Suspend Collection of Toll till Completion of Jammu-Katra Expressway : RTI Activist

 Jammu, 31/Aug/2023: Seconding the demand of Jammuites regarding  abolition  of  toll plaza and suspension of collection of toll at National Highways between Jammu to Lakhanpur(Kathua) , RTI Activist Raman Sharma has also made a formal request to Nitin Gadkari, the union minister for Road Transport and Highways in this regard.

In his online representation dated 31/08/2023 to the union minister, the RTI activist has submitted that due to long spell of rains and flash floods during this monsoon season, a major link bridge has been damaged in district Kathua.

“This damage of Tarnah bridge in Kathua  has stopped flow of traffic at National Highway and now the people are compelled to take a very long diversion of another road that is maintained by BRO.  This diversion of road is not only wasting precious time of the citizens but also causing an additional burden on them as cost of the additional fuel. Anxiety caused due to long jamming  in these diversion road is another pain to the people”,  the representation further reads.

Sharma also informed that, in his prayer to the minister he has also apprised him about the sufferings of the people due ongoing construction of Delhi_Katra expressway (6 lanning), wherein a major portion   of the national highway has been damaged, many roads, bridges and flyovers have been dismantled and there also the diversion of roads have been made, the journey which in routine takes just 60-70 minutes is now taking 3-4 hours and again it is adding fuel cost of the vehicles.

The union minister has been asked to invoke invoke rule 3 of  National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules 2008 and exempt collection of toll and remove toll plazas at Sarore( samba district) and Lakhanpur toll ( Kathua District) till the damaged Tarnah bridge is restored and  Delhi_Katra Expressway Project is completed in J & K. 

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57 Posts of Teaching, Non-Teaching Staff Lying Vacant in IIT Jammu : RTI Reply

As on Date Enrolled strength of Students in Undergraduate Courses is  1273 including 794 Pursuing Bachelor Degree Courses and 244 Ph.D Scholars  

Jammu, 22/July/2023: Fifty Seven  positions of teaching and non-teaching staff are lying vacant in Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) Jammu, which is recognized as an “Institute of National Importance” under the “Institutes of Technology Act” of 1961.

 Information regarding vacant positions of staff has been shared by the institute itself in response to RTI applications submitted by  RTI activist Raman Sharma.

Out of the two official letters issued by the Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) Jammu,  the Reply dated 03/07/2023  informs that IIT Jammu  follows a flexi cadre system, where number of teaching posts are not defined department wise and the present sanctioned strength of faculty is 130. In the reply it is also informed that the institute has 102 number of regular teaching staff at present and the number of vacant posts of faculty is 28.

In its response to the  RTI application, the institute has stated that 08 temporary faculty members are serving in this  IIT.   

Regarding non teaching staff posted there, the information provided to RTI Activist Raman Sharma reveals that the sanctioned strength of non teaching staff is 102 whereas as on date posted strength of non teaching staff in this IIT  is 73 with 29 vacant positions.

In response to the query related to intake capacity for Under graduate and Post graduate courses  and as on date enrolled strength of the students there in the institute, the document provided by the institute dated 23/06/2023 unveils department and subject wise detail of sanctioned seats for 2023-24 session, it reveals that there are total 404 seats in the ongoing session   which includes 240 seats for B.Tech and 164 for M.Tech.

As on date total enrolled strength of students is 1273 including 794(Undergraduate) 235(P/Gs) and 244 Ph.D Scholars. Category wise detail of students tells  that total 168 Schedule Caste(ST) students studying in the institute including 130 pursuing undergraduate courses, 19 Post Graduate Courses and 19 Ph.D Scholars also belong to SC category. 

83 students belonging to Schedule Tribe(ST) community also undergoing different courses there in the institute  including 68 doing bachelors degree course, 08 PG Courses, and 07 Ph.D Scholars.

316 Students belonging to other backward Classes (OBCs) are also enrolled in the institute( 216 studying U.G courses, 60 P.G and 40 Ph.D Scholars) besides 103 belonging to EWS category students also admitted there in the IIT Jammu out of which 71 pursuing bachelor courses, 17 P.G and 15 Ph.D Scholars,  the reply further informs.

It is pertinent to mention here that IIT is an autonomous public higher education Institute funded by the Government of India, and functions under the governance of the IIT Council.

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59 Posts of Teaching, Non-Teaching Staff Lying Vacant in NIT Srinagar : RTI Reply

As on Date Enrolled strength of Students in Undergraduate Courses is  3175 and  those pursuing PG Courses is 428.  

 Jammu, 17/July/2023: Fifty Nine positions of teaching and non-teaching staff are lying vacant in National Institute of Technology(NIT) Srinagar which is one of premier education institution of north India, information in this regard has been shared by the Central Public Information Officer of the institute in response to an RTI application by a  Jammu based RTI activist Raman Sharma.

In official letter dated 19/06/2023 signed by Registrar & Central Public Information Officer of the institution,  the Reply informs that NIT Srinagar has 4-Tier Flexible faculty cadre structure and the total sanctioned strength of permanent faculty staff is 198 and posted strength is 162. It further states that there are 36 vacant faculty posts.

The reply served by the institute also discloses that  there are 13 temporary faculty members also, including   03 posted in Electrical Engineering department, 03 in  I.T department, 2 in Metallurgical &  Materials Engineering, 02 in Humanities and Social sciences and Management ,    01 each in Computer Science &  Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering and department of Physics.

