J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Pandits divided over talks with
APHC (Abbas)
Jammu, February 5
While the Kashmiri Pandits, living in exile in plains during the past 14 years, are divided over the prospects of a dialogue with leaders of the APHC (Abbas), the state unit of BJP has declared that it “will not hold talks with the separatists whenever they visit Jammu.”

Bhim Singh criticises state BJP chief
Jammu, February 5
Mr Bhim Singh, chairman of the Panthers Party, today asked the state BJP chief, Mr Nirmal Singh, not to indulge in politics and do his teaching job for which he was being paid by the Jammu university. In a statement here, Mr Bhim Singh said he had also taken up the matter with the Chairman of the UGC to restrict university teachers to the work they were being paid for.

2 directors among 64 doctors shifted
Jammu, February 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the transfer of 64 doctors, including two directors, an official spokesman said here today. Dr Jasbir Singh, Director, Health Services, Jammu, has been posted as Director, Family Welfare, Jammu, vice Dr P.K. Jandial, who will report to the Health and Medical Education Department in the Civil Secretariat.

Mild quake in Srinagar
Srinagar, February 5
An earthquake of moderate intensity rocked Srinagar and its adjoining areas in the early hours today, forcing people to rush out of their houses in cold weather. A weather office spokesman told UNI that the tremors, felt around 0017 hours, were measured 4.0 on the Richter scale. Its epicentre was 34.3 degree latitude and 74.5 longitude within Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

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Tourists enjoy a shikara ride at Dal Lake in Srinagar on Thursday. — Reuters

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Pandits divided over talks with APHC (Abbas)
Our Correspondent

Jammu, February 5
While the Kashmiri Pandits, living in exile in plains during the past 14 years, are divided over the prospects of a dialogue with leaders of the APHC (Abbas), the state unit of BJP has declared that it “will not hold talks with the separatists whenever they visit Jammu.”

Soon after the APHC (Abbas) leaders made it known that they would hold discussion with the Pandits and other intellectuals in Jammu, the Delhi Panun Kashmir, headed by Dr Ajay Chrungoo, and the All-State Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference, led by Mr O.N. Trisal, said: “We are not prepared to hold talks with the separatists whose aim had been to carry out ethnic cleansing in Kashmir.”

However, several leaders representing the displaced people in Jammu have welcomed the APHC (Abbas) initiative.

The leaders, including Mr H.N. Tikoo and Mr M.L. Thusoo, said there was no harm in meeting the APHC leaders. They said: “We are keen to return to Kashmir and before we do it we would like to know whether we are going to be accepted by the majority community in the valley. And for knowing this, a dialogue with Hurriyat Conference leaders is necessary.”

On the other hand, the BJP spokesman, Dr Hari Om , said today: “Why should we meet the APHC leaders?” He said since the Government of India had declared that the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, would meet peoples’ representative in Jammu and Ladkah, the BJP would hold meetings with the Centre and not with the APHC.

He said:“ We do not treat APHC leaders as representatives of people in Kashmir and hence opening a dialogue with them was not necessary.”

Bhim Singh criticises state BJP chief
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 5
Mr Bhim Singh, chairman of the Panthers Party, today asked the state BJP chief, Mr Nirmal Singh, not to indulge in politics and do his teaching job for which he was being paid by the Jammu university.

In a statement here, Mr Bhim Singh said he had also taken up the matter with the Chairman of the UGC to restrict university teachers to the work they were being paid for.

He said no one had the right to thrive on the state exchequer and also indulge in politics.

He said the BJP had no right to criticise the state government for the release of certain detained militants as their release was recommended by a joint screening committee of the Union Home Ministry and the state government. The state BJP should have criticised the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, for this.

On the other hand, Mr Hari Om, vice-president of the state BJP, has said that instead of demanding the resignation of the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, for introducing incentives for militants who surrender, Mr Bhim Singh should first ask his own party’s minister to step down as he was also present at the Cabinet meeting at which the incentives were announced.

Mr Hari Om accused Mr Bhim Singh of trying to mislead the people by whipping the government of which his own party was a coalition partner. He said Mr Bhim Singh should come out of the coalition before launching a tirade against it.

Meanwhile, in another salvo against the Deputy Chief Minister, the Panthers Party has accused him of indulging in the mass transfer of employees in the absence of the Chief Minister, Mufti Sayeed.

A spokesman for the Panthers Party claimed that several employees of the Public Health Engineering and Irrigation Departments were transferred today.

2 directors among 64 doctors shifted

Jammu, February 5
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the transfer of 64 doctors, including two directors, an official spokesman said here today.

Dr Jasbir Singh, Director, Health Services, Jammu, has been posted as Director, Family Welfare, Jammu, vice Dr P.K. Jandial, who will report to the Health and Medical Education Department in the Civil Secretariat.

Dr B.S. Dogra, Deputy Director, Health Services, Jammu, has been posted as in charge Director Health Services, Jammu, on the same pay and grade while Dr Rakesh Sharma, Medical Superintendent of SMGS Hospital, Jammu has been posted as Director, Reproductive Child Health, on the same pay and grade.

Dr Yash Sharma has been posted as in charge Medical Superintendent, SMGS, Jammu vice Dr Rakesh Sharma, while Dr Satish Sharma, Assistant Surgeon, Gandhi Nagar Hospital, has been posted as in charge Deputy Medical Superintendent, Medical College Hospital, Jammu, on the same pay and grade vice Dr Yash Sharma.

Dr Manoj Bhagat, Assistant Surgeon, under orders of transfer to the District Hospital, Udhampur, has been posted as Assistant Surgeon at the Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu to assist the medical superintendent in hospital administration.

The government has also ordered the transfer and posting of 57 other doctors, mostly assistant surgeons and medical officers, in both divisions of Kashmir and Jammu. — PTI

Mild quake in Srinagar

Srinagar, February 5
An earthquake of moderate intensity rocked Srinagar and its adjoining areas in the early hours today, forcing people to rush out of their houses in cold weather.

A weather office spokesman told UNI that the tremors, felt around 0017 hours, were measured 4.0 on the Richter scale.

Its epicentre was 34.3 degree latitude and 74.5 longitude within Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

People in the city came out of their houses in panic despite minus the temperature outside.

There was no report of any loss of life or damage to the property, officials said. — UNI