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SHABIR IBN YUSUF

Srinagar, July 29: Signs of a split in Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Wednesday came to the fore when one of its senior lead-ers in the state publicly said the party workers are “not happy with the present dis-pensation.”

“I toured Kashmir areas. People are not happy with the present leadership in the state,” former Minister and senior Congress leader Gul-chain Singh Charak told a press conference here.

“Those involved in scan-dals are at the helm of affairs in the state Congress,” he said, without naming J&K Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir.

Charak said he had written to Congress President Sonia Gandhi that the recently-formed JKPCC should be reconstituted “so that corrupt, inexperienced and unpopular Congress leaders are dropped from the new set-up.”

“I had written to Sonia Gandhi on July 10 that the newly-formed JKPCC should be immediately disbanded, otherwise my letter should be treated as my resigna-tion,” Charak said. “I have categorically told Sonia Ji that the newly formed JKPCC team including its president Ghulam Ahmad Mir is inexpe-rienced. He has involvement.

It should be reconstituted.”Charak said most of newly-

appointed Congress members are “involved in corruption and other scandals and their selection in JKPCC has sent a wrong signal to grassroots workers of the state.”

“If we have to save the Con-gress in Jammu and Kashmir, then Sonia Gandhi has to take this decision and include only those leaders in JKPCC who would uplift the morale of Congress men in the state,” he said.

“In case the correction is not done, it would be disas-trous for the Congress in days to come. The Congress has already performed poorly in the last parliament and assembly elections. The need of the hour is to elect honest and dedicated leaders,” he said.

He said despite working with central working com-mittee of Congress, he was not consulted while forming the new JKPCC.

“Instead, I heard from media reports that I have been suspended from the party. I have not done anything against party interests.”

Yakub Memon to hang today

2nd attack in town in 5 days; Police launch searches to nab attackers

KHALID GUL

Islamabad (Anantnag), July 29: Four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men and four civilians were injured in a grenade explo-sion in this South Kashmir town on Wednesday, police said.

The blast took place at 12:30 pm on Khanabal-Pahal-gam road, near Oxford Pre-sentation School, a police official said.

“The grenade was hurled at CRPF men on Amarnath yatra duty on the KP road,” he said. “The grenade explod-ed with a bang resulting in injuries to four CRPF men and four civilians. All the injured were shifted to Dis-trict Hospital Anantnag.”

The injured CRPF men belong to 96-Battalion camped at Achajipora and were iden-tified as Assistant Comman-dant Chaman Lal Sharma; Head Constable-cum-Driver Sunil Dure; Constable Chan-der and Nisar Ahmad son of Ali Muhammad of Poonch.

The condition of Assis-tant Commandant is critical while other CRPF men, who have suffered grievous inju-ries, are recovering, a doctor at DH Anantnag said.

The civilians injured in the grenade explosion were

identified as Abdul Majeed Mir son of Habibullah of Kadipora area of Islamabad (Anantnag) town; Abid Ali Lone son of Ali Muhammad of Sarnal area of the town; Ghulam Muhammad Wani son of Muhammad Abdul-lah of Saagam village in Kokernag area and Bashir Ahmad Rayoo son of Ghulam Muhammad of Uttersoo vil-lage of Shangus area of the district.

“All of them had sustained minor splinter injuries and are stable,” the doctor said.

The grenade blast trig-gered panic in the area and people ran for safety.

Soon, police, CRPF and Army cordoned off the area and launched searches to nab the attackers.

Govt takes half-baked measures to paint rosy picture of GB Pant hospital No attempts made to address space crunch, expand services; Many specialties missing

MUDDASIR ALI/ZEHRU NISSA

Srinagar, July 29: The space crunch at Kashmir’s lone chil-dren’s hospital—G B Pant here—is adversely hitting the plans to expand its existing services and start pediatric specialties there, even as growing patient rush has already overburdened the hospital.

A senior government official said the Health department recent-ly cleared a proposal for purchase of 10 new life support systems (ven-tilators) for the hospital in view of

the growing need.“The move is a welcome step.

But the irony is that there is nei-ther enough space to install the equipment nor required and trained manpower to operate them. Also, there is a question whether the existing oxygen plants can sup-port these additional equipments,” said the official.

He said the capacity of two oxygen plants would be studied properly before taking any step. “We can’t take chances,” he said.

A senior doctor said each ven-

tilator has to be treated as a full-fledged unit.

“Purchasing equipment doesn’t solve our problems. A doctor, a trained nurse and other technical staff has to be part of the unit. This is where the planning on part of the government is missing,” he said.

At present the hospital is equipped with 20 ventilators (11 invasive and nine non-invasive systems).

The doctor said the hospital doesn’t have even technicians to operate ventilators. Instead, he

said, nursing orderlies have been “trained” to perform the job.

The space crunch, the official said, is a major challenge in the hospital over the years while rush of patients continues to grow.

“And this problem has left no scope for expansion of services and facilities,” he said.

