatiRaj for submission to the Ministry of Rural Development,Government of India. It shall take overall responsibility for theeffective coordination and implementation of the scheme.

The Committee shall be comprising Administrative Secretaries ofForest, School Education, Housing & Urban Development, PDD,Finance, Public Works (R&B) Department, PHE, Irrigation & floodControl Department, Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department, TechnicalEducation & YSS, Information Technology, Agriculture Production,Health & Medical Education, CAPD and Transport Department as theMembers while Administrative Secretary of the Department of RuralDevelopment and PR is the Member Secretary of SLEC.

Power shut down

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 3:In order tocarry out the constructionalworks under R-APDRPscheme, the power supply toA.G. Office to Best Price,Rajpura and its adjoining areasfed from M-2 and SN-4 feederwill remain affected fromFebruary 3 to February 15 from10 am to 2 pm.

90 breaches caused byfloods in Jhelum plugged

* Div Com reviews status of dredging, restoration workExcelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Feb 3: Nearly90 breaches caused by theSeptember-2014 floods inJehlum River have beenplugged by the Irrigation andFlood Control Department.

This was revealed during areview meeting held by theDivisional CommissionerKashmir, Dr Asgar HassanSamoon with the ChiefEngineer of Irrigation andFlood Control, Javed Jaffar andofficers of concerned depart-ments.

The meeting was called toidentify bottlenecks in theprocess of restoration of Jhelumand flood channel as well asstrengthening and beautifyingthe river banks.

Giving details about theprocess of dredging in Jhelum,the I&FC Department officialssaid the project has been award-ed to a Kolkata-based firm andthe work is going on at war-footing basis.

Dr Samoon was informedthat around 5.86 lakh cubicmetres have been excavatedagainst the target of 8 lakh cubicmetres.

The project envisagesdredging of 7 lakh cubic metresin Srinagar stretch of Jhelum tobe completed in 12 monthswhile 9 lakh cubic metres will

be excavated from Baramullastretch in 20 months.

"The target of about 5.86lakh out of the proposed 16 lakhhas been achieved in the lastfour months. The work is goingon in full swing and it will notbe impacted in any way due toincrease in water level duringsummers," Chief Engineer(I&FC) said.

According to officials, theGovernment will spent Rs 399crore for two years on therestoration of Jhelum with Rs140 crore set aside forland/structure acquisition, Rs 40crore for building two bridges,Rs 35 crore for dredging and therest will be spent on otherworks. The state share in theallocation is Rs 120 crore.

It was also revealed duringthe meeting that the Centre'sshare in the Prime Minister'sRehabilitation andReconstruction Program 2015,"Comprehensive Plan for FloodManagement Works on Jhelum-Phase-I" has not been releasedso far.

Dr Samoon was informedthat the I&FC Department ispreparing a detailed projectreport which envisages buildingstorage dams on the tributariesof the river which will be usedin times of emergency to divertthe water flowing into the river.