The information  provided by the CPIO to RTI activist Raman Sharma also  reveals that 23 posts of permanent non-teaching staff are also lying vacant there in NIT, Srinagar.

While giving detail about the intake capacity and as on date enrolled strength of the students there in the institute, the documents provided by the CPIO disclose that intake capacity for undergraduate courses is 952 and for Post graduate courses it is 439. As on date total enrolled strength of students in Undergraduate courses is  3175 and  those pursuing PG Courses is 428. 

Category wise detail of Students reveals that 269 students under EWS quota are pursuing Under graduate courses and 7 are admitted for PG courses, 1606 students  under open merit category out of which 1406 are pursuing UG courses and 200 undergoing PG programs. In the reply it has also been informed that there are 501(SC), 256 (ST), 56(PWD), 742(OBC-NCL) students enrolled in the NIT Srinagar and pursuing different courses. 

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RTI Reveals Over 60 % Teaching Posts Lying Vacant in Central University of Kashmir

Merely 40 %  Teachers  Posted  in Central University of Kashmir, Reveals RTI

Jammu, 14/July/2023: Over sixty percent posts of teaching staff are lying vacant in Central University of Kashmir (CUK) and merely 40 % are running the affairs, the information in this regard has been shared by the Central Public Information Officers of the University with Jammu based RTI Activist Raman Sharma in reply to his online application dated 15/06/2023 under Right to Information Act.

In response to the query related to strength status of teaching staff in the university, the Public Information Officer(PIO) of the university in his reply dated 12/July/2023 has informed that sanctioned strength of teaching positions in the university is 195 and present strength of the teaching staff is 76. The RTI reply  confirms that over 61 percent posts of teaching staff are lying vacant in the university as presently  119 posts of teachers are lying vacant in the CUK.

While giving detail about the  non-teaching staff in  CUK , the reply states that sanctioned strength of non teaching positions in the university is  114, out  of which 31 posts are lying vacant and as on date posted strength of non-teaching staff is 83.

While replying to the query of information seeker Raman Sharma about the steps being taken by the university to fill the vacant posts, the PIOs reply states that vacant positions of both teaching and non teaching are put to advertisement.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier in an RTI reply by the Central University of Jammu it has been revealed that almost 40 percent teaching posts are lying there in CUJ. RTI Activist Sharma also informed that Similar RTI application to know about the status of staff strength  has also been submitted with the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar and their reply is awaited.. 

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RTI Reveals 40 % Teaching Posts Lying Vacant in Central University of Jammu

 Jammu, 13/July/2023: Almost forty percent posts of teaching staff are lying vacant in Central University of Jammu(CUJ), the information in this regard has been shared by the Central Public Information Officers of the University with RTI Activist Raman Sharma in reply to his online application under Right to Information Act.

In response to the query related to  status of teaching staff in the university, the Public Information Officer(PIO) in his reply dated 12/07/2023 has informed that sanctioned strength of teaching positions in the university is 178 and present strength of the teaching staff is 107. The RTI reply also  confirms that 71 posts of teaching staff are lying vacant in the university as on date.

While giving detail about the detail of non-teaching staff in the University, the reply states that sanctioned strength of non teaching positions in the university is  119, out  of which 32 posts are lying vacant. The university has skipped the query related to detail of temporary non-teaching staff there and simply stated “no such information available”.

With regard to query about the enrolled strength of the students,  the   reply served by the PIO to Information seeker Raman Sharma informs that total 2354 students are enrolled as on date in the university which includes 308-SC, 115- ST, 458-OBC, 01-PWD and 120-EWS students . The PIO has also preferred not to reply directly to the query related to total intake capacity of the Central University of Jammu for Students in different courses and departments and instead mentioned university website and  prospectus 2023-24. RTI Activist also informed that similar RTI application has also been submitted with Central University of Kashmir and their reply is awaited. 

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Over 21000 Trees to be Chopped in Jammu, Reasi Forest Divisions for Delhi-Katra Expressway

 Jammu, 09/July/2023: Over 21000 trees will be axed in Jammu,  Reasi forest and Wildlife divisions for Delhi_Katra  Expressway, information in this regard has been provided by National Highway Authority of India. 

In reply to an Right to Information plea  by Jammu based RTI activist Raman Sharma, the NHAI has informed that a total of 21483 trees are to be chopped down between Kunjwani to Sidhra and Sidhra to Ban Toll sections of Jammu_Katra express way.

 NHAI reply dated  23/June/2023  reveals  that 11946 will be axed under Jammu Forest Division  for Kunjwani to Sidhra Section, 1781 tress for Sidhra to Ban Toll Section out of which 746 falls under Jammu Wildlife division.

Under the jurisdiction of forest division Reasi  7756  trees needs to be removed out between Domel and Katra section.

The RTI reply also informs that so far out of 21483 trees that had been earmarked for  removal, 8150 have already been felled, out of which 7000 has been axed between Kunjwani to Sidhra section (Jammu forest division) and 1150  between Sidhra to Ban Toll, Nagrota.  Between Domel to Katra section so far no tree is uprooted yet.

The documents served to activist Raman Sharma by Project Director, NHAI, PIU Udhampur  also discloses that over 716 Kanals (36.2511 Hectares) of Forest Land belonging to Jammu and Reasi Forest divisions shall be diverted for non-forestry purpose that would be used for construction of Jammu-Katra Express Way.  There is also a provision for Compensatory afforestation for degraded forest land for which the funds shall be provided by the user agency.

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