This was evident when Health Minister Lal Singh, during his recent visit to the hospital, found two sick neonates bundled in each crib, meant for only one patient.

SC turns down plea against death warrant, says curative petition decided by 3 senior judges cannot be faulted

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, July 29: The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to stay the execu-tion slated for Thursday of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, the lone death row convict in 1993 Mumbai blasts case, rejecting his last ditch plea to escape the gallows.

The apex court said there was no "legal fallacy" in the issuance of death war-rant by the TADA court in Mumbai on April 30 sched-uling Yakub's execution for tomorrow in Nagpur, the day he turns 53.

"The issuance of death warrant is in order and we do not find any kind of legal fallacy," a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Pra-fulla C Pant and Amitava Roy said.

"Issuance of death war-rant by the TADA court of April 30 cannot be faulted," the bench said, adding "in the result, the writ petition (filed by Memon) sans merit and stands dismissed."

The bench said the dis-missal of curative petition by the senior most judges of the Supreme Court was cor-rect.

"In view of that we con-clude that the curative peti-tion decided by the three senior most judges cannot be faulted," the bench said, adding that it was not inclined to go into the issue of second mercy petition filed by Memon before the Maharashtra government after the dismissal of his curative petition on July 21.

The bench rejected the contention of Memon that all legal remedies were not exhausted including the issue of clemency, saying the President had rejected his mercy petition on April 11, 2014 which was communi-cated to him on May 26, 2014.

"After the first mercy petition was rejected he did not challenge it and on July 22, 2015, after rejection of his curative petition he filed the second mercy petition. How-ever, how the second mercy

petition is going to be dealt with, we are not

inclined to go," the bench said.

The bench also rejected Memon's plea that death warrant was issued without hearing him and a manda-

tory 14 days time frame was not granted in informing him about the date of execu-tion after the rejection of mercy petition.

Who is Yakub Memon Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, is the brother of Tiger Memon, one of the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. He was a chartered accountant by profession. He has been sentenced to death by TADA court in 2007, which was later upheld by the Supreme Court in 2013.

‘Guilty of’ Memon and 11 others were slapped with the death penalty by the special TADA court in July 2007 for the 1993 bomb blasts in which 257 people were killed and 712 were injured.

To hang on his birthdayMemon, 53, will hang on the same day as his birthday, July 30, at the Nagpur Central Jail at 7 am

death by TADA court in 2007, which was later upheld by the Supreme

which 257 people were killed and

A recent photo of Yakub Memon

Split in JK Congress wide-open

Charak says incumbent PCC leaders corrupt, involved in scandals

UMER MAQBOOL

Srinagar, July 29: J&K’s twin capitals Srinagar and Jammu are in the competi-tion to get shortlisted as Smart Cities under the Gov-ernment of India’s ambi-tious programme, sources told Greater Kashmir on Wednesday.

Informed sources said a high-powered Steering Com-mittee (HPSC), constituted Wednesday, will decide on nominating one of the two cities for inclusion in the 100 Smart Cities programme of the GOI.

“The committee is hold-ing its first meeting on August 5 in Srinagar,” they disclosed.

Officials of Srinagar and Jammu Municipal Corpora-tions have staked claim for inclusion of their respective cities in the programme on the basis of their eligibility.

“Srinagar is eligible to be shortlisted as the Smart City in J&K,” said SMC Commis-sioner Tufail Matto.

His counterpart and

Jammu Municipal Corpora-tion Commissioner Soujanya Kumar said they are propos-ing Jammu for the program.

“We are submitting infor-mation sought by the admin-istrative department on the matter,” he said.

J&K can only recommend one city to the Centre for the ambitious program as per the distribution worked out by the Union Ministry of Urban Development.

ASYMMETRICAL PANEL?The 18-member High Powered

Steering Commi� ee headed by J&K Chief Secretary has 10

members from the Housing and Urban Development Department headed by

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh

THE PROGRAMMEUnder smart cities mission

program, each selected city will get Rs 200 crore for the fi rst year followed by Rs 100 crore every year for the next three years for development.

Srinagar, Jammu in race for Smart City status CS-led panel to meet on August 5

4 CRPF men, 4 civilians injured in Anantnag grenade blast

Am

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Mir Wasim/GK

‘Hope’ dashed Mumbai, July 29: Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao Wednesday rejected the mercy petition of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon, dashing the hope he might have had of escaping the gallows.

Memon's plea has been rejected, Government sources said.The Governor's decision on the petition, submi� ed by

Memon on July 21 within hours of the Supreme Court rejecting his curative petition, came immediately a� er the apex court dismissed his plea seeking stay on his execution slated for tomorrow.

See Govt takes...on Pg-10

See 4 CRPF ...on Pg-10 See Yakub Memon ...on Pg-10

See Srinagar ...on Pg-10

THURSDAY, July 30, 2015 13, Shawwal, 1436 AH 28th Year of publication

Published from Srinagar | Jammu Regd. No. JK NP-6/SKGPO-2012-2014 Vol: 28 No. 209 Pages: 18 Rs. 5.00

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